Monica Scott Colby is a fictional character from the ABC television series Dynasty and its spin-off The Colbys, both created by Richard and Esther Shapiro. Portrayed by Tracy Scoggins, the character was introduced on Dynasty in the November 1985 two-part episode "The Titans" as the lawyer daughter of wealthy California CEO Jason Colby (Charlton Heston) and his socialite wife, Sable (Stephanie Beacham). Scoggins was subsequently a series regular on The Colbys for two seasons from 1985 to 1987. She reappeared as Monica on Dynasty for its final eight episodes in 1989.
In The CW's 2017 Dynasty reboot, Monica is portrayed by Wakeema Hollis. In this series, Monica is the sister of Jeff Colby (Sam Adegoke) and the daughter of Cesil Colby (Hakeem Kae-Kazim) and Dominique Deveraux (Michael Michele), who is the half-sister of Blake Carrington (Grant Show).
Appearances Scoggins debuted as Monica in the Dynasty episodes "The Titans - Part 1" and "The Titans - Part 2", which aired back-to-back on November 13, 1985. She subsequently appeared as a series regular on The Colbys, which ran for two seasons from November 20, 1985, to March 26, 1987. Scoggins later played Monica in the ninth and final season of Dynasty, joining the series for its eight final installments beginning with the March 16, 1989 episode "The Son Also Rises" and remaining until Dynasty finale episode "Catch 22" on May 11, 1989. Monica did not appear in the 1991 miniseries Dynasty: The Reunion.
Hollis began playing Monica in "I Hardly Recognized You", the October 11, 2017 premiere episode of the Dynasty reboot series. The character is one of several cast as nonwhite for the reboot.
Original series and The Colbys At the height of Dynasty popularity, its creators Richard and Esther Shapiro devised a spin-off series, initially called Dynasty II: The Colbys. Tracy Scoggins starred as Monica Colby, the lawyer daughter of wealthy CEO Jason Colby and his socialite wife, Sable.
Casting Scoggins said that she auditioned along with "every woman in LA and New York between the ages of 25 and 30." It was down to about six actresses when Scoggins screen tested with Maxwell Caulfield, who plays Monica's twin brother, Miles. She was offered the role a week later.
Characterization The Desert Sun described Monica as a lawyer "determined to make it in a man's world [who] can't understand the inequalities that confront her." DVD Talk called the character "Colby Enterprises' chief counsel and all-around shark". Scoggins said:
Storylines
Dynasty season six The Colbys of Los Angeles come to Denver to celebrate a new business venture with oil tycoon Blake Carrington (John Forsythe) in the 1985 Dynasty episodes "The Titans - Parts 1 and 2". The lawyer daughter of Jason and Sable Colby, Monica is the twin sister of Miles Colby (Maxwell Caulfield), who has become romantically involved with an amnesiac Fallon Carrington (Emma Samms). Miles and Monica also have a younger sister, Bliss (Claire Yarlett).
The Colbys season one In The Colbys, Monica is a lawyer working for her father Jason's company, Colby Enterprises. In the series premiere, "The Celebration", she offers to investigate who is behind detrimental rumors which are plaguing the company, but Jason dismisses her. An angry Monica complains to Sable, who tells Monica that it is unlikely Jason will ever treat her like he would a man. In "Conspiracy of Silence", Monica warns Miles that things will likely change between him and Fallon if she gets her memory back. Monica tries to convince her cousin Jeff Colby (John James) to let his ex-wife Fallon go, since she and Miles are in love, in "Moment of Truth". Monica offers to help Jason again in "Family Album", but is forced to accept that her father only takes men seriously. Blake Carrington's half-sister, Dominique Deveraux (Diahann Carroll), asks Monica to help her learn if Jason is the one buying up stock in her company, Titania Records. Monica learns that Dominique's ex-lover, Garrett Boydston (Ken Howard), bought the stock. Dominique offers Monica a job leading her company. Feeling unappreciated, Monica quits Colby Enterprises to manage Titania in "Shadow of the Past". Jason is hurt, but Monica is sick of being treated like a decoration rather than a valued employee. In accepting the job, Monica has run afoul of Titania vice president Neil Kittredge (Philip Brown), who was demoted to make way for her. Dominique is annoyed to find Monica and Neil clashing at work in "The Reunion".
Worried about Constance, Monica confronts Hutch, who has no idea that Constance is wealthy and breaks things off with her. Monica is doubtful in "Fallen Idol" when Miles tells her he witnessed Jason in a romantic embrace with Jeff's mother and Sable's sister, Francesca (Katharine Ross). Monica apologizes to Constance for interfering with Hutch in "Fallen Idol", and goes to Hutch to ask that he reconcile with Constance. Monica meets blind singer Wayne Masterson (Gary Morris) and pitches him to Neil, which leads to another argument between them. Monica and Neil get closer in "The Letter", as she and Wayne begin working together. Neil apologizes to Monica in "The Turning Point". They fly to San Francisco for dinner, and end up spending the night together. Thanks to Monica, Hutch reconciles with a recovering Constance in "Thursday's Child". Neil is jealous of Monica's relationship with Wayne. In "The Pact", Monica learns from Dominique that Neil is married. In "Fallon's Choice", Monica tries to talk Miles out of renewing his pursuit of Fallon, who has moved on with Jeff. When Neil complains about her closeness to Wayne, Monica explodes with her discovery that Neil has a wife. As Wayne prepares to have an operation that could restore his sight, Monica fires Neil in "The Trial".
In "Burden of Proof", Jason reveals in court that he is Jeff's father, making Jeff the half-brother of Monica, Miles, and Bliss. With Jeff and Fallon planning to marry in Los Angeles, Monica is worried when Miles refuses to get away to New York in "My Father's House". She works out her argument with Wayne. Dominique compels Monica to rehire Neil in "The Outcast". When Miles is arrested for murder, Monica tells Wayne in "The Honeymoon" that she cannot be with him when he has his surgery. Monica laments to Sable that Miles seems to be pushing her away. Monica and Neil resume their affair in "Double Jeopardy", and he tells her he is going to ask his wife for a divorce. After visiting Miles in jail, Monica is worried he is hiding something. In "A Family Affair", Constance asks Monica about the relevance of audio tapes in court. Miles confides in Monica that he cannot be sure whether he committed the murder or not, but she believes him incapable of murder. She helps him try to regain his memories in "The Reckoning", and worries when he vanishes and appears to jump bail. Wayne tells Monica that he can see again. In "Anniversary Waltz", Neil reassures Monica that he will divorce his wife, and gives her a key to his apartment. Wayne leaves Titania Records and Los Angeles when he realizes what is going on between Monica and Neil. Monica catches Neil in bed with his wife in the season finale "Checkmate". Devastated, she flees by plane, only to crash in the mountains.
The Colbys season two Monica has survived the plane crash in the season two premiere "The Gathering Storm". Dominique tells Monica of her intent to sell Titania Records in "No Exit". Dominique sells Titania Records and her hotel to Jason's enemy, Zach Powers (Ricardo Montalbán), prompting Monica to quit in "Jason's Choice". When Jason throws Sable out of the mansion and she collapses, Monica and her siblings convince Jason to allow their mother to stay. In "The Matchmaker", Jason is angry with Monica that he had to hear about her plane crash from his insurance agent. Not ready to talk about Neil, Monica is pleasantly surprised when Jason asks her to come back as General Counsel of Colby Enterprises. Finally feeling appreciated, she accepts. In "Something Old, Something New", Monica opens up to Jason about Neil, and explains that she was unhappily involved with another married man in the past. Jason is compelled to work with Senator Cash Cassidy (James Houghton), the son of an old business rival, as Jason's government liaison for a proposed space satellite project. Monica is thrown when Cash comes to Sable's party, as Cash is the married man with whom Monica had an affair in college. Though he had previously ended their relationship to preserve his political career, Cash wants to reconnect in "The Gala". Monica rebuffs him, insisting it is over between them. She tells her father she does not want to work with Cash, but Jason forces the issue. Monica waffles when Cash asks her why she left him eight years ago. As Jason warns Cash away from Monica, she goes to Arthur, fearful that Cash will discover that she had his child. In "Bloodlines", Jason wants Cash off the project, but Monica does not want him removed because of her. Cash is grateful for her support, but Cash's wife Adrienne (Shanna Reed) warns Monica that she will fight hard to keep her husband. Monica insists that her relationship with Cash is long dead. Cash confesses that he still loves Monica in "Deceptions", but she rejects him. He is persistent, and insists that his marriage has fallen apart. With Monica's resistance losing strength, Miles advises her to protect her own interests.