It looks like The Carringtons are back with sleeker hair and smart phones to hurl at walls and The Colbys. The CW has picked up a Dynasty reboot along with an action-adventure pilot from Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter. This marks the second reboot for the network, following the Rob Thomas adaptation of Lost Boys.
The network has picked up a revamped version of the Aaron Spelling classic soap opera Dynasty from Gossip Girl creators Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage. This marks return for the show runners to the network. The pilot will be written by Sallie Patrick, of Revenge, and the original husband and wife writing duo for the series, Esther and Robert Shapiro.
Sometimes, remakes can fall a bit short of the original, especially with a series like Dynasty that has a legacy among fans and within television history. Having the Shapiros on board won’t guarantee the reboot will be a success, but it certainly increases the likelihood that the update will keep things that made the original such binge-worthy television.
Dynasty debuted on ABC in 1981 and ran till 1989. Although it received lukewarm ratings in its first season, the series received more notoriety during its second season, and became the most popular television in 1985.
The show is one of the most successful nighttime soaps and remains the only nighttime soap to have received a Golden Globe for best T.V. drama in 1984. The series revolves around the trials and tribulations of the exhilarating lives of the 1%. The Carringtons and The Colbys are the two main families, however the Carringtons may be more memorable due to the fabulous Joan Collins arriving for a dramatic reveal in the series’ second season. The main point of contension is due to Blake Carrington, patriarch of his dynasty, falling in love and marrying his secretary, Krystle Jennings, played by Linda Evans. (If you want to relive television history, check out the clip below of the notorious lily pond fight of the ages between Krystel and Alexis)
The revamp will center around Fallon Carrington, daughter of Blake Carrington, and Cristal, her soon-to-be stepmother and Hispanic outsider who will be marrying into the Carrington name. Sparks are sure to fly, and catfights are bound to be aplenty.
Along with Dynasty, The CW also picked up Searchers, from Greg Berlanti and Jason Rothenberg, creator of the teen dystopia The 100. Berlanti, Rothenberg, and Sarah Schechter will be producing the show together.
Searchers seems to follow in the vein of darker action plots; the story centers around a group of people who become unlikely heroes on an incredible journey. A brother and sister with opposite personalities team up ten years after their parents’ death when they learn that their mother’s horrifying and bizarre stories may be a means to discover the unexplained legends, wonders, and mysteries of the world.
Looks like there’ll be a little bit of something for everyone. Let’s hope the power suits don’t make comeback.