Gabriel Maxwell
Telly Talk Addict
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- Messages
- 1,071
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- Member Since
- July 13, 2008
1. Cast Jon-Erik Hexum as Dex Dexter -- Michael Nader and Joan Collins had great chemistry as a couple, but I never really cared for him all that much. And Dynasty was a female-centric show highly appealing to gay male audiences that needed what almost every soap has nowadays - quality male eye candy. They got some (arguably, a matter of personal taste) in Tony Driscoll, Luke Fuller and Miles Colby, but neither one of those was a principal Dynasty character. Perhaps Hexum wouldn't have initially had Nader's gravitas, but I think he could've been molded from a boy toy into a more mature & compelling partner for Alexis (plus he looked stunning in a cowboy outfit or... just about anything). Not to mention the casting choice might have saved the poor guy's life (unless you believe in fate and destiny).
2. Make Sammy Jo & Adam a couple -- These two were made for each other and what happened with them in late S4 and early S5 didn't even scratch the surface of all the great villainy this bitch and bastard could've produced if teamed up. I also would've saved Luke Fuller from the Moldavian gunfire, just because he was too obvious of a choice to kill off and I would've loved watching Mr. and Mrs. Adam & Samantha Carrington inflict pain upon him and Steven (only to shoot themselves in the foot in the end, of course). A glimpse of what could've been transpired in that season 9 dinner when they clashed. Now imagine all the fights & hot angry sex they could've had while scheming and conniving their way through seasons 6-9.
3. Stick with 7A & give Oxenberg a small raise -- Think what you want of season 7A, but it was much more compelling than the utter mess that ensued after the amnesia business in Singapore (not to mention the lackluster hot dogs and South-American gangs tag when the writers kept limping to the end of the season). I would've stuck with the original bible (network pressure be damned) and have Ben Carrington marry Alexis and go out in his revenge scheme (while driving Colbyco into the ground), while also saving the fans from the tragic re-casting of Amanda. And for those who loved Neal McVane's return, they could've still had him as part of Ben's schemes against Adam.
4. Merge Matthew Blaisdell's return & Sean Rowen into Cecil Colby's S8 return -- Matthew's return came out of nowhere and didn't really go anywhere. A cheap stunt to end the season, a pay-off without a build-up. Meanwhile, Sean Rowen was an over-the-top poor man's Nick Toscanni with a ridiculous back story tied to Kirby, of all characters. None of it made any sense. An otherwise tedious season 8 perked up a bit (but again ultimately went nowhere) when Krystle tried to dig some dirt on what should've always been a suspicious Colby's demise and Alexis' super-fast ascent to the Colbyco throne. Well, if you're going to do a back-from-dead story, why not do Cecil Colby, who could've paid off doctors to help him stage his death, to escape the walls closing in on him for his crimes. Krystle could've blown his cover (that would've been the most intriguing storyline for her in years) and then imagine all the repercussions his return would've had on everyone in Denver. A compelling character played by a decent actor with an already established back story with ties to almost everyone who'd have an actual impact on what happens next in Denver.
5. Delay The Reunion for a year -- I don't mind open endings. That's how Peyton Place finished, also on ABC, and I think it's fine. Life goes on, we're just not privy to it. But, there was a lot of complaining about the open ending and ABC was suddenly willing to do it, so why not. But... The Shapiros were obviously incapable of writing a decent reunion mini-series and since David Paulsen got to do the final season and most will agree he did an incredible job, they should've waited for a year, because he was most likely unavailable in 1991 while developing his own network show 'Dangerous Curves'. The show flopped in early 1992 and that's when he became available. Who knows, maybe they would've even better coordinated with Gordon Thomson and avoided that unnecessary recasting (as Thomson was happy to do it, providing it didn't clash with his Santa Barbara schedule). A Reunion with Paulsen & Thomson in 1992 could've given the show a proper ending (and pick it up from 9.22!), instead of that 1991 atrocity.
2. Make Sammy Jo & Adam a couple -- These two were made for each other and what happened with them in late S4 and early S5 didn't even scratch the surface of all the great villainy this bitch and bastard could've produced if teamed up. I also would've saved Luke Fuller from the Moldavian gunfire, just because he was too obvious of a choice to kill off and I would've loved watching Mr. and Mrs. Adam & Samantha Carrington inflict pain upon him and Steven (only to shoot themselves in the foot in the end, of course). A glimpse of what could've been transpired in that season 9 dinner when they clashed. Now imagine all the fights & hot angry sex they could've had while scheming and conniving their way through seasons 6-9.
3. Stick with 7A & give Oxenberg a small raise -- Think what you want of season 7A, but it was much more compelling than the utter mess that ensued after the amnesia business in Singapore (not to mention the lackluster hot dogs and South-American gangs tag when the writers kept limping to the end of the season). I would've stuck with the original bible (network pressure be damned) and have Ben Carrington marry Alexis and go out in his revenge scheme (while driving Colbyco into the ground), while also saving the fans from the tragic re-casting of Amanda. And for those who loved Neal McVane's return, they could've still had him as part of Ben's schemes against Adam.
4. Merge Matthew Blaisdell's return & Sean Rowen into Cecil Colby's S8 return -- Matthew's return came out of nowhere and didn't really go anywhere. A cheap stunt to end the season, a pay-off without a build-up. Meanwhile, Sean Rowen was an over-the-top poor man's Nick Toscanni with a ridiculous back story tied to Kirby, of all characters. None of it made any sense. An otherwise tedious season 8 perked up a bit (but again ultimately went nowhere) when Krystle tried to dig some dirt on what should've always been a suspicious Colby's demise and Alexis' super-fast ascent to the Colbyco throne. Well, if you're going to do a back-from-dead story, why not do Cecil Colby, who could've paid off doctors to help him stage his death, to escape the walls closing in on him for his crimes. Krystle could've blown his cover (that would've been the most intriguing storyline for her in years) and then imagine all the repercussions his return would've had on everyone in Denver. A compelling character played by a decent actor with an already established back story with ties to almost everyone who'd have an actual impact on what happens next in Denver.
5. Delay The Reunion for a year -- I don't mind open endings. That's how Peyton Place finished, also on ABC, and I think it's fine. Life goes on, we're just not privy to it. But, there was a lot of complaining about the open ending and ABC was suddenly willing to do it, so why not. But... The Shapiros were obviously incapable of writing a decent reunion mini-series and since David Paulsen got to do the final season and most will agree he did an incredible job, they should've waited for a year, because he was most likely unavailable in 1991 while developing his own network show 'Dangerous Curves'. The show flopped in early 1992 and that's when he became available. Who knows, maybe they would've even better coordinated with Gordon Thomson and avoided that unnecessary recasting (as Thomson was happy to do it, providing it didn't clash with his Santa Barbara schedule). A Reunion with Paulsen & Thomson in 1992 could've given the show a proper ending (and pick it up from 9.22!), instead of that 1991 atrocity.
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