My own timeline

[Ked]

Since we've all talked about how we'd remake DYNASTY, I decided to try something a little new and re-create the timeline of events for the show's backstory. One significant change are the ages of some of characters, particularly the older ones. I decided it was just too inappropriate for 30-year-old Blake to be marrying 17-year-old Alexis, so I made Blake younger (this would apply for other characters like Buck Fallmont and the Colby brothers). Another significant change are certain characters names (ie, I renamed Francesca as "Helen", Constance as "Ruby" and Jackie as "Jade", the latter two are @Snarky Oracle! 's ideas). You'll see other details as we go along:



1954 - Sabella "Sable" Scott (16) meets Phillip Colby (17), who invites her to a party. She and her cousin Alexis Morrell (also 16) attend, which is how Alexis meets Phillip's older brother, Cecil (22). It is through Cecil that Alexis meets Blake Carrington (23). Phillip Colby ends up meeting Sable's younger sister, Helen (15), and leaves Sable for her. Sable declares she never wants to see her sister again.

Note: at this point in time, Ben Carrington is 21, Cassandra "Cassie" Morrell is 15, Jason Colby is 24 and Ruby Colby is 25.

1955 - Blake Carrington (24) and Alexis Morrell (17) marry. Phillip Colby (18) and Helen Scott (16) marry. After bringing his new bride to the Colby Family Estate, Phillip leaves for Vietnam. Jason (25) and Helen have a one night stand, and a mere 2 days later, Phillip comes back home on leave. He and Helen spend a week together before Phillip returns to Vietnam.

1956 - Adam Carrington is born. Blake Carrington (25) saves the life of Joseph Anders (25) from a fire, earning the latter's life-time loyalty. Meanwhile, Helen Colby (17) writes to her husband Phillip (19) that she is pregnant. Phillip writes to Cecil (24) explaining that his medical examination revealed that he is sterile, so therefore Helen's child is not his. His letter further reveals he plans on divorcing Helen once he gets back, but Phillip suddenly goes MIA. Jeff Colby is born some months later. Upon hearing the news of Helen's husband going missing, Sable (18) puts aside her own feelings and travels to LA to be with her. That is how Sable meets Jason Colby (26).

1957 - Adam Carrington (1) disappears. During the months of searching, Cecil Colby (25) takes advantage of Alexis (19) in her vulnerable state and they have an affair. Alexis later rejects Cecil in order to remain with Blake (26). Jason Colby (27) and Sable Scott (19) get married. Buck Fallmont (26) and Emiliy (18) get married. Cecil, seething from Alexis' rejection and envious of Jason's marriage, ravishes Sable.

1958 - Fallon Carrington born, named after her maternal grandmother. Twins Miles & Monica Colby born. Sable (20) confides in Alexis (20) about the true parentage of her children.

1959 - Steven Carrington born. Fox (previously "Bart") Fallmont born.

1960 - Kirby Anders born.

1961 - Buck Fallmont (30) begins his political campaigning. Ben Carrington (28) and Emily Fallmont (22) have an affair. A fire causes the death of Blake & Ben's mother, Fallon. Ben is exiled by his father and brother.

1962 - Clay Fallmont born. Alicia Anders (24) runs away with her lover, and is later arrested after she kills him, sentenced to an institution for the criminally insane. Daniel Reese (25) meets Iris Grant (18) and starts a casual romance with her. Daniel ends up meeting Iris' older sister, Krystle (19). Daniel falls head over heels for Krystle, but because he doesn't want to hurt Iris, decides to simply cut ties with both women and go on his way. Iris is devastated and confused, and Krystle is left with a burning hatred for the man who broke her sister's heart. Very soon after, Iris is revealed to be pregnant, and very quickly marries Frank Dean (age undecided).

1963 - Sammy Jo Dean born. Krystle (20) meets Mark Jennings (22). After 7 years, Phillip Colby is pronounced officially dead, and his memorial is held. Cecil (31) takes this opportunity to finally confront Helen (24) about her affair. Helen realizes that only Jason (33) can be the father of Jeff (7), but Jason is still married to Sable (25). Cecil has no knowledge of who Helen's "baby daddy" is, and blackmails her to leave LA, the Colbys and even her own son behind. Knowing that the truth would destroy the family, Helen agrees. Cecil takes Jeff to live in Denver, as he doesn't want a "bastard" associating with the "real" Colby children.

1964 - Alexis Carrington (26) has an affair with Roger Grimes (age undecided). Cassie Morrell (25) betrays her sister to Blake (32), who catches the adulterous couple in the act. Blake divorces and exiles Alexis. Tom Carrington (age undecided) pities Alexis and helps her say good-bye to each of her children, but has her meet with them one at a time. He helps her say good-bye to Steven (5) first, and later at night takes Fallon to the cottage where Alexis and Roger are staying. Wanting to give them some privacy, Tom leaves. A fight breaks out between Roger and Alexis, causing the latter to hit her head and pass out. Fallon (6) shoots and kills Roger. Tom runs in, having heard the gunshots, and springs into action: he carefully takes the gun from Fallon, convinces her that she's having a nightmare and puts her to sleep in the bedroom. He checks on Alexis, gives her a pillow to rest her head on, and calls an ambulence. Knowing that it'll take the ambulence a while to get there, Tom quickly wraps up Roger's body and dumps it in the lake, before going back in and scrubbing away as much of the blood he possibly can. The ambulence arrives and takes Alexis away. This is also the year when Krystle Grant (21) marries Mark Jennings (23).

1965 - Amanda Carrington is born, and given to Alexis' cousin Rosalind (age undecided). Alexis (27) begins her life in luxurious exile. Alicia Anders (27) is released from prison, and renames herself Dominique Deveraux. Helen Colby (26) remarries a wealthy older gentlemen (name and age undecided).

1966 - Dominique Deveraux (28) meets Garrett Boydsten (30) and has an affair. Bliss Colby is born.

1967 - Jade (previously "Jackie") Deveraux is born. Matthew Blaisdel (18) meets Claudia (16) and they have an affair.

1968 - Lindsay Blaisdel born. Dominique Deveraux (30) meets Brady Lloyd (age undecided) who starts opening doors for her career.

1969 - Blake Carrington (37) meets Diamond Cook (age undecided) and starts a relationship.

1970 - Diamond Cook also starts having an affair with Buck Fallmont (38), causing his wife, Emily (31), to confront her in the garage apartments on the Carrington Estate. Emily had brought Diamond's personal doctor with her to sedate her if Diamond became violent. This results in Diamond's accidental death, her having already taken a lot of pills. Emily and the doctor keep quiet about their involvement, leaving the scandal for Blake (38).

1971 - Iris Dean (27) dies. Sammy Jo (8).

1972 - Krystle (29) and Mark (31) separate, with Mark declaring he'll get them a quickie divorce in Mexico, but he never goes through with it.

1973 -

1974 -

1975 -

1976 - Monica Colby (18) meets Cash Cassidy (age undecided).

1977 - Monica (19) & Cash have an affair.

1978 - Scott Cassidy born. Ruby Colby (49) arranges things so that Scott is given to Cash and his wife, Adrienne (age undecided). Claudia Blaisdel (27) suffers a mental breakdown and gets put in a sanitorium. Lindsay Blaisdel (10) is sent to live with her paternal grandmother.

1979 - Blake Carrington (48) meets Krystle Jennings (36). Krystle also meets Matthew Blaisdel (30), and they have an affair. Blake sends Matthew to Saudi Arabia to create distance between him and Krystle.

1980 - Blake courts (49) proposes to Krystle (37) and she says yes.

1981 - Cassandra "Cassie" Morrell (42) is arrested and locked up abroad. Helen Colby (42) is widowed for the second time. Blake Carrington (50) marries Krystle Jennings (38). The rest of the main series starts here.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

I decided it was just too inappropriate for 30-year-old Blake to be marrying 17-year-old Alexis, so I made Blake younger

The 1950s was a different time. Girls got married at 17 all the time -- and it wasn't always to 17-year-old boys.

And I just can't see Diamond Cook happening after the mid-'60s; it's just too late, somehow.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Esther Shapiro once suggested Blake was 50 when he married Krystle, 35, in 1980. But it's hard to believe he was that young (as Forsythe was 62).

One thing Eileen "Mike" Pollock did that I actually liked was her use of furs/jewels/men's-names for the women. So I was fine with "Frankie" -- why do you prefer "Helen"?

Hmmmm --- you want Alycia Aynders and Dominique Deveraux to be the same person?? Verrrry interesting!

Does THE COLBYS ever specify how old Miles and Monica were in 1985? I kind of envision them as, say, 23, born in 1962, thus allowing Sable to be born in 1944 (only three years older than Beacham).

Could Lindsay really have been only 12 in Season 1?

This is my personal, preferred timeline:

1904: Minx Morell, Alexis' & Caress' mum, born in England; Blake's father born in Pennsylvania.

1924: Blake born in Philadelphia.

1937: Alexis born in London.

1939: Caress born

1946: Krystle born in Ohio.

Early-1950s: The powerful Fallon family dynasty (into which Ellen was born, but disinherited after marrying no-account varmint-pastor Tom/Zeke) pulls out of a lucrative military hardware deal with ColbyCo and the federal government to provide munitions that the Fallon family come to realize might be used on America's own soldiers. Millions in profit are lost, and Cecil sets out to destroy the Fallon family from the shadows -- and is largely successful, Which has a role in the enmity Cecil feels towards Blake as the latter surges in corporate relevance.

1953: Blake's first start-up company, re-christened 'Denver-Carrington' five years later in 1958.

1954: the Moldavians/Cecil/Minx nexus leads to Blake & Alexis marrying in June, only days after she turns 17.

March 1955: Adam born in Denver; kidnapped in The Village ("Cathedral Springs," as opposed to "Harmon") that September.

Summer 1955: the fire that kills Blake's mother, Ellen Lucy Fallon Carrington; Blake purchases the estate (I like "Cedar Abbey") which has lain fallow since 1932, abandoned at the pit of the Depression.

1956: Fallon born in Denver. Jeff (which I'd spell "Geoff") is born.

1957: Steven born in early-June.

1959: On a trip to Denver, Cecil's mother is stabbed by a vagrant on the step of the new Denver Opera House (partially funded by Cecil himself) and her will, recently changed, favors Cecil heavily. This creates a permanent falling-out between Cecil and Jason, the latter of whom is convinced Cecil had their mother murdered, luring her to Colorado to do it. It's a riff that never heals.

1961: Kirby Aynders born to Alycia/Dominique???

1963: Sammy Jo born in Ohio.

1964: With a little help from jealous sister-in-law, Caress Morell, Blake is told when and where he can catch Alexis with Roger Grimes. Blake beats Roger with a candlestick, and throws Alexis out of the mansion ("three days before your seventh birthday, Steven"). After a month, Blake attempts a reconciliation with Alexis which fails after only one volatile weekend -- except she becomes pregnant... Little Fallon, 8, kills Roger, 25, in the cottage while Alexis is unconscious on the floor; Tom (who I'd call "Zeke") gets rid of the body, dumping it into that lake.

October 1964: After dating her very briefly, mobbed-up starlet, Diamond Cook, is found dead of a "suicide" overdose in Blake's guest house behind the garages. Tongues wag that Blake had her whacked, a topic that reemerges after Sarah Curtis attempts suicide in those garages in 1987. (Yes, Emily Fallmont did it by accident, with the aid of Diamond's physician).

January 1965: The divorce is finalized between Blake and Alexis. April: Amanda born in London, soon dumped on cousin Rosalind.

1966: Cecil's fiancée, Choo-Choo, is killed in a horrific midnight car crash a few miles from his Nine Oaks estate. She is decapitated and her head not found for several days.

Late-'60s Europe: Dominique and Caress repeatedly run across each other in various hotspots (some of whom Dominique owns) along the Mediterranean and continental capitals, and they develop a pointed mutual contempt.

1978: Claudia enters an asylum; Matthew & Krystle have a fling before she moves from the refinery to Blake's executive assistant.

September 1980: Krystle and Blake marry.

early-1981: Ted Dinard dies. Soon, Alexis returns to Denver and moves into the art studio on Blake's estate.

1982: Cecil dies.

1985: Massacre in Moldavia, leading Blake to divest himself of his military hardware division... Did Ruby Colby have a role in funding the bloody melee, as well as the reverse-reverse coup d'etat months later of Alexis' short reign on the Moldavian throne? Naturally, Ruby hates Alexis. (Was there nazi involvement?)


"Just when did you say Roger died..?"

 

[Ked]

The 1950s was a different time. Girls got married at 17 all the time -- and it wasn't always to 17-year-old boys.

So what? I still want Blake and Alexis to be closer in age.

And I just can't see Diamond Cook happening after the mid-'60s; it's just too late, somehow.

View attachment 58964

That's fair, since this is your original creation.

October 1964: After dating her very briefly, mobbed-up starlet, Diamond Cook, is found dead of a "suicide" overdose in Blake's guest house behind the garages. Tongues wag that Blake had her whacked, a topic that reemerges after Sarah Curtis attempts suicide in those garages in 1987. (Yes, Emily Fallmont did it by accident, with the aid of Diamond's physician).

Ehhh, I can't really see Blake dating while still technically married to Alexis. I mean, there are many things to consider: Blake loves having the moral high ground and/or being "respectable", so he'd be sure to wait at least a year after the divorce before getting back into the dating game. Plus, Blake was genuinely hurt by Alexis' affair, so there's a good chance he'd be too vulnerable (though he'd never admit to it).

So how about October 1965, instead? That's still mid-60s, after all.

Esther Shapiro once suggested Blake was 50 when he married Krystle, 35, in 1980. But it's hard to believe he was that young (as Forsythe was 62).

It's easier to imagine if you replace Forsythe with Grant Show. I definitely prefer Blake being 50 at the start, it's easier to imagine him as a macho-action-type that way.

One thing Eileen "Mike" Pollock did that I actually liked was her use of furs/jewels/men's-names for the women. So I was fine with "Frankie" -- why do you prefer "Helen"?

Because I just can't take the name "Frankie" seriously when it's attached to the character Katharine Ross played. The character is a lost, dreamy-eyed, tragic and silly waif of a woman being blown every which way, desired by a plethora of men, put on a pedestal by her son and the source of her own sister's insecurity. Thus, the name "Frankie" just doesn't suit her.

Heck, if I were to name a female character "Frankie," I'd have her be a Sammy Jo type, for (hopefully) obvious reasons.

Why I chose "Helen" is to match her with Jason's Greek tragedy theme: in the original mythos, Jason was a mortal hero favored by Hera, but he wound up being famous for just how utterly he destroyed his own potential by betraying his own wife and losing EVERYTHING, including his own bloodline. Meanwhile, Helen of Troy is famous for being the world's most beautiful woman, to the point that a whole war was fought over her, resulting in the complete and total destruction of the City of Troy.

Considering how the Colbys turned out, with their business empire divided and their family scattered to the winds (especially thanks to how the family patriarch ran off with his ex-wife's young er sister), doesn't it seem more fitting now for "Frankie" to be "Helen" instead?

Hmmmm --- you want Alycia Aynders and Dominique Deveraux to be the same person?? Verrrry interesting!

I... believe we've discussed this before? Many, many times before.

Does THE COLBYS ever specify how old Miles and Monica were in 1985? I kind of envision them as, say, 23, born in 1962, thus allowing Sable to be born in 1944 (only three years older than Beacham).

No, but I liked the idea of Alexis and Sable not only being the same age (thus able to attend school together at the exact same time), but also being pregnant at the same time, too. I mean, they were supposed to be "close" during those days, weren't they? But on a more serious note, Sable confided in Alexis that she had been raped, and that's not something one confides in just ANYONE. If Sable and Alexis have known each other their whole lives, it makes the most sense that the latter would be the one Sable told. Especially since Alexis actually held onto that secret for 30+ years.

Could Lindsay really have been only 12 in Season 1?

I have her at 13 in Season 1. I was trying to make Claudia a little younger because she gets involved with Steven, Jeff and Adam (while I understand people's general dislike of the latter pairing, I still liked their scenes together in Season 6B, when they became a sort of scheming evil pair that turn on each other). Thus, Claudia is 30 in Season 1, with Jeff (and the not-yet-appeared Adam) being 25, and Steven 22.

This is my personal, preferred timeline:

Cool.

Early-1950s: The powerful Fallon family dynasty (into which Ellen was born, but disinherited after marrying no-account varmint-pastor Tom/Zeke) pulls out of a lucrative military hardware deal with ColbyCo and the federal government to provide munitions that the Fallon family come to realize might be used on America's own soldiers. Millions in profit are lost, and Cecil sets out to destroy the Fallon family from the shadows -- and is largely successful, Which has a role in the enmity Cecil feels towards Blake as the latter surges in corporate relevance.

Oooh, that actually sounds pretty interesting! Plus it goes to show just how petty Cecil Colby really is, and it goes beyond him just be a jilted ex-lover of Alexis. Heh, although I never liked that whole "pastor" thing for Blake's father; yes, I realize it's in the show's bible but I think, since it was never mentioned on the actual show, it should be ignored. But that's just my deal. I do approve of Blake's father being named "Zeke" instead, very much approve!

1953: Blake's first start-up company, re-christened 'Denver-Carrington' five years later in 1958.

1954: the Moldavians/Cecil/Minx nexus leads to Blake & Alexis marrying in June, only days after she turns 17.

March 1955: Adam born in Denver; kidnapped in The Village ("Cathedral Springs," as opposed to "Harmon") that September.

Summer 1955: the fire that kills Blake's mother, Lucy Fallon Carrington; Blake purchases the estate (I like "Cedar Abbey") which has lain fallow since 1932, abandoned at the pit of the Depression.

1956: Fallon born in Denver. Jeff (which I'd spell "Geoff") is born.

1957: Steven born in early-June.

Looks pretty good so far! Plus it's pretty similar to what I've got. Only I have the fire that kills Blake's mother (oh, you named her "Lucy" instead of "Ellen"? Meh, not a bad choice. I would have just kept her first name being "Fallon" and have it be ambiguous what her maiden name was, but I digress) happen *after* Steven is born, but that's because I always liked the implication that Ben *might* be the father of Clay Fallmont, and I wanted Clay to be closer in age to Amanda. That's also why I had it so that Fox Fallmont is the elder son, and the same age as Steven.

*LOVE* "Cathedral Springs" and "Cedar Abbey." Very Downton Abbey-ish. Oh yeah, I was going to include "Geoff" in my own timeline, but forgot! Whoops!

1959: On a trip to Denver, Cecil's mother is stabbed by a vagrant on the step of the new Denver Opera House (partially funded by Cecil himself) and her will, recently changed, favors Cecil heavily. This creates a permanent falling-out between Cecil and Jason, the latter of whom is convinced Cecil had their mother murdered, luring her to Colorado to do it. It's a riff that never heals.

Oooooooh, LOVE this! Nice little family drama, not to mention properly mysterious and sinister! Very fitting for Cecil's character. Heh, now I want there to be a scene in either Season 2 or Season 3 where Cecil takes Alexis to that very same Opera House!

1961: Kirby Aynders born to Alycia/Dominique???

I mean, Kirby got those cheekbones from somewhere.

1963: Sammy Jo born in Ohio.

1964: With a little help from jealous sister-in-law, Caress Morell, Blake is told when and where he can catch Alexis with Roger Grimes. Blake beats Roger with a candlestick, and throws Alexis out of the mansion ("three days before your seventh birthday, Steven"). After a month, Blake attempts a reconciliation with Alexis which fails after only one volatile weekend -- except she becomes pregnant... Little Fallon, 8, kills Roger, 25, in the cottage while Alexis is unconscious on the floor; Tom (who I'd call "Zeke") gets rid of the body, dumping it into that lake.

I realize I made Steven 5 and Fallon 6 during the whole Roger Grimes fiasco, and that may have been a mistake on my part. For a long time now, I've had it cemented in my brain that, at the start of the series in 1981, Fallon is 23 and Steven is 22. Since Alexis returns that same year, and is supposed to have been gone for 16 years, Fallon and Steven would have been 7 and 6, respectively. Heh, though maybe I was following your idea of having it be a *17* year exile (what with the locust cycle and everything).

1966: Cecil's fiancée, Choo-Choo, is killed in a horrific midnight car crash a few miles from his Nine Oaks estate. She is decapitated and her head not found for several days.

O_O

...No comment.

Late-'60s Europe: Dominique and Caress repeatedly run across each other in various hotspots (some of whom Dominique owns) along the Mediterranean and continental capitals, and they develop a pointed mutual contempt.

1978: Claudia enters an asylum; Matthew & Krystle have a fling before she moves from the refinery to Blake's executive assistant.

September 1980: Krystle and Blake marry.

early-1981: Ted Dinard dies. Soon, Alexis returns to Denver and moves into the art studio on Blake's estate.

1982: Cecil dies.

1985: Massacre in Moldavia, leading Blake to divest himself of his military hardware division... Did Ruby Colby have a role in funding the bloody melee, as well as the reverse-reverse coup d'etat months later of Alexis' short reign on the Moldavian throne? Naturally, Ruby hates Alexis. (Was there nazi involvement?)

Yup, this all sounds pretty good and close to what I had in mind. x3 The only thing I don't really care for is Ruby Colby's involvement in the Massacre and the other Moldavia stuff; that all just seems outside of the Colby family interest, which was always her obsession.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

you named her "Lucy" instead of "Ellen"?

Oops, I left off the "Ellen" part by accident. Fixed it. Her birth name was Ellen Lucy Fallon.