Interesting idea about Natalie, Magnus. I'm not sure it works, but I said that about another idea of yours that I later adopted hook, line, and sinker and took much farther than I believe you ever intended it should be taken.
Thing is, until now I had the impression that they actually said onscreen that Natalie was summoning someone from Martinique. I need explanations and for things to make sense, so my brain filled in the gap, I guess.
I think she can't have been a resident of Collinsport, because if she were, then surely she would have been either consulted or accused - or both - during Vicky's trial. So she must have come from further away. My impression is that it took less than an hour for her to respond to the Countess's call, so she cannot have come by foot or by horse, but rather by some supernatural means.
Her presence isn't as bizarre if she's a local. I want to embrace that, so I won't be throwing my hands up in the air in frustration when I see those scenes again. I can see no way that Natalie would know this semi-witch though if she's local... and by the way, how can she have powers but not be a witch? They had half-pennies then... did they have half-witches too? And so's Natalie, because she "summoned" B Mapes, without physically going to get her, didn't she?
Were we talking about erased and recreated time-lines, before? I mean, when you took on an idea of mine... Multiple 1840s, or Angelique not being part of Phyllis Wick's (remembered her name this time) version of 1795?
Somehow it seems only right that Barnabas should spend his vacation strangling somebody.
He works hard, and he plays hard, damn it.... Maybe Joshua instilled enough of a work ethic into his head, that he just can't take a vacation from his new "job". I'm always confused by the stranglings, though. A vampire who strangles people might just not have thought about his new role in life very clearly. A vampire who strangles people seems a little bit like a werewolf who shoots people or runs them down with his car. (Barnabas did that too, come to think...) Maybe Barnabas never read the job-description. And again, a lot of wasted blood.... and wasted opportunities for new allies...
MB.... I wonder, how many people watching
back then really appreciated all these nuances? Maybe one isn't expected to take apart an actor's performance... feeling the right feelings in response is enough. Anyway, I thought it might be a sad thing that it takes us decades to notice many of these things. I'd like for the actors to have be fully appreciated like this, back then.