224

Elizabeth learns that Willie is working at the Old House and orders Barnabas to fire him.

Synopsis

Teaser

My name is Victoria Winters. Sunset at Collinwood, and the coldness of night settles in. This is a coldness that comes not from the air, but from a place that is still and deep.

David is trapped inside the Old House, while the growls of a pack of angry wild dogs can be heard outside. All of a sudden, the howling stops, and Barnabas is standing in the room!

Act I

David, admitting he was afraid, tells Barnabas he couldn't open the stuck door. Barnabas opens it easily. Barnabas notices that David has been crying; David denies this, brushing away his tears. David asks Barnabas about the portrait of Josette and wonders if he could have it. Barnabas cannot give the portrait to him, but tells David that once it is re-hung, he can come over to see it whenever he likes. Willie enters the room and takes a protective position behind David. He ushers David out of the house. Barnabas tells Wille that he worries "much too much," and just to torment him, offers to walk David home.

Act II

Back at Collinwood, Jason learns that Willie is working at the Old House and plans to take action. But first he continues to blackmail Elizabeth. He has forced her to set him up with a Swiss bank account and gloats over it shamelessly. Barnabas and David enter the house and Elizabeth takes Barnabas aside. She asks him to fire Willie Loomis immediately.

Act III

Barnabas tells her that he is aware of Willie's history and assures Elizabeth that he has Willie completely under his control. He convinces Elizabeth to give Willie the benefit of the doubt. Later that evening, Jason goes to the Old House to talk to Willie. Grabbing Willie by the shirt collar, he demands to know why he insists on hanging around the Collins family. He is firmly convinced that Willie is up to some scam. Barnabas suddenly enters the room and surprises Jason.

Act IV

Barnabas gives Jason an entire account of Willie's progress. Jason offers to help control Willie should Barnabas need it, but Barnabas is very firm that Jason is surplus to requirements. As the evening grows on, Sam arrives at the Old House for another evening of painting. Barnabas sparks up conversation by talking about Maggie. Although Sam appears to be oblivious, it becomes quite obvious that Barnabas is beginning to develop a deep affection for Sam's daughter. Back at the Evans cottage, Maggie suffers a horrible nightmare, in which she sees herself staring at her own dead body inside of a coffin and her face becomes a skull. She wakes up screaming in terror.

Memorable quotes

Barnabas: Willie and I have an understanding.

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Barnabas: (about Willie) I can deal with him far more effectively than anyone.

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Barnabas: (about David) Well, I can't let the child walk alone in the growing darkness, can I?

Dramatis personae

• Joan Bennett as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard
• Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins
• Dennis Patrick as Jason McGuire
• John Karlen as Willie Loomis
• David Ford as Sam Evans
• Kathryn Leigh Scott as Maggie Evans
• David Henesy as David Collins
• Dorrie Kavanaugh as Body in Dream (uncredited)

Background information and notes

Production

• First appearance of stand-in Dorrie Kavanaugh, who would later play Phyllis Wick.
• First appearance of Maggie's room.

Story

• Barnabas implies that the original 18th century portrait of himself was painted in the Old House.
• Willie once had an old job until an incident at work, made him “swear to never work again”.
• DREAM SEQUENCE: Maggie dreams she's dead.
  • This is first instance of a dream sequence in the series. This storytelling device will be featured regularly from now on.
• TIMELINE: It's been a few days since Jason last saw Willie.

Bloopers and continuity errors

• A shadow from one of the stagehands can be seen falling across Joan Bennett's right arm during her argument with Jason.
• In the dream, Maggie's screams do not match the movement of her mouth.
• There is some discrepancy as to when this episode takes place in relation to previous episodes. At one point, Barnabas remarks that it has been several weeks since Willie began working at the Old House, but at another point, Jason indicates that it has only been a few days. [Addendum: Barnabas did not indicate that it has been several weeks since Willie began working for him. Barnabas merely says that Willie is a different man from what he was "some weeks ago." This seems to be just a general statement by Barnabas, knowing that Willie had caused trouble at Collinwood, and not a specific indication of when Willie started working for him.]
• Actress Kathryn Leigh Scott appears to be waiting for her cue prior to the knock on her bedroom door by her father.

End credits announcements

• Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.

External links 

Dark Shadows - Episode 224 on the IMDb

Dark Shadows Everyday - Episode 224 - The Late Shift

Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 224: Alone in the growing darkness

Dark Shadows Before I Die- Episode 224: 5/5/67