Dynasty Episode 19 Review: Use or Be Used

This Dynasty review contains spoilers. 

Dynasty Episode 19 Review

Liam’s identity and purpose are finally outted, Steven lies to his fiancé and sister so he can go track down his long-lost brother, Alexis’s machinations become even less clear, and Blake straight up blackmails his wife. Just another week with the Carringtons.

The backdrop for much of the episode’s events is a La Perla party, hosted by the company’s actual new creative directive, Julia Haarte. Since starting in 2016, she has expanded the famous luxury lingerie company into “lifestyle,” including the ready to wear that Dynasty features. This kind of cameo works best when the famous person is either highly charismatic (think Tim Gunn’s many television appearances) or says very little. I’m sure is a wonderful person, but her acting leaves something to be desired, as does that dress she apparently gave Alexis. The bright red mini skirt suit looks like it’s something out of Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion, but with none of the charm.

The episode started off with Alexis Getting Physical in a delightfully ridiculous morsel of 80s fashion and culture. It also featured two great fur coats, on the current and past Mrs. Carringtons. Jeff looks great, even drunk and disheveled in a high-end Hawaiian shirt and statement reading glasses that he probably doesn’t actually need, or his next-level black suit at the La Perla party. Jeff blames Fallon for all of his problems, ignoring that it was his own poor decisions that drove his family away, and his horrible pursuit of Fallon to even the score between his family and the Carringtons.

Jack Liam Ridley Lowden is a ridiculous name, even for a writer born to family money on the show Dynasty. His story was a bit of a letdown after all the hinting. I’m glad it didn’t turn out that Fallon was making out with her long-lost brother, but it was all too straightforward. There’s got to be a happy medium somewhere between those two poles. The guy is pretty, though, so I’ll be happy to see him and Fallon reunite. I’m a bit concerned that he trusted Alexis, though. He seemed smarter than that.

Alexis surprised me – I thought she’d go public with Liam’s manuscript to ruin his life, but instead she just burnt it to ruin Fallon’s. Even more eyebrow-raising: she’s apparently throwing in with Jeff Colby. Perhaps this is just to do anything and everything to piss of Blake and Fallon, though after all those hints she dropped when she thought Liam was a nobody has me thinking she might try to help Fallon marry well.

Sam’s executive assistant role suits him, and the show. He and Fallon get to be a bit bitchy and glamorous together, and it turns out they have a lot to learn from one another. Sam wears corporate drone well, but it was still good to see him back in his leopard print blazer and embroidered dress shirt. Alexis mostly spent the episode looking rough, though I suspect that’s intentional. Perhaps the worst look was a navy and gold jacket that looks suspiciously like something Kellyanne Conway would wear, and her fried and frazzled blond hair works perfectly with it.

Fallon’s makeup was on point throughout, but her clothing left something to be desired, even with Sammy Jo’s help. She could stand to remember that less is more and orange is not her color. It’s also a bit rich to hear her knocking pant suits immediately after wearing a zoot suit-style tuxedo jacket over a bra. Worst of all, she tried to bring back early 2000s cultural appropriate chic. Girl, it’s 2018, and that Mandarin collared minidress wasn’t doing you any favors anyway. Let it go.

Blake has reach a new low, both in his extreme condescension and in officially blackmailing his own wife. It’s gross to watch him manipulate and then threaten her, and it’s getting harder to see him as anything other than a villain. Luckily, Cristal is too smart for his shit – but not smart enough to leave him. Blake is right about one thing though: he is exactly the man Cristal married. There’s a lot that’s ridiculous about this show, and yet the thing that most strains credibility is the fact that these two are still together.

Culhane’s mother was a welcome breath of fresh air, and it was delightful to see her send Fallon back to her sham marriage. She may just be the first person to ever enforce boundaries with Fallon and managed to be kind while doing it. Of course, she’s right: it isn’t about Fallon right now, it’s about his family and getting to spend his last moments with his father.

The more Dynasty understands that Team Carrington is more fun when united against a common foe like Jeff or Alexis, the better. Though, I’d like to see better out of Alexis. So far he scheming seems pretty low level, though that may be in part because Dynasty doesn’t want to tip its hand as to whether she ultimately cares about her kids or not. On the other hand, I’d love to see Dynasty own up to the reality that Blake is not a good guy. For now, I’m looking forward to Fallon’s furious anger at her father, and her eventual team-up with Cristal to make things right for Culhane and the rest of the A Civil Action families in Clarke County.