Dark Shadows Episode 1237 3/23/71

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Melanie reiterates that she will marry Kendrick. Julia encourages her to wait, but she refuses. Julia wishes her all the best, and leaves her alone. Melanie turns and sees Gabriel in the room with her. She's shocked. He asks if she knew all of the secret panels and secrets in the house. He raises his knife and stabs her. Melanie lies on the ground, moaning. Gabriel goes to stab her again when Kendrick runs in and tries to take the knife from him. Gabriel punches him and escapes through the secret panel. Julia and Morgan come in, and Kendrick confirms that Melanie's been stabbed in the arm by Gabriel. Julia asks where he went, and Kendrick says he went through the secret panel. Julia sends Morgan to search for him. He grabs a gun and enters the secret panel. Kendrick and Julia help Melanie upstairs. 

In the secret passages of Collinwood, Morgan searches for Gabriel, gun drawn. He hears Gabriel laughing, and asks him to come out. Gabriel tells him it's more fun this way. Morgan vows to find him. Gabriel sneaks up behind him and knocks the gun out of Morgan's hand. They grapple, and Morgan punches Gabriel, who gets up and runs away.

Melanie tells Julia she feels better. She says she won't be able to rest until Gabriel is found, and asks to speak to Kendrick alone. Julia tells Kendrick that he can stay, but not for long. She leaves and Melanie kisses him, thanking him for saving her life. She asks if he still wants to marry her, despite all the madness and tragedy in the family. He tells her that nothing would change his mind. He says he came to find out if Carrie was able to help her. Melanie says she was, until Julia made her leave. She says that her mother is still alive, and very close by. She describes the vision, and explains that Julia sent her away before telling her what her mother looked like. Kendrick says that he's going to see Carrie to find out the truth. 

Julia stops Kendrick as he is leaving. She explains that Melanie told her of their marriage plans. She offers him her congratulations. She asks why Melanie wanted to see him alone, and he tells her that she can ask Melanie. Julia asks if the subject was who her real parents are, and he interrupts her, telling her that the subject never came up. 

Gabriel is near a suit of armor in the secret passages when he hears footsteps. He hides when they draw nearer. Morgan appears, gun in hand. Gabriel jumps out and knocks the gun away. They struggle. and Gabriel gasps as he is impaled on the sword held by the suit of armor.

Morgan returns to the drawing room, and tells Julia that Gabriel found him. And then he adds that he's dead — accidentally. He says the body is upstairs, and goes to get Quentin to help him with it. 

Kendrick arrives at the cottage to see Carrie. She says she can't tell him any more than she told Melanie. She apologizes. He asks about the woman she saw in her vision. She says she couldn't see her face. He asks if she was threatened by Julia, and she denies it. He says her father said Julia came to see her, and Carrie slips and says her father wasn't there when Julia came. Catching her in the lie, Kendrick asks what she's afraid of. She says Julia will make her life miserable. He assures her that she'll be fine, and asks what Julia said. She says Julia asked her to lie. Kendrick asks if she knows who Melanie's real mother is. She admits that she does. He begs her to tell him.

Later, Kendrick asks Carrie if she's certain. She says it is, and explains that he now knows why Julia tried to keep it from Melanie. He tells her that she's done the right thing, and then leaves to find Melanie's mother.

Julia comforts Melanie, explaining that Gabriel died almost instantly. Melanie thanks her for taking care of her. Julia says she gets impatient with her because she thinks of her as a Collins, just as her father did.

Julia finds Morgan and asks if  they took care of the body. He says they did. He asks her who will tell his mother. Julia volunteers. Kendrick arrives at Collinwood. He asks to speak to Julia alone about Melanie and her mother. Julia asks Morgan to leave them. Once alone, Kendrick tells Julia that he knows the truth.

Kendrick visits Melanie. He explains that he saw Carrie, and he's already spoken to her real mother. She asks him to tell her who she is, and he says that she's on her way to see her. He says she'll be there shortly. There's a knock, and Kendrick goes to answer it. Melanie is shocked by who she sees.

Our thoughts:  

John: With all of the potential weapons at his disposal, why do you think Gabriel attacked with what appeared to be a butter knife? If he had been smart, he would have taken the sword from the suit of armor.

 

Christine: Wasn't that the weapon that Brutus gave him, along with instructions to go murder the whole family? Perhaps it's all part of Brutus' evil plot to kill the family off by setting them loose with an inefficient weapon, causing the other family members to kill them in self defense.

                                                                                                                           

John: Speaking of which, who keeps their suit of armor armed with a sword sticking straight out into a walkway? On the bright side, Gabriel went out with a bang! That was quite the blood-curdling death scream!

 
Christine: That was pretty awesome! I thought it was particularly noteworthy that he was giving us all the finger when he died. His death scene may be one of the best images in the series. 

 

John: I thought for a brief moment that maybe they were going to surprise us and have Julia turn out to be Melanie's mother, but I think I'll stick with your Josette prediction.

 

Christine: When Kendrick said he was going to see Melanie's mother and then we saw him talking to Julia, it became obvious they were trying to throw us off track. I might have believed it until I saw how pleased Kendrick was to tell her that her mother was coming to see her. I don't think he would have looked so delighted about Julia being his future mother-in-law.

 

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