Everyone In Collinsport's Favorite Word Slideshow

[Mysterious Benefactor]

If you don't want to know the circumstances surrounding Tuesday's entry in this slideshow, then don't read any further...






[spoiler]Tuesday's quote:
Ep #462 (1968) - Vicki - 'I MUST go to him and you can't stop me!'

From "#0461/0462: Robservations 04/29/02: 1968 - Julia Sports a New 'Do"

Julia sits on Vicki's bed, hypnotizing her, sending her back in time, twirling her medallion in front of her face. Vicki doesn't want to go back, but Julia promises protection. Vicki thinks Julia is Abigail, and talks about using the book in the trial. Peter says they should use it--it will make the judges believe she came from the 20th century. Where is that book? asks Julia.

Vicki wishes Barnabas were here, he'd help, he'd get Peter out of jail. It's important, coaxes Julia, try to remember, but Vicki says she doesn't. The bat, says Vicki, Josette said the bat at the window had. . .she won't help her, she thinks she's a witch, too. Then Vicki says the Countess doesn't think she's a witch, and begs her to help Peter. She must go to him, cries Vicki. Julia swirls the medallion, trying to wake Vicki, but Vicki persists in saying she has to help him, don?t stop her.

[/spoiler]

Where do we start with the problems with this Robservations except. Well, the biggest problem is that at no point does Vicki confuse Julia with Abigail - practically right from the start and then all throughout she confuses her with Countess du Pres. And when it comes to the quote, as one can clearly see in the capture I took for the quote -

- Julia is not swirling her medallion as Vicki delivers it - though, to be fair, Julia does swirl it shortly thereafter. Also "can't" and "don't" don't have the exact same meaning and are not interchangeable...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

If you don't want to know the circumstances surrounding Wednesday's entry in this slideshow, then don't read any further...






[spoiler]Wednesday's quote:
Ep #707 (1897) - Edward - 'You're so easily amused, Carl, you MUST be a frightfully happy person.'

From "Robservations 10/28/02 - #706/707 - A Helluva Dysfunctional Family"

Edward, wearing a black mourning armband, comes downstairs at Collinwood and checks his mustache in the mirror. He glances at the newspaper and puts it down, then goes to the desk, take a pipe, and sticks it in his mouth. He opens his can of tobacco only to have fake snakes fly out. Carl comes bouncing out from behind the drapes, laughing wildly. Coldly, Edward asks that he be warned about other booby traps he may have hidden in the room. Carl says that would take all the fun out of it. For you, yes, says Edward--you're so easily amused, you must be a very happy person. Carl gathers up his fake snakes and says, I am, most of the time. Edward suggest he can be happy ALL the time, in a sanitarium, where he can show his fellow inmates one prank after another. This turns Carl serious. Edward rants about him playing the buffoon--and only the day after a family member has died.

[/spoiler]

The Robservations references this quote (almost) perfectly...

And I just love how Edward can take a seemingly innocent comment and turn it into a threat!    But then the writing during 1897 is so spectacular - all the writers were so inspired...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

If you don't want to know the circumstances surrounding Thursday's entry in this slideshow, then don't read any further...






[spoiler]Thursday's quote:
Ep #20 (1966) - Sam - 'You MUST be joking, it's after midnight!'

From "#0019/0020: Robservations 05/31/01: Tension Escalates Everywhere"

Crickets chirp a greeting outside the Evans cottage as Sam returns home. Maggie, wig gone now, calls out, "Pop, is that you?" He removes his jacket, asks how she's feeling and suggests she go back to sleep. The phone rings. Sam checks his watch and answers it. It's Mr. Wells, Maggie's boss. "You must be joking," Sam says, "it's after midnight! Yes, I'll tell her, but next time, will you please send a get-well card?" Sam, none-too-pleased, slams down the phone. "Idiots!" he shouts. Maggie trails out, slipping into her robe, wanting to know who was on the phone. "Our idiot friend, the hotel clerk," Sam sniffs. "He calls here, wakes you up and wants to know how you are." Sam's quite riled, and when Maggie encourages him to forget it, he refuses. Evasive, Maggie says it's not the hotel clerk's fault. They go back and forth about the man's lack of sense--Maggie came home with a headache, after all--but she finally stops her father's tirade by admitting Mr. Wells called because she asked him to--and when Sam answered the phone, said the first thing that came into his mind. He was probably embarrassed, Maggie says, because...and she stops, looking uncomfortable. "Oh, I see," Sam says, catching on. "So now you're getting reports on me, huh?"

[/spoiler]

And again the Robservations references this quote perfectly...

[Gothick]

Only some viewers will be aware of how significant today's photo is. I recall Dr. Reeves being mentioned from time to time in the post 1967 scripts, but so far as I am aware, this was his only appearance on screen.

Excellent photo, MB!

G.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

If you don't want to know the circumstances surrounding Friday's entry in this slideshow, then don't read any further...






[spoiler]Friday's quote:
Ep #158 (1967) - Dr. Reeves - 'It MUST be done - and quickly!'

From "#0158/0159: Robservations 09/11/01: Liz Loses All Her Marbles"

Roger and the doctor troop downstairs. I don't understand it, says Roger--what makes my sister's case so unique? She seems to be a very ill woman, says the doctor, is that right/ How ill is very ill? Asks Roger--let's say it seems something is wrong with her. That's just it, says the doctor, there isn't--there's nothing physically wrong with her--organically, she's in perfect shape--everything I can possibly test here in this house--heart, pulse, eyes, lungs, they all check out fine--there are other things I can't possibly test here--with your permission, I'd like to move her to a hospital in Boston, where they have the necessary equipment to give her a thorough going over. You not only have my permission but my blessing, says Roger--I think it would be a very good thing for Elizabeth to get out of Collinsport for a while. Good--I'll make the necessary arrangements, says the doctor. There is one obstacle, says Roger, helping the doctor into his coat--you have my permission, but you don't have' Liz'--I sometimes think it would take a stick of dynamite to get her out of this house. Then you have to convince her it's of the utmost importance, says the doctor. Thank you very much, says Roger ironically--but how?

That's up to you, says the doctor--get help from her daughter--do anything to help--it must be done--and quickly.

[/spoiler]

And again the Robservations references the quote perfectly...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Only some viewers will be aware of how significant today's photo is.

Yes, some fans might ask themselves why I picked such a minor character and a cryptic quote? But as you say, in that moment Dr. Reeves and what he says is quite significant, and the Robservations excerpt shows just how significant it all is.

I recall Dr. Reeves being mentioned from time to time in the post 1967 scripts, but so far as I am aware, this was his only appearance on screen.

Believe it or not, Dr. Reeves makes his debut in Ep #17 as the doctor who treats Roger after his car accident. Though in that ep he's more significantly used to clue the audience into some of the background concerning the hit-and-run accident of 10 years earlier. I particularly like this scene:

Malloy returns to Reeves' office and knocks at the door. He enters and joins Roger and the doctor. It certainly was a fast half hour, says Reeves, I barely got this stuff finished. I saw what I wanted to see, says Bill. Hanky panky? asks the doctor. Didn't say that, says Malloy to Roger, I just said I saw what I wanted to see. Someday I'm going to write a book about Down-Easterners, myself included, says Reeves, I'm going to write about all those words that never get said. I don't know what you're talking about, says Malloy. I'm a freak around here, says Reeves, putting on his jacket, that's what I'm talkin' about--I open up and tell people what I'm thinkin'--for instance, me and Mr. Collins just had a chat about his old friend, Burke Devlin. What about him? asks Malloy. Am I through, Doctor? asks Roger. See what I mean? says the doctor--as soon as the conversation gets onto important things, we hold up a sign: no trespassing. (I adore this doctor's honesty.) Some things are nobody's else's affair, says Malloy. That's all an illusion, says Reeves, in this case, anyway--it was a public trial 10 years ago, wasn't there--and now Burke Devlin's back--do you honestly believe there's not one person in this town that knows why? I can't worry about what people think, says Roger. No, no, I know, you can't do that, says the doctor, all you can do is roll downhill in a car and get yourself nearly killed.

When Dr. Reeves brings up Burke, the expression on Bill's face speaks volumes - and at the mention of the public trial the look Bill and Roger exchange is priceless!    Quite often it's little moments like those that make watching the pre-Barn eps so much fun...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

If you don't want to know the circumstances surrounding Saturday's entry in this slideshow, then don't read any further...






[spoiler]Saturday's quote:
Ep #212 (1967) - David - 'He MUST have heard a lot of stories.'

From "#0212/0213: Robservations 10/19/01: Barnabas Uses His Charms"

David returns home, where Vicki helps him off with his coat. Here you are, says Liz, just in time for dinner. Did Mr. Loomis come back? asks David. No, says Vicki, and I want you to stop asking about him. I thought I saw him earlier, says David--but only it turned out to be somebody else--my cousin--I met him at the Old House, where I was playing. Barnabas was at the Old House? asks Liz. Yes, says David, hoisting himself up onto the foyer table--at first I thought he was the ghost of the man in that portrait, but then I was disappointed to find out he wasn't. Why would he go to the Old House? wonders Liz. I don't know, says David, but he certainly knows his way around, for someone who's never been there before. He told me he was brought up on stories of Collinwood, says Liz. He must have heard a lot of stories, says David. Not only stories, but perhaps he saw pictures and drawings, suggests Liz. Maybe, says David

[/spoiler]

And yet again the Robservations references the quote perfectly...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

If you don't want to know the circumstances surrounding Sunday's entry in this slideshow, then don't read any further...






[spoiler]Sunday's quote:
Ep #397 (1796) - Reverend Bland - 'No no, I MUSTN'T. My dear wife will be concerned. She expected me back for the ladies' prayer group.'

From "#0397/0398: Robservations 03/14/02: Mr. & Mrs. Barnabas Collins"

Drawing room - As Naomi and Ben stand in as witnesses, Barnabas and Angelique are married in a simple ceremony, with the groom saying a solemn "I do". He places a ring on her finger, the minister declares them husband and wife, and the reluctant bridegroom plants a chaste kiss on his wife's mouth. The minister offers his best wishes; Naomi kisses Barnabas and tells him to love Angelique, and Barnabas heartily calls Ben to get champagne. Bland takes his leave, saying, "I didn't expect to be this long, as delightful as it was." Barnabas closes the door after him, leaning against it for a moment as though he wishes he could disappear along with the Reverend Bland.

[/spoiler]

And Robservations is back to completely ignoring the quote.

What actually happens in the section leading up to and somewhat beyond the quote is that after Barnabas and Angelique kiss at the close of the wedding ceremony, Rev. Bland congratulates the couple, shakes Barnabas' hand as Barnabas thanks him, and tells Angelique what a beautiful bride she was and offers his best wishes and then shakes her hand. After Naomi advises Barnabas to love Angelique and to be happy and Barnabas thanks her, he then tells Ben that they must have champagne. Ben says he knows where it is and leaves the room to retrieve it. Barnabas then asks Bland if he will stay and have a drink with them, but that's when Bland delivers the quote after which he turns to Naomi to express his hope that Joshua will be happy with the union and that she will pass along his warmest wishes. Barnabas looks miserable as all that takes place. After Naomi thanks Bland for the lovely ceremony, Bland says he's happy that it turned out rather well. Bland then expresses his best wishes to Barnabas, and after thanking him again, Barnabas moves with Bland to retrieve his coat as he says that if Bland will wait a moment, he'll have Ben get his horse. But Bland says that isn't necessary because he tied the horse to the hitching post. And it's then that Bland says that frankly he didn't expect to be so long, as delightful as it was. Barnabas and Bland exchange good nights and Bland leaves.

Rev. Bland is such a hoot in this ep, especially when 1) he has no idea what's going on with Ben while he's reacting to Angelique summoning him to come to save her by speaking to her yet, of course, Bland sees no one, and 2) when Jeremiah's ghost causes a disturbance to occur in the drawing room and Bland feels he shouldn't conduct the wedding because "something is very wrong" in the house but Barnabas insists "there will be a wedding tonight and you will stay, Reverend!"

Also, I have to wonder if the writers intended, as they often do, a dig against the clergy by giving the reverend the name Bland. Though, considering what they do with 1795/96's Trask and 1897's Gregory Trask, that would have been but a mild dig. 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Digressing from the theme of the slideshow but still in keeping with the screen capture for Sunday's quote and the one on July 24th, I don't believe we've ever talked about Angelique's wedding gown, or rather the one that Naomi provides Angelique with after her encounter with Jeremiah's ghost ruins her original gown:

Does it look familiar? It should because it's the same gown that during the Barnabas kidnapping Maggie plot we were led to believe was Josette's wedding gown and we often saw Maggie dressed in it.

It's so funny when Angelique comments to Naomi about how plain the gown is when it was supposed to be so magnificent when we saw Maggie wearing it. Magnificent enough that Josette even wears it in her portrait.

One has to wonder what Angelique would have thought if she had known the gown was supposedly what Josette was going to wear to marry Barnabas. Would she have been horrified? Or would she have felt it was perfect poetic justice that she should wear it to marry Barnabas? Though, of course, Angelique hadn't seen Josette's portrait before she married Barnabas because it hadn't arrived yet (despite the fact that we mistakenly see it hanging over the mantle in Josette's room when we first see the room in 1795 in Ep #374, but thankfully it's been replaced when next Josette's room is seen in Ep #377 and in subsequent eps  ). Plus, despite how we were led to believe it had been Josette's wedding gown, when Josette dresses for her rushed marriage to Barnabas she wears an entirely different gown.

But of course I presume we're not supposed to notice that. And given what DC thought of the audience, no doubt he thought everyone in the audience was too dumb to notice the difference, if he even thought of it at all!    Though the fact that Josette did wear a different gown is a perfect reason why it never would have entered Angelique's mind that Naomi had presented her with what was supposedly Josette's wedding gown...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

If you don't want to know the circumstances surrounding Monday's entry in this slideshow, then don't read any further...






[spoiler]Monday's quote:
Ep #655 (1968) - Cassandra - 'But I MUST touch you. And when I do, it will be as though you are dead.'

From "Robservations 9/19/02 - #654/655 - Joe Unhinged"

Liz begins to moan and twist in her sleep, and she finally dreams: Amy, in night clothes, is singing "Rockabye Baby," in the middle of the woods. Liz approaches her and asks if she came to see "her," too. I heard her voice, telling me to come here, says Amy. Liz isn't sure if she heard the voice, but figures she must have. Liz is nervous and wants to go back, but Amy tells her "she" wants to see them. A woman's giggling voice fills the air, getting louder; Liz is afraid. She sees Cassandra, in her very green coat, come out from behind a tree. Liz calls to Amy, but Cassandra tells her the child can't save her. Liz tells Amy she must return to the house. Cassandra tells Liz Amy can't leave unless she tells her to. "You must know of my powers now, Mrs. Stoddard," taunts Cassandra. Liz retorts, "You have no power over either of us." Cassandra orders Amy to go. The child leaves, to Liz' dismay. We have an account to settle, declares Cassandra. Amy wanders off, to Liz' consternation. You are beginning to think of death, just as I told you you would, taunts Cassandra--death is the only thing you can think of, and the closer I come to you, the nearer you are to it! Liz orders her not to come nearer. Cassandra insists, I must touch you, and when I do, it will be as though you are dead--I promised you that. "No!" cries Liz, but Cassandra, reaching out her hand, tells Liz, you can do nothing, Amy will disappear from you and I will come closer, and closer. Screams fill he air.

[/spoiler]

And again the Robservations references the quote nearly perfectly...

The dream in this ep is why Liz' dream in Ep #576 is so confusing. As I said before (see Reply #461), it's very odd that Angelique, and VampAng at that, appears in Ep #576's dream when it should be Cassandra. But then, the simple fact of the matter may just be that DC didn't care and felt no one in the audience would question it. After all, to DC's way of thinking, what's a little thing like continuity - and besides, no one's ever going to see the eps again and people in the audience surely have short memories... 

Something I discovered while I was working on the quote from this ep is that it's not even listed on the jacket in the Limited Edition boxed set or on the disc itself in that set. The jacket and the disc indicate that the eps included are "645-654." I presume the error was made because there's a double-numbered ep on the disk (Ep #652_653) and I wondered if the same mistake might have been made on any of the other discs containing double-numbered eps? But no - that's the only instance, which makes it odd. But is it surprising? Well, no - seemingly every piece of DS merchandise has to have some sort of error associated with it and the missing listing for Ep #655 just happens to be this one's error. And chances are I never would have even noticed that the listing for the ep was missing if it wasn't for the fact that I was looking for the disc with Ep #655 on it, Ep #655 is the last ep on the disc, and yet the jacket and disc list Ep #654 as the last ep. Interestingly enough, though, Ep #655 is listed in the set's booklet as being on the disc. At least the booklet is correct...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

If you don't want to know the circumstances surrounding Tuesday's entry in this slideshow, then don't read any further...






[spoiler]Tuesday's quote:
Ep #675 (1969) - Carolyn - 'The police took him about a half an hour ago, Mr. Garner. There MUST be something you can do!'

From "Robservations 10/3/02 - #674/675 - Donna Friedlander, Bullseye!"

Barnabas surveys a headline in the COLLINSPORT STAR--"Mystery Murder." Julia and Barnabas feel responsible for Donna's death--if we hadn't let Chris take Donna with him, could we have stopped it? queries Julia. Barnabas doubts it--wherever Chris and Donna went last night was Donna's fault--she must have delayed him until the moon was up--the werewolf can't help it--he doesn't choose his victims. Carolyn bursts in to tell them Chris was taken to the police station. Patterson is making a terrible mistake, insists Carolyn; Chris had nothing to do with Donna's death.

Julia asks if she's positive. Of course I am, says Carolyn. Barnabas asks her if she knows where Chris was last night. At home, says Carolyn defensively--since he didn't go to Bangor. Barnabas tells her Chris wasn't at home--we went to the cottage last night when we saw the car was still here--when I invited him to dinner, Chris insisted he had to go to Bangor. Carolyn accuses them of thinking Chris is involved. Julia says we don't know. I'm sure he's not, insists Carolyn. Are you. . .interested in Chris? Asks Barn. Carolyn tosses back an accusation that she'll disgrace the family by liking a man being questioned by the police. Of course not, says Barnabas, I just wondered how much you like him. She just gives her cousin a look. Quite a lot, comments Barnabas. Carolyn admits I DO like Chris enough that it's important I know everything about him--I want you to tell me if there's something you know that I don't. Julia lies and tells her they don't know anymore than she does. I'm going to call our lawyer, Garner, and ask his advice, says Carolyn. (while you're at it, send the son back in time to wrest Vicki away from doofus Peter Bradford!) She closes the double doors and picks up the phone out in the foyer.

Back in the drawing room, Julia asks Barnabas what they're going to do--that poor girl! We can't worry about her now, he says--I want to go to the cottage since I'm sure someone from the sheriff's office will be there to search it shortly, and I want to get there first.

On the phone, Carolyn asks for help from their lawyer--I'm concerned Chris doesn't know his rights, she says--the police might get him to say anything--call the sheriff and go there if necessary. Gardner tells her yes, and she's relieved.

[/spoiler]

And again the Robservations doesn't reference the quote at all. And once again I discovered the quote quite by accident after checking Ep #675 for a "MUST" quote that the Robservations indicated was in a scene but it didn't pan out that it was actually there. I kept the ep playing to see if some sort of "MUST" line might crop up and sure enough what I quoted did. And I picked it because I suspect it's the last time lawyer Garner is ever mentioned on the show. Though the interesting thing about Carolyn calling Garner is that in Ep #577 Liz hires Tony Peterson because Richard Garner will no longer handle her legal matters. Did Liz subsequently smooth things over with Garner? Was Garner no longer Liz' personal attorney but he was still the family's? Who knows? Though knowing how the writers often had minds like sieves, when it came to Ep #675 they probably didn't even remember that Liz had dropped Garner in favor of Tony...

But how the scene in the foyer with Carolyn on the phone actually plays is that Carolyn delivers the quote as Barnabas and Julia exit from the drawing room with the intention of going to check Chris' cottage. We hear Barnabas say, "We'll be back, Carolyn," and the sounds of the outside door opening and closing as Carolyn tells Garner that she doesn't think they're charging Chris, that they can't because he's innocent. But as the Robservations does actually indicate, Carolyn goes on the say that she's just afraid that Chris may not know his rights - she wouldn't in the same situation - and they may get him to say anything. Carolyn then asks if Garner will call the sheriff's office, tells him to say he spoke with her, and if he can speak with Chris and Chris wants to see him, she asks if he will go there. Apparently after hearing that Garner agrees to all that (at no point during the conversation do we hear him say anything), with a great deal of relief Carolyn thanks him and says he's very kind. She asks him to call her back and then says goodbye. Though the funny thing about all that is that later in the ep when we see Sheriff Patterson and Chris at the sheriff's office there's absolutely no mention whatsoever of Garner contacting them to offer his services. In fact, they pretty much behave as if nothing like it ever even happened...

Garner references aside, though, why do I strongly suspect that certain fans most probably remember Ep #675 for an entirely different reason?    And you all know who you are! 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

If you don't want to know the circumstances surrounding Wednesday's entry in this slideshow, then don't read any further...






[spoiler]Wednesday's quote:
Ep #707 (1897) - Sandor - 'There MUST be gypsy blood somewhere in your family. ::laughs::'

From " Robservations 10/28/02 - #706/707 - A Helluva Dysfunctional Family"

"What are you doing here?" Carl asks Sandor. The gypsy makes sure Carl returns to the drawing room, then locks the basement door. "I live here," answers Sandor. In the cellar? queries Carl.

What do you want? asks Sandor. I'm looking for Barnabas, says Carl. He isn't here right now, says Sandor, and I don't know where he is. Why are you still living here, now that Barnabas has taken over? asks Carl. We made a bargain, says Sandor--in exchange for certain duties, Barnabas lets us stay (yes, vampire protection being chief amongst them). He's hired you as his servants, says Carl. You could say that, agrees Sandor. Carl laughs, remarking of Barnabas, "He is a weird one, isn't he?" Sandor frowns at him. No offense, Carl assures him. Barnabas will be back tonight, says Sandor. I can't wait that long, complains Carl. Go away and return tonight, suggests Sandor. I can't do that, either, says Carl--I can't return to Collinwood without Barnabas, and they won't believe I can't find him--Edward doesn't believe anything I say. Sandor roars with laughter and pounds the furniture, suggesting, there's gypsy blood in you somewhere. Carl giggles along with Sandor, asking him what he means, and both continue to laugh as Sandor says no one in the family trusts anyone else.

[/spoiler]

The Robservations references the quote fairly well, though not perfectly...

And this is the second quote from this ep. The first (Edward - 'You're so easily amused, Carl, you MUST be a frightfully happy person') was only a week ago on December 16th.

[KMR]

Also, I have to wonder if the writers intended, as they often do, a dig against the clergy by giving the reverend the name Bland. Though, considering what they do with 1795/96's Trask and 1897's Gregory Trask, that would have been but a mild dig. 

Is Bland the only sympathetic clergyman ever depicted in DS? If so, that makes their naming decision even funnier.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

  If he's not the only one, he's certainly one of the very few. You make an excellent point. 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

If you don't want to know the circumstances surrounding Thursday's entry in this slideshow, then don't read any further...






[spoiler]Thursday's quote:
Ep #934 (1970) - Philip - 'Megan, I don't know how we got into this, but I do know that now is the time to get out. If he won't go, then we MUST, right now!'

From "Robservations 5/12/03 - Enter Jeb; Quentin Mourns - #934-935"

Philip waits down in the shop. Megan comes downstairs--he won't leave, she says--he won't go! Did she explain it was to his advantage? asks Philip--it would be safer. I explained exactly, and he was contemptuous, she says. Did you lock him in? asks Philip. No, she says, he doesn't like being locked anymore, besides, there's no point--no lock will hold him. She looks at Philip's face and says, "You ARE frightened of him, aren't you? Yes, admits Philip, frightened of him upstairs and of those who are hunting him--and I'm sick to death of the whole situation!--Megan, I don't know how we got into this, but do know now is the time to get out--if he won't go, we must, right now. Run and leave him? asks Megan, disconcerted. Leave him, everything, get out with our lives and consider ourselves fortunate, says Philip. Maybe I consider myself fortunate having what I have here, she says--maybe I can't leave him.

[/spoiler]

And the Robservations are back to referencing the quote just short of perfectly (only the "I" and "that" in "but do know now" are missing)...