Discuss - Ep #0495

Robservation #495

Interesting episode.  In the beginning we've got some heartwarming interaction between Barnabas and Adam.  Adam says Barnabas's name and is thrilled to be saying it, and Barnabas is thrilled that Adam can say it.  I'm thinking to myself, "Adam deserves a hug right now," but that's not Barnabas's style.  Barnabas carries a makeshift table over to Adam's bed, and I think: "Wonders never cease! Barnabas is doing manual labor!"  Barnabas leaves, saying he'll come see Adam tomorrow, and I think "Why not later today?" but then it becomes clear that it's Adam's bedtime.  It would have been nice if Barnabas could have sung a lullaby to Adam, but again, that's not Barnabas's style.
 
Next, after Adam's escape, we go to Collinwood and see another father-and-son pair, Roger and David, interacting.  This too is pleasant and heartwarming, within the limitations of the participants.  Side note: I would have liked to see Cassandra and David in Collinsport together.  When they met for the first time, in the drawing room, Cassandra's smile was obviously false.  Was it less false today, or had Cassandra used some more black magic on David?

After that we get a brief interaction between the father of one pair and the son of the other.  If arashi were to watch this episode using her headphones, I imagine that she would hear Lela Swift calling, “Barnabas and David, bow to your opposite corners.”

Next we get some interaction between the two fathers, at Collinwood, and the two sons, in the woods.  It's not so pleasant as the previous interactions.  “Two houses, both alike in dignity, In fair Collinsport, where we lay our scene...”
 
Finally, we get the two father-and-son pairs together for a foursome.  After Barnabas persuades Adam to put David down, David runs into the arms of Barnabas, not into his father's arms, and Barnabas the non-hugger puts his arms around David right in front of Adam.  And Roger, in clear violation of the rules of reciprocity and also of square dancing, shoots Adam.
 
Very, very interesting.

Aww...  poor Adam. He's so cute, but misunderstood. He was growing very attached to Barnabas, but Barnabas wasn't spending enough time with him. It's no wonder Adam escaped and searched for Barnabas. Yes, indeed, Adam clearly loved kids and was having fun with David. When David fell, Adam just was trying to help him in the only way he knew how. Roger should not have shot Adam - twice! Adam clearly responded to Barnabas, and there was no threat from Adam. I'm sure Adam felt jealous of David when Barnabas hugged him. It was quite touching and sad to watch Adam return to his "home" and cry out in pain. 

----- Sally -----

And Roger, in clear violation of the rules of reciprocity and also of square dancing, shoots Adam.

LOL....

Barnabas really should not have left Adam alone. Like a child, Adam needs some attention. His speaking Barnabas' name was hardly so earth-shattering important that Barnabas couldn't have waited until Julia came back.

Roger telling Barnabas to be nice to Cassandra or he's no longer welcome in HIS house....um, it's Elizabeth's house, dear Roger. Your status in the household hasn't changed just because your social status has.

Poor Adam, he really WAS misunderstood. He meant no harm to David, but of course Roger couldn't know that. I wished too he hadn't shot Adam, but considering he was afraid for his son, it's understandable.

David running to Barnabas instead of his father....interesting, since David at one time was scared to death of Barnabas.

Now I'm imagining a custody hearing sort of thing with David being forced to choose whom to run into the loving arms of, Dracula or Frankenstein.

I love watching Barnabas playing Henry Higgins to Adam's Eliza Doolittle.  I wonder if he'll be presentable in time for Barnabas' next ball. 

I can't remember.  Did Julia erase David's memories of Barnabas' vampirisim, or did it just disappear along with Vickie's and Carolyn's after Barnabas was cured?

That hiatus in 1795 is playing havoc with my memory.  Or maybe Julia and her little medallion got to it too.

David's fears of Barnabas apparently vanished all on their own. Proof positive of the eventual healing powers of visiting Boston to mind and/or body?    Or perhaps it's more specific to visiting the mysterious Aunt Katherine...

I've said it previously somewhere or other, but I can't remember where, so I'll say it again, more briefly: I figure that it was easy for David to forget his fear of Barnabas after Sarah was no longer around to remind David that Barnabas was bad news, especially once Barnabas started showing up in the daytime.