nuDynasty Episode Chat S2E13: Even Worms Can Procreate

Daniel Avery

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Description: "Cristal and Blake have a surprise visitor show up who threatens to unravel their relationship; Fallon goes to war with Culhane when he becomes a power player at Carrington Atlantic [sic]* ."

* There IS no longer a Carrington Atlantic, last I checked, so maybe the PR people who write these things meant that Culhane is now partnering with Blake in the soccer team venture, which doesn't apparently have a name yet.
 

Daniel Avery

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Opening scene: Cristal on a horse! Yikes! Blake's willing to let the world think the baby's his, even if it isn't. So much for the big "How could you betray me?!?" blow-up. Kinda neat to see that trope turned on its head for once.

Meanwhile, Alexis is 'working' Mark--she might want to keep him for herself, yowza. "Don't let anyone know I'm involved" she says, as if her involvement would never occur to....well, anyone in the 404 area code.

Fallon already has that "he is so out of here" look when Michael's around. I don't think it's personal--I think it's just that she can't work well with others, and wants to run everything by her megalomaniac self. Or maybe she just always has to have an office nemesis?

Sam's plans to be a humble, helpful blogger...so of course he is in a tuxedo in the mansion. Fallon has to point out the obvious. I wonder if the script refers to it as Sam's SuperDuperScreentimeWastingBlog.

There's this strange 'lump' on Cristal's forehead that keeps appearing and disappearing...or is it just bad lighting?

"Mark Jennings...what brings you to Atlanta?" ---"Oh, just some personal business." No opening titles?

Alexis slithers in, trying to capitalize and gets shot down once again. She assumes Blake's already planning to dump Cristal.
"What would it look like, for Blake Carrington to be raising another man's child?"
"It would look like the past thirty years, Alexis..." he snarks, reminding her about Steven's paternity.

Speaking of Steven's daddy, he's an internet hit thanks to Sam's SuperDuperScreentimeWastingBlog.

Shirtless!Mark went for a swim in the pool (in January/February) and Alexis used his apparently hypothermic condition to convince him Cristal still loves him.

Bo really enjoys his caviar--but only when Anders feeds it to him. And the SDSWB followers can't get enough of Anders or Bo. But then, who can??

Michael: "The only way to get to you, Fallon, is to stoop to your level."

I hope Fallon did not run C-A with these junior-high games....

I was right--Mark is a former soccer player! The two Mr. Cristals square off. I hope Blake's goon doesn't harm that face.

Given Anders's cloudy past, is it a good idea for him to be plastered all over the internet?

The Atlanta Atlantix Soccer team. Hmm...the sports reporters are going to get tongue-tied every night on the news.

"Seems to me there's plenty of lies to go around."

"Without that baby, there's nothing to tie him to you."

The baby's father is [you'll have to watch and find out]…..they even revealed the gender.

#Samders FTW

"Alexis, please grace us with your departure."

I will simply say the final two minutes will freak.you.out. A good amalgamation of original story and new twists.
 
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Willie Oleson

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Daniel Avery

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Maybe I'll just say it freaked me out, kind of like that big bang that wakes you up as you doze off during a movie. I know there are some who will drag the show no matter what they do, since there's a contingent who enjoy hate-watching and a few who would not tune in even if they put a gun in your mouth. I happen to still enjoy watching, but I understand others might not. I mean, it's just a bloody TV show. None of us really have a horse in this race.
 
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Brian Carrington Colby

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Well, I didn't think it would happen, but this episode actually felt like I was watching a night-time drama, not the poorly written sitcom that we have pretty much gotten since last season's finale.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS behind the Spoiler button!!!

In my view this episode was much more tightly written, flowed better, and gave the viewer some genuine twists, especially the final scenes. Except for the Sam/Kirby/Anders silliness (though even it had a touching resolution), the characters felt more like human beings than the one dimensional cut-outs they have all been for most of this season.

Getting the characters back into a business setting actually opens the show up and I feel gives Fallon and Blake more focus. I have no clue what this business is called, beyond the whole sports team, but watching Blake and Fallon and Michael wheel and deal was fun. Using their imposed business relationship as a mirror of their shattered personal relationship worked well for the Fallon and Michael storyline. And I liked that it did not end all pretty wrapped up in a bow. Fallon's realization about herself at the end was a building block heading towards the final scenes, which was a nice touch.

This is the first episode where Cristal sort of felt like part of the show. For me, her introduction and integration into the Carrington Family was sooooo poorly handled and just badly written. The problem with the show is that it is moving too fast through storylines. Nothing gets to breath before we are onto the next plot-point the writers want to blow through. In my opinion Cristal was moved into the mansion way too fast, she was "in love" with Blake, and he with her, with the snap of the writer's fingers, without any real meaty scenes of the two getting to know one another. The other problem with new Cristal's integration into the show is that the last five months have pretty much been the "Fallon, with her sidekick Sam" show. We haven't gotten enough screen time exploring the Cristal character to make her work.

Tonight though, finally, Cristal got scenes that opened the character up. We even learn a bit about her past with Mark, why their marriage went wrong, and that her family had everything to do with it. Interesting, Cristal has a double-dealing family out there. Also, Her scenes with Mark were great. I'll be honest, the actor they hired for Mark was perfect: Damon Dayoub can act, is sexy as all Hell, and he better not be just another one episode write-off like Toscani was. Unfortunately, keeping true to their past efforts, the writers probably wrote Mark out without any thought to future storylines (you will see what I mean by the end of the episode). The introduction of Mark also gave more screen time to Blake, which was great because he is another character that has suffered since the end of last season with lack of credible screen time/character development.

Now, Alexis. A character that should be the powerhouse of the show. Unfortunately the writers have made an iconic dramatic character into a comedic buffoon, especially this season. Tonight, finally, the character may of had an epiphany, though where she goes from here is anyones guess. Hopefully after tonight, Alexis will leave the mansion and gain true power on her own. The original show rightly knew that after that first season, keeping Alexis so closely tied to and living in the the mansion would eventually make the character one note. Having Alexis marry Cecil Colby and gaining his wealth moved the character forward somewhat. The same needs to happen with Alexis in the new show. This episode could be a turning point for the character. Here is hoping the writers actually have a plan and a decent storyline to move this character forward.

The Sam/Kirby/Anders sub-plot was pretty much pointless and was another example of the usual sitcom pablum the show has been pretty much this whole season. I guess Sam and Kirby are supposed to be the comedy relief of the show? Unfortunately the comedy is too obvious and not cleverly written. With the original Sammy Jo humour came forth due to her character flaws and her gold-digging ways to fit in with the sophisticated Carringtons. Sam and Kirby have become Lucy and Ethel stuffing chocolates in their mouths and down their bras because the conveyor belt at the chocolate factory is moving too fast in this weeks sitcom plot. Sam has turned into a benign goody-goody nice guy pining after his missing husband. The one time this season where Sam was kissing that guy and I thought, okay, Sam is going to have an affair!! But no, thanks writers, Fallon walks in right away and that ended that. Back to that conveyor belt and get back to stuffing chocolates down your pants for laughs Sam!!!

And after five months it seems as though the writers have completely given up on giving Kirby any sort of character of her own, beyond being Fallon's unwanted stowaway or Sam's partner in crime. But it really goes back to one of my first points. With the show so heavily focused on Fallon, the other characters in the cast are suffering and not being given storylines with any weight to actually develop their characters beyond the obvious. And it is hurting the overall show because if Fallon's storyline is weak in a given episode, there is nothing else to carry the show.

The final scenes of tonights episode are possibly a turning point for the show. What I enjoyed was that almost every scene led us to tonight's cliffhanger. I give the show credit because they took an iconic Dynasty scene and put a few twists on it that actually surprised me!! The aftermath will affect Blake, Cristal, Alexis, and Mark. My fingers are crossed that from this point forward we get the exciting night-time drama this show should be.....
 
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Edie70

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I totally forgot that there was a new episode tonight! Give me a minute to download and watch. I'm still drunk as hell so the quality of this TV show will be so much better tonight.
 

tommie

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THAT CLIFFHANGER, DAMN!
 

Matthew Blaisdel

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"Do you really want to hurt me?" Oh my god... what an ending! :eek:
At the opening scene i thought "Okay, they show Cristal with the horses, so that will probably be that episode, where...".
But the twist in the story at the end really made my jaw dropping, but in a good way.
After 2 weeks of utter nonsense filler episodes this was really needed, and i appreciate it.

A solid 8/10, and i think i'm going to watch it right again now. :danc:
 
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tommie

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I'll have to say that this Mark seems like a much stronger character, then again, it might largely be down to casting. I never could take the original Mark seriously due to Geoffrey Scott, but I'm sure Evans and Forsythe's pact against any meddlers in the Blake & Krystle relationship didn't help (plus it was getting repetitive with Matthew and Nick).

I think Mark lives, but they've set up that there's some shadiness going on in Cristal/Mark's past that might throw her off Alexis' scent, plus Blake only got to his henchman's answering phone.

Although him dying would set up for a murder trial...
 
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Brian Carrington Colby

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@tommie I totally agree with your above spoiler!!!

I soooo want Mark to live. The actor is very engaging, has chemistry with Ana Brenda Contreras (unlike Linda Evans and Geoffrey Scott who had zero chemistry), and in the original Mark came to be involved with both Alexis and Fallon. Mark could also be a strong romantic rival for Blake to square off with, something that was never seriously explored in the original show, possibly due to the famous Forsythe/Evans "Blake & Krystle Forever" Pact. Eliminating the character so quickly after such a strong introduction just seems crazy and counter-productive to the show. And, the whole mystery of Cristal's shady family breaking up Cristal and Mark, and causing the car accident that led to Celia and Cristal meeting, there is a lot of fun stuff to explore. I think this finally gives us a plausible explanation as to why Cristal let Celia take her identity: to disappear from her dangerous family. I do like how they set up many different scenarios as to who shot Mark. Alexis is the obvious choice, but unlike the original where Alexis fired the gun in the air scaring the horse into knocking Krystle off, actually aiming at Cristal and shooting a man in the head seems to be too much of a line to cross. But with the possibility that Blake's henchman shot Mark, or possibly Cristal's family arranged for Mark's demise, at least it opens the door for other intriguing stories to be explored.
 
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Brian Kinney

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The Blake-Cristal-Mark scenes were actually good. I still love the nonsense with Sam-Kirby-Anders (sorry!).

I'm undecided which Tony is hotter... #1 Bill Barrett from 'Snowflakes in Hell' or #2 Chase Anderson since 'Filthy Games'?

#1
#2

Could Tony be Adam Carrington? I don't have a clue about his age and how it could fit but this would be another surprising twist to the original - except he is super dumb... perfect choice for Kirby though. (Doesn't have Fallon already characteristics that the original Adam had?)

Hopefully they get rid of Culhane. The part was boring in the original and fails in NuDynasty. Not the actor's fault - and his physique will be missed. I really liked Robert Christopher Riley in Hit the Floor!

I hope Jeff Colby stays - best dressed character in TV!

And thanks for showing another side of Alexis. However the cliffhanger turns out this can easier be redeemed than how the original Alexis acted in their version.

Overall a nice episode but it was the 13th of this season and I liked less than the half of them.
 
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Willie Oleson

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So...Cristal is not only the new Cristal but also the new Celia? Ex-lover dies in his first episode + shady family background?
 

AZLiam

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Finally. I've been impatiently waiting and hoping for the Cristal/Alexis horse scene and boy did it deliver! I wondered just how NuDynasty would recreate this scene and I have to admit that they made it more shocking than the original. And that look on Alexis's face at the end showed much desperation. I truly hope this was the impetus for providing Alexis and Nicollette with a more meatier role that they deserve and a turning point for the character that we've been waiting for. Overall, the episode was much better than past ones this season. Characters didn't act so much like caricatures. There was less distracting music. Cristal's role as heroine and step-mother became more apparent (to the dismay of Alexis). Even Fallon felt slightly more like original Fallon in some scenes.

 

Tony

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I'm guessing that Blake will go on trial for Mark's murder, as he's the number 1 suspect after having ordered his henchmen to beat him up.

Not sure how Alexis will escape this one, unless she keeps hush about everything.

If Dynasty continues to escalate at this pace, mixing plot lines from different seasons, I'm wondering if we'll get to Sable and the Nazi Treasure by the end of Season 4 (which is probably how long the series will last).
 

tommie

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Not sure how Alexis will escape this one, unless she keeps hush about everything.

My guess is that they might opt for the fake-out - Alexis was dropping bullets on the ground trying to load it, was blitzed out of her mind when she pulled that trigger and from when we saw from her POV she was no where near Mark. She might end up believing she did though.
 

Willie Oleson

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Thanks for posting that clip AZLiam, it's a very entertaining scene.
I haven't watched the episode, so when Alexis took the gun I didn't know the bullet was meant for herself:eck:. At last, an interesting scene for Nicolette Sheridan.
My guess is that they might opt for the fake-out
Are you suggesting that there was anothe shooter? There was only one gunshot? Or maybe two gunshots at exactly the same time.
and I have to admit that they made it more shocking than the original
It seems to me that this shooting (fake or not) was an act of dispair, while the first one was more sinister and calculated. So I think the mood of the scene is very different.
unless she keeps hush about everything
Let's hope it won't be a repeat of her covering up her involvement with Hank and Celia's death. Because they'll turn it into comedy again.
 

tommie

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Are you suggesting that there was anothe shooter? There was only one gunshot? Or maybe two gunshots at exactly the same time.

I'm thinking Alexis didn't manage to load all bullet slots in the gun.

Cristal mentioned earlier in the episode that the car accident wasn't an accident and her family never wanted to see her and Mark together. Blake also had a henchman that was going to "handle" Mark (though that appeared to be more of a beat up situation), but called it off after the baby turned out to be his... but he only got to said henchman's voicemail. And who knows, there also might've been Neil McVane lurking in drag somewhere on the property.
 

Willie Oleson

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I'm thinking Alexis didn't manage to load all bullet slots in the gun
Mark's injury is for real, so in case she dunit she really dunit.
And the sound of the gunshot scared the horse, but that also would have happened if she had killed herself.

edit: just rewatched the clip, and Alexis sort of aims at Cristal - an impulsive, rather than a serious attempt - in the next sequence we see Cristal, hear the shot, and then the blood on her face.
You don't even know for sure if she actually fired the gun.

p.s. I think Claudia managed to escape again. Every season she just keeps trying.
 
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tommie

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You don't even know for sure if she actually fired the gun.

True, and Alexis might get arrested for the murder of Mark; she'll of course swear she's innocent, but on the other hand they'll find a load of bullets on the ground, along with her suicide letter, with people seeing her completely wasted in the mansion earlier and of course with a gun that she took from the Carrington gun collection.
 

GillesDenver

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If you look carefully, several bullets felt on the ground when Alexis was charging the gun so it was not fully charged.

I did not find this episode so great. Yes the cliffhanger was impressive but yet I'm not impressed anymore by the style and the twists of this show. It will reach the same usual mediocrity when it returns after the break.
 
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