Performance-wise, this was a shaky episode of Dark Shadows.
All of the actors had a hard time with their lines and it produced awkward
results for the overall episode (Episode 28). Sheriff Carter takes an earful from both Burke Devlin
(enraged his room was searched while he was away “attending business matters”)
and Roger Collins (who wants Devlin locked up and off the streets). He will
continue to do his job, despite what both sides have to say about his methods
of investigation (he is only doing his job, but this case is anything but
typical of the usual crime in sleepy Collins Port). Roger is a worthless father
as his attitude suggests when he comes to the Collins Port diner to pick up
David, kept there for a little while by Maggie and her ice cream sundaes, unconcerned that the little brat is no longer in sight, seemingly fine with his wandering around at night by himself. Maggie and David's time together was more than a bit odd--a lot of David's scenes with adults produce an air of strange to them. I think you can see the discomfort in working with a kid on a two-week shoot, a lot of dialogue and the ever-growing fear of forgetting lines. I just hope Maggie and David don't have any long dialogue scenes anytime soon.
As Roger stops by, Maggie wants to know how her pops fits into the Devlin/Collins picture. Roger was concerned with what Sam and Burke talked about not too long ago. And Burke, who drops by the diner to confront Roger, was pondering his association with Sam, particularly around the time of his trial and afterward. This will only add friction to the Burke/Sam dynamic, with paranoia increasing in Roger as well, because he soon learns from Sheriff Carter that Burke hired a private dick to dig up information on the Collins family. Carter has become quite a central figure in all of this drama; he stands right in the middle, trying to keep the differing sides at bay, patiently taking every shot from them they can muster but not backing down.
The episode is just basically reinforcing what we already know, to the point that it almost feels like the writers are stretching this out as far as they can, but how much did they believe patience in their audience could last? Soap operas have a tendency to do this, but how much elasticity did the Burke Devlin story have to it in the long term? I do, however, look forward to, with bated breath, Roger’s comeuppance—it will be most welcome, as far as I’m concerned, he’s such a prick… Dark Shadows Creative are giving more and more clout to the Maggie character although she’s still spending most of her time on screen behind the counter of that damn diner.
As Roger stops by, Maggie wants to know how her pops fits into the Devlin/Collins picture. Roger was concerned with what Sam and Burke talked about not too long ago. And Burke, who drops by the diner to confront Roger, was pondering his association with Sam, particularly around the time of his trial and afterward. This will only add friction to the Burke/Sam dynamic, with paranoia increasing in Roger as well, because he soon learns from Sheriff Carter that Burke hired a private dick to dig up information on the Collins family. Carter has become quite a central figure in all of this drama; he stands right in the middle, trying to keep the differing sides at bay, patiently taking every shot from them they can muster but not backing down.
The episode is just basically reinforcing what we already know, to the point that it almost feels like the writers are stretching this out as far as they can, but how much did they believe patience in their audience could last? Soap operas have a tendency to do this, but how much elasticity did the Burke Devlin story have to it in the long term? I do, however, look forward to, with bated breath, Roger’s comeuppance—it will be most welcome, as far as I’m concerned, he’s such a prick… Dark Shadows Creative are giving more and more clout to the Maggie character although she’s still spending most of her time on screen behind the counter of that damn diner.
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