Dynasty debuted on ABC's Thursday night schedule on January 12, 1981. The show aired for nine seasons and vied with Dallas in popularity. It made Joan Collins, Linda Evans and John Forsythe big stars (Forsythe died in 2010 at the age of 92). This primetime soap premiered a week before Ronald Reagan's first term began and was a perfect reflection of 1980s materialistic ethos. Fittingly, its final episode aired on May 11, 1989, four months after Reagan's presidency ended.
Not only did the show have a big following among gay men, it was a hit with the general population as well. For four consecutive seasons Dynasty ranked in the Nielsen top-10 and reached the pinnacle of success during the 1984/85 season when it was the nation's #1 show, nudging out Dallas. The show's popularity was fueled largely by the tension between saintly Evans' Krystle Carrington and Collins' deliciously bitchy Alexis (who wasn't even part of the show's first season!).
Although I knew the show's cast of characters and was aware of major storylines - and that every other episode usually featured Krystle slapping Alexis - I didn't watch Dynasty. I just wasn't one for the bitchy comments, deceptions and the program's general nastiness (the same reasons why I've never watched Bravo's Housewives series). However, I'd occasionally tune in to Dallas but even that wasn't a favorite (but I liked Victoria Principal and Miss Ellie). Moonlighting and Designing Women were more my cup of tea.
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