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This is the first week in a while that actually feels like only a few days have passed since the last episode instead of a few months … thanks to the ‘Amander’ storyline (longtime, OG Dynasty fans will get the reference). So let’s dive right in.
Blake is showing is conservative colors complaining about a purple campaign sign (‘What next? I have to add my pronouns?’), and believing his Carrington Atlantic hiring practices have him in good with the Black community. But he also realizes having his sister by his side won’t hurt and talks her into campaigning with him. She agrees on her terms, i.e. she gets to make his suit which can only further her brand. Jeff and Culhane aren’t happy with her decision, but she tells them she can work Blake to all of their advantages and to not endorse the other guy just yet.
After a talk at a Black church goes spectacularly bad, Dom tells Blake she knows some prominent Black businessmen who can help him. Setting up a dinner with them, Blake wants nothing of it when Jeff and Culhane walk in. But Dom puts them all in their places, and proves that she really is savvy in business and politics, drawing up an agreement between all of them for promises made that will be honored once Blake is elected. And Dom has no doubt Blake will find a way to make that happen. And if it doesn’t, Jeff is going to have a decommissioned oil drilling platform off the coast unable to launch rockets.
Cristal’s brother is back in Atlanta, and she’s not all that happy to see him because no one from her family even bothered to call her when she was dying. But ‘Beto’ had a reason — he had to hide from their father. He has evidence of their father’s crimes and wants to turn him in to the authorities, but he needs Cristal’s blessing and assistance. Reading through all the papers Beto gave her, Cristal makes the hard decision to cut her father off completely. She’s not going to turn him in though, but is is saying goodbye. Sam has been hanging around the manor a lot since Beto showed up — they had a brief thing last time Beto was in town — and he’s doing everything he can to lure Beto to his bedroom. Cristal had given Sam the papers for safe keeping but after he and Beto did their thing and Sam took a shower, Cristal got news that her father had been arrested. Beto took the papers and flew the coop while Sam was showering. Oops. But in the end it actually worked out for Cristal, in a sense, in that her message touched a nerve in her father and before he was arrested, he put her in complete control of the Flores family dynasty. Beto came back to the manor in a rage, and Cristal then realized it was never about doing the right thing, it was about her brother getting control of the family business. And now he’s vowing revenge on her. (Um, dude, she didn’t ask for it.)
Kirby is dealing with sorting through her father’s belongings and came across a flash drive. She’s afraid to see what’s on it but Adam, showing a little sign of breaking the ice but not quite ready to call themselves friends yet, tells her to look at it and at the worst she can turn it off. She does, and it’s exactly as she feared — life lessons from her father. She scrolls through but stops at just the right point where he gives her an address to meet someone named Victoria. Does Kirby have a secret sister? She hems and haws about meeting the woman but when she does she is shocked to see a lovely redhead standing before her. She must be her sister … or cousin? No, she’s Anders’ attorney and she has a package for Kirby — another flash drive. She doesn’t wait to watch this one and … more life lessons. At one point he even breaks down over his regretful behavior towards her. And there’s more. He tells her about a box that has some items in it. First is some paperwork that transfers all of his worldly belongings to her. As he says, it’s not Carrington money but it’s enough to keep her comfortable since he never really had to spend his own money on anything. The second is a notebook containing … all of the Carrington family secrets. Just in case she ever needs some leverage. Kirby’s eyes nearly pop out of her head when she begins reading through it. This could become a very dangerous weapon, or put a very big target on her back.
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Amanda is about to be presented to the world in a TV interview with her and Blake, and Fallon is like a dog with a bone, unwilling to let go of the idea that Amanda is there to steal more of their family fortune and toddle off back to Merry Olde England. Of course her investigation puts another lunch with Liam on the back burner and he has had it. Officially. Sadly, Liam doesn’t seem to see through his anger and frustration that Eva is now manipulating the situation to her advantage, ‘accidentally’ forgetting to tell him that Fallon had an emergency board meeting, and by coincidence had just joined the same rock climbing club that he belongs to. So of course they go climbing together.
Meanwhile, Fallon has pressed Colin into service because he’s a Brit, Amanda’s a Brit, so he must know everyone in London. Actually, Amanda worked at the same law firm that represents Colin’s family so he should be able to get some dirt on why she was fired. Meanwhile, that lunch Fallon was supposed to have with Liam is actually a lunch/interrogation with Amanda. Liam is furious when he sees what’s happening (especially after he’d already made the trip to her office) and refuses to join her to help take down Amanda (the strife between them is noted by Amanda). One of the questions Fallon asks is ‘what is your greatest fear?’ to which Amanda replies claustrophobia. For some reason Amanda is in a limo with Adam, going to or coming from some sporting event, and the car is swarmed by protesters and paparazzi. Amanda freaks out a bit and Adam tells her it’s just something she’ll have to get used to as a Carrington. This was all part of Fallon’s plan when she learned Amanda was petitioning to change her last name to Carrington, and convinced Adam that she was going to replace him in Blake’s eyes if she didn’t steal the family fortune first.
While recovering back at the manor from the claustrophobic moment, Fallon storms in with all the dirt Colin gathered on Amanda. She was fired from the firm because she was having an affair with a married man, a judge. Well, no, that wasn’t exactly it. The judge was a woman and to preotect all the work they had done with the firm, it had to look like Amanda was fired for some impropriety, which also protected her lover. But it also ended the relationship and here she is. And speaking of relationships, Amanda notes that perhaps Fallon isn’t really in a position to judge someone else’s. And she calls Adam a weirdo! But Fallon finally sees that Amanda is right about her and she attempts to apologize to Liam. She gives him the ‘I’ve been busy, things will return to normal, sorry, let’s move on’ but it’s not what he wants to hear because it’s the same song and dance she gives him every time and there’s never any growth. Fallon tries to turn it all around on him — bad move, girl — but finally promises to do better. He’s willing to give her one more chance but for tonight, he’s sleeping in the guest room. After Colin gave Fallon the dirt on Amanda, they nearly had a moment (Colin is conveniently divorced now). So she better get her priorities straight, and she and Liam better open their eyes to Eva’s machinations or this will be a short-lived marriage.
Fun fact about this episode: It was Elizabeth Gillies’ directing debut and she did a very fine job. Congrats!
What did you think of this episode? Tell us in the comments section below!
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