Dark Shadows Episode 360 - 11/10/67

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Julia stops in to see Mr. Peterson. He says he's on his way to court and unavailable. She says it's a matter of life and death. She says that if he doesn't take the time to see her, someone may die. He says the judge may murder him, but he'll see her. She asks to see her notebook. He assures her that no one has touched it. He opens the safe, and cannot find it. Julia is alarmed. He tells her not to worry, that it has to be there. She asks if he stole it—if he's part of the conspiracy. She says she never should have trusted him. He stands up and hands it to her, saying it was under some papers. He tells her to take it, since she doesn't trust him, and she begs him to put it back in his safe. He says that his clients must trust him, and a moment ago, she accused him of stealing from her. He says she should find another attorney. She pleads him to lock it back up, and he agrees to lock it back up. He asks her what kind of trouble she's in so he can help her, and she says no one can help her. He replies, 'no one?', and Julia realizes that Sarah can help her.

Maggie brings out a cake for Joe when there's a knock at the door. It's Julia. She asks Maggie if she can borrow the doll Sarah gave her to protect her. Maggie explains that it disappeared several weeks ago and she hasn't been able to find it. Julia says she was hoping Sarah would appear to her, as it's vitally important that she appear to her. Joe asks if she's in some kind of trouble. Julia says she is, but no one can help her but Sarah. Maggie says she only ever saw her in her bedroom, and Joe says she always appeared to David by the old house. Julia says she can try her final resting place. Joe offers to accompany her to the Collins family mausoleum, and she says that she must go alone. Joe asks if she really thinks Sarah is a ghost, and questions that she needs the help of a ghost. Julia tells him that she does—desperately. Julia leaves and Maggie says she hopes she's not in real trouble. Joe says not to worry too much—Dr. Woodard didn't trust her. Maggie feels bad that she seems to be all alone and in danger.

Julia approaches the mausoleum when the caretaker startles her. She says she's come to pay her respects to the Collins family ancestors. The caretaker says this place is cursed. He says strange and violent things have happened here, and she would be wise to stay away. She says she's looking for a little girl who plays here. She asks if he's seen her. He says if she finds her, tell her to stay away, as she's in danger here. He starts to wander away, and Julia hears London Bridge playing. She calls to Sarah. She asks the caretaker if he hears the music, and he says he only hears the wind. He warns her one last time as he leaves. Julia enters the mausoleum and calls to Sarah.

Joe notices Maggie is trembling. She says she's sure something strange and frightening is going on. She asks Joe if he thinks the trouble is starting again. Maybe the trouble didn't end when Willie was captured.

Julia calls to Sarah asking why she won't appear to her. She suddenly feels cold and afraid, and as she gets up, Sarah appears. She asks if she can trust Barnabas. Sarah says she'll have to find out for herself. She says she won't tell anyone anything about Barnabas. She asks Sarah if she'll protect her if Barnabas tries to harm her. She says she knows who she is, and what she did to Dr. Woodard. Julia explains it was Barnabas, and Sarah says she helped him, and she shouldn't have. Sarah says she liked Dr. Woodard. Julia asks her to protect him if Barnabas tries to harm her. Sarah says she has to go, and disappears.

Our thoughts
                                                               
John: Peterson assures Julia that no one has touched her notebook, but didn't we just see Carolyn touch it a few days ago? I think he was just toying with Julia, as there's no way he would have had so much trouble finding it in his safe.

Christine: I think he was toying with us, so we could wonder if Barnabas worked some of that magic he learned from the warlock in Barbados to get the notebook back.

John: Funny how Joe and Maggie so cavalierly refer to Julia as Dr. Hoffman. Makes you wonder if anyone is curious about why she's still hanging around Collinwood under false pretenses.

Christine: She told Liz she'd be leaving in a week back in Episode 356, so she'll probably be around Collinwood for at least a few more months of episodes.

John: Was this the first time Sarah speaks her brother Barnabas' name? Nice to see her take a more active role for a change. Who would have thought that she would have developed such a bond with Dr. Woodard that she'd hold his death against Julia. Of course, if Woodard's ghost were out and about, you think Sarah would know...

Christine: If she loved Dr. Woodard so much, then why didn't she show up to stop her brother from killing him? Her snitty little attitude towards Julia doesn't wash when she could have done something to prevent the murder.  

Dark Shadows Episode 337 - 10/10/67

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Dr. Woodard shows up at the Radcliffe mausoleum, and confronts the caretaker. He asks him about the curse on the Collins tomb that he mentioned when they ran into him at Eagle Hill cemetery. He asks to see the family journal describing the curse. He tells Woodard that it doesn't explain why the curse was placed on the tomb. He explains it will take time to gather the records, and Woodard tells him he'll wait. Less than a minute later, they're looking through a book together.

Roger bumps into Barnabas as he's leaving Collinwood. Barnabas says he spoke to Liz about David, who had gotten him to calm down. Roger says he thinks he's found a place in Boston to send David.

The caretaker reads an entry on Sarah Collins. Woodard says he's not interested in Sarah. He wants to know about her brother Barnabas. The caretaker mentions the resemblance of Barnabas and his ancestor.

He says he thought he was the original Barnabas come back to life when he saw him in the cemetery. Woodard finds an entry that describes Barnabas' father having the family crypt built the day Barnabas left for England. Woodard says he doesn't believe Barnabas Collins ever left Collinwood.

Liz tells Roger that she will not allow David to be sent to a military school. Roger says it's his decision, and Liz threatens him to go ahead and try. Roger backs down.

Dr. Woodard arrives at the house and asks to see David. Roger offers him a drink, and he declines, saying he has work to do later. Roger invites him into the drawing room, and Woodard stops to admire the portrait of Barnabas. Roger asks what he wants to see David about. He says he told David he'd stop by to see him. Roger and Liz leave David with Woodard. He tells David that he met Sarah, and he knows that whatever frightened him is real. He tells David he's sure Barnabas sealed the secret room. He says he's going to do some more investigation before telling anyone what he found. David asks if he thinks Barnabas is dead. Woodard says he's not sure, but he does believe the coffin in the secret room is Barnabas'. He tells David not to tell anyone about their talk. David is concerned about Woodard, but he tells him not to worry about him.

Woodard goes to the old house to see Barnabas. He says that David is much healthier than others think. Barnabas asks if the doctor still gives credence to David's stories. Woodard asks if Barnabas has given him any reason to hate him. Barnabas says no. He says there seems to be no motivation why David would make up these stories. Woodard says that the psychiatrist mentioned that David might be bothered by the fact that Barnabas resembles his ancestor. Barnabas tells Woodard he's fed up with being investigated. Woodard tells him that he saw Barnabas' sister Sarah tonight. Barnabas says he doesn't have a sister. Woodard says perhaps she said ancestor. Barnabas asks him to leave.

Our thoughts

John: No! Our Eagle Hill cemetery caretaker has been replaced, too! The new guy lacks all the doddering charisma of the original caretaker.

Christine: Our original Caretaker, Daniel Keyes, also wouldn't cross the picket line, so now we have two bumbling newbies talking over each other.

John: How much more evidence does Woodard need to mount his case against Barnabas Collins—VAMPIRE! He's gathered all the data, but hasn't said the word.

Christine: Maybe he thinks he's some kind of zombie.

John: When Woodard tells David not to tell anyone about their talk, he's all but sealed his death warrant. And clearly he overestimates his own prowess as he goes right up to Barnabas and calls him out for being the one true Barnabas. One has to wonder how far from the old house he'll get before Barnabas or his minions swoop down and do away with the good Dr.

Christine: Just when I was getting to appreciate new Dr. Woodard for his range of facial expressions, and the cute way he says Barnabeese. The situation is reminiscent of the time Dr. Guthrie confronted Laura Murdoch Collins about being undead in Episode 184, and we know how that turned out. New Dr. Woodard even looks like Dr. Guthrie. I wonder if Barnabas will apply his trademark throat throttle, or if he'll decide it's about time to sink his teeth into a jugular.

Double whoops! Boom mic and edge of set.

An awkward silence between Barnabas and Woodard. Who missed the cue?

 

It appears that the camera operator also didn't cross the picket line.

Dark Shadows Episode 317 - 9/12/67

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Julia stops by to see Barnabas as he's about to step out. He says he's afraid David may know too much. Julia says he'll be making a great mistake if he harms him. He explains that David will be spared if he knows nothing, but if he knows too much, he'll have to die. She says she spoke with David, and she doesn't think he knows anything. He tells her to get out of his way, and he leaves.

Sam checks on a gun in a drawer, and then Dr. Woodard stops by. He asks what the emergency was. Sam says he thinks the maniac who kidnapped Maggie would have something to do with the mausoleum. Sam tells how Joe described people hearing voices in the mausoleum, and he wants to go check on it with Woodard.

Sam asks Woodard to come with him to check it out. He agrees, and Sam shows him the gun he's bringing along.

Barnabas works his way through Eagle Hill cemetery, not realizing that Julia is following him.

Woodard and Sam work their way through the cemetery towards the Collins family mausoleum.

Barnabas approaches the mausoleum and enters. Julia follows him in and enters just before he can open the secret panel. He tells her to leave, and she explains that he has no choice but to share this latest secret with her too.

Sam and Woodard approach the mausoleum and see the caretaker. They tell him they're looking for the Collins mausoleum, and he says it's haunted.

Barnabas describes how chains were wrapped around his coffin, and how he believed he was trapped forever. Julia asks where his coffin was, and Barnabas opens the secret panel. He lets Julia in, and showing her the coffin, he explains that if not for Willie, he might have been trapped for all eternity. He looks around for evidence as to David's presence. Julia tells him she doesn't think he'll find anything, as he picks up a broken pocket knife. He's sure this is proof that David knows his secret. Outside, they hear Sam's voice. Barnabas closes the secret door.

Sam and Woodard enter the mausoleum. Barnabas and Julia listen as Sam says he doesn't know where to look. They spot Sarah's marker, and Woodard says that perhaps Sarah truly is a ghost.

Our thoughts

John: I'd better get used to the blue screen shots. I think we're going to see more and more of them.

Christine: Dan Curtis is just a big kid having fun with a new toy. I think it's understandable how he might also want to use the blue screen to cut time and cost on creating elaborate sets. I kinda liked the glowing blue headstones.

John: Funny that the caretaker is standing still when Sam says he sees someone coming, and then he pauses and describes him closer while he doesn't move at all.

Christine: I had to laugh when Dr. Woodard remarked to Sam that something told him it would not be their night. I think it may have been the way that Sam kept awkwardly waving his gun around. I felt a little let down when he didn't accidentally shoot Woodard by episode's end.

John: So the Collins mausoleum has basically become Grand Central Station in Collinsport. Who else is bound to show up? Perhaps Sarah?

Christine: Barnabas may be reluctant to trust Julia, but deep down he must recognize that she's the only real friend he has. Showing her his tomb and relating his story of imprisonment shows that he's regained a little bit of his humanity, which may indicate that Julia's experiments continue to have successful results.

Dark Shadows Episode 315 - 9/8/67

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Barnabas asks Julia where Willie is. He was to report to him on his search for David at sundown. Barnabas tells her that he will find David before the night is over.

David claws at the secret door, trying to get out. He says that there must be a simple way out that Willie used when Barnabas told him to open the door.

Julia tells Barnabas that he needs another injection. She says that the timing is important or it could render the experiment useless. He explains that if David learns his secret, that will also render her experiments useless. She claims that Barnabas is keeping David a prisoner. He says that if David knew what he was, he wouldn't keep him as a prisoner, risking that he tell someone if he escaped. He says he won't harm David if he doesn't know, but he thinks he does, since he's spent so much time with Sarah. And if he does know, Barnabas will choose survival over sentiment. She says that she hopes someone else finds David before he does. She warns him that if he harms David, he'll be writing his own death warrant, and he says that there may be two death warrants written regardless of what happens to David, and she can tell that to Willie when she sees him.

Barnabas arrives at the main house and asks Vicki if there's been any word on David. She tells him there's been no word. Barnabas says that if David were injured, the sheriff would have found him. Vicki says that's even worse, as it means David might have been abducted by the maniac who abducted Maggie. He tells her that she shouldn't fear the worst. He says there should be some clue. Vicki says that Joe and Roger searched the Eagle Hill Cemetery, and there was something, but it was not of consequence. He asks her for more details, and she describes how the caretaker says he heard voices from within the Collins family mausoleum. She says that Joe and Roger checked, but found nothing inside. Barnabas tells her that he should join the search.

David calls to Sarah, asking for help. He sits down at the step and it slides open.

Barnabas introduces himself to the caretaker at Eagle Hill Cemetery. He explains that he has maintained the archive of the cemetery for 35 years. He asks Barnabas if he's a ghost, since Barnabas died 150 years ago. Barnabas tries to get information from the caretaker, but he blabbers on and on.

Barnabas has little patience as he says that he heard the caretaker heard voices. The caretaker says if he already knew, why did he ask him. Barnabas asks where the voice came from, and he says it came through the wall in the mausoleum. He tries to get the caretaker to confirm he heard a child's cry, and he goes on  to talk about Sarah. Barnabas says he knows Sarah, and almost blurts out that he's her brother. Barnabas says he'll go to see if the voice will talk to him. The caretaker says it's not safe to go there at night. Barnabas just smiles.

David begs for someone to come and help him. Sarah says she can help him.

He turns and is happy to see her. She says she heard him call for help. He asked how she got in, and she says that's one of her secrets. He tells her he's mad that she ran out on him. He says he heard his cousin Barnabas and Willie outside, so he hid in the coffin. He says she showed him how to get in, but not how to get out. She says that his family must be worried about him. She says she will, but he has to promise not to talk about his secret room. He agrees. She shows him how to get out from this side of the wall.

He uses it and the door opens. As he leaves, he tells Sarah to join him, but she's gone. He closes the secret door from the other side, and leaves the crypt. Outside, he runs into Barnabas.

Our thoughts

John: What's the light source in the secret room in the Collins family crypt? Wouldn't it be pitch black?

Christine: It is possible that a skylight was installed in the mausoleum so the sunlight could be used as added protection against the vampire, in case he should get past the locks on his coffin. If not, then it's probably the same source that lit David up while he was in the coffin in Episode 311. Would you prefer to just hear him bumping around in the dark?

John: I'm sure it was accidental, but I had to laugh when David inadvertently exposed the way to open the secret door from inside.

Christine: Too bad he slid it back into place or he could have found his way out before Sarah showed it to him. Best scene of the day was Barnabas getting frustrated by the Caretaker's gibberish.

John: This should be interesting. David doesn't know Barnabas' secret, but he knows too much for his own good. If I didn't know any better, I'd be thinking that David's contract might be running out.

Christine: David's been locked up for nearly two days in the mausoleum, and seems pretty energetic after not having had food or water in all that time. What are the chances he's been using Jason's final resting place for his latrine? It would have been cool if Jason McGuire's ghost had appeared just to taunt him.

"If I have to choose between sentiment and survival, I'll choose survival." -Barnabas

Dark Shadows Episode 313 - 9/6/67

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Roger arrives home and finds Vicki in the drawing room. He says he passed the sheriff in the driveway and asked what happened. She tells him David is missing, and Roger seems oddly concerned.

In the secret room of the Collins family crypt, David cries for help.

Vicki says that Carolyn was watching David when he disappeared. Roger is angry that Vicki wasn't with David, since they pay her to take care of him. She explains that David went looking for Sarah. Roger is upset with Carolyn, Joe and Vicki. Joe assumes responsibility. They says someone saw someone matching David's description, and they're investigating. Roger agrees to go with Joe to continue looking for David.

David continues calling for help.

Vicki suggests that Carolyn get some rest. Carolyn suggests the same, and they both admit that neither can sleep. Carolyn says that the woman who said she saw David was old and not very reliable. She says the police are checking, but didn't want her to get her hopes up. She says she needs to call her mother, and she's afraid that something terrible has happened to David.

Joe and Roger walk in front of a blue screen to make it look like they're in a different location. Joe points out Eagle Hill Cemetery in the distance, and suggests they should check there for David.

David slowly falls asleep.

Outside the crypt, the caretaker finds the door to the Collins crypt open. He goes inside and asks if anyone is in there.

David hears him and calls for help.

The caretaker hears a voice calling for help from inside the crypt, says there's no help for you, and closes the door and leaves.

Joe and Roger see someone in the distance that Roger identifies as the caretaker. They approach him and explain they're looking for a boy. He says they're not one of them, and then points out that they're alive.

Joe asks if he's seen David. The caretaker says David Brewster, drowned at sea, and Joe explains the boy they're looking for is alive.

The caretaker tells them they should leave, because the dead are calling for help. Joe asks where he heard the voices, and he says it was the Collins mausoleum. Roger identifies himself as a Collins, and the caretaker tells them to leave, as the voice came from within.

The caretaker wanders off. Joe says they should check inside, and Roger is reluctant to check. Joe opens the door.

Inside, David says he must have dreamed that someone was there.

Roger tells Joe not to tell anyone what they were doing, as he could never live it down. Inside, they find no one. Roger admonishes Joe for thinking they'd find David there.

Inside the secret room, David is sleeping.

Joe and Roger prepare to leave, but Roger decides he wants to check in on his ancestors first. He points out Naomi Collins, Joshua Collins... The caretaker enters and tells them they must leave, and they do.

After they leave, David gets up and asks who's out there. He calls for help, but it's too late.

Our thoughts

John: So Roger's been in Boston all this time, and in a throwaway line we're told Elizabeth is still there. Is Joan Bennett on another extended vacation already? And since when does Roger get so concerned about David's absence?

Christine: I think he developed concern for David in Episode 192, after David's Phoenix mother nearly incinerated him with her.

John: I see that Dan Curtis bought the crew a blue screen setup and he clearly wanted to put it to use. I hope they'll use it more sparingly in the future, as it looks less realistic than the fake outdoor sets our noble cast so often prances through.

Christine: You're so spoiled by CGI that you can't appreciate the quaintness of a classic blue screen. Doesn't it recall fond childhood memories? The only issue I have is that they're strolling around through a daytime scene when it's supposed to be night.

John: Our old friend the creepy caretaker is back! As fun as it was to see him again, I think they asked a bit much of the audience for David to conveniently go from crying for help to sound asleep and back again timed perfectly with Joe and Roger coming and going from the crypt. Wouldn't it be a nice treat if they never found him? Nah, he'd just return as a ghost and be more annoying than Little Miss London Bridge...

Christine: I'm glad Roger's back! It's been awhile since we've heard something like this: "Several of my incestors...incestors...my ancestors are buried here." This slip is particularly funny coming from Roger.