Wow, MT, I really like your ideas about how Vicki changed EVERYONE's past!

And the Julia/Barnabas show begins…

I totally agree, dom! Hooray!

Thanks, MT!

When Julia was trying to cure Barnabas, perhaps the writers hadn't thought of Angelique yet. Or maybe she was just too busy serving time in hell. 

After Roger leaves Collinwood with the portrait of Angelique, Julia comments shrewdly, Vicki knows who the girl in the painting is, so you must know too. Barnabas turns away as he admits, Yes--Angelique Collins. I was once married to her, Julia. Married? Julia exclaims. Yes, Barnabas replies, she’s the one responsible for putting that curse on me. Angelique was a witch? Julia asks, still stunned at having learned, in just one brief sentence, two shocking facts about the man she loves: Not only was he not a bachelor after all but his wife (however briefly they were married, the vows were pronounced) was the witch who cursed him. Yes, Barnabas answers grimly--and finally Julia knows everything.

This episode also marks a major turning point in Barnabas's life--and Julia's. She shows him Lang's reflector, which Roger left behind. He's upset that Julia didn't show it to him before, but she didn't think it was important. Taking the reflector, he murmurs, So this is how she did it; I couldn’t imagine what she could have used. (Now he knows why Lang got those awful headaches in the hospital.) What are you talking about? Julia asks. In typical male fashion he only orders her, Get your coat, Julia--we’re leaving. [And I’m sure this point marks the true beginning of their collaboration, and equally sure Barnabas at least is utterly clueless about what has just happened, let alone that he has made Julia his ally.] Where are we going? Julia asks in bewilderment. To Dr. Lang’s house, Barnabas tells her. What for? she asks. His life is in danger, Barnabas says urgently. Putting her hand on his arm, Julia asks--she thinks rhetorically--Who would want to kill Eric Lang? Angelique, replies Barnabas promptly. What? Julia exclaims in astonishment. Barnabas tells her, Dr. Lang has done something to remove the curse from me, and Angelique is angry. She will try to kill him for helping me. We must get to Lang’s house before it is too late. So saying, he firmly grasps her elbow and practically pushes her out to the foyer. After the front door closes on them, a chill wind blows through the drawing room.

This episode gives us a glimpse of the man Barnabas perhaps might have been if he had never met Angelique. It marks a turning point in Barnabas’s life, perhaps a result of Dr. Lang’s cure.

Barnabas arrives arrives at Collinwood, having just come home from the hospital (by way of Dr. Lang’s). He’s especially chipper because it’s the middle of the afternoon, as he notes when he greets Elizabeth. I’m glad to see you looking so well, Elizabeth says warmly, delighted at his speedy recovery. You seem troubled, Barnabas observes. Can you tell me what’s the matter? he asks--for the first time, with genuine concern. [I believe this is the first of a never-ending series of confidences that Barnabas receives from various family members in various time frames. Perhaps it’s the result of the treatments Dr. Lang has been giving him. Perhaps the memory of Sarah’s reproach--which happened just a few short days ago in actual time--as well as Julia’s influence has begun to affect him.]

Elizabeth is wearing a pretty green dress with a rolled collar.

Poor Barn has another relapse when he's talking to Vicki and suddenly decides that her throat looks particularly inviting this afternoon.

Welcome (I guess) Harry Johnson. Craig Slocum once again plays a young man who has done time in prison. Vicki nearly jumps out of her skin when she sees him. And like Noah before him, Harry looks around the sumptuous drawing room appreciatively. His mother warns him against getting "itchy fingers," but to no avail.

For the first time, we can see a large tree outside the drawing room windows. It's interesting to think that maybe Joshua or Jeremiah planted it.

 

I'm sure the Collins family has donated some massive amount of money to the hospital. In return they get their own private suite for whenever any of them need to be hospitalized. The lack of a call button is a real lapse, but then again, this probably is Barnabas's very first hospitalization ever, so he may not know that call buttons even exist.

Elizabeth's awful yellow caftan has a "cousin" at Collinwood. Vicki is wearing a chiffon yellow caftan when she comes downstairs and tries to stop Roger from taking the portrait away to be reframed. And she's still wearing it when Jeff Clark comes to see her.

Another fabulous JF moment: Barnabas is in his private room at the hospital, with normal flesh-toned skin and no eye makeup. About to be discharged from the hospital, he has obviously just finished dressing. He is adjusting his jacket with an expression of wonder. We realize why when it becomes obvious that we're seeing his reflection from his point of view (one of my favorite shots!), because his hand reaches out to the mirror--from where we would be standing if we were him. But his happiness ends right there when Vicki arrives (wearing street clothes, thank goodness) and tells him that she can't marry him.

Later, Barnabas takes his troubles to Dr. Lang at his opulent home. While they're talking, Jeff blunders in with a large box under his arm. Despite the fact that Jeff pulled Barnabas out of the car wreck, apparently they have not officially met. Dr. Lang introduces Barnabas to his Hated Rival (they barely nod to each other), then hustles Barnabas out the door rather quickly. Barnabas is too distracted to notice how badly Lang wants to get rid of him.

And no wonder: Another good bit of anger and revulsion by RD as Lang praises the "perfect" arm Jeff has most unwillingly resurrected.