User Reviews

We hadn't known Willie Loomis long enough to understand any of his motivations or really care about him, but when you have a hand reach out from a grave and grab you, there has to be some sort of impact. At the Blue Whale, Jason is demanding that Willie accompany him to Collinwood to apologize to the family, and Willie seems petrified in going there. But Jason persists, and it's his act of cruelty that actually wins Willie some sympathy.

It's obvious, even to Burke, that Willie is a shell of himself, and Burke insists that Jason take him to a hospital. But Jason persists, and when they get there, Willie is petrified over the portrait of Barnabas and collapses. Elizabeth finds that she can't get rid of Willie so easily, even though he doesn't want to be there. He's not a completely evil man, we figure out, just greatly damaged, and powers beyond his control threaten to completely destroy him, his greatest fear. Good performances by everyone, especially Joan Bennett who gets to show her fear over being in a situation that seems there's no way out of.

If you weren't already convinced that Jason McGuire is a sonofabitch, then this episode should very well reinforce and emphasize that to its fullest. Just look at how Jason forces Elizabeth to agree to allow Willie to stay, bringing up her "criminal past" in order to get his way. Jason's blackmail has definitely made him now the second antagonist after Barnabas, as Willie has been reduced to a pale, damaged, frightened man just wanting to get as far away from Collinwood as possible, fainting after some fear-induced hysterics at the mere sight of the Barnabas painting near the stairs in the mansion. Willie at The Blue Whale is so out of sorts and lost in a scared fog, Jason has a hard time even talking to him, realizing something serious happened in those days he was missing. But trying to unlock the mystery of his disappearance gets Jason nowhere as Willie refuses to reveal any details. Once in his room at Collinwood, Willie still remains distanced and apprehensive as Jason tries to further draw details from him, locking on a bandaged wound on his arm. Willie insists Jason let go of him, protecting the arm with fierce dedication. Meanwhile Elizabeth and Carolyn discuss Willie's presence at Collinwood, at the beginning wanting him out of their lives, especially the mansion, but later reluctantly relenting as his state of mind and physical well being both appear to be afflicted with a sick that leaves them quite perplexed. Elizabeth's firm stance on Willie being diminished by Jason's leverage against her is indeed a significant example of how much such secrecy of the past remaining hidden is important to her...Joan Bennett shows her countenance just deteriorate when Jason uses his threats towards her, as this pillar of the Collins family, holding her body straight and unwavering, only to collapse as she recognizes how trapped she truly is. Carolyn sneering at Willie only to realize he's a much different man than previously seen, much like Burke did when questioning why he returned to The Blue Whale also establishes that he's been forever changed by his encounter with Barnabas Collins. I love when a major character remains such a heartbeat of your show and doesn't even have to be onscreen. Because of Willie's subjection to Barnabas due to being bit and controlled by him, he has become a weakened prisoner. The fear and trembling, pale face and dysfunctional focus define the results of Willie opening the tomb of a vampire. Continuing to coral the cast completely into the Barnabas arc remains important to the writing team, even as the likes of Burke, Maggie, and Joe sort of remain outside for the time being, loosely integrated when the Collins family are in their company. Jason's persistence that Willie remains close to him is even a bit consuming and uncomfortable, as if he needs his lackey to not leave his presence too far, seeing Elizabeth's under his thumb as too good a situation not to exploit to the fullest. When Willie tries to pry himself away, Jason closes in, no matter where they are. Because Barnabas isn't going to be in every episode of the soap opera (as soaps have always been), those writing for the show knew they needed to get the most out of other subplots and sidebars, so Jason's scheming blackmailer fit the bill. And with Willie no longer the obnoxious, crude, troublemaking associate, Jason has to be even more of a slimeball.

Episode 216 follows on neatly from the previous one and offers more fun regarding Willie's change of character. This time around, Jason, Elizabeth and Carolyn are alarmed by his behaviour. It's solid stuff, enlivened by John Karlen's careful performance.