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« on: January 10, 2013, 07:53:32 PM »
...and then came Maude.
Emotionally, I found the whole damn thing distressing and extremely ugly. This is my second viewing and knowing generally everything that is going to happen (with repercussions even in future story-lines) made it all so very depressing (for me). Add in the haughtiness and cruelty and it just becomes one big ugly moment (for me). And it being a kinescope was the nasty icing on the cake. I did not enjoy this episode at all.
That said, I give Lara props for her acting in this episode; it was flawless. I don't like the character at this stage of the game (or in this story-line) and I did not savor her arrival on the scene. The first time around I found Natalie a riot, this time I'm really turned off by her. And Grayson's acting is sub-par to her talents and uneven at best, in this episode.
I admit that I really got a kick out of seeing Barn in the scene described by DarkLady: in his poet-sleeved shirt. I got a big kick out of the pants also. Not used to seeing Barns legs and him moving so spryly.
IMO, no one but Lara pulled off their roles in this episode. Grayson's tarot card scene with Frid was painful to watch. Edmonds & Bennett both faltered with their lines. And at this point I won't rate Frid, except to say that I only remember not being disappointed with Lara Parker.
So, we've been presented with two more new characters. Natalie is obviously going to provide much comic relief and so far as I can tell will be on the foe side of Vicki. And Ange, well, there is no indication either way at this point as she hasn't met Vicki. But even at this stage of the game it appears Ange is on only one side - her own!
We see that Naomi has an issue with booze and that Joshua is not at all sympathetic or amused by it. We see that Barn had an affair with his bride-to-be's family servant. And it's been made obvious that she (Ange) is going to be a problem. Natalie is a snob of the highest order and is sure to be a thorn in the side of many and believes in the supernatural. Joshua is a prideful American but hypocritical as he scoff’s at titles saying everyone is equal and yet is misogynistic, and he does not see eye to eye with his son Barnabas.
This was definitely a jam-packed exciting episode. Too bad (for me) that it pushed all my buttons and (again, as far as I'm concerned) was poorly acted with the exception of Lara Parker.