The July 15th Episodes (Spoilers!)

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Just a day after complimenting the show for an example of perfect location/studio continuity comes another continuity error: David is wearing a shirt in the location footage of him watching from the window as Roger's car leaves the driveway, yet in the studio footage bookending it he's wearing pajamas and a robe. Would it really have been so hard for them to have dressed David in the same shirt in ep #15? Or did DC simply assume no one would notice? 

Also, in ep #536 it's worth noting what would certainly appear to be another sort of continuity error in the offing. After Barnabas is attacked by the bat, Adam complains of a terrible pain in his throat, and Carolyn checks it, there isn't so much as a bruise, never mind actual fang marks on Adam's throat - yet just a few months later in ep #607, when Nicholas checks Adam's throat after Angelique has bitten Barn, Nicholas does indeed discover bloody fang marks on Adam's throat. Hmmm...
And while we're on the subject of ep #536, it is without a doubt one of the best eps DS ever produced, but it's also proof positive that Julia and Willie are both what would be referred to today as co-dependant enablers. I mean, there's Willie soundly declaring how "nice" Barnabas has been to him and crying over his death when only a few eps earlier Barn was threatening to lead the police to believe that Willie was responsible for the attack on Joe - and Julia is declaring at Barn's grave site that even when they were against each other she always knew that he "only did what he was driven to do" because of the curse, and she wonders how either she or Willie might have behaved had the curse been placed on them. Even factoring in their grief, if that isn't classic co-dependant/enabling behavior, I don't know what is. And, of course, what's most fascinating is that the writers want the audience to accept that's the way both characters truly feel so that they'll in turn look upon Barn in the exact same way. And considering how often fans have used Julia's line to defend Barn and excuse him of his actions while under the curse, it's quite obvious that a huge amount of the audience does indeed come away thinking that way.

And lastly, in ep #1058 it's apparent that Barn hasn't completely lost his edge as he's unselfishly trying to save PT Quentin because, when Maggie dares to wonder why he'd like an article of Hoffman's clothing, Barn barks at her to do as he says. Now there's the Barn we've come to know and love! 

[Gothick]

That's a wonderful close-up of Jula in that PT 1970 episode.

Thank you again for these wonderful images.

Steve

[Nancy]

And while we're on the subject of ep #536, it is without a doubt one of the best eps DS ever produced, but it's also proof positive that Julia and Willie are both what would be referred to today as co-dependant enablers. I mean, there's Willie soundly declaring how "nice" Barnabas has been to him and crying over his death when only a few eps earlier Barn was threatening to lead the police to believe that Willie was responsible for the attack on Joe - and Julia is declaring at Barn's grave site that even when they were against each other she always knew that he "only did what he was driven to do" because of the curse, and she wonders how either she or Willie might have behaved had the curse been placed on them. Even factoring in their grief, if that isn't classic co-dependant/enabling behavior, I don't know what is. And, of course, what's most fascinating is that the writers want the audience to accept that's the way both characters truly feel so that they'll in turn look upon Barn in the exact same way. And considering how often fans have used Julia's line to defend Barn and excuse him of his actions while under the curse, it's quite obvious that a huge amount of the audience does indeed come away thinking that way.

What a wonderfully succint summary of the mystery as to why audiences love the bad guy, particularly a bad guy struggling with his evil.  The vunerability in the bad guy has been a form of a love potion throughout television and film for decades where audiences are concerned.  I remember loving to watch Barnabas and his antics back in the day the series was on but at no time did I want the character to ever be real - in vampire or the non-vampire stages - and I would not want the character, if he existed, in my life.   I can't speak for why the millions of people found Barnabas so attractive in his more selfish moments but I can tell you in my case, I was not unfamiliar with the excuses given to Barnabas or even Barnabas' own thoughts regarding his life and behavior.  If you grow up in an environment where there is one (or more) person(s) who is an addict,  you keenly are aware of co-dependence behavior, enabling,and the rest of it.  You also can't help but wonder how you might behave if the addiction was yours.  How would it color your behavior? How much would it change your personality, your values, etc.    I always understood why Barnabas behaved the way he did and could tell he was being enabled all over the place and I don't think I would have behaved much better given the ghastly cursed that affected him.  That said, it is one thing to understand (and emphathize) with someone and quite another to excuse it.  Those who know and live with addicts or addiction in their lives endure this dichtomy every day.

Nancy