Dynasty Review: There’s No Need to Panic (Season 5 Episode 12)
Fallon and Alexis experience a grim situation on Dynasty Season 5 Episode 12, “There’s No Need to Panic.”
Dynasty brings the thrills with Alexis and Fallon’s storyline in this episode. Thanks to Alexis’ sporadic shopping and incessant posting online, the two see themselves in a sticky situation. Before Fallon can leave Alexis’s, two delivery men arrive and quickly reveal themselves to be robbers.
In a moment of bravery and foolishness, Alexis chunks her phone at their face and pulls Fallon to safety — or so she thinks. The panic room Alexis built with a twenty-five-thousand-dollar wine fridge, tanning bed, and caviar-infused protein bars has no way of signaling for help.
While there is no incessant violence or focus on the robbers, and neither of the two has to send SOS signals with a flashlight, it gives off major Panic Room vibes for me. On top of the nostalgia it provides, “There’s No Need to Panic” also allows some much-needed bonding between Fallon and Alexis.
Bonds between children and parents are a messy situation that changes over time; Fallon and Alexis are a perfect example. While it’s still a work in progress, their connection is the strongest it has ever been, and at one point, it was nonexistent.
It’s crucial for us to see this development between the two and continue to see the improvements both characters achieve. Their back-and-forth banter is typical and sometimes annoying, but in this case, it leads to the perfect growing moment.
Alexis reveals to Fallon that she had planned on proposing to Dex before he left — that’s why she’s so adamant about not giving up the ring. She loves him, and the fear that she may lose him like she’s lost so many others is overwhelming. It’s why she tries so hard to include him in the family dynamic and attempt to sway Fallon’s opinion of him.
In their vulnerable states of sharing, Fallon lets it slip that she may be pregnant. But, more importantly, Fallon doesn’t center the conversation on herself. Instead, she reassures Alexis that her relationships are not as bad as they seem and suggests it’s time for her to forgive herself.
It’s a touching moment that I hope to see more of between the two before the series is over.
What I find the most influential about Alexis’ storyline of late is how relatable it is. Everyone and I do mean everyone, has made poor decisions in their past and royally messed up. There’s no denying that Alexis has been a part of multiple atrocious incidents, but she’s no longer the same person.
She’s attempting to clean up her act and is suffering the repercussions of her actions. Not as harshly as she may deserve, but she is suffering in her own way. In her experience, she tends to push or force the ones she loves the most away. Instead of repeating past mistakes, however, she’s leaning into other unhealthy coping mechanisms by trying to coerce people into staying around her.
Fallon’s advice for Alexis is much needed for the next step in her character development. I may not have been fully invested in Alexis’ character in the past, but I am now. Dex returning to Alexis’ home the following night and proposing to her is a definite highlight.
Unfortunately, things take a turn for the worst with Fallon after their release. Her pregnancy test turns out to be a false positive, and her doctor claims that she’ll never be able to carry a child. The scar tissue from her bullet wound is too much of a complication for her ever to carry, shattering all of her dreams.
Fallon may not be able to carry a child, but that’s not her only option nowadays, which is one highlight of the grim situation. There’s a wide variety of ways to make a family, so I’m confident we’ll still see a baby Carrington before the end of the series.
Stray Thoughts:
- It feels strange and out of place story-wise to have Liam and Culhane talk about how Fallon came to be Liam’s. It’s been three seasons since that storyline, so why is it being brought up again as if it’s important information?
- Kamanda!! I thoroughly enjoy the tension and slow build-up between Kirby and Amanda in this episode. I’m hoping to see significant progression on this front and no backtracking now that their feelings are confirmed. Give me Spy Duo Kamanda, and let them figure out the truth about Steven!
- It’s refreshing to see Cristal step out of the shadow that is Blake Carrington and prove to him that she is not someone who needs coddling. While she may need advice here and there along the way, she is not incompetent and should not require his approval.
- I’m keeping all fingers and toes crossed that Amanda has finally gotten concrete evidence on Adam and is one step closer to taking him out.
What did you think of this episode of Dynasty? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Dynasty airs Fridays at 9/8c on The CW.
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Cade Taylor
Cade Taylor is a television and film critic living in St. Louis, Missouri. He is a Senior Writer for Tell-Tale TV. His love for television developed at a young age, with a concentration on queer stories, sitcoms, teen dramas, and science fiction thrillers. In addition, he works full-time as a news producer, telling the stories of Missourians and helming "Produced in the Bi-State," a segment spotlighting actors, musicians, and entertainers from the St. Louis area. He can be reached by email at cade@telltaletv.com.