DVD Review: Dynasty (The Fifth Season, Volume One & Two)

DVD Reviews, Reviews

Primetime soap operas on DVD are like a tempting junk food. No matter what you think, you’ll end up over indulging to find out how the scheming and tension pays off. Sure you just want to catch the cliffhanger resolution, but can’t stop. The only thing that prevents a single episode from turning into a weeklong marathon is the show being released in a half season boxset. After a dozen or so episodes, you have to wait months for the next release. Fans of Dynasty won’t have to worry about what else do on Saturday with Dynasty: The Fifth Season – Volume One and Dynasty: The Fifth Season – Volume Two being released on the same day.

Season 5 was when Dynasty become the top TV show in the country. It’s tales of drama and backbiting in Denver trumped the troubles of Dallas. Finally Joan Collins had become the most sinister person on TV. The Colbys and Carringtons feud was a portrait of excess in their lifestyles. The 1984/85 fashions are completely out of control on the set. There were plenty of additions to the cast with Billy Dee Williams (The Empire Strikes Back), Ali MacGraw (Love Story) and Rock Hudson (Giant) dropping by the mansion. Nothing was done in a small way for the top show on TV.

Volume One starts off with a major cast deletion on “Disappearance.” Fallon Carrington Colby (Pamela Sue Martin) vanishes. She was getting ready for her marriage. Now all they can find is her abandoned car after a wreck. Where did she go? Actress Martin had split the show so don’t expect a happy resolution. She had previously split from playing Nancy Drew back in the ‘70s. The other big cliffhanger from season four is Alexis (Joan Collins) getting busted on murder charges. Turns out the family knives are out to send her to death row. The big surprise of the early episodes is the arrival of Amanda (Catherine Oxenberg). She’s Alexis and Blake’s long lost daughter. Blake (John Forsythe) gets another shocker when Dominique (Julia‘s Diahann Carroll) explains they’re siblings. “That Holiday Spirit” uncorks a new lead when horse owner Daniel Reece (Rock Hudson) makes a play for Krystle Carrington (Linda Evans) after Blake and him do a little horse dealing. This would be Rock’s final acting gig before his death from AIDS complications. At the time, there was a lot of speculation that Rock might have infected Linda Evans from their kissing scenes.

Volume Two keeps up Daniel’s romancing of Krystle. Will she be unfaithful to her extremely rich husband? Lady Ashley Mitchell (Ali MacGraw) arrives on the scene with her eyes on Blake. Alexis gets furious knowing her husband is also banging her daughter. Fallon returns, but it’s not Martin in the role. It’s Emma Samms playing the role with the amnesia twist. It’s a soap opera so coming up with odd excuses to put new actors into old roles isn’t that farfetched. The big storyline for the second half of the season was the impending marriage of Amanda to the prince of Moldavia. There’s a lot of international ugliness as they plan the wedding. Doesn’t hurt that the prince might not want to completely call off his relationship with his former fiance. “Royal Wedding” was the highest rated episode of the season. Why? Because terrorists have armed themselves and plan on giving a major surprise at the ceremony. “Who Shot J.R.?” is small potatoes compared to “Who Survived the Moldavian Wedding Massacre?” The bad part is now you have to wait months to see what actors made it to season six.

It’s easy to see why Season Five was the most popular for Dynasty. It has plenty of twists, turns, plots, schemes, dead bodies, swapped bodies, forbidden family secrets, wedding ugliness and star power to dazzle a primetime audience. The plots are more flamboyant than Joan Collins’ wardrobe.

The Episodes
Volume One
“Disappearance,” “The Mortgage,” “Fallon,” “The Rescue,” “The Trial,” “The Verdict,” “Amanda,” “The Secret,” “Domestic Intrigue,” “Krystina,” “Swept Away,” “That Holiday Spirit,” “The Avenger” and “The Will.”

Volume Two
“The Treasure,” “Foreign Relations,” “Triangles,” “The Ball,” “Circumstantial Evidence,” “The Collapse,” “Life and Death,” “Parental Consent,” “Photo Finish,” “The Crash,” “Reconciliation,” “Sammy Jo,” “Kidnapped,” “The Heiress” and “Royal Wedding.”

The video is 1.33:1 full frame. The transfers bring out the posh glitz of 1984. The audio is Dolby Digital mono. You can hear all the drama as clear as a crystal bell from Tiffany’s. The episodes are subtitled.

Entertainment Tonight Interview 1985 (2:06) gives Leeza Gibbons a chance to chat with Rock Hudson. He’s not looking too good when walking around the location. Leeza’s ‘80s hair and fashions should never be duplicated at home. This is on Volume Two.

Dynasty: The Fifth Season – Volume One and Dynasty: The Fifth Season – Volume Two split up the excess. This was Dynasty’s finest season since they didn’t do anything small. The scandals are scorching. The wedding massacre shocks. They really need more Entertainment Tonight segments to remind folks how huge the show became.

CBS DVD presents Dynasty: The Fifth Season – Volume One and Dynasty: The Fifth Season – Volume Two. Starring: John Forsythe, Linda Evans, Joan Collins and Rock Hudson. Boxset Contents: Volume One has 14 episodes on 4 DVDs. Volume Two has 15 episodes on 4 DVDs. Released on DVD: July 5, 2011. Available at Amazon.com.

Joe Corey is the writer and director of "Danger! Health Films" currently streaming on Night Flight and Amazon Prime. He's the author of "The Seven Secrets of Great Walmart People Greeters." This is the last how to get a job book you'll ever need. He was Associate Producer of the documentary "Moving Midway." He's worked as local crew on several reality shows including Candid Camera, American's Most Wanted, Extreme Makeover Home Edition and ESPN's Gaters. He's been featured on The Today Show and CBS's 48 Hours. Dom DeLuise once said, "Joe, you look like an axe murderer." He was in charge of research and programming at the Moving Image Archive.