Dark Shadows Episode 476 - 4/22/68

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Lang takes Barnabas into his laboratory. He explains that Barnabas' life form will be drained from his body, and placed into his unfinished work, as he unveils a stitched together human body. Lang says it is an 'it' until it lives and has a name. Barnabas asks about the head, and Lang explains that will come last. Barnabas asks where it came from, and Lang tells him he created it, and his life force will make it live.

Barnabas doesn't understand it, and Lang tells him to accept it. He explains it's taken a lifetime of research and analysis to find the secret of bestowing life on inanimate matter. He says the body will bring the end of his suffering. Barnabas' life force with Lang's creature's body will give him a new life. Barnabas asks about his present body and mind. Lang says he will be forever dead, and the curse will die with his body. Barnabas doesn't agree to cooperate until he has more information, including the chance of success. Lang says it's almost certain. Barnabas asks what it would mean if he failed, and Lang tells him that he would die. Barnabas asks about his memories and feelings, and Lang tells him he won't know until he is transferred into the new body. Lang assures him that he will be reborn as a fully intelligent, mature man. Barnabas remains skeptical. Lang tells Barnabas that he needs to think about it, and he still has work to do. Barnabas points out that he has to deal with the issue of the creatures' face. Lang tells him he was going to let Barnabas decide what the face looks like, as it will be his.

Jeff is in the graveyard with Lang, watching a gravedigger finish burying someone. He tells Jeff he'll follow the gravedigger to ensure he leaves, and commands him to start digging. Jeff admonishes Lang for being a grave robber and a ghoul. Lang tells him he's a scientist. Jeff asks what will happen if the experiment fails, and Lang says thinking about failure is a contemptible weakness. Jeff reiterates that he won't do it, and Lang threatens to tell Vicki. Jeff says he will tell the truth, and Lang says he might tell her he was institutionalized, but not about the murders. Jeff isn't sure it's true, but Lang says he can produce evidence linking him to the murders. He advises Jeff not to call his bluff. Jeff drops the shovel and tells Lang he can dig the grave himself.

Barnabas is in the garden when Julia meets him. He says he doesn't want Cassandra to know they're meeting. He asks for her advice as a friend and doctor. He asks her about Lang, explaining he has offered Barnabas a way to be free of his curse forever. Julia says he's a competent surgeon. She asks what Lang is planning, and Barnabas says it's revolutionary. She says she knew Lang had plans for him, but hasn't been able to find out what they are. Julia asks Barnabas how the experiment will free him from the curse. He says he cannot go into detail. She says if there's a risk of death, it's not worth it. She tells him he can go on as he has been, and Barnabas tells her he cannot. He tells her that Angelique won't let that happen.

Barnabas is still in the garden when he hears Vicki's voice. As Barnabas sneaks away, Vicki and Jeff come into the garden. He tells her he needs her help, but he doesn't know where to begin. He tells her that he doesn't know who he is. He's not sure he's Jeff Clark. He tells her he can't remember anything before the sanitarium. Vicki asks why he was there, and he tells her he does not know. He tells her he needs to find out about his past, and find out all about her. She tells him she already knows, and they met a long time ago. He kisses her, as Barnabas watches from the shadows.

Barnabas returns to Lang's office, and tells him he has decided to cooperate. Lang says he'll be ready to start in three days.

Barnabas adds that he has made another decision, regarding his face. He asks if it would be possible to resemble Jeff Clark's face, and Lang confirms he can do better. It will be Jeff Clark's face.

Our thoughts

John: How is reanimating dead tissue beyond Barnabas' comprehension? He's a friggin vampire! Thanks to a witch!

Christine: I think he may not understand how a person's life force could animate another person's dead body, especially when it's been assembled with limbs from distinctly different bodies, requiring a number of blood vessels, ligaments and bone to be accurately connected.

John: I love how Lang promises Barnabas that he'll be an intelligent, fully informed man after his life force is transferred. Was I the only one to think that would require that Barnabas be an intelligent, fully informed man before the transfer?

Christine: Barnabas had been an informed, intelligent man up to this point. His decision to inhabit a hodge-podge body of dead parts with the severed head of Jeff Clark attached in order to escape Angelique's curse, while reaping the benefit of Vicki wanting to suck face with him, seems to be a completely uninformed and rash decision. How can he not pause for a moment to consider that he will be giving up his claim to Collinwood and the Collins family name?

John: I was impressed with Lang's dexterity as he used his pointy finger to tell Jeff their plan in the cemetery.

Christine: Dr. Lang is the sort of character one could love to hate. His twitchy, excessively loud, overdramatic style is cheesy and rather jarring, but lends a real sense of insanity to the character.

John: Sure, Barnabas. Maybe Vicki won't notice the scars on 'Jeff's' body...

Christine: If not, she'll surely notice when he starts using flowery language and becomes more of an old square than an impetuous, young lover. Today is Peter Murphy's last appearance on Dark Shadows as the oblivious gravedigger. We've enjoyed him in the past as the ghost of Dr. Woodard, a gaoler, the Caretaker, Dr. Thornton, various dead people, and old Barnabas. He did a fine job pretending as though he couldn't see Dr. Lang staring straight at him in today's episode.