Posted by SJG on February 10, 2002 at 11:43:07:
In Reply to: Re: If Mitch Ryan had stayed posted by Luciaphil on February 10, 2002 at 09:35:25:
Luciaphil, when I saw John Karlen play off Jonathon Frid brilliantly in the first scene the two actors ever shared their chemistry was fabulous. Ryan just didn't have good chemistry with Frid and that is also part of the reason Ryan had to exit when Frid became the show's star. How else am I to judge Ryan's chemistry with Frid other than scenes they had together? Ryan's playing off Alexandra Moltke had nothing to do with him playing off of Frid.
As for the sandwitch scene this is how they should have done it. Burke could have been sitting down to supper at the Hotel Diner alone (with the other diner waitress in th backroom) in the dining room and Sam could have wandered on in to see where Maggie used to work and then Burke could have noticed Sam. Calling Sam over, Burke could have then learned that Sam hadn't eaten and offered to shared his dinner with Sam. This would have been better than Burke deliberately delivering Sam food at the latter's home (that idea was very weak). Then Maggie could have wandered by the Collinsport diner window and Sam saw her there and then ran outside an not found her! Ryan's character was clearly mutating from slick, hardboiled, justified avenging angel to goody goody caring sandwitch boy (he reminded me a little of Hawkeye on the tv show Mash, you figure out why).
As for as Ryan in the Laura storyline, I only remember him talking (straighforwardly, at least on Burke's part) to Laura a couple of times, searching for David with Joe, speaking to Vicki about David Radcliffe and not much else. It seemed like when all or most of the really supernatural events happened he was absent. And there is very little chance of him becoming established as a supernatural character or possessed by a supernatural character (like Jeremiah was by Angelique) it was unlikely Laura had put a curse on Burke, much more likely than not he just still felt for her (and why not, she was a real HOT ticket).
As for Anthony George's Burke being of the other world well I expected some resistance on this one. Technically his Burke and Hall's Julia are both of this world. But they are very creepy looking characters. They have funny and reserved personalities which defy their really being of this world. It is not that important what Anthony George said (on the show) about jet ages, it's how he said it. If Mitch Ryan had been there saying those same lines you would have felt the show wasn't yet that supernatural and they wanted the show all supernatural in feel from now on. With George you got that creepy and (possibly) otherworldly feeling. It was like his Burke was a reincarnation of someone else and he just didn't realize it, but his Burke (despite conventonal talk) was, nevertheless, more like a man from the 1790's. Would you have ever believed Mitch Ryan's Burke was a reincarnation of anyone? Would most of us? No way!!! Burke #1 was born in the 1920's or 30's with a never before used soul! Burke #2 was the reincarnation of someone who had lived a long time ago (probably Jeremiah Collins!). Burke#2 looking eerily at Barnabas at Collinwood, in one b+w ep, has new and great signifigance when you realize that Burke #2 is probably the reincarnation of Jeremiah and that in a previous life he and Barn knew each other and were friends, relatives, and rivals to the death! I know Jeremiah returned as a zombie for a while, but once Angelique was thru using using him, and after a brief return in 1897, he reincarnated himself into the new born Burke Devlin. That is why once Burke (most likely) died his spirit returned as Jeremiah and warned Vicki in a dream about Barn.
