Discuss - Ep #0644

[Watching Project]

Robservations #644

(Admin note: IluvBarnabas' post from "Discuss - Ep #0643" has been split and merged with this topic, and the posting time has been updated accordingly.)

[IluvBarnabas]

I love the scene where Elizabeth, Roger and Carolyn watch someone writing Jamison on the mirror and then to see it disappear. Talk about spooky. Was it Quentin who wrote Jamison's name? One might think so since later on we learn [spoiler] Jamison was the only one Quentin really cared for out of all the family [/spoiler] but I would think Quentin wouldn't want any of the adults to be aware of his presence before wreaking any havoc. Could it have been Beth, then, or Magda again?

Maybe it was Magda's ghost who pushed the clock down, but I think a case could be made that it could have been Beth's too. [spoiler] In life, Beth also was all too aware of what a troublemaker Quentin could be and would be again as a ghost. [/spoiler] It's just something that we can only speculate. I do think SOMEONE wanted to stop the children from going to the room.

I wonder how Roger, that old skeptic of anything supernatural, was able to rationalize the mysterious writing of his father's name on the mirror then seeing it fade away? Probably just another case of 'mass-halluciniating' in his mind, knowing him.

[Lydia]

Quickly, EmmyRose, run and get a milestone!  Quentin's music was played for the first time in this episode!  Hurry!  Quentin will be mad at us if he thinks his music didn't rate a milestone!

Gosh it was good to hear that music again.

I listened to Reinhold Weege's commentary on the pilot episode of Night Shift recently, and he was talking about the importance of doors.  Only what he was really talking about was the importance of pushy neighbors who barge right in without knocking so that you don't have to waste precious screen time with the knocking on the door and the walking to the door to answer it and the opening of the door and the "How are you" before getting to the reason of the visit of the neighbors.  Well, on Dark Shadows, instead of pushy neighbors we have pushy ghosts barging right into people's minds and telling them where to look so that we don't have to waste time looking in all the wrong places.  Or anyway, that's what I was thinking - but then the grown-ups didn't find the children after all.  Very pleasing.

These days, when I watch Dark Shadows, a lot of the initial thrill is gone.  I love the show - oh, golly, do I ever love the show - but it doesn't make me catch my breath very often, and it doesn't very often make me think, "I can't wait for tomorrow!"  I caught my breath when I heard Quentin's music today, and thank heaven today isn't Friday, because I can't wait to see tomorrow's episode.

[IluvBarnabas]

Whoever moved my post in here, thank you! I very much appreciate it. I promise to be more careful about where I type in the future.

[Nelson Collins]

I wonder how Roger, that old skeptic of anything supernatural, was able to rationalize the mysterious writing of his father's name on the mirror then seeing it fade away? Probably just another case of 'mass-halluciniating' in his mind, knowing him.

I'm a big fan of the "JAMISON" scene too, and this period of the show seems to mark a turning point, where Scully like  skeptics such as  Roger keep having their skepticism chipped away at [spoiler]until the memorable scene when Roger is at the door of Collinwood (Quentin having completely possessed the children and driving them out of the house) shouts his defiance that he will get his son back.[/spoiler]

I wonder if it was Quentin taunting them with writing the name or if it was Magda trying to give them some clues (like the book and the letter last ep) to try to avert what is to come.....

[MagnusTrask]

Something keeps ghosts from leaving clear, precise messages.  I wonder what it is?   I've thought about what the basic nature of ghosts might be lately, and I'm not sure I know.    Some things they can do, in some ways they're more powerful than us, but less powerful than us in other ways.  I wonder how they're different psychologically too.

[Midnite]

I listened to Reinhold Weege's commentary on the pilot episode of Night Shift recently,...

  Night Court?

[alwaysdavid]

I had forgotten this was the first appearance of the theme and it  brought back how we wanted to hear more of it. No wonder it became so popular.   Having grown up with one grandmother who was a fortune teller and another who had ghostly visits and premonitions, all these clues have some meaning and have to be interpreted.  The Collins family are so good together and the actors bring so much to these characters.  I'm not missing Barnabas either.   

[Midnite]

The clues we're given at this early point seem to tell a simple story-- one ghost (Quentin) is working to lure the children to him, and the other (Magda) is responsible for the efforts to stop them.  I feel the voiceover informing us that "two angry spirits are in conflict" removes additional ghosts from the equation at this point, but that's me.

I strongly suspect it's Magda who is using Jamison's name to reach the adults.  I doubt Quentin would chance rousing their suspicions anyway.  But perhaps the book and mirror writing were attempts to alert the older Collinses to David's activities, all because Magda has zeroed in on his resemblance to a young Jamison and the fact that Jamison [spoiler]was David's age when Quentin died.[/spoiler]

Speaking of this introductory period, does anyone know anything about this week's guest director, Penberry Jones?

[Lydia]

I listened to Reinhold Weege's commentary on the pilot episode of Night Shift recently,...

  Night Court?

I put in my post, turned off my computer, went and washed some dishes, and thought to myself as I washed the dishes, "I wonder if I wrote Night Shift instead of Night Court...Nah, I couldn't have been that stupid."

[Taeylor Collins]

I don't know about Penberry Jones but I love the fact that you think about directors and writers.  I myself pay attention to directors and writers a lot of times.  I want to be able to decipher who seems to write the best and/or direct in my views.  I do know I like Grayson's performances under Henry Kaplan a lot more than a lot of other people who direct her! She is more contained!  I haven't watched DS as much as most of you guys cause I never wanted to commit to buying VHS because I knew DVD would replace it one day!!  I rented them twice from my local video store in the 1990's! I bought a few of them.  Highlights.  The Volume with[spoiler] Victoria going back into the past. [/spoiler]  The beginning [spoiler]of 1897 [/spoiler] and most of the compilations.  Now I am seeing the beginning episodes from the first time .  So you guy's have a lot on me.  I can tell you everything about  and quote DS '91 though!    I can quote a lot of Grayson from the original because well her and Barbara Steele are my heroes! I also think I have a great love for Julia Hoffman it seems since I took right to both actress immediately!  Sorry for ranting and getting somewhat off topic.  I just thought it was cool that you paid attention to production notes too Midnite!

Onto the episode!!


I guess I am possibly in the minority but I miss JF and GH!   I am SURE the actors needed the break though.  They are [spoiler]gonna be front burning soon![/spoiler]  I think these storylines  are not quite as far fetched as Adam & Eve, however, I think 1968 was the really beginning of DS popularity with 1967 falling behind it and then of course all the upcoming stuff propelling the show to it's highest rated period of all!  I think this story is a little more relatable and of course has a fabulous new character in Quentin! It seems the whole family seems to have a sort of psychic connection, feeling, thoughts, premonitions to an extent, especially Carolyn. Carolyn is really going toward psychic phenomenon, I would have loved to have seen this played out! That is why I really though her future storyline that Sam Hall [spoiler]mapped out in TV Guide would have went along perfectly with her character!  And her evolution as a person! [/spoiler]  Good to see LE again!!  Cool effect with Jamision being written on the mirror!   Creatively DS is going into a great direction, in my opinion!  This is the first time we hear Quentin's theme I have written in my notes.      I'ts definately a milestone which I will leave up to the lovely Emerald Rose!

[EmeraldRose]

Quickly, EmmyRose, run and get a milestone!  Quentin's music was played for the first time in this episode!  Hurry!  Quentin will be mad at us if he thinks his music didn't rate a milestone!

Oh, no! Gosh, I hope I posted this in time! Quentin is one mean and scary ghost! Here's that milestone which marks the first time we heard "Quentin's Theme" on DS. I just love that music! I used to have a piano in my room when I was growing up, and I learned how to play "Quentin's Theme". I can still play it now, even though I'm rusty, because I don't have a piano anymore.

It was so exciting to watch David and Amy in their journey to find Quentin's room. (By the way, David and Amy finding Quentin's room is  another milestone!) Carolyn, Elizabeth, and Roger sure didn't look very hard to find them in that storage room. 

I loved the scene when JAMISON was written on the mirror, and then disappeared! It was so spooky!!  I agree  that it was Magda's ghost who caused Carolyn to have that dream and wrote JAMISON on the mirror.

This was one of the best episodes. I didn't miss Barnabas and Julia, either. I love watching David and Amy together - they were really cute! The casting director struck gold when Denise Nickerson was cast. She really added a lot to the show.

----- Sally -----

[Lydia]

Here's that milestone which marks the first time we heard "Quentin's Theme" on DS.

Phew!

[Midnite]

I don't know about Penberry Jones but I love the fact that you think about directors and writers.

The DS FAQ spells it Pennberry and lists it as a moniker for Roger Schope, but even that name seems to have been fleeting in the business.  How bizarre.

[loril54]

I will just say that this is a great show. Where is Julia and Barnabas to pull everything together. They are the historians aren't they?

Great Show, well done all.