Grayson put a lot of wit into her lines in certain scenes, as did Joan.  I loved it when Julia and Carolyn are discussing the new antique shop that's just opened in town; Carolyn's raving about how "divine" it is and then says something else about it, to which Julia ripostes "you don't make it SOUND very 'dee-VINE'" with this Holly Golightly elevated-eyebrow face that never fails to crack me up.

A lot of Magda's funniest moments were non-verbal.  I remember one scene where she's waiting for Barn to come out of his coffin with a very arch expression on her face and hands planted firmly on hips that's a scream.  Her shuffling of the tarot cards in a scene with Laura at the cottage is wonderful too and always indues fits of cackling.

Joan had so many fabulous moments in the first year of the series.  A great one from 1897 is a certain scene where rings up her husband, "Reverend" Gregory Trask, and informs him that thanks to certain arrangements she's made, he now has all the time he needs to meditate.  I just love Joan's delivery of that line and the expression on her face--it's the embodiment of "the cat that ate the canary."  Flawless.

Thayer David as Prof Stokes had some memorable zingers, too, particularly during the Cassandra Collins storyline (my personal all-time favorite DS storyline).  I loved whenever he referred to Cassandra as "our favorite Witch" or mentioned his own "cat complex."

G.

Hi John!

Meant to tell you that I was discussing my thoughts about visiting Toronto with my buddy in Ottawa, and he mentioned that in their gay history archive, they have complete runs of Colt Magazine from the Sixties.  So if there's a Briscoe layout in there, I'll have the chance to look for it when I visit.

Maybe I'll even be able to make a photocopy, or better still, order a scan!

Best, Steve

Thanks for these gorgeous captures, MB!  Did you see Rhys Meyers in Gormenghast?  I do think he's too pretty and pouty for Barnabas, but he'd make an interesting Quentin, especially Quentin as the spoiled prettyboy of early 1897.

My housemate has become addicted to Smallville (which I alternate between calling Schlongville and Schlockville, depending upon how much skin Tom Welling has been showing on any given episode).  I told him that Ian Sommerhalder had been discussed as casting for the role of Barnabas, and the poor lad practically had a seizure!

I do think James Marsters would make an interesting Barnabas, with dark hair, of course, and a different look.  At least he has the needed theatrical traning to pull it off.  I fear there aren't very many people in the current WB stables of whom that can be said...

G.

I also wonder whether the script Barn Undead was given is for real.  The summary reads like a MAD Magazine or Carol Burnett Show skit on the program.  At least it could be entertaining, which is saying a lot, these days.

I wonder whether the WB are hoping for product placement revenue from Keno and IHOP?

Ryan Seacrest's show is being taken off the air, so he is now available to play Barnabas.  A little long in tooth by the WB's standards, but what the hey.

G.

ACK! Marti Noxon plus "The Omen" meets "Peyton Place"! oogh.

Thanks, Criseyde, for getting me GOOD and scared!  that's REALLY terrifying!

G.

Congratulations, David!  How FABULOUS for you!

Is there a website where we can see photos of you officiating?

I hope your day is simply grand!

Best wishes,

Steve

PS.  I am guessing there was a post on this thread that got deleted?

Even though they were very different characters, I think Barnabas and Mr. Spock had some things in common in terms of the way fans reacted to them back in the Sixties.  Spock was so cool, intellectual, and controlled, it really seemed to fan the flames for a lot of viewers, and the writers were wise to include a couple of characters onscreen who could act out that passionate response--notably Christine Chapel, incarnated by the fabulous Majel.

With Barnabas, I think the way Frid played him with those silent, big brown eyes staring in anguish up at the sky, brought a quality of what back then we called "soul" to the character.  And, in the Sixties, Soul was very, very sexy!  I think how fans reacted to Barnabas was due entirely to Frid's performance, particularly the non-verbal parts (though his voice was very alluring, especially at moments when he was more confident and in control of the material).  On paper, Barnbas was a regular cad in the beginning, and even in his most altruistic moments could always drop everything if he got some Sweet Young Thing in his sights.  On screen, with Frid's performance, the character was transformed, and fans voted across the nation by keeping glued to their TV sets at 4 p.m. every afternoon.

Thinking about what a huge impression Spock and Barnabas made back in the Sixties and looking at today's teen crushes--Justin Timberlake, Tom Welling, a bunch of other guys whose names escape me--really slaps me in the face with how much times have changed since then.

G.

Misterioso Darling,

what a FABULOUS closeup of Our Favorite Witch!  She really shows how it's done!

As for the caption, I had something in mind like " I WARNED you, Roger Davis, that this would be the LAST time you bumped me off camera!"

I do enjoy teasing, 'tis true.  Which is why the postal code for a certain state to our south often brings a smirk to my lips--and I'm not thinking of Rhode Island!

cackling,  Steve