Customer Reviews

Dynasty - The Second Season

5 star:		(52)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It is well known that Fox Studio did not even know its own product. Season 1 of Dynasty was bad, which is why Joan Collins was introduced in Season 2 to lift the ratings. She did so amazingly. So what did Fox do? After disappointing Season 1 DVD sales they decided to CANCEL future Dynasty releases without doing their research or talking to fans. They have lost alot of money by being stupid and not knowing what their fans want. Perhaps they should have released Season 1 and 2 together from the start in 2005. This is what Paramount, who have taken over the rights, are doing. They are re-releasing Season 1 in a boxset with Season 2. Or, you can just buy the great Season 2 on its own.

While it is very good news to FINALLY see Season 2 coming on DVD, it is bad news to see stupid film companies still taking their time releasing old TV shows on DVD when the format has been around for 10 years now. It's just not good business sense. Consumers want to see quicker releases for seasons. We don't want once a year like the Warner idiots have done with DALLAS. Hello!

I'll be first in line for Season 2 of Dynasty. I would like Paramount to prove me wrong about the film companies by releasing subsequent episodes of Dynasty on DVD as quickly as possible. Us fans deserve as much after the embarrassing three year wait for Seaon 2.

Bring on the catfights with Alexis, Krystle and Sammy Jo.

Finally the complete second season of "Dynasty" comes to DVD in August. After disappointing sales of the first season Fox gave the rights up to the DVD releases (thankfully) and Paramount now holds these rights. Originally airing from 1981-1982 the second season of "Dynasty" starts off with an electrifying story in which Alexis Carrington testifies at her ex husbands trial for the murder of their homosexuals son's lover Ted Dinard. This starts the stories in full motion as Alexis becomes the antagonist of nearly every character in the show. The Alexis character was also modeled after Iris Carrington from daytime's "Another World" who too was a rich female troublemaker. Joan Collins does a perfect performance as Alexis and it's hard to distinguish if Joan becomes Alexis or if Alexis becomes Joan but whatever the rate Joan Collins makes this season and makes this show what it become that year. The series quickly jumped into the top 20 Nielsen Ratings and would eventually go on to be number 1 in America in 1985. The stories are told at a great speed with character depth as we see Steven, the gay son, trying to deal with who he is, even going so far as marrying a girl from the wrong side of the tracks named Sammy Joe ,played beautifully by a pre-"Melrose Place" Heather Locklear. You will love the verbal spats between Sammy Jo and Alexis. Also the art direction is beautiful with gorgeous sets and who can ever forget the costumes. The season has 22 episodes and is a must for any true fan of prime time television. This was TV's first guilty pleasure. And lastly this is the season where Krystle and Alexis have their first cat fight in Alexis' studio. Way to go girls. Without a doubt the greatest primetime season ever of any soap opera. Enjoy!

YES!!

After a long and torturous gap of years of waiting -- during which time lucky "Dallas" fans were able to get 7 seasons of their favourite show issued to DVD -- finally we "Dynasty" fans have something to cheer about too. At last the red tape transferring legal rights has been taken care of and a new company that seems to appreciate the value of this show has taken over the DVD issuing. Let's hope this means the remaining seasons will now continue to come out in a timely fashion.

After waiting SO long, at long last the incomparable Joan Collins once again graces my TV screen with her ravishing presence. I felt so let down when she did not even appear at all in the Season 1 set I bought. Without her, "Dynasty" seemed bland and somehow lacking its usual spark. Now finally I get to see the "Dynasty" I had been longing to see again.

The packaging for this set is slightly different from the Season 1 set that I bought years ago. Instead of individual slipcases for each pair of discs, I was amazed to find all 6 discs fitted inside a single case only slightly thicker than a standard 1-disc case. Usually this means some kind of system in which the discs are layered on top of each other and we must risk damaging them every time we pop one out to get at the one below. But not so here. This is a brand new case design I have never seen before, and each disc is completely independent of the other discs and quite safe. I find this quite a good and effective design, and I think it will save a lot of space on my overcrowded and ever-growing DVD shelf.

Just a couple of minor quibbles. First, as others have mentioned, the traditional "last time on Dynasty" intros have been chopped from all of the episodes. I had always found these quite useful in refreshing my memory on the often intricate plot -- especially if I had not watched for a week or two. And second, unlike the Season 1 set, there are no extra interviews or featurettes here, just a "Carrington family tree". I would love for them to interview more cast members (especially the ones advanced in age who might not be with us much longer). And how about some episode commentaries too? I'd love to hear what Joan Collins and Linda Evans have to say about all their catfighting! In this respect the set is a bit bare-bones. But...I guess I should be grateful just to have this on DVD at all.

Hard to believe we have to say that for this show that topped ratings for nearly a decade round the world in its day. But I guess the studio execs have more important things on their minds these days, like the latest pathetic waste-of-time reality show or moronic American Idol clone. Ah well, at least now I have something good to watch so there's no need for me to be subjected to such garbage.

I just hope they hurry up with the release of Season 3, because this one is so good I'm going to be through it in no time!

At long last this long awaited 2nd season of "Dynasty" is out on DVD!
I agree that Joan Collins debut as superbitch Alexis really give the series a much needed boost.
I did also enjoy the first series thanks to John Forsythe,Linda Evans and particularly Pamela Sue Martin as the one and only orginal Fallon.
In fairness to Emma Samms who took over the role later,Fallon Mark2 spent her two seasons on "The Colbys" in tears but when Fallon returned to "Dynasty" later,the character was like her old strong self.
I also really liked Pamela Bellwood as the tragic Claudia,who lost her husband Matthew and daughter Lindsay,after season one(although Matthew did make a dramatic comeback at the end of season 7)she survived so much,only to die in the "La Mirage" fire at the end of season6.
It was a shame that Al Corley left in season2(due to being unhappy at Steven suddenly getting a glamorous young wife)he was so good in that part,Jack Coleman too over the role,although good too,Al Corley was the better Steven.
The new villian in season 2 was Nick(James Farentino)the Doctor with a grudge against Blake,thankfully Alexis really became the central villian and Nick disappeared after the 2nd season.
I was lucky enough to see the Joan Collins theatre show in England last year,she looked great and was so funny,she doesn't take herself too seriously and appreciates her fans,confirmed to me,when a requested signed picture was duly sent.
So like a lot of fans I agree that Dynasty really gets going when Alexis crosses the courtroom at Blake's trail and takes her hat off,enter Alexis!

Finally season 2 is being released! This is when the show got really good. Season 1 was a bore. Season 2 was great because that's when Joan Collins came in. They should have her be front and center on the DVD box because it's thanks to her that the show lasted as long as it did. She brought some much needed spice to the show. And who could forget the infamous cat fights? Can't wait for this release!

It is great to see Season 2 finally appearing on DVD--this is the season where everything came together, and the characters and plot-lines exploded. Contrary to what a previous review states, Joan Collins, who first appears in episode 1 of this season, wasn't brought in to "save the show": her engagement was to be a brief story arc (the role was originally offered to Sophia Loren, who declined it). The character proved so popular, that Joan was signed on a regular cast member. "Dynasty" would remain strong for the next several seasons before it devolved into lunacy just as it was spining-off "The Colbys" as a separate series; during this time, Pamela Sue Martin left the series and the character of Fallon was later resurrected by Emma Samms, who--try as she may--just couldn't pull it off. While the spin-off got off to a rocky beginning before making marked improvements while paring down its over-large cast, "Dynasty" continued to languish, mired by insipid plotlines (a fake Krystle?); in its second--and final--season, "The Colbys" was regarded by critics as the best-written soap on evening television, but viewers never caught on to the spin-off because of the strong counterprogramming by NBC ("Cheers" was in its prime during that timespan). "The Colbys" was cancelled after a stunning finale (aside from an odd Fallon/UFO encounter that came out of left field); Jeff and Fallon returned to "Dynasty" as it slowly, slowly improved and eventually put on a stellar final season. The final season easily rivalled the early "glory" seasons in terms of plot and character development--during which the tired character of Krystle was written out, Emma Samms finally grew into the role of Fallon, and Sable Colby (Stephanie Beacham) was brought back as a stunningly-crafted nemesis for Alexis. Joan was preparing to leave if "Dynasty" had it been renewed for another season; the producers had Diahann Caroll set to return as Dominique Devereaux to fill Joan's stilettos. Unfortunately, all but the most die-hard fans had given up on "Dynasty" by this time because of it its past years of mediocrity, so even the turnaround in its last year could not save "Dynasty" and it was cancelled. The reunions which followed were disappointing.

I finished Season 2 last night and damn, where is Season 3 already??? THIS is what night time soaps were all about! This is campy, glitzy (Nolan Miller gowns! Swoon!), high falootin' FUN!! The first episode is a bit slow, but after that, the hijinks fly fast and furious! What a fabulous show and cast. I do remember watching this the first go round, but hardly remember much of what I see, so it's practically all new again! Thank goodness for Joan Collins coming on and being the vile cat she was! This season is just the best!

Why is it that studios simply don't realize their own potentials? Dynasty was the largest audience (next to Dallas) and we are all STILL ALIVE, thank you very much. So why is it that we cannot get the rest of the series? Season 1 didn't do well, it was simply because everyone was still on a high from Dallas and there was no 'bad guy' to love, so it was rather humdrum. but, HELLOOOOO, enter Season 2 and Alexis, everyone's favourite 'bad guy' and we all fell in love with hating her! and now it takes off - so what does the studio do? drop the sale of DVDs of this fabulous series. Get with it guys, talk to the 'little people', the audience, not the studio accountants. WE WANT THE SERIES! Don't believe us? Put it out there for pre-order and see what happens. Sad that we can get these series from England but not from the country where they were produced. sad sad sad.

It's been a long wait but season 2 has finally been released. Hopefully it sells well and future releases follow on a similar timetable to the Dallas releases.

Season 2 is where the show really takes off, and watching these episodes again it's easy to see why. The additions of spunky Heather Locklear and chic uber bitch Joan Collins - who in these episodes just seems so continentally exotic in comparison to the other California beauties inhabiting the cast that it's easy to see why she became Dynasty's superstar - are nothing short of inspired.

The show stayed white hot in terms of both storylines and ratings from this season through to the 1984-85 season, whereupon it descended swiftly into camp farce (albeit expensive camp farce), but in season 2 you get all the fun without the over-the-top stupidity of the show's later years: glamour, plotting, sex, conniving, and unexpected wit make season 2 of Dynasty utterly entertaining and very good fun.

You'll really enjoy watching these episodes - the plotting is top notch and the season's storylines simmer along nicely to a satisfying cliffhanger. It's interesting to compare it to more recent prime time soaps, which are far more fast-paced. Season 2 of Dynasty takes its time to get to the big plot pay-offs: many episodes pass between Alexis's causing Krystle's miscarriage (whilst wearing a truly hideous outfit) before Krystle figures it out and responds by creating the traditional Dynasty catfight. It's the promise - and ultimate deliverance - of these delayed story payoffs that will get you hooked on the show.

The only gripe is the extras - an "interactive" family tree is not very exciting. The rumoured Collins commentaries evidently did not materialise, and it's a shame the recent reunion show could not have been included.

But the lack of extras aside, you'll whizz through these episodes before you know it because the stories and the cast are all very compelling and great fun to watch. It was really Dynasty's prime era - before it became just too over the top and collapsed under the considerable weight of its own glamour sometime in 1985.

They really don't make 'em like this anymore.

FINALLY, after THREE YEARS OF WAITING! They Release Dynasty Season Two on DVD, I was about to give up hope! This of course is the Historic Season that Introduces the Greatest Villianess Of all Time ALEXIS CARRINGTON( as the Seasons go on she would ad a few more last names)! This Season has so Many classic Scenes, Alexis causing Krystle's Miscarriage, Fallon and Alexis in a car accident after Alexis tells Fallon who her real Daddy is, A Daddy that Fallon almost Slept with(only on Dynasty), Alexis Causing Cecil Colby's Heart attack( and If I ever have a heart attack I hope it happens the same way LOL) and of course the First Of many Catfights between Krystle and Alexis(I know that most people feel that the lily pond fight from season 3 was the greatest Krystle/Alexis matchup but I always considered This First Fight to be the best)! This is The BEST of The Dynasty Season so Enjoy it! I also want to address the persons comment about this DVD set missing the Recaps, I had to laugh when I read that, WHO CARES! Why would anyone gripe about not having recaps from a previous episode. And that comment about people not buying the DVD Set because it doesnt have recaps, LOL SPARE ME, There isnt ONE PERSON who isnt going to buy this Dvd just because it doesnt have a recap. I Find it AMAZING that some of these reviews are suggesting that these episodes are not the COMPLETE EPISODES just because they dont have recaps, LOL! These are the Complete episodes and its just silly to say otherwise! Dont waste my time with recaps, I have seen the previous episodes and my memory is good, I dont need recaps, what I need next is SEASON THREE!