Discuss - Ep #1068

[Watching Project]

Robservations #1068

[MagnusTrask]

I think this one deserves to have more said about it, than I'm able to now.   I think that the things Quentin and Carolyn say to each other, and apart, lead to what happens to Carolyn at the end.   Barnabas and Julia are too good at getting people to tell them what they want to know.   The end of Mrs. J didn't really teach them to be more careful in their interrogations.   Anyway, Barnabas implanted the picture of Carolyn as someone who cared about her family more than anything, and so Carolyn tried to tell in a letter, for the sake of her family, knowing she'd die?

B&J really should have taken Carolyn, Q, and Mrs. J off to Bangor or someplace and questioned them there.   Anyway, the Q/Carolyn dialogue deserves another listening.   Q was trying to work out what terrible thing they were in the middle of experiencing but couldn't perceive.... I think it was their madness.

[Lydia]

Barnabas and Julia are too good at getting people to tell them what they want to know.

Yup, gotta love Barnabas.  Carolyn and Mrs. Johnson survived the Gerard invasion for 25 years.  Barnabas appears on the scene, and they both of them are dead within a fortnight.

Carolyn tried to tell in a letter, for the sake of her family, knowing she'd die?

I don't think Carolyn knew she'd die.  My impression is that she most definitely wanted to live.  She may have been aware that there was a risk of dying, but her thinking was muddied enough so that I imagine she decided she could tell Barnabas, and Barnabas would make everything right, and all her family would return as they were in 1970.
 
Julia's been drawn further into Gerard's power.  She exults in it.  Gerard, I imagine, has taken hold of her admiration for Barnabas's powerful personality and twisted it towards himself.  If Julia ever escapes from Gerald's power, and if she displays an un-Dark-Shadows-like ability to learn from the past, will her love for Barnabas be soured because of what Gerard did?

Meanwhile, Daphne staged a minor rebellion, which got quashed.  It was surprising to see Daphne and Gerard physically handle that note, and then to see Gerard tearing it up manually.

Gosh, David Selby was perfect today, never missing a line as he changed expressions and intonations.

[Midnite]

There was scribbling over the volume numbers in an attempt to hide the fact that they were two Collins Family History Books, but you can still tell that the intact book that was plucked from Barnabas' hands was Volume One, whereas the one he later handled that was missing a chunk of its 19th century history was Volume Two.

It was surprising to see Daphne and Gerard physically handle that note, and then to see Gerard tearing it up manually.

That was jarring for me too.  I think the writers sometimes needed to try harder to figure out how to get a result they wanted instead of breaking their own rules about DS ghosts to accomplish it.  We never did figure out how Beth [spoiler]moved the shovel to where it was needed in the woods,[/spoiler] did we?

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Not specific to this ep - more generic for the week:

"...Watch Barnabas Collins and Dr. Julia Hoffman struggle in the year 1995 to see what happened in 1970 on ABC TV's Dark Shadows at four, three central time...

[Taeylor Collins]

Love the promos MB!

7/29/70
I love after they sense Daphne.  David Selby is quite amazing and expressive.  I also love how they fade out after the book flies out of Barnabas hands! 

“What a pity!  What a terrible pity!  UH JULIA you are scaring the shit out of me.  They should have let Grayson play someone really really evil during the run of the show!

How many days have passed on screen?  I can't remember since I reviewed this a few months ago. 
I kind of wonder why Barnabas and Julia don't change their clothes considering Julia's were left in her room and I am sure Barnabas had endless suits at the Old House.

I am not surprised Carolyn doesn't change…she is cuckoo for coco puffs…..

“This is my cousin Barnabas.  He was never cruel to me!”  Oh honey if you only remembered!

I love when Barnabas gently kisses Carolyn on the head.  That is a very tender moment! They both played that part beautifully with a lot of what I think natural affection shinning through.

Carolyn breaks my heart when she says, “Quentin your home” and hugs him! It is so sweet  “That was Carolyn!” Quentin giggles. I know I should laugh at a crazy person but Q cracks me up.

Nancy did a great job of falling with the dead look on her face and not batting an eyelash when she hit the floor!  GREAT ENDING!

[MagnusTrask]

I love when Barnabas gently kisses Carolyn on the head.  That is a very tender moment! They both played that part beautifully with a lot of what I think natural affection shinning through.

I agree; and I experienced "That was Carolyn!" as touching too.   (Not a criticism of you, I just did.)

[Taeylor Collins]

I wholeheartdley agree that was a tender moment between Q and C Magnus.  Very touching. I just missed writing about it!