38

Matthew threatens to kill Burke; Carolyn leaves her ring behind for Burke to find and return to her.

Synopsis

My name is Victoria Winters. The gray light of morning has come again to Collinwood and the strange sounds of the night should seem thousands of miles away. Yet I can still hear it in my mind; the helpless crying that filled the shadows of the great house on Widows' Hill; crying that had drawn me down musty stairs to a strange and forbidding door.

Matthew catches Victoria in the basement, where she claims she's looking for a book for David. Matthew distrusts her and tells her about the ghost of Josette Collins. He refuses to allow her in the locked room. He refuses to make trouble for Elizabeth or tell Victoria how opening that room would make trouble for Elizabeth.

Burke is reading The Count of Monte Cristo and Carolyn likens the duo. Burke calls Carolyn on her jealousy of Victoria.

Elizabeth tells Matthew that he was responsible for Roger's accident, not Burke. She orders him to lie and take the blame for the faulty brake part. Matthew accepts the blame; he tells Elizabeth about catching Victoria in the basement.

Carolyn pursues Burke. Victoria tells Elizabeth about Ned's call. Carolyn and Victoria talk about her 'missing' ring, ink for pens, and the sobbing in the basement, which Carolyn has heard for most of her life. She attributes it to ghosts and tells Victoria to "get used to it" like the rest of the "kooks" at Collinwood.

Memorable quotes

Matthew: I remember you, Devlin. Important thing is, you'd better remember me.

Burke: Why's that?

Matthew: Because if you bring any trouble to Miss Stoddard, I'm going to kill you.

Dramatis personae

• ← Joan Bennett as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard →
• ← Mitchell Ryan as Burke Devlin →
• ← Nancy Barrett as Carolyn Stoddard →
• ← Thayer David as Matthew Morgan →
• ← Alexandra Moltke as Victoria Winters →
• ← Colleen Kelly as Susie → (uncredited)
• Andrew Elliott as Collinsport Inn restaurant customer (uncredited)

Background information and notes

Production

• This episode was recorded out of broadcast sequence. The previous episode to be recorded was 36.
• Thayer David takes over the role of Matthew Morgan from George Mitchell beginning with this episode. David would remain with the series until its final episode in 1971.

Story

• Burke reads the novel "The Count of Monte Cristo," which, as Carolyn comments, is about a man returning to his hometown to wreak revenge, something Elizabeth, Roger and Sam suspect to be Burke's true motivation for returning to Collinsport.
• GHOSTWATCH: Matthew tells Victoria that the sobbing she heard was Josette Collins and that other ghosts haunt Collinwood.
• TIMELINE: Burke is posing for his portrait at the Evans cottage this afternoon, and then he has a business appointment in Bangor. It was about 2:00am when Ned Calder phoned. Carolyn has to change clothes as she believes she is going to Bangor later that day (with Burke).

Bloopers and continuity errors

• Usually when an actor replaces another on the series, announcer Bob Lloyd or one of the cast will announce during the main title of his/her first appearance that (for example) "The part of Matthew Morgan will be played by Thayer David." Although this is his first episode, he is not announced in this way.
• Matthew tells Victoria that the sobbing she heard was made by ghosts. But later in episodes 122, 125 and 126, when he is confronted by Josette, Bill Malloy and the Widows, he'll deny believing in ghosts.
• The voices of crew members can be heard several times working behind the scenes. This is most noticeable just before Elizabeth confronts Victoria in the basement.
• Mitchell Ryan looks at the teleprompter a number of times in this episode.
• The blinking square, indicating a commercial break, can be seen slightly at the top right of the screen at the end of the final act.

End credits announcements

• Stay tuned for 'Where the Action Is' next on ABC.
• Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis production.

External Links 

Dark Shadows - Episode 38 on the IMDb

The Collinsport Historical Society - Dark Shadows Diary - Episode 38

Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 38: The Count in his castle

Dark Shadows Before I Die- Episode 38: 8/17/66