this odd thought crossed my mind today.
because 1897 was the show's highest rated storyline that means there were thousands of viewers who had never watched before this.thus they had never "met" victoria winters or burke devlin or joe haskell or most of the characters that populated the earlier part of the show.
but for that matter they actually knew very little about "present time" barnabas collins' situation either.or that quentin first appeared as a ghost.they had never "met" carolyn stoddard or roger collins or maggie evans either.
so when the storyline returned to the present these were essentially "new" characters to these viewers that they had to be "introduced" to.which is funny when you remember that most of them had been on the show for years.
these viewers experienced the show in reverse to the way most of us have.they might have recognized the actors who played roles in 1897 but had no idea who thier present time counterparts were.imagine the first time elizabeth stoddard walked into a room and saying "who's that?".long time viewers would patiently explain "that's liz.she owns the house.she's carolyn's mother" or "that's maggie evans.she used to be a waitress but now she's david's tutor".to them maggie evans was just some girl who looked like kitty hampshire.
that must have been strange.like i said...odd thought.