Dead Scratch

Cristal to Alexis about all her schemes

"**Dead Scratch**" is the twenty-second and final episode of the first season of The CW's *Dynasty*. It aired on May 11, 2018.

## Synopsis

**WEDDED BLISS TURNS INTO TRAGEDY** — As Alexis loses control of her plan with the Colbys, Fallon challenges Blake for control of the family's company only to learn she's not the only one with a claim to the throne. Sammy Jo and Steven prepare to tie the knot - but an unexpected guest causes all hell to break loose.

## Plot Summary

**SPOILERS AHEAD**

Fallon is named Carrington Atlantic's CEO in Blake's place, while Jeff and Monica reveal their Carrington heritage and declare their intention to force a sale of the company. Now that Fallon is in charge, Alexis changes her mind and tells Hank, who has just been added to the family trust, to vote against the sale. However, he is seduced by the money and votes with the Colbys. Melissa appears and informs Steven, who is minutes from marrying Sam, that she is pregnant. Matthew helps Claudia escape the sanitarium, and they infiltrate the mansion. Steven and Sam marry. Cristal catches Alexis kissing Hank 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. Claudia flees with Hank. The Carringtons are locked in the trophy room while the building is set on fire. Michael rescues Blake, Fallon, and Sam, but Alexis runs upstairs to release Cristal, and Steven is nowhere to be found.

## Cast

* Nathalie Kelley as Cristal Carrington
* James Mackay as Steven Carrington
* Robert Christopher Riley as Michael Culhane
* Sam Adegoke as Jeff Colby
* Rafael de La Fuente as Sam Jones-Carrington
* Alan Dale as Joseph Anders
* Grant Show as Blake Carrington

Special Guest Star* Nicollette Sheridan as Alexis Carrington
* Brianna Brown as Claudia Blaisdel
* Kelly Rutherford as Melissa Daniels
* Brent Antonello as Hank Sullivan
* Wakeema Hollis as Monica Colby
* Adam Huber as Liam Ridley

Co-Starring* Michael Rubino as Board Member
* Rico Ball as Orderly
* Max Bickelhaup as Stu
* Marie Burke as Photographer

Uncredited* Unknown as Kirby Anders *(hinted/voice only)*

## Trivia

* The title of the episode was announced via press release on April 20, 2018.
* This episode's synopsis, along with the director and writers was announced via press release on April 26, 2018.
* On May 10, 2018, Liz confirmed via some BTS photos of the season one finale she posted on twitter that Liam would be back.
* The 15sec opening sequence is featured in this episode.
* Fallon, Blake, Sam, Hank and Claudia are the only characters seen outside the Carrington House. Cristal, Alexis, Steven, Michael, Liam, Melissa, Joseph and Kirby were last seen inside and their fates remain unknown until Twenty-Three Skidoo.
* This episode marks the final appearance of Nathalie Kelley as Cristal Carrington.
* The title of the episode comes from a line from the original Dynasty series, first said by Blake Carrington to Krystle in the Season 1, Episode 2: *Oil - Part 2*.
	+ Only the "dead scratch" part of the original line was kept in the scene where Anders says it to Blake.
* The huge catfight between Alexis and Cristal, paid homage to the fights between Alexis and Krystle from the original Dynasty.
	+ It's mainly a new version of the fight they had in the original Dynasty series, in the Season 2, Episode 16: *The Baby*.
* This Episode aired on the same day the original series ended 29 years ago.
* This episode paid homage to the Original Dynasty since the 1981's third and sixth seasons ended with a fire.
	+ The first time, Joseph tried to kill Alexis by setting an abandoned cabin on fire, but Krystle was with her at the moment. They were saved and he later committed suicide when his involvement was revealed.
	+ The second time, Claudia accidentally set her room at La Mirage Hotel on fire and the blaze consumed the entire hotel. She died while Michael saved Amanda's life.
* For the opening montage, Libby Wells wrote into the script that Cristal wore an army green jumpsuit.
* Nicollette Sheridan improvised Alexis hitting Hank with her boa.
* Elizabeth Gillies did a voiceover for Kirby Anders this episode but the producers opted to not use it.
* The show, with this episode, starts its tradition of playing famous 80s song during a catfight by playing *We Belong* by Pat Benatar.
* The scenes where Culhane saves the Carrington Family from the fire is one of Robert Christopher Riley's favourite sequence.

## Quotes

**Blake**: Took me a little longer to get dressed this morning than usual. Most of my suits have been shredded to bits.

**Cristal**: Oh, no.

**Blake**: Yeah.

**Cristal**: I hope we don't have moths.

**Blake**: Oh, only one. But just know this. If this toxic behavior is your little way of forcing me to let you go, I never will. I love you too much... Celia Machado.

**Hank**: What time is it?

**Alexis**: Time for you to get going. The last thing we need is for Blake to find his long-lost son in Mommy's bed. Especially after everything is finally about to come to fruition.

**Hank**: Is that French?

**Alexis**: *Mon cher.* It means soon you'll get your money, and you can be on your merry way. But for now, you keep sitting pretty. And don't forget your finger.

**Sam**: I'd say go with the silver, and add tarnish. We're going for rustic chic, so...

**Joseph**: Nothing's chic about getting married in a barn.

**Sam**: The barn's the rustic. I'm the chic.

**Sam**: Did you know that Anders has a daughter?

**Steven**: Oh. You mean Kirby?

**Sam**: Well, that was anticlimactic.

**Steven**: She lived with us. She was... I'm not gonna say she was a psychopath, but...

**Sam**: Wait. What?

**Steven**: She mutilated all of Fallon's Barbies.

**Sam**: Like, cut off their hair?

**Steven**: Their heads. And then threw them into the fireplace. The smell of burning plastic still reminds me of Christmas. She stole from Dad, she terrorized my mother. Wait. Anders didn't mention any of this?

**Sam**: If he had, I wouldn't have invited her to the wedding.

**Fallon**: What are you doing here?

**Michael**: I brought you something for good luck.

**Fallon**: What is it?

**Michael**: It's my father's ashes. To keep on your desk and to remind you every day of what you're here to do. I'm just kidding. It's a candle.

**Blake**: Well, does anyone care to tell me what this is about?

**Board Member**: The executive members are here to discuss the future of Carrington Atlantic's CEO.

**Fallon**: Or lack thereof. Firing an employee for being a so-called whistle-blower, mishandling the Clarke County crisis, and then trying to cover it up by buying off the victims?

**Blake**: But that was your...

**Fallon**: Regardless. Time's up, Daddy.

**Blake**: This is absurd. I'm Chairman of the Board. And you're listening to a child who's been COO for a week.

**Board Member**: And the board will decide what's in the best interests of the shareholders. Fallon?

**Fallon**: Many family companies are lost in three generations... moneymaker, caretaker, undertaker. As the fourth generation, I refuse to stand by and watch my father bury my legacy. Carrington Atlantic is not just a family business. It is a dynasty.

**Board Member**: Fallon, congratulations. You're the first female CEO in company history.

**Fallon**: I thought I heard the sound of glass breaking.

**Blake**: What the hell are you doing here?

**Jeff**: Settling your debt.

**Fallon**: Still on the juice, Jeff? Hard to tell when you're not staggering like a geriatric toddler.

**Monica**: No. Come on, Fallon. That's no way to talk to family.

**Jeff**: That's right. We're Carringtons, and we're here for what's ours.

**Blake**: Don't blame me.

**Fallon**: Why not? You lied to me my whole life, and you let me sleep with my cousin.

**Blake**: Half-cousin. Look, I didn't even know you were together until the engagement. By then, it was a little late to say anything. At least you're not pregnant. You're not pregnant, are you?

**Fallon**: You're really winning Father of the Year here.

**Sam**: Maybe Kirby will be a no-show, and we can pretend this never happened.

**Steven**: But if she does show, it might be an emotional ambush for Anders. She used to catch lizards in the yard and put them under Fallon's pillow.

**Sam**: Well, that's kind of cute.

**Steven**: She'd suffocate them and leave a note that said, "You're next."

**Fallon**: Well, if you like horror movies, I've got a great one for you, in which the Colbys are actually Carringtons, somewhere around the second act, I bang my cousin, and by the end, we lose the family company.

**Sam**: Wait. Is that true?

**Steven**: Oh, my God.

**Fallon**: Yup. Grandpa knocked up his secretary, and spent his entire life trying to keep the Colbys out of our coffers.

**Steven**: What did Dad have to say?

**Fallon**: "Good luck." I kind of got him fired. But that makes me rising CEO of Carrington Atlantic, which might not last long if the Colbys try to force a sale.

**Steven**: Holly hell, Fallon.

**Sam**: Can we go back to the part where you bang your cousin?

**Fallon**: Let's not.

**Alexis**: Fallon was there?

**Jeff**: Just before we walked in, the board moved to name her the new CEO.

**Alexis**: I didn't realize. Well, that changes things completely.

**Jeff**: How so?

**Alexis**: I would have never brought you into this if I thought in any way it would have hurt Steven or Fallon.

**Jeff**: Well, like you said, it's our birthright. So it's not up to you anymore.

**Claudia**: I love the smell of excess in the morning.

**Alexis**: So I need you to vote against the sale.

**Hank**: Against it? The whole plan was to hit and quit it.

**Alexis**: That is your style, but this time, we need to not act so prematurely.

**Alexis**: As for your money, I'll double the percentage.

**Hank**: To 20%?

**Alexis**: Yes, two times ten is 20. Your math skills are improving. Just imagine how much adobe hunting ranch that'll buy.

**Hank**: Okay. So what I told Blake I'd do wasn't a lie and our original plan is now the opposite?

**Alexis**: Just vote no.

**Jeff**: Today's the day, Blake.

**Blake**: It's my son's wedding day.

**Jeff**: Isn't that how you godfathers operate?

**Monica**: I'm sorry, is this inconvenient for you? 'Cause we would've preferred that it happened 12 years ago.

**Jeff**: *(chuckles)* Or 45, but here we are.

**Matthew**: Where did you get that?

**Claudia**: The gun room, goober.

**Jeff**: Look, before today, all I inherited were lies that shaped almost every choice I ever made. I'm sorry I took that out on you, Fallon. Maybe someday you can forgive me, and we can own this city. Billionaire cousins, joining forces.

**Fallon**: That sounds like a complete disaster.

**Jeff**: Or maybe it's what we were born to do.

**Fallon**: Have you seen Mom?

**Cristal**: Thankfully, no. But Steven told me what happened. I'm so sorry, Fallon.

**Steven**: We all underestimated Hank's normalcy. Of course he voted to cash out. Maybe we all should, too.

**Fallon**: I think Mom might've swayed Hank's vote. She probably convinced him to give her a cut. I'm gonna go find that bitch.

**Cristal**: No, I will. The wedding's about to start. We can't have you two ending up in the pool again.

**Alexis**: After all I've done for you, how dare you not do the one thing that I asked!

**Hank**: The one thing? The one thing? I cut off my finger for you!

**Alexis**: Half a finger.

**Cristal**: I guess incest runs in the family.

**Hank**: Cristal. We- we were just...

**Cristal**: Get out, Hank. Your mommy and I need to talk.

**Blake**: Cristal's leaving me, isn't she?

**Joseph**: Well, you know what they say. If you love something, let it go. Not threaten to commit it to an insane asylum.

**Blake**: Well, maybe I don't love her anymore.

**Joseph**: *(chuckles softly)* You do. You just hate losing.

**Blake**: She's gone to find Alexis. After the wedding, I'll-I'll tell her she's free to leave. I lost my company and my wife all in the same week.

**Joseph**: Well, as you always say, sir, if anyone can start over from dead scratch, it's you.

**Cristal**: I've heard all the stories about you, but falsely resurrecting a missing child to get back at Blake? How heartless can you be?

**Alexis**: What are you raving about? Adam is my son.

**Cristal**: I think you're confusing the role of mother with sugar mama.

**Alexis**: I don't know what you saw, but spare me your vulgar accusations.

**Cristal**: You've done nothing but tear this family apart since the day you arrived. You tried to drive a wedge between Steven and Sam. You did your best to destroy my marriage with Blake. You even pitted your own children against each other.

**Alexis**: Honestly, I think you need to be medicated.

**Cristal**: The truth is, Alexis, I'm a much better mother to your children than you ever were. But then again, you set the bar pretty low.

**Cristal**: My marriage to Blake may be over, but at least I'll have the satisfaction of telling him what a monster you are before I go.

**Alexis**: Well, if I am, it's only because he turned me into one. Just like he did you. But the only difference is, it took me 20 years. It only took you eight months. Maybe his third wife will break your record.

**Joseph** *(to Steven and Sam)*: I now pronounce you Mr. and Mr. Carrington, partners for life.

**Claudia**: *(scoffs)* I guess if you knew I was coming, you would have tidied up a little.

**Cristal**: How did you get out of the health facility?

**Claudia**: You mean the nuthouse that you and your husband locked me away in? Good news. They said that I'm cured!

**Steven**: Where's Cristal? She went to go find you before the ceremony, Mom. Didn't you see her?

**Alexis**: No. Maybe she needed to take a nap after that *War of the Roses* bender.

**Blake**: I thought we were doing photos on the grand staircase in the manor.

**Sam**: Yeah, we're not Kardashians. Trust me, this is way more on theme.

**Alexis**: Oh, I love what Cristal's done with the place. It's so... Boho-Bobbitt.

**Fallon**: You know, I always dreamed of being you, of running this company. But now, after all the damage you've done, the only way to save our legacy is to start over.

**Blake**: Fallon, you're being reckless. This is how dynasties are ruined.

**Fallon**: No, this is how new dynasties are born... Well, way to ruin my exit. It's locked.

## Multimedia

### Images

* Promotional
* Behind the Scenes

### Videos

Dynasty Dead Scratch Trailer The CWDynasty Dead Scratch Scene The CW

## References

1. ↑ http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/daily-ratings/tv-ratings-friday-may-11-2018/
2. ↑ This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors).
3. ↑ Dead Scratch Press Release
4. ↑ http://www.thefutoncritic.com/listings/20180426cw02/
5. ↑ https://twitter.com/LizGillies/status/994625943518900224
6. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/BisR8\_mDBN\_/
7. ↑ https://tvline.com/2018/06/21/dynasty-nathalie-kelley-leaving-season-2-cristal/
8. ↑ https://twitter.com/monkeyforsallie/status/995092509452779520
9. ↑ https://twitter.com/monkeyforsallie/status/995099365466193923
10. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=\_FNXNLM6bcM
11. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l791O-kULLc