Shadows on the Wall: Episode 50

   

Before continuing, you may enjoy revisiting our original 50th anniversary summary and commentary: https://dsb4idie.blogspot.com/2016/09/episode-50-9266.html

Then & Now

John: During this viewing, I was beginning to wonder if Carolyn was going to be the third to throw herself over the cliff at Widow's Hill.

Christine: With the legend of either a third person or a governess falling from the cliff at Widows' Hill, you'd think Carolyn and Vicki would know better than to traipse around the cliff in the dark, especially when they got close enough to look over the edge and see a waterlogged corpse below. It was surprising to hear that Carolyn was allowed to run around the cliff when she was a kid. It makes me wonder how only two people have fallen (or thrown themselves) from the cliff, as the legend goes.

John: Let's review. Roger arrives home, and very shortly thereafter, Bill's body is discovered at the base of Widow's Hill.

Though I already knew Bill's fate on this go-around, before this week it seemed like he was destined for a lengthy tenure in Collinwood. The culmination of the first 50 episodes remains a high point of the pre-Barnabas era.

Christine: Our first corpse. Such a momentous occasion. 

Shadows on the Wall

John: Interesting to see Carolyn actually playing the piano. So often they shoot someone behind the piano so they only have to mime the act of playing. Even more surprising is that she's not that great of a piano player.

Do you think Bil Baird created the floating Bill Malloy doll?

Christine: I don't think the show could afford the talents of Bil Baird at this point in the show just for a soaked dummy. 

I love how quickly Roger abandoned his cold chicken sandwich and glass of milk in favor of the brandy as soon as Liz asked about his late-evening argument with Bill Malloy. However, it is concerning that he didn't seem to pour anything and appeared to be drinking from an empty glass. That is suspicious behavior indeed.

A few more things worth noticing…

Shadows on the Wall: Episode 49

   

Before continuing, you may enjoy revisiting our original 50th anniversary summary and commentary: https://dsb4idie.blogspot.com/2016/09/episode-49-9166.html

Then & Now

John: They established Roger wasn't in Collinwood, at the diner, at Sam's, at Burke's hotel, or at the office. Does that only leave Bill Malloy's final resting place? 

Thinking about Burke's comment to Joe, to dig up the dead bodies first, wouldn't it make more sense to dig up the live bodies first?

Christine: Since Burke didn't do the sensible thing and head straight to the Sheriff's office to report Bill as a missing person and instead spent the whole episode running around town pouting and shouting, I feel the need to address the grave concern of Maggie's job performance at the Collinsport Inn.

First, it appeared that she set out a dirty spoon before serving Burke because after laying down the silverware, she picked it up, grabbed a napkin and gave it a good wipe down. Perhaps if Burke weren't so discombobulated by Bill Malloy's disappearance, he might have noticed and asked for a clean one. 

Then, unlike Suzie, she provided free coffee refills to Burke while also serving Joe two donuts when he had ordered only one donut and coffee. 

Finally, she leaves the diner unstaffed, directing Joe and Carolyn to tell anyone who comes in that she'll be back, but if they have to leave, customers can serve themselves – something Joe and Carolyn have certainly had to do at the establishment in the past.

Even more dire is that we can now see some of the changes Maggie made to the menu in Episode 43, the most serious of which is that "tuna all white meat" has now been replaced with "roast pork." That doesn't bode well for a fishing village – or the Collins family fishing fleet. 

Today's episode (click photos to enlarge)

Episode 7

It seems the Collinsport Inn is a bellwether for what's to come in Collinsport. When Maggie rhetorically asks where they're headed, Sam waits until she leaves and says they're headed toward death. That in addition to Burke's talk about digging up dead bodies has us all prepared for what's to be found at the foot of Widows' Hill. 

Shadows on the Wall

John: Do you think Sam spiked his coffee? I was wondering if he was trying to circumvent a drink tracker? I guess it doesn't matter, as he switched over to the hard stuff within 30 minutes of Burke showing up.

Do we know whose portrait in the foyer Burke asked Joe to identify? 

Christine: Of course we do! In just a few short weeks, the foyer portrait will be identified as Benjamin Collins. 

John: I think Sam's splash of paint on Burke's portrait-in-progress might be the most inspired piece of artwork he's created!

Christine: David Ford certainly did a fine job splattering the paint in a way that provided a nice balance to the portrait, while also making it appear like a blood spray, with some of the spatter landing on Burke's cheeks, as though he were crying bloody tears. So yes, an inspired work indeed. We are properly prepared for tomorrow's shocking episode. Can't wait to watch it again!

Some other scenes for your consideration…

You may not see the stripes, but that is the Striped Blanket
draped over the arm of the Evanses' couch.