Discuss - Ep #0198

Robservations #198

Elizabeth says to Roger (I didn't copy it down, but here's the gist, with help from the Robservations): "You're my brother and I love you, but I have no illusions about your willingness to oblige."  What a fascinating line.  I never would doubt that Elizabeth loved Roger, any more than I would doubt that he drives her crazy sometimes.  But what gets me is that Elizabeth actually said out loud that she loved Roger!  She didn't have to do that; she did it of her own free will.  (And free will means a lot on Dark Shadows.)  I think the scare that Laura gave her has had quite an effect on her.

So who's the Willie whom Jason has been telephoning?  When we saw Jason talking to someone the other day, I figured it was a girl, but now we know it's a guy.  Does Jason owe Willie money?  Jason appears to be an independent sort.  I can't imagine him keeping in close contact with somebody to whom he doesn't owe money.

Poor, poor Sam.  He coulda been a contender, if only Roger hadn't lost those paintings.

Good morning, Lydia.   [spoiler]First, Jason called an unnamed cohort.  Today, he called again and referred to him as Willie.  W Loomis is gradually coalescing out of the mist, and approaching solidity.[/spoiler]

Sam's big secret is out.  After having been put on hold through storyline two, storyline one has reanimated.   It was well done, Maggie drawing the truth out, then backing off when she realized what a bomb she held in her hands.   It was clever and "real", how Sam turned things around, asking Maggie who paid for the paintings.   He probably thought... my daughter is damaging me, and damaging our life together, by pushing and pushing.

I liked the phrase "willingness to oblige".   I hadn't heard it before.

By Sproat.

Threats or no threats, if I had been Elizabeth, I'd have [spoiler] picked up the phone, called the sheriff and have him dig up the floor of the basement room a hell of a lot sooner than she ended up doing on the phone [/spoiler] rather than give in to greedy weasel Jason. But then, I don't have a family name I'd want to protect, so I guess I can't really say for sure, actually, that I wouldn't have given in to Jason's greed.

She was no fool when it came to Roger though...she knew he and Sam aren't the best of buddies and could care less about Sam's career. Really Roger should have come up with a better excuse for poking around there for those paintings other than doing it as a favor for Sam. But I guess he didn't expect to see her pop up there.

Sam has now finally come clean with Maggie. She must feel like a fool now for having doubting Burke, for she knew that her Pop's behavior had been getting worse since Burke's return. And they both are probably aware that there is going to be hell to pay.

Jason's confederate is first mentiond by name. According to one bit of trivia I picked up somewhere, he was originally going to be called Chris!

Roger is disgusted--and rightly so for a change--when he arrives home and Jason invites him into his own drawing room and offers him a drink.

Jason tries to threaten Elizabeth into giving him "assistance"--that is, an allowance. I refuse to be threatened! she declares, but he is unmoved. Why don't you do it for old times' sake, he suggests.

What a pity that Sam's paintings are apparently lost forever. But Sam has finally come clean with Maggie--and it took us a mere 198 episodes to get there! But [spoiler]we'll have to wait even longer to learn Elizabeth's secret.[/spoiler]

Threats or no threats, if I had been Elizabeth, I'd have [spoiler] picked up the phone, called the sheriff and have him dig up the floor of the basement room a hell of a lot sooner than she ended up doing on the phone [/spoiler] rather than give in to greedy weasel Jason. But then, I don't have a family name I'd want to protect, so I guess I can't really say for sure, actually, that I wouldn't have given in to Jason's greed.

[spoiler]I'm sure that neither you nor I would have called the police.  Prison is a very bad place.   Funny, no one's brought up yet the fact that if Jason tells, he implicates himself.[/spoiler]

[spoiler]I'm sure that neither you nor I would have called the police.  Prison is a very bad place.   Funny, no one's brought up yet the fact that if Jason tells, he implicates himself.[/spoiler]

But I recall that [spoiler]Elizabeth confessed later on it wasn't so much the possibility of going to prison that
bothered her...it was what the news of her killing Paul, Carolyn's father, would do to Carolyn that terrified her.[spoiler]

Elizabeth catches Roger trying to break the lock on the basement room. She threatens to throw him out. They each accuse the other of having secrets.  Elizabeth is all in control of that situation, but with Jason she seems at a loss and now he wants money.

The Robservations caps for this ep have been posted.