Dynastie II: Les Colby

Anyone who has watched the Colby's knows it was a spin off of Dynasty. The first episodes opening screen even says "Dynasty II", and it included many references to Dynasty. Although the show only ran from 1985-1987 it was a very entertaining show made even more so by its all star cast. Its intelligent soap opera story line keep you coming back time after time.

This spinoff from Dynasty failed in so many ways and it's all the writers and products fault. The show was the exact same if Dynasty down to the opening theme which changed just a little. The storylines where slow and the same as dynasty but slower. Most if the characters where boring except the odd few. The character of Sable is really the only thing that saves the show shes amazing. The show could of worked if they did a spinoff that was different from dynasty like Dallas did with knots landing.

I remember this show begin on opposite Dynasty on Wednesday nights back in the 80's! It was also that when this show was created,Dynasty rose to number one in the Neilsons,beating out arch-rival Dallas for the top spot since The Colbys only ran for two seasons on ABC. Its based on the original Dynasty character Jeff Colby and his wife Fallon. The show had some very heavy hitters here as the characters which consisted of Charlton Heston,Barbara Stanwyck,Ricardo Montalban,Diahann Carroll, David Hedison,and Ken Howard not to mention Stephanie Beacham(as the intriguing Sable Colby). This was one show that had more twist then any other I've seen and it can happen only in a prime-time TV soap opera and a whole lot more. Catch the episodes on SoapNet!

This show was a direct spin-off from one of the hottest prime-time soaps in the 1980's, "DYNASTY". "DALLAS" found success with its spin-off, "KNOTS LANDING", so why not "DYNASTY"? Unfortunately, this show traipsed in all-too familiar territory that the viewer found this to be just like every other prime-time soap that was on at the time.

The big draw-card for this show was enlisting big one-time movie stars such as Charlton Heston, Barbara Stanwyck, Katharine Ross and Ricardo Montalban. I confess that I'm glad this show was cancelled after two seasons because it was painful to see the above four actors stooping so low as to sign on to and appear in this trash, and especially one as bad as this. Just like Ava Gardner was to "Knots Landing", Jane Wyman to "Falcon's Crest" and even Anne Baxter to "Hotel", their talent was above par for them to star in shows like this.

If you get the Soap Network Channel, you can actually catch re-runs of The Colbys. Stick to "Dynasty" folks - at least the cat-fights were better!

Legendary actors, moderate veterans and fresh newcomers came together nicely to bring the Colby family into our homes... They fought to keep their family together, but the fighting almost tore them apart. Brothers fought over the same woman, sisters fought over the same man... Jason (Heston) cared more about love than power and wealth. The characters were related to those on the hit "Dynasty," the Colbys and the Carringtons... and some characters appeared on both shows at times. The Colbys were more interesting and more dramatic than "Dynasty." Charleton Heston and Maxwell Caulfield acted very well opposite each other, as well as Stephanie Beacham and Barbara Stanwyck. I think the show would have been better if Pamela Sue Martin reprised her role as Fallon, or at least someone that acted more like the original. Mr. Bast should have at least written in some gay characters, since some of the actors were handsome enough, and that's one thing "Dynasty" had that this show lacked... Jeff Colby was given a very special gift and offer that he could not refuse in Los Angeles by his Aunt Constance (Stanwyck), and it changed him and brought him back to his true family... I loved this show and I still do, thanks to Soap Net!... It's too bad the show ended without a proper finale! Maybe they all should've been abducted by aliens, especially Zack Powers (who could have been transported to a fantasy island in another galaxy)! Jeff and Fallon returned to "Dynasty" and Sable and Monica popped up later in the series' run. The rest of the Colbys should have slowly appeared, too, even Miles (who was in the "Dynasty" finale special). And who knows, the series might have lasted longer!