15 best TV actresses of 2018
By Reed Gaudens
Elizabeth Gillies as Fallon Carrington in Dynasty
The Role: In The CW’s reboot of the classic primetime soap Dynasty, Elizabeth Gillies reinvents Fallon Carrington for the millennial generation. She’s spunky, she’s fierce, and she’s driven. As an heir to the Carrington fortune and a power player in the family business, Fallon doesn’t rely on what’s been handed to her since birth. Instead, she uses her privilege to her advantage (and actively works around it) to build her own empire.
The back half of Dynasty’s first season found Fallon being held hostage in a warehouse by Sammy Jo’s parents, crafting two fake marriages, and getting the keys to the castle by being named CEO of Carrington Atlantic. But Season 2 has brought a new depth to the character, with Gillies shading in her rough edges with vulnerability, determination, and maturation. Although, Fallon’s dry wit and inexhaustible exasperation for those around her have never once waned.
Must Read. Elizabeth Gillies' viral meme made me watch Dynasty, and I regret nothing. light
Why She’s One of 2018’s Best: Not to toss around a word that’s often overused, but Elizabeth Gillies is an absolute revelation as Fallon Carrington. She breathes new life into a classic television character and elevates the rebooted primetime soap with her commanding presence and comic timing. A lot of dramas and soaps don’t know that they are actually comedies, but Gillies makes damn sure Dynasty brings the laughs with her unparalleled line readings. As evidenced by her epic Instagram Stories, she can do this off-script, too.
Apart from her unforgettable performance in “I Answer To No Man,” in which Fallon’s tied up in a warehouse but cries about her new bangs, Gillies nailed Fallon’s Wizard of Oz fever dream in Season 2’s “That Witch.” Only Fallon Carrington would be knocked unconscious and dream of being both Dorothy and The Wizard and kissing herself. This is a role that only Elizabeth Gillies could play, and she’s giving Leighton Meester’s portrayal of Blair Waldorf in Gossip Girl a real run for its money. I won’t rest until TV’s most underrated star receives her deserved icon status.
—Reed Gaudens, Hidden Remote Staff Writer