Dark Shadows Episode 1012 5/12/70

You can stream today's episode free on TubiTV.com!

Barnabas waxes poetic about Josette. Will asks why he didn't make her a vampire. Barnabas says he hates admitting that he tried, but fate has always been cruel to him, and it was against him, just as it was the night Will found him. He sneaks up on Will and grabs his throat. Baring his fangs, he knocks Will down and tells him that he will no longer bow to fate.

Will wakes with bite marks on his neck. Barnabas says he'll let him go, but first they will have a talk. He asks why Will did what he did. He says he just wanted to tell the truth about Barnabas Collins. Barnabas says that his time band's Barnabas is in his grave. Will says he won't tell anyone about him, and asks what he plans to do with him. Barnabas points out that he must do his bidding, as he has heard him speak about as he told him his story for the book. Barnabas tells Will he is to burn all the materials prepared for the book, and Will refuses. Barnabas reminds him that he will do precisely as he's told. Will agrees. Barnabas tells him that they will burn the book together.

Alexis asks Quentin if he has made a decision. He says nothing. She asks for permission to talk to Will. He remains silent. She adds that he has to tell them everything he knows about Barnabas Collins. He gets up, throws his drink into the fireplace, and tells her he's going to the Loomis house and will force him to answer his questions.

Barnabas watches as Will throws the last of his papers into the fire. There's a knock at the door. It's Quentin demanding to be let in. Barnabas tells him not to mention him, and hides.

Quentin comes in and tells him that he'll answer his questions this time. He asks him what he knows about Barnabas, and the effect his portrait had on the kids. Quentin asks him about strange people in an empty room, talking about Barnabas and his curse.

Barnabas steps in and says he'd like to hear more about it, because his name is Barnabas Collins as well. He introduces himself to Quentin, saying he's a descendant of the man Will wrote a book about. Quentin asks why they haven't met before. Barnabas spins a yarn of an ancestor who didn't die as they had read. He says once he amassed a fortune of his own, he decided to renew the ties to the family. He asks Quentin if they are cousins. Quentin introduces himself. Barnabas asks if he's welcome to stay, and asks Quentin about Barnabas and the curse he mentioned. Barnabas asks to see the empty room Quentin mentioned. Quentin says he can't guarantee what he'll find, but he is welcome. He offers to come by in an hour, and when Quentin suggests the next morning, Barnabas makes an excuse that prevents him from being available. Barnabas says he assumes there are more cousins to meet, and he'd like to do so right away. Barnabas adds that Will showed him some pages of his new novel before burning them.

Quentin leaves, and Barnabas says the room in Collinwood is one of his hopes of returning to his own time. He tells Will he wants him to take him to Barnabas' grave.

Roger tells Angelexis he doesn't know what to make of her request. He tells her that he was devoted to Angelique, but seance or no, he's convinced that she was not murdered, and he'd like to persuade her the same thing. She tells him to forget she made the request. Quentin comes in and she asks what Will said. He says he didn't need to say anything, as Barnabas Collins was there himself, and they'll meet him tonight.

Will and Barnabas arrive at Barnabas' grave. He picks up a handful of dirt, and begs for the help of a friendly spirit. He says he doesn't wish for his curse to impact anyone there. A ghost appears, and Barnabas begs him to speak. Barnabas recognizes his father and calls him such. Joshua's ghost says he is no son of his.

Barnabas refers to him as Joshua, who says he protects his family, both the living and the dead. Barnabas says he's trapped in a world not his own. Joshua says he only knows that evil is in this place. Barnabas says his name, and adds that Joshua is his father. Joshua tells him to leave, and disappears. Barnabas tells Will that there is only one place left—that room—and leaves.

Julia tells Quentin that Barnabas is a fraud. She asks if the resemblance is truly extraordinary. Barnabas comes in and Angelexis is shocked to see him. He asks to see the room, and Quentin escorts him upstairs. Julia admits that he looks just like the portrait. Angelexis asks if he looks like a man under a curse.

Quentin explains that the room used to be his wife Angelique's room, and explains that her twin sister Alexis is now staying there. He opens the door and they see Julia inside. She says it can't be hopeless, and that Barnabas will eventually hear her.

Our thoughts

John: I'm sure biography writers everywhere cringed when Barnabas claimed that all Will did was write down what Barnabas told him. Give the guy some credit. He already did a full biography with no direct sources!

Christine: Surely he had to have taken creative license with Barnabas' words, or that book never would have sold. It was kind of funny that Will started choking before Barnabas could tighten the cord around his neck today.

John: So unlike our Barnabas, parallel-time Barnabas had several kids! Who do you think their mother was? If Barnabas read Will's bio on him, he'd clearly know.

Christine: According to what we heard from Barnabas' reading of William H. Loomis' original novel in Episode 972, he was grieved by his wife, Josette, when he died in 1830, so it's fair to assume that Josette was the mother of his children. Can we also assume that he was not afflicted by a vampire curse at the time of his death? Did Angelique survive the centuries without ever crossing his path? What is interesting is that Barnabas' gravestone is the same design as Jeremiah Collins' marker in the original time band. Perhaps it suggests that without the interference of Angelique, Jeremiah Collins did not die in a duel with Barnabas, and possibly outlived him.

Episode 396

John: Nice to see Quentin and Barnabas back together again! But I can't lie, I'm disappointed that we've probably seen our last vampire vs. werewolf showdown.

Christine: Just because we won't see it in parallel time doesn't mean it's been ruled out when we return to original time. I have to wonder about the inherent problems that can be caused by parallel personalities coexisting in a given time band. I also wonder if Barnabas will be able to cross back into his own time period, and if he'll dare to do so while Quentin is there to see him do it.

Dark Shadows Episode 1009 5/7/70

You can stream today's episode free on TubiTV.com!

Quentin and Angelexis hold a seance. Quentin calls for Barnabas. They hear weird, outer-space sounds and Julia runs off, breaking the circle. Quentin calls for whoever is there not to leave them. Angelexis tells Quentin to look over his shoulder, where a man stands in the shadows. He says he is Joshua Collins, father of Barnabas. He says they must be warned. He says there is an evil coming to the house. He says they have not seen it yet, but it will appear. Quentin asks how, and he says he does not know what form it will take. He says the evil is living and dead. Angelexis asks how that is possible. Joshua implores him to remember the dead and allow them to rest in peace. He tells him to destroy the evil and restore pride an honor to the house.

The spirit of Joshua disappears, and Quentin says there must be a connection between the original Barnabas and the events in her room. He says he thinks Will Loomis may hold the key to all this. Why else would he have a need to revisit his book. And why would the portrait of Barnabas have a strange effect on the children? She says he must talk to Will. Roger walks in and asks why the lights are out. Quentin says they were holding a seance. He says they spoke to Joshua Collins, former master of the house. Roger says he knows; adding that Will wrote endlessly about him. They discuss Will's book about Barnabas, which Roger suggests is more effective than sleeping pills. He says Barnabas' life was singularly dull. Quentin suggests there's more to Barnabas' life than any of them know.

Cyrus is in his lab when Gladstone comes to see him with a new delivery. He says he's brought him a fresh supply of the compound, and asks if he has the ten thousand dollars in case. Cyrus says he doesn't want his compound, and tells him to leave his laboratory and never come back. Gladstone say he hopes he's joking.

Cyrus tells him he doesn't have as strong a case as he thinks. John Yaeger has gone away for a while, and there's no way he can prove they're one and the same. Gladstone says he can. He says a small but important part of him remains with him--his signatures. He shows him examples and says that a handwriting expert would confirm they're from the same man. Gladstone says he knows Cyrus enjoys being Yaeger, and can't live without him. Cyrus says he can. Gladstone says he'll extend his patience another 24 hours, at which time his secret will no longer be a secret, and his career will be over.

Quentin signs a number of documents for Chase. He picks one up and asks him about it. Chase says it's a new will that Cyrus had him draw up for him. Quentin points out that Cyrus' behavior has been strange since he hired John Yaeger. Chase adds that Yaeger is the lowest possible form of humanity. Quentin asks if Cyrus changing his will has anything to do with Yaeger. The phone rings, and it's for Chase. It's Horace Gladstone. He says he has a document that he thinks Chase will be interested in reading. Chase suggests that he call him at his office, and Gladstone says he'd like to meet in Collinsport about a man named John Yaeger. They agree to meet in front of the Eagle at 10pm.

Angelexis is sitting by the fire when she notices Roger in the room. She says he takes it that Roger was quite fond of her sister. He says that is an understatement; he worshiped her. He tells her of the first time he saw her sister. He says that he loved her more than it was possible to love. She says she's relieved to hear how he felt about her. She says one of the reasons she stayed is to find out who murdered her, and she needs someone who loved and understood her to help. He says that he was there, and believes she died of a stroke.

Chase delivers his new will to Cyrus, who thanks him. Chase asks him to reconsider. He says he'll think about it. Chase asks if he and Yaeger have parted company. He asks if Chase would like to have dinner with him. Chase apologizes, and says he has to meet a man named Gladstone at 10pm outside the Eagle. They agree to have dinner tomorrow night.

Gladstone is on the docks when Yaeger approaches him. He tells Gladstone he was right—he does like being John Yaeger. He says he's got his payment, and Gladstone says they'll settle that another time, as he's meeting someone. Yaeger explains that he knows. He says he's run out of patience, too.

Chase is outside the Eagle when he hears a man call for help.

Yaeger knocks Gladstone unconscious with his cane, and then extends the blade. He stabs him as he lies on the dock.

Chase calls out asking what's going on. Yaeger runs away, and Chase sees the body of Gladstone. He sees a man's shadow a few feet away, and calls for him to come out so he can see his face.

Our thoughts

John: Well, that explains why Julia ran off last night, breaking the circle... she had the day off today! The mysterious stranger today was immediately recognizable by his bald head! What's most amusing is that no one bothers to mention to Roger his uncanny resemblance to Joshua Collins...

Christine: He wasn't quite so bald in yesterday's episode. I don't think we ever saw Joshua wear such a flamboyant coat back in 1795. So, is Barnabas the living dead evil thing Joshua is referring to, or is he talking about Angelique?

John: Gotta love a lawyer who mixes up confidential documents for different clients. I was initially impressed when he started off by saying he couldn't comment on Cyrus' will, but then he quickly offers up his opinion of John Yaeger. Parallel time lawyers don't appear to be of the same caliber as those 'our' Collins family chooses to employ...

Christine: Mr. Gladstone seems to have quickly evolved to Mr. Madstone. I wonder if Angelique may be responsible for that scar above his eye.

John: Once loose-lips Chase mentioned meeting Gladstone to Cyrus, it was pretty clear we'd see the return of John Yaeger sooner than previously expected.

Christine: As well as the end to Gladstone, though it remains to be seen if he received a fatal wound or just another scar above the other eye. How delightful to see that a telephone booth has been added to the set today!

John: Can the two (rather than three) chains on Barnabas' coffin at the end of today's episode suggest that we're that much closer to the return???

Christine: I think the third chain is just out of shot, but I think it's clear those chains won't hold Barnabas in too much longer. Will we have a Friday disappointment, or will our favorite vampire break free tomorrow?


Second Down for the Count:
Barnabas was chained in his coffin 27 episodes ago.

Dark Shadows Episode 661 - 1/6/69

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Standing over Vicki's gravesite in Eagle Hill Cemetery, Barnabas says he must go back to help Vicki. Julia reminds him that when she was hanged before, she was sent back to the present. He tells her that last time, there was someone here to take her place, but the grave proves that she didn't come back this time. He says he has to go back a few hours before the hanging. He tells her he would change the events the night before they hanged her. He says his mother found his coffin that night, and took poison. 

In 1795, Barnabas and Ben discuss what happened to his mother, and they blame Nathan Forbes. His father comes in and tells him that his mother has died. He then says that he must destroy Barnabas to end the curse. Barnabas asks if he'll drive a stake through his heart. Joshua tells him that he will fire a silver bullet through his heart, and it will destroy him instantly. Barnabas says that before he does, he will kill Nathan Forbes.

Barnabas finds Forbes at the pub and confronts him over what he told his mother. Forbes says he only suspected it. Barnabas tells Forbes that his mother committed suicide because of him. Barnabas says Forbes will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Forbes pulls a gun on Barnabas and tells him that he's captured the Collinsport strangler. Barnabas encourages him to shoot. Forbes does, and nothing happens. Barnabas tells Forbes that he will die at 9.

Forbes goes to see Joshua, and says he shot Barnabas but nothing happened. Joshua tells him of Barnabas' vampire curse. Joshua says they both blame his wife's death on him. He says he almost feels sorry for him, but there's nothing he can do to help him. Ben describes how Forbes could kill Barnabas with a stake in the morning, but he tells him he'll be dead before then.

Forbes pleads with Joshua for help, and when he sees a crossbow on the wall, he tells him he no longer needs him. Joshua leaves him alone, and Forbes grabs the crossbow. Barnabas returns to Collinwood and is confronted by Forbes. He fires the crossbow bolt into Barnabas' chest, but misses his heart. Barnabas attacks him.

Barnabas discusses his final destruction with his father. Barnabas asks his father to free Ben, and to prevent Victoria Winters from being hanged. Joshua says he wasn't able to convince the judge to listen to him. Barnabas tells him to use his prestige with the governor, and he agrees. They say goodbye, and Barnabas leaves to return to his coffin.

Barnabas says he assumes his father couldn't bring himself to shoot his son, and decided to have Ben chain up the coffin. Ben does so, and says goodbye to Barnabas before leaving the secret room in the mausoleum one last time.

Barnabas tells Julia that he was chained in there for 200 years until Willie broke in and freed him. Barnabas says he should have let Forbes live so he could recant his testimony against Vicki. He says that is what he will do. He tells Julia that he will summon Bradford to bring him  back for one night so he can change what happened. He calls for Peter Bradford to send him back, and he watches as Julia and the gravestones for Vicki and Peter disappear.

Our thoughts

John: Wouldn't Barnabas want to go back more than a few hours early just to be safe? Maybe even early enough to save his mother?

Christine: What he really should do is go back to the time he was in Martinique and not allow himself to get involved with Angelique. That would save not only Vicki, but also his uncle, sister, mother, and his beloved Josette, in addition to preventing him from becoming a vampire.

John: Barnabas asks Julia to meet him at the grave in 48 hours, after telling her that he's going back for 24 hours? Does he need an extra day to freshen up?

Christine: Maybe it takes that long to get there and back. Barnabas makes time travel look as easy as creating life from dead tissue.

John: Did Barnabas become a vampire by traveling back in time? I know better than to ask these questions, because the rules seem to be made up by the writers on the day...

Christine: It appears so, though we'll see when he returns to the present if Julia was right about him coming back a vampire. Since the fate of Adam is unknown, he may no longer have the protection from the curse that Adam conferred. The bulk of this episode was made up from repurposed footage from episodes 459 and 460, which is not a bad thing since they were both excellent episodes directed by Dan Curtis, with some of the best scenes Jonathan Frid and Louis Edmonds ever had together.

Dark Shadows Episode 623 - 11/13/68

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Collinsport, 1795. Danielle Roget appears in the gaol to see Peter Bradford. The jailers are freaked out by her sudden appearance. They explain they were just reading Peter Bradford's death warrant. She explains that she's been gone for six months, but she's there to see Peter. The jailer says Peter had a way with pretty women. He tells her that he was about to marry Gloria Winters, who was recently hanged for practicing witchcraft. He adds that after she was hanged, she changed into someone else.

Peter doesn't seem happy to see her. He points out that she's guilty of killing and free, while he's innocent and about to be hanged. She says they think they're going to hang him, but they're wrong. She says they can leave together and change the course of history. She asks if he wants to live, and offers to help him escape. She offers freedom in exchange for his going away with him. He agrees, and she says she has to go to Collinwood to see Ben Stokes.

Joshua Collins calls Ben Stokes into the drawing room. He says that the governor has refused to grant clemency to Peter Bradford, and there's nothing they can do to help him. Stokes says that Vicki explained that she killed the man. Joshua says they can offer Peter nothing but their prayers. He then asks Ben to destroy the book of the Collins family history that Vicki claimed to have brought back with her from the future. Ben asks why, and he says it frightens him. He says he doesn't want future generations to know what really happened to Barnabas, or Naomi, or Millicent. He tells Ben that the book is cursed; the product of black magic. He adds that he thinks their suffering will end once it has been destroyed. He gives it to Ben with the express request that he take it to the woods and burn it.

Jeff asks his jailer for a pen and paper to write someone a note.

Danielle finds Ben. He says she wasn't to come back, and she explains that she had to because Peter was in trouble. She says she needs his help to rescue Peter. He says he'll prepare horses for Peter's sake. She asks him to do it now, and he says he has to burn a book for Joshua. She tries to take it from him, and he reluctantly agrees.

In the gaol, Danielle has apparently read the entire Collins' family history, somehow including that Vicki came back in time. Ben comes in and tells her he has the horses. He goes to take the book and she tells him she'll give it to him when she and Peter come out. She sends him outside as the jailer returns. She starts to make a move on the jailer, until he mentions that Peter is writing a note, likely for her.

She goes in to see him and he says he's not leaving with her. He says he explains it all in a note, and while it will be hard for her to accept, she needs to read it. She says she wants to be with him, and he says he's keeping a promise to a dead woman. A woman he promised to be with again in death or another life.

The jailers come in to take him to the gallows. The leave Danielle who reads Peter's note, and is quite excited by it. She says it's just what she needed, and slips it into her book. She says his note has given her another chance. The jailer watches as she disappears.

Our thoughts

John: Gloria Winters? Considering it has only been a few days since her hanging, you'd think they'd remember the name of the witch!

Christine: Gloria, Victoria...it didn't really matter what her name was when they were just jazzed to hang a pretty, young girl. Mr. Talky Prescott sure felt free to provide a lot of unsolicited information to Danielle, while his mute partner grasped his throat, apparently wondering why the old man got all the dialogue today.

John: So Peter has no trouble recognizing Danielle (who was credited as Eve, oddly enough). I guess they decided the thought of her looking different would have been too confusing.

Christine: None of us would have wanted to sit through a whole episode having them explain it and she only had 6 hours in 1795 anyway, so there was no time for Bradford to be confused by her changed appearance. I have to wonder about Ben's relationship with Danielle that enabled him to feel comfortable shirking his duty to burn the Collins family history book as ordered. That doesn't seem like him.

John: Well, lest there be any doubt, Peter Bradford is definitely the same limp fish that Jeff is in the future. He even does the patented Jeff Clark head grab.

Christine: I don't know. I think Jeff Clark went back in time and assumed Peter Bradford's identity. It was nice to revisit 1795 for a brief amount of time. I can't imagine how Eve might think Bradford's note could be good for her.