Barnabas' Change of Heart

It's possible I've missed someone's post about this, but I'm surprised that no one seems to have mentioned anything about yesterday's very pivotal Leviathan episode.

The second episode yesterday was interesting on many levels, with all of the dreams ... though I'm not certain how well it was all executed.  I ended up being rather confused as to what was dream and what was reality -- but maybe that was the intention (like stepping into a Dario Argento flick? 

I remember last time this aired I defended Barnabas' change of heart as a believable character development, but this time I'm not so sure.  On second viewing, this did seem rather abrupt -- which is understandable when you know that the writers/producers changed tracks at this point in response to viewer complaints about Leviathan.

Ironically, these first weeks were probably the best part of the Leviathan storyline.

There's still some good parts to come -- especially with the return of a certain witch -- but by the end the whole storyline falls apart with a deadly splat ...

Just my opinion ... others will disagree.

The whole dream sequence with Marsha Mason, hooker-turned-into-vampire, was absolutely wonderful.  It reminds me of a movie - I can't remember the name now - about a soldier who passes from one dream to another, never knowing what is reality and what is not.  Just when you think he's finally awake, it's another dream.

The most delightful part of the Leviathan storyline right now is Elizabeth's embracing of the dark side.  When she stormed out of Paul's room, thinking he was conked out, saying:  "What made you think I ever wanted you back here?", or to that affect, was just brilliant.  For me, this Elizabeth, and nasty-Judith-Collins-who-bricks-up-dastardly-husbands, are the most enjoyable performances by Joan Bennett.  She'd even spook Bette Davis or Joan Crawford if either of those two divas got guest parts on the show.  She reminds me of Olivia DeHavilland as Cousin Miriam in Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte.

While I'm an enjoyer of the Leviathan storyline (and a hater of the Adam one), it does fall apart at the end.  I think they just needed to get it over so they could send everyone off to parallel time in order to get half the cast up to Lyndhurst for a coupla months to start making a movie.  Time is money.

Gerard

  She reminds me of Olivia DeHavilland as Cousin Miriam in Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte.

I love that movie.  Southern Gothic at it's twisted best!!

The whole dream sequence with Marsha Mason, hooker-turned-into-vampire, was absolutely wonderful.  It reminds me of a movie - I can't remember the name now - about a soldier who passes from one dream to another, never knowing what is reality and what is not.  Just when you think he's finally awake, it's another dream.

I have to agree. I really thought the entire sequence was extremely well scripted. The dreams/nightmares have been on the whole actually pretty disturbing and effective. I didn't check and see who wrote that episode--Violet Welles? Or was it Gordon Russell?

The most delightful part of the Leviathan storyline right now is Elizabeth's embracing of the dark side.  When she stormed out of Paul's room, thinking he was conked out, saying:  "What made you think I ever wanted you back here?", or to that affect, was just brilliant.  For me, this Elizabeth, and nasty-Judith-Collins-who-bricks-up-dastardly-husbands, are the most enjoyable performances by Joan Bennett. 

She really does cold and nasty very well. If, however, you really want to see something, you need to go and rent Scarlet Street.

I have always, always hated this whole messy, icky storyline, but for the first time I'm starting to get into it. Don't know quite why but it's resonating with me. Even down to Barnabas, who I think is a lot more interesting right now than when he's playing "good" (and I use that word in its relative context)

While I'm an enjoyer of the Leviathan storyline (and a hater of the Adam one), it does fall apart at the end.  I think they just needed to get it over so they could send everyone off to parallel time in order to get half the cast up to Lyndhurst for a coupla months to start making a movie.  Time is money.

LOL! It does just sort of come apart at the seams, doesn't it? I mean to enjoy this while it lasts because I am positively dreading the moment that the family starts exploring the east wing of the house.

I haven't seen this storyline since way back when but you know,  I think that now after seeing this again for the second time around that I find it is all not that bad.  Im really starting to appreciate everyones good acting this time around also and I find Barnabas to be really great at doing his evil thing here.
 Also Elizabeth is great at portraying the evil woman.

 Whats good about it is that we're seeing some of the actors, who to us have been fairly good kind caring people,  Elizabeth, Barnabas, (sort of) Megan and Philip were okay when they first arrived.  Now, they're just the opposite of good here and I think thats whats keeping us all hooked here.

We're so use to see folks like Angelique play the bad parts, but now we're getting a taste of something else here and its facinating to watch!

Deb

I haven't seen this storyline since way back when but you know,  I think that now after seeing this again for the second time around that I find it is all not that bad.  Im really starting to appreciate everyones good acting this time around also and I find Barnabas to be really great at doing his evil thing here.
 Also Elizabeth is great at portraying the evil woman.

 Whats good about it is that we're seeing some of the actors, who to us have been fairly good kind caring people,  Elizabeth, Barnabas, (sort of) Megan and Philip were okay when they first arrived.  Now, they're just the opposite of good here and I think thats whats keeping us all hooked here.

We're so use to see folks like Angelique play the bad parts, but now we're getting a taste of something else here and its facinating to watch!

Deb

And what's ironic.............kinduva spoiler here..............is that this time Angelique plays the good character and heroine who even takes great risks and personal sacrifices!  Virtually everyone's personalities have been turned upside-down for this plot, and that's another one of the reasons why I really do like the whole Leviathan storyline.

Gerard

And what's ironic.............kinduva spoiler here..............is that this time Angelique plays the good character and heroine who even takes great risks and personal sacrifices!  Virtually everyone's personalities have been turned upside-down for this plot, and that's another one of the reasons why I really do like the whole Leviathan storyline.
Gerard

Yes Gerard! You're right,  I had mentioned this in another post on how the good ones are turning bad and the bad ones are changing for the better.   Angelique is really a mystery though! Who'd ever thought of her changing her ways for good?
I never really thought about all this before but now that you had mentioned it,  this does make the storyline much more interesting to follow.

Deb

Well, she was helpful already in 1897 ... but it does seem that Angelique became a much more sympathetic character during the Leviathan sequence.  The events in Leviathan helped pave the way for Angelique's eventual acceptance by Barnabas, in 1840, I believe, though with a tragic outcome.  I argued during that storyline that we had been gradually prepared for their eventual reconciliation.

That's a very good point, Vlad.  Maybe it's possible...... kinduva spoiler here......... that's why they went with a completely dark, evil, nasty Angelique during the 1970PT plot (with a few moments of good Alexis), just so there could be one, final last 100%-Evil-Angelique before her 1840/41 redemption.

Gerard

Well, she was helpful already in 1897 ... but it does seem that Angelique became a much more sympathetic character during the Leviathan sequence.  The events in Leviathan helped pave the way for Angelique's eventual acceptance by Barnabas, in 1840, I believe, though with a tragic outcome.  I argued during that storyline that we had been gradually prepared for their eventual reconciliation.

I think it depends on how you define helpful. Everything was always tied to a price. "I'll help you if you do X" Nothing she did in 1897 had any altruistic reasons behind it. And in fact, she royally screwed up a number of lives beyond repair quite casually (e.g. Beth's, Amanda's, Quentin's, Rachel's, etc.).

She does become more sympathetic in the Leviathan plot, but I have to tell you my heart's not exactly bleeding for her

I think it depends on how you define helpful. Everything was always tied to a price. "I'll help you if you do X" Nothing she did in 1897 had any altruistic reasons behind it. And in fact, she royally screwed up a number of lives beyond repair quite casually (e.g. Beth's, Amanda's, Quentin's, Rachel's, etc.).

That's a good point. And lets not forget that the only reason she decided to help Barnabas & Julia out in 1897 was IMO because she was engaged to Quentin and no longer had any use for Barnabas.

Deb

Barnabas' true change of heart is still to come.  The whole Leviathan dream sequence episode was something they threw in literally at the last minute (as I recall it, the episode was taped very close to air date) because so many fans were writing in and complaining that they were having difficulties with "evil" Barn.  (As an adult viewer, at least, I find him a lot more compelling than "good" Barn.)  The episodes that follow that big dream sequence show don't really follow up the theme of Barnabas having a change of heart because they had already been scripted and taped BEFORE the episode chronicling Barn's encounter with Adlar and Marshina, Queen of Darkness.

I do remember that the Leviathan sequence all made perfect sense to me at the time because I followed the show so obsessively.  So I was a little surprised when a voiceover began playing over the end titles of the show informing the audience at home that "major information regarding the nature of the Leviathan plot will be revealed on this coming Friday's show, so be sure to tune in!"  The "revelations" consisted of a celebrated clip show (maybe the only one in DS' history, now that I think of it) that summarized what had happened up to that point.  I'm not sure when that episode will be aired, but I think it's coming in a week or two.

Gothick

So I was a little surprised when a voiceover began playing over the end titles of the show informing the audience at home that "major information regarding the nature of the Leviathan plot will be revealed on this coming Friday's show, so be sure to tune in!"  The "revelations" consisted of a celebrated clip show (maybe the only one in DS' history, now that I think of it) that summarized what had happened up to that point.  I'm not sure when that episode will be aired, but I think it's coming in a week or two.

Thanks Gothick for informing us.  I would love to see this! Do you have any idea what episode# it might be?    Sounds interesting.

Deb

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  The events in Leviathan helped pave the way for Angelique's eventual acceptance by Barnabas, in 1840, I believe, though with a tragic outcome.  I argued during that storyline that we had been gradually prepared for their eventual reconciliation.

I'm inclined to disagree with this only because I feel that the Angelique of 1840 is not the same Angelique we're seeing now.  Time traveling has always made it more complicated to rationalize the plot, but as I see it, Angelique moves from 1795 to 1968, to 1897, and then back to 1970.  In 1897, Angelique recalls her life as Cassandra and everything that we have seen her do up to that point both in the past and the future.  However, in 1840 she does not know Julia and doesn't remember being in the future, perhaps because it hasn't happened to her yet.  This Angelique is more primitive, closer to her 1795 self, and therefore very nasty when the 1840 storyline begins; we see no sign of the helpful ally that we last knew in 1970.  If it were the 1970 version that he was dealing with, his actions would make more sense, but at this point, (1840) Angelique has assisted nobody and I really don't see any reason why Barnabas would feel warmly toward her.

Personally, I felt that the big reconciliation in 1840 was rather hastily tacked on in an attempt at resolution so that the show could move toward its conclusion.  I believe that the current Angelique in the Leviathan storyline is the most mature version we ever see of her.

ProfStokes

Barnabas' true change of heart is still to come.  The whole Leviathan dream sequence episode was something they threw in literally at the last minute (as I recall it, the episode was taped very close to air date) because so many fans were writing in and complaining that they were having difficulties with "evil" Barn.  (As an adult viewer, at least, I find him a lot more compelling than "good" Barn.)  The episodes that follow that big dream sequence show don't really follow up the theme of Barnabas having a change of heart because they had already been scripted and taped BEFORE the episode chronicling Barn's encounter with Adlar and Marshina, Queen of Darkness.

You're right ... I jumped the gun on this.

Adlar and Marshina??? 

However, 1840 she does not know Julia and doesn't remember being in the future, perhaps because it hasn't happened to her yet.  This Angelique is more primitive, closer to her 1795 self, and therefore very nasty when the 1840 storyline begins; we see no sign of the helpful ally that we last knew in 1970.  If it were the 1970 version that he was dealing with, his actions would make more sense, but at this point, (1840) Angelique has assisted nobody and I really don't see any reason why Barnabas would feel warmly toward her.

Professor Stokes, you have tracked these time changes far more closely than I have ... and possibly more closely than the writers did ...

You know I tend to get a bit analytical about things, too, but with respect to the time-travelling conundrums, I've been more of a casual viewer. From an academic perspective, I would say your argument is convincing ... but from watching the show chronologically, the emotional message I get is that we are to gradually see Angelique in more sympathetic terms.

So I'm listening to my heart, not my head!