Paramount Video continues its price gouging with the second half of Dynasty‘s third season. Luckily however, season three pushes the bar for over the top, wholly unbelievable, totally ludicrous, and thoroughly entertaining melodrama.
The collection, as one might guess, picks up right where the last one left off. Sammy Jo has returned with Steven’s son but as usual has plans solely for herself. Alexis and Mark Jennings, Krystle’s ex-husband, continue their secret affair. Jeff delves deeper into madness because of the deadly neurotoxin that Adam coated his office with. And off in Singapore, Steven, who everyone thinks is dead, awakens in a hospital with his face covered in bandages. See, he suffered severe burns during the oil rig explosion and needed major reconstructive surgery, which is basically a nice way to explain why Steven is played by a new actor now.
When my wife forced me to watch season one I hated it. It was boring and uninteresting. I started reviewing the show with season two and that’s when things started getting interesting. Then the first half of season three was even better. Having now seen the first three seasons in their entirety I think it’s safe to say that these twelve episodes are the best of the series so far.
Everything goes completely bonkers. Jeff’s exposure to the neurotoxins leads him to almost killing Fallon, which leads to their divorce. In a sneaky move while Jeff is delusional, Adam helps Alexis take control of Denver-Carrington in attempt to destroy Blake once and for all, but he’s not giving up without a fight. Jeff and Kirby marry soon after the divorce is finalized and soon after that Kirby is happy to learn she is pregnant, but much less happy when she learns who the father is. Steven returns into the fold reigniting Blake’s homophobia (if you remember, back in season one Blake killed Steven’s first boyfriend) and the bitterness between father and son continues. It is revealed that Adam experimented with drugs when he was a teenager and may still be suffering from flashbacks. Adam and Alexis are more evil than ever shedding away any remaining ounce of goodness and decency so much so that several people want Alexis dead leading to a wonderful who-done-it? cliffhanger that leaves the lives of Alexis and Krystle in mortal danger. You even get another brilliant catfight between Krystle and Alexis in the Carrington pond. Whew… and you if think that’s a lot, trust me, I’m leaving tons out!
This show is everything you could want in a television show, really. It’s so ridiculous and over the top that you can’t wait to see what happens next and if you weren’t seeing it happen you probably wouldn’t believe it. It starts out a guilty pleasure but soon you’re so sucked in that you lose the guilt. However the season is by no means perfect. The biggest flaw is Jack Coleman, the new Steven Carrington. He’s not nearly as interesting as Al Corley (the original) and reconstructive surgery aside, it’s lame that the actor was replaced. But while this is a first for the series, sadly it is not the last as Fallon, Adam and the as of yet introduced Amanda Carrington are all replaced at some point during the series run.
This show is my no means for everyone. If you can’t forget about reality and get into the ridiculousness of the show, then you’re not going to enjoy it. But isn’t’ that the point of good television, to escape reality? Dynasty set a standard that many TV melodramas followed for years, even fans the popular Ugly Betty will be able to spot similarities in this small screen classic.
Episodes:
Disc 1:
Danny 1/5/1983
Season three continues as Sammy Jo follows her dream to become a model to New York. Leaving her newborn son Danny behind, she spurns lucrative offers from Blake and Alexis to stay. However, Krystle and Blake are thrilled when Sammy Jo asks them to be Danny’s adoptive parents. Meanwhile, Alexis resumes her secret affair with Krystle’s ex-husband, mark. Then, in a Singapore hospital, Steven regains consciousness; he’s alive, but the doctor tells him that the blast from the oil rig resulted in severe burns, causing Steen to need plastic surgery on his face.
Madness 1/12/1983
Having poisoned Jeff with toxic paint, Adam now tries to link him to the Cecil Colby/Logan Rhinewood scandal. Alexis is incensed to learn that Blake and Krystle plan to adopt Danny, and insists on custody for herself; but the couple can’t adopt until Krystle seals her divorce from Mark. His wild mood swings out of control, an enraged Jeff attacks Fallon when he discovers her in Mark’s hotel room. Mark arrives to rescue Fallon and Alexis intervenes, sending Jeff out of town to cool off. Then, Adam drops the bombshell to Alexis: he had Jeff’s office painted with the lethal toxin, and if she tries to remove it, he’ll implicate her in the crime.
Two Flights To Haiti 1/26/1983
Despite Blake’s pleas, Fallon flies to Haiti to seek a divorce from Jeff; Mark follows her and surprises her at her hotel. Adam extends a personal job offer to Kirby and Alexis confronts Adam: she will not be a part of what he’s done to Jeff. In his disorientated condition, Jeff signs over his voting control of Blake’s company to Alexis. When Jeff is subsequently hospitalized after a fit of rage against Mark on the tennis court, a distressed Alexis must wait to see what the doctors find in Jeff’s blood.
The Mirror 2/4/1983
Alexis orders that Jeff’s office be remodeled and the toxic paint be removed. Now together in Haiti, Fallon and Mark’s friendship deepens, while Fallon continues to play hard to get. Blake uncovers Alexis’ scheme to merge and control both the Carrington and Colbyco companies. Dr. Edwards, Adam’s former physician, arrives in town to check on Adam again. Blake is stunned when poison is found in Jeff’s system. Then in Singapore comes another staggering revelation: the bandages on Steven’s face finally come off.
Disc 2:
Battle Lines 2/16/1983
Blake pursues legal action to prevent Alexis from seizing control of Denver-Carrington, and Krystle confides to him that Alexis may secretly know the cause of Jeff’s poisoning. Even though the toxin has still not been identified, Jess is released from the hospital. Returning from Haiti, Fallon and Mark share a prolonged passionate kiss, unaware that Krystle is watching. Halfway across the world in Singapore, Steven’s aloofness piques the interest of his doctor, who makes a phone call. Back in Denver, Lake answers and learns his son may be alive.
Reunions In Singapore 2/25/1983
Blake is off to Singapore, but not before Alexis confronts him: she will do whatever it takes in her hostile bid to take over his company. Jeff informs Alexis he now wants to rescind giving up his stock. When Adam attacks Kirby in a hotel room, Jeff shows up to save her and, in the heat of the moment, proposes. In Singapore, Steven informs his father he will not come back to the family or the Carrington compound until Blake tells him he has a son.
Fathers And Sons 3/3/1983
Steven returns to Denver and the family is overjoyed, the Carrington mansion becomes a frenzy of activity and emotions. Steven has his first meeting with his brother, Adam, and his new son, Danny. Fallon and Mark intensify their torrid affair; and in Reno, Kirby becomes Jeff’s bride. Meanwhile, the company merger is moving closer to approval. Alexis admits to Steven that she paid his wife, Sammy Jo, to leave Denver and announces her suspicions that Blake bought Danny. Determined, Steven travels to New York to attempt to make things work with Sammy Jo.
The Downstairs Bride 3/9/1983
Joseph is livid to learn that his daughter, Kirby, is now married to Jeff, telling her she’s ruined her life. When Blake attempts a cease-fire with Alexis over their son Steven, Alexis counters by extending a share of Colbyco to Steven. Adam confides to Fallon that he doesn’t believe Steven is fit to rule the family empire. While in New York, Steven finds Sammy Jo and discusses reconciliation, but he returns to Denver by himself and, defying his father, moves out of the estate with Danny, Krystle convinces Blake it’s for the best.
Disc 3:
The Vote 3/16/1983
It’s the big moment as the Board of Directors meets to decide on the Denver-Carrington/Colbyco merger. Approval comes only after Alexis vows that any member who votes nay will be fired, leaving Blake enraged at the outcome. When Kirby becomes jealous watching Jeff and Fallon laughing together, Krystle is there to console her. Krystle also tries to mend the rift between Steven and Blake. Jeff confronts Adam over fraudulent business reports and Fallon learns of Mark’s promiscuous past, via her jealous mother, Alexis. When Congressman McVane steps in to squash the merger, a not-to-be-messed-with Alexis exposes his dirty laundry to the media.
The Dinner 3/30/1983
Blake is armed with damning evidence against Alexis, Alexis is digging up her own dirt on Blake, and the merger war rages on. When Jeff and Kirby have their first fight, the honeymoon may already be over. Steven checks up on his ex-wife, Claudia, at the sanitarium, and Mark declines Alexis’ monetary offer to leave Fallon, who soon after conveniently discovers her mother in his bed. Doing her best to reunite father and son, Krystle plans a special dinner for Blake and Steven, but Alexis surreptitiously sabotages the event. Blake instinctively blames Steven and, Krystle becomes increasingly angered by her husband’s callousness.
The Threat 4/13/1983
Congressman McVane realizes Alexis is behind the sordid headline in the press regarding himself and a young girl. Kirby discovers she’s pregnant. Then comes the epic showdown: finally having it all out, Krystle and Alexis exchange blows over Fallon, falling and flailing in the lily pond until Blake intercedes. A mortified Krystle moves out, taking refuge at La Mirage. Having lost her diamond earring in the catfight, Alexis commands Joseph to drain the pool, threatening to spill all she knows about Kirby’s mother if he doesn’t. Later, the disgraced Congressman attempts to strangle Alexis to death, luckily Blake shows up in time.
The Cabin 4/20/1983
The sizzling season finale: Blake finds out that Chris, Steven’s attorney and lover, is now living with his son and grandson. Outraged by this Blake vows to win custody of his grandson, not wanting him raised by “a couple of gays.” When Alexis won’t pay off her private investigator’s gambling debt, the man threatens her. After a visit with the doctor, Kirby realizes that Adam, not Jeff, is the father of her child. Consulting with Dr. Edwards, Fallon connects the dots in Adams’ past and asks the hospital to continue the investigation on Jeff’s poisoning. Alexis arranges to meet Krystle in Steven’s cabin, offering her $1 million to dump Blake and leave town. Insulted, Krystle refuses and attempts to leave only to learn that they’ve been locked in and the cabin has been set ablaze by an unseen arson. The episode ends with both women trapped in the burning cabin.
(Episode descriptions courtesy of the DVD sleeve, with some modifications by myself)
The show is presented in fullscreen 1:33.1 and English Dolby Digital Mono. The show can get kind of dirty at times, but never really too bad or distracting. The sound is okay, sometimes you get a badly dubbed line or two. All in all the sound and video are acceptable.
Nothing.
This is the best Dynasty release so far, but you really need to see the preceding seasons to fully enjoy this one. The biggest flaw here still, is the price gouging by Paramount in only delivering half a season. Hopefully there has been enough internet backlash that they’ve learned their lesson and when they deliver season four, we’ll get the whole thing at once.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Paramount presents Dynasty: Season Three, Volume Two. Created by Richard and Esther Shapiro. Starring John Forsythe, Joan Collins, Linda Evans. Running time: 570 minutes. Not Rated. Released on DVD: October 21, 2008. Available at Amazon.
