Dark Shadows Episode 334 - 10/5/67

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David asks Vicki what's taking Burke and Dr. Woodard so long. He's sure they'll find the coffin in the basement of the old house.

Outside the front of the main house, Burke tells Woodard that even though they didn't find anything in the basement, he doesn't like Barnabas. Woodard says they need to be careful how they break the news to David. Roger lets them in. Woodard tells him that Barnabas wasn't willing or eager to show them the basement, but he did, and there was nothing in the basement. Roger is not at all surprised, and says that unlike his cousin Barnabas, he would not have cooperated with such a ridiculous request. Roger sends them up to tell David the news of what they found—or in this case, didn't find.

Burke and Woodard come in to David's room, and ask Vicki to step out. Woodard tells David they didn't see a coffin in the cellar. David tells them that if they don't believe in him, something terrible is going to happen to him. He says he wishes he could tell them, but he promised he wouldn't. He mentions the mausoleum where Sarah is buried. Burke says they've been to the mausoleum, and there are only three coffins there. David says there is a fourth coffin behind a wall in a secret room. The window bursts open and David hears London Bridge. He tells them Sarah is upset that he told them about the secret room. He says that when he got lost, he was stuck in the secret room with an empty coffin. He hid in the empty coffin when Barnabas and Willie came in, as he was sure they would kill him. Woodard doesn't believe David, who says he'll take them to the mausoleum. Woodard agrees, provided that Roger says it's okay. David asks if he'll be safe, if Barnabas doesn't know they're going. As they go downstairs, the window flies open again.

Woodard asks Roger if they can take David to the mausoleum at Eagle Hill cemetery. Roger forbids it. He says it's ridiculous and insulting. Woodard tells Roger it could ease David's mind. Roger agrees, and tells them that if there's nothing strange in the mausoleum, there will be no further talk about Barnabas. Vicki takes David upstairs to get a jacket. Roger confides in Dr. Woodard that he's concerned about David, and thinks it may be time to talk about psychiatric help for him. After they leave, Roger asks Vicki if she's still planning to marry Burke. She says yes, Burke wants to get married immediately, but she's committed to staying with David as long as necessary.

David, Burke and Woodard enter the mausoleum. Inside, David tells them the secret door opens when pulling the ring in the lion's mouth. Burke asks him to do it, and when he tries, he's unsuccessful. Burke then tries, and is also unable. David says that Barnabas must have come there first and done something to it. Woodard also tries, and also fails to open it. Burke tells David that he must have just imagined it. Woodard says that they're his friends, and asks David to admit there's nothing more than they see. David looks around and finds a flute on one of the coffins. David tells them that Sarah left it so they'd believe him about the secret room. Woodard believes there must be a reason why the flute is there.

Our thoughts

John: I was just wondering about the status of Burke and Vicki, and their house and the upcoming nuptials. Thanks Roger for ensuring we got some sort of update before the audience had forgotten completely about those plot threads.

Christine: I liked how Roger described growing up at Collinwood and being afraid to walk the corridors, imagining that the dead people in the portraits were staring at him with hatred. He claimed he outgrew the fear, but I'm not sure he did.

John: I think it was pretty clear that we'd get in to the mausoleum to find the secret door latch no longer worked. But wouldn't one of the two 'investigators' consider the fact of the size of the mausoleum, and the unaccounted for space on the inside, as compared to the outside? The inner room is almost as big as the outer room, so that should be fairly evident by simply walking around the perimeter of the structure.

Christine: Roger seems to believe that David's mental state is fragile and he is ready to snap. Perhaps he should have gotten him into counseling after he attempted to kill him by sabotaging his car, or after attempting to kill Vicki by locking her in a room in the closed off section of the house, or even after he almost burned to death with his mother, who he saw go up in flames. 

John: Really, Dr. Woodard? A stray flute and you're back to believing David's wild stories? I'm sure Roger will be blown away by that particular piece of evidence...

Christine: He might have considered that the Caretaker had left it there after playing melodies for the dead folks. He does like to prattle on about how he takes care of the dead, after all.