#0481/0482: Robservations 05/14/02: Cassandra Thwarts the Good Guys

481 - We have in this ep what some consider the Big Blooper today, when Barnabas screams to Julia in the doctor's office, "Remember. . .remember someone," and Dr. Lang fills in the name of someone he never even knew: "Dr. Woodard." Wanted to get that out of the way first thing.

The men pound on the door and Lang holds the gun on the closed doors. Julia gets a busy signal from the Collinsport police, and dials the operator, asking frantically for an emergency number for the cops. Connected to Collinsport's finest, we have the scene I mentioned above as Barnabas tells Julia not to get the police involved. "Remember Dave Woodard," repeats Barnabas as Lang feeds him the name. Julia does remember and slowly hangs up the phone.

The men listen at the door. Barnabas orders Lang to put away the gun, which he does. Julia opens the door and faces them. Then follow her into the office. "You always win, don't you, Barnabas?" she asks, resigned. "We can always checkmate each other, Julia," he responds. No, she says, you stop me though I seldom stop you. He was trying to stop her from making a fool of herself; this wasn't in the province of the police. Isn't it? she asks, and Barn says a firm no. Julia goes to Lang, shocked at his creation of the body. She thinks him mad, but he calls himself a scientist. He knows it's important and he's proud of it. He might bring back life, one step beyond the heart transplant-- would she call in the cops for a doctor doing that? No, she admits. Lang knows one word from her to someone as the hospital could destroy his experiment so easily. While Julia has her back turned to Lang, facing Barnabas, Lang starts to pull out the gun. Barnabas sees this, and assures him that Julia will be silent. Julia says she can't promise that, but Barnabas says he can. (He sure puts trust in her love for him.) Lang insists on Julia's word, saying he tried to stop her coming, he didnt want her to know. Julia looks at Barnabas and says he needed her. Yes, agrees Lang. Julia asks for Lang's word that he won't try to kill anyone else as he has Jeff, and Lang gives his promise.

She feels he gave in too easily, but the creature still needs a face. Lang says he can get the face the same way he got the rest of the body. Julia gives her word she'll say nothing, but she also says she will do everything possible to stop that experiment. She and Lang exchange looks and she leaves.

Later, on the terrace at Collinwood, Julia tells Barn he can't consider Lang's offer to put his life force into that monster and bring it alive. Barnabas says he won't be a monster then, unless Julia considers HIM one, which he is sure she does. She denies that, she wishes she did, then she could simply let him do it. Barnabas insists he had no choice. You do for the first time, says Julia, you aren't a vampire now. Barn says the cure isn't permanent, he finds himself regressing, and afraid. Julia says she and Lang can control that, but Barn reminds her about Angelique--she won't let him escape the curse! She's done nothing, says Julia. But she will, predicts Barn, when she's done enjoying herself, when she thinks he's suffered enough, made him feel fear--he can't live this way! The only way to catch her, says Barnabas, is to catch her in the crossroads at the dead of night-if he goes along with Lang's plan, he'll escape Angelique forever, be a stranger to her. As they speak, Cassandra is at the gate, listening to their conversation. Julia asks if he feels there's any chance for Lang's plan to succeed, and Barnabas reminds her she told him the doctor was brilliant, but THIS, says Julia. Barn says he trusts Lang, and Julia says he does so only because he's desperate. Barnabas wants to live a normal life with ordinary fears that everyone has. Is that asking so much? Julia thinks he must want to die then. At this point, Barnabas spots Cassandra, watching them. Barnabas denies wanting to die, and Julia plies him with other questions--even if it works, where will he live? How? He won't be able to return to Collinwood--what will he do? There's a great deal to be decided, agrees Barnabas. He'll leave his wealth with Julia (that's nice!) Still speaking, he begins circling around the gate. She will keep it for him, but there's something far more important to do tonight. He grabs the eavesdropping Cassandra. "We have a visitor, Julia!" cries Barnabas triumphantly, holding her tightly imprisoned in his grip. Cassandra, wearing a much nicer wig now, struggles against him--she was just taking a walk. Barnabas demands to know how long she was listening, what she heard, and Julia chastises, "Barnabas!" Cass begs him to let her go, insisting she doesn't know what he's talking about. "You're lying, Angelique!" Barnabas shouts, still clutching her. She orders him to stop calling her that, and he says she won't upset their plans, he'll see to it. "Why do you keep accusing me?" demands Cassandra. "Why do you think I hate you? Julia, why does he? He's mad. Everyone says Roger is, but it's Barnabas who is insane! I'm the only one who knows it--I'm the only one he treats this way!" "YOU KNOW WHY!" thunders Barnabas, but Cassandra cries, "No, I don't!" and pulls herself from his grasp, sobbing. Julia tells him to let her go or make it worse. Barnabas says they're fools to be there, discussing their plans, which Cassandra will ruin if she knows of them. Another reason you must not do it, says Julia, but Barnabas insists they must escalate their plans. Upset, he races off, leaving Julia alone on the terrace, crying, "No, Barnabas, no!"

Cassandra peers through the window, holding up a candle. She orders Tony to come to her, awaken if he's asleep and come to her--he must meet her at Collinwood, tonight. And Tony does so, he comes to the terrace. She knew he'd come to her, but he has no idea why he's there. He was driving back from Rockport and felt something was wrong at Collinwood. She agrees, but he asks if Carolyn is all right. She asks him not to think about Carolyn now, and she simpers. "You're angry," she says, and he says, "You--you made me come here." He doesn't understand her power, but she says there's no need for him to. It's wrong meeting her, she's married to Roger, but she says they aren't doing anything wrong. She demands he look at her, and reluctantly, he finally does. "You will do anything I ask," she demands, "anything, but you will not remember what I have told you or what you must do."

He agrees. She needs something Eric Lang has. Tonyadmits her knows where the doctor lives. Tony must go there tonight, she insists. He refuses and starts to leave, but she raises her hand and stops him, warning him that she can always stop him very easily, so he had better not do it again. She tells him to try to move and speak, but he can't. She asks if she should let him, and says if he does what she says, she'll release him. In a very Samantha-like gesture, she lets him go, and says he will learn something new every time he sees her. Don't make me angry, she warns, just do as I says. He shouts, "Why did you choose me?" and she tells him because she likes his eyes, and because he reminds her of a man called Reverend Trask (and how much satisfaction this gambit must be giving her!)--I wanted to use him once, but it wasn't safe at the time. She caresses his forehead and tells him not to think so much. Your mind is calmer now, she says, and he agrees that it is--I will help you. She explains that Lang is definitely not home, and in his study is a desk with a medallion in it, small, round and old, a talisman against witches. "To protect him against you!" says Tony, sounding much like Trask. "No," she coos, again caressing his forehead. "That's a very unkind thing to say. I told you to be kind. . .you will not be able to sleep until you bring this to me." He nods. If it isn't there, she says, you'll have to wait until Lang returns, but he mustn't know you've taken it. "I won't kill him!" explodes Tony. "No," she says, you must leave that privilege to me--overpower him, take his watch and wallet, but be certain to bring me the medallion. Tony understands. I will wait in the gazebo for you, says Cassandra and you aren't to fight what you're going to do, because if you do, you'll be discovered and taken for a common thief--and you won't know why you went there. "Go," she says, "you cannot afford to fail." She kisses him before he goes, just a quick one, and gives his face one final caress. (seems she wants more than just errands from this errand boy, huh? She never did any of this stuff to Ben.)

Lang knocks at the Old House door. Barnabas, carrying a candle, comes downstairs and lets him in. Lang says he got a message from Barnabas on his answering service that he should come to the Old House, there was some kind of accident. Could it have been Roger? asks Barn, but Lang says it was definitely Barnabas. Barn says Lang must not leave tonight; Angelique/Cassandra wants them together here for some reason. "Are you here listening, watching us, Angelique?" calls Barnabas. Lang asks if they shouldn't be able to see her, but Barn says she's got lots of powers. They have no idea why Cassangelique would want them together, but Barn says it must make sense to her or Lang wouldn't be there. Barn asks Lang if he has the talisman, but dopey Lang left it in his desk. Barn insists they both go there; Lang is his passport to his new life, and he won't allow anything to happen to him. He goes upstairs to get dressed.

Flashlight in hand, Tony enters Lang's office and searches the desk. He finds the talisman quickly and later presents it to Cassandra on the terrace. She clutches it (HOW? I thought it would repel her and vice versa?) and says, "Now, Dr. Lang, it's my turn. You cannot save Barnabas from me, and now you will not even be able to save yourself." She grins down at the talisman, pleased with herself.

NOTES: How can a witch hold a talisman against witches? I don't know, but this is a big discrepancy. She was unable to harm Lang when he had it in his possession, so how can she just hold it, without witchly potholders or something?

Great scene between Barnabas, Cassandra and Julia on the terrace. She just keeps denying who and what she is, and he keeps accusing her. At this point, Julia doesn't even seem all that convinced that what Barnabas says about Cassandra is true, that she is Angelique and has returned to torment him and make him a vampire again.

482 - Barnabas and Eric return to Lang's house. Eric, trying to calm Barnabas, says Cassandra is a most inefficient witch, doing little but costing him sleep. Barnabas insists that isn't so. There's no sign anyone was in the house--but the talisman is gone--and with it your safety, says Barn--and now she can do whatever she wants to you. Eric agrees the talisman and the protection it provided are gone. He says she couldn't have known it would be there, he could have been carrying it. Barnabas says whoever came for the talisman would have been waiting for Eric to return, and he would have had an accident--talismen are rare, so they don't know if they can find another one. Barnabas apologizes--I feel badly that you've changed my life for the better and this is your payment. Eric says he'd do it again. Barnabas wants to find and burn Cassandra, it could be done and no one would know. Eric says too it would result in too many questions, and doesn't want his work to be endangered. Jeff Clark, on his way out, demands to know what happened to him. Eric says he fell asleep, which Jeff finds odd. Barnabas looks guilty and walks away, allowing Eric to speak alone to Jeff. Jeff refuses to help Lang with the experiment, and Barnabas thinks they should let Clark leave Collinsport. Jeff is staying in town, he has friends here now. Jeff's parting shot to Lang is that he knows something happened to him last night. Barn assures Eric Julia's hypnotic skills will prevent Jeff from remembering. Eric and Barnabas discuss the qualities needed for a eplacement assistant--good hands and lots of nerve. Barn suggests Willie Loomis, and Lang says he needs him immediately. Barn says Julia can release him from the mental institution, if she will, and Eric says Barn must talk Julia into it, if he wants to be free. Lang will go without sleep until the project is finished, and tells Barnabas he is as important to the experiment as he is--Barn will give his creation life.

Barn explains that Angelique came to him in a dream, looking as she did when they were married, and warned him against all dreams, his own and those of others--we must finish the experiment, says Barn, before Angelique finishes what she's doing.

At the Evans cottage, Maggie, dressed in her colorful (and much maligned) quilted robe-skirt, says she has to take her mind off that awful dream. She looks through a pattern book--she could sew something. She talks aloud about how awful the dream was--that knock on the door--and then someone knocks at her door for real. She lets in Jeff Clark, and is terrified of him until he introduces himself and explains that Vicki is meeting him here. She reluctantly invites him in and says her father agreed it would be OK. (Are there three bedrooms in that house; I always thought there were two)? Maggie starts to tell him about her dream and his appearance in it. That's weird, considering they never met before, says Jeff. She offers to show him her room, and he sees her reluctance and offers to stay elsewhere. She says it isn't him, but the dream, and he asks to hear about her dream. She would prefer to forget it, but he suggests she tell him--he won't psychoanalyze her since he's never met her, Jeff assures Maggie. She describes her dream; he was even dressed as he is now, he was silent, she followed him, he slammed the door and left her alone. A wall of doors. . .she recites the poem, not exactly the way it was recited to her in the dream. Behind one door she heard tinkling music, went to it, opened it, and there was a skull inside, staring at her, moving toward her.

She gets hysterical as she continues describing her dream, and Jeff shakes her. Maggie apologizes and Jeff says he can't wait for the next installment. She feels much better now that she's told him, and he assures her they all have their dreams. She thanks him for listening and seems far more relaxed. Vicki arrives, angry at Jeff for his not contacting her, letting her stay up all night. Maggie tells Vicki to speak her mind and goes to make coffee. Jeff tells Vicki he fell asleep at Lang's house the previous night. Vicki doesn't believe him; she went to Lang's at 10 PM and Lang said he hadn't seen him. Jeff says his memory is going blank and he fears he'll end up back at the hospital. Why would Lang lie? asks Vicki. She touches his wrist and he recognizes her bracelet. I haven't worn it since I came back from the past, she says excitedly; he was there when it was used as evidence at the trial--Trask held it up. "Trask?" asks Jeff. He was the witchhunter who vanished after the trial, explains Vicki--he left a note saying she was innocent but they could never find him. Jeff remembers the name Trask, and Vicki explains he called himself a reverend. It's familiar, admits Jeff, but that's all. "Jeff," chastises Vicki, and he accuses her of liking him only because of his resemblance to Bradford.

What if he turns out to be a normal guy with a regular past, he asks Vicki--what if he's someone she hates? She looks depressed at that possibility.

Maggie finds Jeff out in the living room, reading. He asks if Vicki is really as good as he thinks she is, and Maggie says yes. Maggie expresses her opinion that Jeff isn't used to being in love, then says goodnight. Jeff thanks her. He falls asleep in the chair and has the dream! (I don't want to put in every detail of these dreams, but suffice it to say that Jeff's doorknocker was Lang, door #1 contained the skull, and door #2 contained a guillotine, which dropped when Jeff opened the door.).

Jeff awakens with a terrible start, staring, horrified, around him.

NOTES: OK, now Jeff has had the dream. Interesting how Maggie had hers and found a stranger in her version, someone she wasn't destined to meet quite yet.

Cassngelique, using Tony, managed to successfully steal the talisman from Lang, without any trouble at all. Sometimes you wonder just whose side the fates are on in this show.

It certainly appears that Jeff is Peter Bradford, but he doesn't yet know it. Was the shock of time travel too much for his tender psyche? It's funny how he accuses Vicki of liking him only because she thinks he's Peter, when he could be just an ordinary fella. And Vicki, what happened to your great love for Burke? Technically, he died only a few days ago!

Love, Robin