Dark Shadows Episode 508 - 6/5/68

Amazon Prime members can stream today's episode free!

Stokes tells Julia how impressed he is with his ability to insert himself into the dream curse. Julia asks why he thinks he'll see the witch when he has the dream. He says she'll appear because he's broken all the rules of her dream curse. She tells him that he makes it sound so simple. He leans back in his chair, and immediately begins to dream.

He hears a knock at the door. He gets up and asks who's there. The knocking continues. A voice says, "you do not know me." He opens the door, and hears a woman laugh. Sam Evans leads him, but unlike the other beckoners, he speaks to him. When they approach the door, Sam tells him not to enter, or he will not come out alive.

Stokes recites the incantation, and enters the room of his own free will. He goes inside and closes the door behind him, telling Sam that he'll have to lock it himself. In the room of doors, Stokes calls out saying he is quite comfortable waiting for her to show herself. A door swings open, and Angelique steps through it.

She says his asking for her will be the last thing he does. She calls him Ben Stokes, and he clarifies that unlike Ben, she has no control over him. She tells him to open a door, and he refuses. He tells her that he is secure in his century. She tells him that Barnabas is getting what he deserves. She asks why he is interfering if he doesn't know what Barnabas is. She tells him to look at her, and he tells her she's beautiful, but he doesn't trust her eyes.

She tells him to give her his hand. She puts the mark in his hand, and tells him he will go through the doors or be trapped for all eternity. Stokes asks her where Cassandra Collins is, and Angelique says she doesn't know who he's referring to. He says she is Cassandra. She tells him he can't speak, and that he will die. Stokes is not a victim of her threats, and tells her she has used him enough. Angelique disappears, and a door opens on its own. Angelique's voice tells him he will never win.

Stokes wakes up, and Julia asks if he was successful. He asks for a sherry, and tells her the curse has been stopped. He says she was right, that his former student, Cassandra, is the witch. She asks how he knew she suspected her. He says she knows more than she's told him. Stokes proudly brags of his accomplishment. When there's a knock at the door, he answers it to see Sam Evans and Joe. Sam asks to come in, saying he has to see him.

He says Stokes sent for him. Stokes asks him to sit down and explain. Sam says he was sitting at home and suddenly heard Stokes' name. He also says he wasn't sure why they were coming to the old house. He says he knows Stokes has something to tell him. Stokes tells him that he had just woken from a dream before they arrived, and Sam was in the dream. Sam asks about it, and Stokes refuses to tell him about it. Sam asks for an explanation, and Stokes tells him to go home and forget he ever came.

Sam and Joe are back at the Evans' place. Joe agrees that something is going on that no one understands. He mentions that Maggie had a dream that really upset her about a week ago. Joe offers to help Sam in, but Sam says he doesn't need that. Joe mentions that the man who jumped off Widows' Hill is still missing, and Sam tells him he can handle himself just fine, and anyone who jumped off Widows' Hill would be dead.

Joe leaves and Sam enters the house. A door closes, and he calls to Maggie. He feels a draft, and finds an open window that he was sure Joe had closed. He shouts out, asking who's there. He stumbles around the room, and checks the bedroom, but there's no sign of Maggie. He turns around and in front of him is a bloody Adam with a butcher knife poised to strike.

Our thoughts

John: Sam with blind-man glasses and a cane reminded me of Mr. Magoo. And it's even funnier when he shows up and tells Stokes that he has to SEE him.

Christine: Stokes goes up against Angelique and prevails! But has he truly ended the dream curse?

John: When Sam and Joe show up at the old house in their matching trenchcoats, they look like wanna-be federal agents.

Christine: Too bad Tony Peterson wasn't on board today to join the trenchcoat club.

John: I guess it was only fitting that once Sam Evans went blind, he would be able to fulfill that important part of Mary Shelley's story. So I'm not too worried that Adam is going to go full Norman Bates on him with that butcher knife.

Christine: Adam looks pretty angry. Not sure why he's taking it out on Sam when it's the rocks below Widows' Hill he should be mad at. He certainly looks a lot better than Josette did after taking a dive off Widows' Hill.

Dark Shadows Before I Die Round Robin Nightmare tracker:

1. Wide-eyed skull
2. Guillotine
3. Lang's Headless creation
4. Skeletal bride 
5. Educational Bat-footage
6. Giant spider-web 
7. Mounted wolf's head 
8. Carolyn's tombstone

Dark Shadows Episode 507 - 6/4/68

Amazon Prime members can stream today's episode free!

As Carolyn sleeps, she dreams. She hears a knock at the door. She tries to avoid getting up to answer the door, but she does get up. She refuses to answer the door and have the dream, waking up in the process.

Professor Stokes visits Julia at the old house. She tells him that he must stop the dream curse. He says that he understands if it doesn't get stopped, Barnabas will die. Julia mumbles about something worse happening, and he asks if there's something worse than death. Stokes tells her that according to his calculations, only one more woman needs to have the dream, and that woman may make it possible for Barnabas to never have the dream.

He shows Julia a photo of Josette's portrait, and asks her who it is. She says it's Josette, and he asks who she looks like. Julia says she looks like Maggie. He points out that Maggie was the first to have the dream, and Josette was Barnabas' love years ago. Julia says that Maggie is not Josette, and Barnabas is not the same Barnabas.

Stokes walks through the list of people who had the dream, and when people who knew Barnabas had it, he was having a difficult time. When Barnabas was not under any stress, the dream was had by those less connected to him. Stokes tells her that Barnabas will be the beckoner in Carolyn's dream—but there may be a way that he can be the beckoner instead. He says that if it works, and if he lives, Barnabas Collins will be saved. He tells Julia to bring Carolyn to him immediately.

Carolyn is reluctant to hear Willie's dream. Stokes tells her she doesn't need to be frightened, as she'll be in a controlled environment. Carolyn says she knows the dream is going to kill someone. He assures her that she will not die. If anyone does, it will be Barnabas. Stokes tells Carolyn that as soon as she wakes, she'll be able to tell him the dream, and be free of it. She says that would work only if he were the beckoner. She agrees, and Julia takes her to see Willie.

Stokes tells Carolyn to look into his eyes. He tells her that soon she will hear a knock at the door, but she will not be frightened. Carolyn appears to be in a trance.

He tells her that he will be the person on the other side of the door. Carolyn lies on her bed and falls asleep. She begins to dream.

She hears a knock at the door, and when she gets up to open it, she sees Professor Stokes. She reluctantly follows him to a door. After she passes through, he closes and locks it behind her. She begs to be let out.

She hears Stokes recite the incantation as she finds herself in a room full of doors. She opens the first to see the wide-eyed skull. Behind the second door, she sees the guillotine. The third door reveals the laughing skeletal bride. Carolyn screams in terror. She opens the fourth door and sees a tombstone with her name on it.

Carolyn sits up screaming that she saw her gravestone, and Stokes tells her she must tell him the dream immediately so that he can have it tonight.

Stokes tells Julia how impressed he is with his ability to insert himself into the dream curse. Julia asks why he thinks he'll see the witch when he has the dream. He says she'll appear because he's broken all the rules of her dream curse. She tells him that he makes it sound so simple. He leans back in his chair, and immediately begins to dream. He hears a knock at the door.

Our thoughts

John: I sure would like to understand Stokes' dream calculations. I'm curious if he had to use a slide rule.

Christine: No doubt he did. The double exposure of Carolyn dreaming at the beginning was interesting, but the one with her and Stokes seemed to be overdoing it a little.

John: Do you think Stokes was more interested in stopping the dream curse, or just becoming part of it.

Christine: He definitely wants to be in it so he can face the witch. He may regret his arrogant bravado. I was confused when he told Julia that he was guessing the witch was female. Why wouldn't Julia tell him that it was Cassandra, as well as inform him of the portrait fiasco that made Cassandra an old crone and left Sam blind? Is her mind clouded because she's developing feelings for Prof. Stokes, or did the writers not want to draw attention to the fact that they never bothered to explain how Cassandra regained her youthful appearance when she returned in Episode 504?

John: It's always amusing when a key character to the plot has the day off. So much for Willie getting to tell Carolyn the dream. Once again, that pivotal event tales place off camera. Too bad that they couldn't keep up the momentum of building terror as more people experienced the dream curse. It's almost as if they could have just had people walk in and open the one door that's unique to them...

Christine: I think the decision to have only four doors helps to keep it from being too predictable and tiresome. I thought Mrs. Johnson was the best screamer on the show, but Carolyn takes the prize today. Carolyn's birthdate on the gravestone does not match what was recorded in the Family Register in Episode 267.

Dark Shadows Before I Die Round Robin Nightmare tracker:

1. Wide-eyed skull
2. Guillotine
3. Lang's Headless creation
4. Skeletal bride 
5. Educational Bat-footage
6. Giant spider-web 
7. Mounted wolf's head 
8. Carolyn's tombstone 

Dark Shadows Episode 506 - 6/3/68

Amazon Prime members can stream today's episode free!

Barnabas and Willie search for Adam's body in the rocks below Widow's Hill. Barnabas is sure he's alive, but Willie doesn't think he could have survived. The two men call out to Adam, but there's no reply. Willie says the sheriff thinks his body was washed out to sea. Barnabas tells him that's good, because it will prevent the sheriff from snooping around. Willie tells him he has to go back to Collinwood to tell Carolyn about the dream. Barnabas refuses to let him go to Carolyn. Willie says that Adam is gone, and he didn't just walk away. Barnabas says that's exactly what he did. The question is where would he go. He tells Willie to check the root cellar where Adam had taken Carolyn. Willie says he wants to stop by to see Carolyn first, and Barnabas tells him to go to the root cellar.

Carolyn sits in her room in a daze, not eating the food that was brought up to her. Liz checks in on her, and tries to encourage her to get some sleep. She adds that the man's body was washed out to sea, so there's nothing to be frightened of. Liz asks if he hurt her, and she says he did not. She said he was very gentle, and afraid. Liz asks how she could think that after he kidnapped her, believing he could have killed her. She says he could not, and adds that she feels sorry for him. She says he was like a child who lacked experience with other humans. She adds that his instincts were childlike. and he was learning from her. She tells her mother that if he was the evil being she thinks he was, he wouldn't have saved her life on Widow's Hill.

Willie sneaks around outside the main house. He looks at the wall, considering climbing up it.

Liz puts Carolyn to bed.

Willie scales the wall.

Once in Carolyn's room, she wakes with a start. She threatens to call for help, and he tells her he'll go as soon as he tells her about the dream. She says he sounds crazy.

She goes to call for help, and he grabs her and places his hand over her mouth. He starts to describe the dream when Carolyn bites his hand. He lets go of her and she screams for help.

Outside, Liz hears Carolyn screaming.

Carolyn tells Willie to get out. He leaves through the window as Liz returns. Carolyn tells her what happened, and Liz says she's going to tell Barnabas to send him back to Windcliff. She says the dream must have been the most terrifying thing that happened to him. Carolyn points out the risk Willie took to talk to her. Liz tells her to go back to sleep, and Carolyn says she's afraid. She says she's not safe from the dream. She thinks if she tries to sleep, she'll have the dream, and die.

Our thoughts

John: What was Willie saying in the last scene outside of Collinwood before he scaled the wall?

Christine: After looking up to see how high he had to climb, he appeared to be saying WTF!

John: What was Willie thinking? Sneaking into Carolyn's room through her window in the middle of the night! Wait until word gets back to Barnabas!

Christine: Carolyn explained to Liz that he must have been desperate to risk breaking into her room, knowing he'd be caught and punished, which goes to show how powerful the dream curse is. I love how Liz tries to console her by telling her that she's safe and that no-one can possibly get into her room, right after Willie just got into her room. Willie's sure to be caned for disobeying Barnabas.

John: It will be interesting to see if the partial communication of the dream works, or if it will leave both Willie and Carolyn tortured!

Christine: It's a typical flaw in Angelique's convoluted spellwork. If it doesn't work, Willie will be hard pressed to try and pass the dream on to Carolyn, though it could be amusing to see the creative ways he might come up with to do so.


Dark Shadows Before I Die Round Robin Nightmare tracker:

1. Wide-eyed skull
2. Guillotine
3. Lang's Headless creation
4. Skeletal bride 
5. Educational Bat-footage
6. Giant spider-web 
7. Mounted wolf's head

Dark Shadows Episode 505 - 5/31/68

Amazon Prime members can stream today's episode free!

Adam wanders through the woods, with the sheriff and deputies in pursuit. The sheriff points out that they're near the old Collins house, which he describes as where all points seem to lead when there's trouble around Collinsport.

In the old house, Barnabas worries about Adam. He hears the sheriff outside.

The sheriff tells his men to surround the building while he knocks on the door.

Barnabas answers and invites the sheriff in. The sheriff asks Barnabas what he's been doing. Barnabas says he's been home after they captured the man who had abducted Carolyn. The sheriff asks why he didn't rejoin the search party searching for Carolyn. Barnabas says he assumed that since they caught the man, they would have found where he was holding Carolyn. The sheriff tells him that the man escaped, and is interested in Barnabas' reaction to the news. He says he ripped the chain out of the wall, mauled one of his deputies, and bent the bars in his cell. Barnabas asks why he's here. The sheriff says this is where they found him originally. They have reason to believe he was headed in this direction. He asks Barnabas if he did. Barnabas explains that if he had, he would have told him. The sheriff pokes around, and asks how much he knows about him.

Barnabas explains that he only saw him once, when Roger shot him. The sheriff then asks about Willie. He says he spoke to him earlier and didn't believe anything he said. He felt he was concealing something. Barnabas assures him he has nothing to conceal. The sheriff says that Willie blurted out the man's name when she questioned him yesterday. Barnabas says that's news to him. The sheriff adds that when she originally saw him in the woods, the man spoke his name. Barnabas says he doesn't know why, and asks if they should be out looking for the man. The sheriff says they're going to keep talking, until they understand why Willie knew the man's name, and why he knew Barnabas' name.

Adam wanders through the woods.

Carolyn gives up struggling at the door. She realizes that she'll die unless she finds some other way out. Without much effort, she decides there is no other way. She hears chains outside.

Adam approaches the cellar and removes the rock blocking the door. He enters and looks for Carolyn, she tries to sneak past him, but he grabs her. She begs for him to let her go. She says he's hurting her, and he says, "hurting."

She pleads with him to let her go home, and he says, "home." She yells at him to stop repeating what she says, and he drags her back inside. She tells him the police will find them, and arrest him and take him to jail. He tries to comfort her, but she continues to cry. He hugs her and cries, too. They hear dogs outside. He takes her hand and leads her out. She screams and he covers her mouth. He then picks her up and carries her away.

The deputies hear a scream, and run after it.

The sheriff continues to interrogate Barnabas. He says that Barnabas and Roger say the man was shot in the shoulder, but it took six of his deputies to subdue him. He said he obviously had someone treat his wound, and all of the practicing doctors were questioned, and none helped him. He says the only doctor they haven't spoken to is Julia Hoffman. He says he's not going to let up on Barnabas until he tells him what he knows.

He points out that his own family is at stake, and Barnabas tells him he's sure Carolyn will be fine. The sheriff asks how he knows this, and Barnabas says it's because of something Willie said. He explains that the man did come to the house several days ago, looking for food. He says Willie felt sorry for him, and fed him. He said that the man didn't say anything, and Willie mentioned his own name several times, which explained why Adam said it later. He says Willie says that he was gentle. The sheriff asks why he didn't provide the information sooner, and Barnabas explains he thought he'd make more of it.

A deputy knocks at the door, and says they've spotted the man with the girl. They had been hiding in someone's root cellar, and they're headed towards Widow's Hill. The sheriff tells him to surround the area. He then asks Barnabas to join him. Barnabas asks if he has enough men, and the sheriff tells him he wants him to be there to see if he's recognized when they catch the man.

Adam carries Carolyn to Widow's Hill. He looks down over the cliff at the water below.

The sheriff and his men approach.

Carolyn tells Adam that there's no escape, and asks him to put her down. He does, and she slips on the rocks. She hangs on the cliff's edge and asks him to save her. He grabs her arms. The sheriff's men approach and Barnabas warns them no to do anything or she'll fall. Adam lifts her up, and once she's safe, strokes her hair.

She runs to Barnabas and tells them not to shoot him, as he saved her life. Adam looks at the men pointing guns at him, and turns and jumps off the cliff. Carolyn cries as Barnabas carries her away, followed by the deputies.

As we see water crashing on the rocks, we hear Lang's words about Barnabas not reverting to the curse as long as Adam lives, and noting that if Adam dies, Barnabas will be as he was before.

Our thoughts

John: Wow. The sheriff has suddenly got a lot of nerve, going up against a member of the Collins clan. I wonder if this is going to come back to haunt him, or if he's safe, questioning Barnabas with Liz' blessing. And it's a little late for Barnabas to try and explain Adam, after so many denials.

Christine: He was overstepping his bounds to go peering into another room without Barnabas' permission.

John: So I guess the sheriff is prone to hyperbole. Subduing Adam only took six deputies, not the twenty mentioned previously.

Christine: That seemed like a lot.

John: Wow! Can this be the end of Adam? I guess we'll find out soon enough if Barnabas starts to revert to his old ways, but I have a hunch that a little tumble onto the rocks below Widow's Hill won't be as damaging to Adam as it was Bill Malloy or the widows.

Christine: I'm pretty sure that Addison Powell re-recorded his final words, though I can't imagine why. We've listened to that piece of dialogue often enough to hear the difference.


Dark Shadows Before I Die Round Robin Nightmare tracker:

1. Wide-eyed skull
2. Guillotine
3. Lang's Headless creation
4. Skeletal bride 
5. Educational Bat-footage
6. Giant spider-web 
7. Mounted wolf's head