10 things nobody wants to admit about Dynasty

1. Liz Gillies deserved an Emmy nomination (and win!)

Without Elizabeth Gillies, the Dynasty reboot honestly wouldn’t have been worth doing. She made the show. She was Fallon Carrington. Gillies was the key ingredient that made the show really cook. She set the tone, the sense of humor, the high bar for camp and meme-able facial expressions. Liz Gillies as Fallon Carrington is my, and should be your, Roman Empire.

As a character, Fallon isn’t someone we would generally find ourselves rooting for. She’s ruthless and rough around the edges, unafraid to get a little dirty to get what she wants and say what everyone’s thinking. She often does the opposite of what she should and gets herself in trouble. She’s not a very warm and welcoming friend (just ask Kirby) or boss. But there’s something redeemable and endearing there at the heart of Fallon, and it’s Liz.

Fallon wants to do better and be better, but she just wasn’t bred that way. In the hands of another actress, Fallon could have been cold and incapable of empathy. Liz Gillies stepped into Fallon’s stilettos and made her whole, dynamic, and three-dimensional. A businesswoman who’s staunchly feminist without really realizing that about herself. A daughter who’s finally recognizing the weight of generational trauma patterns stacking up against her. A friend, partner, and mother who’s fiercely loyal but won’t throw herself away to be so.

Gillies understood that Fallon’s a work in progress, a comedic hot mess, and made her a character we could love. In a fair and just entertainment industry, she would have been recognized for 108 episodes of untouchable talent. Between singing, essentially carrying the show on her shoulders, and even stepping in as Alexis for an episode, Gillies dominated Dynasty. A nomination — and a win — from the Emmy Awards was warranted. I would give her one if I could.

All five seasons of Dynasty are currently available to stream on Netflix.