Dark Shadows Episode 1108 9/23/70

You can stream today's episode free on TubiTV! 

We're told that the missing children have returned to the old house, and Barnabas is questioning them while we see Julia review Quentin's diary for information. Barnabas comes downstairs and says if the children have any information they're concealing it well. He says they were in the woods for days, and were exhausted and hungry. He asks her about Daphne and Carolyn, and Julia say she gave Daphne a sedative, and Carolyn was gone when she came downstairs. Barnabas says he's worried that if they don't find out what happened to Quentin before the night is over, it will be too late. He says Carolyn might have helped them, but she's gone. Julia says the funeral she referred to must be Quentin's. She shows him Quentin's diary on this day in 1840, and points out that it contains his last entry. Barnabas assumes she's suggesting that he died on this date in history. He says there's one person who can possibly help them.

 

Sebastian watches over Maggie as she has a nightmare. She wakes up screaming, and is surprised to see him. She says the bad dream is always the same. She sees heavy chains wrapped around an object, but she can't make out what it is. She says she hears a woman's voice calling her name, begging her to come and free her. He asks if she see's the woman, and she says she only hears her voice. She says she feels sorry for her and wants to help her. Sebastian yells that it doesn't have any meaning, and she asks why he's so upset. He tells her that she needs to get out of Collinwood. He explains that she can't even do her job, but she says she needs the children. 

Barnabas and Julia arrive at Collinwood, and he goes to call Sebastian when he finds an old death notice for Quentin dated 1840. Barnabas says that Gerard left it for them. Julia says she can feel his presence. Sebastian comes downstairs, and says he wants to talk to them about Maggie. He says he wants her out of Collinwood. He says Roxanne is going to get out of her coffin. He explains that Maggie told him about a dream of going to the old house and letting Roxanne out. Barnabas says he suspected something like this might happen. Sebastian asks how he would know. Barnabas tells Sebastian that he agrees with him, and they will take Maggie away tomorrow. He says that they need his help with Quentin. Julia says he may be dead. Barnabas asks Sebastian to use his powers to find out where Quentin is, and he agrees to help if they promise to get Maggie out of Collinwood. They do. 

Sebastian uses his power and sees a high window in Collinwood, where a green flag is waving. Julia says it's Gerard. Sebastian then describes a cemetery, with the earth rumbling near the graves. Barnabas asks if he sees Quentin. He says he does not. 

He then sees Maggie escaping Collinwood, which is in flames. He then sees her arriving at Roxanne's coffin and setting her free. He says he knew she was going to set her free. Julia says she doesn't know what the vision means—the green flag and the rumbling graves. Barnabas asks when this is all going to happen, and Sebastian tells them that it's going to happen tonight. Barnabas tells Julia they must find a way to stop Gerard. He says the murder precedes the destruction, so they need to see that Daphne stays alive. Sebastian asks about Maggie, and Barnabas says she must got to Windcliff. He goes upstairs to get her.

Maggie asks Barnabas what he's there for. He tells her that Julia thinks she should go to Windcliff for treatment, whether she likes it or not. He asks her to trust him, and helps her out of bed.

Sebastian doesn't understand why Julia wants to send Maggie to an insane asylum. Julia says she'll be safe there, and once she's well, he can take her away. Barnabas comes downstairs with Maggie. Maggie says she needs to see Carolyn. She says Carolyn gave her a box to give the children, and Julia takes it to give to them. Barnabas tells her that she'll be herself again soon. Sebastian takes her out of the house to go to Windcliff. 

Julia looks at the box and begins to open it. Barnabas asks what she's doing. She opens it and it contains the clothing the children were wearing in 1995. Barnabas realizes that if they don't prevent it, they're destined to die in these clothes tonight. Julia is frantic. Barnabas says the children must be kept safe, and out of the clothes. Barnabas says they will burn the clothes, but they turn to get them and they're gone.

Maggie is in a convertible with Sebastian on their way to Windcliff. She tells him he has to turn around. She says she belongs at Collinwood. She says if they keep going, she'll never see Collinwood again, or any of the people she loves. He tells her it will all be fine and puts his arm around her.

Barnabas and Julia are relieved that the children are safe. Barnabas tells her to relax in the drawing room while he looks for the clothes. Julia hears a heartbeat, and wonders where it's coming from. She hears it coming from the secret room, and realizes that Roxanne is trying to call one of her victims. She opens the panel and the noise doesn't get louder, so she assumes it must be something else. Barnabas comes downstairs and also hears the heartbeat. He thinks it's Roxanne and she says she already checked. Julia says it's coming from upstairs. They ascend the staircase together.

Barnabas and Julia go into the room with Quentin's portrait. Julia says that he's still alive. Barnabas says he's either been taken prisoner and is close to death — or Gerard has buried him alive!

Our thoughts: 

John: Boy, the exposition in the first few minutes makes it seem like they decided to cut a week out of the show to move the 1840 flashback up! What a way to pick up from Quentin being buried alive!

Christine: Won't Roger and Elizabeth be surprised when they finally return home to find everyone gone?

John: Funny how the biggest set-piece in Sebastian's vision, Collinwood in flames, was the only one we didn't get to see. I guess they blew this week's effects budget bringing a convertible into the studio (for the least convincing poor-man's process shot that I've ever seen).

Christine: They certainly didn't put as much effort into it as they did Joe and Sam's trip to Windcliff, where branches were waved over the car to make it appear as though they were going somewhere. Sebastian confirmed that Windcliff is no walk around the block, despite the fact that many of its patients make their way back to Collinsport on foot fairly quickly, when he told Maggie they'd been driving for an hour and a half.

John: Ah, yes. The good old tell-tale heartbeat... the standard indicator when someone has been buried alive! Of course the odds of Quentin still being alive when they find him seem pretty thin. How they plan to save Quentin, Daphne and Collinwood in one night when they haven't had any real successes since returning from 1995 is beyond me...

Christine: Don't forget David and Hallie, who are probably decked out in period clothes already. In reflecting back on all of Barnabas and Julia's schemes and capers, they have never been very successful. It could be they were both cursed the night they conspired to murder Dr. Woodard. 

Dark Shadows Before I Die Catastro-tracker

❎ The picnic

❎ The night of the sun and moon

 ▢ The murder

❎ The unfinished horoscope

❎ The night Carolyn sang her song

❎ The destruction of Rose Cottage

Dark Shadows Episode 1105 9/18/70

You can stream today's episode free on TubiTV! 

At Collinwood, Julia and Barnabas go to check on Maggie. They find Mrs. Johnson unconscious, and Maggie gone.

Maggie approaches a shrouded figure in the woods.

Barnabas calls out the window to Maggie. Julia says Mrs. Johnson has been knocked out. Barnabas notices the secret panel is open. He goes in search of Maggie.

Julia comes downstairs and in the foyer, hears music playing. She goes into the drawing room and finds Carolyn. Julia asks who she was talking to. Carolyn denies anyone was there. Julia asks if Gerard was there. Carolyn asks her why she didn't say the children were missing. Julia asks her how she knew. Carolyn is flustered, and Julia asks her what Gerard told her. Carolyn demands that she tell her where the children are, and if she does, she'll tell them where they can find Maggie. She says she had a vision of her. Julia says Maggie's life is in danger, and Carolyn in unimpressed. Julia tells her that she doesn't believe she has second sight. She says that if she did, she'd be able to see the children. She accuses her of not seeing Maggie, either. Carolyn says she can't tell her.

Barnabas calls for Willie, who comes running downstairs. He tells Willie to lock Daphne's door, and then to help him search for Maggie. He asks him to check with Julia first to see if she's learned anything from Mrs. Johnson.

Carolyn is singing the Pansy Faye song when Willie walks in and startles her. Carolyn laughs, saying she knows more about Maggie than Julia and Barnabas. 

He asks her what she knows, and grabs her roughly. She asks why she should help him, since Maggie never belonged in Collinwood. Willie tells her that she's crazy, and she calls him stupid. She says he's not smart enough to find Maggie. She offers him a riddle to help him find her, sure he won't be able to figure it out.

In the woods, Willie tries to figure out Carolyn's riddle. He finds himself in Eagle Hill Cemetery. He doesn't think he can figure out the riddle. He sits down and leans up against a tombstone that has the name Harrow, which aligns with the riddle. 

That leads him to a crypt. He goes inside and finds a coffin inside. He opens the lid and it's empty. He realizes this is where the vampire stays. 

He finds Maggie on the ground behind the coffin, bleeding from a wound on her neck.

Julia gives Maggie a blood transfusion as Barnabas and Willie stand over her. Barnabas says that he'd like to drive a stake into his heart himself. Julia says that's impossible. Barnabas says that they'll have to do it. Julia says they'll know who's responsible soon enough.

Julia watches over Maggie, waiting for dawn.

In the old house, Willie shows Barnabas the stake and mallet. Julia arrives, and Barnabas expresses his regret that he can't do it himself. Julia and Willie leave, and Barnabas heads downstairs.

After sunrise, Julia and Willie arrive at the crypt. The expect to find someone guarding the coffin, but no one is there when they arrive. Willie considers if it were Barnabas' coffin, and they were two other people. Julia tells him not to think that, and opens the coffin. She looks inside and is shocked by what she sees. 

Our thoughts: 

John: So just to confirm, do we check-off the destruction of Rose Cottage, for real this time?

Christine: I'm not sure. Did we get confirmation that Rose Cottage was actually destroyed? Perhaps the Collinsport Fire Dept. arrived in time to save it.  I guess I'll check it off, and hopefully we won't have to uncheck it again when the clue gets changed to the destruction of Rose Cottage by falling meteor or something. 

John: Willie and Carolyn really turned things up to eleven today! Even parallel time Willie and Carolyn didn't scream at the same decibel levels! 

Christine: That was glorious entertainment! I wonder if Carolyn ever finished her big cookie. She nibbled on that for two whole scenes without making much headway. It seemed a rather odd prop, though maybe there is some connection to 1995 Carolyn, who compulsively ate Prof. Stokes' grapes.

John: Good thing Sebastian had the day off today, or it would have ruined the surprise if they found him guarding Roxanne's coffin. I mean, it has to be Roxanne, right? Willie may not know of Roxanne's relationship with Barnabas, but would Julia hesitate because she does? I guess we have to wait until next week to find out...

Christine: I will be very surprised if it is not Roxanne and even more surprised if she gets staked. Julia's devotion to Barnabas will prevent her from killing the woman of his dreams without informing him first. Also, it's not much fun if Barnabas doesn't get to agonize over choosing between Maggie and vampire Roxanne.

Dark Shadows Before I Die Catastro-tracker

❎ The picnic

❎ The night of the sun and moon

 ▢  The murder

❎ The unfinished horoscope

❎ The night Carolyn sang her song

❎ The destruction of Rose Cottage

Dark Shadows Episode 1104 9/17/70

You can stream today's episode free on TubiTV! 

Barnabas watches over Maggie as she sleeps. Julia rushes in and tells him that she hypnotized Daphne. She says that Daphne is the one to be murdered, and the destruction of Rose Cottage will happen tonight. She adds the the murder will be the last thing that happens. Barnabas says they need to get help, possibly from Sebastian. He leaves her watching over Maggie. Maggie wakes up and says she had a dream that something terrible had happened to the children. Julia reminds her that the children have been possessed.

Over the phone, Roxanne warns Sebastian not to go to Collinwood, and he abruptly hangs up on her . Someone rings the buzzer, and she's surprised to see Barnabas. He says she appears to be disturbed, and she says he can't help her. He says he needs Sebastian's help, and asks that she tell him he'll be at Cumberland Road, at Rose Cottage just outside of Collinsport. She says she'll pass on the message, but tells him Sebastian will never be able to help him. He asks why. She says he's frightened be his powers. Barnabas asks if Sebastian has hurt her. She asks why he feels compelled to help. He says it's because of the other Roxanne in his life. She suggests that there may be another explanation. She says she's felt a bond between them since they first met. She apologizes for her rudeness, and tells him that she looks forward to seeing him again. He kisses her hand and leaves.

Maggie tells Julia that she's concerned about the children. Julia assures her that the police are searching for them. Barnabas returns and says he left a message for Sebastian. Julia tells him that the children disappeared from Windcliff. He points out that they disappeared the same night that Rise Cottage is expected to be destroyed. She asks if he thinks they would go there, and he says he doesn't know. He goes to check, and asks her to stay with Maggie. The dogs howl outside, and Julia tells her to resist the urge to respond

Barnabas arrives at Rose Cottage and calls to Tad and Carrie. He hears music playing, and goes into a room where he finds the carousel music box. He wonders if Gerard brought it to lure the children to Rose Cottage.

The music box stops and the door to the room swings shut. Barnabas sees Gerard. He says he's come to get the children. Based on Gerard's look, he realizes that they are not there. Barnabas says he plans to drive him out, and prevent his destroying Rose Cottage and murdering Daphne.

That night, Mrs. Johnson hears music playing in the drawing room. She goes to turn on a light, and Gerard grabs her hand. She asks who he is, and what he wants from her. She agrees to do what he asks.

Mrs. Johnson comes into Maggie's room and tells Julia that she's there to stay with her. She says she woke from a frightening dream about Barnabas. Julia asks her for details, and she says Barnabas was in a strange house with a man, screaming. Julia asks her to describe the house, and she describes Rose Cottage. She asks Mrs. Johnson to stay with Maggie and she runs off.

Mrs. Johnson turns to see Gerard smiling and nodding.

Julia arrives at Rose Cottage and Barnabas asks what she's doing there. She explains what Mrs. Johnson told her, and Barnabas explains that she's been tricked by Gerard. He says she has to get out of the house, but the doors are locked. They go to try a window, and see the room is on fire. They hear someone outside the door, and Roxanne enters.

In the woods, Barnabas asks Roxanne how she knew to come to the house. She says Sebastian called, and said he had plans for the evening that he couldn't change, and she came to let him know. He says she seems upset, and offers help, and she says she has to deal with it in her own way. They agree to see each other soon, and Barnabas and Julia head back to Collinwood.

At Collinwood, Julia and Barnabas go to check on Maggie. They find Mrs. Johnson unconscious, and Maggie gone.

Maggie approaches a shrouded figure in the woods.

Our thoughts: 

John: So now we know Gerard can instantly transport himself between Rose Cottage and Collinwood. I do like the trick he pulled on Julia using Mrs. Johnson, although it suggests that he knows the players in Collinwood and their weaknesses better than I would have expected.

Christine: I'm sad to announce that today's episode was Clarice Blackburn's last appearance on the show. It was nice to have her fall under Gerard's influence to tie in to the 1995 episodes. I have many fond memories of Mrs. Johnson in the early days when she was meddling and claiming not to be a meddler.

John: Okay. So why exactly would Roxanne go out to her way to save Barnabas and Julia? She surely would have benefited from their perishing in the destruction of Rose Cottage; if anything it would have cleared any obstacles to Maggie! Why would she care about Daphne being murdered, and the ultimate destruction of Collinwood? It's not like Sebastian was milking any more cash from Elizabeth.

Christine: Those are all good questions. I wonder why she popped into Rose Cottage as it burned with a big smile on her face. Does her reference to having some bond with Barnabas have to do with a past or current vampiric influence?

John: Will tomorrow finally be the day that we see Roxanne come out from under the dark sheet? I wonder where she was hiding that when she rescued Barnabas and Julia...

Christine: What if it turns out the Roxanne is not the vampire?!

I wonder if the Hand of Count Petofi might still be inside the box.

Dark Shadows Before I Die Catastro-tracker

❎ The picnic

❎ The night of the sun and moon

 ▢ The murder

❎ The unfinished horoscope

❎ The night Carolyn sang her song

 ▢ The destruction of Rose Cottage

Dark Shadows Episode 1102 9/15/70

You can stream today's episode free on TubiTV! 

Julia reads while Maggie sleeps. A figure wearing a hat appears in the room behind her. Julia suddenly grows tired. She nods off. Maggie removes the crucifix and gets out of bed, approaching the figure in the shadows.

Quentin walks in and the person in the hat disappears. Maggie screams, and he helps her back into her bed. She begs for the person to come back to her. Quentin sees Julia and asks Maggie what the creature did to her.

Julia wakes, and Quentin tells her the vampire was in the room, but he didn't get a good look before it disappeared. He tells her that she wasn't just sleeping—he says she was under the vampire's spell. Maggie says the howling dogs are calling her. Julia prepares a sedative for Maggie. Quentin tells Julia she got a call from Windcliff, and the head nurse wants her to call. Julia rushes out. Quentin wonders who's to blame for everything going on, and blames himself for not sharing what he knew.

Julia tells Barnabas that David and Hallie are running high fevers at Windcliff. He offers to go with her, and she says that he must stay to protect Maggie from the vampire.

Quentin asks Maggie who's doing this to her. Barnabas comes in, and Quentin apologizes for not finding out who the vampire is. Barnabas asks him to go downstairs to wait by the phone for Julia's update on the children. Barnabas tells Quentin that he followed Carolyn to the old Magruder place — which Hallie refers to as Rose Cottage. Quentin goes downstairs and Barnabas thinks about how he wanted Maggie for all his own, only now realizing how much suffering he caused her.

Quentin realizes that Daphne might be at Rose Cottage, and heads out to find her.

Quentin arrives at Rose Cottage and searches for Daphne. She comes in and when he tries to embrace her, she walks away. She tells him there's nothing for her at Collinwood. He asks what she was trying to do with the children. He tells her that they're sick. He demands that she tell him who is responsible. He tells her that he thought he was the reason she came, but he was wrong. She mentions Gerard. He asks if she loves him. She doesn't reply. He says he sees lover in her eyes for him. She denies it. She tells him that his staying is bad for the children. She tells him to go. He asks her if he's going to find out what's going on, and she tells him he will, if he leaves now. He offers to fight Gerard, and she tells him not to say that there. She begs him to leave, and he does. Daphne calls to Gerard, saying she sent him away, and then begs him to let the children live.

Daniel cries that he mustn't sleep. Julia asks why. He says she's not his doctor, and then references a doctor who arrives on horseback. Julia calls him Tad, and leaves to check on Hallie/Carrie. Tad gets out of bed says they must bring Gerard tonight.

Daphne arrives at Collinwood, and Quentin brings her into the drawing room. She tells him the children will die unless he helps her. She tells him to take her to Windcliff. She says she needs to be alone with the children. Quentin says it's impossible. He says if they find out she's alive, he'll never be able to help her again. She tells him she'll go to Windcliff herself to save the children.

Tad draws a pentagram on the floor, and decides he needs candles. He starts out of the room and runs into Julia. She sees the pentagram, and asks him what he's doing. She shakes him until he seems ready to pass out, and then she helps him back into bed. Quentin walks in and asks what happened. She says he collapsed. She asks him to stay with David/Tad while she checks on Hallie/Carrie. After Julia leaves, Quentin lets Daphne in. She tells Quentin to leave them. He ultimately does what she asks. Alone with Tad, Daphne lights a candle.

Julia returns to Tad's room, and Quentin stops her outside. He asks her to take him to see Hallie. Julia tries to check on David/Tad, and Quentin tries to block her. She won't be discouraged, and gets into the room in time to find Daphne performing some sort of ritual over David/Tad.

Our thoughts: 

John: I'm sorry — whatever sort of sleeping spell the vampire(ss) remotely dropped on Julia couldn't possibly be enough for her to sleep through Maggie's shrieking.

Christine: I was just surprised Barnabas hadn't considered the possibility, knowing full well the vampire's range of powers. Well, we didn't get confirmation that Roxanne is the one in the hat and cape. I wonder how long they'll drag out that reveal.

John: Rose Cottage went from being the most important thing Barnabas and Julia could possibly find to another forgotten stepping stone on the road to Collinwood's destruction. At this point, since there's no hope of them preventing it, we should probably just start guessing about who's going to be murdered...

Christine: Perhaps it will be Maggie. Julia said she was one bite away from death. Sebastian Shaw is another possibility, or it could be a random red shirt brought in to fulfill the checklist.

John: Shouldn't Windcliff look a little more like a hospital, and a little less like another room in some forgotten wing of Collinwood? 

Christine: I was always under the impression it was more of a mental hospital. It did look like someone had been drawing pentagrams on the floor before Tad began drawing his own.

Dark Shadows Before I Die Catastro-tracker

❎ The picnic

❎ The night of the sun and moon

 ▢ The murder

❎ The unfinished horoscope

❎ The night Carolyn sang her song

 ▢ The destruction of Rose Cottage

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