Dark Shadows Episode 982 3/31/70

Amazon Prime members can stream today's episode free!

Maggie waits in the drawing room for Quentin to return, wondering where he went, and why. A letter is slipped under the door, which Maggie sees and picks up. She opens the doors but there's no one in the foyer. She reads the note, which says she will never be welcome there, and is signed by Angelique. She's confused, considering that Angelique is dead. Julia comes in and confirms that Quentin hasn't returned. She offers to take Maggie to her room, which faces the sea. Maggie asks if Angelique's room did, and Julia says no. She heads upstairs and Maggie follows her.

Barnabas asks Carolyn if her husband is back yet, and she tells him that he won't be home until the Eagle, the local bar, closes. Will comes in and sees Barnabas. He says it's Barnabas. Barnabas tells him that he's the descendant of the man he wrote about.

He explains that he came on a pilgrimage to see Will. Will says it calls for a drink. He finds Barnabas' book, and says he's been looking for a copy. He opens it and notices that a page is torn out, which he finds very upsetting. Carolyn seems disgusted by him. She tells Will that Barnabas wants to rent a room. Will says they won't charge a relative. Barnabas insists that he pay. Will explains that he will need his privacy, because he's about to start a new book. Carolyn laughs at his suggestion.

Quentin returns and tells Maggie that he doesn't want her to be angry. She asks what she did to upset him, and he explains that it was him, but he won't explain why. She suggests that they just go to bed.

Barnabas stands over his coffin and tells Carolyn he's worried about his book. He tells her to guard him carefully.

The next morning, Maggie is writing a letter to her sister when Julia comes in with the week's menu. Maggie says it will be fine, but Julia insists that she review it to avoid any unpleasant scenes. Julia also says that there are other suites available if they are not happy with their room. Maggie asks Julia if Angelique's room was different, and Julia says it's the most beautiful room in the house. Maggie asks where it is, and Julia tells her it's in the East Wing. Maggie asks Julia about Daniel, since she hasn't heard or seen him. Julia says he's not well today and shouldn't be disturbed.

Quentin comes in and says he has to go to work at the cannery. Maggie says she wants to go over some menus with him, and he tells her to work it out with Hoffman. He tells her to investigate the house and the rest of the grounds. Julia asks to see Quentin for a moment, and they step out of the drawing room.

Julia asks him if he's seen Daniel. He says he has. She asks if they should call the doctor, and he says it's not necessary. He asks Julia who told Daniel that he remarried, and she says that Elizabeth did.

Maggie hears them and wonders why Quentin didn't tell her that Daniel resented her.

Carolyn asks Will if he has written much today as he pours himself a drink. He says he noticed that their guests bed hadn't been slept in. Carolyn says that he was up early and she made his bed. Will tells her that the book Barnabas brought was Angelique's, and that he could smell her perfume on it. Carolyn says she has been dead for six months. Will asks her how he got the book. Carolyn says he arrived last night, and then says she has a migraine. He suggests that they go to the big house to meet the new mistress. He adds that he looks forward to chatting with Barnabas, and Carolyn reminds him that they need Barnabas' money.

Maggie is searching for something with Angelique's handwriting to compare to her note when Julia comes in with tea. She explains that at tea time, anyone on the estate might drop in. Will arrives and introduces himself to Maggie, saying he knew her daddy, who he spent many nights with at the Eagle. Maggie offers him tea, which he turns down, and Julia gives him a proper drink before leaving them alone together.

Will tells her not to trust Julia, and to watch her carefully. He asks if Julia has given her any trouble yet. He says that the house is full of hornets, and she has to step carefully. Will adds that he's more than just a gossiping writer. Maggie shows him the note she received, and Will says he never thought he'd see her handwriting again.

Barnabas stands by his coffin, not wanting to harm anyone, and disappointed that his changing time didn't change him. Carolyn comes downstairs and offers herself to him. She says that if he stops, she'll tell Will everything. He reluctantly bites her neck.

Maggie goes to the East Wing and hears Julia talking to someone. She opens the door and Julia steps out, saying she shouldn't be in this part of the house, as it hasn't been cleaned yet. She escorts her away from Angelique's room.

Carolyn tells Will to leave her alone. He tells her he's surprised Barnabas came to them before going to the big house. She passes out, and he sees the bite marks on her neck.

Barnabas comes downstairs and returns to his coffin. Will steps out of the shadow brandishing a crucifix. He says that only he and Carolyn know he's a vampire. He asks Barnabas where he came from, and Barnabas goes on to explain parallel time, and that he is the same Barnabas Collins that Will wrote about. Barnabas describes how he was there when the book was thrown between their two times.

Will says that Barnabas will make him his fortune. Will opens the coffin, in which he has placed another cross. Will tells him to get in, and explains that Barnabas will be his prisoner. He closes the lid on the coffin, and begins to chain it shut.

Our thoughts

John: This parallel Julia is a particularly nasty woman! It is nice that she has changed so dramatically from the parallel woman we knew. I assume she was gossiping with Angelique's ghost when Maggie overheard her in the East Wing.

Christine: I wonder if we may be encountering Bizarro Collinwood, where everyone is the opposite. Her overheard conversation was pretty eerie.

John: In time, I imagine all of the Collins family members will be aware of parallel time, considering how freely Barnabas is willing to share that information; and how readily everyone accepts it.

Christine: I wonder if William H. will be the first opportunist to attempt to cross over. I only hope if he does that he'll come face to face with his counterpart, Willie.

John: I have to wonder if Jonathan Frid is going on vacation for a while, since Will goes to such lengths to secure Barnabas' coffin shut.

Christine: It does seem that he gets locked in a coffin every time he goes on break, though he may be stuck in a coffin because filming began on House of Dark Shadows on March 23rd. It looks like we may need to revive the Down for the Count countdown to Barnabas' return.

Dark Shadows Episode 981 3/30/70

Amazon Prime members can stream today's episode free!

In the East Wing, Barnabas walks into the empty room. He hears Julia calling to him. He turns and finds himself inside the room in parallel time. He sees Julia out the doorway, but she can't get in. He calls to her. She can hear him but he can't hear her. She thinks he may be trapped in parallel time forever. Barnabas wonders how it happened, and what he's going to do now.

Carolyn asks him who he is, and what he's doing in the room.He recognizes Carolyn, and she asks how he knows her name. He introduces himself as the descendant of Barnabas Collins. He shows her the book, and she asks where he got it. He says it was in the hall.

She asks if Julia knows he's there, and he says no one does. He tries to explain, but she says she doesn't trust him. He grabs her and bites her neck as she screams.

Elizabeth tells Julia that there's no check and it's most embarrassing. Julia says Chris must have overlooked it, and she'll talk to him. She says she lets Roger manage her money because she doesn't have that much anymore, nor any financial sense. Quentin calls and Julia welcomes him back to America. He says they'll arrive that night. Julia tells him it will be good to have him back in Collinwood. Elizabeth says everything will be changed when he arrives. He says it will be odd to have one of the little girls of the neighborhood return as Quentin's wife. She says she hopes he's happy at last. Julia says that he was happy, because he had everything, and he'll never be as happy again. Julia leaves to prepare his room.

Barnabas apologizes to Carolyn, but explains that he needed her help. He tells her she'll need to find a hiding place for his coffin. He tells her about a room in the basement of the old house, which she calls Loomis house. She says she can tell her husband that they're renting a room to him. They hear Julia coming and Carolyn tells him to hide. Julia tells her that she heard voices, and asked who is there with her.

Carolyn tells her that she's alone. She says she was looking for the book, and she found it in the hall, under a chair. She shows her Willie's book. Carolyn sits down, tired, and tells Julia that she'll be there for a few minutes. Julia leaves to open up the suite down the hall, noting that Mr. Collins is arriving tonight. Barnabas comes out and Carolyn tells him to leave. He tears the inscription out of the book, and asks her who Quentin married. Carolyn says it's a girl from town they don't know named Maggie Evans.

Maggie asks Quentin what he's thinking about. He says that perhaps they should have stayed away longer. She asks if he hates the house because of Angeique. He gets up, noticeably upset. She apologizes. She says she's well suited to manage a house, and he tells her that Mrs. Hoffman is well equipped to do that. He tells her that he loves her, and they kiss.

Barnabas and Carolyn go downstairs in the Loomis house where his coffin will be hidden. He tells her they just need to find a coffin. She asks how he knows so much, and he goes on to explain parallel time to her. He says he came to her time to escape who he was—but he failed.

He tells her that where he came from, she was an heiress to Collinwood. She says she'd like that time, and he tells her that she wouldn't, because her husband was killed. He asks Carolyn how Julia came to Collinwood, and Carolyn says she arrived with Angelique. Carolyn adds Angelique always wanted to marry Quentin since she was a child, and that Angelique's father, Tim Stokes, raised her at Collinwood.

Barnabas finds the story so similar, and yet different. Carolyn realizes that he meant what he said about parallel time, and decides she doesn't want to think about it. He asks if she liked Angelique, and based on her response, realizes that there was no love lost between them.

Julia talks to Angelique's portrait, and says that even Quentin must know that there will only ever be one mistress of Collinwood.

Maggie tells Quentin that as a child, she always dreamed of coming to Collinwood. He tells her that it's now all hers.

Julia prepared a meal in the drawing room, and Elizabeth asks her if she made all of Angelique's favorites.

Maggie reminds Quentin that he is to carry her across the threshold, and he sweeps her off her feet and brings her inside. Elizabeth welcomes them, and Quentin introduces her as his cousin. Quentin asks how Julia is, and after she welcomes him back, he introduces her to Maggie. Julia explains that dinner is ready by the fire. Quentin angrily asks why she did that. Maggie doesn't understand his reaction, and he tells Julia that it will be fine this time. Maggie tells Quentin how happy she is as she checks out the spread. Quentin asks Julia if she did it deliberately. He storms out of the house, and Julia feigns ignorance as to why. She tells Maggie that returning to Collinwood has apparently upset him.

Maggie waits in the drawing room for Quentin to return, wondering where he went, and why. A letter is slipped under the door, which Maggie sees and picks up. She opens the doors but there's no one in the foyer. She reads the note, which says she will never be welcome there, and is signed by Angelique.

Our thoughts

John: Sadly, I cannot help but think the writers pursued the parallel time storyline out of boredom rather than some specific dramatic purpose. I guess time travel wasn't enough of a change to keep things interesting for the actors. Hopefully they'll prove me wrong before this is through.

Christine: I don't know if the writers were bored or just straining for new ideas for the show. Time travel to the past has already been done, so parallel time travel is quite a novel idea. Personally, I like seeing the actors challenge themselves to convince us that they have entirely different present day personalities.

John: So Barnabas got part of his wish, crossing the time band, but he didn't shed the vampire curse. So what's the first thing he does? He says he's a relation, bites Carolyn, and tells her about parallel time. Really? Just had to get that off his chest right off the bat? You'd think they could have at least gone coffin shopping first.

Christine: Barnabas has bitten every one of Carolyn's incarnations. He is obsessed with her neck. He's like a creepy old vampire uncle.

John: So I was right about Maggie being Quentin's bride, but I never would have guessed that Julia was 'the help.' And not just the help. Clearly she's still devoted to Angelique, and is not going to make life for Quentin or Maggie comfortable in Collinwood, by the look of things.

Christine: Quentin has some serious anger issues, but it seems that everyone at Collinwood is pretty cantankerous. How long before Angelique shows up and proves she's not really dead?

Dark Shadows Episode 980 3/27/70

Amazon Prime members can stream today's episode free!

Carolyn goes to Widow's Hill looking for Jeb. She instead finds Sky. He tells her that Nicholas didn't want her to see her own death. He grabs her by the throat and tells her there's no escape. She screams as he drags her towards the cliff. Jeb comes to her rescue, and after grappling with Sky, Jeb is thrown over the cliff. Carolyn runs away. Sky chases after her.

Barnabas is pacing in the drawing room when Julia returns to Collinwood. She tells him that Sabrina is very weak, and asks her why he did it. He says he stayed at the old house, but she came to him. She blames herself for the injections not working. Barnabas says if he could reach parallel time. She asks if that would change things, and he says it might save Sabrina. He wonders if he can live in parallel time in the daylight. She warns that he could get trapped there forever. She tells him that he belongs in this time.

Carolyn returns to Collinwood and calls for her mother. Barnabas asks what's the matter, and she says there was nothing she could do. Her mother comes downstairs and Carolyn bursts into tears saying Jeb is dead. Barnabas helps her into the drawing room. Julia arranges to give her a sedative, and she says she doesn't want a sedative—she wants Jeb. She tells Barnabas that he hated Jeb, and is probably happy to hear he's dead. She says she went to Widow's Hill to find Jeb, and saw Sky Rumson. She says he told her that he came there to kill him. She explains how Jeb arrived just in time to save her, only to be pushed over the cliff by Sky. Barnabas leaves the house.

Carolyn falls asleep. Elizabeth asks Julia why Sky would want to kill Jeb. Julia says she's still in danger, and Elizabeth calls the police. Julia realizes that Barnabas left at some point, and wonders where he went.

Barnabas finds Sky as he's packing a bag. Sky tries to leave, and Barnabas says he just has one question. He asks if Sky killed Jeb. Sky asks what Barnabas cares about Jeb, and Sky says he should have died after he destroyed the box and the shrine. Barnabas tells Sky that he won't be leaving the room. Sky says Blair made him do it. Barnabas asks what Blair promised him. He says Blair told him it was his duty. Barnabas says that he will do his duty, and approaches Sky. Barnabas says that if he didn't kill Sky, Angelique would. Sky pulls a gun on Barnabas, who approaches as Sky fires. Barnabas doesn't respond. He begs Barnabas to let him live. Barnabas has him point the gun at himself, and then it goes off, killing him instantly.

Elizabeth tells Barnabas and Julia that the sheriff can't find Jeb's body. They did find Sky dead at Bruno's house, with a pistol in his hand. She says he died of a single gunshot wound, though three shots had been fired from his revolver.

Elizabeth steps out, and Julia asks if Barnabas found Sky. He tells Julia that his death will be ruled a suicide. He tells her he's feeling the urge again, and goes up to the East Wing to see if he can find a way to escape.

Elizabeth covers Carolyn, who dreams of Jeb. He hears him calling to her. He tells her not to come close to him, because he doesn't really exist. She says he's alive and everything will be alright. He tells her that they will meet again, and things will be different. She tells him that she doesn't want memories, she wants him, and she watches as he falls over the cliff once more.

In the East Wing, Barnabas opens the doors and walks into the empty room. He hears Julia calling to him. He turns and finds himself inside the room in parallel time. He sees Julia out the doorway, but she can't get in. He calls to her. She can hear him and thinks he can't hear her. She thinks he may be trapped in parallel time forever. Barnabas wonders how it happened, and what he's going to do now. Carolyn asks him who he is, and what he's doing in the room.

Our thoughts

John: Jeb didn't even earn a Philip level exit over the cliff at Widow's Hill. It all happened so quickly, it almost seems like he accidentally went over. I was pretty sure we'd see him again in today's episode, since it wouldn't have made sense to pay him just to fall to his death in the opening scene.

Christine: Nobody can top the Keystone Kops style run off the cliff that Philip pulled. He really set the standard for all other cliff dives to come. Barnabas sure seemed gleeful to do away with the last of the Leviathan gang. His ruthless grin as he turned the gun on Sky was chilling.

John: Very weird use of the chroma-key effect in Carolyn's dream, with bizarre disco lights shining through Jeb and Carolyn's faces.

Christine: What kind of medicine is Julia doling out these days?

John: I don't think either Julia or Barnabas knew what was going on between the two tracks of parallel time, and whether or not they could actually see or hear one another. With the deaths of Bruno, Blair, Sky and Jeb, it seems like the Leviathan storyline is officially over, and we're now fully immersed in 1970 parallel time. Everyone strap yourselves in!

Christine: I wonder if Barnabas is going to recycle his 'cousin from England' story for Carolyn Loomis next week, and if she'll be receptive to it if he does. Looking forward to getting to know the parallel Collins clan.

Dark Shadows Episode 979 3/26/70

Amazon Prime members can stream today's episode free!

Blair realizes that if he had all of his powers, there would be no Angelique to taunt him. Jeb arrives at Blair's house with the shadow cut-out. Blair says he hoped they would not meet again. Jeb tells him that they must talk—perhaps for the last time. Jeb says he knows he was wrong to do what he did. Blair tells him that he could have had the world. He asks why Jeb came to see him. Jeb asks for his help with the shadow. Blair says he trusted Jeb once, and it was a mistake.

Jeb says he must have some use for him, and Blair says they might recoup something to his advantage. Blair asks if he will do anything he says, and Jeb asks if the shadow will disappear. Blair says they must move the shadow to someone else, but he has someone in mind. They drink a toast, and Blair asks if he has the paper cut-out, because they have to use it on Angelique. He uses his cigarette case to hypnotize Jeb.

Blair tells Jeb that he underestimated him. He asks if he really thought he would give him a second chance. He says he's not the kind of man who forgives. Jeb places the shadow on Blair's heart and runs out. The shadow attacks Blair as Sky rushes in. Blair is on the ground, wide-eyed and mouth agape.

Roger tells Carolyn that she's changed since she got married, and he asks her what the problem is. She says it's for she and Jeb to solve.

Sky kneels by Blair's unconscious body lying on the couch. Jeb returns and Sky asks him if he had to see that Blair was dead. Sky tells him that he is, but Jeb won't get away with it. He says Blair is not a alive, but he's not human, and he'll be back. Jeb leaves. Sky watches as Blair's astral form leaves his body. It tells Sky that he is all alone now, but he will help him. He says he must revenge him, and Jeb must die. Sky tells Blair he'll do whatever he wants. Blair whispers that he still has some powers, and he will use them.

Jeb makes his way back to Collinwood, wondering if Angelique tricked him. Jeb enters the house and looks around for the shadow. He goes into the drawing room and turns on the light. He calls to Carolyn, and she comes running. He tells her that it's all over, and she hugs him. He says they're free of it. She asks what happened. He says he had to turn the shadow on Blair. She asks if he's dead, and he says he had to. He tells her that it's over now. He says they must leave, and she asks to where. She asks why Blair hated him, and he says there's no point in discussing it. She says they ran away once before, and he tells her that it's different this time. He tells her to go pack her clothes, and they'll leave tomorrow morning. He sends her upstairs to tell her mother.

He sits down and hears Blair's voice tell him that he'll never leave; that the dead will not let him. David comes in and asks Jeb why he's alone. Jeb says he's going to the carriage house. He tells David that he and Carolyn are going on a trip tonight.

Roger returns to the room in the East Wing. He opens the door and sees David talking to the portrait of Angelique. The boy says his name is Daniel, and he asks the portrait when she's coming back. Carolyn comes in and says if she were Quentin, she would lock the room up. He says she's coming back with Quentin, and Carolyn tells him that he'll have a new mother now. He denies that he will. Carolyn closes the door on Roger as he calls to her. He opens the door again and it is once again empty. He realizes that Daniel is the son of Angelique and Quentin. He wonders when they will know what this all means.

David plays solitaire, and Carolyn tells him that he must have heard Jeb wrong, and that they're not planning to leave tonight. David asks her if she's staying away forever, and she says no. He says when he grows up, he's leaving—going where the action is. Roger comes in and tells him to go upstairs to bed. As they go up, Roger tells Carolyn that she can come see him in his room.

Carolyn is asleep in a chair in the drawing room. As she sleeps, she hears a voice calling her name. It tells her that it will end at Widow's Hill. The voice asks her if she'd like to see how it will happen, and she sees Jeb atop Widow's Hill. Sky approaches him, accusing him of killing Blair. Sky attacks him and the wrestle to the edge of Widow's Hill, where Sky throws him over the cliff. Carolyn wakes and gets up. David comes downstairs and asks her where she's going. She runs out saying that she's going to Widow's Hill—the back way. Jeb arrives and asks David where Carolyn is. He tells Jeb that she's gone to Widow's Hill.

Carolyn goes to Widow's Hill looking for Jeb. She instead finds Sky. He tells her that Nicholas didn't want her to see her own death. He grabs her and tells her there's no escape.

Our thoughts

John: Do you think we've seen the last of the dancing dark shadows? It's interesting to note that in killing Blair, the dancing shadow managed to do so whilst basically squeezing out his astral body, like toothpaste out of a tube.

Christine: I just don't understand why it attacked Blair immediately when it's been doing the cha-cha around Jeb for weeks.

John: I heard a little Burnt Offerings in today's score. Once again, Roger takes a break from the main storyline to check in on parallel time. To add to the confusion, David is Daniel in parallel time. I was fine with him being the offspring of Quentin and Angelique, but they at least could have kept his name the same. We also wonder when we'll know what it all means, Roger. Of course we can also wonder what Roger means when he tells David that all the action will be in his bedroom.

Christine: I may have snickered a little over that piece of dialogue. Since Daniel is the offspring of two different parents, it would be an odd coincidence for him to have the same name as his parallel counterpart, just as it is strange for him to have the same appearance, but I guess parallel time works in strange and unexpected ways.

John: I hope we'll get another Philip-over-the-cliff with Sky tomorrow. Of course, there's a good chance he won't screw up, and he'll at least take Jeb with him. That would be appropriate, and provide one more widow for the cliff's namesake.

Christine: Sky turned on Blair in Episode 974, but now he's back to being a staunch Nicholas Blair supporter. I guess with Bruno out of the way, he was happy to be back to being Blair's number one man. Nice psychedelic dream sequence today.