Happy birthday, DS! 

My goodness, Lydia, you've already jumped in with both feet! 

To paraphrase Vicki, "Our journey is just beginning." When episode 1 aired, I wonder if anyone--DC included--could have imagined what that journey would be like and the places it would take us.

I've always been struck by Joan Bennett's beauty and the regal dignity she brought to the role of Elizabeth from the very beginning--I never could think of her as Liz. Everything about her sparkes as far as I'm concerned.

Vicki is very immature and naive, even for 1966. I was a teenager myself at the time and was totally absorbed with the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, etc.--in other words, the larger world. The orphanage is supposed to be in New York, but it must have been quite a cloistered community. Even Mrs. Mitchell (yes, Jane Rose was terrific) seemed more worldly wise, and she must have spent most of her life near Collinwood. I hope that nowadays the writers wouldn't have Vicki get into the car with a complete stranger. And in those days, "jerk" was used to mean "fool" or "idiot." Love Maggie's brassy blond wig!

I suspect there was only one church in Collinsport and that the Collinses did not attend it, although I'm sure the front couple of pews were reserved for them and paid up. I also suspect Roger has had enough practice that he's figured out a way to crush glass glasses without severing an artery. 

I love those last shots, when Vicki arrives at the Great House. She can see only Elizabeth's silhouette, but Elizabeth has a clear view of Vicki as she stands in the brighly lit foyer and gazes about her, looking very small indeed.

A sad day as we come to the end of the story!

I never, ever trusted Brutus when he claimed to love Amanda. It would have been too easy. I think it was some kind of ruse.

When Catherine was possessed by Amanda, Melanie was in some kind of swoon or something. She can't have returned to normal--although your idea is pretty funny, Lydia.

I love the fact that when Julia and Kendrick run out of the Locked Room, they leave the doors wide open behind them. All of Brutus's malice is brought to nothing as the light of day floods the room and exposes all his secrets.

Bramwell's (sort of) apology to Morgan: It isn't really an apology if it includes the word if. And this does. On first hearing, it does sound like an apology, but on second (etc.) hearing, it sounds more like self-defense. I think it was a lame attempt by desperate writers who knew this was The End and that they had to rush things to some kind of resolution.

Kudos to Gordon Russell as Harris, the Second Footman--surely the shortest footman in history! According to all the Anne Perry mysteries I've read, footmen were supposed to be tall and imposing. But Collinwood has always had a servant problem. 

And yes, I agree it's the Great House itself that is the glue holding the show together. Characters may come and go, occasionally leaving the house empty except for their corpses, but Collinwood endures!

Maybe Julia hasn't told Flora about Morgan to protect her, considering that her "baby" has already been killed by the curse. This sort of misguided good intention happens in families all the time, so no surprise there.

Weirdly, the crazier Morgan gets, the more Keith Prentice shines! The first time I heard him say, "I feel such sympathy for Brutus," it gave me chills. It was sickening to see that he was so insane that he felt sorry for the man who cursed his (Morgan's) family.

Bramw'll--I like that! He's so contrary that he has to have his own personal pronunciation of his name. But regarding his resemblance to Barnabas, remember that Bramwell was away at sea for five years and may have gotten used to command in other dangerous situations, such as storms. And we don't really know what PT Barnabas was like. It seems his financial difficulties drove him to an early grave, so he might not have become like RT Barnabas after all.

I hate the fact that tomorrow's episode is the last of the series.

So do I! So do I!  

 

Strange how nobody thinks of taking an axe to the doors of the Locked Room. Unless Brutus had the doors lined with lead or something.

I like the fact that Julia and Kendrick are friends now. But then again, neither one has aonyone else to rely on. Maybe Julia finds it easier to talk to him because he's an outsider.

And now Morgan has thrown Catherine into the Room too. He never would have done that if he thought the child was his.

I don't think we know, but I think Josette says he was happy the baby was a girl after three boys.