Let’s be real. When The CW announced they were bringing back Dynasty, people rolled their eyes. HARD. We live in an era of endless reboots, and the idea of touching the 1980s holy grail of shoulder pads and campy catfights felt like a recipe for a disaster. But then Dynasty TV series season 1 actually premiered in October 2017, and it wasn't exactly what anyone expected. It was slicker. Meaner. Diversified. It took the DNA of the original Carrington vs. Colby feud and injected it with a dose of modern corporate ruthlessness that made the 80s version look like a middle school bake sale.
If you’re diving back into this or watching for the first time, you have to understand the landscape. The show didn't just want to be a soap opera; it wanted to be a commentary on the 1 percent. Fallon Carrington, played with a sort of manic brilliance by Elizabeth Gillies, became the immediate center of gravity. Forget the patriarch; this was Fallon’s show from the first frame.
The Carrington Power Dynamics We Didn't See Coming
The pilot episode sets the stage with a literal bang. Fallon thinks she’s finally getting the keys to the kingdom—Carrington Atlantic. Instead, her father, Blake (Grant Show), brings her home to meet his new fiancée, Cristal Flores. This isn't the "good girl" Krystle Jennings from the 1981 original. Nathalie Kelley’s Cristal is ambitious, secretive, and has a past that could level a skyscraper.
That friction is the engine of Dynasty TV series season 1.
It’s not just about who gets the corner office. It’s about the fact that Fallon is smarter than her brother Steven and arguably more capable than her father, yet she’s constantly sidelined because of Blake’s ego. Steven Carrington, played by James Mackay, serves as the moral compass—or at least he tries to. His environmental activism clashing with the family’s oil empire provides the political backbone that the original show often lacked.
Why the Location Swap to Atlanta Mattered
The 80s show was all about Denver. It was snowy, mountainous, and felt very "old money" Western. The reboot moved the action to Atlanta, Georgia. This wasn't just a tax credit move. It allowed the show to integrate a much more realistic version of the Colbys. In this version, the Colbys are self-made tech billionaires. Jeff Colby (Sam Adegoke) isn't just a rival; he’s a genius who outmaneuvered the Carringtons at their own game. This shift made the racial and social dynamics of the show feel urgent and reflective of the modern South.
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The Secret Sauce: Fallon Carrington’s Wardrobe and Wit
You can't talk about the first season without mentioning the dialogue. It’s fast. If you blink, you miss three insults and a reference to a hostile takeover. Fallon doesn't just walk into a room; she detonates.
The costume design by Meredith Markworth-Pollack is a character in itself. In Dynasty TV series season 1, the fashion serves as armor. Whether it’s a Gucci power suit or a vintage-inspired gown for a gala that inevitably ends in a pool fight, the clothes signal status. It’s "Succession" but with more glitter and significantly more sex appeal.
Honestly, the chemistry between Gillies and Adegoke is where the show really finds its rhythm mid-season. The "pretend" relationship between Fallon and Jeff Colby is a masterclass in two people trying to out-con each other while accidentally catching feelings. Sorta. It’s complicated.
Breaking Down the Major Plot Points
The season is structured around a few massive pillars:
- The mysterious death of Matthew Blaisdel. This kickstarts the season-long mystery that keeps the police (and the viewers) sniffing around the Carrington estate.
- The arrival of Cristal’s past. Seeing her nephew, Sam "Sammy Jo" Jones, arrive was a stroke of genius. Rafael de la Fuente turned a traditionally female role from the original into a queer icon for the reboot, and his chemistry with Steven is the heart of the show's softer moments.
- The "Colby Secret." We find out that the rivalry between Blake and the Colbys isn't just business. It’s blood. The revelation that the Colbys are actually Carringtons sent shockwaves through the fandom.
How the Reboot Fixed the "Original" Problems
The 1980s Dynasty was iconic, but it had issues. It was often slow, and its treatment of marginalized characters was... let’s just say "of its time."
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The Dynasty TV series season 1 writers knew they had to fix that. By making the Colbys a powerhouse Black family, they moved away from the "white savior" tropes of the past. By leaning into Steven’s identity without making it a "very special episode" tragedy, they normalized his life in a way the original never could.
And then there’s the humor. The reboot knows it’s a soap. It leans into the absurdity. When a character gets pushed into a pond or a wedding ends in a literal massacre, the show winks at the audience. It says, "Yeah, this is crazy, but aren't you having fun?"
The Arrival of Alexis
We have to talk about the finale. Or rather, the lead-up to it. For the first half of the season, Alexis Carrington is a ghost. She’s the mother who abandoned them, the woman Blake erased from the portraits. When Nicollette Sheridan finally struts into that funeral in a massive hat and a veil, the show shifts gears into high octane. Her presence in the final episodes of the season creates a three-way war between her, Cristal, and Fallon that defines the show's peak era.
Real-World Impact and Global Reach
Interestingly, while the show struggled with traditional Nielsen ratings on The CW, it became a monster hit on Netflix. This is a crucial detail for anyone studying modern TV. The Dynasty TV series season 1 was designed for binge-watching. The cliffhangers at the end of episodes like "I Hardly Recognized You" or "The Gospel According to Blake" are engineered to make you click "Next Episode" at 2:00 AM.
International audiences, particularly in Brazil, France, and Australia, ate it up. It proved that the "glamour and grit" formula still travels well, provided you update the tech and the terminology.
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Technical Mastery Behind the Scenes
The directing in the first season, particularly the pilot helmed by Brad Silberling, established a visual language of gold hues and sharp shadows. It looks expensive. The music supervision also deserves a shoutout. Mixing classic covers with modern trap and pop hits gave the show a specific "Atlanta" vibe that helped ground the billionaire fantasy in some semblance of reality.
Actionable Steps for New and Returning Viewers
If you're looking to maximize your experience with the first season, here is how you should approach it:
- Watch the original pilot first. Spend 45 minutes on the 1981 version. It makes the Easter eggs in the 2017 version so much more satisfying. You’ll recognize the names, but the twists will hit harder.
- Track the "Original" References. The show is littered with them. From the "Vickie Lake" mentions to the specific way Fallon holds her champagne glass, it’s a love letter to the 80s.
- Pay attention to the "CAs." The business jargon actually mostly makes sense. If you’re into corporate thrillers, the way Fallon tries to start "Morell Co" to spite her father is a legit business lesson in branding.
- Don't skip the "Sammy Jo" scenes. He provides the levity needed when the Carrington drama gets too heavy. His growth from a grifter to a member of the family is the most underrated arc of the season.
The first season isn't just a remake; it's a reimagining that understands the power of legacy. It balances the high-stakes world of energy conglomerates with the low-brow fun of a good old-fashioned brawl. Whether you're here for the business deals or the backstabbing, the Carringtons always deliver, mostly because they're too rich to care about the consequences.
Check the licensing on your local streaming platform, as the show often moves between Netflix and various "Home of HBO" style hubs depending on your region. Regardless of where you find it, the first 22 episodes remain a masterclass in how to modernize a classic without losing its soul.