When I first saw the pre-Barnabas episodes after watching the last four years of the show, I must admit that I wasn't too impressed. I felt that the plot dragged on and the dialogue was very repetitive and dull; the characters constantly repeated previous conversations and rehased old problems, evidently for the benefit of someone in the audience who was tuning in for the first time. It wasn't quite as exciting as the suspense-charged, supernaturally-based episodes that I was used to seeing, but it was interesting to see how DS had all begun and to see the characters taking shape and asserting themselves. Collinsport really was a seemingly average, casual, close little town before Barnabas arrived. A lot of that everyday flavor was lost in later years.
Lately I've been watching the old episodes again in concert with fans on another message board, and I have to say that I am enjoying them much more than I originally did. Now I can't remember why I thought they were so boring. Mostly, I enjoy the character development and the fact that people like Liz, Roger, and Vicki are such prominent figures when in later years, they were pushed to the backburner. It's a lot of fun to look back after watching the entire series and see how much the characters changed. Carolyn is one such character who really grew up. All the characters are more vibrant when set against a more subtle supernatural background.
In particular, I am amazed at the range and the quality of work bestowed on David Henesy. As the supernatural became the focus of the series, David--like Vicki--was relegated to the status of perpetual victim: always possessed, never believed. With the exception of his turn as Count Petofi in 1897, the poor kid didn't have much to do except pouting and fretting. But in 1966...man! If his character wasn't a total psychopath, little David defintely qualified for conduct disorder. I was amazed not only at how believable and how breathtaking Henesy was in the role, but also at the extent to which daytime writers in 1966 were taking his character. Here was a child who wanted to murder his father and nearly everyone else around him. At one point, he even aims a toy gun at the camera (and the viewing audience). However, he had his gentle side too; I particularly loved the warm relationship between Burke and David in those early days. (And I agree with you, Devlin: Mitchell Ryan was the better Burke Devlin.) The chemistry between Henesy and Anthony George was not at all the same as it was between him and Ryan.
If you're watching episode 30 now, then you haven't seen Laura Collins yet. Her story line is probably my favorite. The original Phoenix plot was wonderfully atmospheric, mysterious, but with just the right blend of mundane domestic discord thrown in for balance.
On the whole, the pre-Barnabas episodes are fun, although they represent quite a different animal from the DS that most of us know.
ProfStokes
