The Dark Shadows Wiki
Advertisement



[[File:|254px|link=:Category:341|341 Gallery]]
341
Timeline

1967

Writer

Joe Caldwell

Director

John Sedwick

[[File:|254px|link=:Category:341|341 Gallery]]
We have 5 images of Dark Shadows 341

Synopsis

Teaser

Some merciful cloud has covered the stars over Collinwood--concealing the land below--creating the needed darkness for the deed about to be done in the town nearby. Like the layers of overhanging cloud, new crimes must be committed to conceal the old. And the distance into dark becomes at last, so great, that a journey back to light is no longer possible.

A showdown is taking place in the office of Dr. Dave Woodard. Dr. Julia Hoffman has confronted her colleague over the theft of her notebook, which details the truth about Barnabas Collins. Woodard watches, astounded, as a bat appears outside the window... and then Barnabas materializes inside the room. Julia begs the vampire to give her another chance to change Woodard's mind about reporting his findings to the police. But Woodard refuses to be persuaded. He is shocked to learn Barnabas plans to leave his death in Julia's hands.


Act I

Woodard prefers death to being changed into something as loathsome, evil and inhuman as Barnabas is. His only regret will be not living to see the undead figure before him destroyed. Barnabas grabs hold of Woodard, and Julia tries on last time to convince her friend to help with the experiment. It is in vain. Barnabas orders her to proceed, and Julia hesitates as she reaches for the prepared hypodermic she brought with her in her purse. She cannot bring herself to kill Woodard. Barnabas takes the hypodermic from her, but when he starts to inject Woodard, the other man cries out Sarah Collins' name. This distracts Barnabas long enough for Woodard to try and escape. But the enraged vampire catches him, and stabs him with the hypodermic. Woodard drops dead in an instant. Julia breaks down in tears.


Act II

Barnabas has moved Woodard's body into a seated position behind the desk. Julia, beyond distraught, is anxious to leave. But Barnabas wants her assurance that it will appear as if Woodard died of a heart attack. It will indeed, she tells him. Barnabas instructs her to retrieve the hypodermic and the notebook, which Julia, in her distress, has forgotten about. They are startled as the telephone begins to ring...

...Elsewhere in Collinsport, it is Sheriff George Patterson attempting to return Woodard's earlier call.

As Barnabas and Julia make haste to leave, Julia hears Woodard's voice and proclaims her former friend is not dead. But Barnabas,. who has heard nothing, urges the emotionally shattered woman to leave.


Act III

Some time later, at the Blue Whale, Sam Evans is enjoying a drink at the bar when Sheriff Patterson comes in searching for Dr. Woodard. Sam learns that Woodard was urgently searching for the Sheriff, but never contacted him again. He relates Woodard's excitement when he saw him two hours ago, as if the doctor was on the verge of discovering something important. A woman's scream outside the Blue Whale draws everyone outside. But the woman had only been startled by a bat. Sam and Patterson decide to go to Woodard's office, and as the two men start to leave they see a bat outside. Rattled, the pair hurry on their way.


Act IV

At Woodard's office, Sam breaks down the locked door and he and the Sheriff find their friend's dead body inside. Both Sam and Patterson believe Woodard has been murdered. The Sheriff calls the coroner.

At the Old House, Julia stares at the hypodermic before throwing it into the fireplace. When Barnabas enters the room, she cannot bear to look at him and begs to be left alone. He assures her the burden of their shared guilt in Woodard's murder will lessen in time. Julia, overcome with grief and guilt, moves to toss her notebook into the fire. Barnabas stops her. He reminds her that retrieving the notebook cost Woodard his life. Julia decides to leave Collinsport, and give up trying to cure Barnabas' vampirism. But that, as Barnabas points out, is impossible. With Woodard gone, he is the only friend Julia has.

Memorable quotes

  • Barnabas Collins: "Really Doctor, you're not your usual thorough self. I would have thought you would be used to death by now."

Dramatis personae

Background information and notes

  • The color videotape master of this episode is lost. However, a poor quality monochrome Kinescope copy does exist.

Continuity and mistakes

  • The shadow of a boom microphone sweeps over Peter Turgeon several times during the episode's teaser. Then, the boom microphone itself hovers into view in Act I and, again, later in Act IV.
  • As David Ford moves to break in the door of Dr. Dave Woodard's office, the entire wall shakes.
Advertisement