Dark Shadows Before I Die: Dark Shadows Episode 291

Barnabas approaches Julia Hoffman's bed when she walks out of the shadows and bids him a good evening. She tells him that she's been waiting for this meeting for a long time, because she knows what he is. He asks what she means, and she tells him that he's the one and only Barnabas Collins. She tells him that she saw him in his coffin. He tells her that puts her in an awkward position. He tells her that he is going to kill her, and she tells him she's a doctor, and that she can help him. He tells her there's no other way of life for him. She says that 130 years ago that may have been true, but she says now is different. She describes her interest in extending life, and that he is the only one who spans two worlds from dead to living. He asks what she would do. She describes his need for blood, and how she would change his needs. He tells her he's intrigued.

Barnabas and Julia enter the old house. He explains that her room was not the place for them to have a discussion. He asks if the others know who she is. Barnabas asks if anyone else knows who she is. She tells him that Dr. Woodard knows, but he doesn't know about her work. Willie enters, and Barnabas tells him that Dr. Hoffman will be spending some time there, and that she knows everything. He tells Willie that she believes she can cure his condition. Barnabas explains that Willie will help her, at first by setting up a room downstairs for her to work.

At the Collinsport Hospital, Sam and Joe wait for Dr. Woodard. As Woodard comes out of the delivery room after delivering twins, Sam asks for an update on Dr. Hoffman. Sam says they found out she's staying at Collinwood disguised as a researcher. He wants to know how that's going to help Maggie. Woodard explains that he doesn't understand what she's doing. Sam says he doesn't know how much longer he can go on pretending Maggie is dead. Sam threatens to bust things wide open if they don't get some answers from Dr. Hoffman.

Willie comes upstairs and tells Barnabas that Julia picked out a room downstairs. He asks Barnabas if he can trust her. Barnabas tells him that he's going to kill Dr. Hoffman. He says that was his plan all along. Willie asks if she could really cure him. Barnabas asks if he truly believes that. He tells Willie that he will never be free of him. Barnabas points out that she was able to discover the truth about him, and predict his coming to her room. He's interested in her theory, but he doesn't trust her entirely. As he starts downstairs to kill her, she comes upstairs with a list of things she needs. Barnabas passes it off to Willie to take care of.

After Willie goes downstairs, she tells Barnabas that she won't be able to begin for a few days. She starts to leave, and he tells her that she cannot return. He tells her that he cannot trust her. She tells him she's the one person he can trust. She says if she dies, everything about him will be known. He says she's bluffing, and she says to try him and see. He chokes her and she says Maggie Evans will tell.

He says she's dead. and Julia says she's well hidden. While she's suffering from amnesia, she'll eventually come out of it. She explains that while under her care, Maggie can be controlled. If he destroys her, he destroys himself.

Our thoughts

John: I love this Julia/Barnabas dynamic! Somehow she manages to survive a close quarters confrontation with our vampire pal.

Christine: Barnabas brings up a good point when he says that she assumed he would want to be cured. She took a big risk in thinking he didn't enjoy being a bloodsucker. Her theory that his constant need to replenish his blood supply can be cured by introducing "a new plasma" that will fix the imbalance in his system that causes him to lose more blood cells than can be replaced is rather novel, even if it is unable to stand up to scientific scrutiny.

John: I'm wondering if Julia is destined to shack up in the old house. While that would seem odd, it almost makes sense that if she's doing research, that she stay closer to the Collins' family historian that is Barnabas.

Christine: So, Maggie Evans is destined not to remember her stay as Josette at the Old House, so long as Julia remains alive. It's a brilliant plan to keep Barnabas from killing her, unless he finds Maggie and kills them both.

John: It's clear Willie would feel much better if Barnabas were cured of his vampirism, so I'm guessing he's going to be a key ally of Dr. Hoffman. If she lives long enough!

Christine: Barnabas says Willie will be with him for the rest of his days. In that case, he really should get him to do something about the flies in the Old House.