Dark Shadows Episode 481 - 4/29/68

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Julia goes into Lang's study and locks the door behind her. Lang and Barnabas find the door closed, and listen in. When they hear her calling the police, Lang draws his pistol. Barnabas pleads for her not to call the police. He tells her to remember Dave Woodard. Julia hangs up the phone and opens the door. She tells Barnabas he always wins. He explains this is not in the province of the police. Julia asks Lang if he made the body, and he tells her he did it in the name of science. He says he's just going one step beyond a heart transplant. Julia asks for Lang's word that he won't try to kill anyone else. Lang says he can create the face of his creation the same way he created the figure. He gives her his word. She then says he can have her word that she will do whatever she can to stop the experiment.

In the garden at Collinwood, Julia begs Barnabas not to go along with Lang's plan. He tells her he has no choice. She tells him he's not a vampire, but he reminds her the cure is not permanent. She says that she and Lang can control that.

Barnabas tells her that they cannot control Angelique. He says he cannot live this way. He says if he goes along with Lang's plan, he will escape Angelique forever. As he says this, Cassandra walks up and overhears their conversation.

Barnabas sees Cassandra, but she cannot see him. He says he will leave his wealth to Julia. He then sneaks around the corner and grabs Cassandra. He asks how long she was listening to them. He calls her Angelique, and tells her she will do nothing to upset his plans. She pleads for Julia to help, and asks why Barnabas treats her this way. She runs from him, and Julia tells him to let her go. He says if she knows their plan, he must stop her immediately.

Cassandra calls to Tony, telling him she needs him tonight.

Cassandra is in the garden when Tony arrives. He asks what she's doing and she says she's waiting for him. He asks how she knew he was coming. He explains that he was driving home, and felt that something was wrong. He asks if Carolyn is alright, and then realizes that she made him come to the house. He says he doesn't like meeting her, as she's married to Roger. She commands him to look at her. He does, and she tells him he will do anything she asks, and he will not remember what she tells him, or what he must do. She tells him that she needs him to get something from Dr. Lang. Tony says no and starts to walk away. He freezes, and she reminds him that she controls him.

She warns him not to make her angry. He asks why she chose him, and she says he reminds her of Reverend Trask. She says she wanted to use him, too. She tells him to go to Lang's house, and get a small, old medallion from his desk It's a talisman against witches. Tony says it's to protect Lang against her, and she tells him that's an unkind thing to say. She says he will not sleep again until he gets it and Lang must not know that it is missing. She sends him on his way, but before he goes, she gives him a kiss.

Doctor Lang comes to the old house. Barnabas answers the door, and Lang asks him about the accident. Barnabas doesn't know what he means, and Lang says there was a message on his answering service to come immediately to the old house. Barnabas says he must not leave the house tonight. He says it must be Angelique's plan. Lang asks why she would want him there. Barnabas asks if he has his talisman. Lang checks his pockets, and then says he must have left it in his desk. Barnabas tells him that they will go together to get it.

Tony breaks into Lang's office. He goes to his desk and rifles through the drawers. In the main drawer, he finds the talisman.

Cassandra, talisman in hand, says that Lang will not be able to save Barnabas, nor will he be able to save himself.

Our thoughts

John: I love Barnabas' flub when he calls for Julia to remember someone, and Lang has to remind him it's Dave Woodard he wants her to remember. If you've never seen the Dark Shadows bloopers, I highly recommend them. I'm so familiar with those, it's always a pleasant surprise when we reach an episode with a flub I remember so well!

Christine: Dr. Lang must have had a worse flub since there's an obvious cut in the tape right after he asks Julia to think that jumps to him searching for the teleprompter.

John: Sure Dr. Lang... building a body out of corpses and killing someone is no different than giving someone a heart transplant?

Christine: So, Barnabas intends to leave his wealth to Julia. Perhaps he does have feelings for her, after all.

John: Tony does a pretty good job playing statue. I thought it was cool that Cassangelique not only mentions Trask, but then goes on to kiss Tony. Talk about mixed messages!

Christine: Apparently, Angelique had the hots for Trask. Who knew? Barnabas got himself a sexy, new, purple smoking jacket, perhaps to go with his new body.

This seems a dangerous thing for someone as twitchy as Dr. Lang to do.

Dark Shadows Episode 480 - 4/26/68

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Barnabas picks up the phone to call Julia. Lang draws a gun from a drawer and points it at him. He tells him to hang up the phone. Barnabas asks what he thinks a bullet will do to him. Lang reminds him that thanks to his treatment, Barnabas is susceptible to death. Barnabas puts the phone down. He says he won't call her, but implores Lang that they contact Julia. Barnabas says Julia will keep the secret because she cares for him. Barnabas returns to the phone, saying that Julia will hypnotize Jeff to forget everything that happened tonight. He adds that Lang won't kill him, as he needs him for his experiment.

Cassandra tells Julia she hopes they can be friends. As they come downstairs to go visit Professor Stokes, the phone rings. Cassandra answers, and when Barnabas asks to speak to Julia she hands her the phone. Barnabas says he needs her and her medallion at Doctor Lang's as soon as possible. She apologizes to Cassandra, saying she has to leave to take care of an emergency.

Julia arrives at Lang's, and Barnabas says they need her help to hypnotize Jeff Clark so he forgets the last several hours. Lang describes Jeff as paranoid and dangerous. He says he became violent, and attacked Lang. He tells her that Barnabas arrived and prevented Jeff from harming him. Together, they restrained him. Lang says if she can hypnotize Jeff, it can prevent him from going insane. He takes her upstairs to see him.

Jeff is in bed unconscious, his hands tied. Julia asks why they tied him up, and how strong the sedative was. He says he might wake up any time now. She tells Lang to leave the room, and he agrees to wait downstairs.

Lang comes downstairs and tells Barnabas he doesn't like the idea of them being alone together. Barnabas assures him that she won't believe anything Jeff says.

Jeff wakes up and asks Julia who she is. She describes herself as Vicki's friend. Jeff realizes where he is, and tells her that Lang tried to cut off his head. Julia tells him she's there to help him because she's Vicki's friend. He tells her that he'll do what she says if she listens to him first. He tells her Lang wanted to cut off his head to complete his experiment to create human life. He adds that Lang made him rob graves and dig up dead bodies for the experiment. He says that all Lang needed was a face, and he wanted his. He tells her to go to the laboratory and she can verify he's telling the truth. She tells him that she listened to him, and now he needs to listen to her. She takes out her medallion and proceeds to hypnotize him. She tells him he will sleep when she snaps her fingers, and when he wakes, he will not remember anything that happened tonight. She snaps her fingers and he passes out.

Lang impatiently waits for Julia. Barnabas tells him to relax. He begins to head upstairs to find her.

Julia enters Lang's laboratory and snoops around. She sees an empty operating table, and gasps when she sees the occupied table.

She screams at the sight of the stitched-together body.

Lang and Barnabas enter, and she cries out that everything Jeff said was true. Barnabas assures her that no harm will come to Jeff. Julia describes the experiment as madness. Lang tells her that if he succeeds, Barnabas will be free forever.  Barnabas tells her that with one more life, he will be saved forever. He begs her to remain silent. She says she can't stay any longer, and she makes her way out of the lab. Lang says he doesn't trust her. He says he's going to follow her to see where she's going.

Julia goes into Lang's study and locks the door behind her. Lang and Barnabas find the door closed, and listen in. When they hear her calling the police, Lang draws his pistol.

Our thoughts

John: I wonder if Barnabas noticed that Lang's gun was not even loaded. It sure looked like there were no bullets visible in the revolver.

Christine: It's strange that he keeps a gun in his operating room.

John: Wow. Several bouts of spastic screaming Julia today. Just when it seemed like we had seen new heights in over-acting from Lang, we have a new champion!

Christine: Hardly the reaction I'd expect from a physician who has a vampire for a patient. I nearly choked when she told Cassandra that honesty is a quality she admires in people. I wonder if Cassandra will succeed at hooking her up with Professor Stokes.

John: I sure thought Julia would have been more willing to go along with Lang's plan to save her lover-boy Barnabas. Does she not realize what could happen to him if the police arrive?

Christine: Julia's treatment did not involve sacrificing an innocent person or stealing body parts, so it wouldn't make sense for her to support Lang's lame plan. Ultimately she is saving Barnabas from participating in an atrocity he would later regret supporting.

Try to find the center of the lights.

Can you see the center?

Dark Shadows Episode 479 - 4/25/68

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Lang prepares his surgical gear as Jeff lies unconscious on the table. Jeff wakes strapped to the table, and asks why he didn't just kill him. Lang explains that he has plans for Jeff. Jeff realizes he plans to take his face. Lang gives him another injection that knocks him out. After he's knocked out, he tells Jeff that he should feel honored that Barnabas has chosen him through which to see and speak.

He is interrupted by frantic knocking on the door, and calls from Barnabas. Lang lets him in and Barnabas tells him he's afraid. He says he had a sudden urge to attack someone. Lang reminds him that he said the symptoms might recur, and how to deal with them.

Barnabas stands over the covered body on his table. He asks if it's Jeff, and Lang explains that he interrupted him. Barnabas asks how he can be a new man and still be himself. He asks if he'll see himself in the mirror, or the ghost of a man haunting him from the grave. He tells Lang that he can't let him do it. Lang calls his sentimentality ridiculous, and Barnabas asks if it's sentimentality to recoil from such a horror. Lang counters that surely he's no stranger to horror. Barnabas says he'll never be free from guilt. Lang asks if he truly wants him to stop, and to allow Jeff to marry Vicki. Lang warns him that he'd return to his former self and go on to destroy her out of revenge. Barnabas tells Lang to proceed, and leaves him alone.

Vicki stops by to see Dr. Lang. She lets herself in, and can't find him in any of the rooms. She calls for him and Jeff. Barnabas hears her, and returns to Lang's lab. He tells Lang that Vicki is downstairs looking for Jeff.

Lang asks why she expected to find Jeff there. She says he was coming to get his things and move to the Evans cottage. Lang says some of his things are gone, so that must be the case. She says she was expecting him hours ago. Lang describes Jeff as unreliable. Vicki says she thinks something terrible has happened. She says if anything happens to him, she won't know what to do, as she loves and needs him. Barnabas listens in from the other room. Vicki tells Lang that Jeff is all she wants.

Barnabas sneaks back into Lang's lab. Standing over Jeff's unconscious body, he says he knows Vicki will never change. He grabs a scalpel, and then puts it down. He undoes Jeff's restraints.

Lang returns to his lab and finds Barnabas with Jeff still on the table, but not restrained. Lang tells Barnabas to leave so he can get on with his work. Barnabas says he overheard Vicki. He says his mind is made up. Lang says his mind is made up, too. While they bicker, Jeff wakes up. He explains Jeff knows the plan, and they can't blackmail him any more. Barnabas says he can tell Jeff it was a delusion. Lang says they can't take a chance leaving Jeff alive.

Jeff gets up with a scalpel, and says he heard everything they said. Barnabas tells Jeff he's free as long as he doesn't harm Lang. Lang tells him he doesn't want another murder on his conscience. Jeff asks him what he's talking about. Behind his back, Lang fixes a syringe. He lunges and stabs Jeff with it, who falls unconscious again. Barnabas asks if he's dead, and Lang says he will be very soon.

While he straps him back down to the table, Lang explains to Barnabas that he's killing Jeff to save his experiment. Barnabas tells Lang he can bring in Julia. He tells her she can use hypnosis to make Jeff forget everything. Lang says he doesn't want Hoffman informed of his experiment. Barnabas tells him she can keep his secret. Lang tells him that no one must know what he's doing. Jeff starts to wake and calls for Vicki. Barnabas picks up the phone to call Julia. Lang draws a gun from a drawer and points it at him. He tells him to hang up the phone. Barnabas asks what he thinks a bullet will do to him. Lang reminds him that thanks to his treatment, Barnabas is susceptible to death.

Our thoughts

John: Yes, the portrayal of Lang is over the top, but I do like him. I'm beginning to wonder if he'll live long enough to see his creation brought to life.

Christine: It's doubly entertaining to see Roger Davis try to compete with Addison Powell's over the top performance in their scenes together. The squirming, squealing reaction he had to the injection was quite unique.

John: Jeff had already heard Lang's claims that he was a murderer, so I was disappointed that it was used to successfully confuse him, allowing Lang to easily (well, as easily as preparing a syringe behind your back can be) overpower him. And before you say Jeff was still under the effects of the previous injections, he was pretty spry when he hopped up off the operating table.

Christine: I think it may prove that he really is thick headed Peter Bradford. That was pretty amazing work by Dr. Lang loading up a syringe behind his back. It must have been part of his training in bizarre medicine.

John: Did Barnabas honestly believe that Lang's treatment only affected the negative aspects of his curse? If so, I'm surprised that he's still alive!

Christine: Wait till he realizes that he's going to start aging, and will also need to bathe and change his suit regularly. I wonder if he's started sleeping in Jeremiah's old canopy bed in the Old House, or if he's still slumbering in his coffin in the basement.

Dark Shadows Episode 478 - 4/24/68

Amazon Prime members can stream today's episode free!

Cassandra is coming downstairs when there's a knock at the door. She answers it and is shocked to see Maggie Evans—the spitting image of Josette duPres. She introduces herself, and Maggie explains that she heard the good news about her and Roger. She asks if there's something wrong, and Cassandra explains she bears a striking resemblance to someone she knew. Vicki comes in, and she and Maggie retire to the drawing room. Cassandra glares at Barnabas' portrait, and says that Maggie shall be the first to have the dream.

Vicki and Maggie sit in the drawing room, where Maggie appears to be preoccupied. She says that Cassandra kept staring at her when they met. Vicki says she can see why. She asks Maggie if she said she reminded her of someone. Maggie is surprised that Vicki knows this. Vicki adds that she didn't say who she resembled, which Maggie confirms. Vicki says it's too fantastic. The way she came into Roger's life so suddenly. Vicki asks Maggie if a friend of hers could stay in the extra room in the cottage. Maggie says she thinks her father will be fine with that, and Vicki clarifies that it's a man. Maggie asks about him, and Vicki isn't able to tell her much more than his name. Maggie asks if she's in love with the man, and she says she's not sure.

Cassandra interrupts them to tell Vicki there's a phone call for her from Jeff.

Dr. Lang prepares a syringe while Jeff talks to Vicki on the phone. He agrees to meet her in an hour. Lang tells him he's making a mistake, and Jeff says he's told Vicki everything he knows about himself. Lang asks about the things that he knows—that Jeff is a murderer. Jeff denies it, and Lang tells him he has the proof. Jeff threatens Lang to keep quiet. He says if Lang tells Vicki about him, he'll report to the police about Lang's experiment. Lang offers him a deal. He says he needs Jeff's help for one more day to complete the experiment.

Jeff tells him no, and starts to leave. Lang says if he leaves now, all they will do is destroy each other. He reiterates that he only needs one more day.

Jeff goes to call Vicki back, and Lang grabs the syringe he prepared. Jeff calls Vicki, but she's not there. Lang stabs him with the syringe, and after chasing Lang around the lab, he collapses.

Cassandra calls to Barnabas, telling him the time has come. She calls for the dream curse to begin tonight. She grabs a leaf from a tree outside the drawing room, and a similar leaf appears on Maggie's pillow where she sleeps.

In what appears to be a dream, Maggie goes to the door and finds Jeff standing there. He then draws her away, into darkness.

Suddenly, she finds herself locked behind a door. She's then in a cloudy room, where she can hear the melody from Josette's music box.

She goes through a door and sees a grinning skull with eyes. She screams, and wakes up from the dream.

Lang prepares his surgical gear as Jeff lies unconscious on the table. Jeff wakes and asks why he's strapped to the table. Lang says he would be stupid to trust him. Jeff tells him he's insane, and Lang agrees. Jeff asks why he didn't just kill him, and Lang explains that he has plans for Jeff.

Lang gives him another injection that knocks him out. He tells Jeff that he should feel honored that Barnabas has chosen him through which he will see and speak.

Our thoughts

John: Nice zoom into a wide-eyed Cassandra when she sees Maggie for the first time. Of course I'm thinking they had a new camera operator today, as there were a number of excessive zooms.

Christine: What excessive zooms? I was too preoccupied with Maggie's appearance to notice. I had forgotten what she looked like after not seeing her since Episode 360.

John: I like how the first stage of Angelique's dream curse ends. Another nice zoom - this one into a nice looking skull with eyes. I'm curious if that's a Renwal model kit, the same kind used to create the corpse at the top of the stairs in Night of the Living Dead.

Christine: That zoom I did notice. It could be the same skull from Maggie's first really bad dream in Episode 224, as well as the skull that was gifted to Barnabas and Josette for their wedding in Episode 374, though it looks a lot nicer with eyeballs added to the sockets.

John: Ah, poor Jeff. He thought he was going to show Dr. Lang who was boss. Unfortunately for Jeff, the position was already filled.

Christine: Dr. Lang has an unusual way of strapping Jeff Clark to the table. 

Christine: I love the psychedelic dream overlay during the end credits.