Think for a minute about a bad date you once had. One where you discovered you had nothing in common and couldn’t wait for the clock to chime your escape. Or maybe it was one where the young man appeared handsome and charming until you were alone with him and then he became an octopus with a threatening disposition. Now imagine that, instead of being able to escape to the safety and comfort of your home, your mother has invited the disagreeable clod to stay as a visitor in your home?
Willie Loomis is the most obnoxious character to grace the set of Dark Shadows. He is a dark and evil Maynard Krebs, pouring on the charm in a 1960s laidback fashion, but dark and dangerous beneath the surface. He is nearly in a beer-bottle fight at the Blue Whale during his first appearance. Jason McGuire saves the day and no one senses that McGuire himself may have been the one to bring this smarmy creature tottering on the edge of civility to their little port.
In this series of episodes, we discover that everyone is dealing with the consequences of secrets: Elizabeth is being bullied by Jason because of the mystery in the locked basement room, Willie threatens to expose Jason if Jason doesn’t find a way to make Elizabeth welcome him at Collinwood, and Carolyn and Vicky wonder why Elizabeth is allowing Jason and his wicked friend to infiltrate their home. Roger, on the other hand, has his secret exposed: Sam tells Burke that he saw Roger driving the car that killed a man 10 years before.
These episodes are still building the storyline and are a little slow moving. Never fear, though. Watching them is fascinating because of Jason McGuire and his ever changing accent. Sometimes he is Scottish, sometimes Irish, occasionally a wealthy New Englander and sometimes just a tough guy from an old film.
At first, it is disorienting. But, if you grab a tablet and a cup of coffee, put up your feet and tally each time Jason’s accent changes, you can feel good about wasting away a delightful afternoon.
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