How Much Longer???

[Donna]

How much longer is the Victoria Winters "witch" trial episodes going to last??

guess I'm getting itchy since I don't have any of the episodes at home on tape.  

Don't get me wrong, I like Alexandra Moltke who plays Victoria Winters, it's just that I'm getting bored with the present "Witch" trial episodes.

[Gothick]

Yes, Donna, isn't this part of the story turning into a dreary bore?  Every time folks exalt the 1795 storyline as DS' finest moment, I just remember these excruciatingly prolonged weeks of Roger Davis et al sawing wood in that courtroom set.

I'm afraid there are at least roughly 3 weeks (at the pace Sci Fi airs the series) to go of this.  At least they do take breaks from the courtroom antics to show what's happening elsewhere in town, from time to time. As for the trial, it gets livened up by a special star witness later this week or early next.  Let's just say it'll be an unexpected treat ...

Hope you continue to enjoy the show!

Steve

[Paul]

The witch trial is my favorite part of the whole show so far. I am extremely disappointed that Abigal and the other witnesses didn't speak much longer and I wish the lawyers would have had lengthy opening statements. I love trials and have always been fascinated by witch trials throughout the world.  If everybody always agreed with me and felt the same way I did it would be a boring board. I guess for some people the trial is too long and for others it is not long enough. Paul

[Dr. Eric Lang]

The witch trial is my favorite part of the whole show so far. I am extremely disappointed that Abigal and the other witnesses didn't speak much longer and I wish the lawyers would have had lengthy opening statements. I love trials and have always been fascinated by witch trials throughout the world.  If everybody always agreed with me and felt the same way I did it would be a boring board. I guess for some people the trial is too long and for others it is not long enough. Paul

I'm a trial fan too and I'm enjoying the trial scenes. They are certainly lacking for witnesses - one would expect the courtroom to be full of curiosity seekers but naturally no extras were hired for this purpose. (At least in the 1840 trial they had courtroom spectator "sounds.")

I think the dialogue is especially good in the trial, and I'm impressed with the fairness of the judges towards both parties. So far I've been agreeing with all their decisions regarding objections from either side.

[casper_collins]

speaking of legalities.......did they have SEARCH WARRANTS in 1795??? it just seemed a bit odd hearing that come out of the right reverend's mouth....

[Donna]

I didn't mean to sound like I wasn't enjoying the trial scene at all.  It would be better if they would of had more witnesses, having the lawyers object more and so on.  My cousin is an attorney so trials can be interesting.

I think i'm just getting anxious for the storyline to move onward.  I'm anxious for Quinton to come on and more interaction between Barnabas and Angelique (after she becomes a vampire.)  The return of John Karlan too.

All in good time I keep telling myself ....since I don't have any tapes to watch.  

[Miles]

I'm afraid there are at least roughly 3 weeks (at the pace Sci Fi airs the series) to go of this.

*Phew* Ya know, for a second there, you had me thinking that they were actually going to drag the trial out for another month, and I was wondering how they were going to pull that off!  I breathed a sigh of relief (at Vicki's expense) when the judges handed out their verdict in today's eps.

As for the trial itself, I didn't realy mind it, though I was a little boggled by the lack of substance.

[Paul]

I think the reason I am disappointed in the trial is because, in the 1991 series which I never watched because I  didn't care about it then. I was flipping channels and I saw Julianna McCarthay who I liked on The Young and the Restless on the witness stand as Abigail. She gave a very lengthy, emotional and dramatic testimony. I was hoping this version would have dramatic lengthy testimony also. I seem to remember her going on and on about the carriage accident. Did they show that in the 1991 version? Paul ?!?

[Gothick]

Sorry to alarm you unduly, Miles.  What I find REALLY boring are those endless scenes between Peter and Vicki.  They go on till the end of the 1795 storyline. And I'm afraid we haven't seen the last of Peter Bradford, once that is over.

Don't want to spoil the story for you, just warn you of further hair-clutching to come.

Steve

[Julian]

It's true, different stokes for different folks, but I have to plead guilty to finding Peter Bradford a very trying character - and it does indeed get worse (if that's possible to believe) in his further appearances.  I really hate to knock Roger Davis (I'm sure he's a very fine person and he's certainly achieved alot more fame and success in life than I have), but another poster (wish I could remember who so I could give the proper credit) made the astute observation once that Davis seemed to act in a vaccum, not truly relating to those around him.  I think that's why Jonathan Frid creates such a great character, even though he has his problems with lines, you can really feel the way he as Barnabas relates to the other characters. The same can be said for many of the other cast membersas well.

[Paul]

 :oI like Roger Davis. I think he is a good actor and plays his role well. He is not real slick and suave. He seems an honest actor. I am wondering sometimes when he pauses between words if  it is because of "Method" acting or because he forgets lines. The only two actors I could not  stand were Anthony George and the lady who played Suki. I am a little unclear about what some  posters don't like about Roger Davis. Please explain. Paul  P.S. I may not agree with what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it.  :-/

[Cassandra]

I agree Donna, it did seem alittle dragged out after awhile. They could have made it a little more exiting. It seemed for awhile there, the only thing you saw was Peter Bradford & Trask screaming & arguing all the time.

[Luciaphile]

 I am a little unclear about what some  posters don't like about Roger Davis. Please explain.

That remark about acting in a vacuum is brilliant and so completely on target.  

That's part of it.  You often hear actors saying that "acting is reacting" and that so-and-so is such a great actor "because they know how to listen."  I think that's rather true.  Watch somebody like Nancy Barrett and see how she relates to the other actors in her scene.  It looks like she's actually paying attention to them.  I never get that with Roger Davis.

Roger Davis shouts a lot.  Lord, he's so loud some times that I have to turn down the volume on the television.  When Jerry Lacy's Trask does that, it works.  Trask is supposed to be that kind of a guy.  He's a preacher, a fanatic, etc.  It's perfectly valid.  When Roger Davis does it, I get the sense that he's trying to make sure the attention stays focused on him--that or he legitimately thought this was a way to express emotion.  But that's like raising your voice when you're talking to a non-English speaker.  They're still not going to understand you.

And then there's the manhandling of his co-stars.  It's already begun in the way he literally shoves Moltke around.  Wait until we get to poor Lisa Richards.  I swear to God, it looks like he was trying to cop a feel.  In 1897, he pushes Joan Bennett around like she's a mop.  I cannot believe that the directors or the scripts called for that.

Ranting is not acting.  Touching your hair (there's a reason why Midnite and the MB have that little counter at the top of the screen) to express emotion, is not acting.  Physically shoving your co-stars around is just plain mean.  Knowing your lines, is to my mind, important, but it's not the be all and end all of good acting.  There's got to be more there.

Lastly, I never got much of a sense of differentiation in the roles he played (with the possible exception of Dirk Wilkins, and then not even much).  He's always the same guy.

Luciaphil

[Paul]

  Thanks Luciaphil, I will pay extra close attention to him to see his quirks, I love watching to see if he touches his hair. I love looking for actors' quirks as much as I love looking for bloopers. Please everybody keep on mentioning every actors' various quirks. It will enhance my viewing experience. 

[ProfStokes]

Please everybody keep on mentioning  every actors'  various quirks. It will enhance my viwing experience.  

Somebody on another forum once mentioned that Nancy Barrett has a habit of sticking out her tongue before saying her line (to me it looks as if she's licking her upper lip.)  I didn't believe her at first, but then she posted a collage of screen captures to prove her point.  Since then, I've been noticing it a lot more.

ProfStokes