Is Dynasty Based on a True Story – Netflix selects favourites from television networks in addition to the original content. In the streamer, some of them have achieved cult status.
One such show is The CW’s family drama ‘Dynasty.’ Fallon Carrington is furious to learn that her father Blake is marrying her professional competitor at the family business, but her attempt to destabilise the marriage fails.
However, Cristal receives a promotion as a result of her efforts. Then comes Cristal’s determined nephew Sam, who is having an affair with Fallon’s environmentalist brother Steven.
He arrives with a sack full of Cristal’s past secrets. Following some revelations, the Carrington siblings suspect Cristal of being involved in the killing of her previous lover.
As more Carriongtons return to the family, the mounting tension rises to new heights. While the drama is gripping, you wonder whether there is a grain of truth in it.
Let us share what we know in such a scenario.
Is ‘Dynasty’ TV Show Based on a True Story? Is The Family Real?
‘Dynasty’ Is NOT based on a true storey, to be sure. The extent of the storey is imaginary, and any realism is completely coincidental.
The series was created by Sallie Patrick, Josh Schwartz, and Stephanie Savage and is based on the same-named prime-time soap drama. From 1981 to 1989, the original ABC series was created by power couple Richard and Esther Shapiro of Shapiro Film Corporation.
The popularity of the show does not need to be reviewed after spin-offs and sequels such as ‘Dynasty II: The Colbys,’ which aired from 1985 to 1987, ‘Dynasty: The Making of a Guilty Pleasure,’ a 2005 TV movie, and the CW series, which premiered in 2017.
The sitcom was pitched by Richard and Esther Shapiro as an affluent family living and sinning in a massive Denver house. Robert Graves’ classic 1934 novel ‘I, Claudius’ inspired Esther Shapiro to create an epic tale.
According to Shapiros, the show would be a lighthearted depiction of the American dream. They intended to portray a family beset by squabbles and scandals but that, at the end of the day, stands by one another.
By 1981, CBS had a show called ‘Dallas,’ which had already become popular. To give you a flavour of the show’s legacy, it was included in TV Guide’s list of the 60 Best Series of All Time in 2013.
Because they were competing against Michelin-starred cuisine, ABC had to bring something more than just tasty to the table. Producer Aaron Spelling, who was already well-known for his work on shows such as ‘Starsky and Hutch’ and ‘Charlie’s Angels,’ joined the project.
‘Oil’ was the working title when the project began. Filming for the pilot ended in 1980. The show could not be released in 1980 owing to a strike by the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.
Keep up with the Carringtons. New episodes of #Dynasty return Friday, March 11. Stream next day free only on The CW. pic.twitter.com/jZOULUGU8J
— Dynasty (@cw_dynasty) February 18, 2022
It was broadcast as a three-hour special over a year later, on January 12, 1981.
The first season of the original ‘Dynasty’ rated 28th in the overall ratings. ‘Dallas,’ on the other hand, maintained its lead with a massive 31.8 rating.
The advent of Joan Collins in the new character of Alexis Carrington in the second season caused some changes in the chart. The drama gathered up steam, and so did the Nielsen ratings, with the addition of Eileen and Robert Mason Pollock to the writing team.
The 5th season’s cliffhanger, “Moldovian Massacre,” aired on May 15, 1985, smashed all rating records for the show.
Most of the show’s core characters were killed in a terrorist attack on a destination wedding in Moldovia at the end of the season.
Critics labelled the scene “outrageous,” yet the show’s viewership soared to 25.9 million thanks to the cliffhanger of the century. The writers sought inspiration from Richard and Esther Shapiro when working on the reboot series.
Josh Schwartz, one of the show’s co-creators, reminded us that we now live in the midst of familial dynasties.
These family dynasties are frequently featured in the media, from the Trumps to the Clintons to the Kardashians. They modified the series to reflect new times while maintaining the essence of the original.
By dealing with subjects like the female experience in the workplace and LGBT acceptance, the 1981 play was already ahead of its time.
Concerns were heightened by the new show. Alexis was supposed to be introduced in the first season. However, due to a lack of clarity about who will play the role, this was not possible.
Nicollette Sheridan, who had been rumoured to play the much-anticipated figure, has finally joined the cast. The new series also relocates the setting from Denver to Atlanta, which provided the creators with a more diversified demographic.
In all, neither the episodes nor the characters are rooted on truth, but they do reflect the frequency of dynasties in the actual world.
