Dark Shadows Episode 244 - 6/1/67

Jason tells Liz that getting married is the only solution to her problem. She laughs at him, and tells him that's absurd. He reiterates that he's serious.

She says that it's inconceivable because she detests him. He points out that she'd like to forget the man who helped her 18 years ago. He reminds her that he can blackmail her. She tells him that he's evil. He describes the scene of Liz in the drawing room standing over Paul Stoddard's bloody, dead body. He explains that he knows Paul was the evil one. Liz says that Roger knows what's going on, and she can't transfer any more money to him. Jason suggests that if they are married, she wouldn't need to transfer money to him. Jason explains that the alternative is for her to call the sheriff. Liz takes the phone and begins to dial the sheriff. Jason tells her that she should at least tell Carolyn what she did before calling the sheriff. He offers to fetch her, and Liz tells him to go ahead. 

Carolyn is reading in Roger's office when Jason enters. He tells her that her mother wishes to speak to her. Before she goes, he suggests that she be diplomatic when she speaks with her. She tells him that she doesn't understand what he's trying to tell her, and leaves to see her mother.

Carolyn joins her mother in the drawing room, and says that she needs to tell her something. She tries to explain why she lives the way she does. Carolyn says it sounds like a confession, and Liz tells her that's exactly what it is. She tells Carolyn about her father, and her life 18 years ago. She says Paul kept her off-balance, but that he never loved her. Liz says he never loved Carolyn, either. Carolyn says she doesn't want to hear about it, and runs out of the room.

Carolyn runs into Roger's study where Jason is. He says it appears to have gone badly. He asks if Liz told her about her father. Carolyn says her mother told her that her father was a horrible person, and then she stopped her. She asks Jason if her father ever talked about her, and Jason says he did so incessantly. Jason says her father loved her even more than he loved her mother.

Jason joins Liz, who says she couldn't tell Carolyn. He says that they'll need to make plans for the future.

Our thoughts

John: Nice to find out where Paul shuffled off this mortal coil. Now if we can ever get all the details of what happened that night 18 years ago.

Christine: According to Liz, Paul Stoddard was a terrible man and neglectful father, who never even held Carolyn. Apparently, the writers forgot the original narrative that Paul Stoddard left six months prior to Carolyn's birth. I wonder why the ghost of Paul Stoddard has never materialized in the drawing room where he died.

John: Once again, Liz is on the verge of calling Jason's bluff. She even starts to tell Carolyn the truth about her father, but can't get out the important details before she runs out on her.

Christine: Liz would rather confess to murder than marry Jason McGuire. She should consider that it's likely Carolyn would also prefer her mother to be a murderess than Mrs. Collins Stoddard McGuire. She will probably not be delighted to hear that Jason is going to be her stepdad.

John: I'm still amazed that Liz seems to forget that Jason has nearly as much to lose as she does if the truth comes out about Paul Stoddard.

Christine: It's a huge flaw in the storyline. Still, if she acted as we expected, we wouldn't get to enjoy the ludicrous prospect of her having to endure marrying Jason. We can only imagine what he'll demand next. Perhaps he'll ask her to provide him an heir.