657

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Number	648
Timeline	1968
Narrator	Don Briscoe
Writer	Gordon Russell
Director	Henry Kaplan
Broadcast	December 31, 1968 (Tuesday)
Recorded	December 23, 1968 (Monday)
Video	Complete: Disc 69 Collection 12: Disc 1

We have 28 images of Dark Shadows 657

Barnabas decides not to take David and Amy to Boston, believing that Victoria might return from the past.

Synopsis

Evening at Collinwood, as darkened shadows enshroud the great house, mysteries begin to unfold, mysteries that grow with the encroaching darkness, for two innocent children have been possessed by the spirit of a man long dead. But perhaps there are other forces in this house, forces calling from beyond time, beyond space, trying to make contact with the land of the living.

Victoria's clothes mysteriously appear in Maggie's closet. Chris arrives at Collinwood to visit Amy. Barnabas tells him about Joe's strange behavior. David and Amy are concerned about leaving Collinwood. Barnabas decides not to take the children to Boston believing that Victoria might return from the past.

Memorable quotes

David: Why did Vicki leave? No one ever really explained it to me. Will I ever see her again?

Maggie: I don't know. Probably not.

Amy: Will she write?

Maggie: I don't know. How should I know?

Dramatis personae

Background information and notes

Production

This episode was recorded out of broadcast sequence. The previous episode to be recorded was 655
Aired on New Year's Eve of 1968.
During the end credits, the set scene changes from the foyer to Amy's room. This is the second instance of such a change, the first being in 641.

Story

According to Mrs. Johnson, Victoria always wore lilac perfume, even though this was never established even once, out of 656 previous episodes in the series.
TIMELINE: 7:15pm at the start of the episode. 8:15pm: Chris arrives at Collinwood. Chris hasn't been able to find Joe for several days. Joe was last at Collinwood "the other day."

Bloopers and continuity errors

In the beginning of the episode, Maggie takes out a different red dress from a different suitcase than that at the end of the previous episode. In fact, it's the red mini dress with blue accents Victoria wore in 295.
Throughout this episode, one of the cameras picks up a dark, green-tinted image.
When Barnabas sits down on the bed in Act I, there is a loud squeaking noise from off-stage.
At the beginning of Act II, after the grandfather clock chimes, a woman's voice makes a sound.
In Act II, as Maggie walks to Amy's armoire, there is off-stage noise and talking.
When talking to Chris, Jonathan Frid flubs, something about all torts. [Addendum: Frid does flub the line a bit, but it was understandable--he said Joe was saying "all sorts of strange things," not "all torts."]
Chris tells Barnabas that he’s been concerned about Joe for some time, that he hasn’t been himself for months. Barnabas says, “Well, he’s been perfectly rational with me until the other night.” However, not long ago, Joe was under a vampire's influence and tried to strangle Barnabas with a curtain tie.
At the very beginning of Act III, the end of the musical stinger played at the end of Act II is briefly heard.
When Barnabas closes the Collinwood front doors after Chris leaves in Act III, the door on the left does not fully close.
When the music box opens by itself, the string pulling it open is quite visible.
David and Amy are puzzled at Maggie's report that Josette's music box opened by itself. They say that Quentin can't do that. But that makes no sense. Quentin has done all kinds of ghostly and poltergeist-type things, so wouldn't he be able to open a music box?