Who do you think started the fire?

[Willie Oleson]

SJ, not wanting to interrupt the Anders' reunion with their photography or a potential ruckus from Blake, found a reason to switch venues. That's my guess

No, both Sammy Jo and Anders already knew about the change of location before the hired help (and Kirby) arrived.

I have lots of questions that come from not watching the series as I don't know all that's been revealed

Oh, why not?

 

[Zable]

No, both Sammy Jo and Anders already knew about the change of location before the hired help (and Kirby) arrived.

So why did they change location, and why didn't Blake know beforehand?

 

[Zable]

Forget it. I'm more curious how Claudia (who reminds me of FC's Julia), who was with Cristal when the fire was started, come downstairs and out unaffected by the fire. And why Hank was around for so long.

Edited to add: Is it just me, or did it look to anyone else that when Anders prepped the servers and led them into the Barn-House, one of them, a tall heavy-set guy at the back, peeled off to the left?

 

[Matthew Blaisdel]

Claudia (who reminds me of FC's Julia)

Now that you mentioned that... YES, of course! So maybe it could be very interesting to get to know her mother!

 

[Ked]

Sam Jo invited Kirby, didn't he? Perhaps, he'd learned she'd arrived and Anders was with her, and maybe Blake and some of the others still didn't know. SJ, not wanting to interrupt the Anders' reunion with their photography or a potential ruckus from Blake, found a reason to switch venues. That's my guess.

Except, from the look of things, Kirby hadn't arrived until the stables went up in flames. Not unless the episode showed the events a bit out of order, but I don't think so.

EDIT: Whoops, sorry, didn't realize your question had already been answered.

 

[Ked]

Forget it. I'm more curious how Claudia (who reminds me of FC's Julia), who was with Cristal when the fire was started, come downstairs and out unaffected by the fire. And why Hank was around for so long.

Because Claudia left before the lamp was thrown, and Hank mentioned it was taking him a long time to hot wire the car he was trying to escape in.

Edited to add: Is it just me, or did it look to anyone else that when Anders prepped the servers and led them into the Barn-House, one of them, a tall heavy-set guy at the back, peeled off to the left?

I noticed that too... could it have been Cecil in disguise? Only then why didn't Anders notice him? So maybe not...

 

[Zable]

Because Claudia left before the lamp was thrown,

Hm, no. Assuming that the My Brother Steven vid shows scenes in sequence, then Claudio was still with Cristal (rubbing her tum before any of the Matthew stuff) after the lamp was thrown.

Hank mentioned it was taking him a long time to hot wire the car

An extremely long time then: from before the wedding, through the wedding and after. During which time Cristal fought with Alexis, waited it out before & after Anders, had that encounter with Claudia & Casper and then was left to her fate as the Barn-House caught fire. Meanwhile, Claudia rocks up to Hank as cool as a cucumber.

Another thought: are there secret underground tunnels connecting the buildings on the estate, and to the lake perhaps, with ground-level exits/entrances?

 

[Ked]

Hm, no. Assuming that the My Brother Steven vid shows scenes in sequence, then Claudio was still with Cristal (rubbing her tum before any of the Matthew stuff) after the lamp was thrown.

Oh that's right.

An extremely long time then: from before the wedding, through the wedding and after. During which time Cristal fought with Alexis, waited it out before & after Anders, had that encounter with Claudia & Casper and then was left to her fate as the Barn-House caught fire. Meanwhile, Claudia rocks up to Hank as cool as a cucumber.

Another thought: are there secret underground tunnels connecting the buildings on the estate, and to the lake perhaps, with ground-level exits/entrances?

Actually no, Alexis spoke with Hank right after her fight with Cristal; she arrived just as Steven and Sam were married and started applauding with everyone else. Then she turned to Hank and told him that Cristal knew about them, but that she, Alexis, would think of something. That's when Anders came up and asked her if she knew where Cristal was, to which she said no.


But here's a possibility: there are other stairways leading up to the second floor, hence why Claudia wasn't affected by the fire... *or* she simply didn't notice it... or just didn't care. At that point, she was kind've in shock at realizing that Matthew had been dead all along.

 

[Willie Oleson]

I'm more curious how Claudia (who reminds me of FC's Julia), who was with Cristal when the fire was started, come downstairs and out unaffected by the fire

But the same could be said about Blake, Fallon and Sammy Jo. And the fire had increased significantly between the time Claudia left the building and the time the Carringtons escaped from the trophy room. Come to think of it, it would have been impossible to use that very same stairs so I guess there was another one.
However, they entered the trophy room from the left side of the stairs, and they left the trophy room going right, which means exactly the same way. And even if there was another stairs then it would have been a very curious construction i.e. there would be no passage, just two stairs on both sides of the trophy room.

Another thought: are there secret underground tunnels connecting the buildings on the estate, and to the lake perhaps, with ground-level exits/entrances?

Interesting thought, Detective Ayala but the arsonist was outside when he took the lamp, so even if he/she had used the tunnel to secretly enter the stable house, he/she'd still have to go outside the stable house to get that lamp, which makes the use of the tunnel rather pointless.

 

[Zable]

*or* she simply didn't notice it...

I’ll go with that. Claudia was so wrapped up in her own world, she walked past the flames not taking in what it meant or the danger.

 

[Zable]

Interesting thought, Detective Ayala but the arsonist was outside when he took the lamp, so even if he/she had used the tunnel to secretly enter the stable house, he/she'd still have to go outside the stable house to get that lamp, which makes the use of the tunnel rather pointless.

That’s Detective Hernando, please. Tunnels are useful places. Not only are they a passage from here to there, but they can be used as a place to hide out, stash stuff, change clothes, etc. If the fire-starter was a guest, more attention would be drawn to a guest walking on the grounds with lit lamp in hand than the help – particularly at a time when the guests were supposed to have adjourned to the main house for the reception. I'm thinking that a place was needed to stash a change of clothing (server’s outfit, the stolen lamp, screwdriver and gasoline – which was probably used and already poured judging by how quickly the fire ran up the edge of the staircase in a neat line when the lit lamp was thrown. Items likely easily found in the Stable/Barn House itself or close-by places on the grounds, and did not need to be sneaked into the estate. Rather, sneaked out to the place they were stashed in; call it an ‘outhouse’ with a tunnel. It could be that the tunnels connect to the staff side of buildings, and that it was quicker to get from this ‘outhouse’ to the family side of the Barn House (where the target staircase was) by using the grounds.

 

[Zable]

I don't think anyone knows for sure if FakeAdam left the scene (other than Claudia, of course). So if a burned-beyond-recognition body is found in the rubble, they might very well believe it is FakeAdam. The investigation of his true identity would be forgotten as they "bury their son/sibling/whatever" and no one has any inclination to find the Real Adam, not even Alexis (who will be trying to cover her tracks as usual). It would allow the show to move on to other stories without the "Where's Adam?" question hanging over the Carringtons' heads, and clear a path for them to bring RealAdam onto the show at the writers' leisure.

I like that plot devise. But an issue I forsee is that the show might be wanting to let the world think Cristal is dead. (The family wants to flush out whoever shot her once they get around to believing Alexis that she didn’t do it – kinda like the Richard Channing exploding house story on FC – which was why I thought Season 2 wouldn’t pick up with the continuation of the fire scene.) That would require two ‘dead’ – would they want to do that? Yet, why not.

What are your thoughts on how burned-beyond-recognition body gets there and who it is and why folk are convinced it’s Fake Adam/Hank.

 

[Willie Oleson]

If the fire-starter was a guest, more attention would be drawn to a guest walking on the grounds with lit lamp in hand than the help

The only guests we know (i.e. characters rather than extras) are Liam, Mrs Daniels and the Colbys (I don't know if they were invited but the were in the mansion shortly before the ceremony).
I'm not sure if the staff and help were paying much attention to the guests, if you consider how easy it was for Claudia to walk into the mansion and then upstairs.

Anyway, which one of those guests would have a motive?
The Colbys, because they felt betrayed? They seemed very pleased when Hank voted with them to sell C-A. When Jeff suggested another partnership to Fallon I believed him.
They're practical people, I don't see much emotion coming from these Colbys.
Melissa Daniels? Because...because...??
Liam? Anders forgot to un-invite him which is an odd excuse. Why would Anders invite him in the first place? If the invitations were made at the time he was still married to Fallon he didn't need an invitation because he was part of the family. And if Anders had sent him the invitation after he had left, then why would Anders change his mind and un-invite him?
But maybe it was just a joke and he invited himself.
His motive would have to be fabricated, like a whole new background story completely unrelated to anything we've seen in season 1. Would the writers already be that desperate?
The same goes for Anders, there's never been any indication that he hates the Carringtons.

It's more likely that someone infiltrated the group of hired help, and that could be Cesil or Ted Dinard, although my guess would be Ted's father.
It's all good and well to create a mystery, but if you explain it with a nonsensical out-of-the-blue motive then it falls flat, to put it mildly.

but the arsonist was outside when he took the lamp

However, he/she must have been inside that part of the stable house first, to sabotage the door with the screwdriver and then go outside to get the lamp.
Anders was talking to Cristal, then left the building, Claudia entered the building and after her the Carringtons. Claudia shot Cristal and then left, she had the opportunity to sabotage the lock but that would have been pure improvisation as she was too unstable to plan anything like that.
Or maybe it was one of the photographers, but they didn't know that they were going to be excused. I assume they also left the building otherwise they would have seen the person with the screwdriver. Come to think of it, they must have left the stable area altogether otherwise they would have seen the person with the lamp going inside the building.
Unless...they never left the building, which means...

What are your thoughts on how burned-beyond-recognition body gets there

This is more complicated than Who Shot JR.

 

[xab]

What lamp, detective...?

 

[tommie]

Liam? Anders forgot to un-invite him which is an odd excuse. Why would Anders invite him in the first place? If the invitations were made at the time he was still married to Fallon he didn't need an invitation because he was part of the family. And if Anders had sent him the invitation after he had left, then why would Anders change his mind and un-invite him?

Actually, it was Sammy Jo who both invited and forgot to uninvite him. Considering he invited Kirby too it seems his guest list was all over the place, then again, he has few friends in Atlanta so maybe it makes sense.

As for Melissa Ryan - in theory, she would be the guardian of a huge fortune with the entire Carrington family wiped out. Not that I think it was her - Ted Dinard or Ted's father make the most sense imho.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Actually, it was Sammy Jo who both invited and forgot to uninvite him

Oops, my mistake - but still I think it's bizarre that Liam was invited at all, and what would be the reason to uninvite him? And how did this nitwit find Liam, and Kirby?
Maybe he posted a message on their Facebook page. "Wanna come 2 my wedding - smiley face - C YA!"

she would be the guardian of a huge fortune with the entire Carrington family wiped out

Yes, if she can prove that Steven is the father.

It's also possible that the arsonist and the person with the screwdriver are two different characters.
I could imagine that Kirby (familiar with the Carrington estate) followed them and put the screwdriver there because she enjoys these nasty pranks.
Maybe the arsonist never thought about the door and just hoped that the fire would surprise them.
But if you consider the photographers then the crime scene becomes a little crowded.

 

[tommie]

Oops, my mistake - but still I think it's bizarre that Liam was invited at all, and what would be the reason to uninvite him? And how did this nitwit find Liam, and Kirby?
Maybe he posted a message on their Facebook page. "Wanna come 2 my wedding - smiley face - C YA!"

To be fair, Liam was technically her husband and Fallon and he were putting up a charade in front of the world up until 1x19. It's possible he invited them. Anders also had Kirby's phone number I guess, so it's not like she was in hiding or anything. Anders knew exactly where she was so he could've, in theory, gotten the information from his phone or adress book.

Yes, if she can prove that Steven is the father.

Not that hard today - she'd just need Carrington DNA. Considering they are ultra-rich I imagine that they all have yearly check-ups at least, which would provide blood samples.

It's also possible that the arsonist and the person with the screwdriver are two different characters.
I could imagine that Kirby (familiar with the Carrington estate) followed them and put the screwdriver there because she enjoys these nasty pranks.
Maybe the arsonist never thought about the door and just hoped that the fire would surprise them.
But if you consider the photographers then the crime scene becomes a little crowded.

That would certainly put another layer to things! Still, it sounds like they were being lured into the room for a reason, so the question is who the photographer was? Hell, maybe it's Iris out for revenge again?

 

[Zable]

What lamp, detective...? + téléchargement.jpeg

This is now, that was then. But, kudos. Well spotted.

 

[Zable]

 

[Willie Oleson]

To be fair, Liam was technically her husband and Fallon and he were putting up a charade in front of the world up until 1x19. It's possible he invited them

Oh well, if you mean that everyone was officially invited, including the family - I don't know how that works, I never married because nobody wants me.

so the question is who the photographer was

And what happened to them? Did they just vanish into thin air?