Dynasty (1981 – 1989)

Now let me say this from the start – Dynasty is not on this list because I really liked the show; it’s on this list because it was a big part of my childhood. You have to remember that when I was growing up, there were only four channels – in fact, when Dynasty started there were only three – so people were not as fussy about what they watched back then.

As a result of this lack of choice I had to endure a lot of television that was chosen by my parents. My mum liked soap and drama and Dynasty was one of her favourites, and because it straddled my bedtime, I would often find myself sitting cross-legged on the floor, getting into the outrageous storylines. There was something quite mesmeric about being ten years old with zero life experience and watching these grown ups cheat and lie and steal.

Superficially, Dynasty was all about oil and big business, but more correctly it was about money, sex, and outrageous shoulder pads. In fact, the entire wardrobe for the show was just a love song to the decade within which it was produced. The series also turned Joan Collins into a megastar. She was already well known by the time she appeared in Dynasty, but her portrayal of Alexis turned her into one of the best TV bitches of the decade.