Discuss - Ep #0220

[Watching Project]

Robservations - #220

[Gothick]

The moment when Willie tries hard to get Liz to listen to him is a neatly pitched thrum of high tension in this show.  Beautifully played by all involved.

And that final scene between Barnabas and Willie has, for me, the feel of a classic 1930s Universal horror film.  I adore the use of color on later DS but there's a certain atmosphere they captured in these monochrome shows that was, by any standard, exceptional.  It looks great on a shoestring budget.  Phenomenal.

G.

[Jackie]

Another great episode.  I agree, the B&W makes it very eerie.

Willie wakes up at dusk fully energized unlike his weakness during the day.  If this is suppose to happen to a vampire's victim: weak during the day, well at night, how can Willie guard Barnabas during the day?  Also, what about all the work Willie does during the day while his master is in a comatose state? How can he do that and be weak?  This all seems to change so maybe Willie just has to get use to the changes.  And god-forbid if Willie dies.... then he too would be a .... vampire?

Jason drills Willie for answers about his "speedy recovery" and that makes Willie very nervous... something JK does very well.  Jason talks about Willie confiding in him but Jason doesn't tell Willie all his plans.  If they are friends, that's not fair.  Jason acts more like Willie's "boss" then friend.

Willie tells Jason he's "sorry"--that their relationship has fallen apart and that they are splitting up, and Jason wonders where he learned to say such a foreign word... [thought: no you wouldn't Jason!]  Then Jason walks out saying "I'd like to know what happen to you in the cemetery" and Willie's look says "no ya wouldn't!"

Vicki is surprised by Willie's apology and remorsefulness.  "Is that why you changed, your illness?"  Willie turns, agrees "yeah my illness" but you can tell he's thinking his "illness" was caused by his actions instead.

When Willie tells Mrs. Stoddard he has something to say to her and that "it's important", you really believe he wants to warn her about Barnabas.  Will he be able to spit it out?  He should have just said it, "Your cousin is a vampire and I know because I released him from the mausoleum!"  I wonder how long he would have been believed?  A millisecond?  But Jason thinks Willie wanted to tell Liz about his plans.  Jason thinks it's all about him.  NOT.

It's very sad when a man doesn't think his life belongs to him.

Did Barnabas say, "my proposal to move into the "new" house..."?  New?  Liz goes to get the keys to the Old House and remarks "you may want to lock up sometime"... yeah right... when does he EVER lock up the old house while he "lives" in the basement?  You'd think he would but...

Barnabas tells Vicki she's welcome to the Old House "anytime" but won't he want his privacy during the day?  If the doors are always "open" then how does he expect his secret to be kept?  He's making it difficult for his servant already.

Barnabas thought Vicki's name, Victoria, was beautiful and he wouldn't change a syllable.  I heard him address Vicki as Miss Winters during this episode and never Victoria.  You'd think he use her beautiful name instead of being so formal.

Barnabas' statement to Elizabeth, "you'll never know how much you've done for me", is so scary because of what he actually plans on doing...!  We can't blame Liz for letting him stay there and what Barnabas does do there.

Vicki is very insightful in this episode, about Barnabas and about Willie.  Drats, sorry to see that go in the future.

This is the first day we see Willie and Barnabas together.  Willie's master wants him to go out and do "something".  Willie doesn't want to do it.  Barnabas tells him, "You no longer have any say in what you do.  Go... NOW."  OMG the beginning of the end for Willie!  Everyone speculates on what Willie had to do that's so frightening.  I don't think it's to kill a calf and bring home the blood.  Barnabas does that himself as we've heard of the expert killings of the cows.  I think maybe Willie is to go get a hooker, a bum or someone unknown and bring them back to Barnabas.  Knowing what would happen to that person could freak Willie as much as the next guy.

[loril54]

The Black and White is Great, like the old monster movies. Both JK and JF did a great job. Willie was so timid, not like Willie, Barnabas was very Emperative.

Willie will have alot to do. I wonder when he sleeps???  

[Alondra]

Episode #220, one of my favorites during the early Barnabas storyline, especially the last scene which is so heart rending.

Willie is thrashing in bed as we've seen quite a few times before, but he gets up, mummy walks to the window and looks out. He's in emotional and spiritual agony but he does look like he feels better physically. He begins to put on his socks as Jason comes into the room. He asks why Willie is out of bed and getting dressed, learns that Willie is feeling better now. Jason seems angry that after he had gone to the trouble of calling the doctor and convincing Liz to let him stay he is suddenly feeling better. He wants Willie to confide in him, what's going on? What has he got going for himself? If Willie doesn't tell him, that's a betrayal and it's time for them to part company. "We don't think alike anymore," he says. Willie has changed and Jason doesn't understand or like the change. Willie finishes getting dressed as Jason says they have no future together. Willie agrees. Jason wants to give him the 500 bucks and Willie acts like it doesn't matter about the money. Jason notes that Willie seems empty somehow, defeated, all the fight has gone out of him (exactly!) It's like he's given up and seems hopeless. Jason wants to help but Willie says he can't help. He's sorry. Jason notes that saying he's sorry is something Willie's never done before. He says he'll give him the money downstairs, notes that the change seems to have occurred at the cemetary, and he wishes he knew what had happened to Willie there. (Oh no you don't, Jason!) Jason leaves and Willie looks at the wound on his wrist and looks agonized, realizing this is the symbol of his new slavery.

Vicki comes in with a tray and says the doctor ordered a special diet for him, there is soup and juice. Willie says he doesn't want to eat and Vicki says the doctor had told them Willie hadn't eaten in a long time. Well the agony of his new life would kill his appetite, still for all he has ahead, he better eat and gain some strength! Willie tells Vicki he's leaving and says he was a louse in how he treated her and apologizes. Vicki isn't that understanding, I didn't think. She sees he's changed but seems a bit distrustful of just how long this change might last. She thinks his illness is what changed him, and now he's become remorseful. Willie looks like he wants to cry (such great facial expressions!)

Downstairs Jason tells Liz that Willie is leaving, is she happy? She is and wishes Jason would leave too. He implies he might leave soon and she asks, "Anything I can do to speed the day?" She sarcastically says that Willie recovered quickly, maybe the doctor gave him a miracle drug. Willie comes in and wants to speak to Liz but she flat refuses to listen to him, she just wants him gone. He practically begs to speak to her but both Jason and Liz tell him she's not interested in what he has to say. This was beyond rude IMO, he was leaving and she could have listened to what he had to say since it meant so much to him. On their way to the door, Jason accuses Willie of wanting to blow the whistle on him but how can he? Willie doesn't know exactly what Jason has on Liz and by now he has other much more personal issues to deal with. I think he meant to warn her about Barnabas but he wouldn't have been able to say what he wanted, he never was able to tell anyone about Barnabas!

Jason tells him he's glad he's leaving, and gives him the money. He tells him to go to the hotel, get some rest and he'll see him again before he leaves town. Then comes one of the saddest scenes I can think of. Willie sadly asks, "What's gonna happen to me now?" Jason says, "That's up to you isn't it?" And Willie says, "No, it's not up to me." He walks away and Jason looks after him, very confused.

Later Barnabas is visiting and tells Liz he's anxious to know what she has decided about the Old House. She tells him he can live there as long as he wants. He's delighted and says he will move in right away. She's concerned about the condition of the place and offers Mrs. Johnson to go over and clean it up for him. (Good grief, this was really unfair on Liz' part! Remind me to never work for her, she thinks nothing of offering her housekeeper to go clean up that mess at the Old House!) Barnabas says he's already made preparation for that (my poor Willie!). Vicki comes down and Liz tells her that Barnabas is going to live at the Old House. Vicki is shocked, but Barnabas tells her he is going to restore the house to it's original condition. She's delighted then and hopes to see the progress. Liz brings the keys and he leaves, saying he has much to do.

Vicki tells Liz she feels that Barnabas belongs to the Old House and it belongs to him, it just seems right. She tells Liz of Willie's apology before leaving. Liz comments that Willie seemed defeated and without spirit, she thinks it's because of his illness and he'll soon be back to his normal self. Vicki says she feels the change in Willie is permanent.

Now comes the very dramatic scene, I can watch this over and over. Barnabas enters the Old House, and for some reason in the background outside it's very foggy. I think this lends to the mood, makes it all the more eerie. He looks around some and then calls, "Where are you? What are you waiting for? Come in." Then we see Willie slink in behind him. This is the first scene with Willie and Barnabas together and in case anyone hadn't figured it out now, they can see exactly why Willie has changed, Barnabas has wrought this change. Barnabas is cheerful, says this is our new home. There be much for Willie to do (and how!) Now it's time for him go out. Willie cringes in fear and grabs hold of the bannister. "Oh, no, I can't!" Barnabas says, "You no longer have any say about what you will do. Go. NOW!" and he points to the door. Willie is nearly in tears as he slinks out.

My heart broke for Willie. His facial expressions make me melt. I wonder if anyone else has felt so helpless in a situation, not just like this of course, but feeling that you have no choice, you must bow to another's will to something you do NOT want to do! Can anyone understand how Willie must have felt? He knew his life was forever changed and nothing would ever be the same.

What is Barnabas sending Willie out to do, that makes him feel so sick inside? Get another calf? Gak!

Alondra

[Lydia]

So, Jason and Willie break up in the same episode in which Barnabas and Willie set up housekeeping together.  You have to feel sorry for Willie - he's looking a long, bleak future, with no light at the end of the tunnel.  In one of the interviews on the DVDs, John Karlen, laughing, says that once Willie opened that coffin, Willie was Barnabas's slave and there was no escape because vampires lived forever.  And there Karlen is on today's episode, putting that hopelessness into Willie.

I had forgotten what Barnabas was like in those early episodes - so full of superficial politeness and artificial milk of human kindness, with the occasional oddity slipping out - "I'm going to live in the Old House."  And then today we get our first look at the Barnabas's raw, unprocessed force.  Jonathan Frid does that so well - it hits me right in the pit of my stomach.

By the way, what is it with the soup?  People are always getting soup on that show.  Sure they talk about New England boiled dinner, but you never see it.  If I were there, I'd be saying, "What about a sandwich?  I need my carbs!"  Come to think of it, David did get a sandwich once, during the Quentin storyline.  Maybe it came from the David-and-Denise bistro.

[IluvBarnabas]

You can't help but feel sorry for Willie...he no longer has any control over his life, as Barnabas cruelly points out. Willie is forced to resign himself to this and do Barnabas' bidding, as cruel (not to mention disgusting) as it is. I honestly think he really wanted to tell Elizabeth the truth, if she had only given him the chance.

I can't blame Elizabeth, though, for being skeptical of Willie's illness. He is supposed to be very, very sick yet at nightfall he's strong enough to go running out of the house and goes to who knows where and stay out all night. If I had been her, I'd think Willie was up to something too.

Love Elizabeth's sarcasm towards Jason....but you know even if [spoiler]Jason had left Collinswood and Collinsport (alive) that very day, I really believe he would have shown up again as soon as he ran out of the money he has extorted out of her so far and blackmail her all over again.[/spoiler]

Once a blackmailer, always a blackmailer I say.

[arashi]

By the way, what is it with the soup?  People are always getting soup on that show.  Sure they talk about New England boiled dinner, but you never see it.  If I were there, I'd be saying, "What about a sandwich?  I need my carbs!"  Come to think of it, David did get a sandwich once, during the Quentin storyline.  Maybe it came from the David-and-Denise bistro.

At least they're getting something! How many times did people sip air out of teacups?

[arashi]

Sorry about disappearing like that. Sudden vacation to NYC to see the folks and then coming home to find my computer had passed away while I was gone. Gonna jump back in with today's episode.

Review
Willie wakes up as the sun sets and realizes he feels better. I wonder if that's a symptom of being bitten? The vampire's will keeps you down and out during the day, possibly paralyzed with fear so you can't get away or warn anyone? Jason wanders in and startles Willie. Jason's got a basketful of questions for Willie regarding the nature of his illness, none of which Willie is able or willing to answer. They argue like an old couple, Jason wants a divorce. But Willie at least will get a parting gift.

Vicki comes up with some food and is shocked by Willie's truly repentative attitude. Man, John Karlen is one fantastic actor. He doesn't just act with his words, but with his whole body. Great range. That lip and chin quiver he does when he's scared. I'm impressed. That look he gives Vicki when he asls for her forgiveness... I remember in an interview once he said that he loved Dark Shadows because the entire emotion range is there to play with. Great big emotions that are fun to be able to act. It's fantastic that so many of the regulars are capable of the range required on a show like this.

Jason and Liz parry words in the drawing room. I love it when Liz gives to Jason as good as she gets. She's fantastic when she isn't cowtowed to what he wants. Willie wanders in on his way out and wants to warn Liz about something but she wants nothing to do with him. Jason's completely paranoid that Willie was going to give him up. The fact that Paul Stoddard isn't really dead? It hadn't been established for the viewers yet, but one of my favorite scenes is coming up.....

Willie and Jason standing in the entrance of Collinwood. Willie looks out into the darkness and the wind and turns to Jason.
"What's gonna happen to me?"
"Well I don't know, Willie. That's sort of up to you isn't it?"
Willie looks back out at the darkness and answers "No. No it's not up to me."

FANTASTIC. I absolutely love that scene. What was he looking at when he turned away from Jason and looked back into the dark? Years of servitude, terror, hopelessness and despair? I love the music cue that kicks in as he walks off.

Cut ahead to 7:30 that evening. Barnabas has dropped in again to question Liz about the Old House. There's something about the dialogue here in the earlier episodes, or maybe it's just Jonathan's way of portraying Barnabas. He seems so much more courtly, elite and well spoken here. I can't quite put my finger on it, but there is something different. If you're looking at it from the character's perspective, perhaps later he is just that much more used to the modern times and it's casual manner of speaking and so sheds some of the 1790 manners he'd been born into.

Barnabas and Vicki discuss his plans for the Old House while Liz disappears to search for the keys. There are so many double meanings to the things Barnabas says. He leaves and Liz and Vicki pad out the episode with romantic speech about Barnabas and the Old House, then with relief that Willie has finally left. It's amazing how much later in the series people just kind of accept Willie being around, even though they think he is the one responsible for Maggie's disappearance, and the fact that Julia and Barnabas later take him out of the nuthouse to come back to work. WE all know that by this time Willie's pretty docile, but the family doesn't. You'd think they'd be more than a bit nervous about his being on the property.

Barnabas arrives at the Old House and coaxes Willie out of the darkness of the night and into his own personal Hell. For the time being anyhow. He speaks to Willie as one would a child, but then demands he go out and do some pretty horrific things. What exactly is he asking Willie to go out and do? I don't think it's Willie out there draining the blood of cattle and attacking girls.... so what exactly is Barnabas ordering him out of the house to do?

[CT!_CTP/FITBs]

Be sure to check out these (hopefully  ) humorous topics related to this episode:

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[rainingwolf]

Hi-just a note to let you know that I've been pretty sick, and haven't had energy to do my part in the watching program. Started with the flu and ended with pneumonia-yuk.    As soon as I can be up more than a few minutes at a time I'll do better at participating. I am watching all the episodes, though--something fun to do while recouping! Thanks for understanding!

[EmeraldRose]

Yes, indeed, this was when we first saw Willie and Barnabas together.

JK is such a great actor!  I saw his interviews, too - and saw him at some DS Fests - he said he enjoyed being on DS and had fun acting - being so over the top.  The way Willie was, so downtrodden and defeated -  it's heartbreaking to the audience.  That scene where he tells Jason his life isn't up to him - and the final scenes with Barnabas - were priceless.  Poor Willie's life was changed forever, which he had no control over, and there was nothing he could do about it.  JK did a wonderful job with this, making his plight believable.  Poor Willie.

Oh, and Rainingwolf - So sorry to hear you've been sick. Get well soon!

----- Sally -----
 

[Lydia]

Hi-just a note to let you know that I've been pretty sick

I'm very sorry to hear that, and glad to know you're getting better!

[Gothick]

Hope you feel better soon, Raining wolf.  Do be gentle with the pneumonia--you really don't want to monkey with that!  Bleah!  My Dad is still a bit weak from having had it several months ago.

I am forever reading a gay subtext into Jason-and-Willie and Willie-and-Barnabas but almost never mention this here because I figure fans here really don't want to hear about it.  I was hysterical back in the Eighties when I got hold of the old "Introduction of Barnabas" book and they reprinted the memo from the S & P office at ABC about some dialogue Jason and Willie had where the officer stressed that "we must not lead people to think that Jason is inferring a homosexual relationship between Willie and Barnabas." What a hoot!

cheers, G.

[Lydia]

A gay subtext would explain why harder-than-nails Jason put up with Willie the gratuitous troublemaker.  And that's something that's been bothering me during this round of watching.