Dark Shadows Episode 839 - 9/11/69

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Quentin arrives at the rectory, wondering if he can betray Barnabas. He thinks about leaving Collinwood. He hears a rustling in the woods and imagines himself as the werewolf. He screams, "No!" He decides he has no choice but to betray Barnabas.

Julia comes to, and Barnabas asks her if she remembers him. He tells her to look at the letter she brought with her. He tells her she came back in time to help him. He begs her to try and remember. She brings up David, and he asks her to remember what she knows about David.

Quentin arrives, asking about Julia. He tells Barnabas that Beth tried to kill him. He adds that Petofi stopped her before she could. Barnabas asks if he feels grateful to Petofi, as he doesn't do anything without expecting something in return. Barnabas tells Quentin to come to him if Petofi makes any demands of him. Julia stirs, and Barnabas tells her that Quentin is alright. She cries, mentioning a black wreath on the door. Barnabas realizes that Julia is seeing the family in the future, trapped between her present and the past. Barnabas asks her what she sees.

Julia describes a funeral wreath on the door. She sees Roger, crying as he comes in to view David's dead body. Roger tells David he knows that he did not want to go with Quentin, but his power was too strong. He wishes that David and Quentin will both find peace now. David sits up, telling Roger that Quentin and Beth have disappeared and are gone forever.

Julia sits up, telling them that David is alright. Quentin asks Barnabas what it means when she says that he is gone. Julia wakes and Barnabas says that Quentin is saved, and introduces him to her. She says he looks the same, with no evil in his face. Quentin asks how they can believe her, since no one can come back from death. Barnabas says that when Quentin did not die, he did not become a ghost. Quentin says he can't live from now until then, and Barnabas asks why not. He adds that even if he does die, he will no longer have the obsession with David.

He asks Quentin if Jamison rejected him, and Quentin says that he did. Barnabas asks what he's going to do, and Quentin says he will make him change his mind. Barnabas says that if he had died last night, his relationship with Jamison would be unresolved, and beyond the grave he would not have rested. Seeing David would remind him of that unresolved relationship. Quentin realizes that he has a second chance. Quentin asks why Beth's ghost disappeared, and Julia says that after he died, she killed herself. Quentin says that David found a skeleton in his room, and asks whose bones those were if not his. Barnabas tells him that they can't answer all of his questions tonight. Barnabas asks Quentin not to tell anyone about what happened.

He leaves, and Julia says she feels sorry for him. Barnabas says that he's concerned something has happened to him. Julia says that they can go back to the future now, and Barnabas says they cannot go back yet. He says that Chris Jennings is still a werewolf, and he is the great grandson of Quentin. She asks what they can do to save Chris. Barnabas says that Count Petofi did something to prevent Quentin from changing to a werewolf, and he needs to know what he did in order to save Chris.

Julia tells Barnabas that when he left, his body remained there. He says he understands that. She tells him that the night before last, the night she found the letter, he disappeared. He realizes that was when Edward disrupted the I Ching wands. She wants to try to get back to the future together, and he says he cannot while Petofi is still there.

He tells her that she is going to stay in the past with him, and she needs to help him live in the daytime again. She says it's impossible. He gives her some period clothes, and tells her to go to Evan Hanley, introducing herself as a member of a coven. He says he will help her.

Quentin listens to his theme, drinking. Edward comes into his room and shuts it off. Quentin tells Edward that he has a conscience. He says that he did something that he shouldn't have done, and that's why he's drunk.

Julia says the tools at her disposal are primitive. She says Evan was helpful, but he must realize that the experiment may not work. He says he has to go to Quentin. She tells him she needs to give him another injection tonight. He says he'll be back.

Quentin is staring at his portrait when Barnabas comes to see him. He tells Quentin that he saw the portrait changed to a wolf when the moon was full, but he did not. He asks if Quentin saw Petofi. Quentin says enemies don't provide explanations. Quentin says he's tired of secrets, and invites Barnabas to solve the mystery.

Barnabas returns to the rectory to find Julia missing, and the place ransacked.

Our thoughts

John: "No one can come back from the dead," says Quentin to his vampire cousin... I do look forward to the writers setting up whose bones will be found in Quentin's room in 1969.

Christine: Once again, Julia pronounces someone dead who turns out not to be dead. A little odd that Julia should be caught up in time, but I guess there was no other way to know if David would survive as a result of Quentin being saved on the 10th of September.

John: Just when you thought our 1897 flashback had reached it's conclusion, they come up with a new reason to keep us there. Of course I appreciate them not spending weeks having Julia fix Barnabas' affliction—give her a period dress, tell her to meet a bad dude she's never met before, and in the course of a commercial break, Barnabas is already well on his way to recovery from vampirism...

Christine: I'm just glad they didn't decide to reanimate a corpse with Barnabas' life force to cure him. Barnabas may not be totally clear on the family lineage since he claimed that if there was no Quentin there would be no Collins family. The good news is, David Selby is not going anywhere for awhile. Incidentally, I think someone forgot to give him a breakaway glass.

John: While it will be nice to have the change of pace with both future Barnabas and Julia hanging out together in the past, do you think this also means we've seen the last of Magda?

Christine: I imagine she'll turn up when Julia is off in town gathering resources for her injections. It was nice to have Julia and Barnabas reunite and continue their unspoken love affair. There were quite a few up close and personal moments between the two today. Perhaps their bond will grow stronger during their time in the past, especially if it turns out that Barnabas has to rescue her from Petofi.

Dark Shadows Episode 838 - 9/10/69

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Quentin is locked in his room in an attempt to avoid death. He refuses to believe Jamison would turn on him, nor can he imagine who would try to kill him.

Petofi comes to see him, but he refuses to let him in, thinking he might be the one to try and kill him. Petofi tries to convince Quentin to let him in. He explains Charity saw a vision in which Quentin died before the end of the day, and he wants to guide him safely through the night. Quentin refuses his help. Petofi tells him to stay behind the locked door until after midnight.

Petofi leaves, and Jamison comes to see Quentin. He asks to be let in. Quentin opens the door. He asks Jamison what he wants. Jamison thanks him for helping him get better. Quentin says he wouldn't let anything happen to him. He says he'd like to spend more time with Jamison after tonight. Quentin says he doesn't feel like being locked up in his room anymore and they leave together.

Quentin comes downstairs and runs into Beth. She asks why he ignores her. He snaps at her, and storms back upstairs. Angelique invites her into the drawing room to talk about Quentin. The events play out just as the ghost of Beth explained to Julia. Beth says she and Quentin are getting married, only to have Angelique turn the tables and explain that she and Quentin are getting married. Beth is shocked, and runs off.

Beth admires a bottle of poison. Jamison comes in to see her. He sees that she's distraught, and realizes she has a bottle of poison. She tells him that Quentin is going to marry Angelique instead of her. Jamison tells her not to cry. He says he won't leave her alone unless she promises not to hurt herself. She does, and he leaves her. She takes a revolver from her dresser, but puts it back.

Angelique tells Quentin that she had to tell Beth. They kiss, and Jamison walks in on them. He says he wants to speak to Quentin, alone. Quentin sends Angelique away.

Jamison asks if he plans to marry Angelique, and asks why he would break his word to Beth. He asks why he would make her almost kill herself. Quentin offers to go see her, and Jamison asks him why he did it. Quentin tries to explain, but Jamison won't accept it. He tells Quentin that he hates him, and runs off. Quentin shouts after him that he did it to protect him. The clock chimes, and Quentin locks himself in the drawing room.

Beth's gun is on top of her dresser. She picks it up.

The clock chimes midnight. As Quentin begins to celebrate, Beth knocks on the door. He lets her in. He apologizes to her, and hugs her, explaining he didn't have another choice. She draws the gun on him. He realizes that she's the one destined to kill him. She says she almost killed herself because of him, and now she has to save herself from him. She tells him she can't think of him with another woman.

She prepares to shoot him when Petofi enters and demands that she give him the pistol. He takes it, and asks Quentin if he's ready to trust him now. He sends Quentin up to his room, and says he will join him after he attends to Beth. Quentin leaves. Petofi suggests that Beth leave Collinwood, noting that her part in the drama has played out.

Quentin is drinking when Petofi arrives in his room. Quentin thanks him. Petofi says he did it because he likes him. He says his price is to find out from Barnabas how he came from the future, and how he plans to return. Quentin refuses to help him.

Petofi explains that Quentin is unable to deny him what he wants. Petofi reminds him that he ended his curse. Petofi explains that he commissioned the portrait that took over the werewolf curse. Quentin pulls the painting out of the closet and uncovers it, revealing it's now him. Petofi says that the price of a betrayal of a friend is worth always being able to look like the portrait. He tells Quentin that he belongs to him now.

Our thoughts

John: I love how we get a calendar zoom-in before the opening credits, just in case anyone has forgotten what day it is today.

Christine: I was surprised the day wasn't circled in red.

John: It was awkward watching the replay of the scenes we previously saw Beth's ghost describe to Julia. It doesn't really mesh with the preceding scene where Quentin and Jamison left his room together, seemingly to spend some quality time together.

Christine: It was disjointed to have Quentin be chummy and all smiles with David and suddenly become agitated and act rudely to Beth when he encountered her.

John: Petofi arrives just in time to save the day. Had the scene played out as we had previously seen, Quentin would have already been shot before Petofi stepped in, as Beth pulled the trigger during their embrace. Oh, well. It's a classic Cliffhanger cheat. Petofi goes on to reveal his 'fee' for saving Quentin from his curse (and sweetening the deal by apparently offering him a Dorian Gray deal with the devil, which appeals to Quentin's vanity). I wonder if that portrait will eventually turn up in the future, or if the writers will explain its absence by destroying it sometime between now and then.

Christine: I wonder how future events will be altered as a result of Quentin escaping his September 10th death deadline.

Dark Shadows Episode 836 - 9/8/69

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In 1969 Collinwood, Julia begs for Quentin to appear to her. She makes her way upstairs, and the door to the West Wing opens for her. She goes inside and asks if Quentin is present. The door slams shut behind her. She hears a voice tell her that he will not show himself to her. The ghost of Beth steps from the shadows.

Julia recognizes her as a servant. She tells Beth that she needs her to get Quentin. Beth says there is nothing more she can do. Julia asks why he wants to destroy David, and Beth says he loves the boy. She says that David reminds him of Jamison, who rejected him before he died. It was the worst blow he suffered. His spirit will not rest without Jamison's forgiveness and love.

Julia says she can go back to the past to right the wrongs, but she needs to know who killed Quentin. Beth says that it's difficult for her, and starts to leave. Julia pleads with her to help. Beth says it happened on the 10th of September.

On the 10th of September in 1897, Quentin comes downstairs. Beth asks him where he has been. He tells her that he's been busy, and dismisses her. She asks him not to be angry, and he says he can't talk about it and storms upstairs. Angelique comes in and invites her into the drawing room. Angelique says Quentin doesn't mean to hurt her, being quite fond of her. Beth explains that they're going to be married, and Angelique asks if she believes the family will allow it. Angelique explains that Quentin has been avoiding Beth because he plans to marry her. Beth can't believe it and runs out of the room.

In 1969, Julia asks the ghost Beth what happened next. Beth says that she cried for days, and when she stopped, she knew that she would die that night.

On the 10th of September in 1897, Beth contemplates drinking poison. Jamison asks if he can come in to see her, and she says she's very tired. He pleads with her, and she lets him in. Jamison shows her a puzzle she had given him.

She's crying, and he asks her what's wrong. She says she can't talk about it. He sees the poison on her desk and asks what it is. She grabs it and he takes it from her. He sees that it's poison, and asks what she was going to do. He realizes that she was planning to kill herself, and he asks her why.

She explains that she and Quentin were going to be married, and now he is going to marry Angelique. Jamison doesn't believe it. He tells her that he loves her, and says he won't leave her alone until she promises not to hurt herself. She promises, and he says he'll come back. He leaves the poison in the room. She pulls a gun from her dresser drawer.

Angelique tells Quentin that she thought it was her duty to spare Beth. Jamison enters and says he'd like to speak to Quentin alone. Angelique says he doesn't have the time, but Quentin tells her to leave them alone.

Jamison asks why Quentin would marry Angelique if he loved Beth. He asks how he could almost drive Beth to kill herself. Quentin is shocked. He tells Jamison that he's too young to understand. Jamison says that he understands that Quentin hurt someone he loved, and he doesn't want to see him again. He screams that he hates Quentin, and leaves the room.

In 1969, Julia realizes that Jamison rejecting Quentin was the third part of the prophecy.

In 1897, Quentin apologizes to Beth, telling her that he didn't want to hurt her. He embraces her and a shot rings out. Beth smiles as Quentin stumbles away. She tells him that he had to die, not her. She follows him upstairs, telling him that she'll get him.

Quentin struggles to make it back to his room, leaving a trail of blood behind him. Beth follows him into his room, laughing. She shoots him several more times, leaving him dead on the floor.

Angelique returns and sees a trail of blood heading upstairs.

In 1969, Beth's ghost tells Julia that they found Quentin's body that night, and hers the following morning. She says that she thought killing him would cause her to stop loving him, but it didn't. Julia asks why Quentin's own room was sealed up if he was killed in the tower room, and she says she doesn't know. Julia thanks her and leaves. Beth asks Quentin for forgiveness.

Julia comes downstairs and finds David with Quentin's ghost in the drawing room. She tells David that Quentin wants him to die. Quentin smiles. David says he doesn't want to die, and Julia tells him to come to her. He does.

Quentin tells Julia that it's too late; that David is his. Julia hears Stokes enter, and Quentin disappears. She tells him that she found out everything she needs to know, and must go back to the past. Stokes asks if David is alright. She says he is, but then sees he's passed out on the couch. She checks his pulse, and tells Stokes that David is dead.

Our thoughts

John: I love how nonchalant Julia has become around ghosts. And since she's so calm around them, they appear to be very comfortable around her, too. Funny when you consider how shy Beth and Quentin's ghosts appeared to be when we first met them...

Christine: Beth has tried to help David in the past, so I suppose it's plausible she'd suddenly become loquacious to help Julia save David.

John: Not that it ultimately mattered, but it looked like Jamison left the poison with Beth? Perhaps not the best form of suicide prevention.

Christine: Either Quentin has quick drying crusty blood or someone dropped their lunch meat on the floor in the drawing room. I enjoyed Beth's crazy smile as she popped Quentin with her pistol, which was equally matched by his scary ghost smile.

John: Great look for a dead Quentin! Of course, it's somewhat anti-climactic to see his death two days early, which would seem to hint at the fact that come September 10th, he's going to be saved...

Christine: Or he could be killed by one of the many other women that are crazy for him. I'm still not totally clear on why Quentin's ghost wants David to die. It seems a rather ineffective way to secure Jamison's love and forgiveness.

Countdown to Quentin's Death: 2 days