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581
Number

574

Timeline

1968

Narrator

Nancy Barrett

Writer

Gordon Russell

Director

Lela Swift

Broadcast

September 16, 1968
(Monday)

Recorded

September 9, 1968
(Monday)

Video

Complete: Disc 61
Collection 10: Disc 1

581 Gallery
We have 33 images of Dark Shadows 581

Carolyn gives Adam a present.

Synopsis

In the terrible darkness of this night while Collinwood sleeps, a frightening encounter will take place, in the Old House on the Collins estate. There, in a cellar laboratory, a young man feels a sudden impulse to destroy a creature that has not yet been brought to life.

Angelique finishes feeding on Jeff but despite all her powers, she apparently can't suddenly make Jeff into a neurosurgeon, and he refuses to run the experiment. They argue, and Jeff ascertains that there is someone more powerful that Angelique is afraid of. After telling her that he guarantees she'll die of a botched experiment if he proceeds, she agrees to give him 24 hours to amass all the needed knowledge.

Back in Collinwood, Adam breaks into Carolyn's room and says he's decided to come back. Carolyn, by now used to having weird things wander into her room and wake her up, says she's happy to see him, but insists on having an understanding that they are just friends. Adam pretends to agree, under instructions from Nicholas. She gives him a green sweater that she must have picked up from Collinport's Big and Tall store, and he cries with happiness. He tells her that no one had ever given him anything before, which puzzles Carolyn who speculates that someone must have given him something when he was a child. He tells her no one is like her and he never wants to hurt her, and runs off.

Later, Jeff comes to the door and Carolyn answers. On finding that Vicki is out, he refuses Carolyn's attempts to get him to wait by saying that it will be night soon, and that his life is not his own at night. Carolyn is again puzzled, having evidently forgotten all the symptoms from a couple months ago when she was a blood slave to Barnabas.

Over at the lab, Adam wanders around looking at the body, when Angelique finds him and tells him to go. He initially refuses, not recognizing her authority, but she tells him she is there on Nicholas' behest and he leaves rather than risk having her tell Nicholas of his disobedience.

Ever more determined to hurry up the experiment, Angelique forces Jeff to start the process with her tied in as the life essence.

Memorable quotes

  • Angelique: Death and I are old friends.

Dramatis personae

Background information and notes

Production

  • This episode was recorded out of broadcast sequence. The previous episode to be recorded was 579.
  • The character of Carolyn Stoddard last appeared in episode 578, portrayed by a different actress. Nancy Barrett was unable to appear. She still appears to be a little ill. Her opening scenes show blemishes on her left cheek, which disappear later in the scene.
  • A dark vertical band can be seen on the left of the screen affecting one camera.
  • There are no cast or crew members credited.

Story

  • INTERNAL MONOLOGUE: Adam: Just a creature? (This is a rare occasion where an internal monologue occurs whilst some else is in the room, mid conversation, see also 607); Angelique: In a few hours I will be free.
  • TIMELINE: Angelique plans to come back tomorrow night so that Jeff can perform the experiment. Day 236 takes place. 4:30pm: Jeff arrives at Collinwood. Victoria has taken David out for the day, she'll be back at dinner time. 11pm: Adam in the Old House cellar. Day 237 begins, and will end in 584. 1am: Jeff begins experiment with Angelique.

Bloopers and continuity errors

  • The narration states that Jeff will attack the body, but that does not really match where the reprise starts.
  • The glass over a picture on the wall reflects a camera.
  • Angelique's reflection can be seen in the round mirror, however it is established that vampires don't cast reflections, as demonstrated in 288, 704, 718, 915 and 1035.
  • The bite marks on the right side of Jeff's neck which are considerably high over his collar in the reprise at the beginning of this episode are completely gone when he goes to Collinwood and sees Carolyn at the front door. Since in previous episodes these bite marks take a while, usually days, to go away and Carolyn has a bird's eye view on the area of his neck where he was bitten, they must have disappeared completely from the night before, or more than likely the continuity people missed this and didn't have Jeff wear a scarf or turtleneck.

External Links 

Dark Shadows - Episode 581 on the IMDb

Dark Shadows Everyday - Episode 581 - Light My Fire

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