Dark Shadows Episode 883 - 11/12/69

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Charity arrives at Tate's studio and goes inside, where she finds Petofi in a trance. She fears he'll kill her if he comes to. She goes to untie his tie, and he grabs her hands and asks why she's there. He tells her that she's interfered with his plans once too often, and this time she'll be sorry for it. She points out that she woke him from his trance, so Quentin will be able to get away. He puts his hand on her face. She mentions that Barnabas and Angelique helped.

He says he can get Quentin using her as bait. Petofi takes off his glasses and closes his eyes. She grabs them, and he opens his eyes, demanding she return them. She runs into the hands of Charles Tate. He drags her back in and Petofi gets his glasses back. He tells Tate to tie Charity up. She begs Tate not to listen to him. Petofi tells Tate to bring a message to Quentin, saying that if he doesn't arrive within 30 minutes, she will die.

In the woods, Tate hears chains rattling. He thinks it's Blackwood tracking someone.

Tate arrives at Collinwood. Barnabas says they have something to talk about. He says he is convinced Tate has Quentin's portrait. He denies it once again, but Barnabas doesn't believe him. Tate tells him that Charity is at her studio being held hostage by Petofi. If Quentin is not there within the hour, Charity will die. Barnabas says that Quentin isn't available, as he has left Collinsport. Barnabas says he's going to see Petofi. Tate follows him.

Petofi checks his watch and tells Charity there's not much time left. Petofi suggests that Quentin outsmarted her. She says she doesn't care as long as Quentin gets away from him. Barnabas arrives at Tate's studio and Petofi lets him in. Barnabas explains that Quentin is gone, and asks him to deal with him and let Charity go.

Petofi agrees that Barnabas is the one he must keep. He tells Tate to untie Charity. Petofi says he was focused on Quentin's body as he knew it would exist in the future. He says that he will meet Quentin again in 1969 when he arrives in Barnabas' body. He says he will start by putting Barnabas to sleep. Barnabas says he can't do it, and Petofi says he has no hope as he places his withered hand on Barnabas' forehead.

Charity tells Petofi that he'll pay. He says all he needs to do is claim Barnabas' body. He sits down next to a prone Barnabas, and Charity begs Tate to help him. Right then, Blackwood arrives. Tate runs out.

Charity asks if he's the police, and when he says he's the master of Dartmoor. She points to Petofi and says he must stop him from what he is doing. Blackwood handcuffs Petofi and arrests him. He then slaps him in attempt to wake him. He wakes to realize his hands are cuffed. Barnabas sits up and asks what happened.

Blackwood asks if he testifies for or against Petofi. Barnabas says he's guilty. Blackwood says that Petofi must die. Petofi reminds him that he helped him get Aristede. He tells Blackwood to set him free. Charity tells him not to listen to him. Barnabas points out that with Aristede, Petofi committed every conceivable crime together. Blackwood sends them away and says it's enough for him to carry out the sentence. Once they're gone, Blackwood prepares to burn down Tate's studio. He lights one of the paintings on fire. Petofi screams, "No!"

Back at Collinwood, Charity says Blackwood scares her. Barnabas says that after he deals with Petofi, they'll have to deal with him. Charity senses something burning somewhere. She sees Petofi and Blackwood fighting in the flames. She screams when she says Quentin is there. Barnabas says it can't be, and she says the portrait of Quentin is there, and it's burning.

Our thoughts

John: When Charity swiped Petofi's glasses I thought we were about to witness his undoing at the hands of a woman, but then they ran her into Tate's arms and we were right back where we started. Seems like a real missed opportunity to have Petofi taken out by someone he underestimated.

Christine: That would have been a nice comeuppance.

John: Blackwood is an interesting duck. Unlike Tate's other creations, he was someone who existed before he was drawn. Will he be consumed in the flames with Petofi and Quentin's portrait? Or will he live on as yet another restless spirit roaming the grounds of Collinwood for years to come?

Christine: I'd like to think that he will expire once his sketch burns up along with the rest of Tate's works.

John: Sure, burning Quentin's portrait may mean he travels to the future as a werewolf, but more importantly, who rebuilds Tate's studio for Sam Evans to live in?

Christine: I think that Sam Evans must have been the reincarnation of Charles Tate and was responsible for rebuilding his studio, as well as repainting that seascape that Blackwood set on fire.

Dark Shadows Episode 882 - 11/11/69

Amazon Prime members can stream today's episode free!

Charity is in bed, and realizes that the minute Quentin falls asleep, Petofi will enter him.

Downstairs, Quentin begins to drift off to sleep.

Charity comes downstairs and finds Quentin asleep in the drawing room. She calls his name and hopes it's not too late. He opens his eyes and asks her what's the matter. She says it hasn't happened yet. He asks what she means, and she says Petofi is planning to switch bodies with him the minute he falls asleep. She offers to stay with him to keep him awake, but he drifts away. She shakes him awake again. She gets him to stand up and walk around the room.

Barnabas arrives at Collinwood and sees Charity and Quentin. Quentin says he's in trouble, and Barnabas reazlies that Petofi is starting his attack again. Barnabas sends Charity upstairs to get Quentin's bags.

Petofi remains in his trance.

Quentin stumbles into a chair. Charity comes in and says the bags are in the foyer. Barnabas says he knows someone who may be able to help, and tells Charity to stay with Quentin until he returns.

Angelique asks Barnabas if he wants her to help him. He says he does. She says Quentin is going to New York to find Amanda Harris, and she will not help him. Barnabas pleads with her, and she says she needs Quentin to need her. Barnabas tries to explain that Petofi wants to take Quentin's body into the future. Angelique explains that she's too human, and too jealous. Barnabas says she has no right to demand Quentin his happiness with Amanda. He tells her there must be someone else. She says she has chosen Quentin. She says that before she came this time, she was in the everlasting pits of hell, longing to return as a human being. Her master gave her the chance on one condition—that she make one man fall in love with her without any spells or supernatural powers. Barnabas realizes that Quentin is the one.

Charity tells Quentin stories as she walks him around the drawing room. She suggests that they sing. They sing a duet, with Quentin doing his part while nearly asleep.

Petofi remains in his trance.

Barnabas returns with Angelique, and Charity says she can't keep him up much longer. Angelique asks for them to be left alone with Quentin. Once alone, she tells him that she has decided to help him, knowing she will be reunited with him long after Amanda Harris is gone. Barnabas returns and she asks him to watch Quentin while she deals with Petofi. She looks into the fireplace and asks for his location.

Charity listens outside the drawing room door. She hears Angelique say that 'he' is in Tate's studio.

Angelique sees Petofi and tries to control him. She tells Barnabas that he's in too deep a trance. Quentin passes out and Barnabas wakes him once more. Angelique says she needs something of Petofi's.

Charity hears Angelique.

Angelique suggests that Barnabas get a carriage to take him to Boston. He goes to find Charity but can't. Angelique tells him to stay with Quentin, and she'll get the carriage. Barnabas says Quentin must go find Amanda, and he will stay in Collinwood to find the portrait. He assures him that everything will be alright.

Charity arrives at Tate's studio and goes inside, where she finds Petofi in a trance. She goes to get his tie, and he grabs her hands and asks why she's there. He tells her that she's interfered with his plans once too often, and this time she'll be sorry for it.

Our thoughts

John: Nice of Barnabas to send a young lady upstairs to collect Quentin's bags!

Christine: It was probably much easier than supporting a tall man on the verge of collapse.

John: Do you think it was our old pal Diabolos who made the deal with Angelique to find a man to fall in love with her in order to live as a human? She not a bad looking witch, so one wouldn't think that would be too difficult for her to find someone.

Christine: It was definitely not Diabolos, and I'm surprised any evil master would make such an absurd request. As you'll recall, Diabolos was none too happy with Nicholas Blair for indulging in the human emotion of love in Episode 629, and held him to account for it. I think she just made it up as an excuse to bag another man she's decided she wants to possess. She could easily attract a man with her beauty, but making one fall in love with her is another matter entirely.

John: Is this the end of Charity/Pansy Faye? Is she destined to die at the hands of Petofi? I certainly won't miss her singing, if so..

Christine: I'm kind of hoping he'll bring back the mangled face effect of the Hand. She'd look pretty cool with an eyeball drooping down to her cheek while singing "I Wanna Dance With You..."

Dark Shadows Episode 881 - 11/10/69

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Blackwood arrives at the Mill, and calls for the surrender of Aristede. He tries to run away, but Blackwood grabs him and says justice must be done. Aristede tells him that after he kills him, the ones who brought him back will destroy him. Blackwood says he will kill them after he takes care of him.

Tate arrives at the Mill in time to hear a scream, and then a voice yells that the prisoner is executed. He hides in the shadows as Blackwood emerges and leaves, and then he enters the Mill. Inside, Tate finds Aristede dead.

Petofi pours himself a drink and toasts Aristede. Tate says that Aristede wasn't the only one Blackwood killed. He says he found a dead woman's body. Petofi asks why he should care, and Tate tells him that the woman was a gypsy. Petofi is concerned, wondering if Aristede told them where he could be found. He gets up and says he must go to the future now. He says he'll go as Quentin Collins. Tate reminds him that they've got their own bodies back, and Petofi brandishes his withered hand.

Tate asks him about sending Blackwood back to hell. Petofi doesn't care about Blackwood. Tate says he also killed Evan, and he doesn't know who he'll strangle next. Petofi reiterates that he doesn't care. Tate asks what he should do, and Petofi tells him to lock his doors and windows. He says that he's of no importance to him. The door bursts open and Blackwood enters. He says they are both his prisoners, and the penalty is death. He grabs Tate and Petofi demands that he release him. He shakes his withered hand at Blackwood, and he does.

Petofi tells Tate to get his gun, as he doesn't know how much longer he can hold him. Blackwood is free of Petofi's control, and Tate fires at him. He falls to the ground, and Petofi tells him to tie him up. Blackwood says Tate has committed the ultimate crime, for which he will die. Petofi says he can wait and watch him die.

Blackwood gets up and says they are both sentenced to die, and he will carry out the sentence later. He drags himself outside.

Quentin is in the drawing room, tired. He's flipping through books when Charity comes downstairs. She realizes that it's really Quentin, and she's happy to see him. He says he won't beat Petofi until he leaves Collinwood for good. He tells her he'll be gone within a day. She says she wishes he didn't have to go. She says she would have given up her career for him. He says he wouldn't ask her to do that. He shows her a photo of when he was a boy, and she asks if she can keep it. She offers to give him a photo of her, Pansy Faye.

Petofi tells Tate that he'll enter a deep trance and change places with Quentin as soon as he falls asleep.

Charity suggests that Quentin should go to bed, and he says he has to get his life in order now. He sends he upstairs and tells her he'll come to say goodbye before he leaves. He fixes himself a drink and sits by the fire.

Petofi remains in a trance, waiting.

Charity is in bed, thinking about Quentin. She realizes that someone will stop him, and tries to see who it is. She pictures Quentin falling asleep downstairs. She then sees Tate enter the drawing room, and then Quentin arise and tell him it was just like he said it would be, after Quentin fell asleep. She sees him take the I Ching wands, and prepares to use them in Collinwood. Charity realizes there's no time to lose, as the minute he falls asleep, Petofi will enter him.

Downstairs, Quentin begins to drift off to sleep.

Our thoughts

John: A few stray references to it aside, Petofi seems to have fully recovered from the knife wound he just received a few short days ago.

Christine: That's the power of the Hand for you. It can kill, maim, control, and allow Petofi to swap souls at will, so it's no surprise it can also heal.

John: I love that when he attempts to shoot Blackwood, Tate pulls the trigger on his gun several times before we get a gunshot sound effect. Fortunately, Blackwood doesn't drop prematurely; only after we finally hear a gunshot. Not that it keeps him down long, though I can't for the life of me figure out what he left to do that he felt was more important than killing his two cornered prisoners

Christine: That was a disappointing scene. Blackwood was apparently too weak to kill them as demonstrated by the way he could barely swing his chains in his telltale manner. It was also disappointing to see Blackwood allow his primary target. Aristede, a few moments to plead for his life, when he has strangled everyone else he could get his chains on without any hesitation. I was hoping Tate would think to go rip up his sketch to try and dispatch the demon.

John: So it's certainly setup to look like it will be Pansity to the rescue, although once again, Petofi's notion that he can just think his way into Quentin's body asks a bit much of this odyssey.

Christine: Angelique keeps going to ground at the most inopportune times. I wonder where she's hiding out while all this is going on. I'd expect her to be around to help save Quentin from Petofi.

Dark Shadows Episode 878 - 11/5/69

Amazon Prime members can stream today's episode free!

Petofi shows Aristede the sketch of Garth Blackwood. Petofi tells Aristede of Tate's peculiar talent. He says Blackwood will take Aristede with his blessings. Aristede says a picture can't come to life. He then hears the chains, and Petofi says goodbye to Aristede, and tells him that he will miss him. Aristede begs Petofi to protect him. Petofi suggests that he start running. Aristede runs out the back door.

A man comes in the front door carrying chains, saying he's looking for a prisoner who escaped from Dartmoor. Petofi tells him that he's not harboring him. He tells Blackwood that Aristede ran out the back door.

Judith comes downstairs and meets Evan in the drawing room. She asks what he has to report. He says he doesn't have any information yet. He tells her that he's using Tim Shaw, since he has a personal interest in Trask. She says she wants to know where Trask was every time he said he was visiting her. She says she'll meet Evan tomorrow to change her will. He says he doesn't want her to do anything that she might regret later. She says she's wiser now, and warns him that it doesn't pay to trifle with her.

He leaves, and Trask enters. She tells him that she's planning to change her will to ensure all of her money go to charitable causes when she dies. He says she can't, until she suggests that she thought he would appreciate that. She goes upstairs, and Trask leaves in a hurry.

Aristede makes his way through the woods, hearing the chains grow closer.

Trask visits Evan, and says he must dissuade her from changing her will. He says there will be something in it for him. He says he doesn't want to change her mind. He tells Trask that when he goes down, he's not going down with him. Evan tells Trask that his days are numbered. Trask asks him to at least delay her for a few days. Evan asks if the same thing will happen to his second wife as did to his first, and he suggests that it's best if Evan doesn't know.

Aristede continues to run through the woods.

Evan warns Trask not to try to stop Judith. There's a knock at the door, and it's Aristede. He apologizes for barging in, but says Petofi sent someone to kill him. Evan says he can't help him, and Trask suggests that Evan could help him. Aristede begs Evan for help. He says if he doesn't help him, his blood will be on Evan's hands.

Trask says Evan is only concerned about himself. Aristede asks Trask to help him persuade Evan. Trask says he can offer spiritual help. Evan says whatever he has planned isn't going to happen in his house. Trask asks for privacy to help him, and Evan offers them 15 minutes. He leaves, and Trask says he'll exorcise his demon for a price. Aristede agrees to anything. Trask tells him that he's going to murder someone for him.

Trask tells Aristede the motive must appear to be robbery. Aristede asks when he gets what he wants. Trask says that will be taken care of as soon as he finishes his job. Evan comes in and tells them their time is up. Trask asks Evan to protect Aristede for an hour. He agrees. Trask leaves. Evan tells Aristede to make himself comfortable.

Trask returns to Collinwood and apologizes to Judith for his behavior earlier.

At Evan's house, Aristede hears the chains. Evan asks him what's wrong. Aristede says he's coming to the house. He runs out a side door. Blackwood walks in, and Evan demands to know who he is. He says he is the law, and asks where the prisoner is. He threatens a severe penalty. He says he will search the house. Evan threatens to call the police, and Blackwood strangles him with his chains. Aristede pops back in, and seeing Evan on the floor, runs away again.

Our thoughts

John: I guess I was expecting something different as far as Blackwood is concerned. If he's going to slowly follow folks around Collinsport, he's never going to catch up with his quarry.

Christine: I suspect the powers of his unibrow may equal that of Petofi's Hand. It's odd that his forehead wasn't quite as furry in the sketch Tate made.

John: Why would anyone care about what happens to Aristede? Particularly Evan. He should just send him on his way to accept his fate.

Christine: With Trask's childishly drawn plan and Aristede's penchant for screwing things up, I have to believe Judith will remain quite safe from their dumb and dumber collaboration.

John: While it would be ironic for Evan to get taken out by Blackwood, that almost seems too easy. If he is dead, what does that do as far as Judith's affairs are concerned?

Christine: It depends on whether or not he finished making the requested changes to her will. I love Judith's new strong personality and enjoyed seeing her smirk after telling Trask she intended to leave her money to charity when she dies. I can't wait to see what Tim Shaw, junior detective and jack of all trades, turns up about Trask's actual whereabouts when he claimed he was visiting her at the sanitarium, as well as what other delightful torments Judith has in store for her dear husband.