nuDynasty Episode Chat S1E22 Dead Scratch (The Season Finale)

[Gabriel Maxwell]

When I saw the nuDynasty pilot in October the show instantly exceed my (albeit low) expectations and I happily realized I was going to truly enjoy whatever short run I expected it was going to have. Having now seen this incredibly entertaining and competently executed season finale, I think they have achieved the quality that can blow the original series out of the water. If they can maintain that.

Look at it purely from a technical point - did the original Dynasty ever come up with such an effective yet entertaining climax, gradually, seamlessly and naturally boiling over into such a spectacular final scene? And what a brilliant way to reboot that season 3 cabin fire which now pales in comparison. Things didn't just happen for the sake of having a dramatic cliffhanger, there was logical progression to it.

First off, despite my initial "I'm not sure I'm on board with this" vibe about Cristal's war-of-the-roses opening montage, were the original Blake & Krystle ever this interesting as a couple? Though I still think Grant Show can't play a rich asshole as well as a frightening John Forsythe in season 1, I'd really hate it if they killed off Cristal (how can you have Dynasty without a Krystle?), because I really want to see where they go with that kooky relationship next.

I must be stupid, but I again didn't see the Matthew twist coming. There were certainly sings they were headed that way, like him and Claudia just waltzing into the mansion with the other wedding staff without anyone noticing, which at first I thought was silly. Not to mention his reason for being there. But when it turned out it was all in her insane mind, it suddenly made perfect sense. Seconds before that, they made me feel sad for Claudia when even her dreamed-up Matthew jumped to take a bullet for Cristal.

The bottom line? The Dynasty reboot continues to be exactly what a reboot should be - they know their source material and they're being playful by constantly incorporating elements of it into the new series, while keeping the new narrative fresh and different.


Some additional thoughts:

* If Matthew Cullhane is gone, he was given a much superior and dignified exit than the original (in both S1 and S7).

* Steven's horny cougar-lady (beautifully played by Kelly Rutherford) as well as Liam were among the best of the recurring cast this season, how great the producers recognized that and brought them back to further help elevate the excitement factor of the finale.

* Kirby's entrance was indeed very S1 Alexis (or Patrick on Revenge) and very 1980s, giving the producers extra time to cast the (hopefully right) actress over the summer break. The original Kirby was a botched character, never living up to the mystique of her limited but puzzling backstory. The reboot again did the right thing by boldly turning her into a bit of a nutcase. I can't believe I'm saying this - but I'm looking forward to Kirby.

* The little CW reboot with its miniscule ratings and limited budget, continues to outdo the original series in terms of outdoor / location filming, camera angles, establishing shots, and other production details, which grounds the series and helps sell the more outlandish stories.

* It never occurred to me, till I read it here, but they do have a perfect opportunity to pay homage to the original by recasting Steven. I wasn't initially sure about this Steven, but he has grown on me immensely, so for that reason I hope they don't (unless the actor wants out).

 

[Willie Oleson]

When I saw the nuDynasty pilot in October the show instantly exceed my (albeit low) expectations

Unlike most members here I didn't have any expectations at all, I was just very excited that it was going to happen. And yes, the pilot episode was good.

I think they have achieved the quality that can blow the original series out of the water

Technically? Yes absolutely. But this soap doesn't have the natural lush vibe of the original series (well let's say the best of the original) but it's hard if not impossible for any show to capture the grandeur of the 60s, 70s and early 80s sagas.
And character-wise I think original Dynasty had a more interesting background and potential. Imagine if they had kept the quality of season 1 and 2.
Furthermore, I think NuDynasty still largely fails to create momentum for character drama, a soap is more than exciting disaster episodes.
But the old-fashioned melodrama (which I love) probably doesn't work for this flashy version.
NuDynasty is better with the physical scenes. The fight between Jeff and Fallon (after closing Morell Corp) is still one of my favourites.
I also loved the Cristal-Alexis catfight, but the best bit was the end of it when Cristal went completely ballistic and screamed while she smashed the painting. I had not expected it to end with such an emotional outburst.

did the original Dynasty ever come up with such an effective yet entertaining climax, gradually, seamlessly and naturally boiling over into such a spectacular final scene?

Season 1 and 9, I think.

But when I'm watching NuDynasty I don't think of O.Dynasty - that was then and this is now, and the only thing that matters is being entertained.

 

[Tony]

I still think NuDynasty is flawed because it doesn’t have any main sympathetic characters to care for.

Cristal is trashy and Steven is a bore.

My favourite characters are Liam and Michael but they are sidelined and likely to be written out at some point.

Fallon is the most entertaining and watchable character and she has softened in recent episodes.

While Sheridan’s Alexis hasn’t achieved the love to hate her potential that Joan brought to the role.

 

[Zable]

While Sheridan’s Alexis hasn’t achieved the love to hate her potential that Joan brought to the role.

Am curious. How many in-person episodes did it take for you to feel that JC achieved that love to hate Alexis potential?

 

[Zable]

and the most annoying bugbear Jeff and Monica's wardrobe. They just look like Coco and Bobo the Clown. He really wears those highly decorative embroidered suits every day? Really?

I suspect Bozo’s suit in cwDynasty’s Episode 22 was a nod to Sybil’s suit in that infamous balcony scene with Adam in D.S9’s Episode 22. On the surface, it has to do with colour, nuJeff’s red to Sable’s pink.

But I’ve long wondered about the influences on Sable’s jacket-style suit top. I'm now also wondering if nuJeff’s jacket is designed to hint at a particular influence.

Because....

Above the waist, Sable’s top looked to me to be in the style of a traditional Kebaya Nyonya. A Southeast Asian ‘blouse’ fashion with which I believe Stephanie Beacham is familiar – because I’ve read in a UK newspaper that she has been to Brunei, and that her late brother had once served as an economic advisor to Malaysia. The population of both countries are largely Malay, where the kebaya is traditional wear by women.

There are different style of kebaya. Their length and irregular hemlines vary; modern designs may be a fusion of elements from affiliated cultures. The Kebaya Nyonya is one of these styles. Specifically, it was the evolved daily wear of the offspring of Han Chinese immigrants who settled and assimilated in Malay communities in SEA long before the places they were in became independent countries. In Malaysia, those offspring evolved a new fusion language and became a community known as Peranakan Chinese.

Traditionally, the Kebaya Nyonya opens all the way down the front, but the two sides are fastened by 3 brooches with chain which draw both sides together without overlapping. The opening down the front is in the style of a narrow lapel, the edges possibly scalloped. It, and the ends of the sleeves and front wedges of the hemline are decorative; and may be heavily embroidered, with cut-out work.

What caught my eye about Sable's satiny top was the material didn't appear to overlap where it was fastened. The upper portion looked to be similar to the Kebaya Nyonya style, with the below-the-waist portion modified to suit the western jacket style.

Traditionally, the Kebaya Nyonya is worn with a full-length batik sarung made of light-weight cotton. (The main pix on Wikipedia’s kebaya page shows Peranakan women in full Kebaya Nyonya outfits with the traditional batik sarung. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kebaya )

I don’t know what print technique was used on the material for nuJeff’s red African print suit, which was custom-made for him by Meredith Markworth-Pollack & Miguel Wilson.

However, the jacket actually reminds me of prints seen for many years in Asian batik designs. Like, as if the costumers were perhaps knowingly imitating the Asian influences (if any) on Sable’s suit jacket.

 

[Tony]

I think as Al Corley said in an interview it was spot on with Joan’s casting and she just flew.

While Sheridan is a less certain choice.

From Joanie’s Courtroom entrance to ‘your teeth fixed if not your tongue’ to ‘except for the du cap in antibes’ to causing krystles miscarriage, it didn’t take long for audiences to love to hate Joan’s Alexis.

 

[Matthew Blaisdel]

The advantage of Sheridan is, that she's already well established as capable soap bitch though.

 

[Ked]

One thing I meant to bring up but forgot: THEY FOLLOWED MY RULE FOR CATFIGHTS!

I know I've said in the past that a season can be speckled with a few small catfights here and there, but when it came towards the end of the season (either the finale or maybe somewhere in the last few eps), that was when The Big Catfight must take place.

And that's exactly what they did: the pilot episode catfight (Fallon vs Cristal), the Christmas party catfight (Cristal vs Iris), the pool catfight (Fallon vs Alexis), they were all small/quick. But the studio fight (Cristal vs Alexis) was long and hardcore. A great payoff. And I hope NuDynasty keeps this formula for all its other seasons, however many it gets.


Also, I just realized: all the other fights aside from the Cristal/Alexis one are all combinations that the original show never gave us, yet could have. ^^

Who would have enjoyed seeing these fights on the original show? Granted, Iris was dead in the original show... but still, what if she had been alive? And what if O.Fallon had gotten into tussles with her two mother figures?

 

[Ked]

Another thing I'd like to comment on: Cristal sawing off the antlers of all the deer in Blake's trophy room. Considering what antlers mean to a stag, this could be seen as Cristal symbolically castrating Blake. Combine that with how the song "Crack that Whip" was playing in the background, well...

And there's the fact that she cut up all of Blake's jackets, and one of the ones she spared had the word "douche" written on the back... and Blake didn't realize it.

 

[GillesDenver]

I have always wanted to see Fallon VS Kirby. And I think we are going to have it during next season !
But to answer your question, Krystle VS Fallon would have been great on the old show.

 

[E-JULIAN]

Wouldn't it be lovely to have a finale homage to the original cliffhangers? Something like this...

 

[Willie Oleson]

Who would have enjoyed seeing these fights on the original show?

On the original show they looked like ladies which made the fights look more outrageous.
Cristal vs Iris looks like reality-trash lowlifes so it doesn't have that "shocking" effect.

 

[Daniel Avery]

Another thing I'd like to comment on: Cristal sawing off the antlers of all the deer in Blake's trophy room. Considering what antlers mean to a stag, this could be seen as Cristal symbolically castrating Blake. Combine that with how the song "Crack that Whip" was playing in the background, well...And there's the fact that she cut up all of Blake's jackets, and one of the ones she spared had the word "douche" written on the back... and Blake didn't realize it.

I know it was a throwaway bit of comedy (like the joke to start a lecture, to get the crowd loosened up) but it was effective. You're right about the symbolism of sawing the antlers off the deer heads, and I assumed (since we've seen it so often on other shows) that Cristal cut the crotches out of Blake's slacks when she ruined his wardrobe.

 

[Ked]

HOLY CRAP! I JUST NOW NOTICED THIS!

(pause at 18:10)

Do you see them? The white tusks over the fireplace? A reference to the ones O.Alexis had in her office!

 

[TJames03]

Is this gonna be maybe where they find a burned body and both Cristal and Claudia will be missing?

 

[Zable]

If by "this" you mean Episode 22 of Season 1.... then it's 'no' to a burned body; and a question mark over how every person interprets "missing" in the cases of Cristal & Claudia.

Edited to add: If by "this" you mean the room with the fireplace.... then that's the room where some of the others were trapped.

 

[Rove]

it didn’t take long for audiences to love to hate Joan’s Alexis.

I remember well the introduction of Alexis Carrington in the original. Her first interactions with family - especially Krystle - were unsettling. With deft writing and delivery by Joan Collins she introduced us to the first wife. There was a mystery about her. I was instantly hooked. But when she intentionally fired that shotgun causing Krystle to fall off the horse and ultimately lose her baby I thought crap, this woman isn't just cruel, she is downright evil. At this point it wasn't even a "love to hate" relationship with Alexis it was straight out hatred, something rarely seen then or now.

What a shame the writers couldn't continue Alexis on this evil path rather than another "love to hate" character. We already had that in JR. I wonder how Dynasty would have panned out if they continued with the snake in the grass, black panther like Alexis. A woman who didn't give up her emotions or make public her schemes. Someone just lurking about in the shadows being the puppeteer without others aware of her grand scheme to bring down the house of Carrington.

That would have been a Dynasty I could have sunk my teeth into.