Barnabas: good and evil

Originally posted by Old Salt on the Dark Shadows: General Discussion Forum on January 19, 2002 at 16:29:48:

Barnabas is quite te intriguing character. Like so many of us, there is a duplicity to his nature (although, I am sure none of us are so extreme).
A gentlemen and a monster -- intelligent on one hand; and irrational and delusional on the other.
His face quickly changes from charming to terrifying.
The internal conflict is disturbing, yet fascinating.
Like an addict who longs to kick the habit. An addict who must resort to unthinkable means to support his habit.
He knows, quite well, what it is to be human, but the sad reality is that he no longer is. The loneliness of being a reluctent monster among humans, in which he still feels connected, is wonderfully portrayed by Mr. Frid.
Can't wait to see what will become of Barnabas.

Brian

Originally posted by Ben on January 20, 2002 at 05:07:58:
In Reply to: Barnabas: good and evil posted by Old Salt on January 19, 2002 at 16:29:48:

Brian, you really captured the essence of Barnabas in a most eloquent and poignant way. I can envision those notes Julia has been writing about the Barnabas "experiment" as containing many of the same touching observations.

Ben

Originally posted by Shadowlady on January 24, 2002 at 22:41:40:
In Reply to: Re: Barnabas: good and evil posted by Ben on January 20, 2002 at 05:07:58:

Here, here Brian, a most excellent summation of the character. And, an description that helps make clear why so many people found a character like that so utterly facsincating, especially when seen on a soap opera in the era when TV was commonly referred to as a "vast wasteland."

Malia

-->That's a great description of Barnabas! 

In the eps shown today, it's odd how matter-of-fact Julia is when she tells Willie how Barnabas walled up Rev. Trask.  Willie seemed horrified and rightfully so.

But that's part of the complexity of Barnabas; he killed Trask because the good reverend got Victoria convicted of witchcraft in a most unsavory manner--and Barnabas sought his own justice.

Even during Trask's mock trial, Barnabas could look at his victims--like Forbes, and say that he helped Naomi along to her suicide, and that Suki was in cahoots against Millicent.

I don't know if I have a point here, except perhaps that it is interesting to see a TV character do so many horrid things--unapologetically, mind you--but for so many of the right reasons.