Episode 179 - 3/2/67

As Joe and Guthrie attempt to break their way into the crypt, the door opens mysteriously. Joe's reluctant to enter, thinking someone is inside. Guthrie says there's no one inside, and Joe says that's even worse. The two men enter, and the door creaks shut behind them.

Inside the crypt, Guthrie searches for Laura Murdoch's vault. Joe says he's scared, and Guthrie indicates that he is, too. They find the vault, and Joe says he's concerned about being respectful of the dead. Guthrie suggests that he is, and that he's also respectful of the living. They get to work on the vault.

Back at Collinwood, Frank asks Carolyn where Guthrie is. She feigns ignorance. He's concerned that Guthrie might go to far; by breaking the law. He asks Carolyn if he went to the cemetery to find the crypt. She breaks down and says he went with Joe to open the grave of Laura Murdoch Stockbridge.

The two men work at the vault with no luck. They try and pry the vault open with a crowbar, and eventually get the nameplate off, exposing the coffin.

They drag it out and put it on a small table.

They begin work on opening the coffin that is nailed shut when they are interrupted by the caretaker.

He tells them they are fortunate he stopped them just in time. Guthrie says that Vicki Winters told them about him. The caretaker says yes, she's here, but her name it not Winters. He finds a vault and Guthrie tries to explain that Vicki was alive. The caretaker says they were ALL alive. The caretaker asks if he knows who the people are? He says the violence that killed them might be freed if they open the coffin. Guthrie says that he's willing to accept the consequences. The caretaker says he is their guardian, for which they are grateful. He tells them that they can open the coffin after he is dead.

Frank Garner shows up, and apologizes to the caretaker. Frank asks if Guthrie and Joe are aware they can go to jail for this. Guthrie tells him that they don't have time to go through the appropriate legal channels. Guthrie apologizes to the caretaker, and offers to replace the coffin and vault. The caretaker says to let her rest where she is for a while. Joe suddenly smells flowers. Frank asks if it's Jasmine, and Joe says he doesn't know what Jasmine smells like. The others can't smell it, but Guthrie suggests it could be Josette. Suddenly, the coffin opens on its own. The caretaker asks the coffin to rest, but Guthrie peers in and finds that the coffin is empty.

Our thoughts

John: Did Guthrie put in contacts before their grave-digging expedition, or did he think he'd be better off if he couldn't see?

Christine: If the phoenix manages to be reincarnated again, I wonder if she'll reconsider using the name Laura Murdoch. It might be prudent to change it.

John: The crowbar won't open the vault, but it almost took down the entire set wall... and then they put a 200 year-old coffin on what appears to be a tea cart?

Christine: It's obviously a strong little piece of furniture. I wonder if it would have prompted a second take if the thing had toppled, or if we would have had the pleasure of seeing the actors deal with it.

John: The caretaker once again steals the show. I'm going to miss him when he's gone. They should have hired him to come work at Collinwood.

Christine: I expect we'll encounter him again, watching over other crypts at Eagle Hill Cemetery. I also expect we'll see this moonlit sky shot from the opening again.