Dark Shadows Episode 669 - 1/16/69

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Mrs. Johnson returns home from the supermarket, and Maggie tells her that Carolyn asked that she prepare Matthew Morgan's cabin for Chris Jennings. Mrs. Johnson says they should have burned it down after Matthew died. She says the place is cursed. She says she'll find Harry to help her get started with it.

David and Amy play cards, and she asks him if there's really a curse on Matthew's cottage. David says no, but Mrs. Johnson thinks so. He says he'll go talk to Quentin, when they hear Maggie approaching. David asks Maggie if Mrs. Johnson will be alright. He says that she's been jumpy lately. David asks if they can go outside, and Maggie says that it's too late. He asks Maggie to play hide and go seek with them. They tell her to count to ten and then try to find them. She does, and they sneak through the secret panel. Maggie reaches ten and starts looking for them, but can't find them in the drawing room. She leaves and runs into Mrs. Johnson and Harry leaving to clean out Matthew's cottage.

David and Amy hide along the path to Matthew's cottage. Mrs. Johnson and Harry walk by without seeing them.

Harry tries the door and says that it's locked. She unlocks the door with her key and they go inside to start cleaning.

Maggie can't find Amy or David. She calls to them, telling them she gives up. 

Mrs. Johnson dusts, and Harry complains about it not being light enough. She sends Harry back to Collinwood to get more light bulbs.

David locks the door to the cottage from outside.

As Mrs. Johnson dusts a lamp, the light goes out. She goes to the front door and finds it locked, assuming Harry did it. She gets matches and lights a candle. She turns and sees Quentin standing before her. She runs to the door, but it's still locked. When she turns back, he's gone.

Maggie continues to call for Amy and David, obviously angry. Harry comes in, and she asks if he's seen the children. She asks him to help her find them. He says he has to get light bulbs for his mother. She says this is more important, and sends him upstairs.

She steps out on the porch and calls to them. They respond that they're by the trees. She finds them outside and tells them they weren't supposed to leave the house. David explains that was before she agreed to play with them.

Mrs. Johnson wonders what's taking Harry so long. She lights another candle. Quentin picks it up and approaches her. She screams for him to identify himself.

In the woods, they hear screaming, and David says it sounds like it's coming from Matthew's cottage.

Mrs. Johnson pounds on the door and pleads for the man to stay away from her. Maggie and the kids arrive and open the door. They ask her what's wrong, and she says there's a man. They tell her that there's no one there. She says he must have run off when they arrived. Daniel says they won't let him hurt her, whoever he is. Mrs. Johnson says she's not crazy, and she wants to leave. They take her out of the cottage.

Harry comes downstairs looking for Maggie when she and his mother return. She tells him not to speak to her. She says no thanks to him, she might be dead. She asks him to get her some water. David says she's okay now that she's back in Collinwood, and the kids leave. She tells Maggie that they have something to do with it. She tells Maggie that the man in the cottage was dressed just the way the kids were dressed when she caught them playing last night.

Quentin steps out of Matthew's cottage.

Our thoughts

John: Fake Harry Johnson alert! While he looks nothing like the useless Harry we've come to know and love, he actually does a fine job mimicking his unique delivery. I do love when his Mom calls him a ninny.

Christine: And I love when he calls her uptight and she doesn't know what that means. The spirit of Harry Johnson lives on, but the character does not. This is Edward Marshall's only appearance as Harry Johnson, though we'll see him appear once more on the show.

John: Creepy Quentin alert! Call me crazy, but the silent Quentin might be one of the scariest images on the show to date. I hope he's going to stick around for a while!

Christine: I might have to agree that his sour puss is one of the scariest things we've seen yet. I do wonder how Quentin got out of his room. I thought he was stuck in there listening to his Victrola while having to resort to using his little minions do his bidding. Dan Curtis said they never wanted to let Quentin talk because he was so frightening as a silent figure.

John: Mrs. Johnson is convinced the kids are evil, and yet despite the fact that they had just pulled a fast one on Maggie, she's unwilling to believe it? Come on, Maggie! Wise up! Those kids will be the death of the lot of you if you're not careful.

Christine: She may be only a few weeks on the job, but she really should know better than to engage in a game of hide and seek with those two. Luckily, she's still on their good side, but just wait until she punishes them and ends up playing the pissed off Quentin game.

Dark Shadows Episode 659 - 1/2/69

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Julia explains to Barnabas that she had to take Joe to Windcliff after he had a complete mental breakdown. Barnabas tells her that he may have to change his plans regarding the children. He says that Vicki needs him. She reminds him that Vicki is gone, and he tells her that he received a message from her—in the past. He shares a note that Maggie found on her dresser, and Julia can't understand why he thinks Vicki is responsible. Julia tries to convince him that Vicki has gone to the past to stay, and that she couldn't contact him. Barnabas decides she may be right, and plans to take the children to Boston, but first, he plans to visit Carolyn at the mausoleum, where she's been since her mother's death.

Carolyn stands over her mother's coffin in the mausoleum when Barnabas arrives. He offers to take her home, and she tells him she wants to stay. She asks if he's contacted her uncle, and he confirms he has not. He asks her to join them in Boston, and she says she can't possibly leave. She tells Barnabas that her mother is still alive, and she'll stay in Collinwood until she returns.

David and Amy play jacks when Julia walks in. She asks if they're packed and ready to leave. They're surprised, and say that they'll be ready when Barnabas is. After Julia leaves, David says Quentin will be angry with them. Amy says they just need to tell Quentin they're going away.

Barnabas asks Carolyn how she'll take care of the enormous house. He tells her as soon as he places the children in school, he'll return. David and Amy come downstairs and ask if they can take a picture of them. David asks if they can go outside to take the photo. They pose in front of the front door, and David takes the photo. Barnabas asks for a copy of the photo, and tells them he'll be back in an hour and then they'll leave for Boston.

Carolyn asks Julia if she's noticed a change in David since Amy moved in. Julia says that he's been happier since Amy moved in. Harry comes in and Carolyn tells him that he'll be taking Barnabas and the kids into town.

David develops the photo in a darkroom. He tells Amy there's someone else in the photo with Barnabas and Carolyn. Amy suggests they should ask Quentin.

She talks to him on the phone, and she says Quentin had nothing to do with it, when she notices Harry standing in the doorway. He suggests they're up to something, and asks who Quentin is. She says she was just pretending, and he tells her she looked guilty. David says that Harry can keep a secret, and Amy replies that he won't believe them. David tells Harry that they use the spirit phone to speak to Quentin. Harry thinks they're kidding, and takes their suitcases downstairs.

Barnabas tries to convince Carolyn to come with them, but she refuses. The kids come downstairs with the picture for Barnabas, and then go to have lunch. Carolyn looks at the photo, which appears to show someone hanging by the neck behind her and Barnabas.

Barnabas takes the photo and shows it to Julia. He says it's Vicki, and she needs his help. He then tells Carolyn that his plans have changed and he'll be staying at Collinwood.

Our thoughts

John: I love how Julia tries to explain that Barnabas is crazy to think that Vicki might be able to contact him, considering she's sure that Vicki has traveled back in time...

Christine: It's in Julia's best interest to encourage Barnabas to let go of Vicki so she can have a clear playing field, so it makes sense that she would dismiss any evidence that Vicki might be trying to make contact with him.

John: So now we know that David is an amateur photographer, and his bedroom is a pop-up darkroom.

Christine: That's a skill that will come in handy on the show. It must be a hobby he acquired during the time he's been absent from view. I don't understand why Barnabas would think it's a good idea to split up the family and send the kids off to boarding school when they are all still dealing with the trauma of Liz's sudden death.

John: I'm sorry, if a woman hanging by the neck appeared in a photo with me, I would be a little more disturbed than the residents of Collinwood. Even Julia didn't seem to be particularly impressed.

Christine: David was right about how his pictures come out good, because this one is pretty awesome. I do think it looks more like Lon Chaney in his Phantom makeup than Vicki to me, and since Vicki was wearing a hood when she was hanged, I'm not entirely convinced that it's her.

Christine: We're saying goodbye to another actor today, as it's the last time we'll see Craig Slocum on the show.

Dark Shadows Episode 631 - 11/25/68

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Blair pulls a coffin out of the ground and opens it up. Tom Jennings' staked body lies within. Blair removes the bloody stake, and demands that he rise. Tom sits up, and goes to attack Blair. Blair explains that he is his master, and Tom will do as he says.

Vicki is in bed when Tom Jennings crawls through her bedroom window. He approaches with bared fangs and she screams when she sees him. She gets up and runs from him, passing out. Before he can bite her, Barnabas arrives and sees Tom, who flees out the window.

Blair waits in his drawing room, getting up to look out the window. There's a knock at the door and it's Chris Jennings. He explains that he's Tom's brother and would like to talk. He asks Blair about Tom working for him the night he was attacked. Chris asks if there was something menacing him that night, as he's trying to determine if he was murdered. Outside the window, Tom watches. Chris asks Blair what he does, and he tells him he's retired. Chris is distracted, saying he thought he saw someone outside the window. Blair explains that he would like to retire, and bids Chris goodnight.

Vicki wakes up to see Barnabas sitting by her side. She says she recognized Tom Jennings was there earlier, but he's dead. She says that dead people can't come back. Barnabas explains that his kind can. He tells her that a few people in the world suffer the curse of the living dead. They feed on the blood of others. He tells her they are called vampires. She seems willing to believe him. She asks if Blair could be responsible for making Tom a vampire? If so, she says that Blair may have sent Tom to kill her. She explains that she went to Blair when she found out Maggie planned to marry him. She says she told Blair that if he tried to go through with it, she'd tell Maggie everything she knows. Barnabas tells her he doesn't want her to have anything more to do with this. He promises her that Maggie will be safe.

Blair lets Harry in, and asks for details. Harry says he watched as they took the body and buried it at Collinsport cemetery. He sends Harry downstairs to collect a shovel when there's a knock at the door. Barnabas comes in and tells Blair that he had better cancel his arrangements. He tells him that his scheme to kill Vicki has failed. Blair pleads ignorance. Barnabas says that in order for the experiment to resume, Blair must swear that Vicki is safe. Blair guarantees her safety, and asks if that is all.

Barnabas adds one more condition. He says it would be insane for him to let Maggie marry him, and tells him to stay away from her. Blair asks what will happen if he refuses, and Barnabas says Eve will never live again. Blair says he wants Eve to be brought to life. Barnabas gets him to agree that he will stay away from Maggie and Vicki, and he is to destroy Tom Jennings. Blair reluctantly agrees, and Barnabas confirms they will be ready to begin the experiment at sundown tomorrow.

He yells for Harry to come upstairs, and he does. He says he's trying to decide whether to go to the graveyard, or deal with Tom Jennings. He decides they will go to the graveyard and dig up Eve's grave. Harry looks troubled. Blair tells him he's in trouble if he doesn't get the body out of the grave, which means Harry will be in trouble, too. He promises that after tonight, Harry will never see him again.

Blair and Harry walk to the cemetery. Barnabas is in the woods, watching from a distance. Tom Jennings is also lurking in the woods.

Blair and Harry arrive at the grave. Harry begins digging.

Barnabas sneaks into Blair's house. Tom Jennings sneaks in after him.

The coffin in on the surface. Harry opens it to show Blair the contents. Satisfied, he tells him they are bringing it to the old house.

Barnabas finds Tom's coffin in the basement. He starts upstairs to wait for him. He looks outside when Tom attacks him from behind. Barnabas grabs two candlesticks and makes a cross to fend him off. Barnabas apologizes to Tom, but says he must. Barnabas forces him to look out the window, and Tom disappears.

Our thoughts

John: What's with Tom the vampire bobble-head when he sneaks up on Vicki?

Christine: Tom's an animal! His bloodlust has him all aquiver. Tom really seemed to enjoy being a vampire, unlike the rest of the vampires on the show. He will be missed.

John: Blair is really up against a wall, and not liking it. Of course broken promises flow freely around Collinsport, so I don't know that I believe he'll be so quick to leave Maggie alone...

Christine: Barnabas should know better. Once he's got Eve, he'll have Maggie as well.

John: Barnabas must have recently watched Horror of Dracula, using the candlesticks to form a cross a la Peter Cushing. Unfortunately, Tom's demise isn't in quite as grand a fashion as Christopher Lee's.

Christine: That was a nice homage. Tom died as he lived, with a flair for melodrama. It's interesting to see Barnabas explain about vampires to Vicki after feeding off her himself at one time. How is it that Julia and Willie remember being victims of a vampire, but Carolyn and Vicki do not?

Dark Shadows Episode 614 - 10/31/68

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Joe slowly gets up and looks for something he can use to kill Barnabas. He can't find anything in the room, and decides he will kill Barnabas with his bare hands. He then decides he's not strong enough to do that, and gets a piece of rope.

Downstairs, Barnabas sleeps. Joe wraps a noose around Barnabas' neck and pulls it tight. He tells him that no one will have Angelique but him.

He's interrupted by the screams of Mrs. Johnson. She tries to stop Joe, telling him that he's out of his mind. She pounds at him and he pushes her away. She calls for help but no one comes. Barnabas appears to be dead in his chair. Joe runs off and Mrs. Johnson tells Joe that he can try to run away, but they will find him.

Roger wonders where Mrs. Johnson is, telling Liz that he'd like a cup of tea. Liz says she spoke to a contractor about her mausoleum. Roger tells her that she seems well. He adds that he has tried to understand her fear of being buried alive. She says it's not fear, she just knows what's going to happen.

He asks her if she's really determined to build the mausoleum, and she says yes. She says that he's only concerned about what others will say about her. He asks her if they could equip the mausoleum at Eagle Hill to meet her specifications. He says they could do that without raising suspicion. He offers to take her to Eagle Hill, and says that if she agrees with it, he will make all the arrangements.

Mrs. Johnson tends to Barnabas, who comes to. He tells her that he'll be alright. He asks her to return to Collinwood and forget what she saw. He asks her not to call the police as a favor to him. He forbids her from calling the police or anyone. He says that what happened must stay between he and Joe.

Joe hides in the woods, wondering where he can run away to.

Roger and Liz make their way through Eagle Hill cemetery. She says she hears someone weeping. He tells her it's her imagination running away with her. She says they're being watched by spirits and she doesn't want to be here. He takes her into the mausoleum, where they hear someone groaning. Joe Haskell collapses in front of them.

Mrs. Johnson returns home to find Harry in the foyer. He asks her what's the matter. She says that sane men like Mr. Barnabas have lost their senses. She picks up the phone to call the sheriff when Harry asks if she's been to the old house. She puts down the phone, and says that if she hadn't been, someone would be dead. He asks if she saved Joe, and she asks what he means. Harry says he knows Joe was staying there because he was sick, but avoids answering his mother's questions.

He asks her what happened. She says that Joe wasn't so sick not to try to kill Barnabas. She dials the sheriff and Harry hangs up the phone. She asks him what he knows that he's not saying. He denies doing anything, but she doesn't believe him. She asks him who he has to tell about this.

Liz and Roger come in with Joe. She says that she saw Joe try to kill Barnabas. Roger asks her what happened. She says she walked in on Joe trying to kill Barnabas. Roger says Joe doesn't have the strength to do it.

Mrs. Johnson tells Roger to ask him, and Harry tries to stop her. She tells him to shut up. Roger asks Joe, who replies that he has to kill Barnabas before he kills him. Liz asks Roger what he's going to do. He picks up the phone and calls the police.

Our thoughts

John: I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise that Roger is more concerned about his reputation that he is his sister. Still, it was nice of him to offer up the family mausoleum for her needs.

Christine: I think this is the first time I've ever seen anyone at Collinwood ring for Mrs. Johnson. I'm pretty sure that hanging doodad next to the fireplace wasn't there before. I wonder if Roger had it installed since he can never find Mrs. Johnson when he wants a cup of tea.

"Everything always seems more civilized over a cup of tea."  -Roger

John: As soon as she left the old house, I thought that there's no way loose-lips Johnson doesn't tell anyone about what she saw. Thanks for not proving me wrong, Mrs. J!

Christine: I think it was understandable under the circumstances that she warn the family about mad dog Joe, in case he tried to strangle anyone else in the family. I was impressed with her attempts to fight off crazy Joe, proving how tough she truly is.

John: Now that the police are being brought in, will Harry will get thrown under the bus, or will his mother try to protect him?

Christine: He is surely going under the bus. It looked like a new graveyard shot was added today, and I wonder if we'll be meeting Jonah Collins in future travels through time.