Friday, February 28, 2020

Dark Shadows Episode 960 2/27/70

Amazon Prime members can stream today's episode free!


Bruno forces Chris into a crypt in the Eagle Hill Cemetery at gunpoint. Chris asks why he brought him there, and Bruno says he's got suspicions about Chris, and he'll find out if they're true within the next 24 hours once the moon rises. Bruno asks if the thought of a full moon frightens him. Chris tells Bruno that he's crazy. Bruno tells him that if nothing happens to him when the moon rises, Chris will be a free man. And if something does happen, he'll be forced to kill him.


Bruno opens the door and zombie Sheriff Davenport enters. Chris is shocked. Bruno tells Chris that Davenport has been brought back from death, at least temporarily. Davenport asks Bruno why Chris is there. Bruno tells the zombie that during the full moon, Chris turns into a werewolf. Bruno tells Davenport to chain Chris to the wall. He hands Davenport a gun with silver bullets, and says that after Chris turns into a werewolf, he is to kill him. Bruno leaves them alone together.


Jeb is on the phone complaining about something. Bruno enters and Jeb asks him why it took him three hours to get information. Bruno says that other things happened that he needs to tell him about. Jeb asks if the things in David's room are real. Bruno says he almost got killed there. He goes to show Jeb the noose that was around his neck, but it has disappeared from his bag. Jeb says the spirit of Paul Stoddard is trying to get them from beyond the grave. Bruno suggests they talk to Blair, and Jeb refuses.


Jeb asks Bruno why he's looking at him like he's afraid. Bruno asks if he is. Jeb grabs him and tells him he's not afraid of anything. He reminds him who is the leader, and who is the follower. Bruno tells him nobody does that to him, and punches Jeb in the face. They struggle, and Jeb tells Bruno that he only keeps him because he has guts. Jeb asks him who leads, and Bruno tells Jeb that he does, and that he follows.



Jeb tells him to remember that if he wants to stay alive. Jeb then asks Bruno about what happened after Collinwood. Bruno says the girl he rescued from the werewolf was in Collinwood, and he took her back to town. Jeb asks if she knows anything about the werewolf, and Bruno says he's convinced she doesn't know a thing. Jeb asks if he's soft on her. Bruno asks Jeb about his next move. Jeb says he's going to see David in the morning to see if he remembers how to deal with spirits of the dead from the book. He leaves, and Bruno thinks about how he can deal with Jeb.



Davenport tells Chris he's going to chain him to the wall. Chris asks what if he refuses. He tries to run past him but Davenport grabs him. Chris screams, and Davenport tells him that he doesn't like the touch of death on him. He tells Chris to chain himself to the wall, and he does.


Jeb enters Collinwood, and Roger stops him, suggesting that it's polite to knock. Jeb says Elizabeth offered him free reign of the house. Roger asks why he's there, and Jeb says he's come to see David, to show him some photographs. Roger tells Jeb that if he doesn't like his son's choice of friends, he can do something about it. He forbids Jeb from seeing him. Jeb tells Roger that he doesn't know how he's going to stop him.


He goes upstairs, and Roger makes a phone call to Quentin. He says he's just had his first and last run-in with Jeb. He says he's going to have Jeb run out of Collinwood. He hangs up and finds Jeb standing in the doorway. He asks Roger if he's wondering how much he heard. Roger says he doesn't care. Jeb says if he was talking to Quentin, he knows more than he thought he did. He tells Roger that what he's heard about him is true. He asks Roger how he would feel if something happened to his son, or his sister. He tells him not to mess with him, and leaves the house. Roger calls Quentin back.


Bruno sits by the fire, thinking that he's smarter than Jeb, and he was born to lead, not follow. He's glad he didn't tell Jeb about the werewolf. He realizes that if anything happens to Jeb, Blair will have to appoint a new leader, and who better than him. Jeb comes in as Bruno puts on his coat. Jeb says he wants to talk to him. He tells Bruno he just put Roger in his place, but he's worried about the spirit. He says he has decided the spirit is not Paul Stoddard. Bruno says he's got to prepare for the werewolf. Jeb says he's got plenty of time, and tells him that he doesn't leave until he tells him to.


Davenport approaches Chris and tells him it's almost time. He says he couldn't disobey his orders even if he wanted to. Chris asks him what he's got to lose. Davenport steps outside the crypt and looks up at the full moon. He comes back inside as Chris screams in agony. His hand changes, and Davenport raises the gun.




Our thoughts

John: Ah, poor Bruno's feelings got hurt. I'm surprised that Jeb let him live after he took a poke at him. Of course it would only be fitting for one of Jeb's own to turn on him and unleash the werewolf to do away with him.


Christine: He's certainly a fickle follower. Their wrestling match was a delight to watch.


John: Why exactly would there be chains installed on the wall in a crypt? I am really enjoying the Adventures of Zombie Sheriff Davenport, though I wonder where he hangs out when Bruno isn't employing him. Great potential for a spin-off series! I do hope we get a zombie-werewolf tussle tomorrow...


Christine: He's probably a barfly at the Blue Whale. Davenport's corpse appears to be ripening. Let's hope if there is a tussle, he'll get some gashes added to his visage. It looks like Chris is being held in the Stockbridge crypt that Vicki visited with Frank Garner in Episode 154, since Chris is being chained in front of E. Pendleton Stockbridge's resting place and the architecture appears to be the same. You may recall the lovable Caretaker of the crypt saying that all the Stockbridge family members who died a violent death were in the crypt, so perhaps that has something to do with why the manacles are in there.


John: Jeb goes to see David, has a run-in with Roger, and can't possibly have met with David in the time he was there. Do you think he forgot why he went to Collinwood in the first place?

Christine: You know how pissy Jeb gets when anyone questions his authority or threatens him. He thrives on conflict and takes pleasure in asserting his dominance over others, so I'm pretty sure he forgot all about why he went there.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Thursday, February 27, 2020

Dark Shadows Episode 959 2/26/70

Amazon Prime members can stream today's episode free!

David is up in his room. The lights go out again. A chill comes over him, and he realizes that the spirit has come back. He calls out asking who it is. The door swings open, and a body is hanging from the rafters outside his door. He calls for help, but no one comes. David closes the door and wheels back into his room.


His door opens and Bruno comes in, asking what happened. David explains what he say, but there's no one hanging in the hall. David asks where Jeb is, and Bruno says he was sent because Jeb had to see someone after Elizabeth told him about the book burning. Bruno asks him about what happened last night. David describes how the book caught fire on its own. Bruno says that the only thing that's obvious is that someone beyond the grave is trying to contact him. He adds that only the spirits of those they have killed would dare to harm them this way.


Carolyn prepares to take Sabrina to get her hair done. She wants to help Sabrina look like she did when Chris was engaged to her. Sabrina is apprehensive. They don't hear Bruno come downstairs and eavesdrop on their conversation. He comes in, and Carolyn introduces him to Sabrina. She appears put off by him. Bruno tells Carolyn that David was entertaining him with the family history, and he asks her if there's a book with more information. She says there is, and goes to get it.


Alone with Sabrina, Bruno asks her if she knew there was going to be a full moon tomorrow night. She says she'll make a point to stay indoors. He tells her that's good, because he might not be there to save her. Carolyn comes in with the book and Bruno thanks her, and leaves. Sabrina says she doesn't think he can be trusted. Carolyn tells her that she used to agree, but now she thinks he's harmless.


In David's room, Bruno reads the book. He says the family history doesn't mention the Leviathans. He starts downstairs, but the lights go out. He tells David that someone is choking him. David watches as he seemingly throws himself around the room. He falls to the ground, and pulls a noose off his neck. Bruno says it's old and covered in mildew. David asks how it got around his neck. Bruno says whoever did it was trying to kill him. He tells David that he'll be fine. Bruno says he'll get someone to move David to another room.


Carolyn returns with Sabrina, with an all-new hairdo. Bruno comes downstairs and asks Carolyn to come to David's room. They go upstairs, and Sabrina admires her new hair in the mirror.


David tells Carolyn he's afraid to sleep in his room. She agrees to put him in another room.

There's a knock on the front door, and Sabrina opens it for Chris. He's surprised to see her new hair. He tells her she's very beautiful. She says she was afraid he might not have wanted to remember her.


He realizes that he must not lose sight of the tragedy they've faced. She tells him that she wants tonight to be special, and they kiss. Bruno watches them from the foyer. Sabrina asks Chris if they can go to the cottage, and they leave together.


Bruno starts after them, but Carolyn comes downstairs. She asks where they are, and he tells her that she just left with a young man. She asks if he met Chris, and he says they were leaving as he was coming downstairs, and they didn't see him. He asks her about them, and Carolyn says they had been engaged, but something went wrong. She says Chris is a strange young man. Every once and a while he gets moody and disappears for a few days. Bruno thanks Carolyn for her hospitality, and rushes out.


Sabrina and Chris kiss in the cottage, but he pulls back. She says they can't let anything interfere like the last time. She says she accidentally saw him transform just days before the wedding, but now they shouldn't let anything stop them. He tells her that she would be living in constant danger. He says he doesn't want to talk about it. She asks if he loves her, and he says it's not a question of love. He tells her that if they find a cure, maybe they can talk about having a future together.


They leave the cottage, and Bruno comes out of the shadows where he had been watching them. He goes into the cottage and looks around. He finds a chain and handcuffs, Bruno checks his pistol. He hears someone and hides. Chris comes back in alone and sits in a chair by the fire. He sees the chains on a desk with a flashlight. Bruno pulls a gun on him and tells him to turn around. Chris asks what he wants. Bruno says they're going to watch the full moon rise together, and laughs maniacally.



Our thoughts

John: Bruno thinks it MIGHT not be mentioned in the family history if they had interactions with the Leviathans? And here I thought Aristede was the dumb one...

Christine: I wonder why David allowed him to waste his time going through the family history books at all, since he has always been the go-to expert on the Collins family history. Remember back when Willie was using him as a source of information when he went looking for the family jewels in Barnabas' coffin?

John: Not since Star Trek has an actor thrown himself around a set less convincingly than Bruno does when being 'strangled' by the invisible intruder in David's room.

Christine: It makes me wonder if it was David Henesy rather than David Collins that was asking "What are you doing?!" Hopefully none of his cool toys were damaged in the process. We did get to see a nice shot of the Petofi box on the table in the hallway.



John: Glad to be rid of Sabrina's grey wig, but what does it say about Chris that his interest in her is rekindled.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
Christine: It could suggest that he's a superficial louse, but I think it's more likely that he realizes his lycanthropy reduces his chances of finding a mate, and he should take what he can get.

John: Did anyone else notice someone outside the window of the cottage when Bruno confronted Chris? At first I thought it might be someone who would come rescue him, but they I realized it was probably just a crew member hanging out, not realizing that he could be seen in the shot...


Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Dark Shadows Episode 958 2/25/70

Amazon Prime members can stream today's episode free!

Julia leaves the tower room and sees the silhouette of a figure. She asks who it is, and it disappears.


In the drawing room, Julia tells Quentin that she saw a caped figure in the tower room. Elizabeth comes in and asks what they're conspiring about. Julia asks her when Maggie will be back. Elizabeth says she said she'd be back as soon as she settles her family situation. She leaves, and Quentin says that yesterday Elizabeth tried to kill Maggie, and now she lies about wanting her back. Julia describes Collinwood as a house of lies. Quentin says he's got years of experience.


Roger comes in and mentions his surprise that Maggie is gone. He then sees Quentin, and says he's come back. Quentin explains that he's not a ghost of Quentin, but his descendant. Roger introduces himself, and says the old Quentin was cruel, terrifying, perhaps even murderous; and he's fascinated by him. Amy listens to them from the foyer. Quentin tells Roger that he disappeared when he was very young, only living with his great grandmother for a short time. Roger says he left behind a remarkable resemblance.


Julia comes in with coffee, and Roger suggests she could fill him in on Quentin's history. Suddenly, Quentin's music begins to play, and he is surprised. Roger asks Quentin what has frightened him. He says it's as if the music startled him.


Amy comes in and asks Quentin if he likes the music she's playing. Roger asks Amy what she's up to. She says she's just playing an old-timey record. She says that all the people who first listened to it are dead now. She asks Quentin again if he likes it, and he tells her he likes it very much. She offers to play it again, and Roger tells her not to. He takes her out and says he'll find her a good book to read. Quentin tells Julia that Amy knows who he is. Julia assures him that no one can prove his true identity.


Amy tells David that the music surprised Quentin, and that he's the same one as before. She says Jeb will protect them. David tells her that Jeb is frightened of something and he has to find out what so he can protect him. He says he needs the book and asks Amy to bring it to him. She pulls it off a top shelf behind a picture. He flips through it, hoping it has the answers he seeks.


Elizabeth talks to Jeb on the phone, suggesting that they need Roger to join them. Roger comes into the room as Elizabeth hangs up on him. Roger asks who she was talking to, and she says she was talking to Jeb about the carriage house. Roger isn't happy with him staying there, since he's a stranger. She says Carolyn likes him, and Roger says that he's not good enough for her.


Roger then asks Elizabeth why Megan is staying in Collinwood, considering her husband is accused of murdering Paul Stoddard. He says she'll ruin the house and should be sent away. He reminds her that his body was taken by someone. She says she hates to even think about it. Roger tells her that she, David and Amy have all changed, and he's going to find out what's going on in the house.


David finds what he's looking for in the book. He says if the spirit of a dead enemy manifests itself, there is a way to dispel its presence. The lights go out, and he asks Amy to bring a candle. She does, and after he lights it, a wind blows it out. David says there's a presence in the room from beyond the grave. Amy is frightened. David tells her to bring him a flashlight. He continues reading, but the book is swept off the table. He tells Amy to get it for him. She goes to pick it up and it catches fire. They watch it burn. David points out that whatever was there is not gone. The lights come back on, and Amy asks what they'll do without the book. David says he doesn't know.


Quentin is in the old house when Roger comes to see Barnabas. He says he's not there. Roger says he'll keep walking and Quentin asks what's troubling him. Roger agrees to stay, and says it might help talking to him. As a family member and a stranger, he might offer a clear perspective. Roger says everything seems strange to him. His sister, his son... he says there's some enormous horror he can't understand. Quentin has him sit down. He says he's going to tell him an incredible story that may cost Roger his life.


Elizabeth tries to call Jeb, but he doesn't answer. David tells her that it's important that they find him. Elizabeth heads out to look for him.


Quentin finishes telling Roger of the Leviathans. Roger says he knows what he must do. He's going to take David away, and Quentin says they'll kill him and David. Roger says he can't risk letting him stay. Quentin says he, Barnabas and Julia are fighting them. Roger says he doesn't want to lose his son.


David is up in his room, wishing Jeb were there. The lights go out again. A chill comes over him, and he realizes that the spirit has come back. He calls out asking who it is. The door swings open, and a body is hanging from the rafters outside his door.



Our thoughts

John: So the terror of Collinwood that scared Jeb was Father Guido Sarducci? Once again, my hopes of seeing the unseen creature are dashed by a less than impressive visual effect...

Christine: The last time we thought we saw Father Guido Sarducci was in Episode 429 in the form of Reverend Trask. I was thinking it could be the spirit of Gregory Trask, who was walled up at Collinwood in Episode 879, but since he did not die by hanging, it must be someone else.

John: I was wondering just how much Quentin was going to divulge to Roger... including his own sordid history. But I guess he just limited his tale to the Leviathans, which Roger seemed to swallow without the slightest bit of hesitation. Roger has come a long way from the man who would deny what he saw with his own eyes.

Christine: He certainly has come a long way when he thinks that David telling lies and disobeying him is a strange occurrence. I thought it was funny that David asked Amy to light a candle to read the book when he had a flashlight available all along. He sure seems to mine a lot of different information from the same page he reads every time he opens the Leviathan book.


John: Do you think the hanging man is the evil spirit who Jeb leveraged to summon the bat from hell? I think it's safe to say the smiling face of Paul Stoddard isn't on the end of the swinging rope.

Christine: It could be. The only other characters I can recall who have died by hanging are Victoria Winters and Peter Bradford, though I'd say those boots look a lot like Bradford's to me.


Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Dark Shadows Episode 957 2/24/70

Amazon Prime members can stream today's episode free!


Willie and Maggie hear labored breathing outside the tower room door. It stops and they hear a scream. Jeb is outside the door looking terrified. He screams again and runs off. They hear a turn in the door lock, and they are able to open the door. No one is in the hall. Willie leads Maggie out of the room.


Barnabas winces in pain as Julia gives him an injection. He says they've taken no effect, and she says they have taken some effect, he just doesn't know it yet. She warns him that Jeb could find his coffin. He says he won't find it where it's hidden, and that he's worried about she and Maggie staying in Collinwood. Julia says Carolyn would ask questions if anything happened to her.


Willie and Maggie arrive at the old house. Maggie tells Barnabas that they know about them, and they tried to kill her. She says they were locked in the tower room and heard the breathing. She says Amy and Mrs. Stoddard locked them in. Julia takes Maggie upstairs.


Willie tells Barnabas that none of this makes sense. Barnabas tells him that it does. He says they found out about Maggie. Barnabas mentions the murders, and then tells Willie not to even ask, and asks how they escaped. Willie described what happened in the room, and then how a man screamed and ran away. He says the key then turned in the lock but there was no one there. Barnabas says he doesn't understand it.


Willie tells him he's in real trouble now, and Barnabas says he's in more trouble than Willie realizes. Willie understands that Barnabas is once again a vampire. Barnabas offers to tell him everything.


In Josette's room, Julia gives Maggie something to calm her down. Maggie tells her that she failed. She says Amy or Elizabeth must have overheard her talking with Quentin. Maggie wonders who unlocked the door. Barnabas comes in to see her. Maggie asks why Jeb turned into human form. Barnabas says he thought the only place Jeb could change was destroyed when the antique shop burned. He says they must have sanctified another room.


Willie laments Barnabas' condition with Julia. She tells Willie that Barnabas is in more danger than he's ever been before, which is why they need his help. He tells her that his fiancee Roxanne is staying in the motel. They're going to New York to get married, and he can't stay. Julia says that he must.


He says he can't take care of Barnabas, not realizing that Barnabas is on the stairs. He asks what he would tell Roxanne, and says he can't say. Barnabas says that he can't stay—he has his own life to lead. Willie says he hopes they're still friends, and Barnabas assures him they are. Willie goes upstairs to say goodbye to Maggie before leaving. Barnabas tells Julia that he hopes Willie and Roxanne will be happy. Julia says he could have made Willie help him, and he refuses to do that.


Willie brings Maggie a cup of tea. She thanks him. He says he was nervous about seeing her; that he might forget all about Roxanne. He says he hopes that she's half as happy as he is someday. He tells her she needs to take care of Barnabas. He turns and leaves.


Julia says they can't find anyone else. Jeb walks in on them and says he's glad to find them talking about him. Barnabas asks what he wants. Jeb says he wants to see Barnabas alone, and Julia refuses to leave him. Jeb says he'll be safe for the moment, and Barnabas tells her he'll be fine. Jeb suggests she go up to see Maggie.


Jeb tells Barnabas he made a mistake making him a vampire. He says that Blair told him that. Jeb says Barnabas has made mistakes too, like burning down the antique shop. Jeb says he's gong to get Willie to punish Barnabas, and that Barnabas will be there to see him marry Carolyn. He then says he'll find his coffin. Barnabas tells him to leave.


Jeb tells him that he's going to get him. He says he knows Barnabas caused what happened to him in the hallway, using his weaknesses against him. He storms out, and Barnabas wonders what he meant when Jeb told him he was responsible for what happened in the hallway. Barnabas thinks Jeb is terrified of werewolves and ghosts.


Willie comes down, and Barnabas tells him to leave before Jeb harms him, too. He leaves. Julia comes downstairs and Barnabas says that something supernatural must have scared Jeb, and they have to figure out what it is.


Willie comes back in and tells Barnabas that he can't leave right now, the way things are.


Julia returns to Collinwood. She wonders what could have stopped Jeb. She doesn't think it was a ghost. She decides to go to the tower room to look for evidence. She goes upstairs, and Jeb comes out of hiding.

Julia goes to the tower room, and Jeb grabs her from behind asking where Barnabas' coffin is. He sees something, and tells it to stay away from him. He runs off and Julia asks who it is and what they want.





Our thoughts

John: Didn't it seem odd that there was no real reunion between Barnabas and Willie? Interesting how they changed the dynamic in their relationship, and rather than having Willie once again be Barnabas' protector against his will, they made a point of Barnabas freeing him of any obligation, and having Willie return to stay of his own free will.

Christine: What confuses me is Julia's adamance that Willie stay to protect Barnabas. I would have thought she'd jump at the chance to do the job herself, especially since she's gone to the beauty shop just to resume Barnabas' treatments.



John: As soon as Willie started talking about Roxanne, did anyone else hear the voice of Pansy Faye singing? If Roxanne proves to be anyone else, I'll honestly be shocked.

Christine: I was actually hearing the sound of another coffin being interred. Let's just hope there won't be a revival of "I Wanna Dance With You" before that happens.

John: Any bets on what's scaring Jeb? I think we can rule out a werewolf, as that would have come with the ceremonial growling we're accustomed to. Of course, after going to such lengths to demonstrate that the werewolf was the only thing that could defeat the Leviathans, they drag out a new foe that turns Jeb into a trembling little girl who runs off crying at the mere sight of it. So what can it be? My money is on the ghost of a smiling Paul Stoddard!

Christine: I was thinking that it might be Josette's ghost back in her role as protector of the family, now that Barnabas has finally released her to the grave. While I hope you're right about it being Paul Stoddard with a toothy grin, it doesn't make sense that Julia would be asking the apparition to identify itself if she knew who it was, unless it's appearing as formless ectoplasm.