Joseph Anders
Joseph Anders | |||||||
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Dynasty character | |||||||
![]() Lee Bergere as Joseph Anders | |||||||
Portrayed by | Lee Bergere (1981–1983) Alan Dale (2017–present) | ||||||
First appearance |
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Last appearance |
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Created by | Richard and Esther Shapiro | ||||||
![]() Alan Dale as Joseph Anders | |||||||
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Joseph Anders is a fictional character from the ABC television series Dynasty, created by Richard and Esther Shapiro. Portrayed by Lee Bergere, the character is introduced in the series' 1981 pilot episode as the majordomo of Denver oil tycoon Blake Carrington (John Forsythe). Joseph is consistently caught up in the melodrama of the Carrington family, and his daughter, Kirby (Kathleen Beller), is introduced in 1982. Bergere was written out of the series at the beginning of the fourth season in 1983. In The CW's 2017 reboot of the series, Anders is portrayed by Alan Dale.
Appearances
Lee Bergere debuted as Joseph in the Dynasty pilot episode, "Oil" (1981), and was written out in the second episode of the fourth season, "The Bungalow" (1983).[1][2][3] The role is one of Bergere's best-known.[4]
Alan Dale began playing the character, more commonly referred to as "Anders", in the 2017 pilot of the Dynasty reboot.[5]
Original series
Storylines
Season one
Denver oil tycoon Blake Carrington introduces his fiancée—and former secretary—Krystle to the household in "Oil". Longtime Carrington majordomo Joseph is staunchly loyal to Blake, and immediately dislikes Krystle, to whom he is dismissive until reproached by Blake's son, Steven. In "The Honeymoon", Krystle is having problems adjusting to life as a wealthy woman, made especially challenging by the imperious Joseph. Krystle rises to the challenge.
Season two
Joseph displays a deep loathing for Blake's first wife Alexis, who has returned to Denver after being exiled by Blake years before. Blake loses his sight in a car bombing; his vision returns in "The Hearing", but he hides his recovery from everyone except Joseph.
Season three
In "Mark", Joseph wants to quit his job at the mansion to help his daughter, Kirby, in France. She comes to Denver instead in "Kirby", and in "Acapulco" Joseph warns Kirby away from Jeff Colby, who is married to Blake's daughter Fallon. Joseph then warns Jeff away from Kirby in "The Locket". Jeff and Fallon divorce, and Jeff marries Kirby in Reno, Nevada in "Fathers and Sons". Joseph is angry to learn of the marriage in "The Downstairs Bride". Kirby is pregnant, and Alexis threatens Joseph that she will tell Kirby "the truth" about her mother in "The Threat". In the season three finale "The Cabin", Krystle and Alexis are trapped in a cabin, which someone sets on fire.
Season four
Krystle and Alexis survive. In "The Bungalow", someone tries to kill Alexis in the hospital, and Joseph kills himself by way of a self-inflicted gunshot. In "The Note", Blake and Jeff find a note in which Joseph confesses to setting the cabin fire to kill Alexis.
Reboot
Casting and development
Dale was cast in the pilot in March 2017.[6] Executive producer Sallie Patrick said that with Anders and Carrington chauffeur Michael Culhane, "we introduce the theme of upstairs/downstairs, because how can you have a show about the filthy rich without including the people who try their damnedest to keep them clean?"[7] Of Anders and Cristal Carrington's nephew Sam Jones, she said, "We've introduced their friendship, and I totally 'ship them together. Locking them in the basement [in "A Taste of Your Own Medicine"] was so much fun ... Sammy Jo is always getting in over his head, so it made sense for him to be the first one knocked out. And the funniest person to lock him in the basement with seemed to be Anders."[8] Before the premiere of season two, Patrick previewed the introduction of Anders's daughter Kirby (Maddison Brown):
We will come to see how Anders is keeping [Kirby] at arm's length, because not only do they have a complicated and fraught relationship, but she has an equally fraught relationship with the Carringtons, and Anders being the loyal friend to the family as well as an employee...she jeopardizes many things for him. He loves his daughter, of course, but he also has never felt adequate parenting her, which was why she was living with her mother for some time in Australia.[9]
Storylines
Season one
Carrington majordomo Joseph Anders (Alan Dale) is protective of the family, and threatened by Cristal's presence as the new would-be mistress of the mansion. After the wedding in "I Hardly Recognized You", Anders warns Cristal that he has investigated her sordid past and will reveal the details to Blake if she steps out of line.[5] In "Guilt is for Insecure People", Anders merges Cristal's meager assets with Blake's per the terms of their prenuptial agreement, effectively making her unable spend any money without Anders knowing.[10] In "Company Slut", Anders manipulates Sam to keep Steven away from his ex-boyfriend, Ted Dinard, a recovering drug addict whom Blake and Anders had previously pushed out of Steven's life.[11][12] In "The Best Things in Life", Anders discreetly helps Cristal pay off someone from her past, but goes to Blake when he catches her in a lie.[13][14] Anders and Cristal discover that Cristal's sister Iris Machado was behind the extortion plot in "Rotten Things".[15][16] On Blake's behalf, Anders bribes a prison guard to stage an attack intended to prevent Cesil Colby from being paroled in "Nothing But Trouble".[17][18] After Sam reveals in "The Gospel According to Blake Carrington" that he is in the country illegally, Anders sets him up with an immigration lawyer to begin the citizenship process.[19] In "A Line from the Past", Anders tells Sam that he has an ex-wife and a daughter, Kirby, in Australia. Anders moves to call her, but hangs up.[20][21] Sam invites Kirby to his wedding to Steven in "Dead Scratch", before learning from Steven and Fallon that as a child she was a "psychopath" who tormented Fallon. Later, Anders is surprised to find Kirby arriving at the mansion.[22][23]
Season two
Anders keeps Kirby at a distance from the Carringtons in "Twenty-Three Skidoo", and father and daughter clash over her wild lifestyle and his mistrust.[24]
Reception
Dale has received praise for the role,[25][26] and Maureen Ryan of Variety called him "the best aspect of the new version of Dynasty", noting that "Dale improves every scene he's in."[27] Patrick said, "Alan Dale is amazing as Anders. From the beginning, everybody wanted to be in a storyline with him."[8]
References
- ^ Schemering, Christopher (September 1985). The Soap Opera Encyclopedia. pp. 80–81. ISBN 0-345-32459-5.
- ^ Times Staff (February 3, 2007). "Lee Bergere, 88; prolific television character actor and stage performer". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
- ^ Variety Staff (February 2, 2007). "TV, stage vet Bergere dies". Variety. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
- ^ Simonson, Robert (February 5, 2007). "Lee Bergere, Actor Who Found Touchstone in La Mancha, Is Dead at 88". Playbill. Archived from the original on June 6, 2017. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
- ^ a b Snetiker, Marc (October 12, 2017). "Dynasty series premiere recap: 'I Hardly Recognized You' (Season 1, Episode 1)". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
- ^ Wagmeister, Elizabeth (March 8, 2017). "The O.C. Alum Alan Dale Joins CW's Dynasty Reboot". Variety. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
- ^ Patrick, Sallie (October 11, 2017). "Dynasty showrunner reveals the Alexis Carrington cameo you might've missed". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 8, 2017.
- ^ a b Swift, Andy (November 29, 2017). "Dynasty Boss Breaks Down Claudia's Reveal, the Show's New Direction: 'We're Cranking Up the Crazy'". TVLine. Retrieved December 2, 2017.
- ^ Byrne, Craig (October 12, 2018). "Dynasty EP Sallie Patrick Previews Season 2". Retrieved January 30, 2019 – via KsiteTV.com.
- ^ Snetiker, Marc (October 26, 2017). "Dynasty recap: 'Guilt Is for Insecure People' (Season 1, Episode 3)". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
- ^ Snetiker, Marc (November 8, 2017). "Dynasty recap: 'Company Slut' (Season 1, Episode 5)". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
- ^ Patrick, Sallie (November 8, 2017). "Dynasty showrunner shares secrets from 'Company Slut'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
- ^ Harrington, Delia (December 7, 2017). "Dynasty Season 1 Episode 8 Review: 'The Best Things in Life'". Den of Geek. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
- ^ Reiher, Andrea (December 7, 2017). "Dynasty Recap: 'Tis the Season for Secrets and Blackmail". Brit + Co. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
- ^ Harrington, Delia (December 13, 2017). "Dynasty Episode 9 Review: 'Rotten Things'". Den of Geek. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
- ^ Reiher, Andrea (December 13, 2017). "Dynasty's New Villain Isn't Who We Expected It to Be". Brit + Co. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
- ^ Harrington, Delia (February 8, 2018). "Dynasty Episode 13 Review: 'Nothing But Trouble'". Den of Geek. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
- ^ Reiher, Andrea (February 8, 2018). "Dynasty Recap: 'Nothing But Trouble' Left Us With Some *Major* Cliffhangers". Brit + Co. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
- ^ Reiher, Andrea (March 12, 2018). "Dynasty Is Back With a Vengeance (in More Ways Than One)". Brit + Co. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
- ^ Harrington, Delia (April 27, 2018). "Dynasty Episode 20 Review: 'A Line from the Past'". Den of Geek. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
- ^ Reiher, Andrea (April 30, 2018). "Dynasty Gets a Little Too Convoluted With 'A Line from the Past'". Brit + Co. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
- ^ Harrington, Delia (May 11, 2018). "Dynasty Episode 22 Review: 'Dead Scratch'". Den of Geek. Retrieved May 13, 2018.
- ^ Reiher, Andrea (May 14, 2018). "Dynasty Goes Out in a Blaze of Glory—Bring on Season 2!". Brit + Co. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
- ^ Harrington, Delia (October 13, 2018). "Dynasty Season 2 Episode 1 Review: '23 Skiddoo'". Den of Geek. Retrieved October 15, 2018.
- ^ Poniewozik, James (October 10, 2017). "Review: Money Can't Buy the New Dynasty Excitement". The New York Times. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
- ^ Boedeker, Hal (October 6, 2017). "Dynasty update gets franker, more diverse". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
- ^ Ryan, Maureen (October 9, 2017). "TV Review: Dynasty Reboot on The CW". Variety. Retrieved October 31, 2017.