Dark Shadows: The Revival - Episode 11 (3/15/91)

My name is Victoria Winters. A transcending evil controls the destinies of two women, exchanged in time. In a terrifying past, one of them finds herself on trial for her life, while in the present, the other lies helpless, struggling to survive. Meanwhile, an age old horror faces extinction as he lies unguarded in his lair. 

Joe checks his crucifix as he makes his way down to the basement in the Old House, where Barnabas' coffin is surrounded by candelabras. 

He takes out his hammer and stake and approaches the coffin, drenched in a heavy sweat. He raises the creaky lid and observes Barnabas sleeping within. He positions the stake, gathers his courage and raises the hammer...and is startled to feel a knife plunge into his back.  

He falls to the ground dead, and Julia stands over him smiling, while wiping her forehead with the back of her bloody hand. 

Willie arrives at the Old House and freaks out when he sees the door to basement is standing ajar. He scurries downstairs, and finds Julia standing over Joe's dead body. 

He asks what she's doing and who's on the floor. She begins speaking unintelligibly in French and pulls the knife from Joe and advances on Willie. 

He struggles with her, forcing her to drop the knife, and then throws her up against the wall, knocking her out. He screams at her, asking if she's crazy. 

He turns to see that Joe is dead on the ground, and then finds the stake, asking what he was trying to do. He goes to the coffin and is relieved to see that Barnabas is safe. 

Later, Barnabas surmises that Joe must have seen him with Carolyn. He tells Willie he will have to bury him in the woods. Willie says Joe was a real nice guy. Julia says she has no memory of the event, and that her last memory was being in her lab at Collinwood. Willie tells Barnabas that she was a crazy lady and describes how she tried to cut him with a knife while saying, "Too ay." Barnabas informs him that it's "tuer" and it means to kill in French. Julia says she doesn't speak French, and Barnabas says Angelique does. She asks what he means. He says she is the one who turned him into the monster he is, and that she stopped Joe through Julia. Willie asks how she could do that. Barnabas reminds her that she felt someone trying to get inside her at the séance. Willie asks if he's saying that Angelique is inside the doc. They both look at her and she says, "Oh my God." Barnabas says the real danger is to Phyllis Wicke, because if she dies, so does Vicki. Julia asks why Angelique would want such a thing, and figures it out on her own. Barnabas says ever since, she has destroyed everyone he holds dear. He tells her to go to Maggie Evans, since she was the medium, suggesting she might be able to undo what has been done. 

Back in 1790, Natalie is calling for Josette outside her room, asking if she's packed and ready. When she gets no response, she enters the room and sees that she is not there. 

André, Natalie and Joshua make their way to the Old House in search of Josette. Joshua says he should burn down the accursed house. They reach Josette's room and find her on the bed, barely alive. Joshua says they must get her back to Collinwood.

Barnabas emerges from his coffin at dusk, but when he goes to Josette's room, he finds her gone. 

Josette wakes up in bed at Collinwood and Naomi, Natalie and André express relief. 

She feels the bite wounds on her neck and asks what she's doing there. 

She begins calling for her love, and Natalie asks her to tell them what happened. She asks again why she's there. She calls for Barnabas. Naomi reminds her that he is gone, and she says he is not, and that he's waiting for her. She says she must go to him. She suddenly sits up and gazes at the window. Natalie goes to the window but says she does not see anything, unable to see Barnabas on the grounds below, baring his fangs and snarling.

Vicki asks Peter Bradford how bad Josette is, and if she'll still be at Collinwood on the fifth day. He says that she will be, but that someone will constantly be by her side. 

She asks how they can do this to her when they must realize that Angelique was the witch responsible. He says she is dead and Vicki is not. She counters by saying she's been locked in jail, but Peter says Trask intends to say it's proof that she has the power to do evil from behind bars. She says she's been thinking about the attacks, saying the same thing is happening in Collinsport in 1991. She asks if he knows what a vampire is, and he tells her not to think of such things, as it will only provide more evidence to Trask about her familiarity with the devil's ways. He warns her again not to talk of vampires. 

Abigail is in the witness box at Vicki's trial, describing how Vicki arrived the same day Phyllis Wicke disappeared from her overturned carriage. 

Trask suggests it was a coincidence, but Abigail disagrees, saying she's the devil's changeling. Bradford objects and the judge warns her to stick to the facts. Trask holds up Vicki's 1991 dress and asks if Abigail has seen it before. She says she was wearing the scandalous garment on her arrival. He demonstrates the woven metal stitchery, and Peter says it's the age of invention, and that Trask may not have heard of it. He shows the care label to the jury describing it as runic symbols, asking Abigail if she told her what they meant. Abigail says it was some mumbo jumbo about permanent press and machine tumbled. He asks what machine means to her, and she says it is a coach, suggesting that machine tumbled referred to the overturned carriage from which Phyllis Wicke vanished. The jury mumbles in shock. Abigail says the symbols are demonic instructions, and Peter objects. Trask asks what his explanation is, and he says they are the maker's marks. Trask agrees, saying the maker is Satan. The judge calls for order. 

Trask pulls out the Collins family history book and asks Abigail if she's seen it. She says Victoria had it the day she arrived. Natalie stands up and accuses him of stealing the book. Trask says she had no right to withhold it from the court. The judge asks what it is about. Trask submits the book as evidence. 

Bradford objects, but Trask asks to read some pages so the court can understand their importance. The judge allows it, and he begins to read the journal pages Vicki wrote and inserted into the book, telling of how she was sent back in time 200 years. 

Vicki says she has to explain, but Peter says under no circumstances. Trask asks her to explain, and Peter objects that she is not on the witness stand. Vicki says she wants to explain, and Peter says as her attorney, he won't allow it. She insists that she must.

Vicki is on the witness stand and admits that she wrote the pages Trask read. He asks what her true time is, and she responds the late twentieth century, causing murmurs amongst the jury. 

The judge calls for order. Trask shows the jury that the date in the book is 1974. He asks if they are supposed to believe that she arrived from 200 years hence and that the history book is proof. 

She says yes, and asks what else the book could be. He says it's not a book from the future, but a book of the future, a demonic catalogue of the Collins family fate as preordained by Satan. He tells the jury that she had the book because she is the instrument of Satan, as Abigail smiles. 

He says she was sent to ensure the ghastly events written about did happen. Peter objects and says it's not Salem 100 years ago, asking how long they have to sit and listen to tales of demons and devils. Trask says he will prove it's a tale of demons and devils. He says he has a list of all the terrible predictions that have already happened. Peter objects, but the judge allows him to read the list. He tells of Jeremiah and Millicent, but when he gets to Barnabas, Peter objects, saying it didn't say Barnabas died but that he traveled to England. Trask says it was fabricated by Joshua to hide the true circumstances of his son's death. Joshua glares at Abigail. Trask says it has more predictions of deaths to come. Peter begs the judge not to let Trask proceed, but he allows it. 

He tells how Josette will fall to her death from Widows' Hill in two days, and that Sarah will die of fever shortly thereafter. Naomi asks Vicki why she's doing this to them and accuses her of killing her sons. Vicki says she knows it wasn't her.

Joshua says they don't know what the truth is, but Trask says they do, and that Victoria is the source of his tragedy. Vicki says she hasn't done anything and they must believe her. the judge struggles to call the court to order.

Back at Collinwood, Naomi apologizes, and Peter says that Victoria understands. Peter says it will be their turn tomorrow. Joshua asks why Natalie and Peter kept the book from them, and she says they did not want to frighten them. Naomi worries over the predictions about Josette and Sarah, and Joshua tries to reassure her that it doesn't mean they will happen. Natalie says if they get Josette away, perhaps they can break the chain of terrible events. 

André and Natalie hang crucifixes all over Josette's room. Peter asks her about it, and she asks if he's heard of the living dead, the vampire. He asks if everyone's gone mad. She points out the neck wounds and loss of blood. Peter says that's what Victoria thinks also. Natalie says they need to protect Josette for the next two nights. 

Josette is breathing rapidly in bed as André reads at her bedside. Barnabas emerges from the woods and snarls. She sits up in bed groaning, and calls out Barnabas' name. Natalie goes to the window but does not see anyone. André asks why she keeps saying his name.

Back in court, the judge asks if the defense is ready to call its first witness and Peter calls Joshua to the stand. He is sworn in and speaks highly of Victoria Winters. Peter asks if he maintains that high opinion, despite his tragic losses. Joshua says Angelique was responsible. Trask says she is dead and has no bearing on the proceedings. The judge says it's for him to decide. 

Natalie is on the stand and Peter asks if she believes Angelique was responsible for the terrible events. Natalie says she knows she was, and that her mother was a voodoo priestess. He asks if Angelique had a motive, and Natalie says she was in love with Barnabas Collins. Trask asks why she would try to kill Barnabas if she loved him, and Natalie says he knows little of jealous women, or women in general. People in the courtroom laugh, and even the judge smiles. Trask sits down.

Ben Loomis is on the stand, recounting how Angelique put a hex on him. He says she had a doll, and Peter holds up a figure made from twine, telling the jury that the voodoo fetish was found in her room. 

He asks  if he knows for a fact that she was responsible for Jeremiah's death, and he says she was. He says he loaded Barnabas' pistol himself and knew there was no ball in it, that Angelique put one in it and Jeremiah got shot. Trask asks if they must suffer slanders against a woman who cannot defend herself. Trask points out that even though she is dead, the attacks in Collinsport continue. He asks if Peter contends that she is striking from beyond the grave and he says he does, because she has that kind of power, which is no more absurd than Trask suggesting that Vicki is responsible for it from her jail cell. 

A voice in the court asks to speak, and all turn to see Angelique. 

Ben begins screaming in terror from the stand. He says he saw her dead and buried, and screams that she's a witch. Angelique asks if she looks dead. He repeats that she's a witch and goes to grab her, but is dragged from the courtroom screaming. She tells the judge that she was away for a few days and returned to hear terrible things being said about her, but she's done nothing. 

Trask asks if they are to believe she has risen from the dead. He yells that they all know the witch is Victoria Winters. The courtroom erupts and the judge bangs his gavel for order. 

Vicki is back in jail. Peter arrives, and she asks if they found Angelique, but he says nobody has seen her since she left the courthouse. She says they are going to find her guilty. He says she mustn't think that. She asks when they'll know, and he says not until morning. She asks why she would do this and why she hates her so much. Peter says everything she has done stems from her feelings towards Barnabas, that she saw Josette as her rival and she may see her that way too. Vicki counters that Barnabas is dead. 

In Josette's room, Barnabas plays her music box and tells her portrait that tonight they will be together for all eternity. He calls to her to come to him. 

Natalie tells Naomi they just need to see her safely past midnight and that everything will be changed. Naomi prays that she is right and says she's going to see the children. Natalie says André should be there shortly. Barnabas stares up at the window and Natalie suddenly becomes extremely drowsy, eventually falling asleep on the couch. 

Barnabas tells Josette to rise up and come to him. Her eyes open and she goes to her trunk and removes her wedding dress. He says that no one can separate them again and they will be together for all eternity. Josette says she is ready. 

Peter asks André how much time is left and he says ten minutes. They enter Josette's room and find Natalie asleep and Josette gone. André wakes her and asks where she is, and Natalie screams when she sees her empty bed. 

Barnabas beckons to Josette at the end of a hallway filled with candelabras and fog. 

Angelique's spirit begins cackling and flying through the hall.  

She tells Josette she will join him in eternal damnation and then shows her images of Barnabas feeding with bloody fangs. She says to see him for the monster he is, and images of withered old Barnabas appear. She then says to see what awaits her and shows her images of herself with bloody fangs. 

Barnabas becomes concerned when she hesitates, and when he approaches her, she says to let go of her. She runs away and he chases her out into the woods. He sees her make her way to Widows' Hill and tries to stop her. She pauses at the edge of the cliff and then jumps off. Barnabas runs to the cliff, screaming her name as he looks over the edge.

Natalie tells a crying Vicki that fate will have its way no matter what they do. She asks if she's leaving, and Natalie says yes. She says they are taking Josette home too late. Vicki says that her friendship has meant so much to her and that she'll miss her. Natalie says she's so much like her. Peter arrives and says it's time. 

The judge asks if the jury has reached a verdict and the foreman says they have. He asks Vicki to rise, and states that the jury finds her guilty of witchcraft. Natalie screams they cannot and that she's innocent. 

The judge gavels for order. He asks if Vicki wants to make a statement, and she says she is innocent and has not committed these crimes. He passes sentence, saying she will be taken out at dawn on May 5th to be hanged by the neck until she is dead. 

 

Our thoughts:

Christine: It was a nice surprise to have Joe stabbed by Julia after expecting Carolyn to be the one responsible. His disappearance will surely not escape the Sheriff's notice, though he should be feeling pretty guilty after he did nothing to help him. 

John: Yeah, people are dropping like flies. You'd think they'd realize that the only ones left standing are the most likely suspects...

Christine: While it was a beautiful wedding while it lasted, are we really supposed to believe that Barnabas lit a million candelabras and had fog pumped into the hall all by himself? Also, how did Angelique get ahold of all the clips from 1991 to show to Josette? 

John: Angelique is a very beautiful woman, but boy she's one ugly spectral vision! That scene sure had all the makings of a dream sequence; at least the way dream sequences looked in the classic series. Minus the psychedelic chroma-key effects...

Christine: They managed to squeeze a lot of story into this episode, so I expect the same for the final one to follow. It doesn't seem as though Peter is going to fall in love with Vicki in this version, so I wonder if that might leave it open for Barnabas to appeal to Vicki as second string. Hopefully he'll find time to do a little bricklaying with Trask in his basement. 

John: I love how flamboyant Trask was in the courtroom. Like Charles Dawson, some characters just come to life in the courtroom... I do agree that it would be nice to see him get his comeuppance! Also worthy of note for her unabashedly evil performance is cousin Abigail, who takes such glee in Vicki's suffering. Sadly, with a single episode remaining, there's only so much they can do (though it can't be worse than going out with a parallel-time whimper!).