The July 19th Episodes (Spoilers!)

[Mysterious Benefactor]

When I watching ep #278 as Vicki remarks that she would love to wear dresses like Josette's all the time, I couldn't help but wonder if she will feel quite that same way once she actually lives in 1795/96 and learns first hand what a hassle they most probably were for women to wear? But perhaps the fact that while she's there Vicki never once comments or even thinks to herself about how much fun it is to be wearing them is my answer. 

And with all the talk of wearing clothes in ep #278, I was definitely taken back when I saw David wearing a safari jacket in ep #540:

Back when I was in 6th, 7th and 8th grades I owned two of them, and I completely wore them out because I wore them so often. Less so the nehru jacket I owned back in 6th grade. But I'm jumping the gun by bringing that one up because the ep in which David wears his won't be coming up for us until May 9, 2006...

[AndreDuPres]

Oh, I *love* these episodes!  I loved Barnabas' soliloquy-ish speech about the night in yesterday's episode, and I love Vicki's naive interest in Josette and l'Empire garb in today's.  These episodes have an almost magical quality to them--I can't get enough of this costume party!

[michael c]

i'm with andre here...i love these episodes too.i was enthralled when i first watched them.
where as maggie reminded barnabas of someone else here it's vicki herself that barnabas is falling for.

and this is getting close to the episodes where vicki spends the night at the old house...and i still get goosebumps when i think of them.it sounds corny but during these months the show did approach something "magical".

[Barnabas'sBride]

I just love this period in the show. My DVD set #2 gets played a lot because of these episodes. The costume party and Victoria spending the night at the Old House...love them so much. I agree that there's something "magical" about them. They just captured me.

[AndreDuPres]

Although many people don't seem to like Anthony George very much as Burke, I really thought he fit the role during this plotline rather well--he and Vicki were one of my favourite couples on the show; their relationship seemed so natural in comparison with the Vicki & Peter/Jeff thing.  I'll probably comment on this further in the July 20th thread.  Vicki is just so whimsical and touching at this time, as well.  And who wrote the scripts?  I love the dialogue here:  it's very intelligent and almost philosophical at times, especially with Barnabas.  I really wish I hadn't broken that first disc to the Third Set, because I'm also enamoured with the "Seaview" House sequence on there as well; the last B & W episodes...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I can't believe that when I posted this topic I forgot to mention the most important thing about these eps: how interesting it is to see just how much Willie's relationship with Barnabas evolved in a year. In ep #278, despite Barn's repeated threats, Willie tries to work against Barn's plans by making every attempt that he thinks he can safely get away with to try to influence Barnabas not to go ahead with all the awful things that he has planned - yet in ep #540 Willie attempts to do everything he can to protect Barn out of a real loyalty to him. True, Barn is human in ep #540 and no longer plotting things like turning someone into a Josette clone, but still, while watching their first six months together, who could have ever predicted how much of a 180 Willie's relationship to Barn would take a year later?

[Josette]

I can't believe that when I posted this topic I forgot to mention the most important thing about these eps: how interesting it is to see just how much Willie's relationship with Barnabas evolved in a year. In ep #278, despite Barn's repeated threats, Willie tries to work against Barn's plans by making every attempt that he thinks he can safely get away with to try to influence Barnabas not to go ahead with all the awful things that he has planned - yet in ep #540 Willie attempts to do everything he can to protect Barn out of a real loyalty to him. True, Barn is human in ep #540 and no longer plotting things like turning someone into a Josette clone, but still, while watching their first six months together, who could have ever predicted how much of a 180 Willie's relationship to Barn would take a year later?

[spoiler]I've always found Willie's "closeness" to Barnabas quite amazing.  He was under his power, gets shot while trying to warn Maggie, miracullously survives, but seems to be insane, so is sent off to Windcliff.  Later, when they need him, Barnabas and Julia go to see how he's doing and Barnabas pressures Julia into deciding that he's recovered sufficiently to be released.  Willie is so happy to see him, seems to remember good times with him and from then on is a faithful and loyal friend.  While Barnabas no longer beats him, he can still be rather cruel in his treatment of him, yet Willie remains attached.  Quite puzzling.[/spoiler]

[Raineypark]

The truly interesting change in the character of Willie Loomis comes much earlier, when he goes from being Jason McGuire's nasty little partner in crime, to Barnabas' soul-shattered victim.  THAT Willie tries, despite his own terror, to prevent the horrors Barnabas will attempt to perpetrate on Vicky and Maggie, and suffers dearly for his efforts.

The Willie Loomis who was shot trying to protect Maggie Evans was the furthest thing from insane.  The one who returned to take care of Adam was an adult version of a battered child, desperate to please the parent who abused him.  No wonder he spends the rest of his time on the show trying to  "help" Barnabas.

But that point of view doesn't suit the concept of the new, romantic, human Barnabas, so it all has to be glossed over when Willie returns.  After all, DS IS a soap opera, and flip-flopping the Good and Evil characters is a hallmark of the genre.

[PennyDreadful]

an adult version of a battered child, desperate to please the parent who abused him.  No wonder he spends the rest of his time on the show trying to  "help" Barnabas.

 That's an interesting take, and one I tend to agree with.