User Reviews

Episode 322 offers little in the way of plot development, but stylistically it's an all-new show. Once again Barnabas is his usual tortured self, lusting after the death of Maggie, and surrounded by an especially concerned Julia and Willie. The twist is that the characters now have stream-of-consciousness internal monologues allowing them to share their deepest, darkest thoughts with the viewer for the first time.

Julia takes steps, to quote her character from "The Night of the Iguana" to which Barnabas responds, "Congratulations, doctor. You seem to have the upper hand." And indeed she does even if Willie doesn't think so, and yet Barnabas is stopped from putting his plans into fruition. Julia, who has done her share of villainous things, shows her true character, a woman of conscience who could never allow to see people killed. She protected David before, and now it's Maggie's turn, even if Julia tells Willie the truth. Willie certainly has changed too, and his big heart for those whom Barnabas has threatened is great to see revealed.

A soliloquy of Barnabas thinking to himself reveals his reluctance to accept Julia's threat as real, but the sound of the invisible Sarah makes him reconsider, showing Barnabas at his most frightened and conflicted. Sam and Joe are there to protect Maggie who gets the doll bank, and the background music is all the more profound than normal. An excellent episode that certainly shows an improvement in the writing and more sincerity and thoughtfulness in the performances.