Fallon Carrington (Elizabeth Gillies) is charismatic, cunning and poised to become the new COO of her father's global energy empire – or so she thinks. When her father, Blake Carrington, (Grant Show) summons Fallon and her brother, Steven (James Mackay), home to the family compound in Atlanta, Fallon is horrified to learn that the reunion isn't to announce her promotion – but rather to make the acquaintance of stepmother-to-be, Cristal (Nathalie Kelley). Cristal is stunning – and almost as young as Fallon, as Fallon is quick to point out – but she isn't just some flimsy gold-digger to be scared off. Cristal is driven, principled, a savvy publicity maven at Carrington Atlantic, and she truly loves Blake. However, the wealth and privilege of the Carringtons' world proves challenging to her, as she clashes with the staff, including Blake's butler, Anders (Alan Dale), as well as Fallon, who all make it very clear Cristal doesn't belong. Family dynasties flow through blood, and Fallon would sooner draw blood than call Cristal "Mom." Fallon asks Culhane (Robert Christopher Riley), the family's chauffeur – and Fallon's secret lover – to help expose Cristal for the fraud Fallon thinks she is. But when that backfires, and Blake chooses Cristal over his own daughter, Fallon sides up to Blake's biggest rival, Jeff Colby (Sam Adegoke), mixing business and pleasure to seek her revenge...leaving a jealous Culhane to watch from the sidelines. While the Carringtons' rocky relationships prove the theory that family sticks together no matter what, Cristal is reminded of exactly that when her nephew, Sammy Jo (Rafael de la Fuente), arrives with a suitcase full of secrets from Cristal's past. Now Cristal's carefully concealed history could bring her future crashing down – and who knows who she might take down with her.