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Could this show have made it without the ajef fallon connections which is basically just a milessized ploohole
GillesDenver
Telly Talk Dream Maker
Miles sized plot hole I guess.
Werewillie Oleson
Telly Talk Schemer
I wanna size Miles' poohole
Grant Jennings
Telly Talk TV Fanatic
Network executives like spin-offs because they believe it gives a new show a built-in audience which is why we also have backdoor pilots* (if you've seen the gawdawful Rita Moreno episode of The Golden Girls or the Ken Berry episode of The Brady Bunch you know what a backdoor pilot is). Knots Landing didn't have to be a Dallas spin-off, David Jacobs created it before he created the Ewing family, but the Lorimar and CBS executives wanted a Dallas spin-off so that's what it became.
I find it ironic that Jeff and Fallon are the spin-off characters on The Colbys , as such they were expected to be the characters with the strongest initial appeal to the audience yet, to me at least, they were often the least interesting characters on the show. It may have worked better if Pamela Sue Martin had returned but I'm not so sure of that as the writers on both Dynasty and The Colbys were writing Fallon as the resident victim. On The Colbys Fallon was Kirby 2.0. As John James noted, spinning the characters off to the domain of the Colby family changed the dynamic of their relationship making Jeff the "alpha" when it had been Fallon when they were on Dynasty.
Spinning Dominique over from time to time made sense both plot-wise (of course her record company would be based in Los Angeles) and ratings-wise (wouldn't you want one of your "name" stars to appear in the new show?). In hindsight, I think a spin-off that focused more on Dominique (perhaps without Jeff and Fallon) makes more sense. The Dynasty writers didn't seem to know what to do with the character (though one could argue that could easily be said of almost any character) and Diahann Carroll as the star would have strong appeal for African American viewers. I think if instead of Garrett, they had introduced Nick/Richard Lawson and had the Dominique & Nick love story as one of the new show's initial plots it would have been "appointment television" for many African American viewers.
* "Backdoor pilot" is one of those phrases, like "pulled pork" that isn't dirty but makes me blush because it sure sounds like it is.
I find it ironic that Jeff and Fallon are the spin-off characters on The Colbys , as such they were expected to be the characters with the strongest initial appeal to the audience yet, to me at least, they were often the least interesting characters on the show. It may have worked better if Pamela Sue Martin had returned but I'm not so sure of that as the writers on both Dynasty and The Colbys were writing Fallon as the resident victim. On The Colbys Fallon was Kirby 2.0. As John James noted, spinning the characters off to the domain of the Colby family changed the dynamic of their relationship making Jeff the "alpha" when it had been Fallon when they were on Dynasty.
Spinning Dominique over from time to time made sense both plot-wise (of course her record company would be based in Los Angeles) and ratings-wise (wouldn't you want one of your "name" stars to appear in the new show?). In hindsight, I think a spin-off that focused more on Dominique (perhaps without Jeff and Fallon) makes more sense. The Dynasty writers didn't seem to know what to do with the character (though one could argue that could easily be said of almost any character) and Diahann Carroll as the star would have strong appeal for African American viewers. I think if instead of Garrett, they had introduced Nick/Richard Lawson and had the Dominique & Nick love story as one of the new show's initial plots it would have been "appointment television" for many African American viewers.
* "Backdoor pilot" is one of those phrases, like "pulled pork" that isn't dirty but makes me blush because it sure sounds like it is.
Werewillie Oleson
Telly Talk Schemer
Personally, I think it affected Dominique more than the others. Because she's never been a very interesting character to begin with so she could't ride on a wave of past glory.
But Krystle or Adam in a bad storyline are still very watchable, just because they're Krystle and Adam.
However, Dominique is also kinda unintentionally funny because she takes herself and her dull storylines so extremely seriously.
Grant Jennings
Telly Talk TV Fanatic
From her first entrance (which is obviously intended to be as dramatic as that of Alexis) she's camp. She's a "Karen" to the desk clerk at La Mirage and to Alexis, doesn't she know it's not polite to criticize the food when you're a guest in someone else's home? Dominique is the embodiment of "don't you know who I am?"
Werewillie Oleson
Telly Talk Schemer
Yeah, there was something desperate about the her, the way she flaunted her importance and mystique - but it actually killed the intrigue.
They were so eager to make it work that they put the cart before the horse, and the character never recovered from it.
I wonder if the black audience liked her a little too much, but then again, to have a black actress in an all-white TV juggernaut may have been the eighties equivalent of the first black president!
Have you watched EMPIRE? Phylicia Allen's character would have been perfect for Dominique, but she also reminds me of me Dr. Burke's snobbish mother in GREY'S ANANTOMY, played by...Diahann Caroll!
colbyco
Telly Talk Well-Known Member
- so true! Fallon & Jeff were like Jock & Ellie ("Dallas") I didn´t care about them since it became JEFF and fallon - the only good thing in their storyline was MILES!!! When Channing entered both were THE couple of the show ... in California Fallon should have become her old S1 bi*ch self again and sleeping with both men the whole season + some polo player and beach boys ... one week she loves Miles, next week Jeff is the happy one ... this drama builts up the whole season ... Jeff drinks more and more, Miles crashes one car after the other ... finally in the cliffhanger both drunken have a fight throught the whole Colby mansion ... in this fight Jeff pushes Miles through the door of Jason´s bedroom where Fallon sleeps with him ... or version 2: both fight drunken, Fallon laughs "you both love me so I´m waiting for both of you in the pool house..."
- on "The Colbys" Dominique could have been the chance (without Alexis) stealing some scenes and a hot love story with Nick or Richard would have been great.
GillesDenver
Telly Talk Dream Maker
I agree. I always thought that instead of being raped by Miles, which was a terrible trope, Fallon could have had a change of heart and sleep with Miles while Jeff was away for a trip.
Also, according to the seasonal bible, Miles was to have a car accident in the finale beause of a "death-deying race on Mullholand drive". He could have made the race with Jeff.
Also, according to the seasonal bible, Miles was to have a car accident in the finale beause of a "death-deying race on Mullholand drive". He could have made the race with Jeff.
Spooky Owl!
Telly Talk Supreme
To me, Emma Samms was 'Emerald Fallmont'.
Go ahead; fight me on it.
Go ahead; fight me on it.
DallasFanForever
Telly Talk Supreme
And to me Emma Samms was two things growing up; Fallon and the woman I wanted to be my girlfriend. Obviously it didn’t work out the way I planned but at least I can still call her Fallon, cause to me that’s what she will always be.
Werewillie Oleson
Telly Talk Schemer
I loved it how Sable, most ruthlessly, turned the rape-pregnancy into an advantage for her and Miles. Just like she didn't care about amnesiac Fallon's state of mind or happiness, as long as she stayed with Miles.
I thought it was an interesting twist on the "I slept with my ex and now I don't know who the father is". Because there was more involved than just that.
GillesDenver
Telly Talk Dream Maker
But Sable could have been involved the same way if Fallon had not been raped.
And it would have avoided the discrepancy with the fact that she has been raped herself and yet she does not care that Miles, her own flesh and blood, is a rapist.
Werewillie Oleson
Telly Talk Schemer
It would have eliminated the extra conflict: does a rapist even have a legal or moral claim to his child?
There would have been very little doubt in our minds if the baby had been conceived in a moment of genuine passion.
It's not that she doesn't care, she applies different standards to her precious golden boy Miles.
And to win from Jeff and Frankie was more important than scruples or compassion for the other raped woman.
But Sable didn't stop there, as she tried to convince Adrienne to give up little Scott and even believed that the woman who actually do it!
That's the kind of monster she was, but I don't expect soap characters to think and behave like normal people do. All the Colbys are wonderfully f**ked up but that's more entertainment for me.
But, as Connie would say, it's not your house, Sable.