My thoughts on Leviathan thus far

[Gothick]

Hi Buzz, I always new you had great taste--after all, look who you chose for your screen name/avatar!  Only THE COOLEST dude in C'port! yeah, baby!

Agreed regarding the strength of Frid's performance during Leviathan.  There are some brilliant moments in there.

So, what did you think of the scene where [spoiler]Bruno seems to be getting VERY excited flogging the chained up werewolf!  That episode is a hoot!  Wild and woolly at its best![/spoiler]

Best wishes,  Gothick

[BuzzH]

Hi Buzz, I always new you had great taste--after all, look who you chose for your screen name/avatar!  Only THE COOLEST dude in C'port! yeah, baby!

He IS kool, ain't he?   

Agreed regarding the strength of Frid's performance during Leviathan.  There are some brilliant moments in there.

I loved how, at the beginning of Leviathan, he's [spoiler]always chuckling at the obvious discomfort of others, particularly Paul Stoddard and again in the dream sequence Liz has to become a Leviathan.  But when he descends those stairs after his first glimpse of PT, he seems paralyzed w/fear.  It was very well written (probably Violet Welles, but I forgot to check the writing credits for that ep) and acted by both Jonathan and Grayson too.  I like the next encounter he has too and when he sneaks into the Drawing Room to tell Julia.  He says he couldn't get into the room for some reason and Julia, in PURE Grayson style, shudders and says, "I can't say I'm sorry to hear that Barnabas!"  LOL!  Classic![/spoiler]

So, what did you think of the scene where [spoiler]Bruno seems to be getting VERY excited flogging the chained up werewolf!  That episode is a hoot!  Wild and woolly at its best![/spoiler]

It was funny, but also disturbing.  [spoiler]I felt sorry for the werewolf as I likened what was happening to him to someone beating a dog or cat.  I didn't particularly like that aspect of the scene.[/spoiler]But that aside, Mike Stroka seemed on the verge of orgasm in the act of what he was doing!  He was another actor who was larger than life in character, not to mention one hell of a guy at Fests.  I still miss his warmth and genuine love of us fans.  I remember well the tribute to him at the first Fest after his death.  Moving to say the least from beginning to end, but when his wife Karen came on and said how much he loved all of us and looked forward to spending time w/us each summer, well, there wasn't a dry eye in the house after that!   

[Gothick]

I attended Mike's last DS Festival.  I had no contact with him but did get to hear him read a ghost story.  I was really shocked when we heard the news of his death.

I wonder whether anyone has heard how his widow has been getting on?

I thought Stroka's best role on DS was Aristede, but Bruno was a fun part.  The PT version of Bruno is really over the top!  they did Mike's hair with curlers!

G.

[BuzzH]

they did Mike's hair with curlers!

I think they must have in Leviathan too, except his first appearance, that day his hair looked normal and more importantly, NATURAL.  But you remind me of a story Mike told once at a Fest, he was onstage w/Lara and was saying one day on the set, during the PT plotline, they were blocking the show and someone in the control booth said, "Uh, you, w/the curlers, move to your left a little."  Since both he and Lara had curlers in their hair Mike asked, "Are you talking to me or her?"  LOL! 

[arashi]

I am totally bummed that I never got to meet Mike Stroka. I hear he was a total riot, he's one of my favorite actors on the show.

[BuzzH]

I am totally bummed that I never got to meet Mike Stroka. I hear he was a total riot, he's one of my favorite actors on the show.

Arashi, Mike was da bomb!  He was so sweet and friendly, a true gentleman.  He, along w/Marie Wallace, would walk the autograph line so they could meet the fans, take pictures w/us etc...Plus it got them through the line faster which was good for them. 

Now, back to Leviathan for a minute, as I said, I'm a handful of eps away from PT and there's one thing about the end of Leviathan that confuses, and frustrates me, but it's not really a plotline problem, it's a SET DESIGN problem.  Why the hell did they keep changing how Bruno's house was laid out.  In the beginning his front door was stage right and the back room [spoiler]where he was holding Sabrina captive[/spoiler] was stage left.  Then the next day they switched this and the front door was stage left and the back room was stage right.  Now, I can understand if after one day they decided it worked better the second way (for lighting or camera placement whatever) but they change it back to the front door being stage right and the back room stage left, THEN change it back AGAIN to the front door being stage left and the back room being stage right.  It makes absolutely NO SENSE that they kept changing this!  Anyone know why they did this!  It's driving me nuts!   

[Gothick]

Lol, Buzz!  The instance of this that drives ME crazy is in these two episodes from 1968--they're part of the Adam and Eve storyline, so you'll never watch them again, so you will never have to be bugged by this *wink*--where they're in the parlor at the OH and they've just had a seance (I think it is the one where Barnabas becomes possessed by the vengeful spirit of Philippe Cordier).  At the end of the first show, Professor Stokes is standing there discoursing on occult metaphysics.  Next day we resume and the action is continuous and Stokes... just isn't there!  They don't even have any dialogue along the lines of "he suddenly remembered he left his teakettle on the boil!" (or, more likely, his sherry uncooked and his cheese on the sideboard).
It's just... POOF!  no Stokes!

I'm sure Cassandra Collins would really have relished being able to get rid of that pestilent Professor so easily!

Cheers, Gothick

[BuzzH]

The instance of this that drives ME crazy is in these two episodes from 1968--they're part of the Adam and Eve storyline, so you'll never watch them again, so you will never have to be bugged by this *wink*--where they're in the parlor at the OH and they've just had a seance (I think it is the one where Barnabas becomes possessed by the vengeful spirit of Philippe Cordier).  At the end of the first show, Professor Stokes is standing there discoursing on occult metaphysics.  Next day we resume and the action is continuous and Stokes... just isn't there!  They don't even have any dialogue along the lines of "he suddenly remembered he left his teakettle on the boil!" (or, more likely, his sherry uncooked and his cheese on the sideboard).
It's just... POOF!  no Stokes!

Oh that is SO funny!  I never noticed that!  But then, when I was *struggling* through them, I'd watch one or two, a week, then suffer thru another 1 or 2 so my viewing was really sporadic and thus I probably forgot that Stokes was suddenly gone.  LOL about the errant cheese on the sideboard!  

[Misa]

This is such a fun bunch of posts. I still haven't added any new DVDs to my piddlely collection, which as of now consists of one DVD, At least I have the forum because reading your opinions is almost as fun as watching them. I'm craving them so badly that I am going to go over my budget and put in a fund to add a Dark Shadows DVD every two months.

I can't wait till I can start watching episodes again.

Misa

[MagnusTrask]

Buzz-- I'm glad all our hoots and catcalls, or whatever, re the Leviathans didn't spoil your enjoyment of it.

[BuzzH]

Buzz-- I'm glad all our hoots and catcalls, or whatever, re the Leviathans didn't spoil your enjoyment of it.

Dude, I loved it!  It was quick and didn't drag one bit in my opinion. 

[Diabolos]

BuzzH, Diabolos here (I don't know how to change the name, my chosen name was Diabolos) I know I'm a newbie, but I've been watching DS since I was two, I'm fourteen now, and I totally agree with you, the Leviathan sequence is one of my favorite storylines. I really thought the return of evil Barnabas was just what the show needed, especially since he wasn't a vampire anymore, and you can really see when the show got bogged down when he was cured (re Adam and Eve).

I really thought that the writers had a funny take on Jeb Hawkes been scared of his own own shadow i.e. the shadow monster plotline. Christopher Pennock really rocks in this storyline!

I don't know what everybody's problem is with little Alex, I thought he was a dynamite actor for his age. 

[Midnite]

Diabolos here (I don't know how to change the name, my chosen name was Diabolos)

While logged in to your account, select Profile in the horizontal menu at the top.  Select Account Related Settings on the left side.  Enter the name to be displayed under Name.  Enter your Current Password (you're only asked to type it once).  Click Change Profile.  You will still need to enter your registration name when logging in.

Welcome, Diabolos! 

[IluvBarnabas]

The Leviathan storyline didn't make much sense to me when I watched it as a little girl, but now as an adult I have grown to really like it.

[spoiler]I just wish they hadn't thrown in that stupid twist of Jeb killing Vicki, it really didn't make any sense at all!

As for the sudden 180 turn with Jeb, well I think we already saw signs of his rebelling when he was Michael....after Michael supposedly die he was to change form again and he didn't want to at first but persuaded
to do it anyway. Once he became Jeb his main focus was to make Carolyn his and punish those who got in his way (his fight with Quentin, turning Barnabas back into the vampire). He grew to love Carolyn for who she was and didn't want to make her the monster he was, thus "enlisiting" Julia's services to make him human.

It was great to see Dennis Patrick in a role so different from Jason McGuire. Too bad Paul had to die so early[/spoiler] that's the way the cookie crumbles I guess.

It's too bad that viewers started to turn away from DS at this period, because the Leviathan plot really has much to offer IMO. On the other hand I wouldn't have blamed them for shutting off during the 1970 PT story....heaven knows I nearly turned away from DS during THAT storyline.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

It's too bad that viewers started to turn away from DS at this period, because t [hall2_wink]he Leviathan plot really has much to offer IMO. On the other hand I wouldn't have blamed them for shutting off during the 1970 PT story....heaven knows I nearly turned away from DS during THAT storyline.

It's my understanding that the ratings for 1970PT were better than those for Leviathans. Though that doesn't surprise me because I love 1970PT.