Dark Shadows Episode 511 - 6/11/68

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Stokes calls for Reverend Trask's spirit. Tony begins to moan, and says Ben Stokes does not need him. Stokes says he's not Ben, but Angelique is back, and he can finish her off and rest in peace. The candle goes out, and the brick wall behind Tony begins to push outward. Julia screams that he's coming out and the bricks open, revealing Trask's skeleton.

Tony says he senses another presence, and Stokes calls out for Reverend Trask to show himself. Tony appears to be in a trance, and Stokes tries to get his attention. Julia suggests that Trask's spirit might have inhabited Tony's body. Tony says he's going home, and Julia begs for him to stay. He agrees to stay, but refuses to believe a spirit is inhabiting his body. Stokes calls out that the witch is in Collinwood, calling herself Cassandra. Music begins playing upstairs, and Julia says, "Adam!"

Julia tells Stokes he doesn't need to accompany her, as Reverend Trask isn't playing the music, and he says he's very interested to see where she's going. They find David playing music. Stokes introduces himself to David, and asks what he's doing in the house. David says Julia promised he could play the tape recorder. Julia offers to let David take the tape recorder, and Stokes realizes that he can't let Cassandra know he's still alive. Julia asks David to lie and not mention seeing Stokes, and David agrees.

After David leaves, Stokes asks Julia who Adam is. She says she knows no Adam. Stokes says he recently met an Adam—a scarred giant of incredible strength. She says she doesn't know anyone matching that description. He says he saw him after he had the dream, and after he made the leap from Widow's Hill. Stokes asks who she's protecting when Tony calls to them from downstairs.

Stokes and Julia arrive downstairs to find the skeleton is gone. Tony says he closed his eyes for a minute, and when he opened them again the skeleton was gone. Stokes says their friend Trask is here. He asks for a sign. There is none, and Julia and Tony go upstairs. Stokes then hears a sigh, and speaks to Trask, letting him know that he can right his wrong, and then rest in peace.

At the main house, Julia stares at the clock when David comes downstairs. He tells her he hasn't told anyone about the old house. She asks if Mrs. Johnson said when Barnabas would be back, and he says about noon.

Barnabas returns home and finds a note from Julia. He hears a noise and calls to Adam. He then hears footsteps, and he goes downstairs to find the brick wall exposed where Trask had been walled in. He calls out Trask's name, and from behind him, Reverend Trask announces his presence. He explains he is free to get his revenge. Barnabas explains it was an ancestor of his. Trask asks how he knew his name if he isn't the Devil's helper. Trask places his hand on Barnabas' shoulder, and he falls to the ground.

Julia returns and calls for Barnabas or Willie. She sees her note, unopened, and leaves, assuming Barnabas will read it and come to Collinwood.

In the basement, Trask has placed Barnabas in the opening in the wall where he had been previously walled in.

Our thoughts

John: Couldn't the prop guys have gotten a skeleton that didn't have a flip top skull? I'm curious if this is the re-purposed skeletal bride from the dream curse...

Christine: It IS the same skeleton! Trask is the skeletal bride! That piece of tape holding the cranium together is on both, and the toothless jaw and wonky ribs are the same! What could Trask, dressed as a bride, possibly symbolize in Julia's dream? Chastity perhaps? Or a desperate longing to be loved?

John: If the seance started around midnight, what's David doing lurking around the old house in the middle of the night?

Christine: I think he was planning to break in to steal the tape recorder while everyone was asleep. Will he hear Dr. Lang's recording, or will David tape over it with him singing along to his 45 rpm record of Yummy, Yummy, Yummy?

John: We'll forgo the discussion as to just how the ghost of Trask managed to get Barnabas' body into the partially opened wall, because it's a cool image to see the tables turned. The question is, will the ghost be able to do the necessary construction work to wall him in?

Christine: I assumed that Trask's spirit had inhabited Tony Peterson's body as Julia suggested, since he's proven to be easily manipulated by supernatural entities. I wonder why the touch of Trask's hand took Barnabas down, screaming in agony.

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 617 - 11/5/68

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Jeff and Vicki are in the drawing room at Collinwood. He suggests that they get married next month. She brings up how she had gone so long without seeing him, and he asks her if she trusts him. He kisses her as Eve watches from the garden.

Liz walks in and asks Jeff how he has been. Jeff excuses himself, and tells Liz that Vicki has something to tell her. She asks Vicki if she's set her wedding date. Vicki says they haven't set an exact date, but it will be next month. Liz laments that she might not be there for it.

In the garden, Eve calls for Peter Bradford. Jeff asks who's out there. Eve asks if he remembers her, and he assures her his name is Jeff Clark. He tells her to stay out of his life. She tells him that she may not look the same, but they met a long, long time ago. She asks why he's afraid to remember her, and makes him look at her.

Liz tells Vicki that she won't be gloomy, as they have so many plans to make. Liz tells her she'll be married by the fireplace. She asks if Vicki would let Roger give her away.

Peter gets one of his headaches listening to Eve.

She asks if he was frightened of her in the past. She adds that she knows what it's like to have a faulty memory. She asks him to look into her eyes. Jeff refuses. She then kisses Jeff. Roger interrupts them, and asks Jeff to introduce him.

Eve runs off, and Roger asks Jeff who she is. He says he doesn't know, and Roger says they appeared to be well acquainted. Jeff tries to explain that it's not what Roger thinks, and it was a mistake. Roger points out that it was a mistake that was discovered in time. He says they were all mistaken about his character.

Roger says it would be a mistake not to tell Vicki. Jeff tells Roger that the woman thinks he's someone named Peter Bradford. Roger points out that they don't know who he is. Jeff asks for the benefit of the doubt, and Roger says he won't get it. He says he could tell Vicki that a woman thinks Jeff is Peter Bradford, and Jeff pleads with him.

Liz thanks Vicki for the few moments tonight where she hasn't been afraid. She goes upstairs as Roger and Jeff come in, arguing. Roger asks her to join him in the drawing room.

Jeff asks Roger not to tell Vicki. She asks what it is. Roger says he has news that will distress her, regarding someone very near and dear to her. She asks Jeff what this is all about. Jeff tells Roger that he's going to destroy some of Vicki's happiest moments. She asks Roger if it has something to do with David. Jeff dares Roger to tell her, and he decides that it can wait.

She asks Jeff to tell her, and Roger interrupts, saying it's about Barnabas. Vicki asks what it is. Roger says he went to the old house looking for Barnabas and he couldn't find him. Vicki doesn't get it. Roger starts to giggle. Vicki says she has to say goodnight to David, but when she returns, she wants him to explain himself.

Jeff thanks Roger, and Roger says that Vicki is one of the few people he cares about. He threatens Jeff if he does anything to hurt her. Vicki comes back down, and Roger kisses her cheek and bids her goodnight, saying he's sure Barnabas would be fine.

Roger goes upstairs, and she asks Jeff why they were arguing about Barnabas. Jeff just asks her to smile for him, and she does.

Roger tells Liz that he should have told Vicki. She says it only would have hurt her. She asks why he doesn't believe Jeff, and Roger says he acted strangely.

While Eve looks on through the window, Vicki tells Jeff about the wedding plans she and Liz discussed.

Roger has a dream of Vicki's wedding. Liz is coming downstairs, and he is behind her leading a bride with her veil covering her face into the drawing room where Jeff awaits.

When the bride raises her veil, Roger is shocked to see the wide-eyed skull! Roger realizes that if Vicki marries Jeff, she will die. 

Our thoughts

John: Isn't it presumptuous for Liz to think Vicki would want to be married in Collinwood. I guess she and Jeff will honeymoon in Collinsport.

Christine: Maybe she'll extend the same offer for them to take up residence in the West Wing that she proposed to Vicki and Burke.

John: Was anyone else shocked that Vicki's first guess of someone near and dear to her, someone who would represent some of her happiest moments, would be David? I guess it could have been worse. She could have guessed Willie...

Christine: It's telling that she didn't immediately think he was speaking of Jeff Clark, and I was disappointed not only that Roger didn't follow through with telling her, but that Liz thought it was a good idea, and continued to claim Jeff Clark was a fine young man after being told that Roger caught him locking lips with some mysterious woman out in the garden. On the other hand, Vicki shouldn't need them to reveal his scandalous behavior when it's clear that Jeff does not make her happy.

John: It's the return of the wide-eyed skull, in a wedding dress, no less! A few days too late to inspire Halloween costumes, but is it ever a bad time for the WES to show up? You'd think Roger might have realized if he was escorting a skeleton downstairs...

Christine: It was a dream, silly! He wasn't really escorting a skeleton you know. It was interesting that they chose to dress up the wide-eyed skull from the dream curse instead of using the skeletal bride. I guess the wonky skull on the skeletal bride looked less like Vicki.

Wide Eyed Skull in Episode 492

Skeletal Bride in Episode 492

Dark Shadows Episode 857 - 10/7/69

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(For the duration of the Petofi/Quentin mind-swap, Count Petofi occupying Quentin as played by David Selby will be referred to as Petofi-Q, and Quentin in Petofi's body as played by Thayer David will be referred to as Count Quentin).

Petofi-Q and Aristede arrive at Collinwood. He tells Aristede he's narrowed down the hexagram needed to go into the future. He says he'll test them tonight, sending someone through the door into the darkness. Aristede asks who, and Petofi-Q says he'd make an excellent choice. Aristede is concerned about being sent through the wrong door. Petofi-Q says he's too useful to send, and tasks Aristede to find a subject. He tells him to meet him in the cottage with their new friend.

Petofi-Q enters Collinwood to hear Trask arguing with Edward. Trask tells him that his uninvited guest is costing the house money. Edward sees Quentin and invites him in, asking him to explain the tradition of hospitality of Collinwood to Trask. Trask brings up Amanda, and says he took Quentin's note to prevent her from seeing him. Petofi-Q asks Trask what he means.

Trasks says Quentin seems different somehow. Petofi-Q assures him that he is the same. Trask says he was the only one who cared for Amanda, and suggests Quentin can only care for himself. He says he is the most callous, heartless womanizer he knows. He storms out, and Edward looks at Quentin strangely. Petofi-Q asks him what's the matter. Edward says there is something different about him. He asks Quentin what's wrong.

Count Quentin is in the cottage when Aristede arrives. Aristede tells him to get out. Count Quentin refuses, and threatens to kill Aristede. He asks where Petofi is. He says that Petofi will make a mistake and someone will figure out that he's not Quentin.

Petofi-Q tells Edward that Trask is insufferable. Edward says he may have found a way to deal with Trask. He says that he will marry Kitty. He points out that she is wealthy. Petofi-Q asks if the recent death of her husband would stand in his way. Edward says she's interested in him. He says that Trask's days of being master of Collinwood are coming to an end.

A lady of the evening drinks on the dock when Aristede comes up to her and offers her champagne. He invites her to join him for a night she'll never forget.

Count Quentin arrives at Collinwood, and finds Edward in the drawing room. Edward offers him a drink, and Count Quentin says that he is Quentin. Edward says that if he were Quentin, he'd accept a brandy. He says that it's not a funny joke. Count Quentin says that Petofi is responsible, and Edward says they both know the trouble at the house was caused by Barnabas. Count Quentin tries to convince Edward that Petofi stole his body and swapped their minds. He says that Petofi threatens the Collins family now and in the future. He adds that Petofi is terrified of gypsies, and trying to escape in his body to the future. He says that he is still alive in 1969.

Aristede introduces Wanda Paisley to Quentin in the cottage. She sees the I Ching wands, and Petofi-Q tells her they're going to play a little game. He says that wonderful things will happen. He adds that she will be well paid for any and all services rendered. He sits her down at the table.

Edward says he's going to call a doctor. Count Quentin begs him not to. Edward suggests that he go home. Count Quentin pleads with Edward to help him. Edward sends him home.

Petofi-Q explains that Wanda will go through a door in her mind. She isn't interested in playing along. She gets up to go, and Aristede stops her. Petofi-Q places his hand on her neck and sits her down.

He tells her to throw the wands and she does. Once the hexagram is established, he tells her to concentrate. As she goes into a trance, there's a knock at the door. It's Count Quentin. He tries to stop them, but Aristede knocks him out.

Petofi-Q tells Aristede to lock him up, but not hurt him. After they leave, Wanda stirs and says that she sees the door. It opens and Petofi-Q tells her to go through it. He demands that she tell him everything she sees. Two skeletal arms reach for her, and she sees the wide-eyed skull. She hears laughter and screams.

Petofi-Q and Aristede are shocked to see Wanda now a skeleton in a dress.

Our thoughts

John: Aristede was wearing so much make-up today that in the shot outside of Collinwood, he almost looks like a mannequin—which is even creepier than normal!

Christine: He appears to be wearing the same amount of make-up as usual. It just seemed more noticeable and mannequin-like because of his unblinking stare in close-up.

John: Wouldn't Quentin have any number of things he could tell Edward to convince him that he was in fact Quentin?

Christine: You would think, but I don't expect Edward would believe it even if he divulged his most embarrassing childhood secrets.

John: Our old friend the wide-eyed skeleton! How long has it been? And a skeleton in a dress! Just like our skeletal bride. It's like the dream-curse all over again! I sure hope will see more skeletons in the days ahead!

Christine: I believe Episode 739 was the last time the wide-eyed skull appeared, when it showed up in Charity's dream with fangs. I hope maybe we'll get to see the wide-eyed skull and skeletal bride together in the same scene in the future. It's too bad they chose to use Cassandra's wig and couldn't find one that more closely matched that of Wanda Paisley. It looks like it's back to the I-Ching drawing board, which surely means we won't be back to the future anytime soon.

Is this the first time split screen has been used? It seemed a bit awkwardly done.

Down for the Count:
Barnabas was staked in his coffin 11 episodes ago.