The Colbys is an American prime time television soap opera that originally aired on ABC from November 20, 1985, to March 26, 1987. Produced by Aaron Spelling, it was a spin-off of Dynasty,[1] which had been the highest rated series for the 1984–1985 U.S. television season.[2] The Colbys revolves around another vastly wealthy, upper-class family, who are relatives by marriage of the Carringtons of Dynasty and who own a large multinational conglomerate. It stars Charlton Heston as billionaire Jason Colby, Barbara Stanwyck as his sister Constance, Stephanie Beacham as Jason's wife Sable, and John James and Emma Samms as their Dynasty characters Jeff Colby and Fallon Carrington. Designed to be bigger than the original show, The Colbys was ultimately a ratings disappointment, and was cancelled after two seasons and 49 episodes.[3]

Series overview

SeasonEpisodesOriginally airedRankRating
First airedLast aired
124November 20, 1985 (1985-11-20)May 22, 1986 (1986-05-22)3515.50
225September 24, 1986 (1986-09-24)March 26, 1987 (1987-03-26)6411.90

Episodes

Season 1 (1985–86)

See also: Dynasty (1981 TV series, season 6)
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date Viewers
(millions) [4][5]
11"The Celebration"Jerome CourtlandWilliam Bast & Paul HusonNovember 20, 1985 (1985-11-20)22.3
22"Conspiracy of Silence"Curtis HarringtonStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Dennis Turner		November 27, 1985 (1985-11-27)19.3
Originally scheduled for November 21, 1985. On that day, The Colbys was preempted by a speech from President Ronald Reagan. As a result, this episode aired in Dynasty's usual timeslot at 9:00 p.m., while that night's episode of Dynasty, "The Proposal", aired at 10:00 p.m.[6][7]
33"Moment of Truth"Nancy MaloneWilliam Bast & Paul HusonNovember 28, 1985 (1985-11-28)13.0
44"Family Album"Don MedfordStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Rick Edelstein		December 5, 1985 (1985-12-05)14.8
55"Shadow of the Past"Harry FalkStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Dennis Turner		December 12, 1985 (1985-12-12)15.0
66"A House Divided"Don MedfordStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Frank Furino		December 19, 1985 (1985-12-19)14.8
77"The Reunion"Jerome CourtlandStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Frank Furino		December 26, 1985 (1985-12-26)15.9
88"Fallen Idol"Harry FalkStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Oliver Clark		January 2, 1986 (1986-01-02)14.6
99"The Letter"Don MedfordStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Doris Silverton		January 9, 1986 (1986-01-09)13.6
1010"The Turning Point"Gwen ArnerStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Charles Pratt Jr		January 16, 1986 (1986-01-16)13.9
1111"Thursday's Child"Kim FriedmanStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Rick Edelstein		January 30, 1986 (1986-01-30)16.8
The Colbys was preempted by the ABC Thursday Night Movie Grease 2 on January 23, 1986, which stars Maxwell Caulfield.[8]
1212"The Pact"Harry FalkStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Dennis Turner		February 6, 1986 (1986-02-06)15.0
1313"Fallon's Choice"Curtis HarringtonStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : E. Doris Silverton		February 13, 1986 (1986-02-13)15.5
1414"The Trial"Robert ScheererStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Donald Paul Roos		February 20, 1986 (1986-02-20)16.2
1515"Burden of Proof"Gabrielle BeaumontStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Dennis Turner		February 27, 1986 (1986-02-27)17.6
1616"My Father's House"Curtis HarringtonStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Frank V. Furino		March 6, 1986 (1986-03-06)17.2
1717"The Outcast"Robert ScheererStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Donald Paul Roos		March 13, 1986 (1986-03-13)15.7
1818"The Wedding"Harry FalkStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Frank V. Furino		March 20, 1986 (1986-03-20)19.0
1919"The Honeymoon"Gwen ArnerStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Michael Scheff & Maryanne Kasica		March 27, 1986 (1986-03-27)14.9
2020"Double Jeopardy"Harry FalkStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Doris Silverton		April 10, 1986 (1986-04-10)14.9
The Colbys was preempted by the ABC Thursday Night Movie Diner on April 3, 1986.[9]
2121"A Family Affair"Jerome CourtlandStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Donald Paul Roos		April 17, 1986 (1986-04-17)15.4
2222"The Reckoning"Harry FalkStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Dennis Turner		May 1, 1986 (1986-05-01)14.1
The Colbys was preempted by a repeat of the 1984 ABC Thursday Night Movie Invitation to Hell on April 24, 1986.[10]
2323"Anniversary Waltz"Kim FriedmanStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Donald Paul Roos		May 15, 1986 (1986-05-15)14.6
The Colbys was preempted by Part 5 of North and South Book II: Love and War on May 8, 1986, which stars Linda Evans from the shows' parent series Dynasty.[11]
2424"Checkmate"Harry FalkWilliam Bast & Paul HusonMay 22, 1986 (1986-05-22)15.9

Season 2 (1986–87)

See also: Dynasty (1981 TV series, season 7)
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date Viewers
(millions) [4]
251"The Gathering Storm"Harry FalkWilliam Bast & Paul HusonSeptember 24, 1986 (1986-09-24)16.6
262"No Exit"Gabrielle BeaumontStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Donald Paul Roos		September 25, 1986 (1986-09-25)10.2
273"Jason's Choice"Robert ScheererStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Frank V. Furino		October 2, 1986 (1986-10-02)10.5
284"The Matchmaker"Harry FalkStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Dennis Turner		October 16, 1986 (1986-10-16)9.2
The Colbys was preempted by Game 2 of the 1986 National League Championship Series on October 9, 1986.[12]
295"Something Old, Something New"Don MedfordStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Donald Paul Roos		October 23, 1986 (1986-10-23)10.7
306"The Gala"Gwen ArnerStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Dennis Turner		October 30, 1986 (1986-10-30)10.0
317"Bloodlines"Harry FalkStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Dennis Turner		November 6, 1986 (1986-11-06)10.0
328"Deceptions"Curtis HarringtonStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Carol Saraceno		November 13, 1986 (1986-11-13)10.0
339"And Baby Makes Four"Gwen ArnerStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Mart Crowley		November 27, 1986 (1986-11-27)9.9
The Colbys was preempted by NFL Football: Los Angeles Raiders Vs. San Diego Chargers on November 20, 1986.[13]
3410"Bid for Freedom"Harry FalkStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Dennis Turner		December 4, 1986 (1986-12-04)12.1
3511"Sanctuary"Don MedfordStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Carol Saraceno		December 11, 1986 (1986-12-11)11.8
3612"Reaching Out"Linda DayStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Donald Paul Roos		December 18, 1986 (1986-12-18)10.9
3713"Power Plays"Harry FalkStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : E. Jeffrey Smith		January 1, 1987 (1987-01-01)11.9
The Colbys was preempted by The Love Boat: The Christmas Cruise on December 25, 1986.[14]
3814"The Legacy"Richard KinonStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Dennis Turner		January 8, 1987 (1987-01-08)12.1
3915"The Home Wrecker"Curtis HarringtonStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Carol Saraceno		January 15, 1987 (1987-01-15)12.0
4016"Manhunt"Bruce BilsonStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Doris Silverton		January 22, 1987 (1987-01-22)13.4
4117"All Fall Down"Kim FriedmanStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Dennis Turner		January 29, 1987 (1987-01-29)12.7
4218"Guilty Party"Roy CampanellaStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Dennis Turner		February 5, 1987 (1987-02-05)13.4
4319"Fallon's Baby"Harry FalkStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Frank V. Furino		February 12, 1987 (1987-02-12)13.0
4420"Answered Prayers"Robert ScheererStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Donald Paul Roos		February 26, 1987 (1987-02-26)12.0
The Colbys was preempted by Part 5 of Amerika on February 19, 1987.[15]
4521"Return Engagement"Harry FalkStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Elliott Lewis		March 5, 1987 (1987-03-05)11.0
4622"Devil's Advocate"Robert ScheererStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Mart Crowley		March 12, 1987 (1987-03-12)10.8
4723"Betrayals"Harry FalkStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Carol Saraceno		March 19, 1987 (1987-03-19)12.8
4824"The Dead End"Richard KinonStory by : William Bast & Paul Huson
Teleplay by : Donald Paul Roos		March 25, 1987 (1987-03-25)16.0
4925"Crossroads"Don MedfordWilliam Bast & Paul HusonMarch 26, 1987 (1987-03-26)13.6

Ratings

The Colbys : U.S. viewers per episode (millions)
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
SeasonEpisode number
12345678910111213141516171819202122232425
122.319.313.014.815.014.815.914.613.613.916.815.015.516.217.617.215.719.014.914.915.414.114.615.9–
216.610.210.59.210.710.010.010.09.912.111.810.911.912.112.013.412.713.413.012.011.010.812.816.013.6
Audience measurement performed by Nielsen Media Research[4]

References

  1. ^ "ABC Revises Fall List in Battle for Ratings". The New York Times. May 7, 1985. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
  2. ^ "TV Ratings: 1980s". ClassicTVHits.com.
  3. ^ Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (2003). The Directory To Prime Time TV Shows (8th ed.). Ballantine Books.
  4. ^ a b c "Episode List: The Colbys (1985–1987)". TV Tango. Retrieved December 11, 2019.
  5. ^ Bruce B. Morris, Prime Time Network Serials: Episode Guides, Casts and Credits for 37 Continuing Television Dramas, 1964-1993, McFarland and Company, 1997.
  6. ^ "TV Listings". The Blade. Toledo, Ohio. November 21, 1985.
  7. ^ "TV Listings". The Blade. Toledo, Ohio. November 27, 1985.
  8. ^ "TV Listings". The Blade. Toledo, Ohio. January 23, 1986.
  9. ^ "TV Listings". The Blade. Toledo, Ohio. April 3, 1986.
  10. ^ "TV Listings". The Blade. Toledo, Ohio. April 24, 1986.
  11. ^ "TV Listings". The Blade. Toledo, Ohio. May 8, 1986.
  12. ^ "TV Listings". The Blade. Toledo, Ohio. October 9, 1986.
  13. ^ "TV Listings". The Blade. Toledo, Ohio. November 20, 1986.
  14. ^ "TV Listings". The Blade. Toledo, Ohio. December 25, 1986.
  15. ^ "TV Listings". The Blade. Toledo, Ohio. February 19, 1987.

External links

Dynasty
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