Discuss - Ep #1197

[Watching Project]

Robservations #1197

[Janet the Wicked]

A thought occurred to me when Quentin and Desmond were on their way to the chopping block. Too bad TPTB didn’t let John stretch his acting prowess and allow him to pull a Rocky Sullivan on his way to the chair in Angel with Dirty Faces – “I don’t want to die! Please! I don’t want to die!!”

If all it took to get rid of Gerard was a bullet, for heaven’s sake why didn’t somebody plug him a long time ago?

Catherine’s dress? I wish Luciaphil was still an active member. What I wouldn’t give to hear her comments on this dress. Looks like Laura the Phoenix barfed up a bag of flames.

[MagnusTrask]

Janet: I think shooting Gerard wasn't enough.   The Head had to be there too, changing in front of witnesses, to exonerate Quentin.  That's not to say that shooting Gerjardudah down like a dog might not have prevented some bad events.   It's an act of desperation, though.   Desmond didn't expect it to prove anything; he was just striking back.   Did Gerard ever give Daphne her gun back?

Nice look on Barnabas's face, as he urges Angelique on to tell the truth.  He knows he's seeing a sort of transformative moment.   *** Daphne almost sent Q to the ER!  Just call her Candlestick Kate. 

Bramwell entered the Room from the back.  In 1970, there was just A's little mini-bedroom in there, not a door to the rest of the house.   

Barnabas's and Ang's stories about their past and marriage wouldn't have been in synch.  Good thing Vail was in a good mood.   Must be the pain killers for his neck.

Typical of Lamar, to pick on a witch who's just lost all her powers... with a gun, yelling at the top of his lungs about how brave he is.

Others will have to write posts with more perspective or depth than mine.   Don't have it in me right now.

[DarkLady]

I agree, Magnus. The Head was absolutely indispensable to proving Quentin's innocence. Valerie was smart enough to bring it with her, and Desmond figured out what he had to do to save Quentin and himself.

It's funny to contrast the ways that Gerard and Barn are watching Valerie as she explains things to Judge Vail. Barn looks as if he's never seen her before, but Gerard is far from being so admiring.

Nice little moment for Barn and Valerie, alone in the deserted prison yard. Their parting is almost shy.

Bramwell!!!! WITHOUT the pointy hair!!!! JF and LP have fun steaming up the screen.

Everything's beautiful! Quentin exclaims, and every time I see it I expect him to burst into song. 

More later or tomorrow--dinner is reaching critical mass.

[Janet the Wicked]

Barnabas's and Ang's stories about their past and marriage wouldn't have been in synch.  Good thing Vail was in a good mood.   Must be the pain killers for his neck.

No explanation as to why Angelique was exonerated, only that the tribunal questioned her and she was released. Very lame, Writing Staff. But from the way Judge Vail looked at Barnabas, I came to the conclusion that maybe the judges just threw up their hands and said, “What the hell? This woman could not possible have lived in Judah’s time, but she brought the head and proved the Collins boys innocent. Let’s let it go at that and be on our merry way.” Then they went out and had beers.

[DarkLady]

If so, Janet, that would be completely consistent with their casual attitude during the trial.

[MagnusTrask]

No explanation as to why Angelique was exonerated, only that the tribunal questioned her and she was released. Very lame, Writing Staff. But from the way Judge Vail looked at Barnabas, I came to the conclusion that maybe the judges just threw up their hands and said, “What the hell? This woman could not possible have lived in Judah’s time, but she brought the head and proved the Collins boys innocent. Let’s let it go at that and be on our merry way.” Then they went out and had beers.

Yes, their official point of view was probably a mixed bag of contradictory ideas, some accepting of the supernatural, some not.   That's what might happen in real life.   Also, I think that the judges would be very cautious at this point, after that whole spectacle of the trial, after their having very self-righteously thrown the finger of blame, and after having gotten right up to the point of chopping two men's heads off (including the richest man and biggest employer around)... and after being proven totally wrong.   I'd be surprised if they ever passed judgment on anyone ever again-- I hope they don't.   They would be anxious not to bring up anything about witchcraft, especially when I'm sure they weren't told about any bad acts Angelique committed (recently?).   I'm sure she didn't confess about Roxanne, as that would have implicated Barnabas, too.

[Lydia]

I suggested a while back that Judah had made sure that the judges at the tribunal would deliver a guilty verdict.  At the time I was thinking that Judah would merely make sure that the judges were predisposed that way, but it occurs to me now that he could have cast a spell over them, which might (but you never can tell) have vanished when Judah was destroyed, causing them to wonder what they had been thinking to believe in witchcraft.

Bramwell!!!!

Yes!!!!!  And he's as thrilling as I remember him!  I reread Wuthering Heights because of Bramwell.  Alas, I still couldn't stand Heathcliff, but never mind, I still adore Bramwell.  Not for marriage, of course, but he's lovely to watch, and to listen to, with that fierce growl of his.

More later or tomorrow--dinner is reaching critical mass.

I hope it didn't explode.

Gerard's death always leaves me wondering about him.  How bad was he, and how good was he?  I don't think he tried to murder Quentin and Tad on the ship; since he hadn't met Samantha, there was no way he could be sure she would marry him.  The much better course of action would be to follow Quentin home and then case the joint as Quentin's friend.  And despite our knowledge, via Gabriel, that Gerard was a scoundrel, he still may have liked Quentin.  Leticia said that the Gerard she originally knew would never have hurt Tad.  Maybe that was true, maybe not.  In 1995 Julia talked about how Gerard - which would have been Judah, apparently - could magnify any evil inside her (or something like that).  Having Judah actually inside one would be a thousand times worse.

[DarkLady]

No fear, Lydia--dinner turned out fine!

Perhaps Judah's spell was what caused Judge Vail to do all that head-bobbing. 

I've often wondered about Gerard too. Fairly early in the 1840 proceedings, Julia remarked to Barnabas that she thought Gerard was (I paraphrase) basically a common garden-variety opportunist. And no, I'm also sure he didn't try to kill Q1 or Tad while they were on the ship. But I also think that there was just enough venality in his soul to give Judah a way in, just like an opportunistic virus. I had forgotten what Julia had said about him in 1995. *shiver*

I'm sooooo happy to find another Bramwell fan!!! JF did a wonderful job, and we have lots of great Bramwell moments to look forward to.