The third season of Dynasty originally aired in the United States on ABC from October 27, 1982, through April 20, 1983. The series, created by Richard and Esther Shapiro and produced by Aaron Spelling, revolves around the Carringtons, a wealthy family residing in Denver, Colorado.

Season three stars John Forsythe as millionaire oil magnate Blake Carrington; Linda Evans as his wife Krystle; Pamela Sue Martin as Blake and Alexis' headstrong daughter Fallon; Jack Coleman as Blake and Alexis' earnest son Steven; Gordon Thomson as Blake and Alexis' eldest son Adam; John James as Fallon's ex-husband Jeff Colby; Lloyd Bochner as Jeff's uncle, Cecil Colby; Pamela Bellwood as Claudia Blaisdel, the widow of Krystle's former lover; Heather Locklear as Krystle's niece and Steven's ex-wife Sammy Jo; Geoffrey Scott as Krystle's ex-husband Mark Jennings; Lee Bergere as Carrington majordomo Joseph Anders; Kathleen Beller as Joseph's daughter Kirby; and Joan Collins as Alexis Colby, Blake's ex-wife and the mother of Adam, Fallon and Steven.

Development

In season three, Dynasty introduced Gordon Thomson in the role of Adam Carrington, Blake and Alexis' eldest child, who had been kidnapped as an infant and never found. According to Thomson, "They had planned on Adam being an impostor but they liked him so much they decided to keep him on. They tested me for 13 shows, then extended that to 24." Steven Carrington was recast with Jack Coleman in 1983, the change in appearance attributed to plastic surgery after an oil rig explosion.

Dynasty was ranked #5 in the United States for season three. The April 1983 episode "The Threat", which features the first use of the word "bitch" in a prime time network series as well as a catfight between Krystle and Alexis in a lily pond, was ranked #67 on the 2009 TV Guide list of "Top 100 Episodes".

Plot

In the third season, Alexis marries Cecil on his deathbed and acquires his company, ColbyCo. In the meantime, Adam, the long-lost son of Alexis and Blake who had been kidnapped in infancy, reappears in Denver and almost starts an affair with Fallon before they discover they are siblings. Also introduced are Krystle's ex-husband, tennis pro Mark Jennings, and Kirby Anders, the daughter of longtime Carrington majordomo Joseph. Kirby catches Adam's eye but weds Jeff after his divorce from Fallon. In the middle of the season, news that Steven has been killed in an accident in Indonesia comes to the Carringtons; he survives, but undergoes plastic surgery and returns to Denver. In the third-season cliffhanger, Alexis lures Krystle to Steven's cabin and the two are locked inside while the cabin is set ablaze by an unseen arsonist.

Cast

Main John Forsythe as Blake Carrington Linda Evans as Krystle Carrington Pamela Sue Martin as Fallon Carrington Pamela Bellwood as Claudia Blaisdel John James as Jeff Colby Lloyd Bochner as Cecil Colby Gordon Thomson as Adam Carrington Kathleen Beller as Kirby Anders Geoffrey Scott as Mark Jennings Heather Locklear as Sammy Jo Carrington Jack Coleman as Steven Carrington Lee Bergere as Joseph Anders Joan Collins as Alexis CarringtonRecurring Paul Burke as Neal McVane James Hong as Dr. Chen Ling Christine Belford as Susan Farragut Virginia Hawkins as Jeanette Robbins Betty Harford as Hilda Gunnerson Hank Brandt as Morgan Hess Grant Goodeve as Chris Deegan Notable guest stars Peter Mark Richman as Andrew Laird David Hedison as Sam Dexter Joanne Linville as Claire Maynard Simon MacCorkindale as Billy Dawson Tim O'Connor as Thomas Crayford Kabir Bedi as Farouk Ahmed

Cast notes

Episodes

No. overallNo. in seasonTitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release dateProd. codeRating/share (households)
381"The Plea"Irving J. MooreStory by : Eileen and Robert Mason Pollock Teleplay by : Edward De BlasioOctober 27, 1982(1982-10-27)DY-03625.6/43
Dynasty was preempted by the ABC Movie Special Having It All on October 13, 1982.
392"The Roof"Gwen ArnerStory by : Eileen and Robert Mason Pollock Teleplay by : Edward De BlasioNovember 3, 1982(1982-11-03)DY-03723.2/40
403"The Wedding"Irving J. MooreStory by : Eileen and Robert Mason Pollock Teleplay by : Jeffery LaneNovember 10, 1982(1982-11-10)DY-03825.8/43
414"The Will"Gwen ArnerStory by : Eileen Mason and Robert Pollock Teleplay by : Katherine CokerNovember 17, 1982(1982-11-17)DY-03919.6/31
425"The Siblings"Irving J. MooreStory by : Eileen Mason and Robert Pollock Teleplay by : Daniel King BentonNovember 24, 1982(1982-11-24)DY-04019.1/32
436"Mark"Philip LeacockStory by : Eileen Mason and Robert Pollock Teleplay by : Edward De BlasioDecember 1, 1982(1982-12-01)DY-04120.6/32
447"Kirby"Irving J. MooreStory by : Eileen Mason and Robert Pollock Teleplay by : Edward De BlasioDecember 8, 1982(1982-12-08)DY-04221.2/35
458"La Mirage"Irving J. MooreStory by : Eileen Mason and Robert Pollock Teleplay by : Stephen Black & Henry SternDecember 15, 1982(1982-12-15)DY-04321.3/35
469"Acapulco"Philip LeacockStory by : Eileen Mason and Robert Pollock Teleplay by : Leah MarkusDecember 22, 1982(1982-12-22)DY-04421.5/36
4710"The Locket"Jerome CourtlandStory by : Eileen Mason and Robert Pollock Teleplay by : Dick NelsonDecember 29, 1982(1982-12-29)DY-04519.3/32
4811"The Search"Alf KjellinStory by : Eileen Mason and Robert Pollock Teleplay by : Edward De BlasioJanuary 5, 1983(1983-01-05)DY-04622.5/40
4912"Samantha"Bob SweeneyStory by : Eileen Mason and Robert Pollock Teleplay by : Edward De BlasioJanuary 12, 1983(1983-01-12)DY-04722.9/37
5013"Danny"Alf KjellinStory by : Eileen Mason and Robert Pollock Teleplay by : Dick NelsonJanuary 19, 1983(1983-01-19)DY-04821.8/35
5114"Madness"Irving J. MooreStory by : Eileen Mason and Robert Pollock Teleplay by : Stephen KandelJanuary 26, 1983(1983-01-26)DY-04926.3/40
5215"Two Flights to Haiti"Jerome CourtlandStory by : Eileen and Robert Mason Pollock Teleplay by : Edward De BlasioFebruary 2, 1983(1983-02-02)DY-05024.3/37
5316"The Mirror"Philip LeacockStory by : Eileen Mason and Robert Pollock Teleplay by : Edward De BlasioFebruary 16, 1983(1983-02-16)DY-05120.9/36
Dynasty was preempted by part 4 of The Winds of War on February 9, 1983.
5417"Battle Lines"Jerome CourtlandStory by : Eileen Mason and Robert Pollock Teleplay by : Dick NelsonFebruary 23, 1983(1983-02-23)DY-05221.5/34
5518"Reunion in Singapore"Gwen ArnerStory by : Eileen Mason and Robert Pollock Teleplay by : Edward De BlasioMarch 2, 1983(1983-03-02)DY-05322.5/27
5619"Fathers and Sons"Jerome CourtlandStory by : Eileen Mason and Robert Pollock Teleplay by : Edward De BlasioMarch 9, 1983(1983-03-09)DY-05425.2/43
5720"The Downstairs Bride"Philip LeacockStory by : Eileen Mason and Robert Pollock Teleplay by : Dick NelsonMarch 16, 1983(1983-03-16)DY-05522.0/35
5821"The Vote"Glynn R. TurmanStory by : Eileen Mason and Robert Pollock Teleplay by : Edward De BlasioMarch 23, 1983(1983-03-23)DY-05624.6/46
5922"The Dinner"Philip LeacockStory by : Eileen and Robert Mason Pollock Teleplay by : Edward De BlasioApril 6, 1983(1983-04-06)DY-05722.5/38
Dynasty was preempted by part 4 of The Thorn Birds on March 30, 1983.
6023"The Threat"Bob SweeneyStory by : Eileen Mason and Robert Pollock Teleplay by : Edward De BlasioApril 13, 1983(1983-04-13)DY-05823.2/39
This episode features the first use of the word "bitch" in a prime time network series.[citation needed] Note: In 1996, the episode was ranked #84 on TV Guide's list of "The 100 Most Memorable Moments in TV History", and was ranked #67 on the 2009 TV Guide list of "Top 100 Episodes".
6124"The Cabin"Irving J. MooreStory by : Eileen and Robert Mason Pollock Teleplay by : Edward De BlasioApril 20, 1983(1983-04-20)DY-05927.3/45

Reception

In season three, Dynasty made a big leap to be ranked #5 in the United States with a 22.4 Nielsen rating.

External links