"The Dinner." Three weeks have passed since events of the previous episode. During this time, the Stevenbot has become an executive at Colby Co. "You're doing an absolutely dazzling job of analyzing the potential of those Far Eastern leases that we're bidding for", coos Alexis, making it sound as though he's being glueing sequins onto the company stationery again. Blake is less impressed. "Apparently, you've changed your view about the oil business from the days when you refused to be an executive with me," he observes of his android son. "Views change, Dad," replies the Stevenbot in that emotionally botoxed way of his. "End of discussion." Views change. Sigh--that's all the explanation we get for the reversal of a major character's entire belief system and ideology. Clare Maynard, the roving reporter (and Gordon Wales forerunner) with the Pulitzer prize and the tabloid mentality, pops up from behind one of Alexis's cheese plants to harangue Steven over Claudia Blaisdel, "that poor, troubled woman" whom everyone in Denver has completely forgotten about. His memory banks rebooted, the Stevenbot goes to see her at the Nick Toscanni Home for Ex-Cast Members. Claudia, clad in hideous pastel jogging bottoms, recognises him immediately: "Your eyes, they're still the same." Maybe they are, but I'll bet this Steven can't quote Emily Dickinson. Try feeding "Much madness is divinest sense to a discerning eye" into the Stevenbot's data banks, and you'd most likely get "Does not compute! Views change! Views change! End of discussion!" Krystle has been to see Claudia "quite a few times", apparently. She has? Gee, what other meetings have been taking place that the show hasn't seen fit to tell us about? Does Fallon go line dancing with Walter Lankershim on a regular basis? "God, I wish I'd been with you on the roof with the doll," whirrs the Stevenbot to Claudia. Why? He wasn't with her following her overdose, or her shooting, or when she had amnesia and lost the ability to speak, or any of the three times she found out that Matthew and Lindsay were dead, and that was when Steven and Claudia were (mostly) living in the same house. And that's because their relationship was o-v-e-r. Despite the weird fakeness of their exchange and the draft excluder on her head (to hide the lobotomy scars?), Pamela Bellwood still manages to inject some poignancy into the scene: "You didn't mention your son ... You still pity me." Kirby, Claudia's successor in suffering, is also quite good during an argument with Jeff at La Mirage--it's like she's suddenly realised the ridiculousness of their situation: not only do they live with his ex-wife, but they go to her hotel for lunch. The shock of not being overly coy causes Kathleen Beller to feel faint and Jeff immediately suggests a visit to Dr Wingfield. Alexis tries to buy Mark off, but he insists he's serious about Fallon. "Love? Come off it," Alexis scoffs. "You're nothing but a second rate bum in tennis shoes." This leads to the scene in which she arranges for Fallon to find her in Mark's bed. Even by DYNASTY standards, this is absurd; the scheme's success depends entirely on Joan Collins having read the script beforehand. Had Fallon knocked rather than walked straight into Mark's room, or had Mark not been taking a shower at exactly 5pm, it would have failed. "What do they call a woman like you?" Mark asks Alexis as her daughter flees in tears. Desperate and unbalanced, perhaps? No, "Smart and intelligent," according to Alexis. Ah, but of course; how does the old argument go? If a man were to climb into his son's lover's bed and pretend to be naked, everyone would applaud him for being a good businessman, but if a woman does it, she's immediately a mad old bitch. Much of this episode centres around lovely Krystle's determined attempts to effect a reconciliation between Blake and Steven over a posh dinner at the Carrington house. This creates all sorts of ripples amongst the characters. Alexis, believing with her customary mixture of justification and paranoia that Blake has always done everything possible to separate her from her son, is threatened by Krystle's involvement: "How dare you interfere in my son's life?" "I love your desk. The tusks--they're so you," replies Krystle, getting the last word for once. In order to sabotage the dinner, Alexis arranges for Adam and Steven to be stranded while on a business trip. "On one hand, you want me to be friends with my brother," protests Adam. "On the other, you make it impoossible by involving me in your schemes." "My poor little innocent Adam," she sneers. "What other wonders are in store for us?" He grabs her by the arms; she calls him violent and sick, adding, "Just make sure I don't get sick of you," as if he were her prison bitch. Adam tries to warn the Stevenbot of her plan, but he is too arrogant to listen. "I am a hired hand. I follow mother's orders," Adam shrugs, defeated. Steven's absence from the dinner table sparks a row between Blake and Krystle. Like Alexis, he accuses her of interfering. "What should I be concerned with?" she snaps, echoing the Krystle of Season 1. "The dinner menu? What dress to wear?" The final shots of each of the last two scenes are high angle views, first of the Stevenbot alone on the airstrip and then Krystle alone on the Carrington staircase. There is something potentially rich about this Krystle/Blake/Steven/Alexis/Adam situation--Adam and Steven's traditional bad brother/good brother roles are reversed, the heroic Blake's behaviour is flawed and unreasonable, and both Alexis and Krystle's motivations are rooted in character and backstory. Unfortunately, the central focus of the story is Steven, and it's into Jack Coleman's black hole of a performance that a lot of the drama disappears.
Last edited by James from London; 09-30-2006 at 07:52 PM.
"Tyranny is the deliberate removal of nuance"
In the pilot, Fallon said she met Jeff when they were eleven (and not 14 like it is said in a website). Apparently, Fallon knew him quite well but not Blake since she had to tell him a little more about the guy. Steven also knew Jeff since they both went to Princeton.Originally Posted by abbylexis
Like usually, a lot of people blame season 3 for something that season 2 was responsible for actually. It's in season 2 that Jeff became an old friend of the family in order to justify the importance that sudenly the character had. The fact that he knew Kirby in his childhoold was the "logical" result of it.
The problem with Samms' Fallon is that she is totally faithful to her husband, something than PSM's Fallon never is. She is an impotent woman unable to go to work and the first Fallon is not. And she is also always involved in mental problems (she got amnesia, her brother supposedly raped her, she saw an UFO, a dead man haunted her...) which is not the case with the 1st version.
To compare her with Amanda is much more relevent. It's not too far-fetched to imagine the Fallon of seasons 3 and 4 falling in love with Dex and marrying a prince in a country that doesn't exist.
PSM didn't play the same Fallon than Emma Samms. She didn't play the secret daughter of Joseph Anders and Alexis Colby who was like as two peas with her sister Kirby.
To hate an actor is your right. To insult him is not. Because in that sentence (like in a lot of others), it's clearly of Jake Coleman that you're talking about, refering to , I quote, a "latex ****".
Last edited by Dynastie c'est riche; 09-30-2006 at 08:45 PM.
Mmmm, James.... such Grade-A Quality...
Marky now I've done The Colby's ( and am now in therapy because of it ) I'm leaping to season 9 . James is forcing me - physically - to finish season 3 . I've enjoyed it . I feel very guilty for loving it . It's like MacDonalds with more cholestorol . How fantastic are James's Dynasty posts , they are definitive .
"If someone wants to punch me in the mouth , then stand up and do it "
Yes, you must finish season 3--- AND you must watch the first episode of season 4 ("The Arrest" ?) and observe the executional competence of that installment (which is quickly abandoned.... again).
You'll love season 9... there's, like, a story and stuff!
James these posts are fantastic, every week you seem to better yourself. Moderators take note, James' season 3 posts should be compiled under a separate link so everyone can read them. Only 2 more episodes to go and James' analysis will be season complete!
I truly hope James you continue this onto the next season. Reading your posts is like rewatching Dynasty all over again but funnier! I can't wait until your wit wraps itself (figuratively speaking) around Helmut Berger, Diahann Carroll and wooden tops Amanda and Michael.
As for Jack Coleman, he deserves all the insults he can get. He was so ill suited for the role and greatly contributed to Dynasty's growing plasticity. He resented playing a gay character and wanted it to be more straight (and as confirmed that on tv interviews - in UK's 'After Dynasty' for example). How lamentable is Al Corley's loss, and just imagine how Dynasty could have been better if Al stayed for all 9 seasons like John James did. Aaron Spelling and the Shapiros had a real opportunity to make a social mark on 80s popular culture by keeping Corley during that AIDS era, but stupidly let him go because of egos and their customary arrogance and lack of judgement.
I agree all you've said - especially the part with Coleman asking Steven to be more and more straight while he knew from the departure that he was supposed to play a gay man - except your first sentence.
Insults are free and no actor deserve that unless he or she did something reprehensible by law standards.
Al Corley wanted to leave. The only thing the producers could have done was to force him to stay. I don't think it would have been fair to keep him in a cage.
I don't think it was a question of either letting him go or keeping him in cage. Al Corley wanted to leave because of he felt his character was losing his identity. Therefore, the producers did have another option: they could have agreed to keep Steven gay. If they had done that, I don't think Mr. Corley would have wanted to leave.
I agree, however, that reading personal insults of an actor's personality, as opposed to critiquing a performance can be unpleasant. However, I am not sure that we can force people to keep their criticism to illegal activity. I tend to blame John Forsythe and Linda Evans for the staleness of the Krystle-Blake-Alexis triangle. I believe that problem was caused by their decisions and I should be able to criticize that.
However, even if Jack Coleman didn't want to play a gay character, it wasn't his fault that Steven was "confused." After all, Al Corley left because the producers didn't want Steven to be gay, so Mr. Coleman can't be blamed for the change in direction of the character. And, in the end, Steven returned to his "roots."
Another masterpiece, James!
This is my favourite part:Hee! So true!
Oh I don't insult Jack Coleman's integrity as a human being, but I do his one dimensional petulant performance in the part of Steven. Just as I don't insult Emma Samms' philanthropy and charitable work with the Starlight Foundation, but I do intensely critique her abysmal performance as Fallon.
Corley apparently left in an "I quit"/"No, you cant quit, you're fired" type of scenario.
Corley both did and didn't want to leave, an ambivalence he still seems to retain even now. And when he expressed his frustration with the direction he saw Steven going in and that he wanted to go, the producers took a kick-him-in-the-butt-on-his-way-out-the-door approach.
I think their willingness to re-cast all four grown Carrington children (and all four recasts were disastrous) reflects their sense of fairness and lack of judgment.
I would have quite liked to have seen Steven in a cage being fed by Joseph every now and then and being released every so often for a walk with Krystle who would control his movements with a Dog chain ,,,,, It would have been more interesting than what came later .
"If someone wants to punch me in the mouth , then stand up and do it "
KL4ever just sent me an infraction . I've never had one of those before - surprisingly - so after I sent her one back ( well it's a free democracy ) I decided to look up the word infraction because I have absolutely no idea what it means ... If I am to be infracted I'd like to know what an infract or act of infract ... to infract ... actually means ...
Here's what I found ...
A violation of law not punishable by imprisonment. Minor traffic offenses generally are considered infractions
Thank God I won't go to jail . Phew!!! Minor traffic offenses are infractions , wow , so joking that AbbyL may be on drugs because he loves Law and Order is the same as running a red light . Interesting . Although to be fair - and how interesting is this .. I was not infracted for my jokes toward AbbyL I was infracted for my replt to KL4ever - she wrote " I feel you have insulted me " . She's obviously never been insulted very much .
an offense involving intent to defraud and false representation and obtaining property as a result of that misrepresentation
Oh . Have I misrepresented ? I don't think so... and I certainly was not trying to gain property of KL4ever . Although if she has a lovely chateau in the South Of France I'd happily attempt to defraud it from her .
I really want to buy a place in France . It's quite cheap to buy a place , you can actually pick up 3 bedroom farmhouses for about 20 grand . But you'd be spending years restoring and doing them up .
What has this got to do with Dynasty ? Well lots .....
Al Corley found himself ina " I quit / No you've been fired situation .... and I think it's interesting how communication break downs occur . Barbara Bel Geddes was off Dallas for a year because her managers and agents blew a deal by refusing to back down on the number of days she had to work - Bel Geddes later called Lorimar direct to say she would work a 7 day week , presumably not knowing what had gone on - and it was too late .
Corley wanted Steven to be gay - well , he was wasn't he - but I wonder if his discussions/communications with producers , who later decided Steven was actually gay - was perehaps a mis communication of sorts . I am puzzled at why Corley left if the character once he was brought back was still gay .... almost .
I have replied to my infraction which will probably result in another infraction . I will also reply to that infraction in more or less the same way causing me to be banned. I wonder if Corley went through the same thing , knowing his wishes for Steven to be gay and not bi sexual would result in his departure ?
One things for sure , if KL4ever sends me a 100 interactive infractions I wont return with a new face !
Last edited by sunshineboyuk; 10-01-2006 at 09:35 PM.
"If someone wants to punch me in the mouth , then stand up and do it "
Well, Sunny, whenever I feel abused, especially on the DALLAS board, I always access and recite these passages (it seems to work for me):
http://www.soapchat.net/showpost.php...4&postcount=32
http://www.soapchat.net/showpost.php...3&postcount=49
i LOVE those cheers Marky they're fantastic , fantastic !
They've deleted all my posts on the Knots thread - except KL4ever's
"If someone wants to punch me in the mouth , then stand up and do it "
LOL!Wasn't "The Dinner" one of those titles the Dynasty writers used, like, 5 times? Like "The Wedding", "The Trial", "The Divorce"--okay, I'm exaggerating now
Can you imagine his marriage to Tracy Lawton? Or would you even want to?
Not by much!LOL!
Marky that artist is a genius , he had an exhibition here that I totally didn't go to and he's amazing. Apparently he's all about lonleiness in urban spaces or something ...
Ur pics r just 2 funny , thanks mate
"If someone wants to punch me in the mouth , then stand up and do it "
Yes, Hitler's holding a German lugar, furious he's been ostracized to the street.Marky that artist is a genius , he had an exhibition here that I totally didn't go to and he's amazing. Apparently he's all about lonleiness in urban spaces or something ...
Ur pics r just 2 funny , thanks mate
We always had this running joke that all those folks were still alive and playing cards on some Swiss mountaintop someplace, all in the Federal Witness Protection Program.
So today, as I had always rather liked it too, I decided to toss in the 10 other people I thought were missing...
I think it may have been meant-to-be, as it almost seem to make itself.
Fun-fun.
I love it , I've saved it onto my pc and will print it out and put it on my lounge wall in a funky frame .....
"If someone wants to punch me in the mouth , then stand up and do it "
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