Discuss - Ep #0769

[Watching Project]

Robservations #769

[alwaysdavid]

Very exciting episode.   One would assume that Dirk had silver bullets and that Barnabas was history.  I had thought Barnabas had taken Dirk out in the episode when he showed Laura his body in the foyer at Collinwood, but no he showed up again in  the last episode and  now has to be dealt with again.  And there is now Jamison to deal with. 

[Pansity]

Good point, alwaysdavid. I also thought Dirk was toast when we saw him before.  Only saw 1897 straight through twice before, so I forgot the little seque before he's really most sincerely (un)dead.

My comments:

Rerun of the climax from yesterday, with some minor changes in wording.  Then we see Dirk go upstairs and gloat to Beth about him succeeding in doing what Laura wanted.  You can see it dawning on her that he’s crazy (after all, who's seen more than she has of how a crazy person talks and acts).  Pity knowing that doesn’t help her much.  Apparently the dumbing down starts now.   She’s not very smart or competent at keeping Dirk at bay, and the Beth with a backbone of steel who is determined to try SOMETHING rather than just wallow is nowhere to be seen, replaced by the helpless crier.  

Now Dirk is running around telling Jamison all about the coffin, and about Laura.  YAY someone FINALLY says the word VAMPIRE.

Poor Beth, must be 24 hrs or so now since she’s slept.  At dusk Barn comes out of the coffin, and he’s awfully calm.  Usually if someone gets past the guard and gets to him, he’s really really nasty to his guard.  Hmm dumbing down symptom #2 – WereQuentin was unmarked after being shot, why would Beth think that Barn, also being supernatural, could be killed without supernatural means.

Nice line of Barn’s about Beth being “...such a kindhearted girl in this world of heartless people”.  But she’s right, she is changing, becoming more ruthless in some ways (interestingly enough, even as Quentin develops more of a conscience).

Barn is having waay too much fun tormenting Dirk.  Not to mention reusing his line to Nathan Forbes about not being able to kill someone who’s already dead.  Unfortunately the fly in the ointment is Dirk bragging about having shared the secret with “someone”.

Right on cue we have Jamison roaming around the Old House looking for the coffin, while Barn has finally wormed the name out of Dirk. BIG oopsie – even  Barnabas the meddler in time knows that doing anything to Jamison would change history beyond repair.

So much for sending Beth to do damage control – Jamison has already gotten to the basement and seen the coffin.

Jeannie

[Taeylor Collins]

VO: Terry Crawford

Recap from yesterday!  For some reason I liked this simple to the point voiceover!  Is Roger improvising with the howling?  :EYE ROLL: I have to hand it to RD though he really plays crazy well! 

Poor Beth manhandled again. I echo Panisty's sentiments!  I liked the line that Barnabas delivered to Beth. “Beth, you’re a strange, softhearted girl.  In this world of heartless people you’re going to be hurt!”   LOVE that line for some reason! 
Great close up of Barnabas “sad eyes.”

A storm’s a brewing! I guess Barnabas can control the elements!!
Jonathan Frid does evil so very well!  Love that evil laugh!  I also loved B’s coat.  WOW! What a big ole close up on B’s mouth and nose.  Weird! 

Oh lawd!  Why anyone doesn’t lock the FREAKING door, I will never know!??  UGGHHHH!!

[Midnite]

Poor put-upon Beth-- she's assigned to guard the vampire but falls asleep before dawn even breaks.  And while sitting upright on the circular sofa (and armed with a gun!)... Had Dirk not come in when he did, would she have fallen right over?

I dislike Roger Davis playing crazy.  I dislike him as lowly help.  I dislike him as the romantic hero.  I dislike him as the loving brother.  Notice a pattern?  I see toward the end of the ep that madness did not stop Dirk from grabbing his hair a lot.

Shame on Laura for telling him about the coffin in the basement but stopping short of telling him that a stake or silver bullets are needed to kill a vampire.

Had Barnabas been destroyed, I'd imagine that Beth would have felt the end of his power over her, but I suppose she wouldn't have any way of knowing this so I can't fault her for not realizing that no break in their connection meant he wasn't dead.  She read up on werewolves, but as far as we know she has not boned up on vampire lore.

I LOVE Jamison's navy coat.

Stagehand, I see you in the cellar!

Is Roger improvising with the howling?  :EYE ROLL:

Who knows?, though I wouldn't doubt it.  In the last ep he called Beth a watchdog, and in the redo she was a hound dog.  I doubt the same writer of both eps would change that, so it may be evidence of some improv.

I also loved B’s coat.

His bulletproof coat?  Or is the fabric self-healing?  

In the Barnabasless 1897, did Dirk go insane and want to punish the Collinses?  Or was it Barnabas' actions that made him want to seek revenge?  I don't think this was made clear.  But if Dirk did want to kill the first time, who stopped him then?

[EmeraldRose]

Major Milestones:
1. Dirk shot (six times!) and thought he "killed" Barnabas.
2. Dirk told Jamison that he "killed" Barnabas - and the "secret" that Barnabas was a vampire.
3. Jamison found Barnabas's coffin.
4. Beth was turning into a "wimp". (LOL!)

Dirk told Jamison that he "killed" Laura, but he meant to say that he "killed" Barnabas! Of course, Dirk was crazy, so I don't think it was a writing error. Dirk just got mixed up.

It was exciting when Dirk "shot" Barnabas and Dirk and Beth thought Barnabas was dead! I admit that the first few times I saw this, I feared that Dirk had succeeded and was quite relieved when Barnabas rose again at dusk. It even fooled me this time, because I had forgotten that Barnabas lost his strength and had to sleep at dawn. I thought he collapsed because he was shot, even though I knew he couldn't be injured because they were normal bullets.  

I know there are some who dislike Roger Davis. (Midnite, I'm talking to you!) But I like him. I think he does a fantastic crazy person!  

I  loved the scenes when Barnabas harassed Dirk. Dirk thought Barnabas was a ghost at first! Indeed, it did remind me of Lt. Forbes. It was great! One of the best lines - Barnabas: "How can you kill someone who is already dead?" Lt. Forbes and Barnabas uttered similar lines before. Ooh! I love that line!

My husband, Warren, who doesn't like Dark Shadows and hardly ever watches, happened to watch Barnabas and Beth's scenes at the cottage. Warren said he noticed Barnabas using the word "must" a lot! I went back and watched again, and I counted four times that Barnabas used the word "must"! Warren also said that he noticed the word "must" was used by many others on DS. He said it was excessive, and more often than in "real life".  I thought that was very astute of him. A long time ago, I recall thinking the same thing, but I guess I've gotten used to it by now! It was funny when I  really noticed how often the word "must" was used! "You must not tell Quentin", "You must make Jamison understand", etc.  

----- Sally -----

[Midnite]

I know there are some who dislike Roger Davis. (Midnite, I'm talking to you!) But I like him. I think he does a fantastic crazy person! 

Heheh.  It's too bad he couldn't get treatment for that instead of bitten.  Then we could say the ham got cured.

<groan!>

[MagnusTrask]

Love the crazy Dirk.

[Pansity]

Heheh.  It's too bad he couldn't get treatment for that instead of bitten.  Then we could say the ham got cured.

<groan!>

  Veddy PUNNY!  

Jeannie

[Taeylor Collins]

"MUST" or "YOU MUUUUUUUUUUST" is very common on DS!  Or "YOU MUST...NOOOOOOOOOOOOW!!"  LOL

[EmeraldRose]

LOL, Taeylor!

----- Sally -----

[MagnusTrask]

Julia wins every debate over whether the other person should do what she's asking them to do, by saying "Because you must!!!"

[Roland]

My husband, Warren, who doesn't like Dark Shadows and hardly ever watches

Lordy, EmeraldRose, don't tell me you're in one of those mixed marriages!  

[Taeylor Collins]

I don't have a husband yet, hopefully one day!  If he don't like DS fine, but he will definitely have to be okay with the show in my life. In fact, he will have to be okay with a lot of shows in my life! LOL  The ones that are dear!  I have had friends though that just don't get "DS" at all!!  I can understand from that point of view!  And then there is one of my best friends who I converted and we just quote lines as if it were everyday speech and people are just so lost! LOL

And I realize I am horribly off topic!  Moving on....

[EmeraldRose]

Lordy, EmeraldRose, don't tell me you're in one of those mixed marriages!  

LOL, Roland! I'm afraid so!

----- Sally -----