debuted as Joseph in the Dynasty pilot episode, "Oil", and was written out in the second episode of the fourth season, "The Bungalow". The role is one of Bergere's best-known. Alan Dale began playing the character, more commonly referred to as "Anders", in the 2017 pilot of the Dynasty reboot.
Original series
Storylines
Season one
Denver oil tycoon Blake Carrington introduces his fiancée—and former secretary—Krystle to the household in "Oil". Longtime Carrington majordomo Joseph is staunchly loyal to Blake, and immediately dislikes Krystle, to whom he is dismissive until reproached by Blake's son, Steven. In "The Honeymoon", Krystle is having problems adjusting to life as a wealthy woman, made especially challenging by the imperious Joseph. Krystle rises to the challenge.
Season two
Joseph displays a deep loathing for Blake's first wife Alexis, who has returned to Denver after being exiled by Blake years before. Blake loses his sight in a car bombing; his vision returns in "The Hearing", but he hides his recovery from everyone except Joseph.
Season three
In "Mark", Joseph wants to quit his job at the mansion to help his daughter, Kirby, in France. She comes to Denver instead in "Kirby", and in "Acapulco" Joseph warns Kirby away from Jeff Colby, who is married to Blake's daughter Fallon. Joseph then warns Jeff away from Kirby in "The Locket". Jeff and Fallon divorce, and Jeff marries Kirby in Reno, Nevada in "Fathers and Sons". Joseph is angry to learn of the marriage in "The Downstairs Bride". Kirby is pregnant, and Alexis threatens Joseph that she will tell Kirby "the truth" about her mother in "The Threat". In the season three finale "The Cabin", Krystle and Alexis are trapped in a cabin, which someone sets on fire.
Season four
Krystle and Alexis survive. In "The Bungalow", someone tries to kill Alexis in the hospital, and Joseph kills himself by way of a self-inflicted gunshot. In "The Note", Blake and Jeff find a note in which Joseph confesses to setting the cabin fire to kill Alexis.
Reboot
Casting and development
Dale was cast in the pilot in March 2017. Executive producer Sallie Patrick said that with Anders and Carrington chauffeur Michael Culhane, "we introduce the theme of upstairs/downstairs, because how can you have a show about the filthy rich without including the people who try their damnedest to keep them clean?" Of Anders and Cristal Carrington's nephew Sam Jones, she said, "We've introduced their friendship, and I totally 'ship them together. Locking them in the basement was so much fun... Sammy Jo is always getting in over his head, so it made sense for him to be the first one knocked out. And the funniest person to lock him in the basement with seemed to be Anders." Before the premiere of season two, Patrick previewed the introduction of Anders's daughter Kirby :
Storylines
Season one
Carrington majordomo Joseph Anders is protective of the family, and threatened by Cristal's presence as the new would-be mistress of the mansion. After the wedding in "I Hardly Recognized You", Anders warns Cristal that he has investigated her sordid past and will reveal the details to Blake if she steps out of line. In "Guilt is for Insecure People", Anders merges Cristal's meager assets with Blake's per the terms of their prenuptial agreement, effectively making her unable spend any money without Anders knowing. In "Company Slut", Anders manipulates Sam to keep Steven away from his ex-boyfriend, Ted Dinard, a recovering drug addict whom Blake and Anders had previously pushed out of Steven's life. In "The Best Things in Life", Anders discreetly helps Cristal pay off someone from her past, but goes to Blake when he catches her in a lie. Anders and Cristal discover that Cristal's sister Iris Machado was behind the extortion plot in "Rotten Things". On Blake's behalf, Anders bribes a prison guard to stage an attack intended to prevent Cesil Colby from being paroled in "Nothing But Trouble". After Sam reveals in "The Gospel According to Blake Carrington" that he is in the country illegally, Anders sets him up with an immigration lawyer to begin the citizenship process. In "A Line from the Past", Anders tells Sam that he has an ex-wife and a daughter, Kirby, in Australia. Anders moves to call her, but hangs up. Sam invites Kirby to his wedding to Steven in "Dead Scratch", before learning from Steven and Fallon that as a child she was a "psychopath" who tormented Fallon. Later, Anders is surprised to find Kirby arriving at the mansion.
Season two
Anders keeps Kirby at a distance from the Carringtons in "Twenty-Three Skidoo", and father and daughter clash over her wild lifestyle and his mistrust.
Reception
Dale has received praise for the role, and Maureen Ryan of Variety called him "the best aspect of the new version of Dynasty", noting that "Dale improves every scene he's in." Patrick said, "Alan Dale is amazing as Anders. From the beginning, everybody wanted to be in a storyline with him."
