Discuss - Ep #0612

[Watching Project]

Robservations #612

[Sunny_Collins]

I felt sorry for Mrs. Johnson in this episode. First her son walks out on her, giving her no explanations, then later, barnabas arrives, obviously ill, and he is vague with her. She only wants to help but no one wants to let her.

I wonder why barnabas asked if Joe had taken his medicine for the night, because even if he had, barnabas knew he had to kill him, so an extra dose could only help the situation along. If he hadn't asked, and Julia hadn't told him Joe had already had his medicine for the night, later on [spoiler]he could have claimed ignorance by saying he didn't know Joe didn't need any medicine.[/spoiler]

[Lydia]

I wonder why barnabas asked if Joe had taken his medicine for the night,

You're right, Sunny, but I don't think we can expect Barnabas to be strictly logical at the moment.  He doesn't want to kill Joe, and I imagine he's hoping that if he throws enough hints out, he'll be stopped - even while he's telling himself, "I just need to know what's going on so I can do the job."

I had trouble seeing invisible bonds today.  Harry Johnson was bound to Nicholas, but all I saw was an independent young man.  That didn't surprise me to much; I don't expect much of Craig Slocum.  But I didn't see the bond that drew Barnabas to Angelique, either.  There was no tension of resistance, and no eagerness to obey. Just Barnabas looking worried.  But then, I have already observed that I am unobservant.
 
I enjoyed the atmosphere of the show.  It really felt like the dead of night, when all sorts of evil can happen.
 
I suppose the reason it doesn't occur to Julia that Barnabas is in the unknown vampire's power is that she assumes the vampire has only one victim at a time.  After all, Barnabas didn't turn to Carolyn until well after Willie had been carted off, and if Tom Jennings had any other victims, he wasn't telling Julia about them.  So why should Julia suspect that the Collinsport's current vampire has a whole string of victims?
 
Oh, dear, does Clarice Blackburn feel useless or what?  I don't know why she was in today's episode; Mrs. Johnson did nothing to advance the plot that I could see.  It's always good to see her, but what was Dan Curtis paying for?

[Taeylor Collins]

How nice Mrs. Johnson has her wig down for a change. Why did Clarice even wear a wig??  I think Grayson looks really striking in this episode, but whats new?? Actually there are a few eps when poor GH is looking worn out.  So I don't ALWAYS say she is pretty~~~oh okay just most of the time. I found myself getting a bit teary eyed watching the scenes with Craig, Clarice, Joel and Grayson knowing that all four were no longer with us in body.   It breaks my to dwell upon it. I think the dress the costumer had on GH today showed of her figure quite nicely.  "For once in your life you did a sensible thing!" Well Clarice Blackburn's delivery just had me rolling! Julia as usual  is figuring out that something is not quite right. Joel Crothers looks mighty sexy with the stubble!  "Have you given him his medicine?"---Barnabas "NOOOOOOO"--- Julia with GH nailing her snarky delivery! I love her accent.  I really enjoyed this episode.  But anything with Julia and Barnabas is always enjoyable to me. I love those two crazy kids!

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Something that we don't talk about nearly enough is the framing of shots on DS, and I have to say that I loved how this shot from this episode was framed:

It made it far more atmospheric to see the candelabra in the foreground than to simply see Julia come down the stairs, pause and then go to the outside door.

The actors certainly get credit. The writers certainly get credit. But we simply do not credit the directors as often as we should. DS wouldn't be nearly as amazing as it is without their contributions.

[Taeylor Collins]

A lot of my posts are on production instead of story. In a lot of the upcoming reviews I have written, I have been paying more attention to detail and how shots are framed.  I love film and it's a hobby so I really love to focus on stuff such as this.  Thanks for the amazing shot MB!

[EmeraldRose]

Joel Crothers looks mighty sexy with the stubble!

Yes, that's quite true, but his bare chest was even more sexy!

It's great to see Barnabas as the victim of Angelique. For so long, he was the vampire, but now the opposite has occurred. He made a great victim, too. I love that he was just as conflicted as a victim as he was as a vampire. He wanted to fight off Angelique, but couldn't.

Another conflicted person was Harry. He knew he had to obey Nicholas and poison Joe, which he didn't really want to do. I loved it when he was watching the clock, and didn't want to go. 

Julia sure was a sound sleeper! Barnabas and Harry both made noises as they were going through the door and using the stairs, but Julia didn't wake up. I guess she was really tired!

I was surprised to see that Mrs. Johnson had long hair. She usually had it up, and I had no idea it was that long! (Of course, we all know that it was a wig!)  She sure was useless today, but it was good to see her, anyway. 

Julia sure was taking her time figuring out that Barnabas was a vampire victim! He had some telltale signs, such as:  Leaning on his cane, being weak and pale, and covering his neck. I guess she wasn't paying attention. 

----- Sally -----

[loril54]

Barnabas plays the victim with great skill. I wanted Julia to walk in and stop the things that were happening. Why didn't she ask him what was wrong, and why he was wearing his coat colar up? He was really unsteady.

I loved how the scene and colors were put together. I wonder if there was plans to dress Julia in yellow to match the other colors.

Harry Johnson might have wanted to go back to the Old House and see what was happening. Mrs Johnson was the one that knew that strange things were happening. Why didn't people listen to her.

[MagnusTrask]

I'm paying more attention to film techniques myself.   I get the impression, though, that in the rush to get these episodes out, almost always they just used simple, functional shots to get them done fast.   I'm new at observing these things though, so tell me if I'm wrong please...  It's a sort of jarring surprise to me when I do notice some attempt at framing the shot unusually.

[michael c]

i agree that,whether or not she advances the plot,an appearance by mrs.johnson is a welcome addition to any episode.i feel pleased as soon as she walks into a scene.

i think the almanac says that clarice only appeared in about 60 episodes on the series.that surprises me.for me she's a much bigger presence than those numbers would suggest.

[IluvBarnabas]

It's nice to see that Harry did have limits to what he was capable of. He may be a blackmailer, a thief, and an intruder but clearly he was unwilling to take a life. But Nicholas' hold on him is too strong for him.

Nicholas would have been the true guilty party for Joe's would-be-demise, not Harry or Barnabas. They simply had no choice in the matter because they were being controlled by supernatural beings.

Perhaps Barnabas had a somewhat easier time resisting Angelique because he himself had been a vampire who once had others under his thrall. That's something you can't say for Joe or Tom Jennings who had just been normal guys all their lives. Barnabas understood the power to summon someone and believed he'd be able to ignore Angelique's calls. Alas, he was unable to stop from giving in to her and going to her.

I agree that Mrs. Johnson's presence is always welcomed. It is hard to believe that Clarice was only in 60 episodes because it does feel like she was in a lot more.

[Midnite]

i think the almanac says that clarice only appeared in about 60 episodes on the series.

No, though Mrs. Johnson shows up in about 60 eps (the exact number depends on the source).  But Clarice Blackburn's appearances--which also include Abigail and Minerva, plus we hear her as a sound effect before we see her-- total closer to 80 eps.

[JWGucciEnvy]

One thing I have noticed about Dark Shadows is the choices that Dark Shadows's Directors do. I actually think the Directors actually did a lot more than most directors today do on TV Shows. And MB chose a great example of that!!

I want Joe to be better...sigh...