Dynasty Episode 18 Review: Don’t Con a Con Artist

This Dynasty review contains spoilers.

Dynasty Episode 18 Review

So far Alexis has little to make me care about her, beyond how she affects the other characters. Even her humor was less pointed and fun in this episode, since her dog Cristal disappeared. (Maybe that’s why the Carringtons’ dog Bo suddenly reappeared – can there only be one?) Her fashion situation was even worse, calling to mind the great Britney and JT denim abomination of 2001, which somehow went un-snarked by Sammy Jo, even after he realized she was scheming.

While Alexis wasn’t a source of either comedy or heart this week, she did supply an adversary for Fallon’s schemes and counter-schemes. I’m hoping that as her “finding Adam” con plays out with Steven and others, we’ll learn enough to have a real stake in her beyond an ability to generate plot for the others to chew through.

Another cypher I’d like a bit more details on, or at least hints, is Fallon’s rent-a-husband. The pair have now kissed, making a reveal that he’s her long-lost brother Adam less likely – though not impossible. Based on his being recognized at the funeral he’s certainly part of Fallon’s world in a way that he hasn’t revealed so far, though any long-term machinations on his part wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense, since they’d rely on a high degree of dumb luck. Give me some more options to ponder and red herrings to chase, please.

On the plus side, this week’s fete de frivolity played host to Sammy Jo’s surprisingly good singing voice and some over the top fashion. Fallon looked great with her straight hair and silver blue sheath dress, but Cristal stole the show with her metallic silver deep V dress with giant bell sleeves, even if we didn’t get a full-length shot of it. Alexis, on the other hand, had a try-hard blue peplum velvet blazer with giant feather epaulets, sequin collar, and treelike blue sparkle vines to remind us that she is a COUGAR with BOOBS, because soaps have one speed for women of a certain age.

During the “casual” outfits, Cristal reminded us that she never met a wideleg trouser and oversized coat she didn’t love, and Fallon’s lip color matches her suit perfectly. Sam’s flat, normie hair, however, set the tone for his bizarre fashion week. Sam had a rare off week with a boxy, oversized leather jacket and some Ferris-and-Sloane-inspired leopard print and leather fringe, which didn’t quite work even though it really sounds like it should have.

The closest we’ve seen to emotional growth for Blake Carrington is the fact that he finally admitted, in his own way, how much Anders means to him, and how much he needs a person he would rather think of as staff. I was really hoping for a more direct parallel to the Blake/Cristal love/money fight here, but I’ll settle for Anders laying down the law, and also looking fantastic upon his return. Casual Anders in all black can get it – what is his romantic situation? Do we even know his orientation? Give me more Anders back story, please!

I’m happy to see Blake and Cristal finally coming around to address the obvious mismatch that is their marriage, but it still feels odd to have gone a couple entire episodes without them resolving the fact that he told her to take a hike and essentially called her a money-grubbing whore. I can only imagine their difficulties will grow the longer Alexis is around, and the more unsavory aspects of his business dealings Cristal uncovers. But I’m a bit baffled as to how the show will keep up the tension, since there’s an obvious solution: these two people with nothing in common and no chemistry who can’t stop having boring arguments should really just get a divorce already.

I’m pulling for Cristal and Sammy Jo to be in the Carringtons’ lives because they’re interesting, fun, caring and loyal. If we’re being honest, Cristal and Blake would make more sense at odds but with grudging respect in a business relationship, and perhaps that exasperated situation could create some real heat over time and gradually sell us on the pair. But the current arrangement feels exactly like what it is: something the show felt forced to do.

Finally, there’s Colhane. Poor long-suffering Colhane. He did provide us with one of our two social commentaries this week, on the dramatically unfair nature of the US health care system. The other came courtesy of Sammy Jo’s, “I’ve often been told I fit the profile,” line after being accused of shoplifting.

I’m glad Colhane stood up to Fallon and that the scandal in his father’s leukemia could make him more central to the story, but I’d love to see him have more of a personality than just a good guy who’s put up with too much. It would be great to learn more about that precocious sister, or perhaps see his insider intel from his days driving Blake around. When it comes down to it, who will the women in Blake’s life choose – Colhane and doing the right thing, or Blake and his cover-ups?