The 2004 WB Pilot

[Misa]

Thanks LdyAnne. I sure wish I could have seen it! Did they say who was responsible for getting the OK to view it at the fest?

Misa

[Fletcher]

To those of you who've seen the pilot -- tell us about the Old House.  I have read that the entir exterior was computer generated.  How did it look?  Can you describe it?  Anything like the original Old House?  How about the inside?  Was it impressive?  Appropriate?

During this entire discussion, there has been little talk of the sets.  I'd love to hear some opinions . . .

Can you share? 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

To those of you who've seen the pilot -- tell us about the Old House.  I have read that the entir exterior was computer generated.  How did it look?  Can you describe it?  Anything like the original Old House?

Unfortunately, we only get a very brief glimpse of the exterior, so it would be very hard to descibe it with any detail. But it looked nothing like the Old House in the daytime series or in hoDS. It was far more elaborate and certainly not in the Greek Revival style. If anything, it reminded me more of the Lockwood-Mathews mansion, which was used as the monastery in hoDS.

How about the inside?  Was it impressive?  Appropriate?

The interior was also quite elaborate. In fact, one of the articles on the pilot describes it as Barnabas' "most opulent home yet."

Some of the interiors were shot at the Los Angeles Theater. Check out this topic for a link to some Web sites depicting the inside:

... Speaking of the LA Theater, I came across two interesting photos of the interior...

During this entire discussion, there has been little talk of the sets.  I'd love to hear some opinions . . .

Can you share?

Sorry about that. I keep meaning to come back to this topic to post quite a few more opinions, but I haven't found the time as yet. 


Speaking of which, I keep meaning to post that the pilot did indeed include background music. It didn't feature Bob Cobert tracks, though - instead music from the films Jennifer 8, Klute and Deep Red were used to what I thought was great effect.

[PennyDreadful]

 I had another question if I may... I read somewhere that Barnabas' cane and ring were either going to be eliminated, or not shown very much in the new show.  Was this the case?

[Barnabas'sBride]

I don't know the answer for sure, but I don't think he had the ring or the cane in any pics. I would've been surprised to see them in the show.

[Darren Gross]

He did not have the cane in the pilot.

He had the ring but it wasn't dwelled on...

[PennyDreadful]

Thanks for the reply Darren.  Hmm.  IMO Barnabas without his cane is kinda like Popeye without his pipe!     

[Stuart]

[Speaking of which, I keep meaning to post that the pilot did indeed include background music... from the films Jennifer 8, Klute and Deep Red were used to what I thought was great effect.

Also "In My Place" by Coldplay is heard playing in Joe's cabin.  I'd love to know what the music was playing during Carolyn's attack and David in the graveyard...  very creepy and unsettling.

[BuzzH]

Did everybody have to leave their cellphones in a basket at that showing?  I've heard some hilarious stories about the security overkill at some of these events.

No, they weren't that bad - just the usual Fest announcement that there was no photo taking or videotaping allowed. (Though, of course, that never stops some people.  )

Actually, they were Nazi's, even making, or rather, TRYING to make, one of the "official" Fest videographers UNPLUG and remove from the tripod, his camcorder.  This was brought to Jim Pierson's attention and Jim told him to not worry about the security guys, that he was okay leaving his camera on the tripod.  This videographer btw has been on the Fest Committee since it began over 20 years ago!!  Some rent-a-cops think they are more important than they are.  

[BuzzH]

In a word, the WB pilot was AWESOME!  In my humble opinion WAY better than the entire '91 series, which I frankly hated and was more than glad to see get cancelled (in fact, I think when I read in the paper NBC had cancelled it I did a jig of glee).  But anyway, this new version had better casting than the '91 series (Alec Newman as Barnabas was *inspired*, he is MUCH hotter than boring, unsexy Ben Cross!)  I liked that Vickie had connected brain cells that were actually capable of cognizant thought processes and that Willie had a girlfriend (he was HOTT too!).  I like that they didn't re-hash HODS as the '91 show did (I swear I think NBC ripped off line by line the HODS script!). 

But back to the casting, the new actors were ALL better than the '91 series, with two exceptions.  Blair Brown as Liz??  Um, no, doesn't work for me!  Don't get me wrong, I *like* BB, but she doesn't have the class to pull off Liz the way Joan and Jean did.  They needed someone more like those two to play Liz.  The other problem I had was w/Julia.  Since when is an attractive Asian chick the right person to play Julia, who in my opinion should be played by a man in drag, LOL!  Let's face it, Grayson was mannish, which is why, I'm sure, there are so many men dressing up as her at the Festival's costume gala!    I personally think the contrast between an attractive Vickie (who of course caught Barnabas' eye) and an unattractive Julia is necessary in any recreation of the classic original.  I mean really, do we honestly think Barnabas WOULDN'T be attracted to this new Julia?  Not unless he'd been dead for 200 years, oh, wait..............! 

The only other things that I think should have been redone is they needed to eliminate about 80% of the RED they had in the background of every scene!  It was a bit much.  Having it when Barnabas is first introduced at Collinwood was okay, but can it after that.  They also should have had Angelique not scream repeatedly at Vickie at the very end, that was cartoonish and corny.  One scream would have sufficed I think.  Anyway, it's too bad the WB passed on this show as I would have welcomed this one more warmly than I did the '91 series.  The fact that they now admit they screwed up makes you wonder why they don't call DCP and buy back the property, or is that not a realistice idea?  Given all the other "out there" shows on the tube today (Charmed, Medium, Ghost Whisperer and Invasion) it no doubt would be warmly received not only from us DS fans, but newbies as well.

[BuzzH]

Oh yes, it was the same one patrolling us during the play earlier in the afternoon.  But, I liked it in the end that he was there.  I thought order was a bit better kept this fest.  He wasn't bad on the eyes either.

Tue, but he was a jagoff.

[Gothick]

Thanks for sharing those thoughts, Buzz.  You and I are in agreement about the 1991 series (although I still think it deserves better the treatment being meted out to it in the forthcoming DVD release), so your comments make me all the more curious about the 2004 pilot.  Of course, it is highly unlikely I will ever see the latter, but those are the breaks in that tough town called Holly Wood! *cackles*

G.

[BuzzH]

The only thing that spoiled it for me was Mark Dawidziak's introduction - a very wrong-footed and idiosyncratic speech which seemed to serve little real purpose.

Yeah, that's pretty much my feelings too...  It presented instances of opinion as fact, which isn't particularly helpful or necessary. It's all very well summing up with "make up your own mind", but preceding that with a bullet-point list of personal bugbears pretty much renders that null, because that's not what the audience is being invited to do at all.

Delays don't really excuse this at all. There is a big difference between introduction and instruction.

OMG Stuart!  Astrid and I were ready to string that twit up!  We just wanted him the shut the hell up and roll tape!

[BuzzH]

Thanks for sharing those thoughts, Buzz.  You and I are in agreement about the 1991 series (although I still think it deserves better the treatment being meted out to it in the forthcoming DVD release), so your comments make me all the more curious about the 2004 pilot.  Of course, it is highly unlikely I will ever see the latter, but those are the breaks in that tough town called Holly Wood! *cackles*

Gothick, I strongly feel, as do many others, that they will re-show the WB pilot at the 40th anniversary Festival in Brooklin next August.  So, if you can manage to get to Brooklin, you'll probably get to see it.  

To those suggesting a DVD release of it, I for one would be the FIRST in line to buy it!!  

[Gothick]

That's an interesting idea that they would roll it again for next year's Festival, Buzz.  I was under the impression that it was locked away, full fathom five, with no likelihood of ever seeing the light of day again, due to legal stuff around the use of the material.  but what do I know?

G.