Dark Shadows Episode 876 - 11/3/69

Amazon Prime members can stream today's episode free!

In the woods, Quentin screams. He hears his music. He smiles, realizing that he has defeated Petofi. He goes to find Barnabas.

Beth hears someone approaching. Quentin asks what she's doing. He tries to convince her that his mind has been restored. She says he won't trick her again. She backs up to the edge of the cliff. Quentin reaches for her, and she goes over the cliff.

Barnabas wonders why he hasn't heard anything from Quentin yet. Quentin arrives at Collinwood, and when Barnabas says good evening, he says that he doesn't know which he is. Quentin tells him that it worked, and Petofi is himself again, but Beth is dead. He explains how he found her on Widow's Hill after waking, but she thought he was Petofi and lost her footing, going over the edge.

Barnabas says Petofi is to blame for her death. Barnabas tells him he must leave Collinwood, or Petofi will strike again. Quentin says he can't go anywhere without his portrait. Barnabas says he doesn't have time to find it. Quentin says he won't leave without it, and Barnabas agrees to search for one more night. He wonders if Tate has it, and says he'll visit his studio.

Tate looks at Quentin's portrait, and doesn't understand why it has changed. He's confused, but he says as long as he has it, Quentin's body is under his power, and he can use it to bargain with Petofi.

Aristede arrives at Tate's studio with dirt all over his face. Aristede says he's been living in fear of the vampire, who came back to life. Tate makes fun of Aristede, calling him an idiot and acting like a child. He says the Barnabas that he saw is not a vampire. Aristede says Tate is lying. Tate says he can find Barnabas living in Collinwood—in the daytime. He says it's a different Barnabas Collins than the one who was staked in the cave. Aristede asks if Tate has seen Petofi. Tate tells him to go grovel at the feet of his master. Aristede begs Tate to go see Petofi and explain why he ran away. Tate says he's got his own problems. He offers to feed and clothe him, but he won't act as a go-between with Petofi.

Quentin returns to Widow's Hill and relives the moment of Beth's death. He asks for her forgiveness, wherever she is.

Tate paints over Quentin's portrait with white paint. As he finishes, Barnabas arrives to see him. He says he has arrived to buy a painting of his. Tate asks which painting, and Barnabas tells him he wants to buy the portrait of Quentin. Tate says it's at Collinwood, and Barnabas tells him it was stolen.

Tate asks if he's accusing him of stealing it, and denies having it. Barnabas doesn't let up. Tate continues to deny having it. He then asks Barnabas why he's interested in it, and he explains that he's come to get it on Quentin's behalf. Tate tells Barnabas that he can search his studio for it, and if he finds it, he's welcome to it.

Aristede finds Quentin in the woods and thinks it's Petofi. He begs for another chance. Quentin tells him that there is something he can do for him.

Inside Collinwood, Aristede thanks him for the opportunity. Quentin tells him that if he fails, it will be for the last time. Quentin tells him that his plans have changed. He says that he has no need for his old body, and wants the gypsies to find a dead body. He tells Aristede to find the so-called Petofi and kill him tonight. He warns him not to return if he fails.

Petofi arrives at Tate's. He says he's been considering restoring Tate's talent. Tate tells him he's in no mood for his nonsense, and he knows who he is, and that he doesn't have his power. Petofi tells him that he and Quentin have reverted to their own bodies. Tate doesn't believe him. Petofi grabs Tate's hand with his withered hand. He asks if he's beginning to feel like Tate again. Tate looks at his hand and says that it's true; that he has the gift again. Petofi tells him that he will do what he is asked, when he is asked. Tate agrees. He leaves the room to get Petofi a drink.

 

Aristede watches outside Tate's window. He sneaks in and raises a knife, bringing it down on Count Petofi.

Our thoughts

John: And just like that, Beth is over the hill. I do still anticipate that her ghost will continue to hang around Collinwood, where she belongs, even 100 years into the future...

Christine: Remember the good old days, when we actually got to see the body on the rocks below Widows' Hill?

John: Aristede is back with the least convincing make-up to suggest that he's been roughing it for several days. You'd think he'd at least wipe his face on his sleeve.

Christine: For someone who's a slave to fashion, I would have expected him to clean up before going to grovel at his supposed master's feet. It was pretty ingenious of Quentin to send him off to kill Petofi, though he should have known Aristede has a low success rate with assigned tasks.

John: Poor Aristede. In addition to his being somewhat of a whiner, he's potentially just killed his master. But that seems like an all-too easy out for Count Petofi. He appeared to be knocked down more than stabbed.

Christine: Petofi won't be vanquished that easily, but Aristede is probably in for a severe punishment. Aristede must have lost the Dancing Lady after Angelique busted him on the head in Episode 867. The knife he's wielding looks like it's made of cardboard. I hope Charles Tate will once again become a prolific painter now that he's got his artistic hand restored. I wonder if Quentin's portrait will lose its protective power now that it's been painted over.

Dark Shadows Episode 875 - 10/31/69

Amazon Prime members can stream today's episode free!

(For the duration of the Petofi/Quentin mind-swap, Count Petofi occupying Quentin as played by David Selby will be referred to as Petofi-Q, and Quentin in Petofi's body as played by Thayer David will be referred to as Count Quentin).

Beth tells Petofi-Q that there's nothing to worry about Count Petofi any more. She says the gypsies are about to catch him . Petofi-Q asks who told her that. She says they arrived at Collinwood, and he says he has to leave. She asks if he's afraid, and Petofi-Q denies that he is. He tells her to look at him but she refuses. He asks if something is making her feel different towards him. He says he'll see her back at Collinwood, and leaves. She realizes that he is Petofi in Quentin's body. In fear for her life, she realizes that she can go to Tim Shaw, since he has history with Petofi.

Beth comes to see Tim. She says she's in desperate need of his help. He asks her why. She says that Petofi and Quentin have changed bodies. She explains how Petofi planned to use Quentin's body to go to the future. She says she can prove it. She tells him to find Count Petofi and bring him to her. He agrees.

Barnabas finds Count Quentin in the Mill. He tells him that he shouldn't have risked coming there. Count Quentin says the answer to transferring minds must be there somewhere. They search unsuccessfully. Barnabas says that what they're looking for probably doesn't exist. He says Petofi may have done it with the power of his mind, and suggests that Count Quentin might be able to do it, too, particularly now that he has the power of the hand. Barnabas asks him about when their minds were switched. Barnabas tells him to go to the same place and put himself in a trance. Count Quentin warns him that if he's successful, Petofi will be back in his own body. Barnabas watches over him as he sits down to try.

Beth sleeps, and hears Petofi and Quentin's voices. Tim wakes her. She asks why he came back alone. He tells her to be calm, and returns with Petofi-Q. He assures her that she need not be frightened. She accuses Tim of betraying her. Petofi-Q says Tim was helping, and that he's going to help her, too.  Petofi-Q tells Tim that he'll take care of her.

Count Quentin sits in a chair in a trance.

Beth begs Tim not to let Petofi-Q take her. She cries and Petofi-Q tells her that she'll be alright. He thanks Tim for coming to get him. He suddenly feels dizzy, and Beth runs out. Petofi-Q, in a daze, chases after her.

Barnabas watches over Count Quentin.

Beth runs through the woods, pursued by Petofi-Q. He collapses to the ground. He then sits up, holding his head.

Beth is atop Widow's Hill.

Barnabas watches as Count Petofi stirs. He leaves the room and shuts the door. Petofi screams.

In the woods, Quentin screams. He hears his music. He smiles, realizing that he has defeated Petofi. He goes to find Barnabas.

Beth hears someone approaching. Quentin asks what she's doing. She tells him to stay away. He tries to convince her that his mind has been restored. She says he won't trick her again. She backs up to the edge of the cliff.

Our thoughts

John: Beth dumps body switching and time travel on Tim in one fell swoop. She should be thankful he didn't take her directly to the sanitarium.

Christine: When good-for-nothing Tim Shaw is your only hope, you certainly are in dire straits. She would have been better off at the sanitarium than being turned over to Petofi-Q.

John: Pretty weak writing for Count Quentin to be able to 'think' himself back into his own body. Good thing Barnabas was there to offer up that novel suggestion.

Christine: Isn't that what Richard Collier did to travel back in time? It makes sense that if Petofi could do the mind swap with the power of the Hand, then Quentin could do it too. It's not like he's a stranger to performing rituals.

John: Good to know that Quentin's music plays in his head... I have to say, if only for the confusion in writing the episode recaps, I'm glad the mind-switch storyline has come to an end. But not everything is resolved, and I am interested to see if Beth will be the latest to go over the cliff. That would be one way we might see her once we return to 1969, as a ghost under different circumstances...

Christine: Unfortunately, Petofi's been sent back to his own body with the power restored to his hand, and I imagine those fingers will be twitching their way towards Beth, Quentin, and Barnabas. I wonder if this means the wedding between Angelique and Quentin will be back on, especially if Beth takes a tumble over the cliff.

Dark Shadows Episode 874 - 10/30/69

Amazon Prime members can stream today's episode free!

(For the duration of the Petofi/Quentin mind-swap, Count Petofi occupying Quentin as played by David Selby will be referred to as Petofi-Q, and Quentin in Petofi's body as played by Thayer David will be referred to as Count Quentin).

Petofi-Q reminds Barnabas that he has the powers of his hand. He threatens to use it on Barnabas unless he tells him where the portrait of Quentin is.

Kitty asks Count Quentin for help. She says she knows his hand has powers. He used it to make her husband say things she had never known. She begs him to help her. She offers her jewelry, and refuses to leave without his help.

Petofi-Q tells Barnabas his time is up. Barnabas says he doesn't know where the portrait is. Petofi-Q raises his hand and first threatens death, and then decides to revert Barnabas to his vampire curse. He puts his hand to Barnabas' head, but nothing happens. Barnabas asks him what happened to his power.

Count Quentin asks for Kitty to be able to see who she really is, and touches her face with his withered hand. She says that Barnabas is right, and she is Josette DuPres, but also Kitty Soames.

She says she first came to Collinwood in 1795 to marry Barnabas. She says she brought her servant Angelique. She wonders what she's doing there. Count Quentin says many inexplicable things are happening tonight. He tells Kitty to stay, and he leaves.

Barnabas points out how embarrassed Petofi-Q must be. Petofi-Q says it must be because Barnabas is not human. He says he will find other ways to defeat him if not with his hand. Barnabas walks out on him.

Kitty wonders how she can go back to Collinwood knowing what she knows now. She wonders how she can end it, and picks up a knife. She struggles and then puts it back down. She runs out of the Mill.

Count Quentin arrives at Collinwood to see Barnabas. He finds Charity and tells her that he must see him. She takes him into the drawing room and says that she knows that he's Quentin. She hugs him, and says she's going to tell everyone. He tells her not to, saying that something has happened and he needs to talk to Barnabas first. Barnabas enters, and Count Quentin asks her to excuse them. Barnabas says Petofi has lost the portrait and the power of his hand. Count Quentin says he has the power. He starts to tell Barnabas how Kitty came to the Mill looking for help.

In the old house, Kitty goes to Josette's room.

Barnabas says he must go to find Kitty. He tells Count Quentin to hide at the rectory.

Beth asks Petofi-Q what's wrong. He once again blames her for bringing him back from the future, and tells her to get out of his room. He wonders if the trip through time caused him to lose his power. He decides to try the hand again on Charity, who he used it to possess her with Pansy.

Charity tells Petofi-Q that she'll scream as he drags her into his room. He says he's going to do them both a favor. He tells her to look at his hand. She does, and says she knows that he has evil in his hand. He calls her Charity, and says she will forget the memories of Pansy Faye. He touches her cheek.

Kitty hears someone calling her. It's Josette, telling her not to despair, and not to fight. She says she means her no harm, and asks her to let her live through her.

Petofi-Q tells Charity she can leave, and she asks, in Pansy's voice, what he's trying to do to her. He says it cannot be. He rushes out of the room.

Beth comes in and asks where he went. Charity says he's in the wrong body. She says she thinks she's got Quentin, but it's Count Petofi in his body. Beth doesn't believe her. She admits that he has done some strange things recently.

Barnabas finds Kitty at the old house. He tells her not to be afraid. He promises that she will become happy if she becomes Josette. She says something terrible would happen. She says he didn't fall in love with a portrait, and he admits that he fell in love with a woman. She points out that was 100 years ago. Kitty bounces back and forth between herself and Josette. She screams that she can't bear it. He says that he won't let her go. He holds her, and they kiss.

At the Mill, Petofi-Q wonders where Quentin is, and if the power has gone to his hand or simply disappeared. Beth finds him and tells him there's nothing to worry about Count Petofi any more. She says the gypsies are about to catch up with him again. Petofi-Q asks who told her that. She says they arrived at Collinwood, and he says he has to leave. She asks if he's afraid, and Petofi-Q denies that he is. He tells her to look at him but she refuses. He asks if something is making her feel different towards him. He says he'll see her back at Collinwood, and leaves. She realizes that he is Petofi.

Our thoughts

John: I was really hoping that Barnabas would have had more fun with Petofi-Q once it was clear that he no longer wielded the power of the hand. But we all know Barnabas. When there's a version of Josette around, nothing else matters...

Christine: I was hoping Count Quentin would try out his newfound power on his nemesis, but I guess he doesn't want to risk damaging his own pretty face. Lady Hampshire is going to get some sort of psychic whiplash the way she careens back and forth between Kitty and Josette.

John: I love when Charity describes looking into Count Quentin's eyes... while he's wearing glasses  so dark that you can't see them!

Christine: I was sort of hoping there'd be a little juice left in Petofi-Q's hand to bring Charity back, but I suppose I'd miss Pansy Faye if that happened, especially now that she's working to serve justice to Trask and Petofi.

John: Petofi's plan has all but unraveled. But it won't be satisfying if he remains stuck in his own time while in his own body... if the gypsies don't get a chance to exact their revenge, I'll be disappointed.

Christine: I assumed the story about the gypsies was concocted by Pansity as a way for Beth to find out that Petofi is occupying Quentin's body, though I imagine the gypsies will catch up to Petofi some time soon.