Episode 228: Those Things in That Room

May 1967, Ron Sproat, ,

“Well, you can all be as exasperated as you like. It won’t do you any good.”

Full disclosure for the hardcore vampire enthusiasts: This is another Jason/Liz blackmail episode. Roger has some funny lines, and Carolyn is always worth watching, but if you’re only interested in vampires, then you can skip this one.

Actually, does it help if I tell you that Liz murdered her husband and buried him in the basement? That’s what the whole blackmail thing is about. Okay, maybe not. Come back tomorrow, vampire fans. Maggie gets abducted and everything.

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Episode 227: Sick Day

Malcolm Marmorstein, May 1967, , ,

“That sea air is the most unhealthy thing in the world to breathe.”

Here’s another strange thing about 1960s daytime TV: Videotape was so expensive that when they reprise yesterday’s cliffhanger at the top of the episode, they don’t use a clip — the actors just go ahead and do the scene over again.

This is so different from modern television that it’s hard to even think about it. Imagine if every episode of a show started with “Previously, on Mad Men” — and then the actors performed all the clips live, including costume changes and running around to different sets.

Now that I think about it, that would be kind of amazing.

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Episode 225/226: Fangs for Nothing

May 1967, Ron Sproat, , , , ,

“And then, all of a sudden, for no reason, I started to get afraid.”

Today, we begin with a recap of Maggie’s dream sequence from the last episode, which is how you know what a great dream it was. I don’t know if other shows would bother to do a recap of a dream sequence, but on Dark Shadows they sure do.

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Episode 224: The Late Shift

Malcolm Marmorstein, May 1967, , , , ,

“Willie and I have an understanding.”

Yesterday, we left David at the Old House, hearing snarling dogs and banging on the front doors. There’s not as much turning of the doorknob as you might expect, just banging and yelling.

Then the dognoise suddenly stops and everything is fine, which says a lot about how seriously they’re treating cliffhangers in this period of the show.

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Episode 223: The Me/You Fun Gap

May 1967, Ron Sproat, , , ,

“Barnabas Collins knows how to handle a man like Willie.”

It’s a new day at Collinwood, and darn it if Vicki and Liz aren’t playing another round of Where’s Willie. They’ve got to get more organized about this, maybe put out a newsletter or something.

The fun new twist is that now it sounds like they’re saying that Barnabas and Willie are dating. Liz says, “Barnabas Collins knows how to handle a man like Willie.” And Vicki replies, “No, that’s just it! Willie is staying there — living there! He’s moved into the Old House with him!”

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Episode 222: Whom It Was

Malcolm Marmorstein, May 1967, , , ,

“Hello, Miss Evans. The expression on your face is one of surprise.”

It’s evening at the Evans’ house, and it’s time for more acting. We hear running feet, and then Maggie comes through the front door, panting. She locks the door behind her, and then looks around the room. She takes a few careful steps forward, breathing heavily, and turns on a lamp. Then she looks back over her shoulder at the locked door.

Now, I’ve seen people acting before, and in my opinion, what Maggie is trying to express is that she’s afraid of something outside.

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Episode 221: Mystery Date

May 1967, Ron Sproat, , , , ,

“But then uniqueness is not always a good thing. It sets you apart from other men.”

Okay, I know, these first couple weeks with Barnabas are kind of a hard road. Most of the action’s been off-screen, and cow-related. Barnabas has been acting more like a kindly uncle than a demonic horror from the past.

Come on, the audience cries, enough with the slow build already. Bring on the scares!

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Episode 220: Never Drink Wine

Malcolm Marmorstein, May 1967, , , ,

“It’s hard to believe that a few hours ago you were collapsing all over the place.”

It’s sunset at Collinwood, and Willie’s out of bed. Jason enters the sickroom and finds Willie putting on his shoes, and here we go again.

Come on, guys, hurry it up! There’s a good story here, just waiting to be told. All we need is for Barnabas to stay away from the livestock for five minutes and start paying attention to the humans. But not today, apparently.

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Episode 219: Addled Quacks

April 1967, Ron Sproat, , , ,

“You look ghastly, Loomis. I mean this only as a compliment to your histrionic talents.”

It’s morning at Collinwood, and hey! Willie’s back. Now Jason’s angry, Willie collapses, and there’s a very good chance that we might end up doing the last three episodes all over again.

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Episode 218: Madman with a Box

April 1967, Malcolm Marmorstein, , , , ,

“There were even those who would like to have considered Barnabas Collins dead. But he lived on. He lived on, and outlived all his enemies.”

Yesterday, we left Jason creeping up to the mausoleum, saying, “Willie?” And that’s where we pick up again today, except now he goes inside and says it some more. This is a seriously committed game of Where’s Willie. Jason spends a whole minute pacing around the small mausoleum set, then stops and whispers, “Willie?” Look, dude, unless Willie is a foot and a half tall and invisible, I’m pretty sure he’s not here.

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