Cristal in no way works for me. I enjoy the writing for her but the actress is terrible and can’t sell anything they give her.
I was probably very alone in this but I thought I saw some potential - some nuance - for her in the beginning. However, now it is like she only reads her lines outloud with some "emotion" and is not naturally staying in the moment.
Which is unfortunate because I have seen her other work and thought she did well.
The other thing that doesn’t work are The Colbys. I do think slowly it’s getting better, especially now that Jeff has more to do and is interacting with Fallon more but this family needs to be built a little better. I love the actress who plays Monica but she literally has nothing to do.
What DOES work is everything else. Each episode is getting better. I like the call backs to the original and that the story is still fresh and full of surprises. I love the new Claudia, who was my least favorite on the original.
I find Jeff kind of, I don't know, too normal? I know not every character has to have a schtick, but even in the original I found Jeff more interesting in the beginning! And he was classified as a bore (well, to Fallon).
Also, the moment they announced actress Brianna Brown as Claudia, I absolutely knew she was a great fit for the role.
Sammy Jo is more entertaining than the original IMO. She’s the scene stealer so far. I love Heather Locklear but she rarely had good writing on The original. I love the new Michael and I also love Steven. On the original I wish Steven had left years before he did because without a love interest his stories were so limited and repetitive. We don’t have that issue here. Grant Show is sexy as hell and an excellent Blake. Love Alan Dale as Joseph (HATE when they call him Anders or Michael “Culhane”).
I like Michael but in the sense that I do not "not" like him. I feel he is very different from his predecessor, which I do not expect everything to be the same, but I also have mixed feelings. The predecessor had more ambition in the sense that he would do what it takes (without a strict ethical code). Right now, I feel Michael is in a "Fallon" box - though I am aware he did share some scenes with Steven and Joseph Anders, as well as got another love interest.
I can see why some people do not care for this Steven, but I like that at the heart of it, he retains the same characteristics and values. So I am good with him (for now).
I agree Grant Show is a good modernized Blake.