Dynasty is an American prime time

Prime time

Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast programming during the middle of the evening for television programing.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period—for example, from 19:00 to 22:00 or 20:00 to 23:00 Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast...

 television soap opera

Soap opera

A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...

 that aired on ABC

American Broadcasting Company

The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...

 from January 12, 1981 to May 11, 1989. It was created by Richard & Esther Shapiro

Richard and Esther Shapiro

Richard Shapiro and Esther Shapiro are married American television screenwriters and producers best known as the creators of the long-running 1980s primetime serial Dynasty, its spin-off series The Colbys and the 1991 miniseries Dynasty: The Reunion.In 1984, Doubleday/Dolphin published the...

 and produced by Aaron Spelling

Aaron Spelling

Aaron Spelling was an American film and television producer. As of 2009, Spelling's eponymous production company Spelling Television holds the record as the most prolific television writer, with 218 producer and executive producer credits...

, and revolved around the Carringtons

Carrington family

The Carringtons are the core family of the American prime time soap opera Dynasty, which aired on ABC from January 12, 1981 to May 11, 1989.-Meet the Carringtons:...

, a wealthy oil family living in Denver, Colorado

Denver, Colorado

The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...

. Starring John Forsythe

John Forsythe

John Forsythe was an American stage, television and film actor. Forsythe starred in three television series, spanning four decades and three genres: as single playboy father Bentley Gregg in the sitcom Bachelor Father ; as the unseen millionaire Charles Townsend on the crime drama Charlie's...

 and Linda Evans

Linda Evans

Linda Evans is an American actress. She is known primarily for her roles on television, and rose to fame playing Audra Barkley in the 1960s Western TV series, The Big Valley...

 as oil magnate Blake Carrington

Blake Carrington

Blake Carrington is a fictional character on the American TV series Dynasty. The role was portrayed by John Forsythe from the first episode of the series in 1981 until the finale in 1989. Forsythe returned for the 1991 miniseries Dynasty: The Reunion...

 and his new wife Krystle

Krystle Carrington

Krystle Carrington is a fictional character on the American TV series Dynasty. The role was originated by Linda Evans in the first episode of the series in 1981; she left early in the final season but returned for the 1991 miniseries Dynasty: The Reunion.-Characterization:The character of Krystle...

, Dynasty was ABC's competitor to CBS

CBS

CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...

's prime time series Dallas

Dallas (TV series)

Dallas is an American serial drama/prime time soap opera that revolves around the Ewings, a wealthy Texas family in the oil and cattle-ranching industries. Throughout the series, Larry Hagman stars as greedy, scheming oil baron J. R. Ewing...

.

The show's ratings for the first season were unremarkable, but the second season arrival of Joan Collins

Joan Collins

Joan Henrietta Collins, OBE , is an English actress, author, and columnist. Born in Paddington and raised in Maida Vale, Collins grew up during the Second World War. At the age of nine, she made her stage debut in A Doll's House and after attending school, she was classically trained as an actress...

 as Blake's scheming first wife Alexis

Alexis Colby

Alexis Colby is a fictional character and the primary antagonist on the American TV series Dynasty....

 heralded Dynasty rise into the Top 20, By 1984, it was a top ten show and by 1985, it was the #1 series on television.