That Wicked Stepmother

That Wicked Stepmother
Season 03, Episode 14

Air date	February 28, 2020
Written by	Garrett Oakley
Directed by	Brandi Bradburn
Viewers	0.34 million (340,000)^[1]
Episode Guide
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“	Liam, I love my son, but I have sacrificed more than I ever thought to raise him. I'm sorry, but it's your turn to be the parent now. You and Fallon can provide the stable, loving home I never could. Please forgive me and look after our boy.	”
Heidi's letter to Liam leaving Connor with Fallon and him.

"That Wicked Stepmother" is the fourteenth episode of the third season and the fifty-eighth episode overall of The CW's Dynasty. It aired on February 28, 2020.

Synopsis[]

FAMILY FIRST - As Blake and Alexis continue to vie for the loyalty of Fallon and Adam, Cristal finds herself resorting to drastic measures to carry out her plans. Liam contends with someone from his past while Dominique calls in a consequential favor from Culhane.^[2]

Plot Summary[]

SPOILERS AHEAD

Fallon and Sam are planning her engagement party which will be held at La Mirage. Sam is very irritable, part of which has to do with his breakup with Fletcher. He wants Fallon to make more choices but she insists they wait for Liam. Alexis wants to be involved in the party but Fallon wants nothing to with her mother and refuses to let Alexis be involved. Liam texts Fallon and tells her he can’t make it which sparks Alexis to chime in on their relationship. Sam becomes aggravated and leaves. Alexis attempts to give Fallon advice and reminds her to keep things spicy, especially since their engaged now.

Dom confronts Cristal in the hallway of the manor with footage she took of Cristal meeting with the hitman. She attempts to blackmail Cristal with what she believes to be an affair. Cristal quickly plays along. She claims to have ended the affair that night and asks what Dom wants in exchange for keeping it quiet. Dom is inviting Vanessa to live in the Manor and wants Cristal to welcome her with open arms. When Cristal agrees Dom promises to keep the situation between them.

Blake meets with Adam to discuss recent events. He invites Adam to move back into the manor but Adam refuses, as he and Alexis are finally in a good place and he doesn’t want to jeopardize their relationship. Blake mentions Jeff’s illness, and when Adam fails to know what he’s talking about, Blake informs him of the neurotoxicity. He uses this to place doubt in Adam’s mind about Alexis completely trusting him. Blake tells Adam about the CA sale and his initial plan to inform the board of Jeff’s disease. However, this would put Adam in a very precarious legal situation, which is why Blake wants Adam to procure whatever blackmail Jeff has over the current CEO of CA. When he has CA back, Blake wants to run the family dynasty with Adam. Adam takes the offer saying he will do it tomorrow night while Jeff is away.

Alexis walks in on Jeff having a cupping session to help draw toxins out of his system. They discuss the sale of CA and she assures him that they have everything under control and he shouldn’t worry.

Cristal meets with her hitman to discuss murdering Alexis while she’s at Fallon’s engagement party. He will plant a bomb under Alexis’ car that will detonate remotely. The explosion will be covered up as a faulty gas tank leak. He tells her that this is their last meeting. Cristal feels obligated to inform him of Dominique following her. He tells her the deal is off and no amount of money is worth him getting imprisoned. He takes the bag and leaves. She makes a phone call and asks the person when they can be in Atlanta.

Liam comes home to find Fallon in a sexy black outfit and remarks he should have called first. Heidi arrives and is shocked when she sees Fallon, who thinks the situation is very different and remarks that while this isn’t what she planned she’s okay with it. Liam introduces the women and Fallon tries to cover herself up with her arms. Connor arrives in the room but Heidi covers his eyes and Fallon quickly uses a pillow to cover herself. Liam introduces Fallon to his son Connor.

Fallon, Liam, and Heidi discuss the situation with Connor. Heidi claims she couldn’t part with Connor after giving birth. Fallon offers Heidi money to go away, thinking money is why Heidi showed up with a Van Kirk heir the moment he became engaged to a Carrington. She accuses Heidi of trying to extort them but Liam tells them it might be enough for one night. Heidi congratulates them on their engagement and leaves. Liam wants to spend time with Connor for the day that Heidi is traveling, which Fallon understands in theory. They make plans for dinner and he suggests she wear the black lingerie for after, but she tells him it’s getting incinerated after his ten-year-old son saw her in it.

Vanessa and Culhane are getting dressed when she asks him for a favor per Dominique’s idea. She asks him to talk to Fallon about her being signed to Fallon’s record label, as they had a conversation about it previously but nothing ever happened. Vanessa tells him to forget it when he hesitates, as she forgot that he and Fallon used to date. He quickly tells her that he will do it as he does owe Dominique a favor - she gave him a great chiropractor. The pair then share a kiss.

Sam struggles to plan Fallon’s engagement party as all of Alexis’ ideas involve live birds. He compliments Fallon’s dress but asks about her stress face. She lies and says it’s because they are planning her engagement party without her. Alexis accuses her of being uninvolved and Fallon says she could be stressed over the new company, her engagement, or Liam’s son and ex-girlfriend arriving unannounced, or house hunting. Sam and Alexis tell her to stop and go back, clearly wanting an explanation.

Cristal meets with her brother to discuss killing Alexis. He tries to talk her out of it saying murder isn’t who she is. He presses that Blake might be right about Alexis not being a problem. She has thought it through and will execute her plan with or without his help. He agrees to help her if this is what she needs to move on.

Alexis starts telling Fallon about the importance children play in a parent’s life, but Fallon brings up Alexis skipping her tenth birthday party because she thought Kenny G invited her backstage. Fallon doesn’t think that Liam has to be a father just because he “suddenly has a son”. Sam tells her that’s the exact definition of fatherhood. Alexis asks how Fallon feels about being a stepmother and she chokes on her shot. She claims she isn’t Connor’s stepmother and thinks Liam is probably itching to get rid of Connor after spending the whole day with him. When Liam starts heading their way, Fallon gets up from the bar and meets him halfway.

She asks if he’s ready to go but he interrupts saying that Heidi got held up in Savannah so he has to watch Connor for a few more hours. She is upset but no one else is around to watch him as the whole reason Connor is in Atlanta is for Liam. He assures her that Connor is already upstairs playing games and will watch TV until Heidi returns. Fallon tells him it’s fine and to let her know when the kid is gone. They kiss and she returns to the bar.

Sam realizes Liam canceled on her and Fallon fills them in on Liam having to babysit. She remarks that the kid is messing up her weekend. Alexis tells her she’s lucky if it’s only one weekend and suggests Fallon ensures the kid likes her because if Liam has to choose between his son and bride-to-be, it isn’t a contest.

Liam and Connor are talking in the room when bellhops enter the room with two luggage carts full of children’s games. Fallon tells them that she ordered it all and has come to hang out with them and make it a party.

Connor is confused as to why the games are for him. Fallon tries to cover by saying it’s a reward for doing well in school. Connor tells her he didn’t do well on his vocabulary test. She tells him to just play with the toys. Liam asks her what’s going on, to which she claims to just want to get to know his son a little better. She assures him she’s totally on board with everything that’s happening so they should just play games. They play Life and Fallon beats Connor by taking all his remaining money. While attempting to play another game she knocks over the entire house they’ve been making. When they start playing with Nerf guns, the boys ambush her and she fakes being shot which excites Connor. They turn to video games but Connor would rather just play the game with his father than with Fallon.

Alexis impatiently waits for Blake to start their meeting. She comments on her fight with Cristal but the topic is quickly shut down. Blake called the meeting for a few reasons. He wants her to stay far away from Fallon’s engagement party, but she angrily tells him that she can’t keep her from her children. He reminds her that he’s done it before and can do it again. He threatens to tell the police who shot Mark Jennings but she coldly tells him he doesn’t want to open that can of worms. She gets her purse and leaves despite his efforts to stop him.

Heidi arrives to pick up Connor and tells Fallon and Liam that Savannah didn’t work out. So she postponed the flight as she got a job interview in Atlanta. It isn’t her dream advertising job but it pays well. Fallon thinks it’s reckless considering how terrible Atlanta schools are. Instead of supporting Fallon’s claims, Liam invites Connor and Heidi to the engagement party. She accepts saying that it would be good for Connor to be around his father more often.

Adam listens to the audio recording of the blackmail Jeff has against Dustin before transferring it to a thumb drive. Alexis enters the office looking for Jeff and Adam lies about looking over paperwork for the CA acquisition. He accuses Alexis of not trusting him and she asks him about being weirder than usual. He claims everything is fine, takes the thumb drive and starts to leave before remarking on them not being completely honest with one another. He brings up Jeff’s illness but Alexis says it wasn’t her secret to tell especially since Adam is the one who poisoned Jeff. Adam insists that he has proven his loyalty to her many times over yet she still treats him as a pawn. He comments that he might have chosen the wrong side and storms away.

Fallon meets with Culhane to discuss signing Vanessa to her label. Her reluctance to sign Vanessa has more to do with Dominique then Vanessa. After some back and forth, Fallon agrees to make things official. She then offers to let Vanessa sing at the engagement party. She then warns him to steer clear of Dominique. He comments Dominique not having moved to Atlanta to be closer to her children. He wishes she found fame and fortune in New York and stayed there. Fallon draws a connection between Dominique and Heidi, saying that everyone is selfish. She thanks him for his help.

Fallon arrives at her “Retying the Knot” party at La Mirage. She greets Liam who asks if she’s seen Heidi or Connor and she promises to keep an eye out for them. Liam spots his Aunt and leaves to make small talk. As Fallon is walking away Cristal congratulates her on the engagement. Cristal tries to talk to her about things being weird between them since the trial. SHea apologizes for being unkind to her, saying that they were getting close at one point and Fallon deserves better especially since Alexis has done such awful things. Fallon comments on Alexis seemingly turning over a new leaf that might not be just a phase before walking off.

Fallon is intercepted by Stacey, the reality tv producer Dominique knows. Fallon doesn’t know Stacey, who thanks her for the invite. Dominique comments that the woman is her friend and tries to hug Fallon, who remarks she doesn’t want to hug. Dom thanks Fallon for signing them to Broken Glass Recording Artists but Fallon comments that she didn’t remember Dom signing anything and walks off.

Stacey tells Dom that tricks aren’t going to close the deal and she’s still waiting for footage of Cristal. Dom assures her that now that Vanessa is moving into the manor it will be impossible for Cristal to avoid the cameras. Besides, when she hears Vanessa sing Stacey will forget all about Cristal because Vanessa is the real star.

Cristal receives a text message from Roberto asking if Alexis has arrived yet. She approaches Blake and asks if he’s seen his ex-wife around but Blake assures her she doesn’t have to worry about Alexis. He warned her to stay away seeing as how difficult it has been for Cristal lately. He kisses her cheek and walks away.

Sam admires a baby photo but Fallon doesn’t recognize the baby. He finally admits that he didn’t have time to get photos of Liam so he used his own. She spots Heidi and Connor so she ditches her glass and meets them. Heidi gives Fallon a candle as a gift seeing as she couldn’t afford anything on the registry. Fallon has a gift for Heidi and beckons over her friend, Luke Tennant. Luke owns an advertising company and is desperately in need of a new graphic designer to join his team in San Diego. Heidi was considering Atlanta seeing as they just arrived, but Fallon pressures her to talk to Luke while she takes Connor to get some punch.

Blake meets wtih Adam at the party to exchange the thumb drive. Adam plays the first few seconds for Blake, saying it’s the CEO of Carrington Atlantic meeting with and bribing the regulations enforcer of the Department of Natural Resources. In exchange for giving Blake the recording, Adam wants Blake’s seat on the board of directors at Atlanta General. A board position would guarantee Adam’s job security and power. Blake is proud of Adam and promises to make the phone call that minute. Adam hands over the drive.

Dom and Culhane talk during the party. He doesn’t want her to hold their mistake over his head forever and threatens to just tell Vanessa the truth. She warns him against it. Vanessa meets up with them and Dom comments on how great they look and takes a picture of the pair together.

Connor is haking a bottle of champagne when Sam walks up asking if he should be playing with that. Fallon assures Sam it isn’t the good stuff. He tells her notice about Vanessa performing would have been nice as he has to rethink the introduction now. Liam approaches Fallon asking if he can talk to her alone for a minute. He asks if she offered Heidi a job in San Diego because she’s jealous of a ten-year-old. She isn’t jealous but was trying to do what was best for the couple. She accuses him of not caring about their relationship. Connor pops the cork off the champagne and it hits a woman. Liam tells her he can’t deal with the argument right now and goes to Connor to get the bottle.

Sam begins to introduce Fallon and Liam to the stage but she gives him a signal to stop. He covers for them and instead introduced Vanessa to the stage. She dedicates the song to her stepmother and Culhane.

As Vanessa sings, Domonique approaches Stacey whoo tells her the production company is passing on the project. People don’t care about the talent aspect of the show, they watch to see celebrities bitch-slap one another over a bottle of rose. There’s no scandal or drama - not even with the Carringtons. She apologizes and leaves Dom alone at the bar.

At the Colby house, Cristal pays Alexis a surprise visit to reinvite her to the engagement party. Alexis thinks it’s too late to enjoy the party, but Cristal assures her there is still time. Alexis comments that the invite is very big of her, and there might be an ounce of decency on her veneer of Evil. She then excuses herself to get dressed. With Alexis gone, Cristal texts Roberto telling her their plan is back on.

Vanessa is doing minor press with people at the party when everyone’s phone alerts of a leaked sex tape involved Dominique and Culhane. She takes his phone when he is distracted and sees the tape.

Vanessa runs up to Dom and smacks the glass out of her hand screaming how she could do this. Dom tries to explain but Vanessa is furious. Culhane yells at her that she recorded him without his consent and he should have her arrested. Vanessa remarks on him feeling betrayed and when he tries to explain, she tells him to save it and is done with both of them before storming off. Culhane follows after Vanessa. Stacey approaches Dom and tells her that this kind of drama is exactly what they needed and she should consider her show sold.

Blake interrupts a conversation between Jeff and Jamison Van Kirk regarding Jeff’s acquisition of CA. Blake is surprised Jeff is still at the party considering Dom’s adult film leaked. Jeff remarks that Dom is Blake’s sister but he corrects him saying half. Blake tries to steal Jamison away to talk but Jamison leaves, uninterested in getting involved. Jeff remarks that his bid is still the only one being considered but Blake still thinks he has the upper hand. Alexis and Adam interrupt much to Blake’s surprise. Jeff remarks on Blake trying to steal his blackmail but Blake thinks he has it now which means he has the upper hand. Adam asks if he’s sure and suggests he listen to the whole recording. While the offer to come back was enticing, Alexis reminded Adam that Blake would just turn on him again. Instead of helping Blake, Adam told her and Jeff everything and they devised there own scheme. He thanks Blake for his new seat on the hospital board.

Sam tells Fallon that it’s time for the couple’s toast but Fallon tells him it will have to be postponed as they fought. Sam doesn’t want to assume it was her fault but does anyway. Alexis interrupts very excited about the wedding and full of ideas. Fallon doesn’t her advice or help anymore seeing as how her advice about Liam and Connor as gotten her in trouble now. Fallon yells at Alexis to leave which impacts the woman who solemnly tells her she’ll get her gift bag and go. Sam can’t believe Fallon didn’t ask him for advice, seeing as how he grew up without a father and always felt that void in his life. He tells her that Connor needs a dad more then she needs fiance. She knows he’s right and agrees to back off with Liam. He asks if she hates the party, to which she tells him that she’s isn’t speak to her fiance, she’s almost positive Connor blinded a guest, and everyone just watched a sex tape starring her ex-fiance and her half aunt. Sam then agrees that it sucks.

Cristal texts with Roberto about their plans but is called away from her phone by a woman. Roberto sees two black SUV’s and doesn’t know which one is Alexis’s.

Fallon meets with Liam on the staircase and she apologizes leading them to have a heart-to-heart talk. She worries she doesn’t fit in with his new family but knows she didn’t have a right to get between Liam and his son. He appreciates her apology but doesn’t think he can do this anymore. She thinks it’s extreme as she knows she messed up, but he stops her spiral saying that he doesn’t mean their relationship. He means being a parent to Connor as he’s barely been holding it together. He never wanted kids and now he has this responsibility to be a good parent but doesn’t know-how. He also knows that she didn’t sign up for this when she agreed to marry him, but it’s his problem so he’ll handle it. She assures him that it is their problem and it won’t be full-time seeing as Heidi is a great mom and he’ll be a great dad. They then stand and agree to go out to the party, profess their love, and shut the party down.

Roberto is forced to make a choice when Cristal doesn’t answer. He attaches the bomb to the wrong car but Alexis leaves the party early. As Fallon gives her toast, Roberto struggles to detach the bomb from the car.

Liam and Fallon kiss after her toast and he begins to give his. Fallon interrupts to say that while some of them were at their divorce party, she admits it was all for show but this is the real deal.

Alexis enters the parking garage and gets in her car.

Mid-way through their toast a large bang is heard from the party that shakes the hotel. Fallon and Liam are shocked.

Cristal gathers her belongings and hurries out of the room.

In the garage, a black SUV is in shambles and fire is everywhere. Car alarms are blaring. Cristal enters the parking garage and sees Alexis standing at her car staring at the explosion. Roberto, however, is on the ground unconscious with blood on his face.

At Atlanta General, Cristal sits with Roberto who has second-degree burns but will make a full recovery. The fire department cleaned up and left the scene with the incident being reported as an accident for now, but she worries they’ll get caught. He assures her that he was careful so they are safe. She apologizes but he tells her it’s okay but to thank Blake for putting him up in his hospital. Cristal admits that Blake doesn’t know as he had left early, but Blake won’t know if Cristal can help it.

Dom visits Vanessa with quite a story to tell Vanessa. Vanessa has signed with Fallon’s label, has a room waiting at the manor, and after tonight, is trending worldwide on Twitter. With all the publicity, Dom was able to sell their show, House of Deveraux. Vanessa agrees to play her part and start filming. Dom has an idea on how to handle Culhane.

Blake listens to the recording and is shocked when Adam’s confession begins playing. It features Adam confessing to poisoning Jeff Colby at the request of Blake. Blake angrily slams the computer shut.

Alexis, Jeff, and Adam hold a meeting to discuss everything that happened. Jeff is surprised by Adam who has realized that he can be much better than Blake ever was. Jeff gets word that Dustin signed off on the deal so once the board approves, CA is there’s. The trio then toasts to a successful plan.

Fallon and Liam return to their room and are surprised when Connor is waiting in the hall with his backpack and a game. Heidi left a note saying that she had sacrificed so much to be a parent, loves Connor, but it’s his turn to be a parent now. She asks for forgiveness and for him to look after their son. With Heidi gone, and having fled Atlanta and abandoned her son, Liam and Fallon have been promoted parentally against their will.

Cast[]

Starring[]

Elizabeth Gillies as Fallon Carrington
Daniella Alonso as Cristal Carrington
Elaine Hendrix as Alexis Carrington Colby
Rafael de La Fuente as Sam Jones
Sam Underwood as Adam Carrington
Michael Michele as Dominique Deveraux
Robert Christopher Riley as Michael Culhane
Sam Adegoke as Jeff Colby
Maddison Brown as Kirby Anders (credit only)
Adam Huber as Liam Ridley
Alan Dale as Joseph Anders (credit only)
Grant Show as Blake Carrington

Guest Starring[]

Co-Starring[]

Trivia[]

As being the main cast members, Alan Dale and Maddison Brown are credited for the episode, though they are absent from this episode.
Fallon Carrington is the titular character of this episode.
The title "That Wicked Stepmother" is a reference to the line said by Sable Colby to Jeff Colby in season nine episode "No Bones About It" of the original Dynasty series.
Fallon's line about renting a child refers to her renting Tony's children as her own in "Battle Lines".
Alexis telling Fallon that if a daddy has to choose between his kids and his bride-to-be he will choose the kids and that she should has know, is a reference to The Parent Trap in which Elaine Hendrix played a bride-to-be that ask to her future husband to choose between his daughters and her.
Vanessa performs "Do You Want Me?", one of two original songs written for the series.
- The second original song written for the series is "More Than Me", by Elizabeth Gillies.

Quotes[]

Heidi: Who rents a child?
Fallon: People do it, okay? It happens.

Fallon: Liam doesn't have to be a father just because he "suddenly has a son."
Sam: Isn't that the exact definition of fatherhood? How do you feel about being this boy's stepmother?
Fallon: Uh I am not his stepmother! This is just temporary.

Fallon: [Thinking Liam wants a threesome when Heidi appears] Oh, Okay. Well, this isn't exactly what I meant when I said "spice things up," but okay, let's do it.

Alexis: As long as your wife isn’t around. I’m considering getting a restraining order after she tried to drown me in that pond.
Blake: After you tried to shoot her?
Alexis: Let’s not quibble over details, Blake.

Sam: Now, do you really think this is the worst engagement party ever?
Fallon: Liam and I aren't speaking, I'm almost positive Connor blinded one of the guests, and everyone here just watched a sex tape starring my ex-fiance and my half Aunt.
Sam: Yeah. This sucks.