Lady Hampshire: A Missed Opportunity

[Cassandra]

i mean why did Magda have to go?  She was such fun too. . i of course miss Julia but Magda. . whadda dame!  Makes you wonder what was happening in the writers room, eg. the bar down the street. . .

Exactly! IMO Magda played such an important character on the show and to simply have her "disappear" like this just doesn't make for good writing.

Of course they didn't have the kind of technology they have today in TV but it would have been great to see Julia and Magda meet, at least one time.  I would love to have seen Julia's reaction to Magda.  After all, Magda was such an important part of Barnabas' life in 1897.

Cassandra[/font]

[Luciaphile]

Of course they didn't have the kind of technology they have today in TV but it would have been great to see Julia and Magda meet, at least one time.  I would love to have seen Julia's reaction to Magda.  After all, Magda was such an important part of Barnabas' life in 1897.

Cassandra[/font]

The technology was there and available for television production. Look at the Patty Duke Show. That predates DS, doesn't it?

[jennifer]

Of course they didn't have the kind of technology they have today in TV but it would have been great to see Julia and Magda meet, at least one time.  I would love to have seen Julia's reaction to Magda.  After all, Magda was such an important part of Barnabas' life in 1897.

Cassandra[/font]

The technology was there and available for television production. Look at the Patty Duke Show. That predates DS, doesn't it?

plus Bewitched didn't Elizabeth M do this with
Samantha and Serena? [roll3]Would have liked to see them together too!

jennifer(who some days wishes she could split
to get everytning done!

[Miss_Winthrop]

From what I've heard, they would do the Barnabas Josette thing when the ratings needed a boost.  I understand that the ratings were their best during the 1897 storyline so that doesn't make sense.

Call it my foolish, girlish romantic heart, but I really liked some of the love scenes coming up with Lady Kitty and Barnabas either in his room or hers.  Frid is exceptional in those scenes IMHO. Barnabas's desperation to have her is so apparent. 

[Dr. Eric Lang]

Of course they didn't have the kind of technology they have today in TV but it would have been great to see Julia and Magda meet, at least one time.  I would love to have seen Julia's reaction to Magda.  After all, Magda was such an important part of Barnabas' life in 1897.

They could have done it - they did it with Angelique and Alexis in Parallel Time, and also with Julia and Julia in Parallel Time. It didn't look all that great, but it was possible.

As for why the destruction of the Lady Kitty character, one can only guess that since KLS had been off the show for several months, Curtis felt her return should be used to recreate what he felt was the very basis of the show - the Barnabas/Josette thing. This was probably the intention with Rachel as well, until KLS asked to be written off for awhile.

No doubt that if KLS had remained on the show to the end and played Samantha in 1840, Curtis would have felt the need to revisit that relationship yet again.

[Cassandra]

They could have done it - they did it with Angelique and Alexis in Parallel Time, and also with Julia and Julia in Parallel Time. It didn't look all that great, but it was possible.

Ooh, that's right! I had totally forgotten about the Angelique/Alexis  Julia/ Hoffman thing.  Good observation. Thanks for pointing that out to me Dr Lang.

[Connie]

No doubt that if KLS had remained on the show to the end and played Samantha in 1840, Curtis would have felt the need to revisit that relationship yet again.

I'm glad KLS didn't stick around.  (Nothing against TLATKLS) (Hi Ringo...)  It's just that I love Virginia Vestoff as Samantha - particularly in her scenes with Selby.  I think they're just exquisite together.  One of the few instances on DS where you get a true and realistic sense of a relationship.

Just MHO 

[WileyS]

No doubt that if KLS had remained on the show to the end and played Samantha in 1840, Curtis would have felt the need to revisit that relationship yet again.

I'm glad KLS didn't stick around.  (Nothing against TLATKLS) (Hi Ringo...)  It's just that I love Virginia Vestoff as Samantha - particularly in her scenes with Selby.  I think they're just exquisite together.  One of the few instances on DS where you get a true and realistic sense of a relationship.

Just MHO 

I LOVE Virginia Vestoff too.....Samantha and Quentin had a very passionate marriage but it was the wrong kind of passion. One of the scenes that stick out in my mind is when Quentin says something like love is a word often misused....and she replies "NOT in this house." Very volatile relationship.

I've said it before but I truly doubt the powers that be would have let KLS play Samantha the same way Virginia Vestoff did.....I think the character would eventually have become watered down....just like the Kitty Hampshire role (agree it was a shame; Kitty is my favorite KLS character). And there would be another Josette look-alike aspect too that could have been rehashed. It's sad because KLS definitely could have pulled it off....but I am glad Vestoff was cast in the role. :-)

[WileyS]

No doubt that if KLS had remained on the show to the end and played Samantha in 1840, Curtis would have felt the need to revisit that relationship yet again.

Oops didn't see the last part of your post and I just posted the same thing re: a KLS Samantha could have turned into another Josette re-hash.

[Luciaphile]

I'm glad KLS didn't stick around.  (Nothing against TLATKLS) (Hi Ringo...)  It's just that I love Virginia Vestoff as Samantha - particularly in her scenes with Selby.  I think they're just exquisite together.  One of the few instances on DS where you get a true and realistic sense of a relationship.

Just MHO 

The beginning of 1840 is really amazing when you think about it. Vestoff, Storm, Selby, Pennock--they all give us these wonderfully detailed characterizations. Not the nicest people, admittedly, but I'm with Connie, realism is there and the acting is really quite wonderful.

While I certainly think KLS was capable of playing Samantha well, I'm with the rest of you guys--you just know within like ten minutes they would have had her going vacant eyed and hearing tinkling melodies

[Gothick]

I personally thought Virginia Vestoff was brilliant in the role of Samantha, and I thought it helped that it was a new actress in the part, since she was a different kind of character for the series.

spoilers...

Every time I start watching 1840, I always feel some sadness and frustration, since it started out so well and then just ... jumped the shark!  There are some great scenes in the second half of the storyline, but the whole premise of somebody being tried for witchcraft in 1840 Maine and being sentenced to decapitation is just so preposterous, and that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Anybody else besides me find the room gets considerably warmer every time Quentin and Desmond are on screen together?

Gothick

[Raineypark]

Anybody else besides me find the room gets considerably warmer every time Quentin and Desmond are on screen together? Gothick

I've been waiting 30-odd years to see John Karlen light the screen up with SOMEBODY on this show....and now you tell me it's QUENTIN???   

rainey

[Gothick]

Well, he and Nancy do have wonderful chemistry together as Desmond and Leticia, and, to some degree, in the 1841 PT segment as Kendrick and Melanie.

It's just that in my twisted mind, that pales before the scenario I've concocted that takes place in between the acts with Desmond and Quentin!

Happy Ostara to you and yours, btw.  I pray that a few daffodils will grow, somehow, somewhere, in a quiet green field where no bombs ever fall.

Steve

[Raineypark]

This has been a terribly hard Sabbat to prepare for.....to celebrate the time of birth and renewal, in the midst of war.

Blessings to you and yours too, Steve.

rainey 

[Connie]

Anybody else besides me find the room gets considerably warmer every time Quentin and Desmond are on screen together? 

ABSOLUTELY!