Discuss - Ep #0421

Robservations #421

I suddenly remembered A Ballad of Hell today - a poem in which a girl's lover ( in the unsexual meaning of the word) writes her a note saying that they cannot be together in life, so he will kill himself and she must do the same, and they will be together in Hell.  She does so, but it turns out that her lover does not, instead marrying an heiress.  Our heroine trustingly waits in Hell for the jerk, but eventually accepts that he's not coming, and tells the Devil it was all a mistake, and transfers herself to Heaven - whereupon, "Amazed to find it could rejoice, Hell raised a hoarse, half-human cheer."  Well, we needn't worry that Barnabas will fail Josette: he's already in Hell, waiting for her.

I didn't think Josette was noticeably pale today.  I never think characters are pale when other people comment on their post-bite pallor.  Is it just me being, as usual, unobservant, or was this one of those details that the production people didn't worry about?  And if I had seen the maid whose red face destroyed poor, long-suffering Natalie's appetite, would I have said, "Hmm, she doesn't look red to me!"?  Nice bit there with the remark about the maid.  It was a typical remark from the Countess, and it explained why she was bringing Josette the coffee - something I had been wondering about.

Who told Vicky about the legends of Josette's death?  They're not in the Collins Family History.  And oh, golly, Vicky shoots her mouth off again, saying that Peter is her friend, but for some reason Peter is neither fired nor accused of witchcraft.  Hmm...that sentence came out rather oddly.  If I said "Roger Davis" instead of "Peter"...hmm...Truth to tell, though, Peter's OK.  Not too bright, but he shares that with a lot of Dark Shadows characters.

I really enjoyed the scene between Vicki and Peter, and how she tried to explain about airplanes. It was well acted!

As for Vicki knowing about the events leading up to Josette's death, perhaps it was in the family history but was never mentioned?

It must have been extremely startling for Natalie to see Josette wearing Barnabas's ring, a man she knows to be dead. 

As for Vicki knowing about the events leading up to Josette's death, perhaps it was in the family history but was never mentioned?

But Natalie and Josette had read the part of the history about Josette, and had not learned what Vicky later told Natalie.

I didn't think Josette looked "noticeably pale" in this episode, either. I agree with Robin - Josette did look like a swooning bride on the bed with her neck pulse bulging. I loved that "scarf" that Josette put on - it made her night-coat look all frilly and didn't seem like a separate piece at all after she put it around her neck.

I also I loved that scene when Vicki tried to explain airplanes to Peter. It was cute. It took him telling her to imagine someone from her future telling her what would happen for Vicki to finally get it! She's hasn't helped her case against being a witch with her futuristic talk.

Yes, indeed, Natalie must have been shocked to see Barnabas' ring on Josette's finger! And Josette wouldn't tell her where she got it. Natalie must have been feeling helpless as she watched Josette's behavior change.

As for Vicki knowing about the events leading up to Josette's death, perhaps it was in the family history but was never mentioned?

But Natalie and Josette had read the part of the history about Josette, and had not learned what Vicky later told Natalie.

Well... Maybe Barnabas told the story to Vicki himself - off-camera, of course.

----- Sally -----