663

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Number	654
Timeline	1796
Narrator	Thayer David
Writer	Gordon Russell
Director	Dan Curtis
Broadcast	January 8, 1969 (Wednesday)
Recorded	December 31, 1968 (Tuesday)
Video	Complete: Disc 69 Collection 12: Disc 1

We have 41 images of Dark Shadows 663

Barnabas bites Nathan, then forces him to write a confession that he lied in his testimony at Victoria's trial.

Synopsis

The secrets of time and space are no longer a mystery to one man at Collinwood. Barnabas Collins has known this house for almost 200 years. Now he has gone back to it as it was in the year 1796. He has embarked on a daring and dangerous plan to change the events of one twenty-four hour period in history.

Instead of killing Forbes, Barnabas throttles him and instructs him to recant his testimony against Victoria Winters. He and Ben lead him out of the house, and Millicent follows them. The confession from Nathan clears Peter, but isn't enough for Victoria. Millicent visits Nathan in jail, and he begs for her to listen and understand him. She sadly observes that she always understood him, and yet she is still willing to listen.

Barnabas meets a streetwalker named Crystal. She tries to talk him into taking her to the Eagle for drinks, but he wishes to remain outside. She suddenly recognizes Barnabas Collins. He bears his fangs, and she jumps off the dock.

At the jail, Nathan tells Millicent how to destroy Barnabas. She is shaken from the instructions, but tells her husband that she will try. She leaves and Nathan shakes his head after her, certain that this last effort will be in vain.

Barnabas returns to Collinwood, where he tells Ben how hard it is to be a vampire once again. Ben asks him how they are going to save Victoria Winters and Barnabas confesses that he does not know. He goes alone into the study, and finds the body of Crystal Cabot.

Memorable quotes

Barnabas: You've shown more ingenuity than I have given you credit for.

Nathan: If you need my help that desperately, then you can't afford to kill me.

Nathan: Barnabas must be destroyed before it's too late.

Nathan: You've just got to take my word, Millicent. You've got to trust me.

Millicent: I did that before, Nathan. I trusted you. And I was sorry.

Dramatis personae

Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins
Joel Crothers as Nathan Forbes
Thayer David as Ben Stokes
Nancy Barrett as Millicent Collins Forbes
Audrey Larkin as Crystal Cabot

Background information and notes

Production

The grandfather clock makes a ping-pong sound.
There seems to be a tape edit in the scene with Crystal on the docks. After Barnabas says, "Unfortunately, you're not going to tell anyone," Crystal starts backing away from him, and we see her from her back. The next shot is Crystal from the side, but it seems there may be an edit there, especially since she is suddenly no longer moving.
The end credits give a production year of 1968, this being the final episode to be recorded in that year.

Story

Crystal's last name is not mentioned in the episode but is revealed in the end credits.
TIMELINE: 9:20pm: Nathan finishes the confession.

Bloopers and continuity errors

As Ben and Barnabas talk about what to do with Nathan in Act I, the music sting used before a commercial comes on and ends abruptly.
Towards the end of the episode, Barnabas's gray eye makeup appears to be running sideways, possibly due to sweat.
In the study, as Barnabas broods and then sits down, we see Crystal's face before she is meant to appear.
Millicent is unaware that Barnabas is a vampire. However, by this point in the original 1795 storyline, Millicent was already under Barnabas' thrall (449, 457). (Possibly, Barnabas' present-time self taking his 1796 body released Millicent from his spell.)
Why are Collinsport prostitutes such audacious gossips? Like Ruby Tate in 414, Crystal Cabot has no sense of discretion -- even gentlemen who aren't vampires don't generally want it spread around town that they've been in the company of ladies of the night.
When Barnabas and Crystal are talking on the dock, after Crystal asks Barnabas if he ever goes to the Eagle, someone coughs off-stage.
When Ben and Barnabas are talking in the Collinwood foyer after Barnabas has attacked Crystal, Jonathan Frid steps on Thayer David's line. Ben: "We've only got an hour..." Barnabas: "I know, Ben." Ben: ..." to save Miss Winters."