Episode 32 - 8/9/66

Liz returns from Matthew's cottage to discover that Roger found out about David's tampering with the car. He asks her why she didn't tell him the valve was found in David's room.

The Sheriff wants to speak to Bill Malloy, who just happens to show up in his outer office. Bill suggests that Burke was responsible for Roger's accident, and the Sheriff asks Bill about David.

Liz asks Roger if he told Matthew about David. He says he'll find out soon enough. Then he describes his son as a monster. Roger points out that he thinks David could be Burke's son.

Back in the Sheriff's office, Bill says that David did say he hoped his father would die. The Sheriff asks if he really meant it, and Bill confirms that David doesn't like his father. The Sheriff then describes how there are two sets of fingerprints on the wrench; David and Burke's. The Sheriff believes Burke was telling the truth, so he looked at the prints again. He says it looks like David handled the wrench before Burke; not just after he grabbed it after the Sheriff brought it into the drawing room.

Liz comes downstairs and tells Roger that David didn't say anything to her, despite her pleading with him to say it wasn't true. Liz tells him there's no reason for the Sheriff or anyone else to know about what David did. Liz blames Roger for hating the boy since birth. Liz says she won't accept that David is not Roger's son, and she commits to helping him.

There's a knock at the door and the Sheriff arrives to see Roger. He brings up the wrench, and Liz stops him to say that she and Roger were wrong about Burke. She says their caretaker confirmed that the valve fell off by itself, and should have been replaced. It's not clear that he buys the story, but he accepts the easy out. He tells Roger to give David his regards.

As he heads upstairs, Roger tells Liz that one day she'll regret covering for David.

Our thoughts

John: Did Liz miss her cue? Roger had to wander around the foyer for quite a while at the beginning of the episode.

Christine: It sounded like she was having trouble getting through the door. The door clicked and squeaked open, prompting Roger to look, and then you can hear a faint male voice speaking before the door clicks open again and she appears.

John: A nice flub by Louis Edmonds: "That's what I said Liz David Liz."

Christine: Edmonds was in fine form today. I wonder if that's real brandy in the oft-used bottle. That's where the rat poison needs to go if David is truly serious about murdering his father.

John: So Roger throws out my previously mentioned theory about who David's father really is. Sadly, it doesn't seem like that's going to develop into a plot line, as Liz all but shuts Roger down when it comes to David. At least as long as she's around to take care of him.

Christine: That won't prevent Burke from bringing it up. Liz says she's sure David is Roger's son and he asks if it's because David is deceitful, vicious, and unpredictable. Those characteristics would qualify him to be either Roger or Burke's son. Roger says he married Burke's girl Laura right after Burke's trial and David was born almost 8 months after. Liz maintains she won't accept that David is not Roger's son, that he belongs to the same family as Jeremiah, Isaac, and Benjamin and is the youngest and last of the Collins line. Could she be refusing to question paternity simply to ensure the continuance of the Collins family name?

John: So the Sheriff was actually a pretty sharp guy for figuring out David was likely the culprit in Roger's accident, but then he immediately backs off the case when Liz tells her fabricated story. Particularly interesting when compared to how firmly he stood up to Roger.  I guess Liz' influence extends beyond the walls of Collinwood...

Christine: He didn't want to accuse the kid of murder and liked the easy solution. He also had to get home to take his wife out to a movie and didn't want to be held up with the paperwork and complications of arresting a nine year old from a powerful family. Still, you've got to hand it to Liz for finding a way out of the mess. We'll see if she regrets protecting monster David as Roger claims she will.

It's not called Dark Shadows for nothing.

Liz claims David was forced to live his lifetime with Roger's guilt. What could Roger be guilty of doing?

Isaac Collins remains hanging next to Jeremiah where we found him relocated in Episode 27.

Bandage Watch Day 11. It really must be a nasty gash.

Farewell to Michael Currie who makes his last appearance today as Sheriff Jonas Carter.

Episode 28 - 8/3/66

Burke Devlin bursts into the sheriff's office, upset about his room being searched. The sheriff shares the warrant with Devlin, who asks who was behind it. Burke goes against his prior statement about not holding a grudge against Roger Collins.

Maggie Evans brings David from the lobby into the diner. She makes him a sundae and goes to the payphone, claiming she's calling her father.

Burke is still in the sheriff's office when a call comes in from New York. Burke assumes the call is about him, and the sheriff asks him why he behaves like a guilty man if he's innocent.

David says he's going to leave, and Maggie asks him if he wants to make his own sundae. Roger arrives, and when Maggie greets him, David slips out. Maggie tells Roger that David tried to get into Burke Devlin's room. She then asks Roger about her father. He's upset and she thinks Roger would know why. Burke walks in as Maggie explains that he hired her father to paint his portrait.

Maggie tells Burke that David Collins was the kid who snuck into Burke's room. Burke asked if her father and Roger saw each other while he was away. She said Roger came looking for her dad the night Burke got back into town.

Roger returns to the sheriff's office. The sheriff wants to know what Roger is trying to hide.

Burke finishes his food, and asks Maggie to tell David if she sees him, that he's had enough of the Collins family for one day. After everyone leaves, David exits the telephone booth.

Our thoughts

John: Mitchell Ryan gets pretty amped up this episode. He's losing his cool rapidly.

Christine: Well now that he's a big success with a three room suite at the top of the Collinsport Inn, I guess he's entitled to throw his weight around. It's no surprise Sheriff Carter couldn't find anything in Burke's room when he's having trouble finding the search warrant on his messy desk. He's pretty good at handling Roger and Burke, but could use some help with his organizational skills. 

John: Watch for Roger bouncing outside the hotel front door before Maggie lets David make his own sundae.

Christine: Also watch for David bumping the camera as he beat feet (in the parlance of the time) when his dear old dad shows up. Roger delivers a mystic statement about his son's disappearance saying, "Spells and incantations, Maggie. If he does re-materialize, do me a favor, don't call me again." Once she tells him that sweet little David tried to get into Burke's room, he decides she should call him right away if she sees him, after all.

John: We're left wondering if David still has the valve, or if it has been planted in Burke's room since the sheriff served the warrant. We'll see what tomorrow holds...

Christine: Burke is sure to be on to Sam regarding his involvement with Roger, since Maggie told him the last time the two had contact with each other, prior to Burke's arrival, was at the time of Burke's trial. Sam better stock up on the hooch.

Sheriff Carter searches for a search warrant.

Roger warms up and prematurely waits for his cue outside the diner door.

The many faces of Burke Devlin losing his cool.

Read our 60th Anniversary commentary to see what new observations we made: https://dsb4idie.blogspot.com/2026/08/shadows-on-wall-episode-28.html

Episode 26 - 8/1/66

David comes out the door of the closed wing of the house holding Vicki's letter. Vicki confronts him about tampering with his father's car. She shows him the valve she found in his room. He denies it. he tries to wrestle it away from her. She locks it in a drawer so he can't get it.

  

Roger shows up at the police station. He's angry that Burke Devlin has not yet been arrested.

Vicki has locked herself in her room with David outside.

The sheriff explains that there's not enough evidence to charge Burke with a crime yet. Roger threatens to see to the sheriff being ousted when next up for re-election, but the sheriff stands his ground. Roger suggests that he at least search Devlin's room for the valve.

David runs downstairs and tells his aunt that Vicki tried to hurt him. Vicki enters the drawing room and asks to speak to Elizabeth in private.

The sheriff gets a search warrant for Devlin's apartment. Roger wants to join him on the search.

David listens outside the door as Vicki tells Liz what happened. Before she can tell her what she found, the phone rings. It's Roger. Liz says that the sheriff is going to search Burke Devlin's room for the valve. Vicki says he won't find it because she has it. Liz refuses to believe it, and when she goes up to Vicki's room to see it, it's gone.

 

Our thoughts

John: Compulsive lying seems to run in the Collins family. Elizabeth, Roger, David... Maybe Carolyn was adopted.

Christine: Give her time. I'm sure she'll demonstrate her prowess for mendacity soon. That little devil David is quite vicious. Vicki is right to be fearful of him. He may try to do her in next.

John: I do like how the sheriff stands up to Roger's bullying and threats.

Christine: He's pretty awesome. Just don't put mustard on his ham on rye.

John: I thought we were going to have to wait longer before Vicki would get the words out about finding the valve in David's room. So I was not surprised that once she did, the valve wouldn't be in the drawer anymore...

Christine: Could she not have also locked the door to her room? I wonder if David will manage to plant that valve in Burke's room before Sheriff Carter shows up with his search warrant or if he'll just toss it off the cliff at Widow's Hill. Incidentally, there is still no sign of the portrait of Isaac Collins. I only point this out because portraits in Dark Shadows are important. We'll continue to keep watch.

We won't forget you, Isaac Collins.

Read our 60th Anniversary commentary to see what new observations we made: https://dsb4idie.blogspot.com/2026/08/shadows-on-wall-episode-26.html

Episode 24 - 7/28/66

The constable shows up at the diner looking for Burke Devlin.

Carolyn has been shopping, and stops in the diner for lunch. She orders for two, and Maggie asks if she's meeting Burke Devlin. She tells Carolyn the constable is looking for Burke. Maggie also asks if her Dad's name came up in the conversations about Roger and Burke.

Burke arrives at the hotel and greets the constable in the lobby. He offers to buy the constable lunch, but they agree to meet upstairs in his room.

Carolyn and Joe are having lunch when Burke pops in. He orders lunch to go. He says hello to Joe and Carolyn, and Joe makes it's clear he's not invited to join them.

Burke denies involvement in the accident. He doesn't deny holding a grudge against Roger, but he says he doesn't want to kill him. Burke offers up a number of metaphors to explain how he wouldn't be so stupid as to be caught tampering with Roger's car and then let him drive it.

Maggie lets Joe and Carolyn know he'd like to have Carolyn come up to his room. To speak to him AND the constable.

Burke asks Carolyn how he came to visit Collinwood. Carolyn tells the constable that she was responsible. The constable leaves, and Carolyn yells at Burke for playing her like an idiot. She mentions that Maggie said her Dad was going to paint his portrait, which means he's not leaving in a few days. Before leaving, she asks him if he tried to kill her uncle and he denies it.

After she's gone, Bronson calls. Burke arranges to meet him in Bangor. He mentions that they have less time than he thought.

Our thoughts

John: I love how Devlin all but says he'll be back down to see Carolyn after Joe goes back to work. Of course we find that like Roger with Vicki, he was planning for his surprise witness in his discussion with the constable.

Christine: Joe is pressing Carolyn for marriage again after telling her he might get "a honey of a boat" in a few months if he pools his money with his buddy, Jerry. He promises to punch Burke in the mouth some day. I can't wait to see that.

John: The least convincing line you can tell a peace officer: "I've been thinking about buying a car. I knew Roger Collins had a car and I wanted to look at it."

Christine: Not only that, but he even got behind the wheel to see how it felt. I'd just like to note Burke's 1960s lunch for pure sociological purposes: ham and cheese with butter and mustard, no lettuce, and he has coffee with lunch, as do Carolyn and Joe with their burgers. Interesting. People must have been really hyped up in the 1960s.

John: Who is this Bronson, and what's he bringing to Burke? Maybe we'll find out tomorrow.

Christine: Constable Carter warns Burke not to take any sudden long trips. I wonder if his trip to Bangor to meet with the mysterious Bronson will qualify as a long trip or not. Quotable quotes from Burke Devlin in today's episode:

"One thing I never did was place a bet on a dead horse."

"Well do you think I would jump into a river if I knew I couldn't swim?"

The expressive Burke Devlin trying to think of more metaphors.

Read our 60th Anniversary commentary to see what new observations we made: https://dsb4idie.blogspot.com/2026/07/shadows-on-wall-episode-24.html

Episode 23 - 7/27/66

The constable arrives to speak with Roger. Roger tells him he needs him to dig up a murderer, and the constable clarifies attempted murder. He asks to use the phone, and Liz grabs Roger to tell him that Vicki has a letter from the foundling home that may cause problems for her. She wants to speak to Roger alone before he talks to Vicki, and he says he doesn't have time. He explains to the constable that the brakes on his car had been tampered with. The constable tells Liz that Roger wants him to arrest Burke Devlin for attempted murder. Roger hadn't mentioned his name, but the constable had been involved in the trial 10 years ago.

Vicki works with David on his reading lessons, who is fixated on going to jail for trying to kill someone.

Roger spells out his theory, but the constable isn't so quick to believe everything, particularly in that he waited so long to contact him, after going to see Burke himself. He asks to speak to Vicki, and Liz goes to get her to prevent Roger from being alone with her. When Liz goes upstairs and mentions the constable is downstairs, David all but freaks out.

David creeps down the stairs and peeks into the drawing room.

The constable asked if Burke had threatened Roger. And then the constable goes on to say how he did that exact thing 10 years ago. He doesn't believe Devlin is a murderer. Vicki tells the constable that she believed Devlin when he denied it.

Outside the drawing room, David is terrified.

The group goes out to the garage to examine the scene of the crime. Liz waits until the foyer is empty to tell David, hiding in the shadows, to go back upstairs. David asks Liz if they'll arrest someone for having fingerprints on a wrench. The constable comes back in with the wrench and sets it down. David knocks it onto the ground and grabs it. Roger is furious with him, not realizing why he needed to justify why his prints would be on it.

Our thoughts

John: I couldn't tell if the constable was serious when he said David was, "Probably just impressed with the dignity of my badge."

Christine: Constable Carter seems quite intelligent and level headed, despite only having experience with faulty traffic lights and barroom brawls in Collinsport. He asks Roger, "Was my phone out of order?" when he found out Roger waited 12 hours to call him. When questioning Vicki, he asks Liz to tell her brother to let Vicki answer his questions. He seems more irritated with Roger for delaying the investigation than with David for contaminating evidence. 

John: I have to give him credit. David was pretty smart to cover for his fingerprints on the wrench. Maybe he's smarter than we think he is.

Christine: Yes, he is a clever boy. When asked, Vicki tells David the worst thing she ever did was to get into a fight with a girl and give her a bloody nose. David follows up by asking if she ever tried to kill somebody and she responds curiously by smiling and saying, "I'm afraid not," and turns back to the history of Maine lesson. I found that a rather odd response to his disturbing question. David wishes he knew why his father never liked him. Perhaps this attempted murder will end up bringing them closer together.

John: It's nice to see Liz backed into a corner. We'll have to see if Vicki will get a chance to speak to Roger before Liz is able to ensure his story matches hers.

Christine: As Roger says, his sister has "a whim of iron." Roger seems to be quite adept at covering for Elizabeth's falsehoods, so I don't think Vicki will get anywhere with either of them.

David, engaged in intellectual pursuits.

David: "Did you ever try and kill somebody?" Vicki: "I'm afraid not. David, which state do you think is the largest of all the New England states?"

Vicki prevents David's first attempt at tampering with evidence.

David may be deprived of affection, but is not deprived of toys.

The portrait of Isaac Collins has been moved from its location in yesterday's episode. Where is Isaac now?

Constable Carter is played by Michael Currie, who you may recognize from Sudden Impact, Halloween III, The Philadelphia Story, and many appearances on TV.

Read our 60th Anniversary commentary to see what new observations we made: https://dsb4idie.blogspot.com/2026/07/shadows-on-wall-episode-23.html