That would work, Barnabas only expected to return the same day and Stokes' later statement having been right all along, except for the fact that David did not die just a day or two into the 1897 storyline. Maybe he unexpectedly hung on forever, but he was at death's door in episode 700.
Not to mention that he never originally intended to time travel at all. He only wanted to reach Quentin through the I Ching to find out what it was he wanted.
Alwaysdavid: Isn't it amusing that Barnabas is universally trusted for no apparent reason. And he thinks he SHOULD be trusted even when he gives whatever character no solid reason to rely on him? It's Barnabas Sue! Beloved and trusted by all, knows all the answers,all the women are in love with him. But can he fix a warp drive with a bobby pin?
On to my nattering about the episode.
Nice continuation of the fencing between Barnabas and Quentin from the previous episode. They didn’t make the mistake of having Quentin tamely trust Barnabas without trying to find out everything he can about him. It’s also made clear with Quentin’s needling every step of the way that he ‘s forced to rely on Barnabas, but still doesn’t trust him. Loved Quentin’s unknowing hit about the feeling about there being two Barnabas – one there watching them like something under a microscope, and the other off living his life somewhere else.
I’m uncomfortable with the fact that Jamison doesn’t jump straight to Quentin’s defense the way he usually does when Q is attacked. Matter of fact, he says nothing. And given that previous scene, Jamison trusts Barnabas awfully easily. Creepy dream. I see the point that’s been made about the present day characters being “off”.
Is it me or did they change the Quentin’s ghost makeup? Q seems more natural, more like living Q in this dream, not the stylized makeup I remember for the ghost. Hmm, technically speaking isn’t this the first time the ghost spoke? Some nice bits of business in the Q and David scene. The part where David wonders if they’ll miss him – Quentin looks sad, thinking, possibly of what happened when he died. And throughout the dream, he shows kindness and compassion for the boy. We didn’t see this often with the ghost, he seemed more impassive, downright sociopathic at times. Only time I remember more is when he was watching them disinter the baby’s grave.
Nifty effect with the lighting half of Q’s face green the other natural. Now we find out the three things which have to happen for Q to die originally. (or is it as originally? Anyone’s guess what damage Barnabas has done to the timeline even up to this point.)
Now we have the three things to look for: the lost silver bullet, the death of someone who could help and the one person Quentin truly loved turning against him. Of course we know what the chances are of these chances being mucked up too. Any theories on where Jamison’s dream came from? Who made sure he had the dream to pass on the clues? Only realistic suspects I see are the ghosts (more likely Beth) and Angelique as the most likely suspect. She’s there, knows what will happen, and apparently wants them to succeed for whatever reasons of her own.
Jamison might be more immature than David (probably a function of how upper class kids were raised and sheltered back then) but he’s picked right up on Barnabas knowing just what the dream involves and having answers to all the questions.
Poor Quentin, trapped the drawing room for yet another conversation about the creature and killing it – and having to cover and pretend and not let anyone catch on. He holds it together pretty well, until they start talking about poor mangled bloody Dorcas, then he snaps.
Interesting that Barnabas chooses to explain Jamison’s dream to Judith in terms of modern psychology; that David Collins was created by Jamison to act out what’s troubling him. I’m wondering whether people in 1897 would have taken that seriously, given the bad reputation psychiatrists had at the time.
Oopsie – here’s thing number one as Edward finds the silver bullet that Magda lost.
Jeannie