I'm dying here... THANK YOU MB for adding the perfect dollop of sardonic humor to an otherwise wretched Friday!

I did have the show on for a bit this a.m. and got to hear Roger's tirade on the phone.  TOO delicious!

G.

It'll take more than Bobble-heads to get this curmudgeonly Yankee to sign up for the DVD club.  I'd hoped for at least a 15 percent discount.  Instead all we are being offered is more schlock to clutter up our shelves.  Bleah.

As for the Barnabas Bobble-head, I shrieked as I was convinced I had just seen Sky Rumson as a vampire!

Or maybe it was Captain Scarlet with fangs???

I hope there are no plans for a Julia Bobble-head.  I may have to summon Hoffman to bring me the black pins!

Gothick

1970 PT wins my nomination for the most uneven of all the storylines.  I thought it coupled some of the series' best moments with some real duds.  I absolutely loved what they gave Thayer, Grayson, and Louis to do.  I had mixed feelings about Lara's work on the storyline but some of it was really excellent, and darling Hannah Stokes was a hoot to watch (Paula Laurence--is that the name of the actress?).  Nancy and Johnny made a great pair, too, though their screen time was greatly diminished due to various film involvements.

[spoiler]For me the biggest stumbling block was Quentin and Maggie.  They were both such dreadful people, Quentin especially, but Maggie wasn't much better.  And this made Barnabas' obsession with helping them very problematic for the viewer.  There is even a scene where Julia asks Barnabas why on Earth he wants to help the PT Maggie and he gives her the usual runaround in response.  I always wonder whether that wasn't included due to fan mail asking that very question.  In those days, producers of shows actually cared what the fans thought about a given character or storyline, which is why the Leviathan story wound up being so abbreviated--because of the negative mail.[/spoiler]

With all this said, I've watched certain weeks of PT 1970 more frequently than many other periods, just because the theatricality of the premise worked so well for the actors.  There really isn't anyone in the group for the audience to identify with though, which is problematic if you approach it as a traditional narrative.

Gothick

Today's shows had more great scenes.  I've always loved that little exchange between Willie and Liz in the Collinwood Foyer.  Liz is at her iciest (I was surprised that Willie wasn't chipping frost off his face after he beat a hasty retreat).  Karlen played Willie's reactions with such honest, beautiful realism.  Between them, the actors created an amazing little gem out of what could have been just a standard scene.

I also loved the exchanges between Willie and Barnabas in episode #2.  Even though their putative "great friendship" violates the established history between the two, the actors played the scene with a lot of depth.  I've noticed that Karlen often brought out the best in Frid.  He played his scenes today with beautiful skill and restraint, I thought.

I just love the moment when Willie is telling Barnabas how sorry he is to be deserting him in his hour of need, and he pouts up his lips in the cutest way, like a doting father turning down his favorite child's request for ice cream.  So sweet.  Karlen has the most wonderfully expressive face!  Makes me want to send him a big splashy birthday card, thanking him for making my day again today.

Oh, and Grayson was FABULOUS, of course, but you already knew that.

I'm sure the TLATKLS brigade appreciated how charming Katie looked in her boudoir ensemble.

Gothick

Hi DoomBuggy, I'm surprised that the 25th anniversary tape was yanked as quickly as you say. My impression was that it was available for years before they finally deleted it.  I do remember when the hoo-ha broke out over the fact that Mr. Frid had apparently not signed anything permitting the use of the Telltale Heart performance (which is excellent, and rates as the only appearance by him in a visual recorded medium since that Oliver Stone thing).

I'll have to get it out and watch it again.

Gothick

Thanks, Stuart, for explaining about the revision of the book.  That's good to know.

I'm very sorry to hear about Craig's health problems.  I had heard something about him being hospitalized last year, but don't recall any details.  I will keep him in my healing thoughts and prayers.

Steve

Well, I had the show on this a.m., beeswing-eyed after my delirious, rained-out weekend in the Vermont mountains (thank the Gods Maria von Trapp did not appear over the hills coloraturing about the Sound of Music, for if she had done, I would have had to brain her with my earthenware phallus, the one with the purple mardi-gras bead choker).  Who should come waltzing in but Nicholas Blair, paying upon a visit upon his dear, OLD, down-on-her-luck-again, OLD buddy, Mrs. Angelique Rumson.  PRICELESS!  see, stuff like this is what always makes me think the Leviathans was the best period in the show's history--certainly the best of all the present-time arcs.  Scenes like this are incredibly rich because of how well writers and actors were able to make use of two years or more of existing subtext.

I do love the use Angelique makes of her little keepsake from Boston.  (Makes note to self--DON'T order any cute little tchotchkes from the Franklin Mint as a hostess gift for Mrs. Rumson's next kaffeeklatsch on Little Windward Island.)

Did anybody else notice that Sky's "burning poker" got a LOT bigger in episode 2 than it had been in episode one.  Hmmm, somehow I always had the feeling that Sky's poker got bigger the longer he gripped it.  Gripped it firmly and with emotion.  Hey, Sky, can I hold that poker for you?  Need me to help you out with that, dude?  Hmmmmmm....

Also glimpsed Camera 2 in the mirror when Sky and Ang were kissing in episode 1.  Not really a very serious blooper since you would hardly have noticed it unless you'd watched the episode several times, as I have done.

Another favorite moment of mine (and, I believe, the MB's as well) is coming up, when Julia finds out about Barn's latest "talk" with Megan.  Can't wait!

Gothick

btw I heard a rumor that the next Austin Powers flick is going to feature Dr. Evil cloning Amanda Harris back to life from the remnants of a false eyelash retrieved from Grant Douglas' old houndstooth jacket, found at a Woolworths jumble sale.

Gothick