It is even stated on the series itself that things in 1970 do not match up in 1840:
[spoiler]When Stokes arrives in 1840 via the stairway, Julia tells him that what they witnessed in 1970 differs from what she saw: Daphne not being there until later on, Gerard not being the ghost that haunts the family, etc. So, there is some continuity explanation going on...she even brings up Cassandra being in the past to explain away Angelique.[/spoiler]
I still think Judah Zacahary was decieving everyone in 1970 to throw them off the trail.
You're right, Joeytrom.
1840 is also the most complex storyline DS ever attempted, with time periods (1995, 1970, 1840, and late 1600s), events, and characters layered and interlayered amongst one another. No question that there are some loose threads and some inconsistencies, as is the case with every DS storyline. But no other DS storyline -- or any other TV show that I know of -- ever did anything so complex.
If I had time to really delve into every objection Raholt lists, I feel I could come up with a response to many of them ... unfortunately I don't have the time to put into such an effort right now.
I like Raholt's explication of the reasons behind the 1897 events, but to my mind these reasons were not made crystal clear in the show itself. How Quentin's ghost trying to kill David was a bid for David's/Jamison's forgiveness and love is unclear to me.
Someone on this forum argued very cogently during the last run of 1897 that the original scope of that storyline was most likely a simple werewolf story which would have ended with Quentin being walled up in his room. I think an a close reading of 1897 bears that out. In a way, I think I might have liked that shorter version of 1897 better -- at least it would have been more cohesive plotwise and thematically. Nevertheless it would be sad not to have ever had the Petofi character, etc., but that might have been done in yet another storyline, as would the other extensions to the original 1897 plot. And the extensions of the 1897 storyline made up what it lost in cohesiveness and character consistency with some truly memorable sequences.
I agree with JoeyTrom that Judah Zachary is behind the 1970 and 1840 events, including why the ghosts of Gerard and Daphne appeared at Collinwood in 1970. The writers probably didn't make every thing clear, but I feel sure that there was a concept behind their writing other than, "Hey, let's introduce some new ghosts for no reason because we can't think of anything else to do." I feel that an in-depth analysis would uncover much that was left somewhat murky.
I definitely do not agree that various aspects named by Raholt and others were simply retreads of past storylines. For example, it is logical that a Trask character would appear, bridging the gap between 1795 and 1897. It's a delicious irony that this Trask should be an undertaker rather than a clergyman; it's also Jerry Lacy's most realistic villain, portrayed much more like a real person than his other Trask characters, which were really caricatures.
Moreover, the hint of redemption that is brought out near the end of the 1840 storyline marks the fulfillment of DS's ongoing philosophical look at the dark plight Barnabas faces over the length of the series; so in my view not only is 1840 far more cohesive and internally consistent than 1897, it is the culmination thematically of the entire series. (And 1841 PT which follows further develops the redemption theme, making a nice coda for the entire series.)