Discuss - Ep #0253

[Watching Project]

Robservations - #253

[Lydia]

This is not my favorite episode of Dark Shadows: it's so episodic.  The subject of the ring is introduced, developed, and disposed of.  End of episode.  I forgot to check during previous episodes to see if Maggie was wearing the ring.

I did like the scuffle between Willie and David, though.  John Karlen put his all into it - as he put his all into everything.  In one of the interview snippets on the DVDs, Karlen mentions how he came to play Willie: he was called and asked, out of the blue, to do it.  No audition, apparently.  Does anybody know what might have brought him to the attention of the Dark Shadows folks?  I'd like to know what it was that said to them: "Here's our Willie!"  If I had to guess, I'd say somebody saw him in some solo scene that indicated he could hold people's attention in episode 210 while he found Barnabas in the mausoleum.

Jonathan Frid was having some trouble with his lines today, which was a pity, because I liked what he was doing - very cold and down-to-earth.  And I was halfway surprised that the music box didn't break when Maggie snapped it shut.

[IluvBarnabas]

Whoever made the decision to cast John in the role of Willie is a genius and I for one will forever be grateful for hiring this very talented actor.

I have to admit this was only a so-so episode, though no fault of the actors. The scenes between Barnabas and Maggie was mesmerizing and Willie and David's "falling out" was great to watch.

The business about the ring.....Maggie was counting on an awful lot of luck here. She was hoping Willie just might sell it to someone she knew, someone who would recognize the ring as hers (not very likely). The other option is he would lose the ring somewhere (preferably outside the Old House and into town) and again someone who would know it was her ring would find it and realize she's still in the area. Only problem is that Willie could indeed lose that ring, but he could do it almost anywhere, like inside the Old House where he or Barnabas could stumble across it. She lucked out when the ring fell out of Willie's pocket as he tossed David out of the house and then David found it, but struck out when he showed it to Vicki, who then showed it to Barnabas up at Collinwood.

Interesting show, but not quite up to the usual excellence for some reason. Ah, well.

[loril54]

As I mentioned before, when maggie is trying to fake Josette she does a fake voice. I don't remember seeing the ring except in the caption contest. She had the round ball ring?

The ring almost worked, but not quite. I liked the way that Barnabas said that he would keep the ring something that he would do. Maggie is starting to not think straight.  I can see how the show would keep you hoping if you hadn't seen the show.

Maybe the dress is susposed to represent bad because it is black. The music box is industrial strength. If the box broke it would have killed Barnabas. Josette would have been gone.

[Gothick]

Tomorrow's Burning Question:

Will Buzz dance or won't he?  Will people watching at home be treated to the luscious spectacle of Buzz's dionysiacally swivelling hips as all the groovy chicks at the Blue Whale watch prancing, pouty deb Carolyn Collins Stoddard with hate seething in their eyes?  Will Carolyn finally ask Buzz to "take me home, big boy?"  Will Buzz laugh madly and bite Carolyn's dainty earlobe while purring "Burn, baby, burn!"

Tune In Tomorrow!  Same Bat Time, Same Bat--oops, WRONG SHOW!

cheers, Gothick

[loril54]

Tune In Tomorrow!  Same Bat Time, Same Bat--oops, WRONG SHOW!

LOL, It could be a bat channel think of Barnabas. 

[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)

[EmeraldRose]

It was far-fetched that someone who knew Maggie would see that ring.  But cudos for her giving it a try, anyway.  She's a fighter!

Barnabas seems to be softening now.  He keeps on threatening to kill Maggie, but he hasn't gone through with it. 

David is such a spoiled brat!  He's been repeatedly warned not to go to the Old House, but he proceeds to go anyway, and climbs through a window! I don't blame Willie for being so upset with him! 

----- Sally -----

[Midnite]

The business about the ring.....Maggie was counting on an awful lot of luck here. She was hoping Willie just might sell it to someone she knew, someone who would recognize the ring as hers (not very likely). The other option is he would lose the ring somewhere (preferably outside the Old House and into town) and again someone who would know it was her ring would find it and realize she's still in the area. Only problem is that Willie could indeed lose that ring, but he could do it almost anywhere, like inside the Old House where he or Barnabas could stumble across it. She lucked out when the ring fell out of Willie's pocket as he tossed David out of the house and then David found it, but struck out when he showed it to Vicki, who then showed it to Barnabas up at Collinwood.

Well, desperate times call for desperate measures.

When the police eventually get around to [spoiler]searching Willie's room in the Old House, they do find this ring (with a lot of help from Barnabas, but I digress), and Sam immediately recognizes it as the one Maggie was wearing when she disappeared (though as Robin mentioned, we saw she wasn't wearing it that night, but I digress again).[/spoiler]
Had Willie not lost it, I suppose it's also possible that a future owner could identify whom it belonged to based on its inscription, or, since Willie behaved nervously and even recklessly enough for his middle name to be "suspicious," the sheriff could have found another excuse at some point to search him or his possessions and come across it, so I think Maggie had a smart idea, but unfortunately for her Barnabas was smarter... and luckier.

What a great excuse to include Vicki and David in this arc.

It was far-fetched that someone who knew Maggie would see that ring.  But cudos for her giving it a try, anyway.  She's a fighter! <big ok>

And just when we see that the girl still has spunk, we have to watch Barnabas use her efforts to demoralize her further.

I would bet that in 1967, I was riveted to my seat, wondering if Maggie was going to escape or be killed.

[EmeraldRose]

Quote From: Midnite

I would bet that in 1967, I was riveted to my seat, wondering if Maggie was going to escape or be killed.

Yes, indeed!  I know I was!

----- Sally -----