I'm sorry but this current storyline makes me vomit with rage. I realize it's a transition from 1995 to 1840, but parts of it couldn't be more coma-inducing (IMHO).
So we've got two kids who are hanging out in a *mysterious* playroom at ages 12 or 13, easily amused by a carousel and dollhouse. David's got a new friend who is a bit more the jittery sort than Amy. Where are those sedatives when you need them? They are encountering two ghosts, one good, the other evil (stop me if this sounds familiar), and periodically falling under possession.
Then we have the grown-up bunch. They got an advantageous head start by a list of clues that Carolyn left them in '95. An unfinished horoscope of Elizabeth, who turned her nose up at these kinds of things before but is suddenly a believer. They keep looking at the thing over and over for more clues that they can't seem to find. Over and over Julia researches for Rose Cottage, which they can't find out about either.
Then we come to the dumbing down of Quentin Collins. He smells lilacs every time Daphne is around, which brings us to: Why is she doing this to Quentin?? Why does she seem to want him one minute and not the next? What is the point of luring him to her and then not saying a thing?!?!? Why why why?? I know that the writers didn't know quite what to do with him once they left 1897, but this in my opinion, was the absolute worst they could do with him.
Finally we come to the two key players here. Barnabas and Julia are all set to sound the alarm when Gerard strikes, but they can't get anyone else into the act, since there isn't much to go on so far. And it's not just because of a lack of bathrooms at Collinwood. They fail to realize that the others are not acting quite like usual. Quentin is becoming more evasive and withdrawn, and Liz just stares at them and speaks in a drone, accusing them of wanting to disrupt things around the household. They haven't yet picked up on any of this! Not to mention that Julia continually feels "the presence." You'd think that by now at least Barnabas would be getting wise to this kind of stuff.
I haven't seen some of these episodes, so if anything I've mentioned has been resolved or addressed, please tell me. I've thrown my hands up at this point.
The only good thing that seems to have happened is that David and Hallie are employing useful arts and crafts skills which will guide them well throughout their lives.