Dark Shadows Episode 583 - 9/18/68

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Willie goes downstairs and hovers over the body of Adam's mate. He picks up a scalpel and tells the lifeless body that Maggie Evans isn't going to die for her. Barnabas interrupts him, telling him that if he touches the body, he will kill him himself. He demands that Willie drop the scalpel. He does, and Barnabas asks why he tried to sabotage the experiment.

Willie says it's because he was going to use Maggie to bring it to life. Barnabas says someone has to, and Willie tells him to use Vicki. Barnabas flatly says no. Willie asks why Maggie, and Barnabas says she's the most available. Barnabas asks Willie to promise not to disrupt the experiment. Willie says he will if he doesn't use Maggie. He even offers to find another girl, and Barnabas refuses.

Vicki and Maggie commiserate over their lost men while having coffee in the garden. They agree that both Joe and Jeff have changed. Maggie says she ran into Joe in town, and he said hello and just kept walking. Vicki says she dreams that Jeff will come to her and say he was wrong.

Barnabas shows up and they invite him to join them. Vicki goes to get a cup for him, and he asks Maggie how she has been. He brings up her father's absence, and how she must be lonely. She says she'll need to get a job soon, and may look for something in Boston. Barnabas asks if he's told anyone else her plans, and she says just Vicki. Vicki returns with a cup, and Maggie excuses herself. Vicki asks if she'll see her again before she goes to Boston and Maggie says probably not.

She leaves, and Barnabas tells Vicki she looks well. He brings up Jeff, and tells her he's sorry if she's upset. He offers to take her to a concert in Bangor next week, and she accepts his invitation. Barnabas notices Adam watching them, and leads Vicki away.

Maggie is writing a letter when Willie knocks at her bedroom door. He apologizes for frightening her, and asks her if she'd like to go away for awhile. He offers her $50, tells her there's a bus leaving for Bangor and he'll drive her to it. He says there are people with plans for her, and she doesn't know about it. He says she's in danger and he's worried about her. She asks what people he's referring to, and he tells her Barnabas is involved. She doesn't believe Barnabas has plans that will put her in danger. He tells her she's not crazy. He says that he's loyal to Barnabas, but if she's not there, he can find someone else. She asks for what, and Willie struggles with the fact that he can't tell her. She tells him she can't leave tonight, and she knows Barnabas wouldn't do anything to harm her.

Adam confronts Barnabas outside Collinwood, complaining that he's not working on the experiment. Barnabas says he is living up to their agreement. Adam asks him if he should kill Vicki tonight.

Willie comes downstairs to the empty lab, trying to figure out how to protect Maggie. Willie takes chloroform and inadvertently knocks down a stool. From upstairs, Barnabas calls down to Julia. There's no answer, so he enters the lab. He looks around, notices the stool was knocked over and stands it back up. He leaves without noticing Willie crouched behind the machinery.

Willie sneaks into Maggie's bedroom with the chloroform. She wakes up screaming as he applies it to her mouth, and she passes out.

Barnabas knocks at her door and announces that he must see her. He lets himself in and finds that her bedroom is empty.

Our thoughts

John: I love how Barnabas talks to Willie like he's a dog. Stop! Put it down! Look at me! Roll over!

Christine: Willie tells Maggie that he's loyal to Barnabas because he's been good to him. How has Barnabas been good to Willie?

John: So there you have it. Willie offers another girl to provide the life force for Adam's mate, and Barnabas says no. What is the real motivation behind choosing Maggie?

Christine: I was thinking it was because he held a grudge against Maggie for not accepting the role of Josette the vampire bride, but now I think his motivation for choosing Maggie is because he knows Willie is in love with her. He should have considered that if he used Vicki for the life force, then Adam would be unable to harm her.

John: Barnabas is one smooth operator. First thing he mentions to Maggie when he gets her alone is her dead father, and once he's alone with Vicki, he brings up her break-up with Jeff before asking her out on a date. I have to give him credit, both women still appear to be big fans, and Vicki agreed to go on the date!

Christine: Everybody loves Barnabas, so he can do no wrong, even when he does wrong. Do you think he's taking her to see The Beach Boys in Bangor? Wouldn't it be nice? Incidentally, I thought Julia was keeping that cabinet locked. I guess it's a good thing she left it unlocked so Willie could get the chloroform to use on Maggie. Let's hope poor, misguided Willie is successful in saving the girl of his dreams, though he's sure to get a wolf's head imprinted on the side of his head for it.