“Dynasty,” the 1981 version, opens with sweeping God’s-eye views of mountains, a forested estate and construction workers building temples to industry — all that the show's protagonist, Blake Carrington, lords over. Our first glimpse of Carrington shows him at work in his massive study. We meet his wife-to-be and former secretary, Krystle, at her bachelorette party taking place inside her modest apartment.

Blake has his driver drop off a pair of whoppingly huge diamond earrings, just because. Before she opens the velvet box, a friend blithely mentions that the closest she’s gotten to Krystle’s future husband was when his limo drove through a picket line. She says this with a sense of awe, marveling at how much closer Krystle will be to this wonderful, romantic overlord.

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