Wow. I love how you don't just discuss the history of queer representation in media, but you bring ALL THE RECEIPTS on the history and politics as well. Thank you!

The moment Steven marries a woman to save his child juxtaposed with the scene where she dropped a baby from a rooftop, I laughed out loud hahahaha

"I feel rly sorry for those teenagers who cant communicate with anyone but an actor" Replace an actor with "a youtuber/a youtube community" and this rings just as true nowadays for far too many young quëërs (apparently we cant use our own words cuz automod thinks we are bullying in this context >.>).

I watched the show as a child. My (conservative) stepdad was pissed when Blake was found guilty. I thought he wasn’t punished enough.

Damn, @Matt Baume , you've slain me. I was 17 in 1985. It was horrible. I read, "Stranger at the Gate." I knew Reagan laughed about us going away. But hearing the laughter again, 21:38 in... man. I ended up catching it in 1996, and almost died, twice. I lost so many friends, including my first boyfriend. I'm still here, undetectable, remarried after widowerhood. I'm still here, after that simpleton, Reagan, after bullying in highschool. After PTSD. After artificial hips, taking care of my legal husband 7.5 years of our just over 20 years together. My new husband and I, we're building a new future together.

It's next level evil to deny help to a friend. I was very aware that Reagan ignored the HIV crisis, but I don't remember hearing the story of the Reagans betraying their friend Rock Hudson. Like, it's not right, but it's easy for people to ignore the pain of nameless faceless people they don't know, but a friend? That takes so much more deliberate cruelty.

Fun fact! The actor who played Bart Fallmont (the lawyer/Congressman's son who comes out to Steven) is Kevin Conroy, long-time voice actor of Batman from The Animated Series and the Arkham games ('The' Batman, to a lot of people), and prominent gay man. He's actually going to be involved in the publication of a new comic book soon that's all about the experience of being a gay superhero.

Admittedly I’m an old straight woman. But I have to skip over when you talk about children being taken from their parents by bigoted grandparents. I remember those cases and it breaks my heart to remember.

This is a great video. Unfortunately, we are still dealing with this "save the children" nonsense.

I loved that Alexis was so accepting of Steven being gay

I am horrified to learn that Rock Hudson was refused help by the Regans. Stunned. Aaron Spelling clearly deserves more credit than he gets in relation to social issues. An amazing video 🙏❤

I wasn't allowed to watch this, explicitly because of the gay guys. Dad didn't want me "turning" gay, and was pissed I was in band and wrote poetry. Too bad for him I've always been attracted to the brain, and not the body. I've been in love with men and women.

Taking kids out of loving supportive homes because they're able to live their lives as trans people in 2022 and taking kids out of loving supportive homes because their parents are gay in 1980s. We haven't learned a damn thing

The MOMENT that spaceship appeared on screen... I laughed so hard I nearly crapped my pants. God, how I miss tv in the 80's!

It's odd how Blake Carrington was portrayed as this great protagonist when really he had done far more hideous things than Alexis ever did.

BRAVO! to actor Al Corely for walking out!! Kudos to Jack for doing as well as he could; and it's nice that Al returned for the reunion special.

I watched Dynasty every week when it was on. My then-husband called it "Dy-NASTY."

My husband grew up in a very conservative religious family and community. When we were dating he told me his daughter was gay, and when she came out he reacted badly. Shouting and trying to talk her out of it. I, who had been raised by parents that taught me gay was not a big deal and not to judge, was shocked and disappointed. One of the things that most attracted me to him was his kindness and his love for his kids. Then I realized he was already ashamed of how he'd reacted, and he was sharing and confessing this to me, so I didn't dump him. He is now a total LGBTQ supporter and has a great relationship with my step-daughter and her fiancee. He 's hardly a Blake Carrington, but people who are really loving can grow and change.

Bart Fallmont being played by Kevin Conroy is something special. As far as I am aware, Conroy has been out since 2016 (which I just learned today). He's considered one of the first openly gay men to lay a superhero (that wonderful voice is the one we all go to when someone mentions Batman or we read him in a comic).

18:38 Funfact: Night Court also had a trans awareness episode around that time. Which was absolutely unprecedented for Reagan's America. Now, by modern standards it's unacceptable and most of the jokes are phobic comments from Dan, but by the end of the episode, he's still learned a Very Important Lesson about trans people being *people.* So its heart was in the right place, at least.

28:54 Holy shit that is Kevin Conroy. I thought he looked vaguely familiar but the second he spoke.... Bruce Wayne... :D honestly the line he says is even perfect as Bruce Wayne

It was really big in Poland when I was a kid. One of the first soaps we had on tv. I remember my school friend naming her guinea-pig Blake Carrington, I took care of it during holidays for her. My mum renamed it Franek. Thinking about it the gay character I remember the best from tv shows growing up was Sisie from "You rang Milord?" a Brithish sitcom, maybe because she was a woman and one of the few sympathetic characters in the show.

As a gay kid of two moms, it bothers me when people argue about whether or not gay parents' kids will turn out gay. The argument shouldn't be on whether or not that's true, but on whether or not it matters if we do.

So strange that Dynasty was such a major show of it’s time, but I only rarely hear about it today. Looking forward to this!

I wish this episode was mandatory watching for high school kids today. Gracias Matt.

Holy voice of Batman! That is Kevin Conroy playing the lawyer Bart Fallmont. The definitive voice of Animated Batman was in Dynasty! I love it

I am so excited to see this. This was the first time I have seen a gay person on TV (early 90s in post-communist block) and also pretty much how I have found out that gay people exist (I was like...ten or eleven at that time).

"Maybe the couple was in another oil rig explosion together" 🤣🤣🤣 I love that joke but also all the information you always tell about the cultural shows of the time and the historical facts that inspire them. Your channel is really interesting!

Your "curious New York ways" refers to you being gay? That is such a relief; I thought you were going to tell me you joined the Mafia.

The Reagans and Charlton Heston were absolute monsters.

I love all your videos contextualizing old TV shows from my childhood. One quibble: it was not discovered that Fallon had merely been taken up into a UFO when she was presumed dead. Rather, it was discovered that she was suffering from amnesia and living in Los Angeles. The UFO plot, which occurred on the Dynasty spinoff, The Colbys, didn't occur until two years later.

"CURIOUS NEW YORK WAYS??" What is Blake even implying?? But I love it lol! Great video, very entertaining and thoroughly researched, it should be taught in schools.

I've always been curious about Dynasty, mostly because of the sheer fabulousness and shade of the leading ladies and all the great Alexis reaction gifs out there now but I honestly didn't realize it had an LGBTQ sub plot like that - so when you hinted on Twitter that you'd be tackling this next I was so excited and now I feel like I need to actually watch this series even more! Loved this video!

I feel like I need to stress this: THE 80s WERE SO RECENT, Y’ALL. It’s insane.

I graduated from high school in 1981, the year Dynasty first aired. Dynasty was a huge, worldwide cultural phenomenon, and you captured everything about the zeitgeist in American culture and politics, as well as Dynasty's reflection thereof. Dynasty's portrayal of gay people, along with greater societal treatment of gay people at the time, played a large role in the extreme difficulty I had coming to terms with my own sexual orientation in my late teens and throughout my twenties. The Steven character was virtually the only media portrayal of a gay person at the time, and the message was beatings, hatred, shame, stereotypes, and then making the character straight. And for those who didn't live through the 1980s and early 1990s, yes, things were that bad for gay people. I finally came to terms with being gay in 1993 -- this year (2023) marks 30 years as my authentic self. In 1994 I was the first openly-gay lawyer in the history of the large firm I worked at that time.

Thank you for this series! I kinda used to assume gay characters were kinda just tossed in as a writing gimmick or something and not characters that were vigorously fought for behind the scenes for representation. Most of the shows I watched were in the 90s though and it felt like the majority of gay characters on tv were flamboyant stereotypes that I honestly couldn't relate to and honestly made me feel isolated from the gay community as it made me feel like I wasn't being genuine if I didn't act like that. So I kinda really hated the inclusion of gay characters at that point because of how they were always portrayed. 😕

Mr. Baume, would it be okay to ask if you could do an episode on a series from the 80s called 'Brothers'? It lasted a few seasons on Showtime and showed positive yet humorous depictions of gays in society with main gay characters. I was able to associate with them and see myself in a positive light while growing up in rural Kansas in the 80s. I would love to see a retrospect on the show that helped me a lot. Thank you.

Holy crap, I had to look it up after seeing him (and hearing him) but that's Kevin Conroy (arguably the best voice of Batman) as Bart.

Dynasty and Melrose Place are two shows I've always wondered about; how the writers went about with the storylines and how it was received at the time. Thank you for this video and I can't wait for a video covering Melrose Place.

I love the detail that when asked if he loves his son, the congressman responds not only with of course he does, but so instantly and without thought that the other actors lines weren't even finished yet

I'm old enough to be around when Dynasty actually aired but as a kid, I was too young to understand or appreciate the series. I knew OF Dynasty and it's iconic status in pop culture (and queer culture)but I had always assumed that Steven was a minor side character. And kudos to Al Corley to fight for a gay character, especially during those times. It's nice to know that playing a gay character didn't seem to negatively impact his or Jack Coleman's career. Also it tickles me pink that Noah Bennett from Heroes ends up with the (one and only) Batman.

Bart Fallmount is Batman’s voice actor. I never knew he was on Dynasty. I think it’s interesting to know that Kevin played a gay character in the 80s and is gay in real life.

Your delivery of, 'turns out this is what happened too her' like it isnt one of the most batshit things you've shown us is just perfect

So many memories this video conjured up for me. Wednesday was Dynasty Night at the bar, my particular haunt was Peacock Alley. It was always packed shoulder to shoulder with everyone drinking fancy cocktails (usually a special for the night). Cheering, booing and gasping at the twists and turns. The cat fights between Alexis and Krystal were especially raucous! What a great time!

This was the best night time soap ever made!!! I started watching this when I was a kid. My family watched this too. Even my dad🤣🤣🤣 and many years later I got my husband into the show. I know every episode by heart!!! I love that you are going to talk about this show!!!

It's sad when networks and the general public are okay with seeing a human beat up or even kill another human, but they are not okay with seeing two people (who are of the same gender) who love each other show affection towards one another.

Matt, I've been watching your channel for about a year now and I realized that I've never really commented. I just wanted to say, as a queer woman who loves TV history, how much I appreciate your work. Every time I watch one of your videos, I'm constantly in this state of either giggling at a joke or wanting to cry thinking about how queer people have been treated. Thank you for sharing this history and knowledge. I hope you know how much so many of us appreciate it.

If I didn’t already know my mother was super pro-gay, your videos about *all* her favorite shows would be a big fucking clue. 😂

Matt i know you mostly cover queer history in television, but seeing as Our Flag Means Death is MAKING history, i hope you cover it at some point... much appreciation and love from me!

A trip down memory lane. I was 20 in 1981 and I remember Steven well and how desperate me and my friends were for any kind of representation on tv.

During the Summer, I knew (and stated) that Liuke would be the only casualty, but my Mom didn't believe it; she failed to recognize the Narrative Trope of the Gay Guy Dying As Soon As They Do Something Noble

I don't know if you are going to talk about the "Steven is gay " scene. But "fun" fact : the first time it was broadcast at French public TV, the scene was dubbed "Steven est malade !" ( Steven is ill/sick)

I just have to say this... "Justice" Francis Poitrast looks like a vogon from Hitchhikers Guide which is rly befittin of someone who can have such revileable views.

It's really interesting how televisions relation to real life politics has changed. There's so much racism, homophobia and in particular transphobia in US politics right now and the tv landscape just keeps getting more and more diverse all the time. Reagons election turned the tv landscape more conservative and right wing. Trump's election just saw them double down and get even more progressive.

I barely knew much about Dynasty but this was a surprisingly heartwarming arc. But yo that alien subplot tho 👽

I remember falling in love myself with LUKE. What a gorgeous actor, Billy Campbell. The funny part of LUKE for me was that the hairdressers on that show thought that handsome gay guys like LUKE should have their hair PLASTERED DOWN!! LOL Guess it was to contrast with Steven's very dry hair.

Curious New York Ways sounds like a great place to get a drink, and read poetry to people you like.

They really did the “damage a characters face so we can get a new actor” ploy oh my god lmao

Scorched. Earth. Critique. Your long, unedited takes are a marvel. You, sir, are unusually talented. I, for one, wish you every success.

This series ran the ENTIRE time I was in high school and college! My girlfriends and I NEVER missed an episode because we wanted to know how to dress!!! Dynasty was the BOMB and still is! Those shoulder pads are coming back!!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Now, returning to our theme: everyone who had a family member who was gay or lesbian was clicking their tongues because we knew it was over the top madness! The happy gays were too busy fitting in and trying to climb that cooperate ladder without looking suspicious! 😉😉😉 Plus, at that time, AIDS had just become a thing! Every person I knew who had AIDS loved, loved, loved Liz Taylor and Princess Diana! That was what was important back in those days. That and staying out of hospital!!!

Ykno, my dad was a huge Dynasty fan, and for a suburban beer drinking football boomer, he's always been pretty calm about gay people. He adjusted to me coming out pretty well. I guess representation matters. Thank you, Matt! This was a really interesting ep. xoxo

16:52 to 17:08 was easily the most hilarious part of this whole video. I appreciate the amazing work on these videos!

I love your work, Matt. I wish I had the dosh to be a patron. Also, Dynasty had a UFO abduction storyline? LMAO. I'm going to have to find this show and inhale every moment of it.

28:33 - Hold on! Wait a minute! Is that KEVIN CONROY?

I didn't know Dynasty got quite this silly with aliens and all! Makes Knots Landing and Dallas look downright grounded!

Shows like this make me so sad, I am old and I remember well how badly gay ppl were treated both on tv and in rl, it is really so disturbing and brings back a lot of memories. Thank you for your thoughtful and sensitive video. It is much appreciated (I watched half and just was overcome with memories and will watch the rest later).

I lived in Denver and worked in the oil industry when this show premiered. It was highly anticipated as a worthy competitor to CBS' "Dallas", but the show's creators knew they had to offer something different than a carbon copy of J.R. Ewing and clan. I watched the show and could not get over the inclusion of a gay character - but the show's setting of the Getty Mansion as the Carrington homestead dissipated any semblance to reality, at least for those of us in Colorado who knew that such an estate - with all its greenery - was just nowhere to be found along the Front Range. The show changed wildly during that first season (the whole Dale Robertson/wildcatter character was dropped after only a few episodes, as was his employee played by Bo Hopkins after an intense but extremely brief affair with the Linda Evans character) . I was disappointed that Steven started bonding with Claudia (played by Pam Bell) - but at the same time - it was really not such a far out scenario given all the pressure to conform. Gays were definitely becoming more visible in society amid the booming economy: the whole "Yuppie" ("Young Urban Professional") image was co-opted into "Guppie" ("Gay Urban Professional") and, as I often said back then "It used to be that gay stereotypes were hairdressers, fashion designers and interior decorators, now they're accountants, lawyers and engineers." Unfortunately AIDS cut all that short, and not so very long after Reagan was elected (although many gay men I knew at the time, prior to AIDS of course, voted for Reagan in 1980 - yes - you have to know that). The visibility of HIV-affected characters in the early 80s was not so much the result of gay activism (we were too busy trying to stay alive not to mention that AIDS knocked out some of the established gay activists like Bill Krauss) but more the consequence of the Hollywood activists who were dealing with the loss of friends due to AIDS, culminating with Liz Taylor's efforts beginning 1984. You mention ACT UP, but that didn't start until 1987. The late 80s is really when gay men themselves finally started taking to the streets and demanding action. By that time, it was obvious the Washington DC was deliberately ignoring us and letting people die - and also by that time, there were enough individuals (like Larry Kramer) who had lived beyond their original HIV prognosis of a "death sentence" and were committed to fight for as long as they could.

OMG!!!! A DOMINIQUE DEVEREAUX T SHIRT!!!!!!! ONE OF THE TOP TEN GAYEST ITEMS I HAVE EVER SEEN...LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love love LOVE these videos. Rigorous research, documentation and oh! so hella entertaining

oh man, nearly cried with that reunion restaurant scene.

I didn't think it was brought up, but--and correct me if I'm wrong because the resemblance is striking--the original actor for the Congressman's son at 28:33 looks and sounds very much like Kevin Conroy, the iconic voice of Batman in Batman: The Animated Series and just about every other animated Batman property since. Also, while he lives a relatively private life and doesn't talk much about it, is an openly gay man.

Now I want to open up a gay bar here in Oklahoma City called Curious New York Ways. For the record I'm a straight man and Republican. Keep up the great work. You have opened my eyes to how Hollywood really was.

Sooooooo excited for this I'm posting before even watching! I was really hoping we'd get to Dynasty & I can't wait to see what's in the video! Hope Matt mentions not just Steven the character + the 2 actors who played him, but also Adam's actor, Gordon Thomson, who was gay but not out during the show run & played a straight character. I feel bad Thomson felt obligated to hide his orientation, & for his heightened exposure to Reagan-era homophobia on + off screen that clung to the show simply bc it was an 80s glam prime-time soap trying to portray a gay lead character. It would've hurt even the most Teflon-souled & I hope GT's life really blossomed again after he felt safe/supported enough to come out.

Great video Matt! Fabulous t-shirt!!! By the time Dynasty first aired I’d seen gay characters such as the guys on Barney Miller, Jodie Dallas on Soap, etc. I’d also found myself attracted to straight characters on CHIPS, Dallas, Dukes of Hazard, and such. So a gay character on Dynasty had me intrigued. When he sleep with a women, became a father, and married Claudia I was angry at him and the show. However, I still watched. I came out to myself and a few female friends in 1983 - I’d just turned 16. I was happy how they finally ended with the Steven character being in a loving relationship. Interestingly I was never attracted to either actor that played Steven.

watching through your videos and I'm recognizing how much progress - and how much pushback from that progress - happened through the 80s. I was too young to have watched Dynasty but do I wish I KNEW about all this. Sometimes I wonder if people in my life, or people making decisions of what to show back in the day of pre-cable local stations and UHF channels in the south, were also trying desperately to suppress the progress made in the 80s thank you for these videos

Dynasty was one of the first shows to have major merchandising campaigns. The Nolan Miller clothes in the dept stores and the Forever Krystle and Carrington perfumes and cologne. There was even a dance remix of the opening theme

Never saw Dynasty, how did I miss this. But I'm glad for our family friends who were gay and a big part in our lives from the fifties onwards. I never even realized it was a problem, because of the roll models they were. And nobody was made to be anything, they were who they were.

Well, as the late artist formerly known, but by all accounts always remembered, as Prince once said. "You don't have to watch dynasty, to have an attitude." Maybe not,but it doesn't hurt either .

This was awesome. I'm a huge Dynasty fan, so this was a lot of fun to watch.

I was born in 1966, so by the time “Dynasty” started in 1981 I knew I was gay. Thankfully I escaped the horrible treatment gay kids got, especially in school, because I was athletic and people back then assumed that meant you were a straight guy. My mother and sister were watching “Dynasty” from the start, but I wasn’t interested because it seemed like another soap opera like all the ones my mom liked, except it was on at night. When my sister told me there was a gay character on the show I made it a point to watch. I hated the fact that the gay characters all had to be miserable, or have miserable people in their lives. But even without gay characters, the show was a real trip. I Joan Collin’s character “Alexis” was meant to be hilarious, but me and my family would be cracking up because she was so outrageous and evil (although she did love her gay son, which was unexpected, especially back then).

I have been waiting for this, knew you’d cover it, absolutely amazing

Another brilliant episode! OMG - I love it!!!

I greatly appreciate your channel Matt.

Curious New York ways! I love it!

Excellent commentary, as always!! ❤️

Beautifully done! Thank you so much for showing how important this show was for changing views.

I was so hoping you'd mention Bart was played by Batman actor Kevin Conroy. Great video though as always

One of the best things about this channel is the way Matt finds the BEST sound bites and clips for every single video. "Curious New York ways" indeed XD

That's shirt!!!!!

I love the way you structure your videos! So enjoyable to watch! Some of these shows were before my time and your breakdowns make me want to go back and enjoy them ❤️ Keep up the good work!

"If you'll excuse me" - the phrase that pops up constantly in TV shows and movies, but has never been uttered in real life.

Ty for educating me on media from previous generations! Super interesting.

So grateful for your incredible level of research, thoroughness, and thoughtfulness in the narrative you create in these videos - thank you!

I’ve been waiting for this one!

I could tell you how much I love your videos and how much I loved Dynasty,, but what I am dying to ask is where did you get that Dominique Deveraux shirt?! MUST HAVE IT! (This champagne is burned)

Thank you for sharing this. You're upbeat presentation makes it possible to understand and watch such heartbreaking information. Thank you!!!

My new favourite channel

I seem to recall that the massacre at the wedding was the show’s jump-the-shark moment. I seem to remember that the series saw a lot of fighting between Linda Evan’s character and that of Joan Collins. In any event, I didn’t watch soap operas*, and I didn’t know one of the main characters was gay. Maybe I might have caught a few episodes now and then. * Speaking of Collins, there was one soap opera I did watch: Dark Shadows. But it really wasn’t a soap opera per se. It began as one but it soon transformed into a gothic horror show. At least, that’s what it was to the eight year-old I was at the time. :-)

Each video you publish makes me cry.

OF COURSE, I had to order the T-Shirt! Thanks Matt, I really love your channel.