The fate of Count Petofi

[MagnusTrask]

According to Sam Hall, the decision to do Leviathans was all DC's idea, against the writers' vehement objections.

Someone invent a painful groan emoticon, and place it here.     What might have been.   Too depressing to think about.   If DS had been a ship, the writers could have mutinied.

[BuzzH]

I really didn't like the leviathan story

You're not alone Misa, most fans despise this plotline.  There was even a gag in one of the Collisnport Players skits when Barnabas remarks that David's children grew up so fast and how was it possible etc...Julia says, "You obviously *didn't* see the Leviathon plotline!" and he quips back, "Who did?!"

[Gothick]

I have to respectfully disagree with the statement that "most fans" despise the Leviathan storyline.  I happen to know several who regard it as a high point (note, please, that I said "A high point", not "THE high point") of the series.

I am not trying to be difficult. I just dislike being told what is supposed to be admired, and what despised.

G.

[BuzzH]

I just dislike being told what is supposed to be admired, and what despised.

I don't believe I *did* tell anyone that Leviathan should be admired or despised.  I merely pointed out what I've learned from being in fandom the past 16 years, and that is that a huge score of fans, many of whom I've met and spoken to personally, have said they don't like this plotline, hence the crack from the CP, which btw got a HUGE laugh when it was uttered by Jeff Thompson (playing Barnabas).

I never said, nor intended to imply, that Leviathan sucked and everyone should hate it, or that it was wonderful and everyone should love it.  I don't tell ppl what to think about the various plotlines, only what *I* think of them.  I think everyone here is old enough and intelligent enough to make up their own minds about these things.

I've never seen the plotline myself but have recently purchased and read Kathleen Resch's concordance and it didn't seem that bad to me.  I'm actually looking forward to watching the DVD's of it.  Just a piece of advice, you should really READ the post you're commenting on before assuming the poster said, or meant something, they clearly didn't.  

[MagnusTrask]

I have to respectfully disagree with the statement that "most fans" despise the Leviathan storyline.  I happen to know several who regard it as a high point (note, please, that I said "A high point", not "THE high point") of the series.

I am not trying to be difficult. I just dislike being told what is supposed to be admired, and what despised.

There's no shame in liking a storyline that the majority doesn't.    As I understand it, the majority doesn't like the Leviathan story.    That's not to say that they are correct in this, or that there is anything wrong with liking that storyline.    But I believe Buzz is accurate in saying that most don't like it.    You can't fault someone for saying something that happens to be true, or that he believes to be true, at least.

I don't like it.   After the dense interconnected inspiration of 1897, the slowing down to a crawl of the Leviathans was a real let-down to me, and CP wasn't a welcome addition at all.    Though I intend to peruse his comic books at some later date.

[BuzzH]

There's no shame in liking a storyline that the majority doesn't.    As I understand it, the majority doesn't like the Leviathan story.    That's not to say that they are correct in this, or that there is anything wrong with liking that storyline.    But I believe Buzz is accurate in saying that most don't like it.    You can't fault someone for saying something that happens to be true, or that he believes to be true, at least.

I don't like it.   After the dense interconnected inspiration of 1897, the slowing down to a crawl of the Leviathans was a real let-down to me, and CP wasn't a welcome addition at all.    Though I intend to peruse his comic books at some later date.

Thank you MT, totally my point.  I for one LOVE 1841 PT, it's my favorite in fact, tied w/1795, yet almost everyone I come across in fandom, either at Fests or online, say they HATE 1841 PT because they didn't care about the characters, or they thought it was boring, or the very justified fact that the show ended w/this plotline and we never got to see what happened w/Barnabas and company.  But Wuthering Heights is my favorite book, and the fact that that book inspired this plotline, w/Shirley Jackson's The Lottery (another fave of mine) thrown in, is it any wonder I wouldn't love this plotline?    I have no prob w/ppl hating it and am not embarrased that I love it.  

[michael c]

funny,

since i've been watching the show from episode one i always looked at 'leviathan' as something in the distant viewing future.a late storyline i could simply choose not to watch when the time came.

but since i'm currently watching the 1897 storyline leviathan looms as a reality and i just know i'll watch it.
to tell you the truth i'm sort of looking forward to it.as much as i like 1897 i prefer the 'present time' episodes.i just like those characters.since i've always heard negative(not all negative )things about the leviathan storyline my expectations for it aren't that high so i'll just watch it on it's own terms.

after the highs of the 1795 storyline i had a bitter pill to swallow with the adam story.some who have been here for awhile might remember how upset about it i was at the time .so i really don't think i could find another storyline more disappointing.

[murph]

Hi mscbryk,

Having seen the entire run of the series, the one I personally disliked the most is 1968, after 1795 and right before the Quentin hauntings.  I can go crazy with the inconsistencies that each story line has but 1968 for the most part just dragged on and on and on...IMO

The Leviathan while certainly not my favorite has many good elements in my opinion.  I also found many good things to like about 1970PT, 1995, 1840-41 and 1841PT.  1970 regular time dragged a lot for me because it focused so heavily on David and Hallie.

Just my opinion............I know there are many that disagree with my tastes but that's what helps to make this forum interesting.

Murph

[MagnusTrask]

The Leviathans seemed totally new to me a couple years ago.  I remembered nothing about it from childhood.    The start of it struck me as one of the most fascinating things I'd ever seen, but mainly because I was wrong about what I thought I was seeing, and was filling in the gaps myself I guess.    One thing i was right about, though... they jump upward in scale with this story.    It isn't just Collinwood and the lives of local relatives at stake.    It's the world this time.     That may stretch credulity-- why Collinsport, Maine?  Because Collinsport has a TV show?-- but to move the show forward, I did get the feeling, watching the tapes, that they'd have to increase the scale of the story.   Then it happened.

When I was wrong about the nature of the Leviathans (when/where they were from) it got less interesting for me.    I say this to try to prevent false expectations based on the opening of the storyline.    It was a big let-down, and if I hadn't had my imagination soaring in the wrong direction, maybe what followed would have not disappointed me so much.

Parallel 1841:   That husband of Catherine's was annoying as hell to me.    I came to hate watching it because of him.   I don't know why.    I don't claim that's a valid criticism or anything.    Maybe his suit was too blue.   Maybe his rug was too puffy.    Maybe it's that he was yelling and complaining and blustering around all the time... and yet didn't have much expression in his face.

[BuzzH]

Parallel 1841:   That husband of Catherine's was annoying as hell to me.    I came to hate watching it because of him.   I don't know why.    I don't claim that's a valid criticism or anything.    Maybe his suit was too blue.   Maybe his rug was too puffy.    Maybe it's that he was yelling and complaining and blustering around all the time... and yet didn't have much expression in his face.

Totally agree, LOVED Keith Prentice, HATED Morgan!  The way he treated Catherine...I wanted to kick his ass!!     I kept hoping that Bramwell would tell him that if he didn't stop mistreating her, *he* was gonna kick his ass!

[spoiler]Oh wait, he *did*!  When he objected to their marriage, he puts Morgan on the floor and knocks his arrogant ass out!     She was much better off w/out him and I laughed hysterically when Bramwell and Kendrick throw him off the roof of Collinwood in the last episode!   [/spoiler]

BTW, that wasn't a rug, that was his real hair, LOL!  He *did* look like Prince Valient didn't he?  

[Raineypark]

Parallel 1841:...... Maybe his suit was too blue.   Maybe his rug was too puffy.    Maybe it's that he was yelling and complaining and blustering around all the time... and yet didn't have much expression in his face.

What an interesting observation.....no expression of passion.  He only wanted Catherine as an object he could possess.....not love or desire.

No, M/T....the real problem with Parallel 1841 is that it was based upon "Wuthering Heights", the single worst novel ever written in English.

[BuzzH]

What an interesting observation.....no expression of passion.  He only wanted Catherine as an object he could possess.....not love or desire.

Very true!  Bramwell even says, I think in the first FULL 1841 ep, to Catherine, "He doesn't love you!  He only wants you because he doesn't want me to have you!"

No, M/T....the real problem with Parallel 1841 is that it was based upon "Wuthering Heights", the single worst novel ever written in English.

Okay, now you got my IRISH up!  LOL!  Worst novel ever?  Are you kidding?!     It was a WONDERFUL novel.  Filled w/angst and unrequited love etc...A true "tragic" romance.     I love the line from the book where Heathcliff's wife says to him, after Kathy has died and he's mourning etc..."Heathcliff, why don't you go lie on Kathy's grave like a faithful dog?"  LOVE IT!  

[Bob_the_Bartender]

No, M/T....the real problem with Parallel 1841 is that it was based upon "Wuthering Heights", the single worst novel ever written in English.

Sorry to disagree, Raineypark, but you've obviously never read Don Imus' paean to himself, "God's Other Son."

PS There is absolutely no truth to the nasty rumor, that the I-Man looks as "craggy" as the late, great artist Charles Delaware Tate did at the venerable of age 99!  

[Raineypark]

Sorry to disagree, Raineypark, but you've obviously never read Don Imus' paean to himself, "God's Other Son."

Don Imus?  Who's Don Imus?.....

Actually, I've already had this discussion about "Wuthering Heights"  once before on this forum.  Mark Rainey and I agreed that the novel is a waste of the paper it was written on.....

[MagnusTrask]

I've never heard anyone saw W Hts is bad, before.   It's just one of those things you figure is great even when you've never read it.

Didn't Monty Python do a version of WH performed entirely in semaphore?   I've seen that version and enjoyed it.

Don Imus is a poor man's Howard Stern, right?


Was WHts the place where we get the expression about waiting for one's ship to come in?   That stands out for me anout parallel 1841, Bramwell always literally waiting for his ship to come in.   That and his horrible ratty coat.