Dark Shadows Episode 461 - 4/1/68

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In 1795, an executioner tests a hanging rope on a heavy bag. With everything checked, Vicki is led to the gallows. The executioner gets her into position, puts the rope around her neck, and asks if she wants a mask. She nods indicating that she does. She hears Peter's voice, assuring her that he'll find her.

In 1968, during a seance at Collinwood, Vicki is replaced by an unknown woman in period clothing. Barnabas asks her what she's doing there.

In 1795, while a small crowd watches, the executioner hangs Vicki.

Back in 1968, the strange woman screams, clutching her throat, before falling to the ground, dead.

In 1795, the executioner removes the hood from the dead body and is shocked to see that it is not that of Victoria Winters.

In 1968, Vicki clutches her throat, screaming.

No one understands what happened to the other woman who has replaced Vicki. Julia tells everyone that she is a doctor, and says that she has some explaining to do. Barnabas leans in to Vicki, calling her name. As she comes to, she tells him that Millicent was right, and she's glad he's still alive. Barnabas is surprised by her statement. Vicki asks why he didn't want anyone to know he was alive. Then she mentions Mrs. Collins, causing Liz to ask what she called her, and then realizes she's in the room in 1968, with Julia and Roger as well. She joyfully says that she's back, and she didn't die. Julia offers to take Vicki up to her room with Roger's help. Vicki says her arm hurts, and Julia notices a rope burn on her neck. Vicki doesn't remember anything, and Roger points out that Millicent, who she mentioned, lived over 200 years ago. As they help her upstairs, they pass Carolyn. When Vicki sees her, she mentions Millicent.

Liz asks Barnabas if he had a premonition about tonight. Liz asks about the woman who disappeared, who said she had come to look after Sarah Collins, and Barnabas says she must have gone back to her own time. He mentions that Sarah died in 1795. Liz says the family history book will confirm that, but she can't find it anywhere. Liz says he really believes that Vicki saw things from the past. She says he also seems to have known Julia was a doctor, and she thinks he's not telling her everything he knows. Julia comes down and tells Liz that Vicki would like to see her. Liz leaves Julia with Barnabas when she goes upstairs. Barnabas asks Julia if she's really not going to let him see Vicki, and she says that he really believes she traveled to the past. She asks him what he will do if his beloved Vicki is telling Liz right now.

Vicki is in bed asleep. Liz stands over her when Julia enters the room. She tells Liz she came to Collinwood because she needed a change. She says Dr. Woodard knew of her interest in the history of the area, and Collinwood, and she hopes Liz will let her stay to continue working on her book. Vicki stirs, saying her arm hurts, and Julia explains she had a bullet wound in her arm. Vicki calls to Peter. She tells Liz that she must save Peter before he hangs. Vicki says she was wearing a mask, and couldn't see Peter, but could hear him. She describes being hanged, and Julia and Liz assure her she's going to be all right. Vicki calls to Peter to help her. Outside her window, the squeaky bat flaps in the night.

Liz watches over Vicki as she sleeps. She offers to get Julia a cup of tea. Liz says she doesn't know what to tell Barnabas and Roger, so Julia goes downstairs with her. The squeaky bat enters her room, and Barnabas calls to her as he emerges from the shadows. He tells her to wake up. He says it's Barnabas. She wakes, and asks him why Josette came to her cell and told her he was dead. And why was she in jail. She tells him she's confused about him.

She says Josette blamed her for killing him. Vicki says she never put a curse on him. Barnabas says he wasn't aware that a curse was put on him. Vicki says she told the Countess that Josette would lose his ring on the day she died. Barnabas asks her if she knows why his being alive was kept a secret. Julia returns and tells him to leave immediately, and not to come back again. He leaves through the door. Vicki tells Julia she was in another time, with people she'll never see again.

Barnabas tells Carolyn she must divert Dr. Hoffman tomorrow so he can be alone with Vicki. He says he must talk with her alone or she will never speak again.

Our thoughts

John: So let's think about this for a second. When Vicki went back to 1795, she was stunned by the uncanny resemblances everyone had to those she left behind in 1968. How come Barnabas didn't react similarly when he returned. Wouldn't he be shocked to see Roger and Liz were the spitting image of his parents? Or that Burke Devlin (at one point) looked like his uncle Jeremiah? Or that Mrs. Johnson was his mean old aunt Abigail, or Joe Haskell his old nemesis Nathan Forbes?

Christine: Barnabas was working diligently to cover up the fact that he was the same guy he was trying to pass off as his 'ancestor' when he first arrived at Collinwood, thus had to hide his recognition of his family and former friend. Of course, you are aware that Barnabas was supposed to be staked early on and it was never intended that we know his history when he first stepped over the threshold at Collinwood, so you are just being funny. I'm more interested in knowing if Barnabas remembers Vicki from the past, or if the Barnabas who tried to help Vicki in 1795 exists in some parallel time.

John: I love how Julia just announces that she's a doctor, and everyone just accepts it. Smart of her to tell Liz that she was still writing a book, and would like to stick around for a while.

Christine: Here's a refresher on present day events since Episode 365 was a long way back. The family has just learned that Burke is dead; Julia has secured her notebook of anti-vampire treatments on Barnabas with Tony Peterson to prevent Barnabas from strangling her to death after his hoodoo failed at making her go nuts; Carolyn is working as Barnabas' trusty servant to keep an eye on Julia and deliver Vicki to him so he can make her his eternal bride; and Sarah shamed Barnabas for his habit of choking everyone he doesn't like, telling him she wouldn't return until he remembered what it was like to be good. I don't think we'll be seeing Sarah again.

John: It will be a shame if Vicki ends up forgetting about everything she experienced in 1795. And where did the family history book end up? Did Trask have it last? Or has it been sitting in a cupboard in Collinwood for the past 200 years?

Christine: I believe it was last seen in the hands of Judge Hanley in Episode 437. I suspect it will find its way back to Collinwood the same way Barnabas got his cane back after Nathan Forbes thrust it into Joshua's face, or the same mysterious way he recovered his ring after Josette lost it and then took a dive off the cliff at Widows' Hill.