Discuss - Ep #0933

[Watching Project]

Robservations #933

And if you'd care to look back, the first WP discussion topic for this ep:

Re: Discuss - Ep #0933

[Roland]

Here we have the DS writers once again reaching back to the classics for inspiration - in this case, way back, to the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice's ill-fated trip through the Underworld.

I only hope the original Eurydice wasn't quite as annoying as Amanda is here. I kept having to turn the volume down every time she screamed.

More than any other episode, I think, this one shows how often Dark Shadows' ambitions outstripped its technical ability to realize them. At least they were smart to keep the Leviathan creature off screen for the duration. When you don't have the budget or technology necessary to visualize something properly, it's certainly better to leave it to the audience's imagination. No episode demonstrates that better than this one.

[DarkLady]

You are completely right, Roland. And the contrast between the hilariously fake spider and the power-of-suggestion Leviathan creature couldn't be greater. The only hint we get of the Leviathan's appearance and powers is in its effect on Paul. All the rest is in our imaginations!

Farewell, Dennis Patrick. I believe the actor left the show to film the iconic Vietnam-era movie Joe.

[Josette]

That's why I was always so glad that they never showed the creature.  They made it out to be so horrible that they couldn't have come up with anything worthy of it.

That was also my disappointment with the final story.  They made the mystery of the room to be so horrible that when they DID finally reveal what it was all about, it really didn't seem bad enough to have inflicted the disasters that it did.

[Joeytrom]

They could probably have used footage from one of the Japanese horror movies to show the monster.
There was a three headed monster in the Godzilla movies (Ghidira). 

Though it may have been too costly for the rights.

[Uncle Roger]

For good, bad or whatever, exit Amanda Harris. Quentin's "true love" is never mentioned again, save for a brief scene with Quentin and Julia.
Barnabas' eternal quest for Josette (or at least, a reasonable facsimile) gave his character great pathos. But Amanda, like Beth, is almost instantly forgotten. Though I suppose that it fits with the Find Them, Fool Them and Forget Them aspect of Quentin's character.

[dom]

Well, how much longer is real-time Quentin around to mention it? I am drawing a blank.

[Uncle Roger]

This particular Quentin is on hand for the rest of the Leviathan episodes and the 1995/1970 story.

[dom]

I see.

[Patti Feinberg]

Poor Carolyn, I wonder how Liz will comfort her.

BTW, where's Roger?

Patti

[MagnusTrask]

Thanks Roland, for the origin story for Q and Amanda's plight.

Another Grayson VO...  Candlesticks are Quentin's only weapon?  No, they're Maggie's...  Megan thinks that since they've heard nothing from or about Paul Stoddard, he might be dead (hit by a bus?), and she is greatly reassured at this thought.  She and Phillip really are the anti-each-other now.  He's so scared he's losing his programming, and she's confident to the point of recklessness.  They're switching roles too.  She used to be the scared one, and he the reassuring one.

Meanwhile back in the unkempt back yard of the Stopping Off Place... stop yelling your head off about every little thing, Amanda!!!  She thinks she's on stage, needing to project...

Back at Elliot's place, though I don't think anyone calls him "Elliot" yet.  He started off giving Timothy as his informal name.  Stokes' "tic toc" theme music somehow reminds me of the fact that, because of his shape and weight, Thayer, if he's rushed into a room, needs to bob back and forth sideways for a few seconds, to steady himself.  The music seems to indicate a heavy man... though he's not all that heavy really... it's like "portly" music.

Oh no!  The creature is in Stokes' bedroom!  It's killing Paul Stoddard and Adam!!  I always imagine Adam being back there, since I think that's where we left him.  Farewell, Paul Stoddard, except for... you know... you never had a chance, did you...?  Violet Welles.

You know, maybe whoever made Petofi's hand, which was perfect, could have created at least a convincing tentacle or something.

[DarkLady]

That's a thought, Magnus! Just to see a smoke-shrouded tentacle trailing off behind a door or something--that would be spooky.

As far as I can remember, we'll get two hints as to the creature's size and means of locomotion in some upcoming eps.