Dark Shadows Episode 330 - 9/29/67

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David stares at the portrait of Barnabas. Liz walks up and asks what he's doing. David explains that Barnabas' eyes are following him. He tells her that he's afraid of his cousin because he wants David to die. Liz asks why he would think that. David says that Barnabas has a secret he's hiding that he's afraid David will find out. He says there's something in the basement of the old house that Barnabas doesn't want anyone to find out. He tells her that Sarah appeared to him last night and warned him to stay away from the old house. Roger walks in on him and tells David he's heard enough. He sends David to his room under threat of spanking him. David goes upstairs and Liz asks Roger to go into the drawing room. Liz tells Roger that punishing David isn't the answer. In the foyer, David sneaks back downstairs and goes outside.

Outside the old house, as the sun sets, David opens a window and sneaks in. He finds his way to a locked door when a hand grasps him from behind. It's Julia. She says he had better leave before Barnabas comes home. He asks her why the basement door is locked. She grabs his arm and tells him he has to leave now.

Roger plays the piano when Liz comes in to say David is not in his room. Roger is angry that he probably went to the old house. Julia and David arrive, and Julia confirms he was at the old house. Roger says he's going to get a spanking, and Liz sends him upstairs. Julia asks them to keep David away from the old house. Roger says that David thinks Barnabas wants him to die. He says his ghost friend Sarah has told him that Barnabas is hiding something downstairs. She suggests they not mention David's snooping to Barnabas. Roger says he doesn't know what to do with David. Julia says if he keeps him away from the old house, everything will be all right.

In his room, David wonders why Barnabas has the basement door locked.

Julia finishes giving Barnabas his treatment. He asks why she's ill at ease. She says it's not important. She tells him Willie was shipped to a home for the criminally insane. Barnabas points out that one threat remains—David. She says he's not a threat, but admits she wasn't able to hypnotize him. Barnabas says he's got a way of dealing with David. No one will believe a word that he says.

Roger comes upstairs and David asks if he's going to get a spanking. Roger says he just wants to understand him. Roger asks why he continually disobeys him. David says he had to, because Sarah had warned him about Barnabas. David says he found the basement door locked, which means he's hiding something. Roger asks him to promise he'll stay away from the old house and David agrees.

Roger leaves and a bat flies in to David's room. It attacks him and he screams for help.

Our thoughts

John: I guess David didn't think through what might have happened if Barnabas had caught him sneaking into the old house.

Christine: One moment he's terrified to go there, and the next he's ignoring Sarah's warning and sneaking over to look for the coffin right before dusk. That didn't make much sense. It seems that Julia is spending her days at the Old House to protect Barnabas while Willie is at an extended stay at the crazy house.

John: Who believes that David will keep his promise about staying away from the Old House?

Christine: Who believes he'll try harder to obey Roger?

John: I guess the recently acquired Blue Screen really did eat up the effects budget, leaving approximately 39 cents for a drug store rubber Bat—one of the finest out of Hong Kong. Bad enough to have to rely on a rubber bat on a string, but they really should have avoided the shadow of the stick showing up on screen.

Christine: Apparently you did not watch end credits today to see that this was no ordinary dime store rubber bat, but a bat created by famed puppeteer, Bil Baird, who made the marionettes and performed "The Lonely Goatherd" sequence in the Sound of Music. It was recently sold at auction this past June. Perhaps we can blame the poor quality of the video and terrible sound effect for your misjudgment of this lovable bat. Just look at those sweet, glowing, sequined eyes. What a great way to end the week with Barnabas transforming himself into a bat for the first time, removing any lingering doubt David may have had about what he truly is. I loved the way he tormented him, battering him with his wings, and making it appear as though he might bite him.

High on a hill was a lonely vampire
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo
Loud was the voice of the lonely vampire
Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo

John: Well, now that I have a chance to see the craftsmanship up close and personal, I'm impressed that they managed to make that thing look good enough to be confused with a much more detailed and frightening rubber bat like those I grew up with.