Krystle Carrington

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Krystle Carrington
Dynasty character
The Wedding" (1989)
Created byRichard and Esther Shapiro
Spin-off
appearances
Dynasty: The Reunion (1991)
In-universe information
Occupation
  • Secretary
  • Socialite
SistersIris Dean
Spouse
Children
Krystina Carrington
Stepchildren
NiecesSammy Jo Carrington
First cousinsVirginia Metheny

Krystle Carrington (also Grant and Jennings) is a fictional character from the 1980s American TV series

Alexis Carrington provided a foil for Krystle for the remainder of the series. Evans left Dynasty early in its ninth and final season, though she reprised her role for the 1991 miniseries continuation, Dynasty: The Reunion
.

In the first season of the 2017 reboot of the series, the role of Krystle was reimagined as Cristal Flores Carrington, portrayed by Nathalie Kelley. It is later elaborated upon that Cristal's birth name is Celia Machado, and she is killed at the end of the season. Ana Brenda Contreras was cast as Cristal Jennings for season two. Cristal let Celia use her identity, and comes to Blake to pay her respects after Celia's death. In July 2019, it was announced that Contreras would not be returning for season three due to personal reasons, and that Daniella Alonso would take over the role of Cristal. Alonso portrayed the role from 2019 to 2022.

Original series

Evans originated the role of Krystle in the 1981 series pilot,

The Wedding", which aired on January 12, 1989, four months before the series was ultimately cancelled.[2] She reprised the role for the 1991 miniseries continuation, Dynasty: The Reunion.[3]

Characterization

The character of Krystle Carrington is depicted as the dutiful wife to Dynasty's anchor, millionaire patriarch

Esther Shapiro
said of Krystle:

Krystle is a woman who wants her husband Blake more than anything else, for richer or for poorer. It pleases Krystle to [...] share the frustrations and challenges of Blake's life. She still greets each day with bright-eyed vitality and a zest for living. Her goodness and concern for others are stabilizing factors in the Carrington family, ones that have earned her the admiration and respect of all. Krystle Carrington is a tender, loving, woman—a passionate romantic living the life of every girl's dream, yet, bringing to it common sense, compassion and seal of approval. She is truly a beautiful human being.[5]

Krystle is "sweet, loyal, and loving", the "good girl" in contrast to Blake's first wife, the villainous Alexis (Joan Collins).[6] In Women and Soap Opera, Christine Geraghty described Krystle as the moral center of her family, "a constant reminder to the [male characters] of the need for integrity, humanity and domestic harmony."[7] Esther Shapiro said that Krystle is family-oriented, and a person who "always believed in her heart".[8] According to Shapiro, Krystle acts as the show's moral compass, "trying to bring decency to the strange and often sinister world of the rich, where the rules are often very different."[4]

Evans described the similarities between herself and her character: "We both care for people; we both used to seek peace at any price, tried to work out things in the family and felt tremendous joy and happiness in having a relationship. And she (Krystle), like me, learned to stand up for herself at a late time in life ... But I stand up for myself a lot more than Krystle does."[8]

Geraghty compared Krystle to her screen rival Alexis, highlighting the differences in characterization: "[Krystle] is clearly the counterpart to Alexis in moral stature and attitude. The contrast is presented vividly through appearance and style. When she and Alexis compete [...] the contrast could not be more marked. Alexis is artificial, with white make-up, red nails and lips, black curls, while Krystle is 'natural' with fair hair, blue eyes, free hair [...] Krystle is normally seen at home and she welcomes into it anyone who needs comfort and support. She accepts without resentment Blake's children and she is frequently called on to ameliorate his patriarchal harshness and his castigation of himself."[7]

Storylines

Season one

As Dynasty begins in 1981, Krystle is set to marry oil tycoon

Matthew Blaisdel
and Blake's own volatile personality. Their marriage is strained by her discomfort as she learns about Blake's ruthless side, especially in business. Blake rapes Krystle when she is reluctant to have sex with him. Later, Blake is arrested and charged with murder. Krystle must testify whether Blake has ever shown a violent temper. In the season finale, a mysterious witness enters the courtroom. Visibly agitated, Blake turns to his lawyer and asks, "What's she doing here?"

Season two

The mystery witness is Blake's ex-wife,

Nick Toscanni
. Krystle suspects that Alexis may have caused her accident. She confronts Alexis, and the women have a vicious fight. Krystle feels alienated from Blake with Alexis around, and Nick tries to seduce her. Blake accuses her of having an affair with Nick, but Krystle has been faithful. Blake goes to confront Nick but does not return. Worried, Krystle goes to find him.

Season three

Krystle finds Blake and gets him to safety. Later in the season, Krystle tries to help Blake and his long-lost son Adam form a father-son relationship. Krystle also learns that her divorce from her first husband

Mark Jennings
was never official when he comes back to Denver in the hope to have her back. Not long after Steven is missing and presumed dead, his ex-wife, Sammy Jo, (who is also Krystle's niece) appears with a baby named Daniel, that is hers and Steven's. Blake and Krystle offer to keep the child. When Steven returns to Denver, alive, Krystle is heart broken to give up little Danny but is thrilled Steven is alive and back home. In the third-season finale, Krystle meets Alexis at a remote cabin, where Alexis offers her one million dollars to leave Blake's life. Krystle refuses but then they discover they have been locked inside the cabin which is quickly engulfed by a fire.

Season four

Krystle and Alexis are rescued by Mark. A few months later, Blake and Krystle remarry. Krystle goes to work for Denver-Carrington in PR, much to the dismay of Tracy Kendall who was hoping to get the job herself. Tracy pretends to be Krystle's friend, but secretly decides to seduce Blake. Though told she could no longer have children after the riding accident two years earlier, Krystle is overjoyed to discover she is pregnant again.

Season five

Krystle has a baby girl, whom she names Krystina. Although Krystina is fragile at first, she survives and thrives. Krystle encounters a man from her past, Daniel Reece. He turns out to be Sammy Jo's father. Blake grows jealous of their friendship. Daniel is in love with Krystle, and they kiss. Meanwhile, Lady Ashley Mitchell attempts to seduce Blake. Someone has photos taken of both Blake with Ashley and Krystle with Daniel and has them sent to each other. However, both Blake and Krystle declare their love for each other. When Daniel is later killed, he bequeaths his entire fortune to Sammy Jo, but names Krystle as executor of the estate which makes Sammy Jo furious. When Blake's daughter Amanda falls in love with Prince Michael of Moldavia, the entire Carrington family go to Moldavia for the wedding. However, during a coup, Moldavian rebels storm the wedding chapel and shoot everybody in it.

Season six

Blake and his family survive the attack, although Steven's boyfriend Luke, and Lady Ashley Mitchell are killed, while King Galen is badly hurt. Upon returning to Denver, Krystle goes to visit Sammy Jo and is shocked to find her own double there. She is knocked on the head and held hostage by Joel Abrigore, while the look-alike, Rita, impersonates Krystle as part of a scheme Joel and Sammy Jo concocted to gain clear access to Sammy Jo's inheritance. As Rita infiltrates the Carrington mansion for several weeks (where not even Blake can tell that she is an imposter), Joel becomes obsessed with the captive Krystle. Eventually, Krystle and Rita have a confrontation in the attic where Krystle is being held. As Krystle tries to escape, she and Rita fight. In a change of heart, Sammy Jo knocks Rita out so that Krystle is freed. Rita and Joel then disappear and Krystle returns to the Carrington mansion just in time to save Blake whom Rita had slowly been poisoning. In the season finale, Krystle and Blake learn that Alexis now owns their mansion and throws Blake and Krystle out. Furious, Blake grabs Alexis by the throat and starts to strangle her.

Season seven

Krystle pulls Blake off of Alexis before he kills her. Blake learns that his hotel, La Mirage, has burned down. A grief-stricken widower blames Blake for the fire and forces Blake's car off the road. Krystle is severely injured, but recovers. Later, Blake and Krystle move back to the mansion when Blake thwarts Alexis' plans and throws her out. Blake, Alexis, and Ben are in southeast Asia visiting an oil rig when it explodes. Krystle arrives on the scene only to learn that Alexis has taken Blake out of the hospital as he suffers from amnesia and believes he is still married to Alexis. When Krystle finally finds them, Blake doesn't recognize her. Heartbroken, Krystle prepares to return to Denver alone. However, moments later Blake's memory returns and Krystle takes him back home, much to Alexis' chagrin. Blake and Krystle's daughter, Krystina, falls ills and needs a heart transplant. A donor is found, Krystina is fine, but the donor's mother kidnaps Krystina. However, she is found unharmed. In the season finale, after Adam's wedding, Krystle's presumed-dead former lover Matthew Blaisdel takes the Carrington family hostage at gunpoint, stating he has come back for Krystle.

Season eight

After several days in captivity, Steven stabs Matthew and the family is freed. Blake runs for governor against the incumbent and Alexis running as an independent. Krystle takes an active role in the campaign, including researching the sudden death of Alexis' second husband Cecil Colby. Although she doesn't have hard evidence, she has enough to cast doubt on whether Alexis murdered her husband. She threatens to leak her story to the press if Alexis doesn't stop spreading lies about Blake. Alexis complies. Despite their best efforts, Blake loses. Not long after, he returns home to find his bedroom trashed and Krystle missing. He cries out: "Oh, Krystle, I thought we had more time!"

Season nine

Krystle has a serious brain tumor and must have a risky surgery. They fly to Switzerland, where the surgery is successful but Krystle is left in a coma.

The Reunion

Three years later, Krystle has recovered from her coma, which is revealed to have been medically induced to allow an evil international consortium to brainwash her into killing Blake. A sympathetic nurse helps Krystle escape from the clinic and return to an overjoyed Blake. When her "programming" kicks in, she pulls a gun on Blake, but their love is too strong and the plan fails.

Reception

Evans won a

People's Choice Award for Favorite Female Performer in a New TV Program in 1982,[11] and for Favorite Female TV Performer in 1983,[12] 1984,[13] 1985,[14] and 1986.[15] She won a Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in 1984 and 1985.[16]

In the book Cultural Theory and Popular Culture, John Storey likened Krystle to the characters

Pamela Ewing from Dallas and Kathy Beale from EastEnders, as they are associated "not merely with moral values but also the capacity to speak out when necessary in defence of the truth."[17]

Reboot

Cristal Carrington
Dynasty character
Nathalie Kelley as Cristal Flores Carrington a.k.a. Celia Machado
Portrayed by
Duration2017–2022
First appearance
  • "
    I Hardly Recognized You
    " (2017) [Cristal Flores/Celia Machado]
  • "
    Twenty-Three Skidoo
    " (2018) [Cristal Jennings]
Last appearance
  • "
    Dead Scratch
    " (2018) [Cristal Flores/Celia Machado]
  • "
    Catch 22
    " (2022) [Cristal Jennings]
Created by
Sam Jones
[Cristal Flores/Celia Machado]
Ana Brenda Contreras portrays Cristal Jennings in the second season of the 2017 reboot series.
Daniella Alonso portrays Cristal Jennings beginning in the third, fourth and fifth seasons of the 2017 reboot series.

Casting

A pilot for a Dynasty reboot for The CW was announced in September 2016,[18][19] and Nathalie Kelley was cast as Cristal Flores, a Latina reimagining of Krystle, in January 2017.[20][21] Kelley said that producers offered her the role after seeing her work in The CW series The Vampire Diaries, and she signed on before reading a script.[22] The first season premiered on The CW on October 11, 2017.[23]

In June 2018, Kelley told E! News that she was not asked to return for season two.[24] She said in 2020 that she had been surprised to get the call that she would not be returning to the series, and explained:

I think I wasn't up to the challenge of a nighttime soap. I wasn't prepared for that genre. It wasn't something I had experience in. I didn't know too many actresses who can hold a candle to the wonderful Elizabeth Gillies (Fallon Carrington), who absolutely nails that tone and that genre ... I was challenged ... I didn't dig as deep as I could have. I felt limited and I felt stuck. At the same time, the writing was boxing me in a little bit. And I think the best thing they felt they could do is start afresh.[22]

The CW announced in August 2018 that Ana Brenda Contreras had been cast as "the real Cristal Flores" for the second season.[25][26][27] In July 2019, the network announced that Contreras would not be returning for season three for personal reasons, and that Daniella Alonso would take over the role of Cristal.[28] In May 2020, showrunner Josh Reims confirmed that Alonso would be back for season four, saying "I kind of wanted to do this thing—which I still might do—where we pretend at the beginning of the season that we're getting another new Cristal. But I don't want to scare Daniella. She's so great in the role, and I'm so excited that she's coming back."[29]

Characterization

Noting that Krystle, in the original series, "was pure and the moral center of the show", executive producer

Sam share a mysterious past in Venezuela.[33] Kelley said that Cristal's Venezuelan origins will allow the show to explore the current geopolitics of that country.[34][35]

Patrick said of the Contreras character, Cristal Jennings:

She is modeled after Linda Evans's Krystle [from the original series]. While she has secrets, she is an inherently good person, and as things progress with her involvement with the family and her place on the canvas, we'll see how her inherent goodness really becomes a complication for the rest of the family, because she will become almost like a mob wife to Blake who is going down a dark spiral. It's very dangerous when you have a good person telling a terrifying person that they don't have to worry about their actions.[36]

Reims promised a "seamless transition" as Alonso assumed the role. He said that the character would be written "a little more real and a little less scary, which is how we were writing Cristal last year."[37]

Storylines

Season one

In the premiere episode "

Luis Fernández
), to defend Iris.

Cristal is a pariah at the mansion in "

Dead Scratch", a resurrected Matthew helps Claudia escape the sanitarium, and they infiltrate the mansion during the preparations for Steven and Sam's wedding. Cristal catches Alexis kissing Hank (Brent Antonello
) and the women fight, which ends with Alexis locking Cristal in the stable house. Claudia snaps and confronts Cristal with a gun. Matthew steps between them as Claudia fires, except that Matthew is a figment of her imagination, and Cristal takes the bullet. The building is set on fire, and Alexis runs upstairs through the flames to release Cristal.

Season two

In

Mark Jennings
(Damon Dayoub) may be the father of her baby. Fallon urges Cristal to tell Blake the truth, but she is unable to when he expresses how excited he is about being a father again.

Alexis blackmails Tony the gardener (Chase Anderson) into helping her get dirt on Cristal in "

Deception, Jealousy, and Lies
", Fallon learns that Blake and Cristal's separation is only a ruse, and realizes that they are framing Michael for Blake's crimes. Before Blake and Cristal are able to marry, two bodies are discovered in the lake.

Reception

In 2017, Tierney Bricker of

E! Online dubbed Nathalie Kelley "this season's breakout star".[38] Maureen Ryan of Variety wrote, "Kelley isn't given much to work with. There's not enough depth or textured drama in any of her scenes; everything about the character seems a bit wan and whiny. Nothing about this Cristal makes her seem like a worthy love interest for Blake or an intimidating adversary for the headstrong and disapproving Fallon, despite the attempts to give her a mysterious backstory."[39]

Notes and references

  1. .
  2. ^ Phillips, Jevon (June 24, 2010). "Linda Evans: Hollywood Star Walk". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 10, 2017. Retrieved December 9, 2017.
  3. ^ Gliatto, Tom; Sheff, Vicki (August 5, 1991). "Alexis Strikes Again!". People. Vol. 36, no. 4. pp. 66–68. Archived from the original on March 18, 2009. Retrieved February 21, 2009.
  4. ^ a b "Dynasty: The Complete First Season DVD Review". December 3, 2007. Archived from the original on February 22, 2012. Retrieved March 22, 2009 – via TVDVDreviews.com.
  5. from the original on 2023-04-04. Retrieved 2020-12-12.
  6. – via Google Books.
  7. ^ – via Google Books.
  8. ^ from the original on 2021-04-20. Retrieved 2020-12-12.
  9. from the original on November 11, 2016. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
  10. from the original on November 4, 2016. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
  11. ^ "1982 Nominees & Winners". People's Choice Awards. Archived from the original on June 17, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
  12. ^ "1983 Nominees & Winners". People's Choice Awards. Archived from the original on February 17, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
  13. ^ "1984 Nominees & Winners". People's Choice Awards. Archived from the original on April 5, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
  14. ^ "1985 Nominees & Winners". People's Choice Awards. Archived from the original on June 17, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
  15. ^ "1986 Nominees & Winners". People's Choice Awards. Archived from the original on June 17, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
  16. ^ "The Soap Opera Digest Awards History". Soap Opera Digest. Archived from the original on April 15, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2018 – via Celebratingthesoaps.net.
  17. .
  18. ^ Goldberg, Lesley; O'Connell, Michael (September 30, 2016). "Dynasty Reboot in the Works at The CW". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on May 17, 2019. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  19. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (September 30, 2016). "Dynasty Reboot Set At the CW With Josh Schwartz & Stephanie Savage". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 1, 2016. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  20. ^ Petski, Denise (January 30, 2017). "Dynasty: Nathalie Kelley Cast As Lead In The CW Reboot". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 1, 2017. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
  21. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (January 30, 2017). "The CW's Dynasty Reboot Casts Its Star". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 30, 2017. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
  22. ^
    TV Insider. Archived
    from the original on April 20, 2020. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  23. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (June 8, 2017). "The CW Sets Fall 2017 Premiere Dates For Dynasty & Valor And Returning Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 11, 2017. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
  24. E! Online. Archived
    from the original on June 22, 2018. Retrieved June 21, 2018.
  25. ^ Porter, Rick (August 6, 2018). "Dynasty Adds Ana Brenda Contreras as "Real" Cristal for Season 2". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on August 6, 2018. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
  26. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (August 6, 2018). "Dynasty Surprise: Ana Brenda Contreras Joins the CW Series As 'Real Cristal'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 6, 2018. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
  27. ^ Ausiello, Michael (August 6, 2018). "Dynasty Boss Confirms Cristal Is Getting Killed Off and 'Resurrected'". TVLine. Archived from the original on August 6, 2018. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
  28. ^ Swift, Andy (July 30, 2019). "Dynasty Recast: Daniella Alonso Joins Season 3 as New Cristal Jennings". TVLine. Archived from the original on July 30, 2019. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
  29. ^ Swift, Andy (May 9, 2020). "Dynasty EP Strips Down Those 'Finale' Twists, Teases the Epic Fallon/Liam Wedding We Didn't See... Yet". TVLine. Archived from the original on May 13, 2020. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  30. Emmy. 39 (7). Archived
    from the original on August 23, 2017. Retrieved September 13, 2017.
  31. ^ "Dynasty Aims To Be The Sexiest, Most Progressive Primetime Soap Ever". IndieWire. October 4, 2017. Archived from the original on October 4, 2017. Retrieved November 1, 2017.
  32. ^ a b Jacobs, Alexandra (October 6, 2017). "A Dynasty for Generation Gossip Girl (Mom Can Watch, Too)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 27, 2019. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  33. ^ Swift, Andy (November 1, 2017). "Dynasty's Rafael de la Fuente Defends Sammy Jo ('He's Not a Bad Guy!'), Recalls His 'Epic' Horror Story Death". TVLine. Archived from the original on November 16, 2017. Retrieved November 1, 2017.
  34. ^ Nguyen, Hanh (August 2, 2017). "Dynasty: 4 Ways CW's Reboot Has Updated the Series to Be More Inclusive and Tolerant". IndieWire. Archived from the original on August 3, 2017. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
  35. ^ Wagmeister, Elizabeth (August 2, 2017). "10 Ways CW's Dynasty Reboot Will Be Different From the Original". Variety. Archived from the original on August 2, 2017. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  36. ^ Byrne, Craig (October 12, 2018). "Dynasty EP Sallie Patrick Previews Season 2". Archived from the original on February 7, 2019. Retrieved January 30, 2019 – via KsiteTV.com.
  37. ^ Swift, Andy (September 4, 2019). "Dynasty Season 3: Daniella Alonso Debuts as New Cristal—First Look". TVLine. Archived from the original on September 8, 2019. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  38. ^ "Rapid-Fire Reviews: All Hail Dynasty's Soapy Return on The CW!". E! News. September 14, 2017. Archived from the original on October 9, 2017. Retrieved October 8, 2017.
  39. ^ Ryan, Maureen (October 9, 2017). "TV Review: Dynasty Reboot on The CW". Variety. Archived from the original on November 2, 2019. Retrieved October 31, 2017.

See also