Episode 157 - 1/31/67

Vicki wakes up in the drawing room speaking of fire, bird and stone. She gets up, smells jasmine, and asks Josette for help. She decides the answers are in the crypt.

Vicki hears a car out front, and answers the door to let Frank in. She says she'll tell him where they're going on the way. Roger finds them, and asks what Frank is doing there, and Vicki says she called him to take her for a drive. Roger explains to Frank what happened to Liz, and tells him that they expect him not to discuss it in town. They leave Roger, and Vicki tells Frank she wants him to take her back to the cemetery, to the crypt.

Frank pounds on the door at the Stockbridge home. Vicki tells Frank she smelled Jasmine and heard Mrs. Stoddard say the words fire, bird and stone. Vicki tries pounding on the door as well, and the caretaker appears behind them. He lets them in, and says they didn't like it; they knocked down all the stones. He also describes how he has all of the burial records for the area. Vicki asks if he has records on any other Murdoch's—possibly Laura Murdoch. He goes back to L. Murdoch Stockbridge, died by fire. He remembers another, but not the last name.

Suddenly, Vicki smells Jasmine. She calls out to Josette, asking for her help, and a book falls from the shelf. Frank picks up the book and reads, "Laura Murdoch Radcliffe," from the page the book fell open to. Vicki notices the date of death is 1867, 100 years after Laura Murdoch Stockbridge. Frank says that Vicki thinks Laura Collins is responsible for what happened to Liz, and something Liz said got her to come back to the cemetery. The caretaker finds a book referencing Laura Murdoch Radcliffe, and there's no ancestry listed. It also lists that she died by fire.

Roger yells at lieutenant Riley for bothering him. He came to inform him that Laura's test results came back confirming she is who she says she is. Vicki and Frank return, and Roger leaves Frank to deal with Riley. Riley tells Frank that if he weren't a sane man, he'd say there were two Laura Collins'. He leaves, and Vicki says there may actually be four Laura Collins'—three of which died by fire.

Our thoughts

John: Vicki almost has two conversations with Josette in this episode. It's clear that Josette is helping her out, but it's still not clear why. Did Josette have a relationship with one of Laura's prior incarnations?

Christine: If you look closely, you can see her moving behind the shelf when she pushes the book off of it.

John: I do like the creepy caretaker. I hope we haven't seen the last of him.

Christine: I suspect we'll encounter him again. He's quite a lovable character.

John: So Vicki has put all the puzzle pieces together, but will she realize that this means Laura is the phoenix of legend? Or will it be written off as a coincidence?

Christine: Vicki says the Laura living now hasn't died by fire, but it seems as though she did in Phoenix. I'm completely confused by that, since Laura keeps saying she's running out of time, which makes it sound like she's coming to the end of a cycle. 

Episode 156 - 1/30/67

The front doors swing open at Collinwood, and Liz starts up the stairs in a trance-like state. She calls out to Vicki and Roger before falling down the stairs. Roger comes out and finds Liz at the bottom of the stairs. He screams for Mrs. Johnson and Vicki. Vicki comes downstairs and goes to call a doctor. Liz wakes up and Roger helps her up. Vicki asks if she should still call a doctor and Roger screams, "immediately," while Liz says not to embarrass her.

They lead her to the drawing room. Liz starts talking about a call from Mr. Metcalf, and getting Mrs. Johnson a menu, as she can't sit around all afternoon. Roger explains that it's after 10pm, and that she spoke to Metcalf earlier that afternoon. Vicki also says she already gave Mrs. Johnson the menu for tomorrow. Roger says she's forgetting half the day. She tries retracing her steps up the stairs. She stumbles as she reaches the top, and asks them to help her to her room.

In The Blue Whale, Joe is drinking when Carolyn arrives. She asks the bartender if Burke Devlin had been in all night. He says no, and Joe asks if she'll even say hello to him. She doesn't respond, and he asks if she's making the rounds looking for her boyfriend. Carolyn says she's sorry, and Joe says he doesn't believe it. Joe says he'd like to get even, though he doesn't want to. She asks if they can be friends, and he says no chance. She asks if they can sit down for a drink and he says he has to go pick up Maggie. Carolyn asks if he sees her often, and he says as often as he can. A call comes in for Carolyn, and Joe says to tell Burke he says hello before leaving. The call is from Roger, telling her to come home because something is wrong with her mother. She hangs up and leaves.

Back at Collinwood, Carolyn runs upstairs. Her uncle Roger says they've ruled out a heart attack or stroke.

Carolyn goes into her mother's room. Liz doesn't recognize Carolyn, and asks why she can't go to her own room. Carolyn explains that it is her room. Liz says she's not sick, but that something terrible is happening to her. Carolyn says she won't let anything happen to her. She then recognizes Carolyn, and describes how she was walking up the stairs... and then begs for Carolyn to save her.

Liz tosses and turns in bed.

Carolyn goes downstairs and finds Vicki in the drawing room. She says that her mother keeps saying that something terrible is going to happen to her. Carolyn asks Vicki that despite vowing to never leave Collinwood, if her mother should be in a hospital. Vicki says that the doctor will be back in the morning. Carolyn cries out of fear that she'll lose her. She says she can't be alone. Vicki asks if she can do anything for her, and Carolyn says there is something she wants. She hates herself for wanting it, but she wants Burke to hold her and never let her go.

Liz talks in her sleep about walking up the stairs. And then she remembers being inside the cottage with Laura, and deciding that Laura must go. She calls to Vicki and Roger. She gets out of bed and sees a silhouette by the window. She calls out for the person to identify themselves. She screams, and the person disappears. Carolyn, Roger and Vicki rush in, and Liz describes a bird in the sky, with fire.

Our thoughts

John: You would think after passing out, Liz would finally leave Collinwood for the first time in years. At least Carolyn agrees with me.

Christine: Roger sounds genuinely frightened when finding Liz passed out at the bottom of the stairs. So Liz can't remember being at the cottage with Laura. What other hidden powers does the phoenix possess?

John: How'd they get away with playing a muzak version of "Michelle" by the Beatles at The Blue Whale?

Christine: I tried to track that down, but the closest I could get was an unsubstantiated claim that Dan Curtis paid a lot of money for it. Did you miss "Yesterday" playing when Carolyn walked in to The Blue Whale and met up with Joe at the bar? Joe was at the juke box making that selection before she walked in, so what should that tell us about his feelings for Carolyn? It's surprising to hear good ol' Joe say that he wants to hurt her and will try not to get even, even though he really wants to. Should we be concerned that Joe may be slightly...pathological?

John: It made sense that Liz forgot the events of the afternoon, but then they want us to believe that she also lost selected memories, like being able to recognize Carolyn? Whatever the case, Liz is certainly messed up!

Christine: She sure is! Let's take a moment to appreciate Joan Bennett for the fine actress that she is. She probably had no idea what she was in for when she signed up for this show, but she rolls with it like the pro she is. She's got me truly worried about her character.

Episode 155 - 1/27/67

Mrs. Johnson visits Burke Devlin, and asks him if he thinks Laura will help him destroy the Collins family. He explains that Laura will testify that Roger was driving the car. Mrs. Johnson says Laura Collins is a fraud. She says that she heard Laura told Roger that she was keeping Burke pacified to keep his mind off the manslaughter case. Burke yells at Mrs. Johnson, calling her a liar and asking her if Roger is paying her to say these things. She begins to leave, and Burke apologizes to her. She tells Burke that he may not know Laura as well as he thinks he does. He says he can't believe she'd knife him in the back, and Mrs. Johnson asks if that isn't what she did to him 10 years ago.

David sits by the fire with his mother. She says she enjoyed their visit, but it's important that no one knows about them. She gets ready to send him on his way, and he spots a music box. She plays it for him, and when he says he likes it, she gives it to him. She suggests he leave it in the cottage for now. He pleads with her to let him take it home, and she lets him, as long as he hides it. She sends him on his way, and returns to her spot by the fire.

David arrives home, and while holding the music box, his aunt walks in on him. She asks where he has been, and he says he's been on the beach. He hides the music box behind his back. He starts to back up the stairs, and Liz asks what he's holding. When he says it's nothing, she asks him to show her. He says he found it on the beach. Liz says she knows it belongs to his mother. She says she thinks he saw his mother and she gave it to him. He says he did not, and when Liz asks why he's lying, he says he wants to spend time with her. Liz leads him into the drawing room. Liz tells him that he won't do anything to hurt his mother, and that she doesn't think it's good for him to see her right now. He begs his aunt not to send his mother away. He says she hates his mother. Liz says she doesn't hate his mother, because she loves him very much. David then screams that he hates his aunt and runs upstairs.

Burke stops in to see Laura at the cottage and asks for an explanation. He says he cannot trust her. Laura tells him goodbye, and begins to cry. He's obviously affected by her tears.

Liz grabs her coat, and heads out the front door.

Laura says she has to appease Roger and pretend she's not interested in Burke if she wants to get custody of David. Burke says he trusts her. He kisses her, and they are interrupted by Liz. Burke leaves, telling Liz that he's glad things are out in the open. Liz tells Laura she's less concerned with Burke, and more concerned with her having David lie to her, and meeting with him secretly. Liz tells her she has to leave. Laura asks what she'll do if she refuses to leave. Liz assures her that she'll never get David. Laura says if she decides to take David, no power on Earth will stop her. Liz leaves, and Laura returns to her fire.

Back in the main house, Liz looks for Roger in the drawing room. She appears to become faint as Laura's image is superimposed over her. She tries to make her way upstairs, and calls to Vicki and Roger before falling down the stairs.

Our thoughts

John: I love when Laura asks Burke if he remembered what they said a long time ago, and he matter-of-factly says, we said a lot of things.

Christine: Blech! Mrs. Johnson very effectively broke Laura's spell over Burke, and with a few crocodile tears, he was sucked back in. How disgusting! I was wondering if we heard the first of Bob Cobert's well known music box compositions today, but could not find evidence that this was one of his music cues. It may have been a real music box, though it actually sounds like two different ones being played simultaneously.

John: When Liz bursts in on Laura and Burke, her shout obviously startled the boom man, as the shadow of the boom mic moves into frame.

Christine: I had to go back and see it and I have to say it was pretty funny to watch. This is my best effort at capturing the moment. Ah, the little pleasures of Dark Shadows.

John: Nice to see Liz stand up to someone other than just Roger for a change. Laura is clearly a more formidable opponent.

Christine: If Liz had supernatural powers, she would be the clear winner in this match up. Laura would be easily snuffed out by Madame Blanc. We have to wait until next week to find out what Laura has done to her, since there was no evidence of fire power.

Episode 154 - 1/26/17

A man in glasses opens the door and asks if Vicki and Frank are alive. He says he always hears the knocking, but when he opens the door, there's no one there, because they're dead. The man explains they are at the Stockbridge family graveyard, and invites them into the house. Frank wants to leave, but Vicki wants to hear more.

The man provides details on deceased Stockbridge family members. She smells Jasmine from behind a door, and tries to enter. The man says that's the crypt, and he never allows anyone in there. He says all the Stockbridge's that died a violent death are in the crypt. Vicki pleads to go in, and he allows it. The man describes several violent deaths that took the members of the Stockbridge clan. Vicki finds an L. Murdoch Stockbridge that died in 1767. The man describes that she was a woman who burned to death. Vicki suddenly can't breathe. Frank points out the similarity to Laura Murdoch Collins. Vicki says it's time for them to go, and the man begs for them to stay. Vicki thanks the man, and they leave.

Mrs. Johnson asks if she can get anything for Roger. He says no. She then offers to build up the fire, and he dismisses her. She says she noticed the police had been there again. Laura arrives, and Roger asks for some black coffee.

Roger then proceeds to prod Laura about what she really knows about Phoenix. Laura denies having anything else to say, and says she's incapable of murder. She turns to leave, and Roger says if she walks out the door, that may begin her departure from Collinwood. He explains that Liz wants Laura to leave. Laura says she will not leave without David, and if Liz tries to force her to leave, she has a few threats of her own. Roger then points out that she sounds capable of murder. Roger asks her to begin explaining things, like what she's doing with Burke Devlin.

Outside the drawing room, Mrs. Johnson listens in. Laura says she's trying to keep Burke's mind off the manslaughter case. Roger says she's to never mention that, and they hear a noise outside the room, indicating Mrs. Johnson is just outside. She leaves the coffee, and Laura asks Roger how much he thinks she heard.

Frank brings Vicki home, and she asks Frank if he really didn't smell Jasmine. She's sure Josette led her there. Vicki offers Frank a drink before he leaves.

Roger offers Frank a brandy, and Laura offers Vicki coffee. Vicki asks if Laura first came to Collinsport as a young woman. She says she likes to think she came as a young woman the second time. Vicki asks about her family history, and Laura says she comes from one of the oldest families in the area. Roger tells Frank that the authorities in Phoenix positively identified the body who burned in the fire was Laura. Roger finds it amusing, and Frank is clearly shocked.

Our thoughts

John: It was a pleasant surprise to have a field trip from Collinwood, if only briefly. I look forward to seeing if we run into any members of the Stockbridge clan in the future (when we visit the past).

Christine: Even better that it was a visit to a crypt, complete with a spooky caretaker, who apparently stays up late to open the door for dead people who aren't there. A momentous occasion as our first visit to a graveyard, but certainly not the last.

John: I love how Roger is immediately on to the fact that Mrs. Johnson is sticking her nose in the family business. I'm surprised he didn't raise more of an issue when Liz brought her on board. And now Mrs. Johnson has possibly heard talk of Burke's manslaughter case. I suspect Mrs. Johnson may be planning a trip into town first thing tomorrow morning.

Christine: I love how Vicki invites Frank inside to partake of Roger's brandy.

John: Vicki's noticing the parallels between Laura Collins and Laura Stockbridge... but not quite connecting all the dots.

Christine: I think the revelation at the end of the episode will help her start putting the pieces together. It was looking like it was going to be her last date with Frank up until he got hooked by the name L. Murdoch in the crypt. The real question is what is Josette's interest and why she has an affinity for Vicki.

Roger's amused face.

Died by fire in 1767

Episode 153 - 1/25/67

Lieutenant Riley arrives at Collinwood with the reports from Phoenix. He provides a record of Laura's blood type, showing it as matching the victim of the fire. He then shares her dental records matching those made by the medical examiner. As a result, the Phoenix police have identified the body as Laura Collins. The lieutenant says he has to follow through on the reports, and needs to talk to Laura. Roger calls the cottage to let her know they're coming to see her.

Frank and Vicki have dinner at The Blue Whale. She begins talking about David, and how she's happy that he's warming up to his mother. Frank asks if she trusts Laura, and Vicki explains that she wants David to be happy.

In Laura's cottage, Roger asks her how it feels to be a dead woman. She's not amused, and he explains the Phoenix police department have confirmed that she died in the fire. Riley shares the dental records and blood type. Roger then asks her a few questions. She confirms Roger wanted to name David, 'Charles Andrew', and correctly names their old address, as well as the name of their family dog. Riley doesn't dispute that the woman in Collinwood is Laura Collins, but he does ask her again if she has any other information that might help them identify the woman in Phoenix. He then asks if she would allow for a physical examination. Laura reluctantly agrees. Liz escorts the lieutenant back to the house, and Roger tells Laura that he and Liz are puzzled, in that they think she knows more about the woman in Phoenix than she's saying. He tells her that if she decides she has more to say, he'll be at the house waiting for her.

Frank drives Vicki back to Collinwood. Vicki falls into a trance, and when Frank snaps her out of it, she says she can smell Jasmine, and she asks him to take the next road. He goes along with her directions, despite Vicki not knowing where she's taking them.

In the drawing room, Liz says she's sure the mysterious things going on all began with Laura's return to Collinwood.

Vicki tells Frank they're almost there, and then commands him to stop. She points out a house, and Frank notices gravestones beyond the house.

Roger says Liz has it in for Laura because she wants David. Liz wants her to leave.

Vicki runs to the door of the house and knocks on it. Frank finally catches up to her. She tells him she's supposed to be here. Frank says it's not a house. He claims it's some sort of chapel, and there won't be anyone here so late at night. Vicki says she hears footsteps. She then says she can feel there's someone behind the door, and the doorknob turns and opens.

Our thoughts

John: So the evidence linking Laura Collins to the body in Phoenix grows stronger, but it's not clear what a physical examination of Laura will prove. That she too matches the dental records?

Christine: She may engage in a fireside meditation that allows her a way out of a physical exam.

John: The sound effects team got to dust off the frog track today.

Christine: It seems as though Josette may have crashed Vicki's date with Frank. I wonder what she wants them to discover.

John: I'm anxious to find out about this new location Vicki has taken us to. Where could it be, and what does it have to do with the Collins family?