Discuss - Ep #0042

[Watching Project]

Robservations #42

This ep marks one of the truly most significant events in all of DS history --

-- the day THE PEN was first introduced! And it's greatness knows no bounds!!

[DarkLady]

And as we all know, THE PEN is mightier than the sword, even in the Collins universe! 

[Janet the Wicked]

Ack! The pen!!

I don’t know. I thought Liz was rather quick to assume that Sam was looking to blackmail her. She wasn't very friendly.

Here we have Carolyn thinking she’s a sophisticated young lady, so instead of a baked potato she orders French fries? Bring her a lollipop for dessert. Besides, at her age, you’d think she be concerned about zits.

[DarkLady]

It's rather brazen, even for Burke, that he strolls over to Carolyn's table after plotting the destruction of her idle, expensive lifestyle with his shiny new lawyer, James Blair. [spoiler]Is he any relation to Nicholas, I wonder?[/spoiler]

I don't think a zit would dare show itself on the face of Carolyn Collins Stoddard, the Heiress of Collinwood.

I loved Elizabeth's attitude after Sam runs out. She's positive that he'll be back--when he's ready to tell all.

For those of us old enough to remember such things, THE PEN is a real, genuine FOUNTAIN PEN. We had to use them in school. I remember having permanently blue fingers. Cartridge pens, when they came in, were so much more convenient. 

[Joeytrom]

James Blair appears already?  When did Stuart Bronson make his appearance? 

Its odd they didn't simply recast Bronson given that he appeared in only one episode.

[DarkLady]

According to my notes, Barnard Hughes, who played Stuart Bronson, became unavailable after his one appearance. So they hired John Baragray to play James Blair. He continued to play Burke's lawyer for as long Burke was on the show.

[alwaysdavid]

Sam wants to talk to Mrs. Stoddard and then after all is said and done he leaves without telling her anything except that her husband Paul wanted his painting done to go over the mantel as does Burke.
Burke calls Carolyn by Carolyn Collins Stoddard and then pretends to guess that's her middle name so that she won't realize he has files on her family. 
Carolyn thinks it might seem improper to take the pen?  Yet it is okay to go up alone to a man's hotel and then to follow him to the next town so she can run into him and get herself invited to lunch.  Apparently having a mother who never leaves the estate and has no outside help coming in makes it easy for her run amouk outside of home.

[DarkLady]

In those primitive pre-cell-phone, pre-GPS days, Carolyn could get off the grid with amazing ease. So neither her mother nor even Roger could keep track of her every move. THE PEN would have been material evidence that she had been with Burke--although she could have lied and said she'd gotten it elsewhere, I suppose.

[MagnusTrask]

                       WELCOME, PEN!!!

In those primitive pre-cell-phone, pre-GPS days...

Hmm... I still live in those days, and would still, I think, if I had the money for them.

First writing credit I've noticed for Francis Swann, not that I couldn't have missed earlier ones...  On first viewing earlier this year, I noticed a drop in the quality of the dialogue when Art Wallace stopped writing them all.   

In chalkboard intro. Joan is in full front view just hanging around... then when announcer starts, she gets alert, turns around, and does those recognizable slight movements that indicate "readying" mind and body for the scene.  VO:  VW says Collinwood was built 130 years earlier.

Yes Liz, Sam has changed considerably since 18 years ago!  He did most of that changing, when... perhaps that very morning?   By the way, it's now my theory that while Sam and Matthew did their stints in adjoining cocoons out in the woods somewhere, to transorm into their new selves, a bit of the mass from Sam One leaked over to the other pod, and was added to Matthew Two's mass.   So matter is conserved, and neither created nor destroyed.

Poor Barnard Hughes, who's off doing some much better part, probably.   I'm going to guess that if he wasn't in big demand yet, he soon would be.  His character (Bronson) is mentioned though, that's something.   His mysterious past as a sentient being from planet Bronson Beta is never brought up, however.   I've now placed new money guy Blair.   That actor was head hairdresser on an I Dream of Jeannie episode I think, where she gets her hair done, dislikes it, blinks it back, and gives this actor a chance to spaz out in utter shock.  These kinds of things drive me nuts until I remember....

[DarkLady]

Love your post, MT, especially your take on the conservation of matter! How nice that you have the VHS/DVD/whatever.

According to my ancient notes, Eps. 41 and 42 were the first by Francis Swann, but I suspect he didn't last long, even though he provided some nice back-story data, maybe from Art Wallace's story bible.

I guess it isn't a spoiler to mention that Barnard Hughes eventually won a Tony in the title role of Da.

[MagnusTrask]

I guess it isn't a spoiler to mention that Barnard Hughes eventually won a Tony in the title role of Da.

Preparing him, at least phonetically, for his later role in the 70s sitcom Doc...   Thanks, DL!  Aren't you watching the discs/tapes yourself now?

[DarkLady]

Nope. I do not now nor have I ever possessed them. I just have some old notes and the Robservations. Maybe if Netflix starts streaming the eps.....

[MagnusTrask]

I'd help if I had the facilities...  someone's helping me in that area, that's why I'm okay up to 110? or something.   Maybe beyond.   I think I'll bow out if my discs run out.  I don't want my first experience to be summaries.  I'm very selfishly glad you're doing so, though.... we get your comments.   Where's Lydia?   I thought I'd be gone for maybe a couple weeks, but symptoms got worse even without computer use, so what the hell...

[DarkLady]

Thanks for the offer, MT! Is this really your first experience of the show? And thanks for the nice words about my comments.

[MagnusTrask]

Well, more of an apology.  And this is my second viewing of the earlist episodes.  First viewing was earlier this year.  Past 110 or so and until Barnabas appears, I've seen almost nothing.