← 576 → | |
---|---|
Number |
569 |
Timeline | |
Narrator | |
Writer | |
Director | |
Broadcast |
September 9, 1968 |
Recorded |
September 5, 1968 |
Video | |
We have 24 images of Dark Shadows 576 |
In order to help complete the experiment, Jeff turns down a rare act of compassion from Roger, infuriating Victoria; meanwhile, Elizabeth's fear of death increases.
Synopsis[]
- Night lies over the great estate of Collinwood, and in an old house on the wooded grounds, a young man is forced to work on a project he loathes, forced because his fiancee's life is at stake. And while he grapples with the problem of creating human life, he stands unknowingly on the brink of terror.
Jeff questions Angelique and doesn't believe her stories. She attempts to pressure him to get the experiment going. To keep Jeff in line, Angelique bites him a second time.
Roger congratulates Victoria on her engagement and asks what Jeff plans to do. He tells he's planning to offer Jeff a slot in a sales training programme that could lead to a job with the Family. Victoria is happy; this shall expedite their wedding plans.
Angélique has placed Jeff under her power in the hopes of being the life-force in the experiment. Jeff goes to Collinwood, where Victoria greets him happily as he rubs his neck. Roger wants to deliver his happy news himself. He offers him the annual training course, which starts day after tomorrow. Jeff can’t leave for at least a week, so he has to decline the job. Roger attempts to get him to reconsider, which he can’t. Roger is miffed; Victoria is shocked. She wants him to go to Roger and apologize, accepting the offer. Jeff can't explain why he needs her to trust him implicitly. She thinks it’s his pride; he fails to provide an explanation and bolts.
Elizabeth cleans out her closet; Carolyn comes in and they talk about when she selected a few of the dresses. Carolyn is happy to see Elizabeth doing things again. After Carolyn says how important Elizabeth is to everybody, Elizabeth morosely says that the family must get used to doing things without her. Elizabeth refuses all Carolyn’s offers of trips; Elizabeth begs her to give her an unqualified promise that when the family thinks she is dead she should be buried in a certain black dress. Carolyn gets very upset, she doesn't want Elizabeth thinking that way again. She sobs.
Later that same night, Elizabeth experiences a dream. Angelique taunts her, saying everyone will think she's dead. She sees her coffin and Roger and Carolyn in mourning. Inside her open coffin, Elizabeth thinks she must open her eyes to demonstrate her not being dead. She hears Roger, declaring himself head of the family, closing the coffin. Angelique laughs; Elizabeth, in her coffin, attempts to muster up the will to scream. She cannot. She wakes up screaming, claiming she saw 'it.'
Memorable quotes[]
Dramatis personae[]
- ← Joan Bennett as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard →
- ← Louis Edmonds as Roger Collins →
- ← Nancy Barrett as Carolyn Stoddard →
- ← Roger Davis as Jeff Clark →
- ← Lara Parker as Angelique Bouchard Collins →
- ← Alexandra Moltke as Victoria Winters →
Background information and notes[]
Production[]
- Nancy Barrett returns to the cast after an absence of 20 episodes.
- There are no cast or crew members credited.
Story[]
- DREAM SEQUENCE: Elizabeth dreams of being put into her coffin while alive; in her nightmare, she is paralyzed.
- INTERNAL MONOLOGUE: Elizabeth: Why can't I speak?
Bloopers and continuity errors[]
- Angelique's reflection can be seen in the mirror; however, it is established that vampires don't cast reflections, as demonstrated in 288, 704, 718, 915 and 1035. (It would appear that the writers gave Angelique a unique ability among vampires - to cast a reflection, even as the reflections of other vampire characters are studiously avoided. This action happens repeatedly over the course of several episodes where she is concerned, and the camerawork is designed to make it obvious that she can, in fact, be seen in mirrors.)
- As Elizabeth looks at the red dress, she and Carolyn talk about how she had bought the dress in Boston when they were there for Carolyn's birthday. However, Elizabeth had not left Collinwood for 18 years (and Carolyn is only somewhere between 18 and 20) until recently, so that trip to Boston must have happened relatively recently. Yet given the way they talk about the trip and the fact that Carolyn says she wishes Elizabeth would throw the dress away, it seems they're talking about a trip a longer time ago, which would have been impossible.
- There are some loud bangs and glitches with the sound as Roger congratulates Victoria upon her engagement.
- The camera also moves up, down and sideways, cutting off Roger. Later, the camera zooms around as Elizabeth empties her wardrobe closet.
- There are no bite marks on Jeff's neck where Angelique has bitten him. Since Angelique didn't pull Jeff's collar down when she bit him, it is doubtful that the collar on Jeff's shirt covers the bite marks. In addition Jeff rubs his neck several times above his collar as if that is where he was bitten.
- When Roger and Jeff are talking, Louis Edmonds flubs a line: “I think you’ll find the program instresting and informative."
- During Elizabeth's dream, as Carolyn and Roger look down on Elizabeth in her coffin, Elizabeth blinks a few times.
- If Angelique is no longer a witch, why does her spell still hold over Elizabeth?
- Elizabeth is clearly not lying in the coffin during the dream sequence.
External Links []
Dark Shadows - Episode 576 on the IMDb
Dark Shadows Every Day - Episode 576 - When They Think I'm Dead
The Dark Shadows Daybook - Episode 576
Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 576: Enough to occupy your mind