Michael Culhane

Michael Culhane is a fictional character from the ABC television series Dynasty, created by Richard and Esther Shapiro. Portrayed by Wayne Northrop, the character is introduced in the series' 1981 pilot episode as the chauffeur of oil tycoon Blake Carrington (John Forsythe). Michael is also having an affair with Blake's self-indulgent daughter, Fallon (Pamela Sue Martin). Northrup left the series at the end of the first season, but returned for season seven, during which Michael dates Fallon's sister, Amanda (Karen Cellini). In The CW's 2017 reboot of the series, Michael is portrayed by Robert Christopher Riley.

Michael Culhane
Wayne Northrop as Michael Culhane
Dynasty character
Portrayed byWayne Northrop (1981, 1986–1987)
Robert Christopher Riley (2017–present)
First appearance
Last appearance
  • Original series:
  • "The Sublet" (1987)
Created byRichard and Esther Shapiro
Profile

Robert Christopher Riley as Michael Culhane

Appearances

Northrop debuted as Michael in the Dynasty pilot episode, "Oil" (1981), and left in the season one finale, "The Testimony" (1981).[1] He returned in the seventh season premiere "The Victory" (1986),[2] and left again in the episode "The Sublet" (1987).[3]

Riley began playing Michael in the 2017 pilot of the Dynasty reboot.[4]

Original series

Season one

As Dynasty begins, Carrington chauffeur Michael is involved in a sexual relationship with heiress Fallon, the daughter of his boss, Blake Carrington. Michael proves useful to Blake in his shady business dealings, but Blake has him beaten up when he learns of his relationship with Fallon.

Season two

Fired by Blake, Michael leaves town in the episode "The Verdict" without informing Fallon of his departure.

Season seven

Michael returns in the seventh season premiere "The Victory", in time to save Fallon's sister Amanda Carrington from a fire at La Mirage. The two become romantically involved as Blake gives Michael back his job as Blake's driver, but Blake fires Michael when he sees him kissing Amanda. An angry Michael, not really as poor as he has let on, secretly orchestrates a deal that would give him a piece of Blake's latest venture. However, Amanda's mother Alexis Colby reveals his schemes, and he leaves Denver again in "The Sublet".

Reboot

Casting and development

A pilot for a Dynasty reboot for The CW was announced in September 2016,[5][6] and Riley was cast as Michael in February 2017.[7] The new series premiered on The CW on October 11, 2017.[8]

The character is one of several cast as nonwhite for the reboot.[9][10] Executive producer Sallie Patrick said that with Michael and Carrington butler Anders, "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?"[11]

Season one

Carrington chauffeur Michael Culhane (Robert Christopher Riley) is also Fallon's lover and unofficial henchman, though he has feelings for her which seem unrequited. Michael gets photos for Fallon of Cristal kissing her ex-lover Matthew Blaisdel in "I Hardly Recognized You".[4] In "Guilt is for Insecure People", Michael is hesitant to help Fallon find leverage against her father Blake. Meanwhile, Fallon's brother Steven is suspicious of Blake's involvement in Matthew's death, and Michael reveals to him that Blake has Matthew's phone in his possession.[12] Somewhat frustrated by Fallon's dismissive treatment, Michael becomes involved with Kori Rucks, Fallon's acquaintance from high school, in "Private as a Circus".[13] Their relationship survives Fallon's jealous meddling in "I Exist Only for Me".[14] In "A Taste of Your Own Medicine", Fallon meets Michael's parents, Louella and James. Michael has led them to believe that he is a vice president at Carrington Atlantic, and Fallon backs him up.[15] In "The Best Things in Life", Michael's relationship with Kori implodes over his lingering feelings for Fallon.[16][17] In "Rotten Things", Fallon has a falling out with Monica Colby, who begins her own romantic relationship with Michael.[18][19] When Fallon discovers that Monica is helping Jeff manipulate her into marriage for nefarious reasons in "Nothing But Trouble", Michael agrees to help Fallon investigate why, and turn the tables on the Colbys.[20][21] In "The Gospel According to Blake Carrington", Michael enlists the help of his computer genius teenage sister, Evie (Elizabeth Youman), who confirms Fallon's suspicions that Jeff has access to all Carrington emails and texts.[22] On the eve of her faux wedding to Jeff in "Our Turn Now", Fallon tells Michael she loves him, and asks him to marry her at city hall. He refuses, not wanting something so important to be part of a Carrington plot.[23] In "Enter Alexis", Michael learns that his father is seriously ill, and resigns.[24][25] Cristal connects James's leukemia diagnosis to a Carrington Atlantic coverup in "Don't Con a Con Artist".[26][27] Louella asks Fallon to keep her distance from Michael in "Use or Be Used".[28][29] In "A Line from the Past", James dies as the coverup is exposed in the press, and Cristal—in her last act as COO after being fired by Blake—hires Michael.[30][31] When Blake pushes back against Fallon's and Michael's efforts toward change in "Trashy Little Tramp", Michael urges Fallon to do the right thing. She finds incriminating information on Blake, which she uses in a secret meeting with the Carrington Atlantic board to make a case for them to name her CEO in Blake's place.[32] Fallon professes her love for Michael in "Dead Scratch", but he announces his intention to leave Atlanta. When the Carringtons are trapped in the burning trophy room, Michael comes to their rescue.[33][34]

Season two

In "Twenty-Three Skidoo", Michael and Fallon have resumed their relationship. Though Fallon and Liam Ridley are still pretending to be married, Michael proposes, and she accepts.[35]

References
  1. Schemering, Christopher (September 1985). The Soap Opera Encyclopedia. pp. 80–81. ISBN 0-345-32459-5.
  2. "Loren gives bravura performance in Courage". The Spokesman-Review. September 23, 1986. p. B5. Retrieved November 15, 2018 – via news.google.com.
  3. Zuckerman, Faye (January 7, 1987). "Ranching focus of show". The Gadsden Times. Retrieved December 4, 2017 – via news.google.com.
  4. Snetiker, Marc (October 12, 2017). "Dynasty series premiere recap: 'I Hardly Recognized You' (Season 1, Episode 1)". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  5. Goldberg, Lesley; O'Connell, Michael (September 30, 2016). "Dynasty Reboot in the Works at The CW". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  6. Andreeva, Nellie (September 30, 2016). "Dynasty Reboot Set At the CW With Josh Schwartz & Stephanie Savage". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  7. Petski, Denise (February 24, 2017). "Dynasty: CW Reboot Casts Robert Christopher Riley; Valor Adds Charlie Barnett". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
  8. Andreeva, Nellie (June 8, 2017). "The CW Sets Fall 2017 Premiere Dates For Dynasty & Valor And Returning Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
  9. Price, Scott D. (October 6, 2017). "In Dynasty reboot, women are strong and gays are out and proud". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  10. Seitz, Matt Zoller (October 10, 2017). "The CW's Dynasty Knows Exactly What It Is". Vulture. Retrieved November 8, 2017.
  11. Patrick, Sallie (October 11, 2017). "Dynasty showrunner reveals the Alexis Carrington cameo you might've missed". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 8, 2017.
  12. Snetiker, Marc (October 26, 2017). "Dynasty recap: 'Guilt Is for Insecure People' (Season 1, Episode 3)". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  13. Snetiker, Marc (November 2, 2017). "Dynasty recap: 'Private as a Circus' (Season 1, Episode 4)". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  14. Harrington, Delia (November 15, 2017). "Dynasty Episode 6 Review: 'I Exist Only For Me'". Den of Geek. Retrieved November 30, 2017.
  15. Harrington, Delia (November 29, 2017). "Dynasty Episode 7 Review: 'Taste of Your Own Medicine'". Den of Geek. Retrieved November 30, 2017.
  16. Harrington, Delia (December 7, 2017). "Dynasty Season 1 Episode 8 Review: 'The Best Things in Life'". Den of Geek. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
  17. Reiher, Andrea (December 7, 2017). "Dynasty Recap: 'Tis the Season for Secrets and Blackmail". Brit + Co. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
  18. Harrington, Delia (December 13, 2017). "Dynasty Episode 9 Review: 'Rotten Things'". Den of Geek. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
  19. Reiher, Andrea (December 13, 2017). "Dynasty's New Villain Isn't Who We Expected It to Be". Brit + Co. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
  20. Harrington, Delia (February 8, 2018). "Dynasty Episode 13 Review: 'Nothing But Trouble'". Den of Geek. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  21. Reiher, Andrea (February 8, 2018). "Dynasty Recap: 'Nothing But Trouble' Left Us With Some *Major* Cliffhangers". Brit + Co. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  22. Reiher, Andrea (March 12, 2018). "Dynasty Is Back With a Vengeance (in More Ways Than One)". Brit + Co. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  23. Harrington, Delia (March 16, 2018). "Dynasty Episode 15 Review: 'Our Turn Now'". Den of Geek. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
  24. Harrington, Delia (March 30, 2018). "Dynasty Episode 17 Review: 'Enter Alexis'". Den of Geek. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
  25. Reiher, Andrea (April 1, 2018). "Dynasty's 'Enter Alexis' Is Everything We Hoped It Would Be and More". Brit + Co. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
  26. Harrington, Delia (April 7, 2018). "Dynasty Episode 18 Review: 'Don't Con a Con Artist'". Den of Geek. Retrieved April 10, 2018.
  27. Reiher, Andrea (April 9, 2018). "Dynasty Turns Down the Heat a Bit With 'Don't Con a Con Artist'". Brit + Co. Retrieved April 10, 2018.
  28. Harrington, Delia (April 20, 2018). "Dynasty Episode 19 Review: 'Use or Be Used'". Den of Geek. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  29. Reiher, Andrea (April 23, 2018). "Dynasty Recap: Alexis Exposes Liam, But Is That Who He Really Is?". Brit + Co. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  30. Harrington, Delia (April 27, 2018). "Dynasty Episode 20 Review: 'A Line from the Past'". Den of Geek. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  31. Reiher, Andrea (April 30, 2018). "Dynasty Gets a Little Too Convoluted With 'A Line from the Past'". Brit + Co. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  32. Harrington, Delia (May 4, 2018). "Dynasty Episode 21 Review: 'Trashy Little Tramp'". Den of Geek. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
  33. Harrington, Delia (May 11, 2018). "Dynasty Episode 22 Review: 'Dead Scratch'". Den of Geek. Retrieved May 13, 2018.
  34. Reiher, Andrea (May 14, 2018). "Dynasty Goes Out in a Blaze of Glory—Bring on Season 2!". Brit + Co. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  35. Harrington, Delia (October 13, 2018). "Dynasty Season 2 Episode 1 Review: '23 Skiddoo'". Den of Geek. Retrieved October 15, 2018.
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