“I should go to Collinwood, and drag her from the house, and BURN her!”
So, what do you do with a guy who just refuses to understand what kind of story he’s in?
I’m not talking about a Mulder-Scully dynamic, where the tension between belief and skepticism is the whole point of the series. I’m talking about a guy who’s standing smack in the middle of a spook show, and he can’t get his mind around the fact that there’s a witch who’s trying to kill him, even though she’s already openly attacked him using her magic powers. I’m talking about a guy who needs to have the situation explained to him over and over, plus he’s obnoxious and a terrible actor and he shouts all the time.
All right, it’s Lang. I’m talking about Dr. Eric Lang. He’s driving me crazy, and he’s got to be stopped.
I’ll start at the beginning. Barnabas is minding his own business, when there’s a knock at the door and in comes Dr. Lang, all perturbed and hollering as per usual.
Lang: Barnabas! Are you all right? What about the accident?
Barnabas: What are you talking about?
Lang: The message that you left on my answering service.
Barnabas: I left no message.
Lang: The message said for me to come over here, no matter what time it was. Are you positive?
Barnabas: Of course I am.
So right away, we’ve got a problem. What do you mean, “are you positive”? Either you leave a message for someone’s answering service, or you don’t. It’s not that much of a gray area.
But the real problem is that Lang doesn’t even acknowledge that Barnabas is wearing a brand-new deep purple robe, and he looks stunning in it. I know things can get hectic on this show, but come on. Open your eyes.
Barnabas: Are you here, listening? Are you watching us, Angelique?
Lang does an exaggerated double-take, looking around the room.
Lang: Barnabas, wouldn’t we be able to see her?
Barnabas: You have no idea of her powers, none!
Lang: Well, I don’t understand! Why does she want me here?
Barnabas: I don’t know.
Lang: It doesn’t make any sense.
Barnabas: Oh, yes, it does, believe me. It makes sense to her, or you would not be here.
Lang: Barnabas, I really don’t understand any of this.
Okay! Dude, we get it. You don’t have a lot of sorcery experience. It’s not necessary to say “I don’t understand” every time the other person in the scene takes a breath.
But here’s the real problem.
Barnabas: Do you have your talisman with you?
Lang: Well, yes. I think so.
Barnabas: Make sure you do.
Lang: I think I put it in my pock–
And then he does this elaborate pantomime on the theme of Guy Who Can’t Remember Where He Put His Talisman.
Lang: No, wait — or did I take it out when I was working —
Barnabas: I told you to carry it with you at all times!
Lang: No, wait, wait! Let me — let me think.
And then he puts his fingers to his temple to indicate that he is taking a moment to think. I swear to God, this guy.
He finally comes up with it.
Lang: No, it’s in the desk.
Fortunately, it’s been about 170 years since the last time Barnabas shot a guy in the face, so he’s out of practice.
But, for Pete’s sake. What’s it doing in the desk? It’s the thing that’s keeping a witch from murdering you. How can you not tell the difference between your pocket and a desk?
Now, really, this is just ordinary plot-mandated stupidity, and it’s not worth getting bent out of shape about it, but Addison Powell is The Worst Actor Who Ever Appeared on Dark Shadows, and at a certain point you just run out of patience.
Here he is, closing out the scene by indicating: I wonder if there’s an invisible witch watching me right now. Look at this clown.
So they rush back to Lang’s house, and guess what, it’s time for Addison Powell’s stirring rendition of Guy Who Can’t Find Something in His Desk.
He starts rooting through the desk, pulling out files and papers.
Lang: I’ve got to clean out this desk, one of these days… It must be here.
And he just keeps rummaging through the drawer.
Finally, Barnabas says, “It isn’t there, is it?” And Lang takes that as a cue to start scrambling around again. This sequence goes on for approximately eight hours.
As he does in any crisis, Barnabas heads straight for Plan A.
Barnabas: I should go to Collinwood, and find her, and drag her from the house, and BURN her!
Lang: Barnabas…
Barnabas: It’s my only way of getting free of her!
Barnabas walks to the door, and Lang calls after him.
Lang: No!
Barnabas: It could be done, and no one would know! She would simply disappear.
Lang: There’d still be a lot of questions.
Barnabas: Not necessarily.
And that’s when you realize Barnabas actually meant it. He was about to head for Collinwood. That’s how his brain works.
The strategy meeting is interrupted by Jeff, who’s carrying a suitcase.
Lang: Oh! Hello, Jeff.
Jeff: What happened to me?
Lang: Well, you, uh — you fell asleep.
Jeff: Fell asleep? I was supposed to be packing.
So on behalf of the audience, I would like to say: wait, what? It’s still the same night that Julia hypnotized Jeff? They really know how to live it up in Collinsport; the nights last forever.
And the amazing thing is that everybody is still wearing a tie. Jeff says that it’s nearly dawn, and here they all are, hip-deep in neckwear. Jeff actually woke up and put on a tie, just to go downstairs and yell at Lang. We even saw Barnabas wearing a tie while he was relaxing at home in his purple dressing gown. Was it a rule in the 1960s that everybody on television had to wear a tie?
But let’s move on to the next scene, where there are even more pressing fashion concerns. Jeff was living at Lang’s house, but now that he’s quit his job, he needs a new place to stay. Vicki arranged for him to stay in the spare room at Maggie’s house.
And, oh my god — she’s wearing the skirt.
You remember the skirt, obviously. It’s impossible to forget this skirt. Maggie wore it in one episode six months ago, and I still haven’t recovered.
I don’t usually pay this much attention to the outfits, but it’s just that kind of episode today. There’s not really that much happening, so they’re distracting us with wardrobe. It’s working pretty well.
And then it’s pretty much all Dream Curse from here. This is an experimental storyline that they’re trying out, where they just do the same two scenes over and over until they run out of audience.
Last week, Maggie had a dream about Jeff — he led her down a hallway to a dark room, where she opened a door and saw a glowing skull. When she sees Jeff today, she feels compelled to tell him all about the dream.
The weird thing about this storyline is that telling people about your dreams is pretty universally recognized as one of the most boring things you can ever do. And yet, here we are.
So it’s only a matter of time until Jeff dozes off, and guess what, he has the same dream that we’ve just been hearing about.
In Jeff’s dream, it’s Dr. Lang who shows up at the door, to lead Jeff into the nightmare.
So Lang takes Jeff to the mysterious room, where it’s all doors and candles and smoke.
I’m kind of torn right now, because if I really want to represent what this episode is about, I should be going into way more detail on this dream stuff. Half of the episode is Maggie describing her dream to Jeff, and then Jeff having the exact same dream that Maggie described.
But the problem is that I don’t have a punchline, or an insight, or anything. Usually, I can craft some kind of point out of the raw material that the episode hands me, but this Dream Curse stuff is a real challenge. The dream scenes take up a big chunk of the running time, but they don’t really connect to anything, so the episodes end up like this one, just a rambling shaggy dog story with no unifying theme.
So all I can do at this point is to say: hey, look, Jeff’s asleep and he’s still wearing a tie. It’s not funny, and it doesn’t really mean anything, but there you go.
And then he wakes up, and it was all a dream! But I guess we knew that already.
Tomorrow: Free Willie.
Dark Shadows bloopers to watch out for:
Maggie and Lang both misquote the poem that we hear recited at the beginning of each nightmare. The lines should be:
“Through sight and sound, and faceless terror,
Through endless corridors by trial and error,
Ahead, a blazing light does burn,
And one door leads to the point of return.”
When Maggie describes her dream to Jeff, she says, “A blazing head of light will burn.” In Jeff’s dream, Lang says, “Through night and sound.”
Also, the smoke from the dream set spills over into the Evans cottage, so when Jeff wakes up from the dream, he’s still surrounded by a thick carpet of fog.
Behind the Scenes:
The green “tortoise lamp” that was first noticed in episode 237 appears on Lang’s desk today. It was in Jeff’s room two episodes ago. We’ll see it again in episode 513, when it appears in two different places. (Thanks to Prisoner of the Night.)
Tomorrow: Free Willie.
— Danny Horn
Dark Shadows Every Day 
It’s ironic that such a well-loved show should feature some of the least-liked actors among fans. There’s a Tumblr page devoted to Dr. Eric Lang, and he’s thought of there too as the worst ever actor to have appeared on Dark Shadows. It comes down to what Dan Curtis said: “I just hired people I liked. I couldn’t tell if they could act or they couldn’t.” So, who knows, Addison Powell might have been lots of fun at parties. And Curtis liked Roger Davis enough to have him back to play someone else after his first character gets killed off, and he was the first one on the show they tried this repertory approach with.
That furniture ornament that Maggie Evans is wearing is strikingly hilarious. It seems that there was only one such garment that was ever made, because I can’t think of any other show where you see such a homely dress, if you can call it a dress. It looks like something that should be draped over the back of the couch in your grandmother’s living room. What were the folks at Ohrbach’s thinking, to design something that would make Maggie Evans look like a piece of furniture? In the episodes where the walking couch wrap appears, you only see Maggie frumping around in the Evans cottage with it. You never see her sporting it for an evening out down at the Blue Whale. We still have a long way to go before we finally see Maggie properly attired in those Junior Sophisticates minis of 1969 or so.
As for the Dream Curse, it does have its moments. The best parts are when we see what the effects of not telling the dream has on the characters, in particular Mrs. Johnson and the way they try and fail to keep her from telling it to David, and how she hides outside the Old House waiting to relieve herself as she finally follows David back to Collinwood. That mixed look of hopefulness and pent-up anxiety as she stumbles across the front porch after David is priceless. Another memorable scene, probably the best of the lot, is when Willie climbs in through the window of Carolyn’s room in desperation. I think that scene featured one of John Karlen’s best acting moments as Willie Loomis. And yes, in the stills shown above, even when Lang is not speaking he sure does gesture loudly. Even his body language is spoken with capital letters and exclamation points.
The worst thing about Maggie’s skirt is that they’re actually pants. Quilted pants of doom.
Maybe they were home-sewn–here’s a pattern illustration for them: http://vintagetvfan.tumblr.com/post/47576848323/now-where-have-i-seen-those-pants-before.
To make this even more interesting, I’m positive that Maggie is actually looking at a dress pattern catalog! It’s got red contact paper on the cover to disguise it, but it looks to me like a Butterick catalog from Ramsey Mostellor’s desk!
If you want a 1970s vintage hostess jumpsuit, you can buy this one on Ebay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VTG-1960s-70s-Mod-Palazzo-Pant-Jumpsuit-Hostess-Maxi-Quilted-Psychedelic-S-M-/222265572374
Called a split skirt. Quilted split skirt of doom.
Wait there’s a tumblr? Can you post a link
There’s more than one actually. This first one I found while typing into Google “dark shadows dr. lang remember someone”: http://www.tumblr.com/search/dr.%20eric%20lang
Typing in simply “dr eric lang tumblr” brings you to the “dr. lang you are so stupid” page, as well as several other links to Tumblr pages devoted to Addison Powell and his characterization of Dr. Lang, all done with humor and affection of course, no matter how annoyingly over-the-top he is perceived.
Here’s one where despite complicated feelings of annoyance and intrigue, this blogger decides she likes him: http://hystericalwomannovelist.tumblr.com/post/6443195765/a-brief-history-of-my-complicated-feelings-for-dr
I would argue that the first person they did the repertory company thing with would either be Kathryn Leigh Scott (Ghost of Josette/Josette) and/or Thayer David (Matthew Morgan/Ben Stokes) or really any of the 1795 characters. However, I see your take in that he was probably the first character of any of the ‘present’ day characters to get another character in the same time period.
(Ghost of Josette/Maggie)
Although Thayer David got another character before him in the same time period. Matthew Morgan/ Professor Stokes. So that might throw your theory out.
Addison Powell. Roger Davis. The Skirt.
Trifecta!!!!!
On the other hand The Skirt is probably the last farewell to the 1967 storylines…
In the last photo of Maggie above, she sure looks like Sarah Jane Smith from “Doctor Who.” I have to say though in the skirt’s defense, while I don’t know how anybody could say it was a good look. It was one of those strange things that was popular in the 1960s, that quilt material as clothing. Just the first example I found is actually from 1955, a little earlier and without the wild 1960s-1970s print, but it shares the idea. http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/5sf/f55/1955quiltedskirt.jpg
Why does Vicki impose on the Evans to board Jeff/Peter when she’s living in a 40 room estate with multiple guest cottages and barns? How can she subject her good friend Maggie with having to listen to the rants of David Ford and Roger Davis in such a confined space. Also I saw Maggie’s pajama pants (??) on a tablecloth at the $ store the other day. Also there is a hilarious episode coming up where she wears this again and forgot to zip it up in the back! She spends a whole scene trying to keep it from falling down while trying to have a conversation with Nicolas Blair – hilarious…
I had the same thought Joanne. And then I figured given the time it would probably not be “proper” for a man to stay in the same house as his girlfriend, even if said house had 40+ rooms. I know the sexual revolution was in full swing, but this is Collinwood and maybe Elizabeth wouldn’t be happy with it. Also, maybe Vicki just didn’t want to spend that much time with Jeff – can’t blame her.
True – I thought that too – later in the series Carolyn does put up her boyfriends Chris Jennings and Jeb Hawkes at some of the guest cottages on the estate plus she even had ‘Adam’ holed up in the West Wing for awhile.
Vicki’s sales pitch to Maggie is incredibly awkward. It’s not just “can my new boyfriend live in your house” — it’s also “I’ve known him for two weeks, I don’t know anything about his background, he doesn’t have a job, he recently left a mental facility, and I think he’s using a false name.”
But that’s what happens when you allow Victoria Winters into your life. You will never know a peaceful moment.
Maybe she gave the same pitch to Liz, and that’s why he’s not staying at Collinwood.
(IIRC, the pitch started with her asking if Maggie still has her spare room. “No, it went out for cigarettes two weeks ago and we haven’t seen it since…”)
My mother had a dress like Maggie pant suit. It was officially called a hostess dress, for a casual party at your home. My mom s was black, and the skirt was black, gold paisley. It WAS from orbachs, and it was cute. The skirted part could stand on its own, but im pretty sure THAT wasn’t a selling point.
Some weeks ago, a friend who shares an interest in 70s Euro Horror with me sent me home with a movie entitled “La Rose En Fer” (The Iron Rose), & I was very amused to see the main character, at a wedding, in a red patterned quilted skirt much like Maggie’s “groovy” getup…this is a Jean Rollins film, subtitled in French, & suitably eerie (if not a little grotesque) — made in 1972! So the quilted skirt or gaucho set lived on, at least in France, into the 70s. Although perhaps this style was favored only in horror productions. I recall that a relative crocheted me a vest like Amy Jennings is soon to be seen in, & I loved that thing for years after it went out of style because Amy wore one like it on DS.
Danny, your opening was such a great piece of writing.
Misdirection of the Magician.
Which, you are.
nice point. i was thinking the same thing.
You can see the stick that holds up the skull. I was laughing. Not in a good way.
My mother gave me a child’s version of that skirt, and made me wear it. I’m still traumatized.
Is it just me, or does there seem to be a blooper (or awkward dialogue) when Maggie is talking to Jeff?
She’s talking about her nightmare and then suddenly she asks:
“Was Vicky asleep?”
“Yes, she’s on her way over now”
“Oh, then she’ll be here shortly”
It’s an odd question to raise at that point. Also, Jeff already told her she was on her way at the start of the scene. Or maybe she’s just so rattled by the dream.
I have always wondered why these people who never go anywhere are always so formally attired. Liz’s hair alone would take hours.
Lame episode, but the Hilarious blog entry and comments made it all worth it!
Now that Maggie’s back I must say how BEAUTIFUL Kathryn Leigh Scott is…I think she gets more beautiful as the series go on, skirt withstanding. I also love how after the series she has embraced the series and written so many books about it.
Now about that skirt/pants…the first time she wore it, it totally reminded me of the skirt that Elizabeth Montgomery wears at the end of her favorite episode of “Bewitched”, Season Seven’s “Sisters at Heart”. I don’t know how to post pictures, so let’s see if this works:
https://beyondrudolph.files.wordpress.com/2017/12/families-e1513887021387.jpg?w=300&h=232
Yes, the dream recaps and THEN living the SAME dream again…I can see that’s already going to get tiresome. I hope this dream curse is broken soon.
Jesus, this has been a really bad run of episodes. Frid and Powell feeding off each other’s mistakes, over-the-top nonsense from Grayson Hall, Roger Davis just being himself, and now KLS in the quilted pants. Lara Parker is practically holding the show together singlehandedly.
The only saving grace is that we’re apparently getting Willie back soon. Please God, don’t let him be wearing quilted pants.
Although, in an earlier episode, we saw Barnabas knowing how to use a phone, I’m surprised he didn’t ask Dr. lang, “What’s an answering machine?”
The fashion is even more terrifying. They’re actually culottes.
Although the opening narration keeps referring to the “terrible events that Vicky lived through,” in truth, she lived through very few of them, right? I mean, apart from nanny-ing Sarah through her illness; being slapped by Reverend Trask, then abducted and tied to a tree by him; spending time in the Collinsport Gaol, escaping, getting caught, spending more time in the Collinsport Gaol; then almost being hanged–seems to me she “lived through” relatively little. At least, relatively little of importance to the 1795 story line.
Guess I’m over-reacting, but her constant reiterating it is working my last gay nerve.
Okay, thinking about it, I guess Vicki was involved in more “terrible” events than I gave her credit for–Sarah dying, Jeremiah and Maggie running off together, and probably a few others. But she was still more of a of dim observant than a participant in these events, so I’d still hesitate to say she lived through them.
wow, Jay Taylor, you went and posted this comment two days ago. and here’s me, one of the old geezers who watched the series as a tyke during its original run, making a second go round through Danny’s exquisite blog to accompany my episode a day habit. i’m so used to reading comments coming from somewhere else in time, that it took me by surprise. can it be that we’re almost in sync? within an i ching wand’s toss of the same time period, any old way.
Just seeing your comment, Evan. Yes, I daresay were are in sync, hurled by the i ching-into a Twilight Zone-ish future where we must follow where the Dark Shadows paths will lead us.
sigh *
Ye Gods, I wish that Maggie’s Carmen Miranda Quilt Skirt was one of Angelique’s forced dreams.
I’m a bit confused on the timeline continuity.
Jeff leaves Lang’s house very early in the morning, and goes to Maggie.
She’s wearing her split skirt monstrosity.
Then he sits down on the chair.
Maggie comes back in wearing a cute little grey/brown dress, and says she’s off to bed, and turns the porch light on for Pop.
Jeff falls asleep in the chair with HIS FEET ON MAGGIE’S COFFEE TABLE!! RUDE!!!
So, what the heck time is it? Why did Maggie change clothes? Are we supposed to believe she sleeps in the quilted monstrosity? I’ve seen her nightgowns…. changing clothes is a good way to show passage of time, but Jeff didn’t change, so what gives?
Also, I know we all dislike Roger David immensely, but: his scene Maggie was actually kinda cute. I mean he told a few jokes, he tried to make friends with Maggie, and well…. did he advance the plot? No, but he told Vicki to can it, so that was fun to watch!