Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Dark Shadows Episode 477 - 4/23/68

Amazon Prime members can stream today's episode free!

Carolyn returns to Collinwood, and is greeted by Cassandra, who introduces herself as Mrs. Collins—Roger's wife. Carolyn is shocked to hear her uncle is married. Cassandra tells her that everyone in the family reacted the same way. Carolyn asks how long they knew each other before getting married, and Cassandra tells her it was one day. She asks about David, and Carolyn says he decided to stay in Boston for a few more days.


There's a knock at the door, and it's Anthony Peterson. He asks to speak to Carolyn. She's reluctant to speak to him, but she introduces him to Roger's wife. He compliments Roger's taste in women, and then drags Carolyn into the drawing room. He asks her what she's doing with her cousin Barnabas. In the foyer, Cassandra eavesdrops for a while. Carolyn tells him he has a lot of nerve. She claims he stormed out the other night without giving her a chance to explain. She tells him if he's interested in her deep dark secret with Barnabas, he can take it up with him. He says he will, and once again storms out.


Barnabas sits before the fire in a smoking jacket when there's a knock at his door. Peterson introduces himself, and mentions he followed Carolyn to the old house the other night. He says he watched them from outside the window. Barnabas tells him it's a pity he's not a gentleman. Peterson says he's interested in Carolyn, and thinks she's making a big mistake. He asks Barnabas what his intentions are with Carolyn. Barnabas invites him to sit down so he can set the record straight.


Cassandra holds Tony's lighter, and says he will discover his loss and keep looking for it. She lights it, and says he will feel the warmth on his cheek, and it will lead him to her.


Barnabas explains Peterson got worked up over nothing. Tony says he saw him kissing Carolyn. Barnabas clarifies he has no romantic interest in Carolyn. Tony goes to light a cigarette, and begins searching his case for his lighter. Barnabas suggests he may have left it at the old house, and Tony leaves. He feels his cheek.


Cassandra holds Tony's lighter. She hears him approaching and begins crying. He asks her what's the matter, and she says she doesn't want to burden him with her problems. She tells him she feels that no one at Collinwood is willing to accept her. He assures her they'll be friendlier after they get to know her better. He says they're reasonable people, including her husband. She asked him why he found her, and he says he was wandering around looking for his cigarette lighter. She says it's an amazing coincidence—she found it. She takes it out and lights it, describing the flame. Tony is transfixed. Cassandra tells him to look deeply into her eyes, and tell her what he sees. He says he sees himself. She says she needs his help, and he agrees to help her. She tells him he will come when she calls him. She closes the lighter and gives it back to him. He offers to escort her back to the house. She tells him that Carolyn is completely wrong about him.


Barnabas is asleep in his chair before the fireplace when Angelique calls to him. She appears in the old house. He begs her to leave him alone. She explains that he's dreaming so they can be together again. He tells her to leave him alone. She tells him that he can't escape her. She says the curse will return to him through dreams of everyone around him. She describes it as a dream-like chain letter that will become more terrible for each dreamer. Barnabas screams for her to stop, as he wakes and gets up out of his chair.




Our thoughts

John: How does a kid David's age decide he's going to stay in Boston for a few more days? Is anyone supervising him?

Christine: He is certainly not the type of kid to leave on his own. You'd think his governess would be attending to him. What do they pay Vicki for anyway? Perhaps Roger is supervising him since he was so noticeably absent from today's episode. Strange that he's abandoned his new bride so soon after they were married.

John: Peterson says he doesn't like being laughed at, and Barnabas tells him he shouldn't be so amusing. I didn't find Peterson that amusing, but there's plenty to laugh at Barnabas in this episode, particularly in his 'dream state.'

Christine: Barnabas is wearing his wonderful vintage smoking jacket that we've seen him don on many occasions. I'm surprised he is so fond of it, as he was wearing it as he lay dying from the curse in Episode 407. Perhaps it reminds him of when he was last human.

John: What would possess Tony to be a Collins' family ambassador all of a sudden?

Christine: I think he was taken in by the charms of Cassandra Collins. How cool that Angelique is imposing a dream curse that has to travel through several others before it reaches Barnabas. Dreams on Dark Shadows are always so much fun, so it's quite a treat to expect several before the big finish that culminates in Barnabas becoming a vampire again.

2 comments:

Eric said...

If this mad docor had the ability to transfer 'life force', why screw with Jeff Clark's head? Wouldn't it be far safer to just use his whole body head in-tact, where none of the body part surgically combined w/ their complications would come into play? (Not too mention matching body parts).

Christine said...

Of course it would have been safer to use Jeff Clark's intact body, but then it wouldn't have been Lang's own creation, and he is a mad doctor, after all. It could also be that Jeff Clark's head was the only useful part of him.