Dark Shadows Episode 613 - 10/30/68

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Barnabas pours medicine into a spoon, knowing that he's doing it because Angelique commands him, even though it will kill Joe. Julia comes in as he's about to give him the medicine, and she takes the spoon away saying he doesn't need another dose tonight. Barnabas fumbles through a poor explanation for his behavior, and Julia suggests that he's tired. She reminds him that Joe must be watched until morning. Julia takes the medicine to prevent Barnabas from forgetfully administering another dose. She leaves and Barnabas says that no harm will come to Joe this night.

Joe starts to stir around 5am, saying that he'll make her want him, and that he won't kill himself. He says he'll get back at her, and get back at Barnabas, if he's the one she wants. He says he'll tell everyone about the two of them and Angelique. Barnabas asks if he'd tell Maggie, and Joe realizes that he can't tell Maggie. He falls back to sleep as Julia returns.

Barnabas asks her to watch over Joe, explaining that he's tired. She asks Barnabas why he had tried to give Joe the medicine earlier. He says he was tired and confused, but she doesn't believe him. She says she analyzed the medicine, and found that it contained a deadly poison. She accuses him of trying to poison Joe. He asks why he would do that. He says that if he wanted Joe to die, he would have left him in the woods. She asks who else could have poisoned him. He reminds her that there was the time he left Joe briefly, and she agrees, but asks if there was another person responsible, why wouldn't they just kill Joe? Joe overheard the conversation, and believes Barnabas wants to kill him.

Maggie stops by to check on Joe, and Julia tells her that he's doing better. She offers to let Maggie see him, but she declines. Maggie asks Julia if she knows the girl, and she says she does not. She tells Maggie that if she finds out who it is, to let her know.

Maggie checks in on Joe, who is lying asleep in bed. He wakes with a start. She asks if he's feeling better, and he tells her that he's going to live. He tells her that she shouldn't be there. She says she's his friend, and he tells her he doesn't need any friends. She asks him if he wants to talk about the girl, and he says he doesn't want to. She gets up to leave and Joe tells her that if anything happens to him, Barnabas is responsible. He says Barnabas has tried to kill him, and he'll try again. She tells him to relax, explaining that Barnabas saved his life. He assures her that he's telling the truth. After she leaves, he realizes that his only chance to save himself is to kill Barnabas first.

Maggie tells Julia and Barnabas that Joe was delirious. She says that he didn't say anything about he woman. She thanks Barnabas for saving Joe and then leaves. Julia points out that Maggie still loves Joe. She says she has to go get some medicine, and Barnabas asks her why she would leave him alone with Joe if she thought he had tried to kill him. She says she believes him now, but suggests that Barnabas rest downstairs so he can hear if anyone tries to sneak in. She leaves, and Barnabas falls asleep in his chair.

Julia arrives at Collinwood and Mrs. Johnson asks about Barnabas. She explains how Harry found Barnabas in the woods last night, after he had fainted. Julia is surprised, but then plays it off like she knows what Mrs. Johnson is referring to.

Joe slowly gets up and looks for something he can use to kill Barnabas. He can't find anything in the room, and decides he will kill Barnabas with his bare hands. He then decides he's not strong enough to do that, and gets a piece of rope.

Downstairs, Barnabas sleeps. Joe wraps a noose around Barnabas' neck and pulls it tight.

Our thoughts

John: Doesn't it seem like Maggie should have the equivalent of a 'Nam flashback when going into Josette's room?

Christine: Yes, she definitely should. While Julia's hypnosis may have worn off, Blair's efforts at wiping her memory seem to be much more effective.

John: Julia, obviously not trusting Barnabas, tests the medicine and confirms that it has been poisoned. She had caught him red handed trying to give it to Joe, and yet she's willing to believe that he wasn't deliberately trying to kill him? Come on, Julia!

Christine: Love is blind.

John: Is strangulation really the easiest way to kill someone, particularly after you've established that you're not strong enough to kill someone with your bare hands?

Christine: Joe is clearly suffering from a lack of oxygen to his brain. It's a bit sad what's happened to his character, and he is obviously doomed. I must say I really enjoyed the shots of Julia holding the medicine bottle in front of her matching Ohrbach's coat. It really sells it.

 

 

Dark Shadows Episode 612 - 10/29/68

Amazon Prime members can stream today's episode free!

Julia tells Barnabas that if Joe lives through the night, he'll probably be alright. She says that must  explain his strange behavior. Barnabas tells her that he'll stay with Joe, and she should go and rest. She tells Barnabas that if Joe is summoned, he must prevent him from leaving. He says he knows that better than anyone.

Harry watches the clock, reluctant to have to go to the old house to poison Joe. He realizes that he has to do what Blair tells him to do. As the clock strikes six, he prepares to leave, until he is stopped by his mother. He denies that he's up to anything, and tells her he's going for a walk, and leaves.

Barnabas realizes that Angelique wants him to come to her, and he tries to resist. Joe begins to toss and turn, saying he has to go to Angelique. Barnabas tells him that she's not calling him. Joe realizes that it's Barnabas that she's calling, and he tries to fight Barnabas, but is too weak. Barnabas cannot resist Angelique, and he leaves Joe alone to go to her.

Barnabas sneaks out without waking Julia.

Harry Johnson is in the woods outside the old house. He watches as Barnabas leaves, and then approaches the house.

Harry sneaks into the old house. He sees Julia sleeping downstairs, and works his way upstairs and into Joe's room. He pours the poison in the medicine bottle next to Joe's bed.

Julia starts upstairs, calling for Barnabas.

Harry hears Julia and hides behind a curtain. She comes into the room and is surprised to find Joe unattended.

Barnabas makes his way through the woods. He asks Angelique to appear, and she does. She tells him she's angry for disobeying her by letting Joe live. She tells him that Joe will die, and he will be responsible.  He refuses, and she tells him that he has no choice.

Julia wonders where Barnabas could have gone. She leaves the room and Harry comes out of hiding. He sneaks out of the room.

Barnabas tells Angelique that she can't make him kill Joe. She bites him again and he screams.

Downstairs, Julia goes out on the porch and calls for Barnabas.

Harry comes downstairs and heads toward the back of the house. Julia comes back inside and hears a door shut. She calls for Barnabas, but no one answers.

Harry comes across Barnabas' unconscious body in the woods.

Harry helps Barnabas into the main house. Mrs. Johnson asks him if he's okay. He assures her that he will be fine. He says he just felt dizzy and passed out. Mrs. Johnson says Harry has done a sensible thing for the first time in his life. She offers to call a doctor, and Barnabas says that Julia can tend to him. He excuses himself to go to the old house, assuring Mrs. Johnson that he'll be fine.

Barnabas returns to the old house, where Julia questions where he has been. He says he had to go outside because he heard dogs and thought someone might be out there. She asks why he didn't wake her so she could sit with Joe. She asks where he has been for an hour.

He says he was searching. He asks if she has given Joe his medicine, and she says he's already had the proper dosage for tonight. Barnabas starts upstairs to check on him, and Julia tells him she heard a noise earlier that has her thinking someone else may have been in the house.  He dismisses her concern and goes to check on Joe.

Barnabas pours medicine into a spoon, knowing that he's doing it because Angelique commands him, even though it will kill Joe.

Our thoughts

John: I had forgotten what a... talent... the actor portraying Harry Johnson is. His internal monologues are the least convincing that I think we've had to endure on the show.

Christine: I didn't think they were that bad. At least not any worse than his usual dialogue.

John: Okay, I'll grant that Julia is sleep deprived, but you think she'd still pick up on the signals that Barnabas is weak from being drained of blood!

Christine: She definitely should since she's been through it herself, and also because Barnabas is clearly trying to hide his neck.

John: Blair gave Harry the poison, but Barnabas is the one to administer it, knowingly thanks to Angelique? If it were that simple, why involve Harry Johnson at all if they could have just given the job to Barnabas to do...

Christine: Maybe it's so Blair has something to hold over each one of them, or because it was Harry's day to work and they needed to give him something to do.

Dark Shadows Episode 611 - 10/28/68

Amazon Prime members can stream today's episode free!

Eve comes out of the hypnosis, saying that Jeff Clark is Peter Bradford, and she loves him. Blair tells her that she's forgetting about Adam. She says she doesn't care about Adam, that she's going to be with Peter Bradford and he can't stop her. He says she could be wrong about Jeff Clark. She says the memory of Peter isn't the only thing that came back. She also remembered that she killed for him. Blair says she killed her lover after she fell in love with Peter. Eve says that explains her urge to kill Adam. Blair says she cannot, and that she must pretend to love Adam. Blair says she will forget Peter, although Eve doesn't believe his threats. She storms out.

Adam sees that she's left, and asks Blair where she went. He says she had a headache, and she'll be fine. He says she'll be herself in the morning. Adam says she's miserable at Blair's house. Blair tells him to go upstairs and leave him alone. Adam says he wants to leave, and Blair says he can't, looking the way he does. He assures Adam that everything will be fine. Adam tells him that he wants to leave, and Blair says they will leave soon, but it will be the four of them—including Maggie Evans. Adam asks if he's in love with her, and Blair says that he wants her with them. He says that once he convinces her to come with them, they will all leave.

Jeff lies on his bed, smoking, when there's a knock at the door. It's Eve. She steps in, and asks if he's going to invite her in. He tries to close the door on her, and she sidesteps it and closes it behind her.

He asks her to leave, and she tells him she has proof she's right about him. He tells her to stop calling him Peter; because he died 200 years ago. She realizes that he doesn't remember, and is afraid of knowing the truth. She tells him he's just as unreasonable now as he was then.

He tells her he doesn't know who she is, and he never wants to see her again. Eve asks him who the woman she saw him with at Collinwood was. He tells her to leave Vicki alone. He says they are getting married soon. Eve says she doesn't have very much time to convince him that he once loved her. She says they'll be together again soon. Jeff tells her it's not possible for people to come back from the dead. She says they were both brought back from the dead. As she leaves, she tells him not to count on his marriage to Vicki ever taking place.

Blair visits Maggie, and tells her he has to put all other matters aside until he can work something out with her. He asks her to marry him. He explains that he may need to leave Collinsport suddenly, and wants her to come with him. She tells him that she can't marry him.

He prepares to leave, and she says she needs to explain why. She tells him that if she weren't so worried about Joe, she might feel differently. She tells him that Joe attempted suicide. She adds that there was another woman. Blair asks if she knows who it was, and she tells him that she doesn't know yet.

Eve returns home, and Adam tells her they will be leaving in a few days. She doesn't seem pleased. She bids Adam goodnight. Blair returns home, and Adam asks how soon they will be leaving. He tells him it will take a little longer than he thought. He explains that Maggie doesn't want to leave yet. He says that after he attends to another matter, she will change her mind.

There's a knock on the door, and Blair sends Adam upstairs so he can meet with Harry Johnson. He tells Harry he has a job for him. He shows him a vial of poison, and tells him that Harry is going to give it to someone. Harry says he can't, until Blair threatens to discipline him. He says Harry is to go to Barnabas' house, find the room Joe Haskell is in, and empty the poison into Joe's medicine tray.

Our thoughts

John: Wow. Blair admitted that he didn't know something; how to make Eve happy. That's a first!

Christine: I love the way Jeff Clark pulls out a book and pretends to read to try and get rid of Eve.

John: Eve tells Peter that she looks different than she did 200 years ago, but didn't she look exactly the same when we saw her in her flashback last week?

Christine: Nice observation. You'd think under hypnosis she might see herself as she looked at the time, in addition to regaining her memory of who she once was. 

John: Blair's plan seems to be coming apart at the seams. If he can't control two man-made monsters, how can he control an army of them? And surely he must realize that killing Joe isn't just going to make Maggie comfortable about running off with him!

Christine: I thought it was interesting that he said Angelique would not be joining their merry group when they leave. Angelique may be delighted to know that. Why does he insist that Maggie come of her own free will instead of using his mojo to make her run away with him? Perhaps Blair truly does love Maggie to propose to her in her garish velour top and quilted pants ensemble.

Where does the quilt end and her pants begin?

Dark Shadows Episode 610 - 10/25/68

Amazon Prime members can stream today's episode free!

Jeff is in the garden when Eve appears. She takes one look at him, and calls him Peter Bradford. He says that's not his name, and she tells him it is. She says he's dressed oddly, but everything else is the same. She tells him that she watched him die. He tells her that he's never seen her before in his life. She accuses him of pretending, and he assumes she's joking. She says she realizes that he doesn't recognize her because she doesn't look the same. She says she can't remember anything other than him, and he tells her to go away. She asks why he's getting so upset if he doesn't believe her. He tries to convince her that she's made a mistake, but she can't be convinced. She is sure he is her Peter Bradford, and she longs for them to be together again.

Vicki finds Liz in the drawing room, and is pleased that she appears better. Liz asks her to invite Jeff over sometime so she can thank him. Vicki says that he's coming tonight. Liz asks if they're back together, and Vicki tells her that they've decided to get married. Liz asks if she's planning to leave Collinwood. Vicki tells her she's not sure what their plans are. Liz asks if she can help with the wedding preparations to keep her occupied, which might allow her to believe that she'll live long enough to see Vicki married. Vicki dismisses her concern and Liz says that the next time she 'appears' to die, she might find herself buried alive.

Vicki finds Jeff in the garden and asks him in so Liz can thank him. He seems nervous, and suggests he can see Liz after the movie. He tells her that he doesn't want to let Roger down again.

They leave, and Eve appears. Liz comes outside and finds her. She asks who she is, and then suggests that she's the angel of death.

Eve returns to Blair's house, and he accuses her of attempting to ruin his plans. He says that Adam told him about what happened at Collinwood. She makes fun of Adam and Blair slaps her.

He asks where she went after her fight with Adam. She says she was outside in the garden. Blair tells her it's dangerous for her to be wandering around Collinwood. He says if anyone sees her, they will start asking questions. She says she knows the right answers. He asks her who she talked to. She tells him that she doesn't know what his plans are, but he's sure she's valuable to him. He admits that she is, but adds that she's not indispensable. He asks who she met with, and she says she'll tell him if he tells her who she was and where she came from before the experiment. He says she was no one, and she knows that he's lying. She said she recognized someone from another lifetime, and she wants him to tell her who she was.

Blair is fascinated by her claim. He says the less she knows about her past life, the better. He asks who she met, and she says she doesn't want him in danger. She tells him it was Peter Bradford, but he says his name is Jeff Clark. Blair says there are forces at work that he doesn't know about. Eve tells Blair she'll do anything he wants, but he must tell her. He says that she will tell him, and has her sit down and stare into a candle flame. He hypnotizes her, sending her back in time.

Eve finds herself back in 1795 with Peter Bradford. He says she killed someone, and she explains that she did so because Phillipe was going to kill him. He says that he loved her once, but he's going to the authorities, and will tell them everything about her. He tells her she has until the morning to get out of Collinsport, and tells her that he never wants to see her again.

Eve comes out of the hypnosis, saying that he is Peter Bradford, and she loves him.

Our thoughts

John: It seems like it has been a while since we've see one of Jeff's frustrated head grabs!

Christine: His most recent head clutching was in Episode 582, which means he's appeared in about four episodes since then where the dramatic head grasp was not employed.

John: Which movie do you think Jeff took Vicki to tonight? I'd like to think they saw Night of the Living Dead, but knowing Jeff, they probably saw Romeo and Juliet.

• Barbarella
• 2001: A Space Odyssey
• Rosemary's Baby
• Bullitt
• Night of the Living Dead 
• Once Upon a Time in the West 
• Romeo and Juliet 
• Planet of the Apes 

Christine: I think Vicki probably wanted to see Oliver! but Jeff took her to Ice Station Zebra instead. On the other hand, he may have taken her to Night of the Living Dead just so she'd get scared and cuddle up.

John: It certainly seems like everything is being set up for another flashback. It will be interesting to see how they reconcile Peter Bradford's story.

Christine: So, let me get this straight. Bradford was having an affair with Danielle Roget and got bent out of shape because she killed her lover, Phillipe Cordiet, to prevent him from killing Peter, which must have happened before he met Vicki. It sounds like another Angelique-Barnabas one sided love affair. What was up with him holding his fist up to her? Was he thinking of punching her? One thing we know for certain is that these two will be trying to one-up each other in the over the top acting department.