Discuss - Ep #1244

Robservations #1244

Where's Flora?  If anybody can cut Morgan down to size, it's she.  I'm not sure even she can do it - but it's the only hope.

But what fun to see Keith Prentice cut loose!  I'd love to see Mad Morgan and Crazy Gabriel together.

This is the third time I've seen this episode.  The first two times, Morgan's line, "I feel such sympathy for Brutus!" grated terribly.  It just seemed to be pushing too hard.  This time around, I was fine with it.  It fit Morgan's insanity perfectly.  If I live long enough, I will grow to love everything about Dark Shadows.  I'll even love Addison Powell!

I wish Bramwell didn't seem so much like Barnabas at the moment.  I suppose in times of stress his resemblance to his father might well be more pronounced - but I keep having to tell myself that.  Maybe I'll believe it the next time I watch this episode.  Incidentally, I love the way Jonathan Frid pronounces Bramwell: "Bramw'll".  Everybody else says "Bramwell", and I know there are other reasons for the difference in pronunciation, but I like the thought of Bramwell thinking of his name one way while all the rest of the world - even Catherine - think of it another way.

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

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!  

I was relieved to find this episode wasn't the last one.   I wondered earlier if Kendrick could be said to be a Collins-- I take it all back.   He suggests a seance as a solution, where they'd meet their most dangerous enemy, even though he's already around all the time anyway, and... what?   He has no apparent idea as to what to do with him once they "have" him.   He's so much a Collins that modern blood-testing probably wouldn't have allowed for his recent marriage!

Good acting is combined with music to create a nice, effective moment, when Julia, talking to Morgan, suddenly realizes what he did with Catherine.

Okay, Morgan isacting under Brutus's influence.   Julia points out that he's reproducing Brutus's act.   Morgan thinks he's Brutus Part Deux.   It's not Morgan's true nature we see, but Morgan with Brutus's attitude.   I resist not blaming Morgan, though.  There must be an awful lot of his real self in this conglomerate entity we hear ranting his head off.   I'll have to admit I enjoy seeing him this way, though.

Okay, Morgan isacting under Brutus's influence.   Julia points out that he's reproducing Brutus's act.   Morgan thinks he's Brutus Part Deux.   It's not Morgan's true nature we see, but Morgan with Brutus's attitude.   I resist not blaming Morgan, though.  There must be an awful lot of his real self in this conglomerate entity we hear ranting his head off.   I'll have to admit I enjoy seeing him this way, though.

Interesting idea, MT. This time around, I actually do feel sorry for Morgan. His troubles started when he decided that his marriage to Catherin would never be consummated. But couldn't he have been trying to end the curse by not producing a future generation that would be obliged to continue the lottery? It's certainly far from the best solution, but his heart was in (more or less) the right place. Clearly he had given some thought to breaking the curse, considering what his father went through. That happened ten or so years ago, when Morgan was a young teenager--an impressionable age.

Brutus seems to be very good at homing in on a prospective victim's weak point, then exploiting it for his own evil ends. Melanie's vulnerability might have concealed a wish to be stronger in character--not in an evil sense, but just enough to stand up to Morgan and Julia. And Morgan's troubled marriage gave Brutus something to work with. Wotta guy, huh?

Interesting thoughts, both of you.  Especially the one about Melanie.  I find it hard to believe that Brutus has such insight, but maybe it's a supernatural thing.