Dark Shadows Before I Die: Dark Shadows Episode 507

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As Carolyn sleeps, she dreams. She hears a knock at the door. She tries to avoid getting up to answer the door, but she does get up. She refuses to answer the door and have the dream, waking up in the process.

Professor Stokes visits Julia at the old house. She tells him that he must stop the dream curse. He says that he understands if it doesn't get stopped, Barnabas will die. Julia mumbles about something worse happening, and he asks if there's something worse than death. Stokes tells her that according to his calculations, only one more woman needs to have the dream, and that woman may make it possible for Barnabas to never have the dream.

He shows Julia a photo of Josette's portrait, and asks her who it is. She says it's Josette, and he asks who she looks like. Julia says she looks like Maggie. He points out that Maggie was the first to have the dream, and Josette was Barnabas' love years ago. Julia says that Maggie is not Josette, and Barnabas is not the same Barnabas.

Stokes walks through the list of people who had the dream, and when people who knew Barnabas had it, he was having a difficult time. When Barnabas was not under any stress, the dream was had by those less connected to him. Stokes tells her that Barnabas will be the beckoner in Carolyn's dream—but there may be a way that he can be the beckoner instead. He says that if it works, and if he lives, Barnabas Collins will be saved. He tells Julia to bring Carolyn to him immediately.

Carolyn is reluctant to hear Willie's dream. Stokes tells her she doesn't need to be frightened, as she'll be in a controlled environment. Carolyn says she knows the dream is going to kill someone. He assures her that she will not die. If anyone does, it will be Barnabas. Stokes tells Carolyn that as soon as she wakes, she'll be able to tell him the dream, and be free of it. She says that would work only if he were the beckoner. She agrees, and Julia takes her to see Willie.

Stokes tells Carolyn to look into his eyes. He tells her that soon she will hear a knock at the door, but she will not be frightened. Carolyn appears to be in a trance.

He tells her that he will be the person on the other side of the door. Carolyn lies on her bed and falls asleep. She begins to dream.

She hears a knock at the door, and when she gets up to open it, she sees Professor Stokes. She reluctantly follows him to a door. After she passes through, he closes and locks it behind her. She begs to be let out.

She hears Stokes recite the incantation as she finds herself in a room full of doors. She opens the first to see the wide-eyed skull. Behind the second door, she sees the guillotine. The third door reveals the laughing skeletal bride. Carolyn screams in terror. She opens the fourth door and sees a tombstone with her name on it.

Carolyn sits up screaming that she saw her gravestone, and Stokes tells her she must tell him the dream immediately so that he can have it tonight.

Stokes tells Julia how impressed he is with his ability to insert himself into the dream curse. Julia asks why he thinks he'll see the witch when he has the dream. He says she'll appear because he's broken all the rules of her dream curse. She tells him that he makes it sound so simple. He leans back in his chair, and immediately begins to dream. He hears a knock at the door.

Our thoughts

John: I sure would like to understand Stokes' dream calculations. I'm curious if he had to use a slide rule.

Christine: No doubt he did. The double exposure of Carolyn dreaming at the beginning was interesting, but the one with her and Stokes seemed to be overdoing it a little.

John: Do you think Stokes was more interested in stopping the dream curse, or just becoming part of it.

Christine: He definitely wants to be in it so he can face the witch. He may regret his arrogant bravado. I was confused when he told Julia that he was guessing the witch was female. Why wouldn't Julia tell him that it was Cassandra, as well as inform him of the portrait fiasco that made Cassandra an old crone and left Sam blind? Is her mind clouded because she's developing feelings for Prof. Stokes, or did the writers not want to draw attention to the fact that they never bothered to explain how Cassandra regained her youthful appearance when she returned in Episode 504?

John: It's always amusing when a key character to the plot has the day off. So much for Willie getting to tell Carolyn the dream. Once again, that pivotal event tales place off camera. Too bad that they couldn't keep up the momentum of building terror as more people experienced the dream curse. It's almost as if they could have just had people walk in and open the one door that's unique to them...

Christine: I think the decision to have only four doors helps to keep it from being too predictable and tiresome. I thought Mrs. Johnson was the best screamer on the show, but Carolyn takes the prize today. Carolyn's birthdate on the gravestone does not match what was recorded in the Family Register in Episode 267.