DYNASTY: SEASON 8 (1987-1988)

 

It’s official. DYNASTY is back on track, thanks to a kinder eighth season. If you recall, season seven was almost abysmal. It was mainly about Kristina’s heart disease and her eventual recovery. Very, very boring, if you ask me. Sure, the remaining storylines were more watchable, especially in the first half of the season, but not enough to grant the overall season a must-see. Anyway, enough about that; let’s move on to season eight. 

Three well-known characters return: Fallon, Jeff and Matthew Blaisdel, the latter with a mission in mind, to take back what’s his: Krystle. Hurray for women’s lib. In the meantime, he holds the Carringtons hostage with the help of some Peruvian mercenaries, one of which is a fine specimen, but I digress. So, to recap this two-episode arc, Matthew fails to win back Krystle. He is instead killed by gay ambivalent Steven who, for the next few episodes, has a hard time dealing with it (not his sexual preference—well, that too—but Matthew’s death). He starts burying his feelings in work, like taking over his dad’s football team which is exactly what one should do when also struggling with his own sexuality. 

As for Fallon and Jeff, well, after being left stranded near the LA desert by a UFO, a comatose Fallon is found by Jeff who does not believe that she had been abducted by aliens (which happened during the second season ender of THE COLBYS which by then had been cancelled, hence Jeff and Fallon’s return to DYNASTY). Back in Denver to recuperate, and in between UFO survivor sessions (which end up going nowhere plot-wise), Fallon hardly gives a damn about Jeff’s feelings. She much prefers mentioning divorce but Jeff is adamant that they stay married, even though he winds up in bed with Leslie. You remember Leslie, Blake’s niece and troublemaker in the making? More on her later.

 

Newlywed Adam wants his bride Dana to give him a child but she’s unable to, on account of complications from an abortion as a teen. But get this: the father at the time had been the same Adam, who, back then, was just Michael Torrence: troubled, drugged up Michael Torrence. She keeps this all on the hush-hush for a few episodes while they hire a surrogate (Stephanie Dunnam). When the cat is finally out of the bag, instead of comforting his bereft wife, he blames her for killing his child, which is so much like Adam. However, he soon comes to forgive her and embarks on a custody battle with the surrogate mother who, having given birth to a baby boy, wants to keep the child. He loses the case but not before promising the world that’ll he’ll get his son back.

 

Blake is on a mission: to become governor of Colorado. With Krystle and Jeff (as campaign manager) at his side he sets out to achieve this, even if it means stepping away as chairman of Denver-Carrington (which he gives to Steven) and running against Alexis. Sabotaged by her on numerous occasions, he still manages to come on top, thanks mostly to his faithful wife who, despite experiencing some impromptu splitting headaches which she tries to hide, has become Nancy Drew in dishing out dirt from Alexis’ past. But in the end both candidates loose against a meatier opponent.

 

As for Sammy Jo, well, having a platonic in-house relationship with her ex, Steven, for the sake of their kid sure does not help her libido. In comes hot footballer Josh (Tom Schanley) who, in between many lines of cocaine, tries to sweep her off her feet but fails miserably. Oh, she still lets him ravish her (who wouldn’t?) but in the end nothing comes of it (the same regarding this plotline, I would say) and he winds up overdosing in his apartment, where a devastated Sammy Jo eventually finds him.

 

Speaking of Sammy Jo, Jeff is hardly indifferent to her plight. Let’s face it, he’s a good guy. A little slutty but a good guy. He’s also tall, dark and handsome, not to mention filthy rich and, more importantly, divorced from Fallon—finally. So no one is really surprised when he goes about setting his eyes on Sammy Jo. Of course, he ends up having a meaningful romantic relationship with her. They even end up hearing wedding bells on the horizon. But old habits are hard to break for him when Fallon is around.

 

Now Alexis. After leaving Adam’s wedding celebration in a borrowed car, and not to mention in despair, over a spat with Dex, she is saved by a total stranger—or so we think—when she suddenly drives off a bridge. This stranger turns out to be the cuckoo brother of—wait for it—Kirby. Yes, season three and four Kirby, boring Kirby, hysterical Kirby, glad she’s not around anymore Kirby. Anyway, to make a long story short, Sean, that’s his name, wants to avenge sis and dad from all the trouble Alexis caused, dad being Joseph, the then majordomo who committed suicide after setting a cabin on fire with Alexis and Krystle in it. So what does Sean do? He courts Alexis, marries her, cheats on her with Leslie (You remember Leslie, Blake’s niece and troublemaker in the making? More on her later) and screws up his wife’s business. Then it all comes down to Alexis finding out how rotten Sean is (kind of like her real-life ex-husband Peter Holm) and watching Dex fighting him off until a gun goes off as a season ender.

 

The season also ends with Blake learning of Krystle’s sudden disappearance from the mansion which forces him to recognize the severity of her health issues; Jeff taking over Denver-Carrington and putting himself in a compromising situation when he sleeps with both Sammy Jo and Fallon; Leslie being saved by Steven and Adam from troubled Sean (you remember Leslie, don’t you? Blake’s niece and... oh never mind.); Steven leaving a letter to bid farewell to his family (in real life the actor wanted out of the series); and Adam discovering he‘s really been a Carrington all along which, despite that happy fact, does not save his crumbling marriage. All in all a pretty good season, even though it dropped to #41 in the Nielsen ratings. Yes, I agree, the entire Sean storyline was a tad comical but the end result still managed to glue me to my seat. I even rushed to season 9 to check out the outcome of his faith, even though I had a hunch where it was going. But that, dear readers, is for another blog entry.

 

 

So until next post—Martin

 

 

DYNASTY, THE SEVENTH SEASON

I’ve been dreading writing this blog entry for many weeks now. Still, I feel I should do so since I’m still a fan of DYNASTY despite finding the seventh season the worse of them all—so far. Don’t get me wrong, I had high hopes for this one since it involved yet again one of my favorite characters, Caress (Alexis’ sister), played by the dearly departed Kate O’Mara. But like her short involvement in the many storylines this season, the continuous tribulations of the Carringtons ended up being not that exciting after all.

If you recall, Alexis is literally left speechless when a crazed Blake attempts to choke her to death over the fact that she has stolen his estate under his nose. Thankfully she is saved at the last minute by the sweet words of Krystle who clearly does not want to see her hubby end up in jail. We would, but that would mean the demise of our beloved nemesis and we sure wouldn’t want that, would we? Over at La Mirage, firestarter Claudia finally perishes in the flames, as some other bit players do, but not the new Amanda (Karen Cellini) who is suddenly rescued by a stranger. In real life Catherine Oxenberg, who played the first Amanda, wanted more cash, so out she went to be replaced by this unknown person who seems to have little talent even when uttering a few words—but more on that later. 

Blake is soon accused of arson, thanks to—whom else—Alexis. He finally goes to the slammer (yes!) but not for too long (a pity): Dominique’s adult daughter, who, BTW, always acts as if she’s 12, comes quickly to the rescue when she remembers seeing the flames starting up in Claudia’s room back at La Mirage, thus making Blake a free man. 

In the meantime, Krystle is the victim of a car accident which leaves her with a migraine or two, but she turns out to be just fine. Not so for little Krystina, however, who later on contracts this heart-related disease. She needs a heart transplant, STAT. It so happens that Dex’s newly widowed woman friend (Cassie Yates) has one for her, her recent dead daughter’s. So in it goes into little Krystina who’s finally safe and sound but spends the remaining episodes being stalked by this Good Samaritan who just can’t get over the fact that her actual daughter is gone. The woman finally does come to her senses and is sent away forever by the Carringtons.

Now onto the crucial episodes involving Alexis’ sis, Caress. Crucial for many of us but, as it turns out, not so much for the producers of DYNASTY since the character ends up barely making waves. A few scenes here and there, and off she goes abroad where we never hear from her again. She will be missed. 

Back to Denver, the new Amanda finds out that her rescuer from the flames at La Mirage is none other than Michael Culhane, Blake’s two-timing, Fallon humping limousine chauffeur who has got the hots for Amanda now. The two go at it like bunnies (not really; just in this one scene where Wayne Northrop shows his muscular form) at the expense of a worried Blake who clearly wants to end this union. He finally gets his wishes when Amanda disappears forever, never to be seen or mentioned again (besides this one quick line of her being in Paris). In reality, things didn’t work out for the actress and she was yanked during mid-season. I personally didn’t mind her being around. She had that Pia Zadora quality about her that I found quite endearing. Oh well, she will be missed.  

OK, we need some Alexis time again so here it goes. After Blake suffers memory loss due to an oil ring explosion in Singapore (from which he was saved by his brother Ben, played by the late Christopher Cazenove) Alexis leads him to believe that they are still married so she can use him for—what else—business reasons. They stay oh-so happy for a minute ‘til she finally has a conscience (what?!) and comes clean, causing him to regain his memory and reunite with Krystle.  Speaking reuniting, after a night of hot sex with her ex, Dex, Alexis ends up rejecting Dex’s proposition of getting hitched again, causing a major rift between the two. As for I, I can’t help but sigh in despair at all that is going on, causing me to turn off the TV for a while and take a break. As it turns out, a long break. Don’t misunderstand me, I love la Collins and all, but this seventh season is the pits. Thank Heavens for the catfight between Alexis and Dominique which finally happened when I checked back in, for I would have checked out for good. 

Adam, who is still a scheming little turd (love him) falls in love with Blake’s secretary, played by none other than DAYS OF OUR LIVES Leann Hunley. He asks her hand in marriage. She accepts, and Mama Alexis plans the wedding. The couple’s happy bubble is soon burst, however, when recently prison free Neil McVane, Alexis long time nemesis and cross dresser (remember when he passed for Alexis and pushed Mark Jenkins off the balcony to incriminate her in Jenkins death?) has proof that Adam is not a Carrington. Finally, something worth our while. So Adam gets bribed, drinks heavily, gets into bar fights, calls off his wedding, then finally comes clean. As a reward for being, well, the bastard that he is, he gets adopted by Blake and Alexis, such an easy task when you’re on night time soaps, isn’t it?  

That leaves us Sammy Jo. After fighting Amanda off (for the second time since they had to reshoot due to Cellini’s involvement) in the La Mirage pool, Sammy is left heartbroken—twice. First her marriage to Clay (Ted McGinley) is annulled after inventing a false pregnancy and being rejected by her in-laws, the Fallmonts; then Steven wants nothing but a platonic relationship with her when he moves in and the two end up getting intimate. What a girl to do next? Easy: cling to the past. Still, she soon realizes she’d rather have a non-sexual relationship with Steven than deprive their son of a father. In the meantime, Clay begins a relationship with Leslie (Terri Garber), Ben’s estranged daughter who strangely looks like Pagan from LACE. After finding out he probably is Ben’s son from an affair with his mom, he breaks up with Leslie and leaves Denver, never to be seen again.  

This season all comes down to Adam and Dana finally getting a lavish wedding at the mansion, Ben leaving Denver for good, lonely and hurt Alexis plunging her car into the river, and get this, Matthew (Bo Hopkins) coming back from the dead as the Carringtons’ kidnapper to reclaim once and for all his rightly due: Krystle. And I can clearly see women’s lib going down the drain. 

Besides the return of Michael and Matthew, clearly this season is all about getting rid of some characters. I would have pushed even further and added Sammy Jo and Steven to the list; Sammy Jo, because, as much fun as she was in previous seasons, she has become a bore to watch in this one. As for our resident homo, take out his hook up with hot Luke (may he rest in peace) in season four, his storylines just don’t go anywhere. This thing about him questioning his sexuality again this season, I mean, c’mon. Enough already. Make him gay once and for all. Although, I heard through the grapevine that the reason the producers stalled on this was because the sponsors where still threatening to backlash the soap if the character ended being up a full-time ‘mo. Figures, but it barely explains this lackluster of a season. Some insiders believe it is largely due to the fact that most of the original writers had left to go to THE COLBYS. Perhaps, but mark my words on this: if season eight resembles anything like this one, I’m out for good. OK, maybe not. We’ll see.

Until next post—Martin

‘DYNASTY’, SEASON SIX (1985-86)

After witnessing the infamous Moldavian Massacre at the end of the fifth season of DYNASTY, you’d think there’d be more on-screen fatalities with all that shooting and screaming. Turns out the real victims were the 28.1 million TV viewers who had fallen for such far-fetched but highly-entertaining crap. Handing them only two deaths (Billy Campbell’s Luke and Ali McGraw’s Lady Ashley) kind of made a sham out of the whole thing. But who am I to judge, I, who spew all this filth for your enjoyment on this little blog. It’s not like I’m an expert in the field or anything. Though in my head I believe I am. Like I believe the actor who plays Dexter is really this macho don’t-bend-for-anyone kind of a dude who would break me if he ever got close. It’s all an illusion, folks. And judging by what we got from that cliff-hanger, a very bad one at that.  

But let’s move on. After being held captive by the bad guys for a couple of episodes, one of which actress Joan Collins is a no-show on account of a salary dispute, the Carringtons finally fly back to Denver to bury Luke (but not Lady Ashley who seems completely forgotten by then). Soon afterwards Blake receives the visit from his cousin Jason Colby (the so-lovable Republican Charlton Heston) who wants to merge their businesses but Blake wants none of that. When he changes his mind later on we bid adieu to Jeff who moves to California with Jason to star in his own series THE COLBYS (more on that one in an eventual blog entry).   

Krystle finds herself in a bind when she’s kidnapped by Sammy Jo’s posse which really consists only of debonair Joel played by a much tanned George Hamilton. The other member is none other than Evans herself portraying Krystle’s doppelganger Rita; so we have a solo act here if not counting Sammy Jo. The plan is for Rita to impersonate Krystle who’s the executor of the will from which Sammy Jo has inherited tons of cash left by her late dad Rock Hudson. Of course the plan goes awry and we are treated to a final showdown of the two Krystles going at it in a catfight. My reaction to this overall storyline: I’m sure it was better on paper than what we got on screen.   

Ever since Amanda got hitched to prince Michael of Moldovia (“Amannndaaa!”) everything else is all sunshine and roses—not. She’s still as gloomy and wooden as ever and still holds a torch for Dex whom she finally beds. When Mama Alexis catches them in action, well, let’s just say that a three way is out of the question. Besides, it just gives her more reasons to focus on destroying Blake, with the help this time from his little brother Ben who despises him as much as she does.

Speaking of love-hate relationship, Steven is stuck between a rock and a hard face when he meets rugged but oh-so dull Bart, a senatorial candidate who secretly has the hots for him. It takes a few more episodes for Bart to finally admit his attraction. Those hoping for a man on man action between the two (besides a rumble) will be highly disappointed however since the producers of DYNASTY still refuse to make Steven a total ‘mo. Instead the storyline goes kind of nowhere and we are left with a boring subplot involving politics and the many schemes of one Adam Carrington.  

Now that Dominique Devereaux is truly accepted as a Carrington (she is Blake and Ben’s illegitimate sis) she is rarely seen until the writers make her fall for Garrett, Jason Colby’s lawyer. The two had a fling back in the day and now that he’s a widower they’re more than ready to rekindle their relationship. When he finds out he’s also a dad to Dominique’s teen daughter he proposes, but on the night of their engagement party Dominique breaks off with him when she learns (from Alexis whom she gladly slaps) that he has lied about being married before. To that I say, boohoo, but frankly, we don’t need him. Not when someone else is just right around the corner, someone who has little to do with Dominique but is ten times the show-stopper. I give you…

Caress Morell. She’s Alexis’ younger sister and she’s the best thing to happen to season six. Her presence is like hearing angels singing. In fact, I would have had no problem had they changed the series name to The Alexis and Caress Show because they’re the only ones in this season who make it all worthwhile. As is, however, her addition to the cast is solely on destroying Alexis who of course has made her life a living hell.

 

Besides a mud wrestling bit between Alexis and Krystle, an in-pool wrestling bit between Sammy Jo and Amanda, a hall and stairs wrestling bit between Stephen and Adam, and Fallon who wrestles quite a bit with her amnesia (yeah she’s back and she’s got a different accent), this uneven season concludes with cuckoo Claudia playing FIRESTARTER with La Mirage hotel, Alexis taking over Blake’s mansion and getting her neck squeezed by him, and nothing else worth mentioning really except the possible return of Caress in season seven if the producers play their cards right. They better if they know what’s good for them.

 

 

Until next post—Martin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

'DYNASTY', SEASON FIVE (1984-1985)

The one thing I must bring up right away in regards to DYNASTY’s fifth season is the constant abuse of Fallon’s hotel name, La Mirage.  It is not La but Le.  If you plan on using a French pronoun, use it wisely.  Now on to other scandals: this is the season where we are introduced to Amanda, Blake and Alexi’s third child.  Yes, they have another one. What next, a black child?  Wait, Dominique’s already there so scratch that.  Amanda comes from London and wears a sad face—permanently.  I guess if you’ve been hiding away overseas after all these years you ought to be unhappy. Or is it just that she is bad acting? Anyway, Alexis refuses to acknowledge that Amanda’s Blake’s child.  It takes a couple of episodes to confirm it.  In the meantime Fallon mysteriously vanishes and ends up dead in a plane crash—or is she?  In real life, actress Pamela Sue Martin wants out and big boss Aaron Spelling regretfully obliges.  Jeff, however, has a hard time handling this, Fallon’s disappearance I mean.   They were supposed to remarry and he is just devastated, devastated.  So against his better judgment, he sets out to find her.  But she’s gone damn it, she’s gone—or is she? 
 

Alexis and her red gown get out of the slammer after posting bail.  Remember, she is accused of pushing to his death Mark Jennings from a high rise balcony, but we have a hunch she’s innocent.  And right we are when the culprit turns out to be Neal McVane (VALLEY OF THE DOLLS Paul Burke) who has had a vendetta against Alexis for a couple of seasons now.  Imagine this: he dressed up as Alexis with the shoulder pads and all just so any witness (Steven in this case—whose drag radar is clearly off) would think it’s her.  I wonder if he used one of her wigs. I doubt it.  Like her clothes, she must put them under lock and key. I know I would. 
 

Blake refuses to believe that Dominique is related to him.  How wrong he is, for her mom banged his dad and voila, Dominique.  She has proof.  He wants none of it but comes to accept it later on.  Meanwhile all this nonsense puts a strain on Krystle’s pregnancy (yes, she’s with child) and she goes into premature labor, but don’t worry, the baby’s fine.  They even call her Kristina, the poor thing.  Let’s just hope that her mom doesn’t force her to have the same hairdo later on. Huh, wait...  On the other side of the mansion, Claudia and Steven have marital problems.  She wants him, he wants newcomer Luke (who wouldn’t?).   Luke wins.  Not before having to confront the wife which would shake any gay fellow.  Speaking of gay dudes, in comes Daniel Reece, played by the legendary Rock Hudson.  He is Sammy Jo’s dad, a millionaire.  He has the hots for Krystle and since Krystle is not too fond of Blake these days, she is tempted.  He kisses her one day and all hell breaks loose, off-camera mostly.  This is the controversial season where it is revealed that Mr. Hudson has AIDS.  Has Linda Evans contracted it too?  Not to worry, we learn that it is transmitted only through blood and semen.  Unless she banged the guy in between scenes, which I sincerely doubt, she’s just fine.  Mr. Hudson passes away a few months later.  Rest in peace, sir. 

This is also the season where guest stars pop up: from Hudson to MAHOGANY Billie Dee Williams to LOVE STORY Ali McGraw.  The latter plays a renowned photographer who wants Blake but ends up with Jeff instead.  She helps him deal with Fallon’s apparent death.  Just as Luke does with Stephen’s homosexual urges (yay it’s back on!).  But before we can say happiness the couples are torn apart by the Moldavian massacre (the what?).  Indeed, during the wedding ceremony between Amanda and her prince charming Michael (whom she has chosen over mom’s hubby Dex—don’t ask) armed revolutionaries invade the chapel and shoot everyone.  Who will live who will die?  That, dear readers, the next season answers.  In the meantime back in Denver, Sammy Jo is fuming over the fact that her inheritance from daddy Reece who, like in real life, has died unexpectedly, is managed by her aunty Krystle.  She plans her own attack for season six, which indirectly states the outcome of Krystle’s chance of surviving in Moldavia (but did we really have any doubt?).  The season also ends with the revelation that Fallon isn’t dead after all.  She just changed faces and accents.  Gasp and double gasp—not.  

 

Until next post—Martin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

'DYNASTY', THE FOURTH SEASON (1983-1984)

Season four of DYNASTY is all about Peter De Vilbis, the jet setting rogue. Well, not exactly but he does take center stage in regards to Fallon’s storyline.  She’s madly in love with him. Or so she says. But we all know that it isn’t true. How can it be?  The guy’s a total ‘mo.  But for the benefit of the plot, we’ll pretend he isn’t. Of course, I don’t have any proof of this but I have a hunch that he likes nothing better than hanging around West Hollywood when the itch beckons. Fallon seems to be fooled, though, except for Claudia and Jeff who, like us, know something’s wrong with him. OK, Jeff’s still enamored with Fallon and will do anything to get her back, including butting heads with the competition.  But that just doesn’t erase the fact that he sees right through Mr. De Vilbis, whose last name, by the way, couldn’t be more… devilish.  

But moving on… After rescuing Alexis and Krystle from a flaming cabin Mark—Krystle’s ex—is accused of starting the fire in the first place.  Though the real culprit is Joseph the major-domo, it takes a few episodes before Marky boy is off the hook. He then becomes Alexis’s bodyguard before someone pushes him off a balcony ledge to his death.  As for Joseph, well, after being discovered as the true firestarter (move over Drew Barrymore), he offs himself with a handgun, turning his pregnant daughter into a vengeful wimp when she discovers he’d been blackmailed by Alexis (over his wife’s—Kirby’s mom—rep). Yes, wimp, because her conscience takes over before she’s able to pull the trigger on Alexis even though the dragon lady deserves it so.  As if that wasn’t complicated enough, it turns out that the father of her unborn child is none other than debonair but rapist Adam.  But don’t tell husband Jeff that.   Though he’s already back shacking up with Fallon, he wants to be a good husband and father. Until he finds out the real deal about Kirby and Adam, that is. Then it’s every man for himself as he fistfights Adam on the rooftop of the Carrington plaza. Since it’s a double whammy for Adam, him being a rapist and a poisoner (tried to kill Jeff with it in season three and Jeff now knows) Adam is almost a goner but not quite. The show needs him to raise more hell, not to mention to support wimpy Kirby whose storyline has gone awry. 

 

But the best reason to watch season four, in my opinion, is to feast your eyes on newcomer Dex Dexter whom I call Sex Sexter on account of his rugged virility. I mean the guy oozes sex appeal even when he burps. “I don’t bend for anyone”, he warns Blake in one episode. Oh I’ll just bet you don’t. Where is Steven when we need him?  Oh yeah, he’s off fighting his dad and Sammy Jo for custody of his son, which he finally obtains after marrying cuckoo Claudia. Although this union doesn’t please mama Alexis she has other fishes to fry like bending for Sex Sexter for instance. Their hook up is the best thing that could ever happen to her.  It makes her almost likable. 
 

Since she got remarried to Blake (first one was annulled), Krystle wants to be a better wife, which means working for him as a publicist at Denver Carrington (why?  Just enjoy the wealth, honey). Enter Tracy who’s all sweet and doe-eyed as Krystle’s secretary but is really a woman scorned. She wants Krystle’s position and will stop at nothing to get it, even seducing Blake which he does not take very kindly and fires her. Then she changes camp to Colbyco’s but quits when Alexis wants her to bed a client. She is never seen again.
 

I could go on and on about the plots and subplots but let just say that season four ends up with Fallon as a runaway bride (bid adieu to Pamela Sue Martin who wants off the series), Kirby running off to Europe for good (bye-bye), Alexis getting arrested for the murder of Mark Jennings, and the revelation that a black wealthy socialite singer could be Blake’s sis (oh the shade of it all!); all in all, a strong season, even though the first Fallon will be greatly missed (hint, hint!).  And this goes even for you, Mark Jennings.  You were kind of a hottie yourself.

  

Until next post—Martin

 

 

 

'DYNASTY', SEASON THREE (1982-1983)

　

What a chore it is to recap this third season. Not that the series is anything but memorable. It’s just that I’m already up to season seven. And with all the problems that have plagued the Carringtons it’s pretty much a struggle to go back in time when you’re so far ahead. What’s safe to say is that season three brings up the return of Steven Carrington as a regular, played this time around by the cute but oh so wooden Jack Coleman. Now, now, before you all gang up on me like bullies, let me remind you that the original Steven, Al Corley, was way better in the role. He may not have been the greatest actor around but at least he had some diversified facial expressions. Coleman seems to be stuck on two, angry and angry. Yes, the character may be in a funk after a change of appearance (due to an oil rig explosion), not to mention battling his dad and Sloppy Jo for custody of his son, but showing a assortment of expressions on his fine re-constructed mug might render him a bit more believable and, thus, likable. As is, I almost wish he was still missing. Anyway let’s move on.

 

The addition of two new characters has some ups and downs as well. The discovery that Adam, the long lost kidnapped son of Blake and Alexis, is actually alive and kicking (and all grown up and sexy I might add) adds some spice to the soap. Gordon Thomson is playing him just right (take some pointers, Steven,  dear). And just like his TV mom, he’s as evil, if not more. The toxic paint he uses to redecorate Jeff’s office (just to get rid of him) may be way over to the top but it sure makes good television. Especially when he puts the blame on Collins who is rendered speechless to say the least. How does she get out of this one? Simple: she takes the blame (but is never charged for it—again). That’s how much she loves her kid, people.

　
 

As for Kirby, the majordomo’s daughter, well, maybe it’s just me but I still cringe every time I think of her (like just now). What a wimpy character, that one. Yeah, yeah, Kathleen Beller’s a fine actress and she makes do with what she’s got, but if sophistication is what producers were going for, then I’m sorry to say they have missed the boat completely. I mean just look at her. She’s obviously more of the Kumbaya type than anything else. I suspect longer hair underneath those armpits. And what about her involvement with Adam? Talk about a disaster hookup from the start. Raped and impregnated by him she utterly goes bonkers, and by that I mean BONKERS. I kept expecting her to befriend Claudia so they could do a double act. Speaking of nuts, now that Claudia is off Dr. Toscani’s patients list since he’s gone MIA (thankfully) after season two, she’s so much more messed up, and we thank the screenwriters for that. The whole Little Blake kidnapping thing involving her on a downtown roof was one of the highlights of the season. For a moment there I really thought Little Blake (what I stupid name, BTW) was a goner, that it wasn’t an actual doll that fell off the building.

But the most noted subplot has got to be the wedding of Alexis Carrington and Cecil Colby—Blake’s ultimate nemesis. The fact that she can do whatever the heck she wants, even marrying her beau from his hospital deathbed, just proves once again how devious and manipulative she can be. Because truth be told  she doesn’t really love Cecil (duh!). She’s more into his wealth and standing. A fact the groom clearly knows as he lets her have it mere seconds before succumbing to a heart attack. Widowed and now the most powerful woman in Denver, nothing will stop her from destroying Blake. Or so she thinks.
  

 

　

Half the fun in watching this third season is trying to make sense of the overblown story arcs; the other half is admiring the beautiful things shown on screen: the mansion, the cars, the work of arts, but especially the many sparkling jewels and gowns the female cast get to wear. Clearly the series wouldn’t be where it’s at had designer to the stars Nolan Miller not been in the picture. He sure adds some high class to an otherwise so-so season. Now, if only I could remember whatever the heck happens in season four. Oh yeah, Peter De Vilbis… Stay tuned.

　

　


 

Until next post—Martin