Alexis' introduction as a sociopath

[Ked]

Yes, I agree with all of this, but still I would have liked the odd occasional occasion where she does something equally as wicked. Not involving the death of an unborn baby, or anyone else for that matter, but something a bit dark and twisted.

Actually, Alexis did do a few things along those lines:

-Framing Blake for the death of his own mother
-Publicly announcing that Monica was not Jason Colby's daughter (especially when you consider Alexis might have known the circumstances of Monica/Miles' conception)
-Blackmailing her own son's fiancee to call off the engagement and leave the country; I always wished Adam found out about that

Oh yeah, I'd be down for all of those. I also wouldn't mind a scenario similar to what happened with Abby and Paul Galveston where someone (an enemy obviously, from whose death she would have something to gain) is having a heart attack, or needs urgent medical attention, but she either doesn't call an ambulance, or waits a little while or something like that. Something that's in enough of a grey area, where she doesn't directly do anything to cause a death, but she does just kinda allow it to happen.

Ooh, you inspired me! Recently I wondered, if Cecil lived into Season 3, only for him to become victim of Adam's poison paint scheme... only Cecil ends up thinking Alexis is responsible. Come the cabin-fire incident, and Alexis believes that Cecil might be responsible, having sent someone to burn her alive.

Cecil has another heart attack in the beginning of Season 4, and he begs Alexis to call an ambulance. But instead, she quietly waits until he dies... Oh! And maybe, since somebody came up with a beautiful alternate version of the doppelganger storyline, we can give the staircase scene with Blake and Rita to Cecil and Alexis! Cecil falls down the stairs, and Alexis slowly walks up the steps, until she's out of the shot... but we can still see her reflection in a hallway mirror as she ascends!

 

[Willie Oleson]

I can't imagine a Dynasty without that hospital wedding!

 

[tommie]

But seriously, stuff like this and season 1 is what gave Dynasty that mini-series vibe. But when it becomes a soap, the rules change.

True, but it was initially what also made it stand out from Dallas and the other shows - when JR more or less raped Sue Ellen the writers left enough room for the viewers to interpret it as "Sue Ellen giving into passion" (which they do to this day), while Dynasty left not room for that when Blake raped Krystle and left it very raw. Even nuDynasty ended up having Alexis being suicidal and completely drunk out of her mind when she shot that gun, while in the original they had Alexis do it in a very cold and calculating move. There was no mistake what Alexis's intent was in that moment in time and the follow up scene where she sadistically shows up at the mansion leaves no doubt. On the Colby's they mirrored that plot with Sable loosening the sadle to what she thought was Constance's horse, which of course Frankie ended up taking. Of course, Sable "knew" that Connie would check and notice the sadle was loose and the intent was for her to question her own sanity, not to actually fall off the horse.

Either way, there was no question about what happened on screen for Alexis, no real excuse except that she wanted to kill that baby (and maybe Krystle) and get away with it. But yes, you can't have an amoral character like that running around in the long-term. They can work as a season villain that are shiftly written off to greener pastures once they've served their purpose.

I tend to agree that perhaps the rifle scene survived the mini-arc the Shapiros had planned for Madeline. But can you keep an event you had planned for an in-and-out character when that character becomes the centerpiece of your show?

I think it's worth to remember that the episode had been written and likely filmed even before an episode of season 2 started airing. For all they knew at that point Alexis as a character could turn out to be a complete bust with the audiences and they'd be forced by the network to write her out come midseason, of course that didn't end up happening.

 

[Rove]

But this scene shows her in a cold, calculating way deciding to hurt Krystle and endanger her pregnancy.

Those responsible for creating this scene hopefully received a pay-rise. Like me I'm certain millions of viewers around the world were shocked by this. JR Ewing was the man we loved to hate but Alexis Carrington - by her own actions - was a woman to be hated. This was vindictive, cold, ruthless. It played beautifully into the mystery that was Alexis. How I wish the producers and writers had kept up this premise. It might sound a little perverse but there is something thrilling about just hating a character...and I mean hate.

This thread confirms a Dynasty prequel (in the right hands) would work wonders, instead of that train-wreck they call a reboot.

 

[Ked]

I can't imagine a Dynasty without that hospital wedding!

Who says we have to get rid of it? Alexis can still get married to Cecil in the hospital. The only real difference is that Cecil lives.

 

[Ked]

True, but it was initially what also made it stand out from Dallas and the other shows - when JR more or less raped Sue Ellen the writers left enough room for the viewers to interpret it as "Sue Ellen giving into passion" (which they do to this day), while Dynasty left not room for that when Blake raped Krystle and left it very raw.

I recently came up with an idea: what if they made it so that Blake was so drunk that night... that he didn't remember what he had done to Krystle? It wouldn't justify his actions, but it would bring up some questions. Would it make Blake more forgivable? Would that make it easier to swallow why Krystle would stay with him? Is it easier to forgive someone who doesn't know they've committed a heinous act? It also would suggest that it would take a *lot*of booze to bring out the worst in Blake.

Of course, I'd have it so that Blake begins to suspect what he's done, and he's horrified and appalled at himself, and even has a scene where he has every alcohol bottle in the house thrown out. Krystle would tell him that he's taking things to extreme measures: she knows he can handle *a* drink every now and again (this would justify why Blake is drinking in his opening credit ).

 

[Willie Oleson]

Of course, Sable "knew" that Connie would check and notice the sadle was loose

Is it common practice to re-check the saddle right afterwards?

and the intent was for her to question her own sanity, not to actually fall off the horse.

I thought the family was supposed to question Connie's sanity, and a hopefully-not-too-bad accident would certainly give them something to think about.
No I don't think she wanted to hurt Constance physically, but at the same time it should be eventful enough to make a big deal out of it.
If Constance had had the opportunity to re-check, only to discover the mistake, she could simply interpret it as being careless.
Because, well, sometimes we do make mistakes.

However, when she tried to stop Frankie it didn't look as if she (Sable) was afraid that it would ruin her plan. She seemed genuinely concerned for her sister's safety.
My interpretation is that because of the change in scenario, Sable realized in that moment how dangerous the situation really was.
But I'm not convinced that she would have stopped Constance, because Sable was too focused on the result. It was reckless rather than pure evil, but that's only a mild excuse.

Heck, I could even argue that Alexis couldn't predict the exact outcome of the shooting. And unlike cousin dearest, she didn't actually plan to do it.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Those responsible for creating this scene hopefully received a pay-rise. Like me I'm certain millions of viewers around the world were shocked by this. JR Ewing was the man we loved to hate but Alexis Carrington - by her own actions - was a woman to be hated. This was vindictive, cold, ruthless. It played beautifully into the mystery that was Alexis. How I wish the producers and writers had kept up this premise. It might sound a little perverse but there is something thrilling about just hating a character...and I mean hate.

This thread confirms a Dynasty prequel (in the right hands) would work wonders, instead of that train-wreck they call a reboot.

Alexis being in a secondary position seems to be (possibly) a key to all this: when she was a grasping climber, her charm, mystery and charismatic danger were on full display. While Krystle's regal Snow Queen was there to be conquered or undermined. But once Alexis had become Empress of Earth just one year later, all tension surrounding her (or around her and Krystle) had vanished.

Could Alexis become as powerful as she did and still keep up the sociopathic layer? Perhaps, but they didn't manage to do so. And yelling at people to get out of her office, cigarette holder between her fingers, just didn't cut it.

Like Joan herself has said, it was like Glinda the Good Witch versus The Wicked Witch of the West. Except that after the first few seasons, that house fell on Glinda.

So the homogenizing of Alexis is tied to the diminution of Krystle.

 

[Michael Torrance]

Those responsible for creating this scene hopefully received a pay-rise. Like me I'm certain millions of viewers around the world were shocked by this. JR Ewing was the man we loved to hate but Alexis Carrington - by her own actions - was a woman to be hated. This was vindictive, cold, ruthless. It played beautifully into the mystery that was Alexis. How I wish the producers and writers had kept up this premise.

That scene created a far reaching ripple effect. Before, when Alexis was testifying at court, and having witnessed Blake's (accidental) killing of Ted Dinard and his (intentional) rape of Krystle, we thought we were getting more of his dark past exposed, including what he did to her as a mother, depriving her of the chance to be a mother. Her own past with Roger Grimes was also exposed on the stand, and later her infidelity that put into question Fallon's paternity, but Alexis' forced exile from her children made Blake seem amazingly cruel and cold-hearted. Then comes along this scene, and suddenly we suspect that perhaps Blake knew/understood/sensed more about this woman and why she had to be removed from his own garden of Eden.

 

[Alexis]

I will not stand for this reimagining of Alexis as a Sociopath. This is only what Krystle wants you all to believe. Don't fall for it.

 

[Richard Channing]

I will not stand for this reimagining of Alexis as a Sociopath. This is only what Krystle wants you all to believe. Don't fall for it.

I think there's a lot of truth in this. And in Alexis defense, she did forgive Krystle for accusing her of said sociopathic behaviour, which when you think about it really makes her the better person in all of this.

 

[Frederique]

In The Dynasty Years Eileen Pollock justifies the act saying this is Alexis being territorial like a wild animal, and that her only claim to Blake, her children, and their status as only heirs, was threatened with a child by Krystle. Unfortunately the book's writer either did not know or did not care to ask how that went along with Alexis herself undermining Fallon's status as a Carrington heir with the potential paternity bomb. But maybe Alexis thought a Colby heir was even better than a Carrington one...

Can somebody tell me more about "The Dynasty Years"? I hadn't heard of it till now. Is it worth purchasing?
Thanks!

 

[Michael Torrance]

Can somebody tell me more about "The Dynasty Years"? I hadn't heard of it till now. Is it worth purchasing?
Thanks!

It is an academic book about the show. There are some interesting interviews, and some good analysis of the elements, but it is not written for the general audience but for media studies. Other than some rather balderdash talk about Adorno and what not, I found it interesting.

 

[Rove]

Could Alexis become as powerful as she did and still keep up the sociopathic layer?

I would have preferred if Alexis had not become this all powerful, all conquering diva. As her millions and fur coats grew in stature so did her shrill voice. I preferred when Joan (Alexis) delivered her lines in a deeper, menacing tone, much like her first interaction with Krystle. But what I had hoped for (in retrospect) and what I enjoyed at the time ballooned out of control. Dynasty desperately needed its JR and achieved it with Alexis. The cat-fights ensured, the hair and shoulder pads got bigger, the camp was amplified and the audience went along with it until...The Moldavian Massacre.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

I would have preferred if Alexis had not become this all powerful, all conquering diva. As her millions and fur coats grew in stature so did her shrill voice. I preferred when Joan (Alexis) delivered her lines in a deeper, menacing tone, much like her first interaction with Krystle. But what I had hoped for (in retrospect) and what I enjoyed at the time ballooned out of control. Dynasty desperately needed its JR and achieved it with Alexis. The cat-fights ensured, the hair and shoulder pads got bigger, the camp was amplified and the audience went along with it until...The Moldavian Massacre.

I recall reading a TVGuide article, written by a woman, in the '80s which compared Abby from KNOTS and Alexis from DYNASTY --- stating that Abby "manipulates like a woman" while Alexis "manipulates like a man" and that when Alexis wants something "she picks up the phone and calls the president."

But there was a time when Alexis did manipulate "like a woman" -- during Season 2 when she still had to charm, coo, seduce, to achieve what she wanted.

Yet once Alexis had the power she'd inherited from Cecil Colby, the show (perhaps because it was being written and produced by a lot of women?) became more fixated on the "status" of Alexis and her ability to tell people to "shut up" and leave her fancy office than to continue to focus on her intelligence and wiles as they'd done originally.

As far as DYNASTY "desperately needing its JR," even JR manipulated more like a woman (along with Abby) than Alexis, because once Alexis began fronting for ColbyCo, she no longer manipulated at all! She just strutted her female status -- while JR and Abby were actually trying to attain or achieve or conquer things. Alexis was not.

Of course, that's called having an actual storyline.

I mean, Joan could have played it. They just didn't give it to her.

The only reason the audience gave up on the show after the massacre in Moldavia was that there was no real, planned follow-up. Not even for the biggest cliffhanger from the biggest show from TV's biggest producer ever --- and if they could not pay off on this cliffhanger, maybe we should accept the fact that all the previous cliffhangers they'd not payed off on might indeed be part of a pattern.

 

[tommie]

Who cares about plots when you can just yell at people to get out of your office while wearing the latest Nolan Miller outfit?

Rude.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

I recall reading a TVGuide article, written by a woman, in the '80s which compared Abby from KNOTS and Alexis from DYNASTY --- stating that Abby "manipulates like a woman" while Alexis "manipulates like a man" and that when Alexis wants something "she picks up the phone and calls the president."

But there was a time when Alexis did manipulate "like a woman" -- during Season 2 when she still had to charm, coo, seduce, to achieve what she wanted.

Yet once Alexis had the power she'd inherited from Cecil Colby, the show (perhaps because it was being written and produced by a lot of women?) became more fixated on the "status" of Alexis and her ability to tell people to "shut up" and leave her fancy office than to continue to focus on her intelligence and wiles as they'd done originally.

As far as DYNASTY "desperately needing its JR," even JR manipulated more like a woman (along with Abby) than Alexis, because once Alexis began fronting for ColbyCo, she no longer manipulated at all! She just strutted her female status -- while JR and Abby were actually trying to attain or achieve or conquer things. Alexis was not.

Of course, that's called having an actual storyline.

I mean, Joan could have played it. They just didn't give it to her.

The only reason the audience gave up on the show after the massacre in Moldavia was that there was no real, planned follow-up. Not even for the biggest cliffhanger from the biggest show from TV's biggest producer ever --- and if they could not pay off on this cliffhanger, maybe we should accept the fact that all the previous cliffhangers they'd not payed off on might indeed be part of a pattern.

I think Stephen Birmingham said that compared to the more subtly written JR Ewing, Alexis was "just a brazen hussy." (And certainly when compared with Abby Cunningham).

But it didn't have to be that way, and briefly wasn't.

 

[Richard Channing]

Maybe in later years (if the writers had been up to the task) Alexis should have lost it all and we might have seen this Alexis again. Plotting revenge for whoever took her down, probably Blake, and scheming her way back to the top.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Maybe in later years (if the writers had been up to the task) Alexis should have lost it all and we might have seen this Alexis again. Plotting revenge for whoever took her down, probably Blake, and scheming her way back to the top.

It did seem to work better when Alexis was vulnerable. Each season, they needed to do something to keep this element of the show going -- and the annual treks into court to sue Blake for this-and-that just didn't cut it.

This, and keeping Krystle poetic and regal, rather than the bleating lamb perpetually about to be slaughtered.

 

[Ked]

Maybe in later years (if the writers had been up to the task) Alexis should have lost it all and we might have seen this Alexis again. Plotting revenge for whoever took her down, probably Blake, and scheming her way back to the top.

They did almost accomplish that in Season 9 where Sable nearly crushed Alexis, but the latter lucked out by blackmailing the former with the stolen Nazi treasure and its potential exposure.