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231
Number

227

Timeline

1967

Narrator

Alexandra Moltke
(as Victoria Winters)

Writer

Malcolm Marmorstein

Director

John Sedwick

Broadcast

May 15, 1967
(Monday)

Recorded

May 7, 1967
(Sunday)

Video

Complete: Disc 27
Collection 1: Disc 3

231 Gallery
We have 4 images of Dark Shadows 231

Dr. Woodard examines Maggie and makes a shocking discovery.

Synopsis[]

Teaser

My name is Victoria Winters. An overwhelming force has taken possession of a young girl. Unseen, unsuspected, it withdraws the light from her. The telltale marks are a frightening indication of what this girl has been victim to.

Sam and Joe have moved Maggie from the living room of the Evans Cottage to her bedroom. Victoria and Burke have gone, Sam has telephoned Dr. Woodard and arranged for him to come over as soon as possible. As a dog howls outside, Sam and Joe wonder how the strange marks came to be on Maggie's throat.

Act I

The howling dog upsets Sam, who wishes he had a shotgun to shoot it. Maggie begins groaning and tossing about in her bed. She can't remember last night's events and demands to know what happened. Sam and Joe blame themselves that Maggie took a walk on the wild side. Maggie pressures them until they tell her Victoria and Burke found her in Eagle Hill Cemetery, at which news she grows very agitated. Slowly, she begins to remember although her memories are patchy. She begins to shake with chill.

Act II

Dr. Woodard finally arrives and takes Maggie's temperature. It is five degrees below normal. He checks her pulse and notices that Maggie's skin temperature is extremely cold. Maggie is as surly as a spoiled child, and the doctor talks down to her accordingly. Woodard quizzes her about any history of sleepwalking and dreams. Sam tells him about her coffin dream, but talking about it just upsets her. After examining her further, he eventually notices the two pinprick wounds on the left side of Maggie's throat. Woodard becomes extremely agitated and tries to get Maggie to tell him how she received the wounds. Maggie is in no condition to respond however, and can only beg that the wounds be left alone.

Act III

Woodard continues to grill Maggie about the marks, claiming that she must have gotten them at, or on the way to, the cemetery. Maggie becomes extremely upset and screams to be left alone, just before passing out. Exiting her room, the doctor stresses the fact that Maggie needs an immediate blood transfusion to save her life. As luck would have it, Joe's blood type is compatible with Maggie's. During the transfusion, a dog begins to howl and the howling seems to be getting nearer. Maggie begins to cry out and thrash and tries to tear the needle out, screaming, "Don't take his blood!"

Act IV

Before leaving, Woodard prescribes some tranquilizers and tells Sam that he cannot let Maggie out of his sight no matter what, and states that Maggie cannot even get out of bed. Sam agrees and sees Woodard to the door. While Sam is getting the prescription filled, Maggie wakes and tells Joe she wishes he hadn't given her any blood; she tells him to "stay out of this." Sam returns and locks the French doors, and sends Joe home. That night, Sam keeps watch over Maggie in her room. In the middle of the night, wolves begin howling outside Maggie's room. Sam awakens and finds Maggie trying to open the doors to escape. As Sam struggles to get her back to bed Maggie screams, "Let me out!"

Memorable quotes[]

Dr. Woodard: "You know, Maggie, you're one of those patients that doctors moan about at medical conventions!"

Sam: "Why doesn't that horse-and-buggy doctor get here?"

Dramatis personae[]

Background information and notes[]

Production[]

Story[]

Bloopers and continuity errors[]

  • The bite marks on Maggie's throat are not aligned properly with her jugular vein.
  • Dr. Woodard says Maggie's temperature is "five degrees below normal," which would put it at 93.6. Hypothermia sets in at 95 degrees. Maggie should be much sicker if her temperature were in fact that low.
  • In the final scene, a reflection of the Teleprompter can be seen on a painting on the wall in Maggie’s bedroom right after Sam turns off the lamp on the nightstand.

End credits announcements[]

External links []

Dark Shadows - Episode 231 on the IMDb

Dark Shadows Everyday - Episode 231 - Bedside Manners

Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 231: Anyone's blood

Dark Shadows Before I Die- Episode 231: 5/15/67