DULL SHADOWS

[michael c]

gothick, you can rest assured..."the anna nicole show" ranks in at #14.

[Heather]

As is well known, I'm a fan of the Leviathans story. Despite the nay-sayers, I continue to maintain that it had some of the best episodes of the series--or at least some of the best scenes. Frid's performance is tight as a drum, the character of Julia is better used than she had been since '67, they bring back Nicholas Blair, Leviathan Liz actually brings some zest back to a character that had been reduced to a sham of her former glory, etc. etc.

I'm one of those people that weren't too hot on the Leviathan episodes the first time I saw them, but after I got to see the series from beginning to end a few times...I must say that some of those episodes were quite enthralling.  Some of it could get a tad tiring now and then, but so does almost every storyline...peaks and valleys. My general opinion is that if it's DS, its all good, ya know (chuckle).    Now of course, one thing that I loved the most, besides the confrontational and bond-reaffirming B&J moments during that time period, was how Julia became the *super doctor head private eye*...(no pun intended you wenches)...virtually keeping that family and her world together as she helped Quentin, banged heads with Barn., tried to help Chris  , Carolyn--and then when she found out the terrible truth Julia's wits shined the brightest, daring to find the secrets of her friends and foes - standing by her man, so to speak, no matter what. Gotta love her!  

I hope he did at least mention the Anna Nicole Show. That terrorized me more than 5 years of DS ever did!

Absolutely. 

[Nancy]

If Mr. Hofstede thinks all this is one of the "dumbest" things in US television history, he ought to take a cruise through the serried ranks of today's "reality" programming.  I hope he did at least mention the Anna Nicole Show.  That terrorized me more than 5 years of DS ever did!

I'm with you, Gothick. The fascination (and success) of the reality shows mystifies me.

Nancy

[jennifer]

well i agree it is hardly in the dumbest group with the likes of the Dukes of Hazard and the current tv lineup
but i think that the writers just got sloppy in that storyline and not using David Selby in a better role hurt as
he was a big factor in 1897. i think Frid not wanting to be Barnabas anymore cost that show more than any storyline!

jennifer

[stefan]

i think Frid not wanting to be Barnabas anymore cost that show more than any storyline!

I wonder if Frid might have continued as Barnabas for a bit longer if they had tried to wrap up his story in a logical and even poetic manner (in a sense, as with most soap operas characters are always coming back to life or popping up all over the place) but ... if they had finally put Barnabas back where he belonged - full with the memory of what happened to him as a vampire, back to 1795 before the curse and left him there to marry Josette and raise a family after, of course, a long and suspenseful battle between Barnabas/Josette and Angelique. I also would have liked to have seen Josette and Barnabas have it out over his affair with Angelique as well. Anyway, all that would have changed the history of the Collins family but it would have been fascinating.

[Maybellique]

    The Josette I saw in the '91 version was far too dainty to have it out over Barnabas fling w/ Angelique. More than likely all she would have done was shoved the idea off to the side, if she ever caught wind of it, and lived a lie all her life. I don't know about KLS's rendition. She looked a bit less appeasing. I'm sure she would have had words with ole Barn.

     You know, on that note, there were too many stories left unresolved in that show! I guess that's what makes the better part of them fun. This way we can sit here and conjecture what might have happened next.

     I had no idea JF didn't want to play Barnabas, anymore. That's what it would have been like if Heather Locklear had refused to play Amanda on Melrose Place while it was in its prime. That's one surefire way to send a show careening down the toilet.  ~DJ

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I had no idea JF didn't want to play Barnabas, anymore.

Actually, it's not that Frid didn't want to play Barn anymore. He didn't want to play Barn as a vampire anymore - and he wanted to be able to play characters other than Barn. He got to do the latter when he played Bramwell - but who knows what might have happened with the former had DS continued past 1841PT...

[Raineypark]

Isn't it obvious?.... Barnabas would have gone from Dracula to Sherlock Holmes.

Can't you just picture him, with Julia as his "Dr. Watson".....solving mysteries all over Collinwood?

Well, minus the cocaince habit ......

[jennifer]

Isn't it obvious?.... Barnabas would have gone from Dracula to Sherlock Holmes.

Can't you just picture him, with Julia as his "Dr. Watson".....solving mysteries all over Collinwood?

Well, minus the cocaince habit ......

LOL but that might have worked Rainey 
Bramwell was all right but a tad boring that storyline was the worst one to me anyway
so it's hard to judge how well Frid would have done with a less tortured Barnabas
He and Grayson were such fine actors and had a great chemistry that i would
have loved to see them do more! Alas we still have are memories and DVDs

jennifer

[Nancy]

Sam Hall said in an interview that he never understood the Leviathan storyline.

nancy

I still don't get that leviathan storyline... what exactly happened during that time? ~DJ

That's precisely what those of us who've actually seen it wonder. 

I couldn't summarize it if my life depended on it.

[CastleBee]

Well, minus the cocaince habit ......

I don't know Raineypark. It WAS the '70's afterall.  Had the show continued for a few more years this could have segued into the fabled DS Disco period quite well I think.

[Patti Feinberg]

AAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lolololololol...peeing my pants!!!!!!


Thanks!!!!

lol,

Patti

[Nancy]

         I had no idea JF didn't want to play Barnabas, anymore. That's what it would have been like if Heather Locklear had refused to play Amanda on Melrose Place while it was in its prime. That's one surefire way to send a show careening down the toilet.  ~DJ

He wanted a chance to do what other people on the show were doing - playing other roles.  The vampire thing always bored him.  Many people comment on the versatility of Thayer David and Nancy Barrett but anyone who has seen Frid in any of his one man shows (that toured for eight years) playing a dozen different roles in two hours know he is an extremely versatile actor.  Watching him play a teenage girl his not only hysterical but convincing in one of the shows JF does.

The pace of a soap with no edits or re-takes wasn't his thing at all and besides having a heavy role on the series (on several times a week if not every day) along with doing heavy publicity Frid was just plain tired.  I remember noticing in watching the series in the 1980s how more relaxed and "with it" Frid was when I knew he had stopped doing the publicity tours all over the country and cut down on the interviews ABC wanted him to do during the day and in his off hours.  Besides all that and Frid making it clear at the time he wanted to pursue other opportunities like hosting a talk show, I strongly believe his dislike of being a celebrity and in the spotlight wore him down a lot.  He didn't intentionally retire from the business but once DS was over and he had time to himself again, it had to be wonderful from his perspective.  Unlike many actors in the business, "the work" is not everything there is to live for and be happy about where he is concerned.

Nancy
(an excerpt from her soon to be published study FIGURING FRID) j/k     

[Jackie]

The Leviathan story should have been a lot more interesting than it was.  Jonathan Frid, for instance, was turning in his best performances in ages, the stuff with the kid is deeply creepy, and some of the long-term links with 1897 were fascinating, particularly Julia tracking down Tate.

Problem is, we don't really get that story.  It starts, then the writers seem to lose confidence, and begin wildly changing track, with the result being a very random bunch of half-stories that don't really deliver what the early episodes promise.

I think also the writers didn't do much to ease the transition after spending *way* too long in 1897.  The show had hit its peak viewing figures during that time, so there were segments of the audience who had never experienced DS in the present day.  They make very few concessions for the casual audience - after nine months away, they really needed to restart the present day story afresh and reintroduce the characters properly.

Pity - it was a nice opportunity to get back-to-basics and try a fresh angle.  It could have worked great with some subtle tweaks and a little more long-term investment.

I liked your review, Stuart.  I may be one of the few who liked this storyline UP UNTIL [spoiler]Jeb broke the alter and box.[/spoiler]  Then it went down hill for me.  The kids were spooky, Barnabas' total change in character and personality with the rest of the family, except Carolyn, was very scary.  Then it just got weird.  Like I said, there were very good parts but I was glad went it ended. 

[Jackie]

(an excerpt from her soon to be published study FIGURING FRID) j/k    

Are you REALLY writing a book?  That is way cool, Nancy.  I want to read it!