Discuss - Ep #0242

Robservations - #242

Todays's episode is of a type that I didn't remember existing in this period: it had bits of both the Barnabas plot and the Jason plot.  Granted, they did not come together in any way and they were barely even interwoven; the B-plot scenes were bookended around the J-plot scenes, and the people in the B-scenes did not interact with the people in the J-scenes.  It's almost as if the writers were worried about confusing the audience.  But by golly, there they were, B-plot and J-plot, in the same episode, like peanut butter and jelly swirled together in the same jar.

I liked something that David Gerringer did right before the opening titles.  He's staring at the camera - or roughly in that direction - and sucking on his glasses, and this is the point at which the scene should break off - but instead he gives a look that's like a shrug, and goes back to looking into the microphone - oops, microscope.  It actually looked sort of real.  On the other hand, his lab coat needed help.  It looked like a raincoat.

And here's a mention of Hoffman - not Hoffwoman - a little something to keep us Grayson Hall fans from baying too loudly at the door.  Alas, it's a whole month before Hoffman finally makes an actual appearance.  And there's a mention of somebody else in another scene: Peterson.  Definitely not Tony Peterson.  Was the naming of Tony a few months later a coincidence or not?  Because I don't see how Peterson who audits the books can have anything to do with Tony Peterson who's suing the cannery.  On the other hand, I can imagine Tony using the Peterson name to set up a meeting with Roger, and Roger being surprised and haughtily angry when he finds out that the wrong Peterson has shown up.

The scene between Jason and Elizabeth is absolutely brilliant, and brilliantly executed.  I'm imagining Dennis Patrick at Joan Bennett's house the night before, rehearsing with her.  And I kept wondering about that tree.  (Peach tree? Bearing fruit? In Maine? Oh, yeah, no snow in Collinsport.)  Was it anywhere near where Andy buried the box in The Shawshank Redemption?  No, no, couldn't have been, because the picnic didn't happen.

I  thought that this show seemed like a filler show. Sometimes is DS, it seemed like the days on the show were set up for the evening and Barnabas. I don't know what the shows were like before without Barnabas. Was it more normal ?

It was a classic show for bloopers, calling the microscope the microphone. Julian Hoffman. [spoiler]we know how that turned out, two people the should have been killed off weren't[/spoiler] I wonder how Barnabas found out about the blood samples?

During the day and what happened up in Collinwood was great. The connection between Liz and Roger. I wonder is Jason was changing his idea now, when he was pretending to not listen to Liz.

I agree with Lydia the chemistry was great between Dennis and Joan, I wonder how longed they worked at it? The counterpoint, or was it just improve?

I felt so sorry for Sam as Burke told Dave Woodard that Sam is going off the deep end since there is still no news of Maggie. That poor man.  

I had to laugh when Dr. Woodard mentioned Hoffman and went on and on about what a good doctor "he" is and how "he's" a good "man." I wonder just when the decision was taken that Hoffman would be a woman. It was probably one of the best decisions ever made on the show, like the decision to have Willie played by John Karlen. Imagine if Dr. Hoffman had been a man, well that wouldn't have been nearly so much fun. And in another thread I see that Addison Powell was to have played him? I don't remember ever hearing this before. That would have been the death knell to the show even with JF's popularity!

Yes this is the episode in which Burke calls the microscope a microphone. Very easy blooper to make.

Sad scene between Liz and Roger. I greatly admired Roger in this scene. Normally I want to hit him upside the head but he was showing real caring for Liz as he has been somewhere similar, and wants to help her out of her bind. He was being a good brother. I was sorry that Liz couldn't bring herself to confide in him but possibly she was worried about what he'd do. She wouldn't have wanted him to end up in prison for offing McGuire no matter how much McGuire needed offing!  :-

Roger already knows that Jason is blackmailing Liz, he just doesn't know the details. He knew it had something to do with the basement room downstairs. She desperately needs to take someone into her confidence, to have someone to talk to. At this point she must feel all alone. 

Next scene with Jason in the drawing room. Oh did I want to kick his teeth in while she was seriously telling him the bucks stop here and now! and he waxed eloquent going on and on about some dippy picnic, what kind of tree was it? What was that toast? Oh yeah...and trying to remember the words. Oh I wanted to tell him to just SHUT UP! Liz has incredibly more patience than I have. What a jerk he is! 

Another sweet scene between Liz and Roger as she asks him to stand by her. I don't think this will be an easy task as this storyline goes deeper, and more strange events come to pass which she won't explain. 

<edited by mod.> Dave had said that this case was troubling at best, and downright frightening at worst. <edited> In episodes like this Barnabas scares me to death. If he can do this to some bars on a window what could he do to Willie when he canes him? 

Alondra

My comment that Addie Powell would have played "Julian" was meant to be a JOKE.  I am sorry, I need to figure out some way of conveying that--I suppose the old chestnut "that's a joke folks" might do.

cheers, G.

I love that scene between Roger and Elizabeth when they made up later.....when all is said and done they were still flesh and blood and loved each other. I too wish Elizabeth could have told Roger, but at this point she feels she has too much to lose to confide in anyone. It isn't until [spoiler]she inadvertanly tips Vicki off that Jason is indeed blackmailing her that she has someone to turn to.[/spoiler]

I hate that the tender scene with Roger and Elizabeth making up were edit from the VHS tapes....it was a good, no it was a GREAT scene and should have remained unedited. Ah, well, at least it's fully intact on the DVD's.

I thought Jason agreed too easily about Elizabeth not giving him any more money the first time I saw it and I thought he's gotta be up to something. And sure enough he was.

I wonder how Barnabas found out about the blood samples?

From Re: Discuss - Ep #0240--

Why did Roger have to go blabbing about the blood sample Dr. Woodard took from Maggie? That gives Barnabas an open invitation to steal it!

The comment that really grabbed my attention was the picnic comment from Jason to Liz. So now I'm wondering if Jason could be Vickie's father.

I think the picnic and toast Jason kept droning on about was something he fabricated simply to irritate Elizabeth. I know it certainly irritated me!

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)":

My comment that Addie Powell would have played "Julian" was meant to be a JOKE.  I am sorry, I need to figure out some way of conveying that--I suppose the old chestnut "that's a joke folks" might do.

I'm glad to hear it. That would have been a disaster! So I'm glad it's not true.

I wonder if [spoiler]Dr. Lang was killed off so soon because Addison Powell was so annoying?[/spoiler]

Alondra

I wondered about "Peterson" - the accountant - too.  I thought about Tony Peterson, but he was a lawyer.  Maybe the Peterson accountant was Tony's brother or father?  After all, it was a small town...  

It's funny to hear talk about Dr. Hoffman being a man!  That was a BIG blooper on the writers' part for a while!

Barnabas didn't waste any time stealing the blood samples.  Such strength!  Scary, isn't it?

Wonderful scenes between Roger and Liz.  Roger knows all too well what it's like to be blackmailed with a HUGE secret.  I agree, it's too bad Liz wasn't able to confide in him.  I liked seeing Roger show his love and support of Liz without actually saying so - often, actions speak louder than words.

----- Sally -----

I'm curious as to why my post above was edited. If I made some kind of error I would like to be aware of it so that I don't make the same error again.

Alondra

I'm curious as to why my post above was edited. If I made some kind of error I would like to be aware of it so that I don't make the same error again.

Here's the reminder posted in "Discuss - Ep #0241" that links to the request made in detail in "Re: Discuss - Ep #0236":

A reminder:

Please don't repeat the scene descriptions that are already in the Robservation linked to via the main topic, and the same for the descriptions that other posters have already provided.  Comments about the scenes, of course, are encouraged.  Thanks!

Click the last link listed above to read the full post and examples provided.