Pure Chemistry

[murph]

The first episode today that featured Angelique and Barnabas was HOT!!!!

For those of us who love these two characters, today's first episode showcased the chemistry between these two.  IMO the screen really sizzled when they were on.  Ang made it clear she was on to him regarding Roxanne and that she wanted him back in her bed or Roxanne would die.

IMO there was sexual heat between Jonathan and Lara that just wasn't there between he and Grayson.  I'll admit I've always been a much bigger fan of Lara than I ever was of Grayson.  To me that is why Barnabas and Julia never got together because their chemistry seemed more like a brother, sister than sexual partners.

just my opinion...................

what do you think?


Murph

[Julia99]

In all honesty I don't think Frid has too much chemistry with any of his "gals" but he is fairly intense with both Lara and Grayson. . not so much with Maggie/Josette's or Roxanne--just smarmily lovelorn.   Julia and Barn have something between them that ain't sibling-based. . .and I think Angie picked up on it pretty quickly, then met Rox and wonders. . what the heck?  The lengths Angie soon goes to in order to get rid of Julia indicates to me she knows their bond is deep. . . and Barns threats to her, his plaintive wailing about being lost without Julia. .well .. it was meant to keep us guessing. .back then not 30 years later mind you. . .

[wes]

I think Jonathan Frid, Lara Parker, & Grayson Hall played their roles so you could see that... Actually, Jonathan lifted the show, i think -- the other actors improved when Frid was around.  Same with Diana Millay, when she arrived.  They really lifed everything.

I do think that, after awhile, Alexandra Moltke and Kathryn Leight Scott rose to a great level... In their earliest stuff with Frid, it was like they were unsure.  Once they learned to act with Frid, it was often magical.

Look at the episode where Vicki is trapped at the old house during a storm.  Alexandra and Jonathan are really learning how to act together -- they really do well within that script and that direction.  They are both great, there.  Alexandra and Jonathan really got to know how to perform with each other.

Same with Kathryn.  She's unsure & nervous in the begining (which works, by the way, cause he's a vampire!).  Later, she's doing great stuff with him when she's being held prisoner.  Watch the episode where she tries, one more time, to "be Josette," but knows she's Maggie.  The one where Barnabas realizes she's out of control, saying, "you recoiled!" whenm he kisses her hand.

They do learn to play very well with Jonathan, I think.

[spoiler]Kate Jackson has some nice moments with Jonathan when they marry in Parallel Time, too.[/spoiler]
Donna and Kate might have had more stand-out performances, if they had more chances.

 

[Night_Shadow]

Well one thing that had got me thinking was what you said Murph,

IMO there was sexual heat between Jonathan and Lara that just wasn't there between he and Grayson.  I'll admit I've always been a much bigger fan of Lara than I ever was of Grayson.  To me that is why Barnabas and Julia never got together because their chemistry seemed more like a brother, sister than sexual partners.

I must say that I see it about the same way but, IMO I also think in a way that the "sexual heat" that exist between Jonathan and Lara that may not exist between Jonathan & Grayson could reflect on JF/LP and JF/GH's off screen "real life" feelings.

Now that ^^^ is strictly an opinion.
For I am uncertain of the off screen feelings of the 3, but have always been rather curious on the matter. "Although I consider myself a big DS fan...
...there is alot that I have yet to learn and discover."

[Cassandra]

I agree with you Murph and I always thought that Angelique and Barnabas had great chemistry between them on the show.  It's not that I think Julia and he had no chemistry together, but their's was a different kind of chemistry.  IMO they had a kind of good friendship bond together, where as with Angelique, it was pure sexual.   I can't imagine he and Angelique ever becoming good friends like he and Julia are because it just wouldn't work out that way.  Those two could never be friends.[spoiler]although for a time there during the Leviathan's I really thought they could be friends, but that didn't last long at all and once again, she turned to her old tricks to get him back again.[/spoiler]

One of my favorite scenes between Ang & Barn took place during the 1795 storyline when he went to her room to tell her that he loved Josette.  She wouldn't let up and they wound up kissing passionately!  You could feel the heat between the two of them in that one!!

Cassandra

[Cassandra Blair]

Although if pressed, I'd have to identify as a Barnabas/Julia 'shipper, I'm definitely on board with the Barnabas/Angelique chemistry.  The two together are really hot, and one can only imagine what those steamy nights in Martinique were like...

I think that Angelique realized all she would ever really have with Barnabas was that sexual heat.  It's true - they never could really be friends.  That's why she was so instinctively jealous of Julia.  Angie recognized that Julia had a deep bond with Barnabas (by this time on the show), born of mutual trust, respect and genuine caring feelings for each other.

With Roxanne (or the various Josette clones), Angelique's jealousy is more of a sexual nature.  It seems that it was harder for her to deal with the bond Barnabas shared with Julia.  I don't think she remotely understood a relationship like that.

Given the personalities of Barnabas and Angelique - both not dealing well with stress, not suffering any kind of disagreement, each having to have things their way (or else!); they'd have had a very hard time forging any kind of conventional, give and take relationship.  Sure, they might have given it a try if the show had lasted, but I can only think that once again, things between them would have ended disastrously.

After all, both Barnabas and Angelique are monsters.  And monsters live a life writ large!

[Julia99]

I think that Angelique realized all she would ever really have with Barnabas was that sexual heat.  It's true - they never could really be friends.  That's why she was so instinctively jealous of Julia.

Well said Cass!

[Accomplice_To_Cass]

Angelique and Barnabas had chemistry. It was great to see the tension between them because clearly they both loved each other. I also agree that Julia and Barnabas were like brother and sister, there was pretty much no romantic chemistry between them. 

[Dr. Eric Lang]

One of my favorite scenes between Ang & Barn took place during the 1795 storyline when he went to her room to tell her that he loved Josette.  She wouldn't let up and they wound up kissing passionately!  You could feel the heat between the two of them in that one!!

I agree with Cassandra about this. Barnabas and Angelique obviously had a physical attraction to one another. This was made plain in the dialogue between them when Angelique first arrived at Collinwood in 1795 - Barnabas admitted to Angelique she was hard to resist!

On the other hand, Julia felt an unrequited love for Barnabas. While her feelings for him were equally clear, Barnabas never seemed to regard her in any sort of romantic way, though he certainly demonstrated his appreciation for her friendship and loyalty.

[Gothick]

Well, just chipping in my two drachmae on this.  I've always enjoyed Frid's scenes with both actresses under discussion.  The characters had relationships of such an extremely different nature that it doesn't feel fair to compare them.  I've known scenes between Julia and Barn just as intense, in their own way, as any between Barn and Ang.  I think one just aired--Barn's shock at "Jude-lia's" (gods, now there'a sWitcholeen for you) icy reprimand.

There's also the factor that through the history of the show, Parker and Frid had far fewer scenes together than was the case with Frid and Grayson.  From Julia's arrival on the scene in Parallel Time, down to the end of 1840, as one fan commented some years ago, B & J really seem to be "joined at the hip."  That's going to create a very different kind of onscreen energy than you get in the occasional spark-flying salvos between Barn and Ang.

G.

[Miss_Winthrop]

No doubt that there was a lot of heat between B and A. They had some great, great scenes together. Despite all the charged up atmostphere between them of a sexual nature, two other types of scenes with them are some of my favorites: 1-Angelique begs Barnabas to give her a chance up in the tower room in 1897 and he professes to.." hating to be ungallant" and rejects her pleas...etc. and 2- when Angelique the vampire puts the 'bite' on him during the Adams storyline.  Remember the look of worry on Julia's face back at the Old House when he went over to Blair's house that night and there she was  assigned the task of entertaining Prof. Stokes.

[Julia99]

Remember the look of worry on Julia's face back at the Old House when he went over to Blair's house that night and there she was  assigned the task of entertaining Prof. Stokes.

Are you insinuating B meant for Julia to entertain Stokes in any way possible?   

[Miss_Winthrop]

Are you insinuating B meant for Julia to entertain Stokes in any way possible?   

Actually I hadn't thought of it in that manner but...hmmmm the idea has potential.  The Prof might be considered 'hot' by some. 

[Julia99]

  The Prof might be considered 'hot' by some. 

Or NOT, hence Julia's worried look.

what? do what, you want me to do what, entertain him?::gulp::

[stefan]

Hi, This is my first post here.

I've been watching tapes of Dark Shadows and so far I've only seen the intro to Barnabas and 1795 stories. I'm a big fan of the show.

I've been lurking at the Sci Fi dark shadows board and am amazed to see so many Barnabas/Angelique fans. My opinion is that Barnabas and Josette have the best romantic chemistry. Lara Parker is a very good actress, very intense who was perfect for the role, she brought lots of sexuality to Angelique. There is definately sexual chemistry and what I call "enemy" chemistry too. Despite all that I still adore Barnabas and Josette. Their relationship wasn't as stormy but I felt they were alike in their upbringing, looks, manners, gentleness and compassion. If Barnabas had remained human I could envision Josette and Barnabas having this wonderful give-and-take relationship as she needed his maturity and strength and he adored her beauty and good heart. Plus Josette was just like Barnabas' mother - Naomi.

I also feel it's possible that some viewers may have forgotten exactly what Angelique did to Barnabas. She was essentially responsible for the death of his sister, mother, uncle and fiancee who were innocent victims of Angelique's bruised ego. I could never forget it and quite honestly the thought of Barnabas and Angelique is pretty repulsive to me. Thanks for the opinion.