Discuss - Ep #0429

[Watching Project]

Robservations #429

[Lydia]

Abigail is corrupting Trask.  She's happy to use the Collins influence to bribe or threaten everybody to get Vicky hanged as a witch, an idea which apparently had not occurred to Trask before,  What's Abigail going to do after Vicky is hanged, when she discovers that the world hasn't miraculously changed for the better?

In the interview with Sam Hall on an earlier DVD, he says they tried hiring a writer who wrote Barnabas as the Byronic type, with poetic lines galore, but it didn't work, because Jonathan Frid couldn't remember the tons of lines.  I'm sure in my own mind that this was the episode that the poetical writer helped out on.  The first scene, with Barnabas and Ben, comes across that way.  Barnabas's violent anger at the innocent man who was digging Josette's grave seemed unlike him.  Very Byronic, however.  And then Ben said Josette's hand was white as marble.  Since when did Ben think much about marble?  With this in mind, I thought the whole scene was played out as if it Shakespeare.  It was fun, and I thought to myself that I'd like to see Jonathan Frid and Thayer David doing actual Shakespeare together - but it would get tiresome if Dark Shadows were like that every day.

Peter Bradford's room was so obviously the same set as Angelique's bedroom that I had trouble believing that it was not at the top of the Old House.

[Sunny_Collins]

I really enjoyed JF's and Thayer David's scene together. Barnabas, devastated and in shock over Josette's death seems to be lashing out at the nearest person, and that person just happens to be Ben. Since he can't blame Angelique, he's going to place blame on the person who is laying her to rest. At least he came to his senses and stopped throttling Ben, although it seems as though much of his humanity is slipping away.

So is Trask now a building inspector? The way he's scrutinizing Peter's lifestyle and his living quarters and lack of amenities, that's what it felt like to me. I love it how Trask has to constantly remind people of his title of reverend, when they purposefully neglect to use it. 

[MagnusTrask]

Lydia--

Abigail is corrupting Trask.  She's happy to use the Collins influence to bribe or threaten everybody to get Vicky hanged as a witch, an idea which apparently had not occurred to Trask before.

I didn't notice that!    Abigail brought Trask over to the dark side!     And his descendants indirectly, too, I think!     I want to make that level of impact before I die....!

they tried hiring a writer who wrote Barnabas as the Byronic type, with poetic lines galore, but it didn't work, because Jonathan Frid couldn't remember the tons of lines.  I'm sure in my own mind that this was the episode that the poetical writer helped out on.

Perhaps they were thinking of retitling DS "The Byronic Man".    I love my funny, funny jokes.     Anyway, I like the word.     And I interpret the more poetic exchanges in 1795 as a slightly surreal increase in "significance"... as if things are so incredibly wrong that can't be expressed in ordinary language anymore.

Sunny---

Barnabas, devastated and in shock over Josette's death seems to be lashing out at the nearest person, and that person just happens to be Ben.

That sounds right.   We sometimes forget that DS "creatures" still have all the same old emotions, even while acquiring new supernatural motivations.

Trask has to constantly remind people of his title of reverend, when they purposefully neglect to use it.

My mother told me once that "reverend" isn't really a title, though everyone uses it as one these days.   She said it was more of an adjective of respect, like "the respected and pious Trask".     She said there was no real title, and they used to be called "Mister".    My mother was no expert, and we weren't religious, but she had decades of experience of the mid-20th century on her side.

[EmeraldRose]

I loved the scene between Barnabas and Ben. Barnabas has obviously lost much of his humanity, and needs Ben for a "reality check" more and more often. Too bad Barnabas doesn't heed Ben's advice.   Their exchange did apppear to be Byronic or Shakespearian.

I really hate Trask and Abigail being so against Vicki. Abigail does have a lot of influence on Trask. I'm glad Peter was able to hide the book from Trask, and then hide it by burying it.

----- Sally -----

[Roland]

Did Peter really believe that wholly inadequate towel would somehow hide his shenanigans with the book?

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Yeah, well - one has to remember that Peter isn't exactly the sharpest tack in the pack.   

[IluvBarnabas]

LOL on the comments about Abigail turning Trask over to the dark side. Maybe she did.

Abigail complains about the judges prolonging the trial and not sending Vicki to the gallows already. Well that's the price you pay for living in a democratic society, Abigail...even accused witches are entitled to a fair trial.

Also laughed at Trask's comment about the judges not having the clarity of the "good and truly just"...too bad neither he nor Abigail qualify in that category.

Barnabas' humanity really is all but gone at this point. He's so outraged at Josette being dead that he's willing to kill innocent people to even the score...yes, Barnabas really did need Ben to wheel him in when his destructive nature gets out of hand.

I am glad that Trask wasn't able to talk (or maybe I should say theaten) Peter into stop defending Vicki.