I've always thought that Collinwood was several miles from the riffraff of Collinsport. I do think it's at the top of the hill, even with the huge lawn. I suppose that if the Collinses could afford to build that great big house, they could probably afford some landscaping too.

And yes, it seems that Vicki's top priority is not governessing but snooping.

WELCOME, MATTHEW MORGAN!

Or at least Matthew Morgan the First, George Mitchell. He did the best Down East accent of anyone except Thayer David. Again, it's interesting to speculate on how Matthew's character would have developed if Mitchell had stayed on. He does a great job with Matthew's back story--you can almost smell the "stink" of the cannery. I can't help thinking that Vicki is too inquisitive for her own good. But we hear for the first time about how "Miz Stoddard" laid off all the servants just before she hired him--eighteen years ago....

Finally, David meets someone he can't afford to be rude to! Elizabeth has the patience of several saints put together as she tries to reach him. Friends of Roger may be interested to note that the first book in the Rover Boys series was published in 1899! Roger wasn't even a gleam in anyone's eye then! The last one came out in 1926. But it's just typical of how behind the times everything at Collinwood is.

THE LOCKED ROOM! THE LOCKED ROOM!!! And we're only in Episode 6!  

And a fashion note: I remember those awful straight-line dresses with the big buttons. Nobody looked good in those.

I also liked Mark Allen as Sam Evans. He seems much more philosophical, and it would have been interesting to see that aspect of his character develop. I like the way he tells this earliest version of Josette's story, too.

Carolyn does ironing. Maybe she should do it more often--it seems to make her think more deeply than usual. She must be very lonely indeed to try to find a connection to an orphaned governess. Not that that's a bad thing. 

The kitchen! I love the kitchen set!

I forgot what a little brat David is in these earliest episodes. Henesy must have had fun!

Maybe Carolyn was right not to go to college. Diana, Princess of Wales got no further than high school.

I love Carolyn's joke that at the stroke of twelve, her uncle Roger will turn into Dracula!

We have the first (but far from the last) blooper: Elizabeth has trouble opening the drawing-room doors to let Vicki in for her inquisition. But in these early days Vicki actually stands up for herself.

WELCOME DAVID HENESY!

Ah, I get it--that's the REAL Seaview! 

Weird, certainly, but it's always made me laugh that somewhere in these early episodes, Carolyn describes Roger as "European," which back in those days meant suave and sophisticated.

I think Collinsport was what is called a "hatl" in English train parlance--in other words, you have to make a request (to the engineer or conductor?) for the train to stop there. I suppose now that Burke is so wealthy, he can stop the train wherever he darn well pleases.