Discuss - Ep #0981

Robservations #981

Parallel Time begins.

Julia, standing there in RT looking into the PT room ought to see Barnabas, yet she doesn't seem to.   This time around, I'm definitely looking at this Q as a descendant of 1897 PT Q, whatever and whoever he was... also I'm looking at this Angelique as a descendant of 1795 PT Ang and Ben Stokes.   It's the only way I'll avoid shaking my fist at the TV screen, which looks silly.   Last time, it seemed as if they were shoehorning in PT versions of RT people who couldn't possibly be mortal and still alive in PT 1970 (Q and Ang).   They don't explain, that's the problem.

Barnabas gets feeding pretty fast in PT, though he did have to silence PT Carolyn.   I wonder if he sees PT humans as not as real as RT people, and therefore more expendable.... and perhaps not his own "flesh and blood" either...

[spoiler]I like to imagine a police chalk outline of Lamar Trask in the middle of the floor, which the generations of maids managed to miss cleaning up, somehow.[/spoiler]

[spoiler]I like to imagine a police chalk outline of Lamar Trask in the middle of the floor, which the generations of maids managed to miss cleaning up, somehow.[/spoiler]

[spoiler]Theories about different timebands aside... police?  What police?[/spoiler]

Julia, standing there in RT looking into the PT room ought to see Barnabas, yet she doesn't seem to.

I'm not so sure she didn't see him.  All that mattered to her was that he couldn't hear her.

This time around, I'm definitely looking at this Q as a descendant of 1897 PT Q

But why does the descendant of 1897 Quentin own Collinwood instead of a descendant of Jamison?  Here's my explanation: Jamison sold his inheritance to 1897 Quentin for a mess of pottage.

They don't explain, that's the problem.

They don't explain, that's the cool thing, so you can make up whatever explanations you want.

We did get a nice brief explanation of why parallel time Elizabeth wears dowdy sweaters instead of elegant jackets: she let Roger handle her finances, and unlike real time Elizabeth, she never was much interested in them anyway.  And we get another indication of the difference between the two Elizabeths when this Elizabeth allows a servant to go talk to Elizabeth's cousin Chris about the missing monthly check rather going herself to give Chris a good sharp talking-to.  This Elizabeth is sufficiently different from real time Elizabeth that I'm wondering what the parallel time story on Paul Stoddard is.

After Quentin ran out of Collinwood in a tizzy, I noticed that the hem of Maggie's skirt and the hem of the matching jacket weren't parallel - an error of which Angelique would never have been guilty.
　
I'm perplexed by Carolyn's statement that Will didn't know about the basement room in the Old House.  It's right there at the bottom of the stairs!  Other than that, I enjoyed the conversation in the basement between Carolyn and Barnabas.  Barnabas looked as though he was having fun.  I'm happy for him that he has found something to take his mind off his real-time troubles: the differences between real time and parallel time.

I liked the set designer's choice of sofa in the parallel time drawing room.  It bore a reasonable resemblance to the real time sofa - green with wood - but was curvier and didn't have those knobs that Julia loves to grab when she's feeling stressed.

Julia's eyes didn't seem to fix on Barnabas, like an actor pretending to be blind.  Just an impression.   As for PT1897, I suppose the names, players, and personalities could have been different from RT1897.   [spoiler]What I've been thinking about is how the happy, perfect life for Bramwell and Catherine talked about in Thayer David's voiceover led to a different PT1897 and then PT1970.   They started a very different family tree and chain of inheritance.   Or did only 1841PT Q's offspring inherit?[/spoiler]

Yes, it's hard to see the main basement room as obscure.  By the way Lydia, this time I'm keeping in mind what you said long ago, about why you liked PT so much.  You talked about PT being filled with obvious but also more subtle, clever kinds of opposites for the familiar RT characters, and much like melty face Hanley I'm keeping my eye out for them.   It's helping so far.

I did notice a possibly frumpy (for her) pink sweater on Liz.   A more frivolous or less aristocratic manner in her everyday speech would have been nice, which we got later with [spoiler]Flora.    Only with that character did we ever really see a different personality.   A JB character could be a boozer, or religious zealot, or whatever, and she'd still seem just like Liz.   I've seen Scarlett Street now, I know she can play other parts![/spoiler]   

By the way Lydia, this time I'm keeping in mind what you said long ago, about why you liked PT so much.  You talked about PT being filled with obvious but also more subtle, clever kinds of opposites for the familiar RT characters

Did I say that?  I don't remember doing so.  I'm always happy to be flattered, but I'd hate to take credit for what somebody else said.

What I do like about parallel time is that, in the beginning at least, they were having fun with duality within parallel time.  Wife #1 vs. wife #2, and[spoiler]good twin vs. bad twin, and Dr. Longworth and Mr. Jaeger.[/spoiler]

Come to think of it, is it in any way significant that in parallel time Maggie has a sister?

They don't explain, that's the problem.

They don't explain, that's the cool thing

Exactly - and the dangerous and even limiting thing is to try to fit the PT characters into the RT characters' history or to be bogged down by that history because we actually have no way of knowing how anything is in PT unless we're told. We know nothing of the Collins' family's history or even history, fashion, science, etc. in general. Anything is possible unless we're told it's not. For all we know there was no Vietnam war going on, Nixon wasn't President (it actually would have been a nice nod to Joan Bennett if Eugene McCarthy‎ was President because she'd campaigned for him during the '68 presidential primaries), or even if there was a second or a first world war...

By the way Lydia, this time I'm keeping in mind what you said long ago, about why you liked PT so much.  You talked about PT being filled with obvious but also more subtle, clever kinds of opposites for the familiar RT characters

Did I say that?  I don't remember doing so.  I'm always happy to be flattered, but I'd hate to take credit for what somebody else said.

Regardless of who said it, it's very true. I love the characters that populate this world. In some ways they're similar to their RT counterparts - but in other ways they're so very different. And it's the differences that are fascinating...

What is all that crap on the photo of Collinwood? I suppose if you have imagination, you could think of the dust molecules as bats or something.

Do any of us ever get as much mail as Liz is flipping through anymore? My god, Jim!

Quentin needs a family crest on that navy blue sports coat he is wearing. And maybe a captain's hat and boat shoes.

Maggie had a sister???

Okay. du Maurier's Rebecca. Selby does a really good Maxim. Grayson is stellar as Danny. But KLS stinks in the Joan Fontaine role of Mrs. De Winter. Sorry, but she just isn't in the same caliber as Joan Fontaine. I love KLS as Maggie, the diner waitress chick, but she should have stuck to that role. Actually, I can't think of any of the female cast member on DS that could have played that role.

I'm baffled. Simply baffled.

But KLS stinks in the Joan Fontaine role of Mrs. De Winter. Sorry, but she just isn't in the same caliber as Joan Fontaine. I love KLS as Maggie, the diner waitress chick, but she should have stuck to that role. Actually, I can't think of any of the female cast member on DS that could have played that role.

Judging from her performance as Daphne in 1841 parallel time, I think Kate jackson would have been OK.

Welcome back, Janet!  New 'puter?

I have one strange question, that maybe I shouldn't ask.  

But why where Collinwood and the Old House the same. I guess people had the same idea for the layout, and it did change.

All seriousness, I think that they need a lighter story, and a more colorful setting the Leviathans where so dark.

I have one question, did Barnabas ever do what Julia wanted him to??  He always wanted to do things his way.

I think Barnabas, went in to PT to not attack, Sabrina, and maybe also Julia. She was there when he got the craving and he told her to leave.

981
3/30/70
I love PT Carolyn's earrings.  Now PT has totally taken over as you see the furnished hall.  I love how Nancy has lowered her voice register for her new role.  Her makeup makes her look quite different as well!  It's subtle things like this that makes such difference.  It's neat to see the positions change with Elizabeth getting “monthly” allowances.  I love the music that plays in the background.  I love the mention of “Sam Evans” the painter and his two little girls.  I love the makeup change for “Hoffman” as well.  It looks as if Vincent Loscalzo has arched her eyebrows higher for this role and for Nancy B. he has give her a dark liner and lighter eye makeup! 

KLS hair looks longer or she has a fall on one.  HUBBA HUBBA…a kiss from Q! 

Carolyn didn't know the basement room was there but the candles were lit.  Do they have little gremlins around the Old House doing these things??

I love the music that plays when Julia is talking to the portrait.  Oh my! I just saw KLS bloomers! LOL 

You're right, Carolyn is much more interesting in PT, visually and in her personality.   I like cynical characters, not the ones who are petty or mean, but the sarcastic, jaded people who are decent underneath, with some wity and an outsider's perspective.   Taeylor would know the specifics on how the makeup was changed I suppose, to one of the ignorant masses like me it's too subtle to notice.   She's wearing her hair hanging in front not the back, I like that.   I like the maroon velour dress.

Welcome back, Janet!  New 'puter?

My PC seems to be in working order again. I brought home a moniter from work. I think that was the problem. Also, I can't seem to keep up with you guys. I watch two episodes a couple nights a week after work.

I am about 20 or 30 eps ahead of the actual WP.  I try to stay ahead so I won't get behind!