Bleeeeccccchhhhhh

[LoveAtFirstBITE]

It really aggravates me as well when past events and the lessons learned never come into play for characters. David, for example, had a ghost for a best friend and was Ghost Quentin's prime target for most of his revenge plot. Yet David acts as though he's never had any experiences with ghosts.

Maggie is attacked by a vampire and displays the same kind of behavior from when she was under Barnabas' thrall, and the connection never occurs to her, or anyone, besides Julia.

Technically, since they went back in time and "fixed" the past, Quentin never haunted Collinwood in the present.  Then he shows up at Collinwood in the present and everyone freaks out.  Go figure.

The vampire-Maggie connection shouldn't occur to anyone else other than Julia.  She was the only one who knew about Barnabas and now she knows that he did not attack Maggie this time.

PS..Am I the only one who finds Gerard's menacing glare kinda sexy?

Yes.

[Joeytrom]

After 1897, the writers didn't realize the characters should not have remembered the haunting of Quentin's ghost as he never should have been there.  In an 1897 episode right after history in 1897 is changed, Barnabas states "History has been changed, David was never possessed".

I think that by this time, the writers are having everyone forget the Quentin ghost haunting (as they should have before) since it never hapened.  Maybe the time ripple effect took a while to reach the present.

[Philippe Cordier]

Dumbing down characters is one thing, but why is Quentin acting so.... for want of a better word...whipped.  You'd think he was some youth of fifteen or sixteen who'd never had a girlfriend before instead of a man with a rather impressive romantic resume.  Yet he's acting like some love sick calf over Daphne. 

Quentin's other lady loves were flesh-and-blood, even Amanda Harris (the one created by Charles Delaware Tate).  Daphne is Quentin's first ghostly love ... and the logic and influence of ghosts is not the same as that in ordinary relationships.


Onyx Treasure wrote:

When Quentin is introduced as Grant Douglas, everyone remembered him as the Ghost (including Amy and David).  Later, Quentin gives the explanation that he is a descendant of Quentin thus like Barnabas is welcomed with open arms.  So, I guess technically speaking no one should remember a haunting that never took place but that is not what the writers worked out.

Thanks for refreshing my memory, OnyxTreasure ... Adding to that, I would submit that this is an example of a rather glaring discrepancy within another storyline.  I know that no one has specifically said there were no inconsistencies in characterization or factual continuity in other storylines -- although reading this thread one might get the impression that such problems are specific to Summer of 1970, and that obviously isn't the case.

I'm going by my general impressions and memory from my viewing last time, and I don't completely recall the illogical aspects referred to by Luciaphil, though the atmosphere she describes may have been intentional.  Everyone's behavior, including Quentin and the children's, is abnormal because they're all under the influence of spirits.

I just remember being mesmerized by this segment's events, fascinated with the mystery of Rose Cottage, challenged by the depressing philosophy that seems to be behind it all -- that we can do nothing against fate:  the die is cast.  And within the greater context of 1840, the plotting for this entire story arc seemed to me the most well-planned, meticulous, and cohesive.  Which is not to say that changes weren't made along the way as 1840 unfolds, but 1995 - Summer of 1970 - 1840 holds together far better, IMO, than the 1897 storyline, for example.

[Luciaphile]

You may be right, Vlad; it's hard for me to judge. I've been watching DS randomly so I suppose it's possible I'm missing enough of the big picture.

The writing is uniformly terrible though and I stand by my statement that the dialogue and the plot are absolutely bloody nuts.

[Julian]

I guess I'm just not up on this ghostly love thing.   Although there were some women in my past who treated me like a ghost - as if I wasn't there.  Then again, Mrs. Julian also does that now and again, especially when I tell her she doesn't really need yet another pair of shoes.

[Raineypark]

I'll second that, Luciaphil.  I'm not watching, but I do read Robservations to try and stay current....and I'll bet it's even worse to READ this dialogue than it is to WATCH the actors perform it.

The whole issue of ignoring warnings and refusing to believe what's going on is too stupid for words.

This is COLLINWOOD, for pete's sake.  Liz survived the Leviathan nonsense, but ghosts are too far fetched?

These people shouldn't register surprise, much less disbelief,  if the chairs began to dance with the lamps.

[scout75]

I'm going by my general impressions and memory from my viewing last time, and I don't completely recall the illogical aspects referred to by Luciaphil, though the atmosphere she describes may have been intentional...

Well, there's what's illogical to the characters and then what is illogical to the viewer--if I'm reading Luciaphil correctly--and that can make a big difference when you're watching it.

As for the residents of Collinwood forgetting Ghost Quentin, I remember the episode where "Grant Douglas" shows up and is talking to Roger in the drawing room; Amy comes in with a wicked little grin, having just cranked up the victrola playing "Quentin's Theme", to see if she could get a rise out of Quentin--which, come to think of it, was a pretty stupid thing for her to do, especially if she believed Quentin was, in fact, still a ghost. 

[VictoriaWintersRox]

I have mixed feelings about this storyline. The only part I really, really dislike are the long scenes with David and Hallie. I have no problem with Kathy Cody (unlike most people, it seems) but the scenes get boring and irritating after awhile, IMO.

I sorta like how Roxanne is acting in 1970. It's a lot more interesting than the Roxanne of 1970PT. Sebastian's taste in clothes is very scary.

I liked the scene in #1077 when Maggie, Quentin, Carolyn, and David were having a picnic. It did inject a tiny bit of 'normal' reality into DS.

I like Kate Jackson and James Storm in their roles. However, I dislike the music they usually play whenever Daphne pops up. I liked it at first, but after the first million times it gets on my nerves.

I'm confused by Elizabeth - at times it seems like she's still under Gerard's control, but at other times it doesn't. At first I thought it was only temporary. I also think it's stupid how she seems to ignore the fact that weird things happen, but it's not the first time something like that has happened.

Quentin hasn't been really well written ever since the end of 1897. He had virtually nothing to do in Leviathan other than the 'Quentin's Lost Memory' plot and when he went to Hell to save Amanda/Olivia. I don't mind how he's acting since he is under the control of Daphne, it seems.

Everyone in Collinwood seems in a dazed state. Julia seems to be the only one who really wants to find out what's going to happen - I've noticed Barnabas hasn't been on that often.

I'm looking forward to the episodes where
[spoiler]Collinwood is destroyed. I have the destruction of Collinwood episode on tape from MPI, but so far I'm enjoying seeing what's leading up to the disaster at Collinwood.[/spoiler]

[onyx_treasure]

I like Kate Jackson and James Storm in their roles. However, I dislike the music they usually play whenever Daphne pops up. I liked it at first, but after the first million times it gets on my nerves.

     The music that is used for Daphne sounds more like the music they use in those 50's outer space movies.  It has become tiresome and annoying.  I think they could have come up with some other romantic but ethereal melody for the ghost of Daphne instead of "it came from outer space" music.

[Philippe Cordier]

I like Kate Jackson and James Storm in their roles. However, I dislike the music they usually play whenever Daphne pops up. I liked it at first, but after the first million times it gets on my nerves.

     The music that is used for Daphne sounds more like the music they use in those 50's outer space movies.  It has become tiresome and annoying.  I think they could have come with some other romantic but ethereal melody for the ghost of Daphne instead of "it came from outer space" music.

I remember that music and can hear it now, two years (?) later, now that you mention it! I agree, the sci-fi outer-space quality of the music didn't seem to fit the ghost of Daphne.  It was weird sounding, so that may have been what they were aiming for given that this part of the story has a lot of weirdness.  But a more ethereal melody, as you mention would have been nice.  Maybe they didn't want another "Josette's Theme" but something completely different to make the storyline seem completely different.

I remember the picnic, too -- the impression, if not the details, remain memorable.

[Luciaphile]

Well, there's what's illogical to the characters and then what is illogical to the viewer--if I'm reading Luciaphil correctly--and that can make a big difference when you're watching it.

Yep, that's exactly what I meant.

They did possession pretty well before. It was creepy. It was effective. I got what was going on with no problem whatsoever.

These days? I can't tell whether Elizabeth is acting like a freak because the ghosts are influencing her or because the writers are phoning it in.

It does not help that I loathe Drippy, dippy Daphne...

[Philippe Cordier]

These days? I can't tell whether Elizabeth is acting like a freak because the ghosts are influencing her or because the writers are phoning it in.

Does anyone know who the writers were?  (I don't know how I'm going to survive without my Program Guide ... I was just throwing things into boxes when I moved recently and all DS books went into "long-term storage" at my parents'.  At least the DS books weren't among the bushels I had to sell or throw away ...)

I don't remember anything about the terrible dialogue etc. that everyone is talking about.  (Oddly, I don't remember any particular criticism of these episodes on the forum last time ... )  The overall story concepts I loved (have I said that enough times?  )

The good news is that I may get cable after all.  The building I live in has a special deal that's much cheaper than I paid for the past few years.

[Julia99]

Regarding Julia's bossiness:  I  think when this period was airing last time i posed the question "Who IS the REAL Mistress of Collinwood??

[jennifer]

Then again, Mrs. Julian also does that now and again, especially when I tell her she doesn't really need yet another pair of shoes.

as she should[lol2]  you always NEED a new pair of shoes[lol2]

jennifer
BIG SALE at Macy's in am Better catch some ZZZZ's[sleep]

[jennifer]

but first i'll add i think 1970 was a big let down after 1995! i was
expecting so much more to happen! to 1840[beer] and BEN!
love that old guy

jennifer