Tuesday, March 30, 2021

Dark Shadows Episode 1242 3/30/71

You can stream today's episode free on TubiTV 

Bramwell is waiting in the gazebo when Catherine arrives. She tells him she's risking everything being there. She asks what he wants. He reminds her that Daphne wants them together. He says he heard she had another fainting spell this morning. She admits that it's true. He says it's because she's pregnant, and that's what he wants to talk to her about. She says she doesn't know what to do. He says it's their child, and they have to decide about its future — not realizing that Morgan is watching them from the shadows. Catherine asks if he wants the child to live. He says he does, and she tells him she'll let him know what she plans soon. He embraces her. She tells him Morgan will be suspicious, and she must leave.

Morgan returns to Collinwood. He goes into the drawing room, and Kendirck asks him where he disappeared to. Morgan tells him he'll take the drink Kendrick offered now. He downs it, and when Kendrick asks where he went, he says he went for a walk. Kendrick says he looks terribly disturbed about something. Morgan declines to talk about it. He says it's strange that you could know someone your entire life, and then in one day realize you really never knew them at all. Kendrick asks who he's talking about. Morgan asks him if he's ever had the overwhelming urge to commit murder. Kendrick asks if he's serious. He says he is. Kendrick says he needs to speak to someone, and Morgan tells him he'd like to be left alone. Kendrick leaves him. 

Morgan hears Catherine return. He comes into the foyer and she asks if he was waiting for her. He asks her how everything is at the old house. She asks if something's wrong. He asks her if she went to the old house. She tells him that everything is fine. He asks if Josette was there, and after hesitating, she says that she was. He asks how Daphne looked, and she says she was quite peaceful. He then asks her if Bramwell was there, and she says he was, but she says she didn't speak to him. He starts to ask her something else, and she asks him why he's asking so many questions. He suggests that she should go upstairs and rest, since tomorrow will be an ordeal with Daphne's funeral. He kisses her on the forehead, and she goes up to her room.

The next morning, Catherine does a reading at Daphne's funeral. When she's done, she places flowers  on her grave, after which she and Morgan leave. Julia then places flowers and leaves. Kendrick nods and leaves, leaving Bramwell alone. He kneels at the grave. 

Catherine and the others return to Collinwood. She asks Morgan to take her upstairs, but he says he's got some correspondence to deal with. He asks Julia to take her upstairs, and she agrees, adding that she'll check on Flora, whose doctor recommended that she not attend the funeral. Kendrick also goes upstairs to see Melanie, leaving Morgan alone. He goes into the drawing room and sits down to write a letter.

Morgan goes to the old house, and slides a letter under the door. 

Bramwell sees the letter by the door and picks it up. It's from Morgan. It says, "I know the truth now. Are you man enough to face me? The West Wing of Collinwood at 5 o'clock." Bramwell wonders what truth Morgan is talking about, and if he learned about the child.

Kendrick watches the clock. It's three hours before he's scheduled to go into the locked room, where he believes he'll break the curse. Morgan returns home and is surprisingly pleasant. Kendrick says he looks like the cat who swallowed the canary. Morgan offers him a drink to the future. Morgan asks if going into the room is beginning to get to him. He says maybe it is. Morgan tells him that he's confident that he'll survive the night. Kendrick asks him what's brought that on. He says he looked into his own private crystal ball, and can see what the future holds for the family. Kendrick doesn't understand him, and Morgan tells him to be patient. They toast the future, and then Morgan says he has a matter of the utmost importance to attend to, and goes upstairs. 

Julia finds Kendrick in the drawing room and asks if he's seen Morgan. He says he just went upstairs. He points out that Morgan's demeanor changed completely, and he doesn't understand it.

Bramwell arrives at Collinwood and goes upstairs. 

Morgan goes into the West Wing, and into the 'locked' room. Bramwell arrives and calls out asking if Morgan is there. He hears a noise, and goes into the room. He asks if Morgan is there. Morgan steps out of the shadows and hits him over the head, knocking him out. Morgan welcomes the unconscious Bramwell to 'their special guest room' and locks the door behind him. He leaves the room with a smile on his face. 

Kendrick is downstairs with Julia and Catherine, a half hour before he was planning to go into the room. He complains about the waiting. He says he just wants it to be over with. Morgan comes in and says that Kendrick is not going to go into the room. Kendrick says he was picked. Morgan tells them that cousin Bramwell graciously volunteered. Julia asks if it's some kind of joke. Catherine asks what he's done to Bramwell. He says he did nothing. Julia says Bramwell would never go in voluntarily. She demands that Morgan give him the key so she can let him out. Morgan says he's in the room, and that's where he's going to stay. Catherine calls out Bramwell's name and runs off crying. Morgan mocks her, saying he knows where her real affections lie. He asks if she'll love him in the morning as she loves him now. 

Catherine goes to the locked room and pounds on the door, calling to Bramwell. He stirs. He calls to her, and manages to stand up. He asks if she can open the door, and she explains that Morgan has the keys. She says he's determined to have Bramwell spend the night in the room. 


Our thoughts:  

John: So much for my theory of Morgan confronting Bramwell and Catherine! I'm frankly surprised he was able to contain himself as long as he did.
 
Christine: It could be that his shock overwhelmed his impulsiveness, giving him time to plan something nefarious. I think we can expect he won't get the result he hoped for, and that Bramwell will emerge from the room alive and well, and be successful in ending the curse. 
                                                                                                                           
John: Daphne's funeral almost looked like a Leviathan gathering! They made a point of explaining Flora's absence, and reminded us that Melanie was still locked away, but they didn't mention Quentin being out of town (the reason he missed the lottery — which was the same day of the funeral? I'm losing track of time!)... and they didn't even bother offering an explanation for Josette's absence at her daughter-in-law's funeral.

 
Christine: It would be the ideal time for the Leviathans to show up and claim Catherine's baby. 
 
John: Interesting play by Morgan. I can't fault Bramwell for falling for the 'meet me in the West Wing' ploy, since I didn't see it coming. Nice trick to lock him in the room to fulfill the lottery requirements. Perhaps Kendrick and Melanie will actually have a chance to live happily every after. But things don't bode well for cousin Bramwell!
 
Christine: The one thing about this show that makes it fun to watch, even when the storylines are not the best, is that it continues to do the unexpected. I can understand why fans picketed when it was announced the show was ending. This particular storyline may not be my favorite, but I still would have liked to have seen what came next for our plucky characters. Of course I would have remained hopeful that the original Collins family would be restored and we'd be able to catch up on the doings of Liz, Roger, David, Carolyn, Julia and Barnabas.
 
 

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN!

Only 3 more episodes to go...

No comments: