Discuss - Ep #0752

[Watching Project]

Robservations #752

[fanforever]

This is just one of those episodes where everything seems to go right! Beth's concern for Quentin is very sweet, and I love the way she acts like a protective mother hen (though, since Quentin seems to act like a little boy, I guess it's inspired).

Judith's overly righteous behaviour towards Trask is sickening at best. How Trask could pull the wool down over Judith's eyes with simple religion reminds me of "The Night of the Hunter" (with Judith portraying Willa Harper, of course!)

The scene between GH and HAA was great, of course. Well-written and to the point.

Just a great episode overall.

[alwaysdavid]

I had to laugh when Quentin said he'd just kill Magda.  His solution to all this problems with women.  No thought to the consequences of his actions.  Would Sandor not offer some sort of reprisal as Magda has done to him?  Of course he doesn't yet realize how serious his curse is, but now Beth knows so will she tell him or try to protect him?

[Pansity]

Grayson voiceover.  Interesting that she pronounces Beth’s name as Cha-vez (emphasis on the last syllable) and I keep remembering hearing it as Cha- vez (emphasis on the first syllable).  Now I need to pay attention to see how the characters pronounce the name, which pronunciation they choose and whether it’s consistent or not.  Puts me in mind of the long a short a inconsistently with Han Solo’s name.  Some actors picked the long a, some the short a, even in the same scene.

The scene picks up with the teaser from the day before.  Beth comes down in her travelling dress, after being up all night on her Quentin hunt (again, using the front stairs. I guess she figures she’s been canned, why should she care anymore.) The scene doesn’t seem to have any changes from the day before.

Levelheaded practical Beth tries to calm Quentin,coming up with  a scenario that might actually make sense if you could discount the supernatural.  But he knows better; he knows its something supernatural, and knows whatever it is, it’s far from over.  The self confident smart alec is completely gone, replaced with a vulnerable terrified man who will not be comforted.

Judith wasted no time getting Evan over there to take out the trash so to speak.    True to form Judith thinks that the whole thing about Quentin being “sick” is a put up job to weasel out of the contract.  The phone call from Trask about the death of the teacher comes conveniently after Beth is in the drawing room with Handley and Judith.  It seems from her reaction that she’s put together this death and Quentin’s condition when she found him (enjoy her continued intelligence while it lasts, folks).  Hanley seems to suspect something from her reaction; perhaps he’s putting it together with her phone call of the night before.   And Judith’s common sense and suspicious nature have apparently abandoned her, rhapsodizing about “poor Reverend Trask” and his consideration for others.  Uh…what about the poor dead girl?  Not a moment of sympathy for HER it seems.

Poor Beth, again her theory could make sense, but Quentin spots the hole in it – his lack of injury, yet plenty of blood.  Speaking of which, he’s cleaned up and fully dressed, yet neither of them thought to hide or destroy the evidence of the bloody clothing?   Apparently they didn’t learn anything from the last pathetic attempt at a coverup.    Of course when Evan comes in, Quentin is too distracted with his problem, and (for such a manipulator, he’s dangerously naive to trust Evan, whom he should know is always out for his own best interests) doesn’t even notice Evan finding the soiled clothing.  And expecting Evan to help him out of friendship?  Where did this naïve, trusting fool come from, and what did he do with Quentin?  Of course, a few minutes later with Judith he’s more the good old annoying Quentin, throwing the agreement in the fireplace, but he of all people should know that Evan can’t be trusted for anything other than playing the sides off against one another for his own advantage.

Evan is pumping Magda, but of course he’s going to take anything he learns and use it for his own profit.  Great scene here with Magda and Hanley, and it gives us one more clue with the Pentagram that Magda won’t sell for any price.

Interesting, in this next scene we see the fireplace, but it doesn’t look like it’s a working one.  Not to mention that the agreement is still there against the back wall of the non working fireplace, where a fire ought to be.  Quentin is being a total fool, given his previous experience with the occult.  And of course, his foolproof solution would be to kill Magda (hello, isn’t that what got you INTO this mess in the first place?). 

Beth, being Beth is scared to death (as she admits when Quentin pushes it), but she’s staying anyway.  Now, does he insist she goes because he’s mad at her being scared, or is he trying to protect her?  Yet, when  the pains start, he’s all about don’t leave me.  Got to give her points for being sensible even when terrified, she goes right for the pentagram to make sure they try it.  All his protests aside, they don’t have a lot of options; doing nothing the night before didn’t help anything, so he has very little to lose by trying it.
Makes you wonder if he had used his brain and cooperated, gotten into the pentagram in time, what would have happened.

At least BETH didn’t go catatonic and gray haired when SHE saw the transformation.     Of course, best we know she didn't have to grow up with a brother like NED either.....   

Jeannie

[Midnite]

How Trask could pull the wool down over Judith's eyes with simple religion reminds me of "The Night of the Hunter" (with Judith portraying Willa Harper, of course!)

I don't recall anyone making that analogy before, but I think it's wonderful.  If only Rachel Drummond had been half as effective at protecting the children (a boy and a girl, right?) from the fake preacher as Rachel Cooper.

I had to laugh when Quentin said he'd just kill Magda.  His solution to all this problems with women.

Do you think he might've had a chance to escape the curse if he'd thought to kill Magda before the last nightfall?  Maybe Q's real problem is bad timing.

[MagnusTrask]

Do you think he might've had a chance to escape the curse if he'd thought to kill Magda before the last nightfall?  Maybe Q's real problem is bad timing.

I did just think that myself.  He was a deer in headlights probably.   Also he's not decisive or one to take charge of a situation right away.   He needs time to plot and plan behind people's backs, and even then he won't manage to come up with the plan and acts thoughtlessly and impulsively way too late.

[Taeylor Collins]

Judith's overly righteous behaviour towards Trask is sickening at best. How Trask could pull the wool down over Judith's eyes with simple religion reminds me of "The Night of the Hunter" (with Judith portraying Willa Harper, of course!)

I have to agree with Midnite!  That is a great analogy and THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER is one of my favorite Old Hollywood movies, which I recently discovered thanks to Rose McGowan.  A lot of people would be shocked to know that she is very knowledgeable about Old Hollywood and loves that era of movies.  I truly enjoyed her hosting The Essentials with Robert on TCM.  Sorry to get a bit off topic! And I love how Rachel Cooper dealt with that horrid false prophet!  Great ending!

VO: GH ! Naked QUENTIN again!  How lovely! Tussled hair, chest peeping through, dirty—LORD—Whew!  UH HUM…moving on.

Good to see Humbert again.  I still prefer Nicholas, but Humbert is a great addition to Dark Shadows and a wonderful actor.  Is he still living??  I haven't gotten Shadowgram in years although I been meaning too.

I personally think Joan did a good job differentiating Judith from Elizabeth and Naomi. At times though, Judith is reminiscent of Liz in the early days of the series!

I particularly love the way the scene in the Old House is shot with an extreme close up of Humbert and Grayson.  They almost look like they are about to kiss.  I love that Dark Shadows did those extreme close ups as it always got every flicker of emotion that crossed an actor or actresses face!  Soaps don't tend to do that today.  Although I like to think the *one* I watch is the best soap on TV now! 

Great episode all around!

[MagnusTrask]

It's often funny to me how close together the actors' faces are when they do close-ups on their faces.   It's totally unnatural of course, and they do it just to have close-ups of both actors during more intense moments of dialogue.   Occasionally they show a long-shot of how the actors are really standing, insanely close together... it makes my parody mind want them to suddenly realize they have a whole room to stand in, and back away from each other, feeling stupid....!

[Roland]

I'm a little fuzzy on this.  I always got the impression with Chris that his amnesia began at some point after he started to transform into the werewolf, that he at least got the chance to see and remember his arms and hands turning hairy - otherwise how would he ever know that he even was a werewolf and not just the victim of some inexplicable violent blackouts? 

Quentin, however, seems not to have remembered that stage of the transformation at all. 

[EmeraldRose]

Roland, maybe Quentin's amnesia started earlier than Chris's because he was newly cursed. Also, maybe different men react differently to the curse.

This was the first time a pentagram was drawn on the floor. Also, this episode was when Evan told Quentin he "wasn't his friend". I'm glad Evan helped Quentin, anyway.

At least BETH didn't go catatonic and gray haired when SHE saw the transformation. Of course, best we know she didn't have to grow up with a brother like NED either.....

LOL, Jeannie!  

I like how Quentin is acting like a "scared little boy", and Beth is so worried and protective of him. Selby did a great job playing scared and playing someone in dreadful pain. Terrayne was no slouch, either.

Yes, indeed, the scenes between Magda and Evan were fun. Evan was able to get information from her just from her pentagram, even though he still didn't know what the curse was.

----- Sally -----

[Lydia]

I keep thinking that it was an interesting happenstance that Jenny was killed when the moon was just about full.  If the moon had been just past full, would Magda have chosen a different curse?  I also keep thinking of Rachel's casual mention of werewolves (as something she didn't believe in) back when Quentin was a zombie.  She was talking to Magda.  Did that stick in Magda's mind?  And if Rachel hadn't mentioned werewolves, would Magda have hit upon a different curse for Quentin?