Discuss - Ep #0798

[Watching Project]

Robservations #798

[alwaysdavid]

I recalled Sandor arriving at the door, but it was a total surprise to see the knife in his back and that he was cold as if he had been dead for a long time.  Quick change between characters of Sandor and Victor.  I can't remember if we had realized that Thayer was playing both roles the first time watching.   Quentin loses his son before he even knew he had one.   So Victor killed Julianka.  If this was mentioned before or shown I sure missed it. 

[EmeraldRose]

Major Milestones Not Already Mentioned:

1. This was the second time Thayer David played 2 characters in the same episode. The first time was in episode #701, when Barnabas first arrived in 1897 and TD played Prof. Stokes and Sandor. Actually, this was the first time TD played two characters in the same time period on the same episode - Sandor and Victor.
2. Julianka's curse took effect when both Sandor and Quentin's son died in the same night. Magda said Quentin's daughter was safe because "gypsies do not prize girls".
3. Quentin finally found out that Jenny bore him a son and a daughter - and the boy had just died.
4. Quentin caught Victor and Aristede together and figured that they were in cahoots, even though Victor denied it.
5. Victor spoke to Aristede about a "gift from the unicorn" and waking up with a different face.

I am amazed at how quickly TD was able to change from Sandor to Victor! It only took about one minute.  

I agree that the scene between Magda and Barnabas, when they made a deal with each other, was quite touching. They both knew all too well about losing the ones they love. Great scene.

As Victor and Aristede were interacting with each other, I couldn't help but wonder, "Were they gay?"  

It was about 4:00 AM when Julianka died. Later, Barnabas looked at the clock, and it was only 4:55 AM! It was 5:00 AM when the rooster crowed, and Barnabas went to his coffin. Wow! A lot happened in just one hour! Julianka died, Magda got the Collins Family History Book, the seance, Sandor and Quentin's son died, Barnabas (and Magda?) buried Sandor, Quentin saw Victor and Aristede together, Quentin found out about his children. Unless I missed something, and part of this happened the following night. But I don't think so! There's no way that so much could happen in just one hour!

I felt sorry for Quentin and Magda. It was particularly surprising news to Quentin because he found out he had a son just after he found out that he was dead!

Excellent episode! Great acting by all!

----- Sally -----

[Midnite]

Three gyspies died unnaturally on the same night (counting Jenny's infant son).  And the newly cursed Magda would join them if she could.

It did sound in his phone conversation as if Victor was making a date with Aristede.

We learned that Magda has been in Collinsport for at least 3 years.

Quentin (contemplating suicide): "Julie Anka was my only hope."
Any relation to Paul, and do you suppose that "Lonely Boy" or "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" was going through his head?  "Time to Cry"?  "Diana" (for Ms. Davila)?  "Dance on Little Girl" (a song for the Dancing Girl knife)?  "My Home Town"?  "You Are My Destiny"?  "Goodnight my love (...pleasant dreams)"?

In the gazebo, Aristede was only mouthing words while the camera was at a distance, which implied that Quentin was not within earshot of his conversation with Victor.  But Thayer ruined it by speaking (perhaps a line he was supposed to say while they were still walking toward the gazebo), and Stroka looked annoyed.

Victor to Aristede:  "Think of London when you talk to Quentin Collins."
Not to be confused with close your eyes and think of England.

So Victor killed Julianka.  If this was mentioned before or shown I sure missed it.

You didn't miss anything.

Okay, in 1969, Beth's ghost led Barnabas and Chris to the grave of an infant boy, who we didn't know at the time was Quentin's baby son.  In 1897, Magda stole the hand because an I-Chinged Barnabas urged her to help Quentin, her action attracting both Julianka and, er, Victor.  Julianka would have left with the hand had Barnabas not hypnotized her into remaining to help Quentin, and that resulted in her murder by Victor.  Barnabas came up with the idea to contact Julianka and had to browbeat Magda into holding the seance when she refused, but an angry Julianka instead cursed Magda, causing the infant boy to die.  Now even if you prefer to believe that the hand was part of 1897 originally, you can't discount the parts about Barnabas forcing Julianka to stay or ordering Magda to contact her dead spirit.  So, how is it that Quentin's son originally died?  

[alwaysdavid]

So, how is it that Quentin's son originally died?  

I had the same question  and it seemed that originally he was buried in the woods and I'm sure they said in the Barnabas altered timeline that he was buried next to Sandor.  And what was the purpose of the pentagram being buried with him?

[Roland]

Emeraldrose - I found your timeline to be absolutetly hysterical.  Damn, those folk sure do move fast in Collinwood, but then I've never seen a place where so much happens in the wee hours of the morning, when just about everyone seems to be awake and dressed to the nines.  I mean, weren't there just some days when Quentin wanted to putter around the house and not be sporting a three-piece suit for the occasion?

I was struck with how much Thayer David sounded like Professor Stokes in this episode, especially in his conversation with Quentin.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

everyone seems to be awake and dressed to the nines.  I mean, weren't there just some days when Quentin wanted to putter around the house and not be sporting a three-piece suit for the occasion?

Heavens no! Even if they're simply puttering around the house, the Collinses must always be dressed to the nines. It's a cardinal rule in the family. The most Collins men are allow to dress down is to change from a suit jacket or sport jacket into a smoking jacket - tie optional, ascot preferred. 

[Lydia]

Oh, dear, I liked Sandor, and I liked the relationship between him and Magda.  Couldn't they have gotten somebody else - Addison Powell, perhaps? - to play Victor Fenn-Gibbon?

It was strange to hear Magda say, "Gypsies do not prize girls."  She's a strong woman, and she bossed Sandor around - but gypsies do not prize girls, so she didn't prize her niece.  And was there nobody else whom she prized besides Sandor and the boy?

The other strange thing was when Barnabas was so nice to Magda.  In yesterday's episode, just before the séance, Magda said she had a bad feeling about it.  Barnabas told her not to bother him with her gypsy feelings, and made another disdainful remark or two about gypsies as well.  Today, he was consoling her.  Either he was seriously worried that she'd stake him sometime soon, or else it takes a curse for Barnabas to care about anybody other than a sweet young thing.

[MagnusTrask]

Oh, dear, I liked Sandor, and I liked the relationship between him and Magda.  Couldn't they have gotten somebody else - Addison Powell, perhaps? - to play Victor Fenn-Gibbon?

Wow... you don't like Petofi much, do you?   For me, Thayer David as Petofi is the height of DS.   Sandor's amusing sometimes, but he didn't get to do much; had the odd funny line here and there, but was basically an attachment of Magda's.

I think if Barnabas hadn't consoled Magda, I might have gone with other people's assessment that he was a selfish hypocrite and nearly a villain.   When you're pressured and perhaps miserable it gets harder and harder to take others' feelings into account, as much as you might want to.  I know, especially from these past few weeks.   You just have to focus on tasks to get done that might free you and let you heal later.    

I think when he dismissed Magda's "gypsy feelings", he was talking about premonitions, not emotions.