Dark Shadows Episode 1244 4/1/71

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Morgan and Catherine go to the locked room. He gets the key. She thanks him, and he tells her not to. She says he won't regret it, and he replies that he's sure he won't. He opens the door, pushes her in, and locks it behind her. He says that now she and Bramwell are together, and he hopes that they rot together like James Forsythe and Amanda. She says he tricked her, and he admits that he did. She tells him that she would rather die with Bramwell than live with him one more day. He tells her that she'll get her wish, and says goodbye before walking away. 

Bramwell comes out of the secret room and is shocked to see Catherine. She runs to him and they embrace. He asks how she got in the room. She says Morgan tricked her into thinking he was going to let him out. They kiss, and he says they've got to find a way to get her out.

Kendrick comes downstairs and sits in the drawing room next to Julia. He says there's no change in Melanie. Julia says if there is a change, it won't be until tomorrow morning. He says he wanted to fight this thing, and now someone else is doing it for him. She tells Kendrick the curse has been going on for 160 years, and it will never end. She says she wishes she knew how to kill the ghost of Brutus Collins. Kendrick asks her if they get Carrie to hold a seance to call upon Brutus. 

Morgan comes in and says the curse is stronger than all of them put together. He and Kendrick argue until Julia interrupts them and asks about Catherine. He says they talked, and he assumes she's fine. Julia asks what he means, and he says that Catherine has left Collinwood forever. Julia asks him what he means. He says that they talked, and they each made their decision. Julia asks if she left without saying goodbye. Morgan seems surprised that she didn't say goodbye. Julia asks to speak to them alone, but Kendrick points out that he's a member of the family, and he would like to stay. Julia explains that it's important that she talk to Morgan alone. Kendrick agrees, and leaves. 

Julia asks Morgan if Catherine is going to have Bramwell's child, and then says he doesn't need to answer. She tells him she's terribly sorry. She asks how he found out. He describes following her when she met Bramwell in the gazebo. They talked about their child. He says he knew what he had to do. He says he wanted his revenge in the form of poetic justice. Julia says that's the way the curse started — when Brutus locked the wife of a Collins lover... she then realizes that he lied when he said Catherine was gone. She accuses him of doing what Brutus did, locking her in the room with Bramwell. 

Bramwell says he's going to try to break down the door. He says their child must live. He sits her down and throws a chair at the door.  The chandeliers start to rattle. He runs to Catherine, and she asks why he keeps calling her that name, adding that her name is Amanda. She stands up. Bramwell tells her to fight it. She says there's only one way for them to have peace. He tells her not to believe it. She says he must kill her, and then kill himself. And if he won't, she will. She grabs a knife. He  points out that it wasn't there before. He grabs the knife and tells her that she is not Amanda, she is Catherine. She snaps out of it, and he calls out to Brutus that she is his, and he will not take her from him. 

Morgan says he doesn't see the difference it makes in where Catherine has gone. Julia reminds her that he loved Catherine once. She begs him for the key. He says he does not have it, and if he did, he wouldn't give it to her. He says he's going for a stroll and bids her goodnight. After he leaves, Kendrick comes in and asks her what's wrong. She tells him that Morgan has locked Catherine in the room and tells him to come with her. 

Bramwell tells Catherine that she's not Amanda. She says she knows. He tells her not to let her guard down. She says she didn't feel anything but drowsy. He says that no matter what happens, they must remain Catherine and Bramwell. The chandeliers shake again, and he says Brutus is with them. He calls for Brutus to show himself and fight him. Bramwell grabs his throat and says that he's choking him, and that he can't breathe. Catherine tells Bramwell to fight him. Bramwell continues to choke himself until he stops, and says that he failed to follow his own advice. He says that Brutus will try once more before the night is over. 

Julia and Kendrick search Morgan's room for the key. Morgan appears and is offended that they searched his room. He tells them to get out. Julia says that her suspicions are justified. She says Catherine wouldn't leave without her clothing and jewelry. She says he locked her in the room and he lets out a maniacal laugh. He admits that he locked her in the room with her lover, and thinks they might stay there beyond the morning. Julia says it must be opened in the morning. Morgan says there are no more rules; he has taken over as master of Collinwood. Julia tells him that he's lost his mind. He tells her that he has regained his senses. He says that he has sympathy for Brutus; but he got his revenge, and now he's getting his, again laughing maniacally.

Kendrick and Julia are in the drawing room when he tells her there's just 15 more minutes. Morgan comes in and says that he's going to open the room. Julia says they'll come with him and he refuses. Kendrick demands that he's coming with him. Morgan says that he's the one who knows where the key is, so he goes alone, or not at all. Kendrick tells him to go. Morgan says that if he's followed, there may be trouble, and lets out another maniacal laugh. He leaves, and Julia tells Kendrick that in his current state, Morgan frightens her. 

Morgan goes to the room and unlocks the door. He's got a gun. Outside the door, he says he can't lose. It's either death or insanity, and if they have somehow defied the odds against him, he's prepared to use the gun.

Our thoughts:  

John: So much for Julia's theory about having to touch the corpses to be possessed!  I love how Bramwell is now an expert on the room phenomena, and how he knew Brutus had one more opportunity to fight him. I'm not sure if my favorite bit was his getting hit by the chair he threw at the door, or his self-strangulation courtesy the unseen ghost of Brutus. Actually, the self-strangulation was worth the price of admission!

 

Christine: At least you have not had to go vomit yet over Bramwell and Catherine's love for one another overcoming all odds.  

                                                                                                                           

John: No sooner that I praise Julia for being shrewd about picking up on the paternity of Catherine's baby, now she can't tell if Morgan really locked her in the room with Bramwell, or if she left of her own accord without telling anyone? On the bright side, At least there's little point in starting a Morgan's Maniacal Laugh tracker... let's just say he was quite the April Fool today...

 

Christine: He does not have a convincing maniacal laugh, but his sweating bullets outside the locked room sure made him seem like he was going over the edge.

 

John: I'm sure we'll see Melanie tomorrow, but where the hell are Quentin and Flora? Do they realize that everything has gone to hell in a hand-basket, and the end is upon us??? I'm not expecting much in the way of other curtain calls, but it will be somewhat disappointing NOT to see the primary members of the family one last time...

 

Christine: Well, we know Quentin is down for the count, but I think we can expect to see some of the folks who have been around for the long haul. 

 

 

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN!

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