Dark Shadows Episode 286 - 7/31/67

Barnabas tells Vicki she can't go out in the storm. He says he can send Willie to the main house to tell them she's alright. He asks her to forgive him for being delighted, and reiterates how the house was built for nights like this. He says he'll do his best to entertain her, and if necessary she can rest in Josette's room. Vicki looks upstairs, smiling. She asks if he'd mind if she stayed in Josette's room. He says of course not. She claims a closeness to Josette, as she doesn't know her own ancestors. Barnabas tells Vicki all the ways she's like Josette. She says he talks about her as if he knew her. He says she was the most fascinating of his ancestors.

Vicki asks who was chasing Josette when she threw herself off the cliff. Barnabas says it was her lover, Jeremiah Collins. Vicki is surprised that her husband was chasing her. Barnabas says he can't defend everything Jeremiah did. Vicki excuses herself to go upstairs. Barnabas says the storm may have lessened, and he offers to escort her back. She says the storm seems to be pretty severe and asks to stay. Barnabas is of course, accommodating, and Vicki makes her way to Josette's room.

Vicki lights a few candles in Josette's room. She then blows them out and gets into Josette's bed.

Barnabas is downstairs thinking of Vicki when Willie enters. He asks if everything's okay, and asks if someone is in the house. He found a ball in the basement near the coffin. Barnabas asks if Willie let David sneak into the house. Willie says there's no way. Barnabas agrees that if David found the coffin, they would have heard by now. Willie says there was the girl. He says Maggie talked about seeing a girl. Barnabas says he'll check downstairs. Willie tells him he thinks there's someone else in the house besides them. Barnabas tells him to wait there, while he checks.

While Vicki sleeps, a girl sings London Bridge. Vicki wakes and asks who's there. She looks around the room, but sees no one.

Willie is startled when Vicki comes downstairs. He asks what she's doing there, and she asks if Barnabas said she was staying in Josette's room during the storm. He asks if they'll be worried about her in the main house. Willie tells her he'll loan her a coat and escort her home. She says she likes the idea of spending the night in Josette's room. She says she's surprised to find him so thoughtful. He tells her she's making a mistake, and Barnabas enters, asking why he said that. He says people might get the wrong idea. Vicki assures him his concern is unwarranted. Barnabas asks what brought her downstairs. She said she woke when she heard a little girl singing London Bridge. Barnabas says it must have been her imagination. He asks if she's frightened to return to Josette's room, and she says she is not. She bids them goodnight and returns upstairs.

Willie asks Barnabas who the little girl is. He denies there's a little girl, blaming it on Vicki's imagination. Willie asks about the ball he found. Barnabas asks Willie if he was warning Vicki when he came in. Willie admits that he was. He tells Barnabas he can kill him—he just doesn't want to see Vicki hurt. Barnabas chooses to do nothing, and Willie is quite surprised he's not getting punished. Barnabas sends him to his room.

Barnabas enters Josette's room and hovers over Vicki's sleeping body.

Our thoughts

John: Vicki may buy his story about Jeremiah Collins, but I think the rest of us are pretty sure that it was Barnabas who chased Josette off the cliff.

Christine: In the original telling, Barnabas said, "Her eyes were wide with terror as the lover held her tightly, lips pressed against her throat. Soon she grew limp, and he released her." He also said, "Her lover descended to the bottom of Widows Hill and found her body broken, lifeless, bloodless." Unless Jeremiah was also a vampire, the lover was most likely Barnabas.

John: Funny how the guys running sound effects for the thunder and lightning didn't seem to be in sync with the cast's description of the storm. Barnabas says it's lessening right after a particularly loud thunderclap.
 

Christine: It seemed odd that he would say the storm was letting up and offer to walk her back to Collinwood, until Willie put things in perspective by calling Barnabas out for having a thing for Vicki that makes him not want to harm her. Perhaps he knew he wouldn't be able to resist having a little midnight Vicki snack, and thought he should get her out of temptation's way.

John: Barnabas tells Willie to talk to him, and then better yet, not to talk to him. It's been a good few weeks of flubbed lines from Barnabas!

Christine: Sarah is really inconsiderate to be singing her favorite song while Vicki is trying to sleep. Barnabas seemed irritated when she reported the little girl's singing she heard. Is he worried that Sarah might divulge his secret? So, Vicki unknowingly places herself at the mercy of a vampire. Will she be wearing a brand new scarf tomorrow?