Dark Shadows Episode 316 - 9/11/67

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David opens the secret door in the Collins family mausoleum. He turns to look for Sarah, but she's gone. He closes the secret door from the other side, and exits the crypt. Outside, he runs into Barnabas, who tells David that he's been looking everywhere for him.

Barnabas asks what he was doing in the mausoleum. David says he was cold, and he went in there to keep warm. Barnabas says it's colder inside than out, and David says that's why he left. Barnabas asks if David knows what happens to little boys who lie to their elders. David denies that he's lying. David says he needs to go home, and Barnabas explains he can't let him do that, because no one is there. He tells David they can go back to the old house and wait for someone to return home. He says since he found him, he's responsible for him. Barnabas says he can come home with him, and tell him all about his friend Sarah. Barnabas says that she was the one to lead him to the mausoleum. David denies it. Barnabas tries to bring him home, and David avoids it.

Before Barnabas can force him, he hears Burke's voice calling for him. He answers back and Burke finds them both. Barnabas tells Burke he found David in the mausoleum. Burke says he couldn't have been there long, because Roger and Joe searched it this afternoon. David asks if anyone is home, and Burke says that Vicki and his father are. He looks at Barnabas, surprised, who makes up his own story about having stopped by Collinwood and finding no one home. The three leave for Collinwood.

Roger returns home and Vicki asks if he has any news. He says there's no trace of him. If they haven't found him by nightfall tomorrow, they think there won't be any hope.

David bursts in and hugs Vicki and Roger. Roger asks where he was, and Burke explains that Barnabas found him in the mausoleum. Roger says they checked that earlier, and David says he told Barnabas he wasn't there all day. Roger thanks Barnabas, and escorts David upstairs.

Vicki tells Barnabas they owe him a great deal. Burke asks why Barnabas was roaming around by the cemetery. Vicki interrupts, saying it doesn't matter. What's important is that David is home. Barnabas excuses himself and leaves.

David sits on his bed eating a sandwich. Roger asks him where he was. David says he was out looking for Sarah. Roger asks what happened when he didn't find her. David says it got dark and he got lost. Roger tells him there were 17 people looking for him, and if he was in the woods, they would have seen them. David says that he thinks Barnabas knew he was in the mausoleum, and went there looking for him. David points out that they don't know anything about Barnabas, he just showed up one night. Roger tells him firmly that they're going to have a talk later, as he wants to understand what happened and ensure that it doesn't happen again.

Barnabas returns home. Willie comes downstairs and Barnabas asks why he wasn't there at sundown to report in. He asks what he was afraid to tell him. He says that while Willie was out cowering in fear somewhere, he found David in the mausoleum. Willie asks if he knew about the secret chamber. Barnabas says of course he knew about it. Willie asks what happened, and Barnabas says that nothing happened, as Burke arrived. Willie asks if David knows the truth, and he says he doesn't know. He adds that Sarah helped him find the secret chamber, so it's possible she told him Barnabas' secret.

David goes to the window. Vicki checks in on him what's the matter. He says he's scared. He says he feels like someone evil is watching him.

Barnabas stares out the window of the old house, and says, "Good night, David. Pleasant dreams."

Our thoughts

John: Barnabas should be relieved that David doesn't know his secret. Surely if he did, he wouldn't be so sophisticated as to not let on to Barnabas that he knew the truth about him.

Christine: I enjoyed the way Barnabas said, "Hell-o, David!" This would have been delightfully frightful to kids viewing back in the day, knowing that he wanted to drag the little boy to his lair and do away with him. The ending was also chilling.

John: Barnabas didn't press David very hard for the truth, and then Burke had to go and break up the interrogation. Will these events lead to Burke reopening his investigation into Barnabas.

Christine: Did Burke ever really close his investigation? I wonder if he's beginning to notice that Barnabas wastes a lot of alcoholic beverages. We had a brief moment of rare affection between father and son upon their reunion. Will we ever find out whether or not Roger really is David's dad, or if Burke is his true father, as Roger thought in Episode 32?

John: Anyone else think David was going to call out to his mother when he walked to his window?

Christine: Yes, Episode 132 still rings in my ears, too. When David was going to bed, there appeared to be an owl holding a sign on the table next to his bed. Do you suppose it was a welcome back card? It was a rather odd little detail.

"Curiosity in a child can be a very dangerous thing."  -Barnabas