: ''A night of intrigue on the GreatEstate of Collinwood, for Gerard now knows that Samantha has written the notes to Daphne and Quentin that seemed to be coming from the ghost of Joanna Mills. He sets in operation a plan to convince the judges that Quentin, on trial for witchcraft, is trafficking with the dead. And so Gerard sends Samantha, dressed in Joanna's cape to the oak tree, and takes Trask there to see what he will think is the ghost of Joanna Mills bringing a message for Quentin. Now, Gerard congratulates Samantha on a job well done.''
: ''A night of intrigue on the great estate of [[Collinwood]], for [[Gerard Stiles|Gerard]] now knows that [[Samantha Drew Collins|Samantha]] has written the notes to [[Daphne Harridge|Daphne]] and [[Quentin Collins (1840)|Quentin]] that seemed to be coming from the [[ghost]] of [[Joanna Mills]]. He sets in operation a plan to convince the judges that Quentin, on trial for [[witchcraft]], is trafficking with the dead. And so Gerard sends Samantha, dressed in Joanna's cape to the oak tree, and takes [[Lamar Trask|Trask]] there to see what he will think is the ghost of Joanna Mills bringing a message for Quentin. Now, Gerard congratulates Samantha on a job well done.''
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Samantha is sure that Joanna has left the note, and has come back from the grave to kill her. Gerard tells Charles Dawson that Leticia has to be dealt with. Leticia is called to testify; Charles questions Leticia about the Desmond and the Journal of Judah Zachery. Leticia is forced to reveal that Desmond brought the head of Judah to Collinsport for Quentin. Desmond is charged with witchcraft.
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Samantha, confused, admits to Gerard that she did not leave the letter in the oak tree and wonders if Joanna has come back from the dead.
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'''Act I'''
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Samantha begins to panic and senses Joanna's presence in the house, convincing herself that she has come to kill her. Gerard wonders why Samantha is so afraid of her, but before she can answer, there is a knock on the door: it's Charles, who has a court order to search Quentin's laboratory. Samantha leaves with Charles, and then Leticia arrives. She begins asking many questions about Barnabas' whereabouts, which only infuriates Gerard. He truthfully says he doesn't know where he is, but non-verbally implies he knows something happened to him.
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Later, Charles returns from the lab with a stack of books and papers (it is implied that Gerard planted the evidence). Gerard tells him that Leticia is becoming an issue and will need to be "dealt with."
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'''Act II'''
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The next morning at Rose Cottage, Leticia learns that she has been called to testify at Quentin's trial. Desmond wonders what the defense might ask her about, and concludes it might revolve around the Head of Judah Zachery or her second sight.
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At Collinwood, Gerard prepares for his day in court. Samantha is still frightened about the prospect of Joanna being nearby and asks Gerard to leave Collinsport with her. Gerard promises they will leave town once the trial is over.
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At the courthouse, Desmond informs Quentin that Lamar caught Daphne placing his letter in the oak tree. Quentin wonders if the defense will bring Daphne into the trial, but Desmond says she has yet to be asked to appear in court. The judges call the court to order as a nervous Quentin looks on.
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'''Act III'''
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Leticia is called to the witness stand and Charles begins asking about Leticia's involvement with the occult. She initially denies knowing anything, before Charles unveils the Journal of Judah Zachery. Desmond immediately objects, but is overruled. Leticia admits she has heard the name and knows Judah was a warlock who was on trial. Charles reads an entry from the diary from one month earlier that says "Leticia is the one to help me, I must will her to me." Leticia begins to panic as Charles asks if she has seen the Head of Judah, and confesses she once had possession of the Head and it took possession of her. Upon further questioning, she says Desmond brought the Head to Collinsport as a gift to Quentin. Leticia is dismissed and Desmond is called to the stand as Charles smiles.
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'''Act IV'''
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Desmond admits he brought the Head to Collinsport as a curiosity gift to Quentin, and also says he was possessed by Judah. Charles asks the judges to have Desmond disqualified as Quentin's lawyer and charged with witchcraft. After a brief discussion, the judges honor Charles' request and place Desmond under arrest.
* [[1173|←]] [[Virginia Vestoff]] as [[Samantha Drew Collins|Samantha Collins]] [[1181|→]]
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* [[John Beal]] as [[Judge Vail]]
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* [[1165|←]] [[John Beal]] as [[Judge Vail]] [[1178|→]]
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* [[Paul Kirk Giles]] as 2nd Judge
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* [[1165|←]] [[Paul Kirk Giles]] as 2nd Judge <small>(uncredited)</small> [[1178|→]]
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* [[Tom Markus]] as 3rd Judge
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* [[Tom Markus]] as 3rd Judge <small>(uncredited)</small> [[1178|→]]
== Background information and notes ==
== Background information and notes ==
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=== Production ===
* This episode was recorded out of broadcast sequence. The previous episode to be recorded was [[1176]].
* This episode was recorded out of broadcast sequence. The previous episode to be recorded was [[1176]].
* An expected [[pre-emption]] for Christmas Day programming occurred here, which was shown instead of ''Dark Shadows''. This episode is "double numbered" with the next one 1175 (1174/1175), in order to keep the production numbers balanced with the calendar, i.e. Friday episodes ending in a 5 or 0.
* An expected [[pre-emption]] for Christmas Day programming occurred here, which was shown instead of ''Dark Shadows''. This episode is "double numbered" with the next one 1175 (1174/1175), in order to keep the production numbers balanced with the calendar, i.e. Friday episodes ending in a 5 or 0.
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* [[Tom Markus]] replaces [[Carl Nicholas]] as the 3rd Judge, who was last seen in [[1166]], i.e. the one who sits on the judges' bench to the right of [[Judge Vail]].
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* [[File:1174-1175-credits.jpg|thumb]][[:Category:Closing credits|Closing credits]] scene: Rose Cottage parlor.
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=== Story ===
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* [[Leticia Faye|Leticia]] has been a resident of [[Collinsport]] for about 8 months. She first met [[Quentin Collins (1840)|Quentin]] when he returned from sea.
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* In the the Journal of Judah Zachery, the first entry is dated July 18th, 1688, four years before [[Judah Zachery|Judah]] was beheaded, and the last entry is dated November 15th, [[1840]]. An entry dated October 5th, 1840, said to be one month ago from the present date, reads:
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*: ''"Leticia is the logical one to help me. I must will her to me."''
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* Judah's body was destroyed in an old cemetery somewhere between [[Collinsport]] and [[Rockport]] (as seen in [[1138]]).
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* '''[[TIMELINE]]''': Day 434 begins, and will end in [[1178]]. [[Barnabas Collins|Barnabas]] has been missing for two days. 1:20am: [[Charles Dawson|Charles]] returns from Quentin's laboratory. It's morning.
== Bloopers and continuity errors ==
== Bloopers and continuity errors ==
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* [[TomMarkus]]hasunexplainablyreplacedthe actor onthejudges' benchwhohadsatto[[JudgeVail|JudgeVail's]]rightin[[1165]] and [[1166]]. It would be highly irregular for a trier of fact to have not been present for part of the testimony.
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* The 3rd Judge is now played by another actor. Assuming he isn't playing the same character, as he shares no physical resemblance, it would be highly irregular for a trier of fact to have not been present for part of the testimony.
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* Judah's last name is spelled "ZACHERY" on the journal. ''[Addendum: This *is* the correct spelling of the character's name.]''
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[[Category:Dark Shadows episodes]]
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* Leticia incorrectly swears on the Bible by placing her right hand on it instead of her left, as did Samantha and Daphne in 1165 and 1166 respectively. (Perhaps it's different for women.)
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* Charles Dawson states that the last entry in Judah Zachery's journal is November 15, 1840. Yet when he reads from it, he says the entry he's reading from is dated October 5, 1840, "one month ago." The implication there is that the date on this day is November 5, 1840, which couldn't be the case if the last entry was on November 15.
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* Desmond testifies that Quentin had asked him to search for the head of Judah Zachery in Asia, but that has never been suggested before. Desmond had brought it back to give to Quentin because of Quentin's interest in the occult, not because Quentin instructed him to.
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== External Links ==
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[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0915201/ Dark Shadows - Episode 1174/1175 on the IMDb]
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[http://www.collinsporthistoricalsociety.com/2018/12/the-dark-shadows-daybook-december-18.html The Dark Shadows Daybook - Episode 1174/1175]
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[https://darkshadowseveryday.com/2020/08/02/episode-1174-1175/ Dark Shadows Every Day - Episode 1174/1175 - Merrie Gentlemen][[Category:Dark Shadows episodes]]
A night of intrigue on the great estate of Collinwood, for Gerard now knows that Samantha has written the notes to Daphne and Quentin that seemed to be coming from the ghost of Joanna Mills. He sets in operation a plan to convince the judges that Quentin, on trial for witchcraft, is trafficking with the dead. And so Gerard sends Samantha, dressed in Joanna's cape to the oak tree, and takes Trask there to see what he will think is the ghost of Joanna Mills bringing a message for Quentin. Now, Gerard congratulates Samantha on a job well done.
Samantha, confused, admits to Gerard that she did not leave the letter in the oak tree and wonders if Joanna has come back from the dead.
Act I
Samantha begins to panic and senses Joanna's presence in the house, convincing herself that she has come to kill her. Gerard wonders why Samantha is so afraid of her, but before she can answer, there is a knock on the door: it's Charles, who has a court order to search Quentin's laboratory. Samantha leaves with Charles, and then Leticia arrives. She begins asking many questions about Barnabas' whereabouts, which only infuriates Gerard. He truthfully says he doesn't know where he is, but non-verbally implies he knows something happened to him.
Later, Charles returns from the lab with a stack of books and papers (it is implied that Gerard planted the evidence). Gerard tells him that Leticia is becoming an issue and will need to be "dealt with."
Act II
The next morning at Rose Cottage, Leticia learns that she has been called to testify at Quentin's trial. Desmond wonders what the defense might ask her about, and concludes it might revolve around the Head of Judah Zachery or her second sight.
At Collinwood, Gerard prepares for his day in court. Samantha is still frightened about the prospect of Joanna being nearby and asks Gerard to leave Collinsport with her. Gerard promises they will leave town once the trial is over.
At the courthouse, Desmond informs Quentin that Lamar caught Daphne placing his letter in the oak tree. Quentin wonders if the defense will bring Daphne into the trial, but Desmond says she has yet to be asked to appear in court. The judges call the court to order as a nervous Quentin looks on.
Act III
Leticia is called to the witness stand and Charles begins asking about Leticia's involvement with the occult. She initially denies knowing anything, before Charles unveils the Journal of Judah Zachery. Desmond immediately objects, but is overruled. Leticia admits she has heard the name and knows Judah was a warlock who was on trial. Charles reads an entry from the diary from one month earlier that says "Leticia is the one to help me, I must will her to me." Leticia begins to panic as Charles asks if she has seen the Head of Judah, and confesses she once had possession of the Head and it took possession of her. Upon further questioning, she says Desmond brought the Head to Collinsport as a gift to Quentin. Leticia is dismissed and Desmond is called to the stand as Charles smiles.
Act IV
Desmond admits he brought the Head to Collinsport as a curiosity gift to Quentin, and also says he was possessed by Judah. Charles asks the judges to have Desmond disqualified as Quentin's lawyer and charged with witchcraft. After a brief discussion, the judges honor Charles' request and place Desmond under arrest.
This episode was recorded out of broadcast sequence. The previous episode to be recorded was 1176.
An expected pre-emption for Christmas Day programming occurred here, which was shown instead of Dark Shadows. This episode is "double numbered" with the next one 1175 (1174/1175), in order to keep the production numbers balanced with the calendar, i.e. Friday episodes ending in a 5 or 0.
Tom Markus replaces Carl Nicholas as the 3rd Judge, who was last seen in 1166, i.e. the one who sits on the judges' bench to the right of Judge Vail.
Leticia has been a resident of Collinsport for about 8 months. She first met Quentin when he returned from sea.
In the the Journal of Judah Zachery, the first entry is dated July 18th, 1688, four years before Judah was beheaded, and the last entry is dated November 15th, 1840. An entry dated October 5th, 1840, said to be one month ago from the present date, reads:
"Leticia is the logical one to help me. I must will her to me."
Judah's body was destroyed in an old cemetery somewhere between Collinsport and Rockport (as seen in 1138).
TIMELINE: Day 434 begins, and will end in 1178. Barnabas has been missing for two days. 1:20am: Charles returns from Quentin's laboratory. It's morning.
Bloopers and continuity errors
The 3rd Judge is now played by another actor. Assuming he isn't playing the same character, as he shares no physical resemblance, it would be highly irregular for a trier of fact to have not been present for part of the testimony.
Judah's last name is spelled "ZACHERY" on the journal. [Addendum: This *is* the correct spelling of the character's name.]
Leticia incorrectly swears on the Bible by placing her right hand on it instead of her left, as did Samantha and Daphne in 1165 and 1166 respectively. (Perhaps it's different for women.)
Charles Dawson states that the last entry in Judah Zachery's journal is November 15, 1840. Yet when he reads from it, he says the entry he's reading from is dated October 5, 1840, "one month ago." The implication there is that the date on this day is November 5, 1840, which couldn't be the case if the last entry was on November 15.
Desmond testifies that Quentin had asked him to search for the head of Judah Zachery in Asia, but that has never been suggested before. Desmond had brought it back to give to Quentin because of Quentin's interest in the occult, not because Quentin instructed him to.
