Fallon/Randal

[Logan Rhinewood]

I’m watching The Colby’s again (I watched the original run and have watched my dvds a few times since they came out) but I’m puzzled about a few things around Fallon’s return as Randal:

1. Wouldn’t Randal have undergone a full medical examination at some point that would have determined she had given birth to a child and was suffering from trauma to the brain, temporary paralysis and crippling headaches?

2. Everyone is tiptoeing around her and whispering behind closed doors about her, afraid to tell her the truth about who she is. Why? What could possibly be the worst thing that could happen? She’d freak out and cry? She’s doing that anyway! What do medical studies show effects amnesiacs when they suddenly get their memory back? Will their heads explode or something?

3. How do the Colby’s not even know Fallon? They’ve all spoken of knowing Jeff when they were younger, but never knew Fallon? She’s a Carrington for Fs sake.

4. And finally, Randal speaks French and can ride horses. How does she remember that or even how to walk and talk if she has amnesia?

Someone help!

 

[thomaswak]

1- I don't remember the trauma to the brain. I remember they found nothing in Dynasty, and couldn't explain the paralysis and the headaches. It was psychological I think. Fallon was a bit of a nutcase.

2- Soap convenient plot : they were following a psychiatrist advice to not tell her who she really was. And yes, their heads explode when the memory rush is too fast.

3- Because they only knew Pamela Sue Martin's Fallon.

4- Yes, but can she ride French and talk to the horses ?

You're welcome!

 

[Alexis]

Well I mean it's all explained away when we learn she shot Roger Grimes.

 

[thomaswak]

Well I mean it's all explained away when we learn she shot Roger Grimes.

Yes. In an alternate universe.
In Dynasty universe 1, Roger Grimes died years later in a hospital (with Alexis visiting him)

 

[Alexis]

Yes. In an alternate universe.
In Dynasty universe 1, Roger Grimes died years later in a hospital (with Alexis visiting him)

Shusssshhhhhhh…….. Nobody remembered that Dynasty.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Everyone is tiptoeing around her and whispering behind closed doors about her, afraid to tell her the truth about who she is. Why?

I think it's about her condition rather than her identity (although it's not the most ordinary identity!)
With soap operas being all about drama and tension it's very easy to create drama and tension purely based on the plot idea that there shouldn't be any drama and tension.
"Don't upset the confused/pregnant/sick/injured character", often followed by a gruesome prediction.
It was a specific confrontation that cured Peyton Place's Rodney Harrington from his paralysis, and then it was another confrontation that paralysed him again.
So...

Will their heads explode or something?

Maybe not that, but the shock could shut down her nervous system and send her into a coma.
Furthermore, you can also create a lot of tension and drama for the characters who have to walk on eggshells. If they say the wrong thing, they will not be forgiven!

Or it makes her do dangerous Wonder Woman stuff. Imagine if this had happened on the top the Colby Enterprises building. I'm just saying.

How do the Colby’s not even know Fallon?

How could Sable not know Alexis' daughter? I love The Colbys, but the start-up was a bit of a disaster.

 

[thomaswak]

I
Or it makes her do dangerous Wonder Woman stuff. Imagine if this had happened on the top the Colby Enterprises building. I'm just saying.
View attachment 18799

This very photo made me laugh so hard. I can't be a fan of this Fallon. I really can't. Does she want to fly? Does she want to get high? If so I prefer season 1 high Fallon. I Mean the one who smoked with Jeff. It would never happen in later campy seasons.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Does she want to get high?

I think she wants to explode!

 

[tommie]

2. I actually think it's because there's a risk of "false" memories - ie if you're told enough that this or that happened to you, you might start believe it happened. I think it's common to avoid telling too much to people who suffer from memory loss just to see what memories they themselves can remember especially as the brain starts to heal from whatever trauma. Of course, eventually they'll be filled in either way.

4. Isn't this fairly common? I assume it's to do with what part of your brain is affected.

... but of course, the simplest explaination is this: Fallon had Convenient Soap Opera Amnesia.

 

[Michael Torrance]

How could Sable not know Alexis' daughter? I love The Colbys, but the start-up was a bit of a disaster.

Wow, we are actually in agreement over something about the Colbys. It's just that I define the start-up as most of the first season.

3. How do the Colby’s not even know Fallon? They’ve all spoken of knowing Jeff when they were younger, but never knew Fallon? She’s a Carrington for Fs sake.

When she died and there was a funeral, I am sure her picture was all over the society pages. There is not a simple Colby or gardener in the mansion who would not know who she was. And you know, they could have had that ironed out: Miles was away in Europe for some time, away from newspaper coverage, and married Randall, but when he brought her home, everybody else is horrified because they do recognize her.

4. And finally, Randal speaks French and can ride horses. How does she remember that or even how to walk and talk if she has amnesia?

Well, soap amnesia is its own kind of amnesia. In retrograde amnesia, which soaps pretend to use/modify, people do not remember a lot of their adolescent and adult life in terms of events, but skills etc. remain intact.

It was necessary to explain Fallon being away somehow, and there were two options: a coma, or amnesia (there was also a ridiculous one: it was all Jeff's dream ).
Amnesia was not a bad choice, just how it was handled. In fact, it would have been nice if Randall was one personality and Fallon was the Fallon we had known from Dynasty. That would also have eased Samms into the role without the expectation of being compared to PSM, because it was not Fallon. Back in the 90s on a daytime soap, B&B, they had done a great story where an amnesiac Stephanie Forrester becomes a much kinder, gentler person than the bitch she was in everyday life. But it seems that even after Randall regained her memories, her personality stayed that of the hausfrau, so it wasn't the amnesia causing the dull personality, it was the show.

 

[Willie Oleson]

I think it's common to avoid telling too much to people who suffer from memory loss just to see what memories they themselves can remember

I'm currently watching a storyline about an amnesiac post-plastic-surgery impostor.
And she also has a Wes Parmalee moment when she "remembers" something that the real post-surgery recast actress had told her before she became amnesiac.

 

[tommie]

I'm currently watching a storyline about an amnesiac post-plastic-surgery impostor.
And she also has a Wes Parmalee moment when she "remembers" something that the real post-surgery recast actress had told her before she became amnesiac.

False memories aren't that unusual in itself - think back about very early childhood memories. How many of those do you think are real versus what you've been told over the years and adopted as a memory? With that said, it's fairly easy to puncture a false memory in that details are usually wrong.

 

[Willie Oleson]

You mean like a déja vu?

 

[tommie]

You mean like a déja vu?

No, I believe déja vu is entirely different. I'd guess I'd mostly compare false memories mostly to brain washing while déja vu has more to do neurology I believe.

 

[Willie Oleson]

false memories mostly to brain washing while déja vu has more to do neurology I believe

Yes of course, I remember now.

 

[Ked]

When she died and there was a funeral, I am sure her picture was all over the society pages. There is not a simple Colby or gardener in the mansion who would not know who she was. And you know, they could have had that ironed out: Miles was away in Europe for some time, away from newspaper coverage, and married Randall, but when he brought her home, everybody else is horrified because they do recognize her.

That would have been the perfect explanation. There was really no reason for anybody else not to recognize Fallon... although maybe at first, they weren't ready to believe it actually *was* her: "Yes, this girl does bear a striking resemblance, but we don't know for certain that it actually IS Fallon!"

Perhaps a DNA test is done (Monica lets Randall borrow a hairbrush, and then takes some of the extra hairs in) that confirms her true identity?

 

[Alexis]

Yes of course, I remember now.

I have the strangest feeling I have read this before?

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Yes. In an alternate universe.
In Dynasty universe 1, Roger Grimes died years later in a hospital (with Alexis visiting him)

I think Alexis claimed the Denver D.A. said Roger died in prison two months before Blake's murder trial -- a contradiction easily rectified if only they'd had Alexis later assert that the D.A. liked about Roger's death in order to trick her into returning to testify.

But they didn't.

 

[Alexis]

I think Alexis claimed the Denver D.A. said Roger died in prison two months before Blake's murder trial -- a contradiction easily rectified if only they'd had Alexis later assert that the D.A. liked about Roger's death in order to trick her into returning to testify.

But they didn't.

Well there was a scene where that happened. But it happened at the St Dennis Club. Nobody saw it because everybody started going to new mountain hotspot La Mirage around that time.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Well there was a scene where that happened. But it happened at the St Dennis Club. Nobody saw it because everybody started going to new mountain hotspot La Mirage around that time.

I always place it in the middle of that "I hope you're not suggesting that he tried to molest you..." (or words to that effect) scene at The Carlton.

I just want to see it there.

I'm not sure Randal knew or cared.