Discuss - Ep #0221

[Watching Project]

Robservations - #221

[arashi]

I've still got like 8 pages of Caption This posts to go through. But while I'm up, I'll get a head start on tomorrow.

Review
After a long day of slinging hash and passing out coffee cups, I must say, Maggie's uniform is spanking clean. She closes up shop and is then startled by Barnabas' ninja like abilities at entering unheard. He doesn't seem startled in any way that she looks EXACTLY like Josette, which leads me to believe he's been stalking her for a while now. They banter for quite a while about who he is, the town, the Old House and it's ghosts, his cane, etc.

As Maggie goes to heat up Barnabas' coffee, he places the cane on a nearby chair. Dogs start howling outside which creeps Maggie out to no end. Barnabas then takes his leave, leaving the cane behind. Joe shows up, worried about Maggie as there's been an attack on a local girl. They discuss Barnabas as Maggie cleans up again. On their way out she notices the cane and is disturbed by the thought of keeping it overnight. They decide to head up to the Old House to return it.

Up at the Old House Maggie and Joe are confronted with a door that opens by itself. They enter and take a look around. I *love* the echo effect as they stand in the foyer and in the drawing room. Really makes the house seem imense and empty. Barnabas seems to be out, but Maggie reasons the candles are burning so he must be home. That means jack crap on this show where candles are lit in secret passageways nobody has been in for a hundred years. Joe goes upstairs to look for Barnabas, who then appears and startles Maggie again. If he's trying to charm her he should stop sneaking up on her. He seems disappointed the Maggie didn't come alone. I wonder if he would have started something then and there if she had. They return the cane and beat a retreat.

Willie comes out of the basement and demands to know what Barnabas' plans are for Maggie. Concern for Maggie's welfare wins out over concern for what will happen to him if he questions Barnabas. Barnabas looks sinister and doesn't answer.

At the Evan's cottage, Maggie and Joe discuss Barnabas. She was spooked by his presence in the house. Who wouldn't be? Alone in a screepy old house, the dark, cobwebs, and the owner glides about silently like a ghost. I'd be spooked too.

Back at the Old House Willie again demands to know what Barnabas is up to. Barnabas orders him out of the house. Willie has a job to do, but what that job is, I'm not quite sure. Kidnapping girls for Barnabas? I don't think it's drainings cows because if I remember correctly from a few episodes ago Joe said all they found was two puncture wounds on the cows neck and it appeared the blood had been expertly drained. So what exactly is Willie up to? A grisly thought with no story backing, but maybe he's digging up the rest of the Collins' graves to get the jewels buried with them for Barnabas? I mean seriously, from what we see Barnabas wasn't buried with any jewels in 1796. So where did they come from? Willie thinks any more of this and he's going to go insane, but he goes out anyway. He's halfway down that road already.

Dogs howl and Barnabas puts the Evil eye on Maggie. Nice spooky shot of him by the window with the candle.

[IluvBarnabas]

This episode could have been called "When Barnabas Met Maggie."

This was a pretty cool episode. Maggie finds Barnabas quite charming at the diner, yet at the Old House, when she's alone with him, she is frightened to be alone with him. Joe rationalizes later on it was probably the Old House that got to her and Maggie agrees.....but I don't think so. I think she was afraid of Barnabas himself and who could blame her what with him popping out of nowhere like that in such a place. First time I saw this I was pretty scared myself when he just showed up out of nowhere.

I love Willie's concern for Maggie and whatever plans Barnabas may have for her. Quite a change from the brutal thug who got his butt handed to him by Burke Devlin just a few episodes. I think Willie was attracted to Maggie from the start (yes even when he harassed her there at the Blue Whale) and certainly doesn't want any harm to come to her.

And yes that ending with Barnabas looking through the window.....BRRR!!!!

[Lydia]

If I were a vampire, there would be lots of things to complain about - having to do my gardening at night, having to give up my queen-size bed for a coffin, and the local supermarket not carrying blood - would it kill them to throw a few cans onto the spaghetti sauce shelf? - but it occurred to me today that the howling dogs would be a major pain.  It would get very tiresome very fast.

Anyway, Barnabas has finally spotted Maggie.  And checked her out - looks like Josette, but doesn't act like Josette - well, he'll take care of that.  Something about the Barnabas/Maggie interaction seemed a little off to me.  Perhaps it's because I know all that is going to happen - but I don't think so.  I guess the idea is to contrast sweet, perky Maggie with sinister Barnabas - but Maggie was coming across as just squeaky, and Barnabas was talking too much.

And I think that the business at the Old House was fumbled.  It just doesn't make sense to me: first the door opens by itself, so you think that Barnabas is doing the spooky thing.  Joe and Maggie walk in, and there's nobody there.  Joe goes upstairs to look for Barnabas - golly, I know people in Maine, and they have better manners than to go upstairs uninvited in somebody else's house - and Barnabas surprises Maggie, and then is surprised himself when Joe shows up.  So Barnabas wasn't doing the spooky thing with the front door, but I still think he should have known that Joe was there.  If I were writing the episode, I'd have a scene in Joe's car in which Joe and Maggie note that the driveway to the house hasn't been plowed following last night's snowstorm, although a path has been shovelled, so Maggie walks up to the Old House by herself while Joe waits, and she gets the necessary time alone with Barnabas until Joe walks in - having gotten tired of waiting for Maggie and found a place to pull his car off the road - and surprises Barnabas.  And then Joe and Maggie go back to the car and discover that Joe's car is stuck and they have to walk up to Collinwood and call a tow truck and they have a big fight in the foyer and Carolyn says to Joe, "I'm available.  Do you really think you're better off with Maggie?"  And Vicky says, "Hmm....we never had snow before Barnabas came to Collinwood.  I wonder if there's a connection."

It seems to me that when I write up notes for episodes, I'm always carping and complaining and sniping.  Lest anybody get the wrong impression:  I love Dark Shadows.  I wouldn't change a hair on its head.  I will defend to the death its right to be gloriously imperfect.

So what exactly is Willie up to? A grisly thought with no story backing, but maybe he's digging up the rest of the Collins' graves to get the jewels buried with them for Barnabas?

I love this idea.

[Gothick]

Maggie seems so clueless all of a sudden.  I wish there had been dialogue for her along the lines of "That Mr. Collins may have the manners of a gentleman, but he's STILL a creep."  I suppose that what is happening is that he is throwing what in Magick is called a "glamour" over her, blinding her to his true nature so he can worm his way into her affections... and her neck!

Another classic shot in that final image of Barnabas at the window.  Many thanks to our Mysterious Benefactor for adding the images to Robin's notes.

G.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

It seems to me that when I write up notes for episodes, I'm always carping and complaining and sniping.  Lest anybody get the wrong impression:  I love Dark Shadows.

Well, when it comes to entertainment in general, the Internet is plagued with carping and complaining and sniping and little praising - and if one reads enough of it, it's easier to fall into that pattern.  :-   Thankfully, it's not as much of an issue here on the forum, but if only more people on the Internet remembered that it's also a great thing to compliment what you enjoy. 

[Alondra]

Episode #221

After a long day at the diner, Maggie stretches, giving us the idea that she's very tired. But after this she didn't act tired, she seemed still full of energy. When I waitressed, I was exhausted after a long day. Maybe it's partly all the coffee she's drinking, as she pours herself a cup, drinks a little and leaves the cup on the counter before fixing to leave. I wondered about her being there all alone, I don't think that would be a common practice, someone else should have been there, like a cook maybe in case someone ordered food before they closed?

As she's putting her coat on to leave, who should just appear but Barnabas, startling her. He apologizes and asks for coffee (which we know is a ruse, all the liquids he drinks are red) She tells him she's closing but his talk about being lonely, his courtly manner, apologizing for starting a conversation when she was tired and wanted to go home strike a chord of sympathy in her and she relents and offers to get him some coffee after all. When she tells him the coffee will be strong he says it will revive him (!!) Then they sit down together and she learns that he is a Collins, has come to Collinsport to stay and she welcomes him to Collinsport. She was being very friendly and I couldn't help but think that [spoiler]this is the beginning of the end of normal life as she knows it. This man is going to cause her untold grief and her life will be forever altered because of him[/spoiler]

He tells he he is living at the Old House which also surprises her, and he tells her he's fixing it up. She thinks the house is haunted, and I thought, no ghost is as frightening as the creature sitting there with you now! She notices his cane and he tells her about it, it's very valuable and it's his most prized possession, it's the last thing he'd ever part with. As she gets up to get more coffee he carefully sets the cane on the chair next to him and you can see in his eyes he has done this on purpose.

As she brings the coffee back the dogs start howling and this unnerves Maggie. It would me too. They sounded so close! It's not until now that she tells him her name and when he seems to recognize the name (yeah right) she tells him her father is an artist. Finally he leaves and she picks up the coin (probably a dime) he left to put into the cash register. (What no tip? He should have left five bucks for her trouble!)

Joe comes in and she's happy to see him, expected that he was working late that night. He says he was worried about her, had she heard that Jane Ackerman was attacked? But she was able to get away. Seems that Mr. Barnabas Collins needs to improve his technique!

She tells him about meeting Barnabas as she washes the cups and saucers they used (no busboy either?) Barnabas had impressed her as being very friendly, quiet and polite but sad. Joe teased that he was jealous and asks her to go to the Blue Whale, she says that's a great suggestion and then notices that Barnabas left his cane behind. Joe thinks he'll just return for it in the morning (no he won't, he'd send Willie for it if his plan hadn't worked) but she wants to take it to the Old House which is of course just what Barnabas planned. Now what if she hadn't noticed it? What if the next morning someone sitting there for breakfast saw it and kept it? At the very least Maggie may not have returned it, she may have put it behind the counter and waited for him to return for it the next day. He would have sent Willie after it and been mad that his plan hadn't worked. Another thought, at this point no one knows yet that Willie works for Barnabas and if Willie showed up at the coffee shop asking for the cane, they would probably refuse to give it to him since it's valuable and they'd think he meant to sell it for money.

Now since Barnabas has set this in motion he had to work the plan so when they get to the Old House, there is no answer at the door, but as they leave the door opens slowly. They call into the house but no answer. So of course they have to enter the house. I think I would have just set the cane on the floor inside the house, shut the door and left! But no, they had to enter, and try to find him in the house. They comment on how the appearance of the house has improved since they were last there. I don't remember Maggie ever being there but it's been a while since I saw the first 200 episodes, I know Joe had been there when he [spoiler]was helping Burke search for Vicki during the time that Matthew Morgan had kidnapped her and was keeping her in the secret room behind the bookcase[/spoiler] Joe then goes upstairs to look for Barnabas. Of course Barnabas takes that opportunity to appear to Maggie and apologizes for startling her though it was his house. It's easy to see how his courtliness would appeal to the ladies. He has this so well plotted out. He knows just how to work their emotions. She apologizes for barging in and returns his cane and he gushes about how kind she was to return it. He seems a bit peeved when he learns that she has a boyfriend but when Joe comes down he is polite to him. Barnabas apologizes for their inconvenience, and they leave.

Willie appears and wants to know why they were there. Barnabas tells him he has a job to do, why isn't he doing it? Willie demands to know where Barnabas met the girl, what are his plans?

At the Evans cottage Joe and Maggie talk about Barnabas, he is polite but Maggie feels afraid of him for some reason she can't put her finger on.

At the Old House Willie asks again about Barnabas' plans for the girl. (Neither of them call her by name) He says he saw how Barnabas looked at her, knows he has a plan. Barnabas says if he has, it's no concern of Willie's. Now get on with that job! Willie moans that he doesn't wanna, oh please, not again, not tonight! He thinks he's gonna lose his mind! (oh my poor sweet Willie with the quivering lip!) Barnabas tells him he must and he will carry out that job, do not argue! Willie says don't look at me that way, I'll go, and he slinks out again. Barnabas takes a candle and goes to the window in the drawing room, and looks out. His face looks so sinister!

At the cottage Maggie feels that someone is staring at her, looking right through her! Another sight of Barnabas who is doing just that!

Poor Maggie, we know what's in store for her.  

Alondra

[loril54]

Couple things that I noticed. Besides what everone else has said. 1 is Maggie's hair style I remember wearing mine like this. We see the evil Vampire, but we also see the sad Vampire. He is so said when he talks about the night and being lonely. He still regrets that he has lost his life.

She doesn't seam to scared of him until she goes to the Old house.  :-

[Janet the Wicked]

Review
After a long day of slinging hash and passing out coffee cups, I must say, Maggie's uniform is spanking clean.

I think her uniform is perfectly neat and tidy because her only customers are her pop, Burke Devlin, Joe, and sometimes Vicky.

[loril54]

I think her uniform is perfectly neat and tidy because her only customers are her pop, Burke Devlin, Joe, and sometimes Vicky.

I loved the idea of her washing the dishes, but the water must not have been hot. Maybe hardly anyone came to the diner becuse everyone was sick. 

[CT!_CTP/FITBs]

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

From "Caption This!":

From "Complete This Phrase / Fill In The Blank(s)":
(none yet)

[Jackie]

Since the coffee shop is part of the Inn, Barnabas probably entered through the front door of the Inn's lobby.  Constant apologies can be annoying but Barnabas does it with such grace.  Do vampires usually strike up conversations with their intended victims?  Maybe he means to do more than just bite and drink her blood.  Talk her to death?  Usually waitresses that tired have a very good place to go after work, home, but Maggie says she doesn't have anywhere special to go.  Is she doing this out of "pity"?

When Maggie said that Barnabas is unique not to listen or believe in the rumors about the hauntings of the Old house, I wanted to yell, "YES and you don't want to find out how unique he IS."

If Barnabas' cane is a mixture of gold and silver, as he states in this episode, would that not compromise the effectiveness of the cane when [spoiler]he uses it on the werewolves in 1968 and 1897?  Wouldn't one need pure silver to hurt a beast such as that when beat with it?[/spoiler] It's very spooky when Maggie wonders what the dogs are howling about and Barnabas remarks, "yes I wonder" and stares up at Maggie.  Could it be the animal within him?

You'd think that if you left a prize possession somewhere, you'd notice it missing right away and go back for it.  Seems sort of odd unless it was intentional...   Of course Maggie would only think it's a coincidence.

"The door is unlock so he must be here."  If this were the first and only time it happened, I'd worry.  But that door is never locked unless they want someone crawling in the window.

It is rather startling to see Barnabas surprised that Maggie wasn't alone.  He obviously knew she was in the house, since he must have had the door open by itself.  Why didn't he know someone else was with her?  Are his powers that limited? 

Love Willie's boldness to ask so many questions so early in the game.  Maybe Willie hasn't "met" Barnabas' temper yet.  

Time is strange on DS.  Maggie and Joe just left the Old House when Willie starts questioning Barnabas about his intend for the "girl".  Just at that time Maggie and Joe arrive at the Cottage, supposedly in town, while the two men are talking.  Willie goes out to do a "job" [poor Willie!!] for Barnabas and he looks out the window just at the moment that Maggie is looking out her window.  But what an eerie ending... Maggie being spooked and Barnabas staring out the window supposedly thinking and "seeing " her![/color]

[EmeraldRose]

Yes, indeed, this is the episode when Barnabas met Maggie.  I agree that Barnabas must have been stalking her because he wasn't surprised at her looking like Josette.  I could see how Maggie was scared of Barnabas at the Old House - I would be, too!   Thank you, Alondra, for reminding me about how Joe was "familiar with the house" - I saw it before, but had forgotten! That last scene of Barnabas staring out the window was one of the classic spooky moments - it scared me when I first saw it, too!  Poor Maggie's life would never be the same. 

----- Sally -----