"new" characters after 1897

[michael c]

this odd thought crossed my mind today.

because 1897 was the show's highest rated storyline that means there were thousands of viewers who had never watched before this.thus they had never "met" victoria winters or burke devlin or joe haskell or most of the characters that populated the earlier part of the show.

but for that matter they actually knew very little about "present time" barnabas collins' situation either.or that quentin first appeared as a ghost.they had never "met" carolyn stoddard or roger collins or maggie evans either.

so when the storyline returned to the present these were essentially "new" characters to these viewers that they had to be "introduced" to.which is funny when you remember that most of them had been on the show for years.

these viewers experienced the show in reverse to the way most of us have.they might have recognized the actors who played roles in 1897 but had no idea who thier present time counterparts were.imagine the first time elizabeth stoddard walked into a room and saying "who's that?".long time viewers would patiently explain "that's liz.she owns the house.she's carolyn's mother" or "that's maggie evans.she used to be a waitress but now she's david's tutor".to them maggie evans was just some girl who looked like kitty hampshire.

that must have been strange.like i said...odd thought.

[PennyDreadful]

That has crossed my mind as well.  I think you are probably right.  The new viewers were probably invested in the 1897 characters and the present-day characters became "new" to them.  Although they always made it clear in the 1897 eps that Barnabas had travelled back in time. 

[Ian]

That actually happened to me, though I'll admit that I was born 16 years after that storyline aired. The fact remains, the first episodes that I saw were at the beginning of that storyline, and to be honest, it was what drew me in. I didn't get a chance to watch again until it was back in present time, and I saw someone call LE "Roger." I was like, "What? Isn't that Edward?" And it happened over and over with all the old 1897 characters. XD

[Patti Feinberg]

mscbryk....what a thought-provoking statement.

I had never thought of this, especially that 1897 was one of the highest watched story arcs.

Kukos to you!!

Patti

[Barnabas'sBride]

That's a great point! I can't imagine not knowing Elizabeth, Carolyn, Roger, etc.... but it makes a lot of sense that some audience members wouldn't because they started tuning in during 1897.

The thing that helps make 1897, I think, is the variety of characters it has. I could honestly see why DS achieved its highest ratings during that storyline because it was highly entertaining and the characters were almost all very interesting. For someone who was used to seeing only those characters and grew attached to them, the present time probably seemed jarring.

[michael c]

thanks guys.

i thought of it while smashed onto a rush-hour subway car.imagining various d.s. scenarios is often a way i spend tedious times like that.

[MagnusTrask]

Well, you were putting the time to good use.