Season 1 Discussion

[txhorns79]

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This episode was about Crystal’s first day as a COO and her insecurities about it. Great premise, but it’s hard to take her seriously, because she hasn’t even been shown (other than the pilot) doing any job effectively.

That's a good point.  And wasn't she doing PR for the company before getting moved up to COO?  It's not like those job descriptions are interchangeable.       

[methodwriter85]

I actually really like Sammy Joe. He's an entitled, slutty mooch, but that's kind of the point of his character. He FEELS like he would be what a homosexual Latino Millennial version of Heather Locklear's Sammy Jo would be like. Of course, they can't give him the storyline of getting knocked up by Steven, so that's going to be difficult to figure out what to do with him as opposed to Sammy Jo. Sammy Jo getting knocked up by Steven drove a lot of her early storylines.

I like how Steven pretty much sees pretty clearly what Sammy Joe is, but he doesn't really care. It's almost a friendship but not quite.

I did feel like Anders pretty much was there to prompt Sammy to do more than lounge around the house.

22 hours ago, Kaiju Ballet said:

Stephen--the character and actor seem to be placeholders. (Granted the original recipe Stephen seemed that way too) I kinda wish they'd recast and use the opportunity to make him more like a charismatic Chuck Bass type character, something with more dimension, except with a foundation to run.

OR Steven was really, really hot, though. This Stephen doesn't even have that.

They should consider the recast. They can play it off as paying a clever homage to the original.

On 11/10/2017 at 3:26 AM, SanDiegoInExile said:

JakeBlake.

Oh, that's beautiful. I'd love to see Heather Locklear make an appearance but she seems to be mess these days.

The CW DOES have a long history of giving super-low rated shows a chance and a 3-4 season run.

Edited November 13, 2017 by methodwriter85

[Maverick]

 Bringing in Heather Locklear is not going to help this show.  They brought her into the remake of Melrose Place and it didn't save that mess.  She might make an interesting character to pair as a business partner/backer and have the two pitted against Cristal, but as Alexis?  No.  Just no.

 Speaking of the Melrose Place reboot, I find it interesting Grant Show turned that down (it was originally supposed to be Jake and his son rather than Michael and his here-to-fore non-existent son) but then decided to do another remake for the same network.   

[truthaboutluv]

On 11/9/2017 at 6:50 AM, Bec said:

I would have liked to see Claudia brick Cristal. I can't stand Cristal. I guess we're supposed to see Fallon as the most terrible person ever, but somehow Cristal bugs me more. Her whole "I try to be a down-to-earth, good person" thing ironically comes off as the most pretentious thing on the show. You're throwing clothes around first thing in the morning and the household staff is going to have to clean up after you. You're not really any better than Fallon, get over yourself.

This...

On 11/9/2017 at 10:06 AM, TobinAlbers said:

Sammy Jo runs hot and cold for me. On one hand I liked his rapport with the manipulating Joseph 'Joe' Anders; on the other this dude is SUCH a damn entitled mooch that I'm ready for Anders to throw his ass out. And he's constantly playing the 'I'm poor and you're rich and you suck like your dad' card as if that excuses all his crap. He beds Ted knowing that he and Steven had a serious relationship and Steven falls for his BS I was innocently asking for a job and one thing led to another? Dude, is bad news and Steven is constantly falling for his shit.  Cut him loose, Steven.

And this...

I've tried to get into the show but these are just a few of the things that's keeping me from really liking it. I keep getting the impression that somehow we're supposed to see Fallon as bad and Cristal as the one to root for and it's like no. Yes, Fallon is a spoiled, rude, entitled little brat and I loved the chauffeur standing up for himself with her and no longer taking her scraps. But that said, everything she's said about Cristal is true. Fact is Cristal got with Matthew when he was married, though the flashbacks suggested she didn't know that he was when they first got together. However she kept fucking him after she found out.

Then she starts fucking the boss, marries him and gets a cushy job that despite this episode trying to peddle her being some badass career woman, it's clear that she's not qualified for the position. I loved the woman who basically said "fuck it" and told her how she really felt. And again, I guess we somehow were supposed to think she's so awesome that she promoted the woman after but in her speech to Blake, she was still whinging about how at least the woman backstabbed her to her face. Like how did she backstab Cristal? She just pretty much called out the fact that Cristal represents every negative stereotype that exists about women in the workplace. 

And as for Sammy Jo, the character can leave anytime as far as I'm concerned. I know many who remember the original show have harped on the hotness of the original Steven but frankly I don't care about the current Steven's looks and I'm fine with the character. I actually like him well enough and I think he deserves a decent person and Sammy Jo sure as fuck ain't it. The actor playing Sammy Jo just isn't skilled enough to pull off the shady character with charm and an ultimate heart of gold. His so-called heartfelt moment at the end of this episode was laughably bad. The character is simply a lazy, whiny, lying, freeloading, entitled, not to mention stupid as fuck, fuckboy. Just no... And he's not hot either. So really, there is nothing to enjoy here. 

In fact, that's really the other issue with the show. Both the actor playing Sammy Jo and Cristal just aren't skilled enough to make you root for their characters despite whatever awful they've done. That's what makes Fallon still rootable despite being a bratty, entitled bitch. Liz Gilles plays her well enough that you still want to like her even if you can see the awfulness about her. Cristal and Sammy Jo as just awful caricatures. 

Edited November 13, 2017 by truthaboutluv

[SanDiegoInExile]

48 minutes ago, Maverick said:

 Bringing in Heather Locklear is not going to help this show. ......

I agree.  I don't think she would bring anything to the role. I do think we will get a former Melrose Place actress.  I could see Laura Leighton becoming the New Alexis.  And Courtney Thorne Smith showed a bitchy side during her lengthy time on Two and a Half Men.  Marcia Cross might bring some needed publicity, but seems unlikely.  One MP actress that played a bitchy role quite well was Kristin Davis, though I don't think she ever was part of a Jake storyline.  And I would think the producers might want an actress who has some historical chemistry with JakeBlake.

[Bec]

5 hours ago, truthaboutluv said:

I loved the woman who basically said "fuck it" and told her how she really felt. And again, I guess we somehow were supposed to think she's so awesome that she promoted the woman after but in her speech to Blake, she was still whinging about how at least the woman backstabbed her to her face. Like how did she backstab Cristal? She just pretty much called out the fact that Cristal represents every negative stereotype that exists about women in the workplace. 

What was even funnier: Cristal said the woman who talked shit to her face "front-stabbed" her and she respected that. All I could think about then was the guy who called himself a "front-stabber" and this song dedicated to him. Oh, memories. For the love of god Cristal, please don't try to make "front-stab" a thing - this is another strike against you.

It doesn't take a business genius to realize you don't want to be surrounded by yes-men (and yes-women) who won't hesitate to go behind your back. Was I supposed to be impressed that Cristal made a truthful person her head of PR? That seems like a disaster waiting to happen. You want someone who can spin shit into gold for your head of PR, not a totally honest person who can't even hide her eye-rolling at a business meeting. I took an instant liking to that truthful woman for rolling her eyes at Cristal, so I'm glad she got a promotion out of this, but still.

I'm not even sure the problem with Cristal has that much to do with the actress. It's this feeling I get that the show is trying to make me think Cristal is awesome. Sorry, I'm just not buying it. Whereas, the show doesn't try so hard to make me like Fallon. Fallon's foibles are obvious, and she gets called on it by pretty much every character. You can almost feel everyone rolling their eyes when she said she worked hard. Sure, she has a lot of advantages with her connections and money, but I can't deny her daddy didn't just make her COO because she wanted it. He doesn't take her seriously and neither does most other people in the show. I can root for her to learn to be a better person and earn people's respect. I can see that as a potentially interesting character arc.

What's there to root for with Cristal? Is she going to have a character arc about how she's perfect just the way she is and we all ought to adore her? Yaaawn. Am I supposed to wish Claudia would forgive her? Or that Fallon would accept her as family? Or that Anders would quit throwing shade at her? I don't see why they should! The way these people hate her is the most entertaining part of the show right now!

[methodwriter85]

On 11/12/2017 at 9:42 PM, Maverick said:

 Bringing in Heather Locklear is not going to help this show.  They brought her into the remake of Melrose Place and it didn't save that mess.  She might make an interesting character to pair as a business partner/backer and have the two pitted against Cristal, but as Alexis?  No.  Just no.

Oh, no, I didn't say as Alexis. I can't see her as Alexis. She doesn't give off that refined, well-bred vibe, in any role she's ever done. My picks are either Melinda Clarke, Liz Hurley, or Lucy Lawless. Lucy was set to play an evil bitch character in Footballer's Wives- American version but the pilot didn't get picked up. I always thought she could have done a character like that justice.

23 hours ago, SanDiegoInExile said:

I do think we will get a former Melrose Place actress.  I could see Laura Leighton becoming the New Alexis.  And Courtney Thorne Smith showed a bitchy side during her lengthy time on Two and a Half Men.  Marcia Cross might bring some needed publicity, but seems unlikely.  One MP actress that played a bitchy role quite well was Kristin Davis, though I don't think she ever was part of a Jake storyline.  And I would think the producers might want an actress who has some historical chemistry with JakeBlake.

I can't see Marcia Cross. Desperate Housewives may have been 5 years ago, but I imagine her fee still has to be way higher than this show could afford.

Laura Leighton wouldn't be a bad guess.

Daphne Zuniga? I'm not sure though she'd currently be considered MILF enough for CW standards because she hasn't botoxed her face into a still-life painting. Her character on Tree Hill was a total bitch, until they rewrote her. I did always like Jo and Jake.

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What's there to root for with Cristal? Is she going to have a character arc about how she's perfect just the way she is and we all ought to adore her? Yaaawn. Am I supposed to wish Claudia would forgive her? Or that Fallon would accept her as family? Or that Anders would quit throwing shade at her? I don't see why they should! The way these people hate her is the most entertaining part of the show right now!

I do wonder if aging down Cristal was a mistake and they should have kept Cristal as being in her 40's. But then again, it's probably more realistic this way, especially if they do go through having Cristal getting pregnant down the line.

Edited November 14, 2017 by methodwriter85

[SanDiegoInExile]

Do we have any idea of how old Cristal allegedly is?  Before the show aired, i was thinking late 20s, but it seems more like she is playing late 30s.  Clearly she is younger than Original Krystle.  The actress is admitting to 32 IRL.   While the show has played up the Fallon vs Cristal angle, they haven't presented them as being the same demographic. And there is still that pesky notion that Cristal is secretly SammyJoe's birth mother, so that pushes her to near-40 if we presume SJ is portrayed as early 20s.

PS. I hate that IMDB is now scrubbing ages from their site.

[Atlanta]

Nathalie looks way younger than Linda Evans did in that role, but Grant's Blake looks way younger than JF.

[Bort]

4 hours ago, SanDiegoInExile said:

Do we have any idea of how old Cristal allegedly is?  Before the show aired, i was thinking late 20s, but it seems more like she is playing late 30s.  Clearly she is younger than Original Krystle.  The actress is admitting to 32 IRL.   While the show has played up the Fallon vs Cristal angle, they haven't presented them as being the same demographic.

Nathalie is 32 but Elizabeth is only 24. 8 years can be considered a pretty large age gap to some, especially someone like Fallon who doesn't consider Cristal to be her equal in any way, shape or form.

[iMonrey]

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Great premise, but it’s hard to take her seriously, because she hasn’t even been shown (other than the pilot) doing any job effectively.

Not to mention the fact that in general, companies don't promote the head of PR to the role of Chief of Operations. That's quite a jump. 

[TheMediaHo]

If they get either Catherine Zeta-Jones or Elizabeth Hurley for Alexis, they'll own me for life.

[TheMediaHo]

I'd love to see either Catherine Zeta-Jones or Elizabeth Hurley as Alexis. I've started watching the original Dynasty, and Joan Collins' arrival in season two gave the show the jolt it badly needed. Bring on Alexis!

[TobinAlbers]

On 11/12/2017 at 9:37 PM, SanDiegoInExile said:

I agree.  I don't think she would bring anything to the role. I do think we will get a former Melrose Place actress.  I could see Laura Leighton becoming the New Alexis.  And Courtney Thorne Smith showed a bitchy side during her lengthy time on Two and a Half Men.  Marcia Cross might bring some needed publicity, but seems unlikely.  One MP actress that played a bitchy role quite well was Kristin Davis, though I don't think she ever was part of a Jake storyline.  And I would think the producers might want an actress who has some historical chemistry with JakeBlake.

Laura, Courtney, and Daphne I could see. Marcia's not gonna go from ABC to The CW. Kristin Davis is one I hadn't considered and she'd play scheming well but mom to this Fallon? Not seeing it.

6 hours ago, TheMediaHo said:

I'd love to see either Catherine Zeta-Jones or Elizabeth Hurley as Alexis. I've started watching the original Dynasty, and Joan Collins' arrival in season two gave the show the jolt it badly needed. Bring on Alexis!

Catherine would be perfect but she ain't never ever ever ever ever doing the CW. Ever.

On 11/10/2017 at 2:26 AM, SanDiegoInExile said:

Except that Major Domo Joseph Anders was playing him big time, based on the chess-board conversation with JakeBlake.

Oh he was totally playing him, but I still liked their vibe. Just like Sammy Jo was conning Steven and 'fell' for him, Anders could both be playing Sammy Jo and in a warped weird way mentoring him. If he's able to keep up with him and become an asset, great, if he falls into Anders traps and allows himself to be a puppet, that's great too. If he's both a mentoree and a puppet even better!

[TobinAlbers]

Fallon was a hot mess. She really should've suffered a loss with the Tech Twins. Her advice was sound but she's such a witch about everything else. Her cornering Michael in the bathroom was not cool. Her wiping her mouth upon exiting was a hoot, but Michael and his lady still left hand in hand so Fallon fail. That green dress with the cape? ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Jeff dressed down in PJs was a lot cuter than his power suits. 

Knew Claudia was getting gaslighted. Her life is such a mess between her brain injury, a baby, and the Carringtons. I really do feel sorry for her because she can't trust her mind or emotions. Loved her with Sammy Jo. That was the most useful he's been since he arrived. Being Claudia's outsider protective friend makes him a bit more rootable. Now we just need to get her a love interest. Adam needs to skulk on in.

Blake showed a nice moment of disarmed empathy and sincerity with Claudia in the closet; but was that the moment he decided to mess with her meds? Or was he sincere and it's Anders screwing around with her? Or is Claudia messing with her own meds? But a mystery of a mentally compromised woman being manipulated for nefarious reasons? Totally a primetime old school soap move, so good on you show.

The show gave the fandom no time to create the Claudistal ship and just dove right on in, LOL. 

Edited November 16, 2017 by TobinAlbers

[SanDiegoInExile]

<yawn>

[iMonrey]

Is it just me or is this show getting dumber? The writing is just terrible. Granted - the original show wasn't exactly Shakespeare, but the plot points here make no sense. Why on earth would Blake and Cristal bring Claudia back to their home? In what universe would that even happen? The woman has openly accused them of killing her husband and Cristal had an adulterous affair with her husband - why would she even agree to this? The whole "shopping spree" scene with Sammy was dumb as hell.

Also, did anyone else get a load of the spread they had laid out on the breakfast buffet? Why on earth would they put out that much food for only two people? There was an entire sliced ham on that buffet along with enough food to feed Christmas dinner to several families but the only two people in the house (aside from servants) were Steven and Sammy Jo. LOL.

I'm not sure why they've making "Anders" a much more prominent character in this remake than he was in the original series. Also, I spent the first several episodes wondering why they changed his name until I realized they were using his last name. He was simply called "Joseph" in the original series. I wonder if this one has a daughter named Kirby. God I hope not.

[Bort]

32 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

Why on earth would Blake and Cristal bring Claudia back to their home? In what universe would that even happen?

I see this trope happen a lot on tv, actually, it’s probably for fear that Claudia would sue the ever loving shit out of them. They could’ve mentioned that being the reason, so it wouldn’t have seemed so weird.

[txhorns79]

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I'm not sure why they've making "Anders" a much more prominent character in this remake than he was in the original series. Also, I spent the first several episodes wondering why they changed his name until I realized they were using his last name. He was simply called "Joseph" in the original series. I wonder if this one has a daughter named Kirby. God I hope not.

I think he was relatively prominent in the second season.  There's a great scene between he and Alexis on YouTube where he tries to use sordid tales of her time as a jet setting party girl in the 60s and 70s (after divorcing Blake) to get her to leave Denver, and she turns the tables and eviscerates him.  It's actually pretty good acting and writing for that series. 

[iMonrey]

Joseph definitely had a larger role in the first few seasons of the original series, especially when they introduced Kirby, but "Anders" in this version is being given even more prominence. I'm not sure the character really merits it.

[skotnikov]

2 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Is it just me or is this show getting dumber? The writing is just terrible. Granted - the original show wasn't exactly Shakespeare, but the plot points here make no sense. Why on earth would Blake and Cristal bring Claudia back to their home? In what universe would that even happen? The woman has openly accused them of killing her husband and Cristal had an adulterous affair with her husband - why would she even agree to this? The whole "shopping spree" scene with Sammy was dumb as hell.

It's not only writing, it's also the acting which is cringeworthy. And everything just screams "I'm a cheap show"! It's a horrible show even by low CW's standards.     

Edited November 16, 2017 by skotnikov

[JAYJAY1979]

The only character that pops for me is Claudia.  She was batshit crazy, cynical, and vunerable..all in one episode.  I'm not sure if it was the writing, or if the actress rose above the writing.

 

The one thing this show needs are a few soap writers since they would know how to properly end an episode leaving the viewers pissed that the episode was over for the week...plus, would better be able to pace the plot lines in the show.

 

I am curious about Monique (Jeff's sister)...im getting a vibe she might become more foe then friend down the line.  Not sure if it's a writing or acting choice.

[Atlanta]

Jeff's house is Dallas Austin's abode. Any word on the new Carrington manor? It was Tyler Perry's house in the first ep. 

Claudia is psycho and Fallon is a hot mess.

Jeff has tragic fashion sense.

Sammy needs to do some crunches.

[txhorns79]

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It's not only writing, it's also the acting which is cringeworthy. And everything just screams "I'm a cheap show"! It's a horrible show even by low CW's standards.   

I feel like there are too many characters, and clearly not enough material for all of them to have something to do.   So instead of character development, we get shopping montages.    

Edited November 17, 2017 by txhorns79

[MsTree]

It cracks me up when people try to compare this show with the original series. That was the 80s...and like shoulder pads, totally not relevant in 2017.

If it makes you feel better, don't think of it as a "remake". Think of it as a new series "based on" the original which means very little...and up to the writers discretion how they choose to "base" their story.

[Bec]

Maybe I'm just in the right mood for this silliness because I thought this week was an improvement. The characters didn't bug me so much. Even Cristal was bearable. I really dig Claudia, and I think Blake was attracted to her, too, after seeing how nice she cleans up.

Blake did mention being worried Claudia could sue him for running over her with his car, so... okay, good enough for me!

I'm here for the frivolous scenes of more food and more outfit changes than you can shake a stick at. It was like something out of Marie Antoinette. It doesn't make any sense, but it's fun to look at.

That Kori chick was so sanctimonious I can't really get mad at Fallon for trying (and failing) to mess with her. The way Fallon got drunk at her own important business party and followed Culhane to the bathroom was cringey and pathetic, though. Still, I just can't help but feel sorry for Fallon and her abandonment issues.

[Locutus]

The pill switcheroo is curious and is Steven discovering how his dad is secretly having the cop on his payroll or that the cop is secretly skimming the money? 

[Atlanta]

7 hours ago, Locutus said:

The pill switcheroo is curious and is Steven discovering how his dad is secretly having the cop on his payroll or that the cop is secretly skimming the money? 

I hope it's the case of the cop skimming the money, but I have a feeling it will be Saint Steven railing against Blake the devil in typical TV trope. Original recipe Blake, from what I remember, was a nice guy, Yes, he could be hard core when it came to his company, but he did care about people and loved his family. Grant plays this Blake in a similar way. Tired of Steven's high horse. If he didn't like the foundation, he didn't have to take the job. That little girl boxer was adorbs!

Is Sammy ever going to get his own place? He's mooching food, the staff's time and now Cristal's credit card. What did he do to pay rent before she married Blake? Couch surf?

[iMonrey]

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It cracks me up when people try to compare this show with the original series. That was the 80s...and like shoulder pads, totally not relevant in 2017.

Why shouldn't we compare the two shows? And what do shoulder pads have to do with anything? It's not as if anyone is complaining about the absence of shoulder pads. Bottom line, the original show was superior not because of shoulder pads but because it was better written and more believable. It also had much better actors. 

Don't get me wrong, there are bits here and there I get a kick out of, but largely this remake is a sadly inferior, superficial copy of the original that fails to capture the same intrigue and drama. And the acting ranges from mediocre to cringe-worthy.

[txhorns79]

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Bottom line, the original show was superior not because of shoulder pads but because it was better written and more believable. It also had much better actors. 

I think it's fair to compare the two.  This show wouldn't exist without the original show.  I will say the original show had plenty of ludicrous storylines: Poison paint, two secret Carrington children, Dueling Krystle's, Randall Adams, etc.   I do feel like here we have them trying to rush through storylines instead of taking the time to develop things.    

[Iwassterlingarcher]

It speaks to the poor soap opera-ish writing when you just KNEW that someone was going to walk in while Blake and Claudia were holding each other in the bathroom scene....it was just a matter of WHO was going to discover them.  Think about how long Krystle was at the vet...and how long Claudia was in the bath (those candles and such didn't place themselves there).... So the timing of the universe aligns itself down to the few seconds that Blake/Claudia are holding each other to allow Krystle to walk in at JUST that moment.   I can't roll my eyes hard enough.....

Tell me how Fallon is the Business ANYTHING of the Year when she gets stupid drunk at the ONE event where she HAS to shine?  She put her last remaining eggs in the basket with that party with Colby telling her she had one more chance to fix things with their company so this was a do-or-die party for her reputation....and instead of treating it as such like any true smart businesswoman would, she drinks and smirks and smirks and drinks instead of putting 110% into the few hours needed to achieve the goals of the event.

And as long as I'm ranting about a made up tv show (!), the little girl boxing match was as ridiculous as the shoulder pads on the dress Kori was wearing to Fallon's party.  They both caused us a double take due to the absurdity.

Having said all that.... we enjoy the over-the-top nature of the "lifestyles of the rich and famous" (and I've had a thing for Gillies since she did Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll) and will keep watching.

[wayne67]

I just started watching this show yesterday and I've yet to find a character I root for except maybe the chauffeur and the major domo/butler. 

Fallon is a red hot mess who is only propped up by others because she's a pretty girl who supposedly is really smart at energy, though we've seen little of that in the show since she spends most of the time getting drunk, fighting with her step mom and screwing the help when she's supposed to be working. 

Cristal is boring and terrible at her job which she only got because she slept with the boss, Sammi Jo wore out his welcome about the second time he was lounging around shirtless, Blake is mostly a push over when it comes to his kids, Steven is a self righteous sap who has terrible taste in men. 

I'm not sure why I watched these episodes other than I was bored but I doubt I'll be watching another episode because it's not interesting enough to wait around for the next episode. 

[MsTree]

13 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Why shouldn't we compare the two shows? And what do shoulder pads have to do with anything?

It's your prerogative to compare all you want, but don't be disappointed when they're not exactly alike. IMO, it's like comparing any spinoff from the 70s and/or 80s. They're just not the same and never will be.

The shoulder pads comment was meant as an analogy based on relevance.  IOW, the 80s is no longer relevant and neither are shoulder pads.

[Maverick]

On 11/17/2017 at 8:46 AM, Atlanta said:

I hope it's the case of the cop skimming the money, but I have a feeling it will be Saint Steven railing against Blake the devil in typical TV trope. Original recipe Blake, from what I remember, was a nice guy, Yes, he could be hard core when it came to his company, but he did care about people and loved his family. Grant plays this Blake in a similar way. Tired of Steven's high horse. If he didn't like the foundation, he didn't have to take the job. That little girl boxer was adorbs!

Is Sammy ever going to get his own place? He's mooching food, the staff's time and now Cristal's credit card. What did he do to pay rent before she married Blake? Couch surf?

I wouldn't characterize Original Blake as a nice.   He loved his children and family, but he clashed with all of them at one time or another.  He forced himself on Krystle, tried to taken Stevens son away from him and was bitter rivals with Adam for a long time.  And he could be ruthless with his enemies, like banishing Alexis and Culhane.  But he doesn't as still a hard working, ethical--if intense--businessman who would never setup a charity and so m from.  He wasn't JR Ewing, no deed to underhanded to try. I hope they don't make this Blake that way.  

[SmithW6079]

The actress playing Cristal impresses me each week with how awful she is. Nathalie Kelley grows worse every episode. She is, by far, the weakest actress on the show. 

I think LIz Gilles is finding her groove as Fallon, Having said that, Fallon committed one of the worse sins in business -- getting drunk in a business setting, especially one you put together to pitch your company to investors.

Also, do the writers have any idea of what actually goes on in the business world, or did they just read some business jargon online and decide to throw random business words in their scripts? Here's the actual definition of a chief operating officer (from Wikipedia):

Quote

A Chief Operating Officer (COO), also called the chief operations officer, is a position that can be one of the highest-ranking executive positions in an organization, comprising part of the "C-Suite". The COO is responsible for the daily operation of the company,[1] and routinely reports to the highest ranking executive, usually the chief executive officer (CEO).[2] The COO is usually the second in command at the firm, especially if the highest ranking executive is the Chairman and CEO.

That is not what Cristal is doing. Cristal is sleeping with (and married to) the boss.

Even Steven is growing on me.

However, I hated the Blake/Steven charity talk, because Blake's political leanings just showed what a dick he is. I guess we're supposed to think Blake has a "heart" and cares about people because he supports charities -- but only ones that "empower" them, like the boxing camp (I'm assuming it's a camp or program, because a gym, of itself, is generally not a charitable organization). He has a dim view of charities that give to people for nothing in return. Sure the boxing program helped the little girl be able to defend herself against bullies, and clearly, the whole point of that was to shove in Steven's face the good the program does. However, I wonder if Blake would not support a before-school breakfast program or a lunch program that would help that same little girl (because there's no one at home to make her hot meals) because that's not teaching her how to make her own meals.

I liked the Sammy Jo/Claudia shopping montage, partly because they looked like they really were having fun. The actor playing Sammy Jo earned his pay this week just for the raised eyebrows when Blake said to Claudia, "You are beautiful."

Edited November 22, 2017 by SmithW6079

[iMonrey]

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It's your prerogative to compare all you want, but don't be disappointed when they're not exactly alike.

The revamp isn't bad because it's not exactly like the original. It's bad because it's bad. It's badly written and it's badly acted. That has nothing to do with the fact that it's not exactly like the original series. Indeed, many revamps are better than the originals because they have better budgets and updated stories and characters. I don't think anyone is critical of this revamp because it's not exactly like the original - it just kind of stinks, all on its own. 

[SanDiegoInExile]

On 11/19/2017 at 11:42 AM, SmithW6079 said:

The actress playing Cristal impresses me each week with how awful she is. Nathalie Kelley grows worse every episode. She is, by far, the weakest actress on the show.

Linda Evans was the weakest link for most of the original run, so the producers are just following through.

[MsTree]

12 hours ago, iMonrey said:

I don't think anyone is critical of this revamp because it's not exactly like the original - it just kind of stinks, all on its own. 

And that's your opinion. I don't agree with it.

[iMonrey]

And that's fine, nobody says you have to. I'm just pointing out that nobody is complaining about the show because it isn't exactly like the original, which you seemed to be suggesting. That's not the problem some people are having with it.

[SlovakPrincess]

They have got to tone down Fallon's awfulness if I'm going to make it through even the first season of this.  Other than occasionally acting like she cares about her brother, she has no redeeming qualities.  I was glad when Cristal and Colby and her father and Michael all told her off in the same episode.  

Honestly, if they just gave me a 30-second scene of Fallon poring over a spreadsheet late at night or something, I might believe she deserves to succeed in business.  But she just prances around, manipulating and socializing and acting entitled, instead of doing anything that even looks like actual work.  

Weirdly, they seem to be making Blake the most likable character in this version.  He's kind of mellow, compared to the other characters.  

Is Claudia ever going to do anything other than make crazy faces and not wash her hair?  Well, ok, and get hit by a car...

I was disappointed that Ted's potential as a character petered out so quickly.  

On a random note, I love the mansion's kitchen and Cristal's office sets.

 

ETA:  As for Alexis speculation ... nobody can really fill Joan Collins' shoes, but I agree that Elizabeth Hurley would have the right attitude and charm to pull it off.  It might also be fun to have one of the Fallon actresses from the 80s play Alexis - Emma Samms might be able to do it if she really embraced the joyful bitchiness of the role.  

Edited November 22, 2017 by SlovakPrincess

[SlovakPrincess]

Good grief these people are dumb.

Cristal practically begging Claudia to like and forgive her was downright pathetic.  Also, this whole Clauda-stays-with-the-Carringtons thing is ridiculous since she's not even physically injured, apparently, and she already had a visiting nurse at her actual home for her mental health issues.

That said, the Sam and Claudia scenes were kind of fun!  Clearly, Sam's calling in life is to be a personal shopper to the rich and famous (or the downtrodden who have short-term access to a lot of money).

Whatever was going on with Steve and Blake's charity was lost on me.  Children should not be boxing - WTF was that?!  And after that I zoned out on that storyline ...

I don't understand what Monica is doing with her life.  Like, is she a partner of her brother Jeff's business ventures?  Otherwise, I have no idea why she's always hanging around and willingly spending all this time with Fallon.

As always, Fallon sucks.

Edited November 25, 2017 by SlovakPrincess

[skotnikov]

Still didn't improve a bit. Claudia twist was too soon, too rushed, and ended too abrupt. Let's see if Nicolette Sheridan can save it (although I'm afraid it will be too late).  

[missbonnie]

I'm still loving this soapy, campy show. Lot's fun!

[JAYJAY1979]

Can we get some old school soap writers to join?  Maybe teach the show runners about pacing plots.

 

Why write your more interesting character Claudia into a corner.  Do these writers realize America isn't rooting for the wealthy right now?  Claudia could have been the outsider that viewers rooted for.  

[iMonrey]

Fallon to Steven: "Don't poke that bear. It's a Pandora's Box, with a can of worms inside. Let sleeping dogs lie!"

Good grief - who writes this dialogue? A computer programmed to spit out nothing but cliches? Somebody got paid for that. The mind, it boggles.

That said, I did crack up when Cristal implied that Fallon slept with an entire football team, and Fallon replied "And yet not one sex tape!" 

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Why write your more interesting character Claudia into a corner.  Do these writers realize America isn't rooting for the wealthy right now?  Claudia could have been the outsider that viewers rooted for. 

I don't get that either. Granted, Claudia couldn't really have the same storyline she had in the original, but it seems odd they're getting rid of her (presumably) so quickly. 

[Syndicate]

I'm hoping the "gossip girl" vibe of this show goes away once Nicollette Sheridan arrives. I still believe in this show but retooling it would be the best move, and now is the time to do that with Alexis coming soon. I actually wouldn't mind a bit of a darker show to be honest. I tend to forget they live in Atlanta. I've been to that city, and I get no impression at all that these characters are actually living there. Atlanta is boisterous and crime-ridden, aspects that this show can use to create and drive stories, even if they're just subplots.

Edited November 30, 2017 by Syndicate

[Syndicate]

4 hours ago, JAYJAY1979 said:

Can we get some old school soap writers to join?  Maybe teach the show runners about pacing plots.

 

Why write your more interesting character Claudia into a corner.  Do these writers realize America isn't rooting for the wealthy right now?  Claudia could have been the outsider that viewers rooted for.  

I agree! I was saying that I still believe in this show but it most definitely needs work. I didnt care at all for watching Fallon act like the "whore of the football team." Such unnecessary drivel. Build the actual drama and get on with it. Main plots, subplots, this show needs all of it. They live in Atlanta. I wouldn't mind seeing a better semblance of that. So far, the introduction of Alexis is the best decision they've made.

Edited November 30, 2017 by Syndicate

[Annber03]

2 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Fallon to Steven: "Don't poke that bear. It's a Pandora's Box, with a can of worms inside. Let sleeping dogs lie!"

Good grief - who writes this dialogue? A computer programmed to spit out nothing but cliches? Somebody got paid for that. The mind, it boggles.

Yeah, that was quite a bit of a mouthful. I think her cramming all those cliche sayings together was supposed to come off funny and awkward, but all we got was the awkward part. 

I also agree on everything with Claudia being too rushed, and utilizing the Atlanta setting more. 

[txhorns79]

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I don't get that either. Granted, Claudia couldn't really have the same storyline she had in the original, but it seems odd they're getting rid of her (presumably) so quickly. 

I also was surprised at how quickly they wrapped up that storyline.  I do presume Claudia will return at some point.  Perhaps she will have some candles of hate and burn down Carrington Manor.   

I did roll my eyes at Steven.  The character is way too sanctimonious, and seriously dull. 

And I laughed quite a bit at Colhane's plot.  Are his parents supposed to be idiots?  Have they never asked him any follow up questions about his job as a "Vice President," or even asked to see where he lives?        

[TobinAlbers]

Yeah, this was the first ep that I was a bit 'eh' about it.

I mean props to Claudia who had everyone guessing and managed to get the drop on most of them for the climax, but seriously? Making her Matthew's killer so that all the shady crap Blake and Cristal did and Fallon's callousness could look 'better' in comparison was lame. Claudia had legit beef with that family but the way it ended she ended up 'earning' her misery. There should've been a shooting as a cliffhanger for mid season with Sammy Jo getting hit- the one guy who was nice-ish to Claudia. It would also give a better reason why his ass is constantly doing nothing but lay  around. FFWD to Claudia goes to trial/ a hearing on her mental status with one of Matthew's relatives coming to claim the baby. Claudia agrees to give up custody in exchange for sanitarium and we learn that it was so she could go full throttle avenging Matthew by framing Cristal or Blake for her murder at the end of the season.

Instead Claudia whiffs at playing Emily Thorne and exits stage left. Maybe Alexis recruits her to use later.  I can already hear Nicolette's Alexis chuckling at the thought of Claudia surprising Blake in the bathtub and holding a gun on him. Alexis - if written well- is exactly the kind of chaos/karma that family deserves.

I will say Fallon pairs well with Michael and Jeff but the way she treats both of them grates. Jeff's sister needs more to do. An affair with Blake would be a start. Or maybe she's revealed to be his secret daughter. Or Anders' secret daughter. 

While the 'and not one sex tape!' was funny, Cristal easily could've retorted 'guess none of them thought it was worth recording for posterity' 

Not really interested in Cristal's past coming back to haunt her.

Anders, I mean Winifred (hee) continues to be the MVP.