DYNASTY

Dynasty poster

Dynasty

Year: 1981 First Air: 1981-01-12
Overview

Set in high-society Denver, Dynasty follows the powerful Carrington family as their oil empire fuels lavish living and ruthless ambition. Patriarch Blake Carrington tries to balance business and legacy with a new marriage to Krystle, while his children battle for attention, influence, and control. The arrival of Blake’s formidable ex-wife Alexis ignites corporate warfare and personal vendettas, turning boardrooms and ballrooms into arenas of seduction, betrayal, and revenge.

Synopsis

Dynasty centers on the Carringtons, a wealthy Denver clan whose oil fortune brings glamour, privilege, and constant conflict. Blake Carrington, the commanding head of the family business, marries Krystle, a woman from outside his elite world, and their relationship becomes a lightning rod for resentment and suspicion. Blake’s children each pull the family in different directions as they pursue love, status, and a place in the empire. The biggest upheaval arrives with Alexis, Blake’s cunning ex-wife, who returns determined to reclaim power and reshape the family’s future. As rival companies clash and alliances shift, private grudges spill into public battles, and every celebration risks becoming a negotiation. Through romances, feuds, and high-stakes deals, the Carringtons fight to protect their name while the cost of ambition keeps rising.

Cast
Trivia
Prepare for shoulder pads, champagne, and catfights in this saga of oil and greed.
Q1: Which British actress famously joined the cast in the second season as the vengeful Alexis, drastically increasing the show's popularity?
Answer: Joan Collins
Collins' portrayal of the villainous ex-wife became the show's defining element and a pop culture icon of the 1980s.
Q2: What is the name of the rival oil family that frequently clashes with the Carringtons and eventually received their own spin-off series?
Answer: The Colbys
The Colbys were integral to the expanded universe of the show, leading to a high-profile but short-lived spin-off.
Q3: One of the show's most infamous cliffhangers involved a terrorist attack at a royal wedding in what fictional nation?
Answer: Moldavia
The 'Moldavian Massacre' is remembered as one of television's most dramatic and controversial season finales.