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389 Gallery
389
Number

384

Timeline

1795

Narrator

Alexandra Moltke

Writer

Ron Sproat

Director

Lela Swift

Broadcast

December 21, 1967
(Thursday)

Recorded

December 15, 1967
(Friday)

Video

Complete: Disc 42
Collection 5: Disc 2

389 Gallery
We have 4 images of Dark Shadows 389

Angelique uses Sarah's doll to cast a spell giving the child pains in her chest. Fearing his sister might die, Barnabas agrees to marry Angelique when she claims that she can brew a special tea that can cure the girl.

Synopsis[]

Teaser

A séance has been held in the great house of Collinwood, a séance which has suspended time and space and sent one girl on an uncertain and frightening journey into the past, back to the year 1795. There, each of the Collins ancestors resembles a present-day member of the Collins family. But the names and relationships have changed, and she finds herself a stranger in a sea of familiar faces. She finds a family gripped by terror, for unknown to all there is one who plots to gain the love of a man. Thwarted in this, she seeks a terrible vengeance: the death of an innocent child.

Angelique Bouchard takes Sarah Collins' doll to her room and plans to exact her revenge on Barnabas Collins for spurning her again. She will cause Sarah to suffer terrible agony, which, in turn, will torment Barnabas. At that moment, in the parlor, Naomi Collins entertains her daughter with a story. Angelique strikes, placing drawing pins in Sarah's doll. Sarah doubles over in pain while Angelique continues her attack. The little girl screams and passes out.

Act I

Later, Sarah has been taken to bed where her mother watches worriedly over her. The local doctor has recently left, and Barnabas enters to tell Naomi that, as with his own sudden illness, there is no explanation for Sarah's. Naomi, who has been unwilling to listen to Abigail Collins' suspicions of witchcraft, admits that things are happening in the house she does not understand. Sarah stirs, wondering what happened. She asks for Victoria Winters, begging to see her governess. Barnabas tries to calm his ailing sister, but Sarah continues to plead for Victoria. He promises to find her if Sarah agrees to rest. Once Sarah goes back to sleep, Naomi learns that Barnabas has been protecting Victoria from Reverend Trask. The Collins matriarch worries that Victoria might indeed be a witch. Barnabas convinces her otherwise. As Barnabas leaves the room, he encounters Ben Stokes who has heard of Sarah's illness. Barnabas continues on his way, with Ben silently vowing to kill Angelique for harming Sarah.

Act II

Ben goes to Angelique's room and, finding it empty, begins to search through her things. Angelique returns and angrily confronts him. Ben accuses her of casting a spell on Sarah, and Angelique admits she has done so to make Barnabas suffer. She will only remove the pins from Sarah's doll when Barnabas comes to her willingly. Ben demands the witch release Sarah from her spell, threatening to kill her if she doesn't comply. He advances on her, but Angelique uses her powers to cripple him with a heart attack. She releases him once Ben swears to obey her commands.

Act III

Barnabas returns to Sarah's room with Victoria, having managed to sneak the fugitive governess into the house without being seen. Sarah, overjoyed to see Victoria, asks for a story about her doll, Samantha, which she cannot find. Barnabas goes to find the missing doll for her. Shortly afterward, Sarah feels another sharp pain in her chest. Victoria manages to coax the little girl back to sleep. Naomi apologizes for having believed Victoria was a witch. Angelique hides the doll again when Barnabas comes to her room. He asks her about the doll, and Angelique lies about having returned it to the nursery. She also feigns ignorance and concern about Sarah's illness. Barnabas is shocked when Angelique declares she might be able to cure his sister.

Act IV

Angelique claims to have suffered from the same illness as Sarah when she was a child. She goes on to tell Barnabas that her mother brewed a tea made of special herbs that cured her. Angelique offers to make the tea for Sarah... but only if Barnabas agrees to marry her. He is stunned by her proposal, but ultimately agrees. Triumphant, Angelique goes to brew the tea. As Sarah's condition worsens, Barnabas arrives with the tea. He encourages his sister to drink. Meanwhile, Angelique has retrieved the doll and secretly removes the pins. Sarah recovers, much to Naomi, Barnabas, and Victoria's relief. Angelique is jubilant; Barnabas is in her debt and she will soon be his bride.

Memorable quotes[]

Dramatis personae[]

Background information and notes[]

Production[]

  • Sharon Smyth returns to the cast after an absence of 21 episodes.

Story[]

Bloopers and continuity errors[]

  • The opening narrator states that Angelique seeks the death of Sarah, but that is not necessarily Angelique's motive at this point. Her goal is to make Sarah "suffer." Angelique even tells Ben that she may or may not let Sarah die.
  • Angelique's bed now holds one blue pillow instead of the two off-white ones seen at the end of the previous episode. This is especially noteworthy as the teaser is a recreation of the end of the previous episode.
  • The teaser seems to end too soon as it fades out while Naomi calls for Barnabas.
  • Joan Bennett can be seen looking off-stage to the teleprompter and/or director frequently throughout the episode.
  • There is a Raggedy Ann doll in Sarah's room. The character was created in 1915 as a doll, then was introduced in the 1918 book Raggedy Ann Stories, making the doll's appearance here anachronistic.
  • Someone in the studio coughs during Act I after Barnabas tells Naomi "Nathan found her there a few hours ago." This happens again at the start of Act II as Ben searches Angelique's room.
  • As the final scene of Act IV begins, Sharon Smyth can be seen looking off to the teleprompter even though her character is presumably supposed to be passed, out writhing in pain.

External Links []

Dark Shadows - Episode 389 on the IMDb

Dark Shadows Everyday - Episode 389 - It's Complicated

Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 389: Samantha

Dark Shadows Before I Die- Episode 389: 12/21/67

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