Which CW Dynasty characters are better than the orginal?

[Pamela_E]

I loved the addition of Amanda in New Dynasty, she is a vast improvement on the original Amanda. The actress is really good.

I also prefer Fallon in new Dynasty compared to the original.

Any others?

There are some that can never really live up to the original, like Dominque.

 

[Daniel Avery]

They went too far with Adam in his introduction to NuDynasty. The things he did to Steven and Alexis hamper any attempts at mainstreaming the character the way they did with OG Adam. If they'd planned to have NuAdam be a temporary addition who ultimately got written out, all the murder and mayhem would have been understandable; but as a principal character they're unable to adequately punish him for his crimes, while simultaneously unable to reform him to an extent that the viewers forgive all he did. So while NuAdam might be more fun to watch, his past creates problems/limitations for the writers seeking to continue his story.

 

[tommie]

I actually prefer Dominique in this version because ultimately, once Dominique became Blake's bank teller on the OG she never really did much. No shade towards Diahann Carroll who often did the most with the weak material they gave her, but Dominique is a perfect example of how oldDynasty would waste good characters because no one should be able to beat The Queen of the Universe Alexis.

I also prefer nununuCristal over post-season 2 Krystle - I do like the idea of having her acting like a puppet-master with Blake, which is very much in line with OGClaudia's comment that she's the "most dangerous Carrington of them all" - something the OG show never did anything with but would make sense if Krystle ended up manipulating OG Blake when he ran for governor.

Amanda's obviously better because again, Amanda was never more than a pouty Fallon replacement and they never ended up having the character come into her own (again, symptomatic for the middle years of Dynasty).

Ultimately, when Fallon was written like, well, Fallon and not a whiny victim she was great on the OG.

 

[Willie Oleson]

I actually prefer Dominique in this version

I also liked greedy, two-faced Dominique - until her singing daughter showed up. They massively tanked that one.

 

[tommie]

I also liked greedy, two-faced Dominique - until her singing daughter showed up. They massively tanked that one.

maybe watch season 4 baby

 

[xab]

None.

No offense to the actors/tresses, they cope with the stuff they're given and many of them deserve better...

Dominique was introduced as a she-devil. She turned into a greedy but parodic puppet. The same for Adam and Kirby (nearly as goody goody as 80' brunette Kirby ...) This show promesses and teases a lot but... It's nothing but a scam...

And what about Alexis ... ?
Yawn. Mother of the year.

At least Liz Gillies Fallon sticks to the spoiled brat Fallon should have been up to the last episode of GoodOLD Dynasty...

 

[Daniel Avery]

The way C2 evolved during her lone season gave me the idea that if she had been able to stay, A-BC would have eventually made her Cristal more like saintly OG Krystle. When C3 came on the scene, they felt the need to give her some of that early-C2 severity (Adam even referring to her as "bad-ass Cristal"), only to slowly turn her into a more balanced character (not a total saint, but not a total sinner either). So Cristal is now more layered and "current," while not losing all her morality in the process of becoming the Carrington matriarch. Is C3 an improvement on OG Krystle, though? I'd say yes, if only because they're writing her more unpredictably and making her able to function better in the gray areas.

It's really sad, though, how NuDynasty has not been able to grasp how Alexis ought to act, and what purpose she serves in the overall canvas of characters. They've had two excellent actresses play her (three if you count....oh, never mind) but neither of them have been given material that would make me feel she was a force to be reckoned with in her own right. They did such a good rehab job on the character of Dominique in S4 (and Cristal, to a lesser extent) that I hope their "rehab project" in S5 is Alexis because....well, she's probably the most in need of attention.

 

[tommie]

The way C2 evolved during her lone season gave me the idea that if she had been able to stay, A-BC would have eventually made her Cristal more like saintly OG Krystle. When C3 came on the scene, they felt the need to give her some of that early-C2 severity (Adam even referring to her as "bad-ass Cristal"), only to slowly turn her into a more balanced character (not a total saint, but not a total sinner either). So Cristal is now more layered and "current," while not losing all her morality in the process of becoming the Carrington matriarch. Is C3 an improvement on OG Krystle, though? I'd say yes, if only because they're writing her more unpredictably and making her able to function better in the gray areas.

It's really sad, though, how NuDynasty has not been able to grasp how Alexis ought to act, and what purpose she serves in the overall canvas of characters. They've had two excellent actresses play her (three if you count....oh, never mind) but neither of them have been given material that would make me feel she was a force to be reckoned with in her own right. They did such a good rehab job on the character of Dominique in S4 (and Cristal, to a lesser extent) that I hope their "rehab project" in S5 is Alexis because....well, she's probably the most in need of attention.

I think it's in a way easier to "improve" on characters like Dominique and Cristal (Krystle) because they ended up being quite botched as the show went on, particularly Dominique which it's obvious that beyond a fabulous entrance the writers really had no idea what to do with her on the OG show. In a sense I guess Dominique was a (fabulous) blank slate. Compare to Alexis who was very much larger than life on the OG which is probably why they keep being hesitant to make her too much and take over the entire show; plus I imagine they want to stay away from making her too much like OG Alexis because it would bring unfavourable comparisons to Joan Collins portrayal. I hope they find a better balance in season 5 though, because as you said Elaine Hendrix deserves more to play with.

 

[lbf522]

Fallon: I like that Liz Gilles's Fallon is very much like Pamela Sue Martin's Fallon a businesswoman in her own right. No offense to Emma Samms but Pamela Sue Martin made a impression in the role.

Adam: I agree they did kind of made CW Adam crazy at first meeting him. What he did to Steven and Alexis and of course his kissing Fallon. Was not sure what they had planned for them. I mean that is not how you greet your new sister upon meeting her. The original Adam I had problems with him partly because I never understood where his anger came from.

Amanda: Nice addition. I hope they do more with her than the original did with Oxenberg's Amanda. So far, I like her.

Domique. So far, she is fun to watch. I felt that Diahann Caroll was wasted on the original Dynasty.

Blake: Its strange to see him sidelined unlike in the original but he is still a force to be reckon with. I would however think that a CEO would be running for Mayor, Governor, or President. I don't see them as legislatures.

Alexis: I don't want her to be like Joan Collins' Alexis. Not sure what they should do with her.

Kirby: I like that she and Fallon are friends as well as works for Fallon. The original Kirby was good. Loved her relationship with Adam.

They are not going to do it but I thought it was a shame the writers did not have Adam and Amanda in the original series be closer like Steven and Fallon were.

 

[Brian Kinney]

I made recently a list of my favourite top 25 characters in the Dynastyverse. I have a little preference for NuDynasty. I was never a fan of Alexis' gleeful hate trips (and thought Angela Channing and Abby Ewing were way more interesting as actors and understandable in their actions) but Joan Collins was entertaining for a while. I still think that Diahann Carroll and Wakeema Hollis were the best dressed women on both Dynasty series but it's not enough to be compelling characters. Joseph, Amanda and Dominique are the biggest improvements for me. And Alexis where I'm probably the only one who thinks so.

TOP 25 in Denver and Atlanta (DYNASTY) or L.A. (THE COLBYS)

01. Sable Colby (Stephanie Beecham) L.A.
02. Joseph Anders (Alan Dale) Atlanta

03. Fallon Carrington-Colby (Pamela-Sue Martin) Denver
04. Adam Carrington (Sam Underwood) Atlanta

05. Fallon Carrington-Van Kirk (Elizabeth Gillies) Atlanta
06. Alexis Morell-Carrington-Colby (Elaine Hendrix) Atlanta
07. Liam Van Kirk (Adam Huber) Atlanta
08. Miles Colby (Maxwell Caulfield) L.A.

09. Dominique Deveraux (Michael Michele) Atlanta
10. Sammy-Jo Jones-Carrington (Rafael de la Fuente) Atlanta
11. Zach Powers (Ricardo Montalban) L.A.
12. Caress Morell (Kate O'Mara) Denver
13. Monica Colby (Tracy Scoggins) L.A.
14. Dex Dexter (Michael Nader) Denver
15. Steven Carrington (Al Corley) Denver

16. Sammy-Jo Grant-Carrington (Heather Locklear) Denver
17. Ben Carrington (Christopher Cazenove) Denver
18. Crystal Flores-Carrington (Daniella Alonso) Atlanta
19. Jeff Colby (Sam Adegoke) Atlanta
20. Claudia Blaisdel (Pamela Bellwood) Denver
21. Adam Carrington/ Michael Torrance (Gordon Thompson) Denver
22. Laura Van Kirk (Sharon Lawrence) Atlanta
23. Amanda Morell-Carrington (Eliza Bennett) Atlanta
24. Peter...snort....... de...sniff...Vilbis (Helmut..hehe..gulp.. Berger) Denver
25. Cecil Colby (Lloyd Bochner) Denver

11x Atlanta
10x Denver
4x L.A.

 

[DeviousPeep]

I think Nicollette Sheridan in the first season of the reboot was the best Alexis. I adore Joan Collins, but I think they made the right choice not having the reboot Alexis be anything like her. I love both versions, but I'm biased toward Nicollette and enjoy the "Real Housewife" approach; it feels more appropriate for the modernized Dynasty, even if OG fans consider it blasphemous. That said, her storylines and characterization in the second season were garbage. Elaine Hendrix does absolutely nothing for me. Not a fan of her portrayal at all, and I think the character has suffered the most since the first season.

Michael Michele's Dominique is also a far more compelling character, especially in the fourth season, even though Diahann Carroll is more iconic.

I think Nathalie Kelley, Daniella Alonso, and Ana Brenda Contreras (in that order) are all better Cristals than Linda Evans' Krystle. I just wasn't a fan of Krystle in the 80s Dynasty, whereas I love Celia Machado and have grown to really like Cristal Jennings (moreso once Daniella took over the role).

Honestly, I prefer most, if not all, of the reboot iterations more than the OG. I've watched up to almost the end of S7 of the OG, and while I think it's a better show overall, I connect more with the portrayals from the reboot. Perhaps it's because I watched the reboot first and am more familiar with some of the cast members, but I just like the characters more. I just wish the writing post-Season 1 was better.

The one I'm most on the fence about is Eliza Bennett as Amanda. I think she's done an incredible job and, like Alexis, feels nothing like her OG counterpart. However, Catherine Oxenberg's Amanda was my favorite character from the OG. Right now, I think I love them equally, though I expect to like Eliza's Amanda more in the end.

 

[DaveyL]

All of them. CW's Dynasty blows the original out of the water.

 

[AZLiam]

I do prefer many of the characters in the OG simply because I grew up watching the show and have rewatched it so many times.

In regards to Alexis, I think the characteristic missing from CW is her dialogue. I liked trashy housewife Alexis with Nicollette because it was different and Elaine is OK, but just falls a little flat for me - please give me more so I can enjoy her more. OG Alexis was quite witty - perhaps a combination of the writing and Joan's personal stamp. Even the simple scenes popped out like this:

Although I do love Diahann Carroll and was fortunate to meet her at Las Brisas in Acapulco while on holiday in the 90's, I'm glad they are writing more for the character now since I agree Diahann's talents were wasted on OG. I think softening Michael's version a little has helped from the way they wrote her initially in CW as she initially came across like a caricature.

I like Liz's Fallon just as I liked Pamela's, but feel Liz is being overused and a little too over the top. Each episode feels like a new crisis that Fallon must overcome.

I liked OG trashy tramp Sammy Jo moreso for the way she interacted with Alexis, but also like Sam's version being different. However, I feel like he's lost his edge a little. They really need to bring back Steven.

I didn't care for C1 originally, but did enjoy her interactions with Alexis. I miss Celia now. C2 was OK. C3 has grown on me and is much more layered than OG Krystal. OG Krystal I enjoyed just for the interactions between her and Alexis.

Blake doesn't feel impactful enough in CW. Neither does Carrington Atlantic.

I feel CW missed the mark with Claudia. Perhaps if they bring back Steven, she'll eventually show back up.

CW needs to par back some of the crazy facial expressions with Adam, although I liked his interactions with NS Alexis. I also liked OG Adam, but he came across as too campy at times.

So far I like CW Amanda. I felt OG was too pouty, but like her interactions with Alexis.

Kirby is an improvement, but I wish she was more than mostly Sam's sidekick.

I feel Michael has overstayed his welcome and I think the show should have just killed off Jeff to satisfy the expiration and create more of a rift and storyline between Dominique and Alexis.

I wish CW used Monica more.

I hope they keep CW Dex more masculine like OG Dex. I also hope he's the impetus for bringing out a more interesting Alexis.

New penthouse is a great recast for old penthouse.

Lastly, I want to say that the voices of the OG cast were very recognizable and unique from Fallon, Blake, Alexis, Dominique, Sammy Jo, Adam, Sable, even Krystal, etc. They just sounded great reading off their lines.