The original Angelique had a set of very human motivations for her actions. Some of the dialogue in Angelique's early scenes, especially the ones with Ben who is the only character to whom she was ever really honest (paradoxical as that seems), leads me to think that Angelique only wanted Barnabas in the first place because of the attraction between him and Josette. She wanted everything Josette had--her position, her clothes, her wealth, perhaps most of all her respectability--her desire for Barnabas fit that pattern perfectly. His rejection of her drove her mad, I think, because it was above all a blow to her pride. The whole romantic thing about her putative unrequited love for him was something I always found difficult to fit into the way the character was established at the beginning.
I think they started out with a fairly clear vision for Cassandra, but the character ran afoul of the chopped-and-changed Adam subplot. My guess is that Adam's role was beefed up because of all the fanmail I've read kids sent in who totally identified with the big lug.
I love Lara Parker's performance as Cassandra because it is so nuanced. I thought she portrayed the character's inner conflicts, and even her vulnerability, really well. I am also overweeningly fond of Cassandra, I suspect, because this was how I first saw the character but when I first started watching the show.
G.
