Dark Shadows Episode 461 - 4/1/68

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In 1795, an executioner tests a hanging rope on a heavy bag. With everything checked, Vicki is led to the gallows. The executioner gets her into position, puts the rope around her neck, and asks if she wants a mask. She nods indicating that she does. She hears Peter's voice, assuring her that he'll find her.

In 1968, during a seance at Collinwood, Vicki is replaced by an unknown woman in period clothing. Barnabas asks her what she's doing there.

In 1795, while a small crowd watches, the executioner hangs Vicki.

Back in 1968, the strange woman screams, clutching her throat, before falling to the ground, dead.

In 1795, the executioner removes the hood from the dead body and is shocked to see that it is not that of Victoria Winters.

In 1968, Vicki clutches her throat, screaming.

No one understands what happened to the other woman who has replaced Vicki. Julia tells everyone that she is a doctor, and says that she has some explaining to do. Barnabas leans in to Vicki, calling her name. As she comes to, she tells him that Millicent was right, and she's glad he's still alive. Barnabas is surprised by her statement. Vicki asks why he didn't want anyone to know he was alive. Then she mentions Mrs. Collins, causing Liz to ask what she called her, and then realizes she's in the room in 1968, with Julia and Roger as well. She joyfully says that she's back, and she didn't die. Julia offers to take Vicki up to her room with Roger's help. Vicki says her arm hurts, and Julia notices a rope burn on her neck. Vicki doesn't remember anything, and Roger points out that Millicent, who she mentioned, lived over 200 years ago. As they help her upstairs, they pass Carolyn. When Vicki sees her, she mentions Millicent.

Liz asks Barnabas if he had a premonition about tonight. Liz asks about the woman who disappeared, who said she had come to look after Sarah Collins, and Barnabas says she must have gone back to her own time. He mentions that Sarah died in 1795. Liz says the family history book will confirm that, but she can't find it anywhere. Liz says he really believes that Vicki saw things from the past. She says he also seems to have known Julia was a doctor, and she thinks he's not telling her everything he knows. Julia comes down and tells Liz that Vicki would like to see her. Liz leaves Julia with Barnabas when she goes upstairs. Barnabas asks Julia if she's really not going to let him see Vicki, and she says that he really believes she traveled to the past. She asks him what he will do if his beloved Vicki is telling Liz right now.

Vicki is in bed asleep. Liz stands over her when Julia enters the room. She tells Liz she came to Collinwood because she needed a change. She says Dr. Woodard knew of her interest in the history of the area, and Collinwood, and she hopes Liz will let her stay to continue working on her book. Vicki stirs, saying her arm hurts, and Julia explains she had a bullet wound in her arm. Vicki calls to Peter. She tells Liz that she must save Peter before he hangs. Vicki says she was wearing a mask, and couldn't see Peter, but could hear him. She describes being hanged, and Julia and Liz assure her she's going to be all right. Vicki calls to Peter to help her. Outside her window, the squeaky bat flaps in the night.

Liz watches over Vicki as she sleeps. She offers to get Julia a cup of tea. Liz says she doesn't know what to tell Barnabas and Roger, so Julia goes downstairs with her. The squeaky bat enters her room, and Barnabas calls to her as he emerges from the shadows. He tells her to wake up. He says it's Barnabas. She wakes, and asks him why Josette came to her cell and told her he was dead. And why was she in jail. She tells him she's confused about him.

She says Josette blamed her for killing him. Vicki says she never put a curse on him. Barnabas says he wasn't aware that a curse was put on him. Vicki says she told the Countess that Josette would lose his ring on the day she died. Barnabas asks her if she knows why his being alive was kept a secret. Julia returns and tells him to leave immediately, and not to come back again. He leaves through the door. Vicki tells Julia she was in another time, with people she'll never see again.

Barnabas tells Carolyn she must divert Dr. Hoffman tomorrow so he can be alone with Vicki. He says he must talk with her alone or she will never speak again.

Our thoughts

John: So let's think about this for a second. When Vicki went back to 1795, she was stunned by the uncanny resemblances everyone had to those she left behind in 1968. How come Barnabas didn't react similarly when he returned. Wouldn't he be shocked to see Roger and Liz were the spitting image of his parents? Or that Burke Devlin (at one point) looked like his uncle Jeremiah? Or that Mrs. Johnson was his mean old aunt Abigail, or Joe Haskell his old nemesis Nathan Forbes?

Christine: Barnabas was working diligently to cover up the fact that he was the same guy he was trying to pass off as his 'ancestor' when he first arrived at Collinwood, thus had to hide his recognition of his family and former friend. Of course, you are aware that Barnabas was supposed to be staked early on and it was never intended that we know his history when he first stepped over the threshold at Collinwood, so you are just being funny. I'm more interested in knowing if Barnabas remembers Vicki from the past, or if the Barnabas who tried to help Vicki in 1795 exists in some parallel time.

John: I love how Julia just announces that she's a doctor, and everyone just accepts it. Smart of her to tell Liz that she was still writing a book, and would like to stick around for a while.

Christine: Here's a refresher on present day events since Episode 365 was a long way back. The family has just learned that Burke is dead; Julia has secured her notebook of anti-vampire treatments on Barnabas with Tony Peterson to prevent Barnabas from strangling her to death after his hoodoo failed at making her go nuts; Carolyn is working as Barnabas' trusty servant to keep an eye on Julia and deliver Vicki to him so he can make her his eternal bride; and Sarah shamed Barnabas for his habit of choking everyone he doesn't like, telling him she wouldn't return until he remembered what it was like to be good. I don't think we'll be seeing Sarah again.

John: It will be a shame if Vicki ends up forgetting about everything she experienced in 1795. And where did the family history book end up? Did Trask have it last? Or has it been sitting in a cupboard in Collinwood for the past 200 years?

Christine: I believe it was last seen in the hands of Judge Hanley in Episode 437. I suspect it will find its way back to Collinwood the same way Barnabas got his cane back after Nathan Forbes thrust it into Joshua's face, or the same mysterious way he recovered his ring after Josette lost it and then took a dive off the cliff at Widows' Hill.

Dark Shadows Episode 365 - 11/17/67

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Elizabeth is in the drawing room when Roger returns home complaining about the weather. She says they need to talk about David. He saw Sarah again. She says that he told them that Sarah warned him that the dead were trying to harm someone in the house. She adds that Julia says that David is right, and there is a danger.

Roger brings Julia into the drawing room. She says that David is telling the truth about Sarah. She says she didn't believe in ghosts before coming to Collinwood. Julia flips through a book while Roger barks at her. He says she's looking up the picture of Sarah, which she shows them in the book. Carolyn walks in. Liz mentions that Carolyn had mentioned seeing Sarah. Julia says there's a way to prove it—by having a seance. Liz says they must have a seance that night.

Barnabas laments the absence of Sarah. He feels that he is not responsible for what happened to him. There's a knock at the door, and he lets Carolyn in. He says he doesn't want visitors, and she tells him he has to know what's happening at Collinwood. She says they're planning a seance to reach Sarah. Her mother and Julia are dead set on having it.

Liz is surprised that Barnabas is against a seance. He says he's worried about his ancestors' privacy being disturbed. He asks her what she feels a seance would accomplish. She says Dr. Foster is joining them. Barnabas asks what does it matter what David's friend is. For once, Liz appears upset with him. Roger enters with Julia and invites Barnabas to join them. Liz says Barnabas is against it. She and Roger leave. Barnabas asks Julia what if Sarah doesn't appear, but Dr. Woodard does. She says she's willing to take that risk, and that Woodard is just as likely to name him as his killer.

Carolyn comes downstairs and meets Barnabas in the foyer. He says Liz has already accused him of being obstructive. He says he's going to stay, and will be sitting next to her.

Julia lights candles. Liz comes in with Barnabas. Vicki brings the book with Sarah's picture and places it on the table. Roger shuts the doors and dims the lights. He says that they should all concentrate on Sarah Collins. They form an unbroken circle with their hands after Julia points out that Barnabas and Carolyn aren't touching hands.

Roger calls for Sarah. Barnabas looks at Carolyn and shakes his head. Roger says they want her help with her friend David. They hear London Bridge, and Vicki appears to be possessed. Roger implores Sarah to speak. Carolyn goes into a trance and says, "No". Roger asks about her friend David. She says she has no friend. Vicki watches Carolyn, and shuts her eyes. She says, "She lies. David is my friend. I play with him. I am Sarah Collins."

Carolyn says Vicki is not Sarah. Vicki says she came to Carolyn, and she tells lies. Carolyn stands up, but her mother tells her to sit down and be quiet. Roger asks her why she comes to David. Vicki says Barnabas will take her to the gate, and asks if he'll still love her after he marries Josette. Roger asks her why she comes to the new house, and she says to tell him the story of how it all began. She says she won't go to sleep until she meets her new nursemaid. She screams as the candles go out. Barnabas turns on the light, and Vicki is gone, with a strange woman in her place, saying her carriage from Boston overturned. She looks around and asks who they are and where she is. Roger tells her to sit down, and that they will ask her the questions. She says her name is Phyllis Wick, arriving in Collinwood to work for Mrs. Collins. She's the new governess for Sarah.

Vicki is in the woods, outside the old house, but looking new. She shouts out, "Where am I?"

Our thoughts
                                                               
John: Who would have thought Liz would be the one calling for a seance. So much so that we see her somewhat stern with Barnabas for the first time.

Christine: What was up with the jibberish about ghosts needing umbrellas that provoked a smile from everyone?

Barnabas: Well, for all your sakes, I hope it does happen tonight.
But if it does, it...it's certainly so the ghosts must have
a great supply of raincoats and umbrellas.

John: Did Carolyn really think she'd get away with faking possession in the seance? And did no one else happen to notice every time Barnabas shook his head emphatically at her?

Christine: It was a long shot, especially when Vicki has a better track record for serving as a medium. I wonder if the family will think to question Carolyn's performance once they get past the shock of losing Vicki and having Phyllis Wick appear in her place.

John: We're on the cusp of our first trip into the past. I don't quite know what to expect, but I give them credit for an interesting transition. I was particularly surprised to see Sarah's governess show up in Vicki's seat at the seance. In any other show, I'd be looking forward to the back and forth between scenes of the woman from the past living in the future alongside Vicki's time in the past, a la Outlander.

Christine: I am looking forward to revisiting this storyline, especially with the background knowledge of the beginning episodes this time around. It would be nice if we got to meet Isaac Collins in the past, though he was certainly not alive during this time period. He continues to divide his time between the drawing room and the study at Collinwood. Does he live on through his portrait and actively move from room to room? Could he be orchestrating all the supernatural disturbances at Collinwood? Maybe we'll get some clues as we dig into the past history of the Collins family.

Isaac oversees Julia's breakdown in the drawing room in Episode 361.

Isaac listens in on plans for today's séance in the study.

Phyllis Wick is really in for a future shock when she looks up and sees that microphone.