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904 Gallery
904
Number

892

Timeline

1969

Narrator

Jonathan Frid

Writer

Violet Welles

Director

Henry Kaplan

Broadcast

December 12, 1969
(Friday)

Recorded

November 25, 1969
(Tuesday)

Video

Complete: Disc 93
Collection 18: Disc 1

904 Gallery
We have 22 images of Dark Shadows 904

Barnabas finds Carolyn is infatuated by a stranger, and Elizabeth has a bizarre dream.

Synopsis[]

Teaser

Night has faded over Collinwood, but for one woman, the darkness still remains. Elizabeth Stoddard, teased and taunted by young David's lies, has suffered a night of doubt and dispair. And with the day, she has come to the village, determined to learn what drew David to this place.

Elizabeth enters the antique shop. Carolyn greets her, and Elizabeth demands to see Megan. Carolyn tells her that Megan and Philip are out of town for the day. Elizabeth then tells Carolyn she doesn't want her to come to the antique shop anymore.

Act I

Elizabeth explains to Carolyn that she saw David come to the shop late last night, and thinks whatever is wrong with him relates to the shop. Carolyn shrugs off her claims, and says David was only returning the book that he had stolen previously. Elizabeth wonders why David just won't tell her the truth. After she leaves the shop, the man who was eavesdropping outside the shop the previous day enters. Carolyn smiles at him as he looks around.

At Collinwood, David is reading the Leviathan Book. Elizabeth walks in, and scolds David for lying to her, but she still remains suspicous about Megan's behavior. She notices the book that David is reading. David gives it to her after she asks to see it, and she begins to read it.

Act II

Elizabeth closes the book and asks why he is reading it, but he manages to get out of her questions. However, she takes the Leviathan Book and plans to take it to Megan.

Later that day, Barnabas enters the antique shop. He notices Carolyn is acting very giddy. She explains to him that she met a man in the shop earlier in the day, and she appears to be infatuated with whoever it was. Barnabas seems very surprised at this news, but Carolyn says he will be returning to the shop later that night.

Barnabas meets with David at Collinwood. David is troubled at what Elizabeth has done concerning the book he stole from the antique shop. Barnabas offers to take him for a walk so David can explain his troubles. David agrees, and they both leave the house as if they were in a trance.

Act III

That night, Barnabas is talking with Elizabeth. She is confused with David's behavior. Barnabas gives her a suggestion that she should simply go to her room and try to relax and forget everything that has been going on lately. Barnabas takes back the Leviathan Book after she goes to her room.

Elizabeth has a strange dream as she falls asleep. She is at some sort of carnival. David has brought her there so she can "have fun like everyone else." David tries to get her to look into a series of mirrors, but she doesn't want to at first. He finally gets her to do so, and when she does, she sees clowns laughing at her at first, and then Barnabas appears in the final mirror.

Outside the antique shop, the unknown man is crossing the street to head into the store. A car appears and strikes him. Barnabas gets out of the car, saying he was unable to stop in time. Carolyn recognizes him as the man who was supposed to meet her.

Memorable quotes[]

Barnabas: And the enemy shall be overcome one by one.

Elizabeth: (upon seeing Barnabas in her Leviathan dream, to David) Is it a trick, or is he really there?
David: (excited) Well, what do you think?
Elizabeth: I don't know, but I like it. Yes, I like it! (They all laugh.)

Carolyn: Mother, you're getting as bad as David when you find something sinister in a box from Brewster's.

Elizabeth: I'm sorry things have to be this way.
David: Why do they have to be this way, Aunt Elizabeth? Why can't we have any fun anymore?
Elizabeth: We will, David. We will.

Barnabas: Your Aunt Elizabeth has a way of taking things very seriously, doesn't she?
David: If you ask me, she has a way of making trouble.

Dramatis personae[]

Background information and notes[]

Production[]

  • This episode was recorded out of broadcast sequence. The previous episode to be recorded was 905.
  • David Selby is credited as "Unknown Man" in this episode, essentially spoiling who was lurking around Collinwood and the antique shop. [Addendum: I don't believe this was a spoiler. I believe we were supposed to recognize David Selby in the final shot of the episode. Unfortunately, David Selby's head is placed incorrectly, so we can see only part of his face. You can see a piece of yellow marking tape several inches from his head. I believe that is where his head was supposed to be, which would have given us a clear view of Selby's face.]
  • The second credit after "Starring Joan Bennett as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard" is "also starring Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins." Episode 901 was the first in which Jonathan Frid had a "starring" credit. This is the first episode since then in which both Bennett and Frid appear.
    904-credits
  • Closing credits scene: Puppets from Leviathan dream sequence.

Story[]

Bloopers and continuity errors[]

  • Joan Bennett flubs a line in Act 1: "When I questioned about him" rather than "When I questioned him about it..."
  • When Elizabeth confronts David in his room and takes the Leviathan Book away from him, there is a large ribbon bookmark hanging out of the top of the book. The scene ends, and when it resumes, with Elizabeth still holding the book, the bookmark is no longer visible. However, when David takes the book back from Elizabeth, the bookmark reappears, as if it were somehow hanging out of the opposite end of the book now. He also struggles with his lines. [Addendum: There is nothing mysterious about the bookmark. It is all clearly visible. When David hands Elizabeth the book, he offers the book to her top-end first with the bookmark hanging out the top. Elizabeth takes it but does not turn the book around, so when she looks at it, she is actually looking at it upside-down, and the bookmark is thus at her bottom (where we can't see it). When she gives the book back to David (still upside-down for her), it is then right-side-up in David's hands, and the bookmark is visible at the top again. If this explanation is confused, suffice it to say that the mystery is explained by the bookmark always being in the same place, but the book sometimes being upside down, and the actor not bothering to turn it around.]
  • During the dream sequence, a camera and its attached teleprompter are reflected in one of the mirrors. When Elizabeth looks at herself in the mirror, a mirror image of the ABC logo used at the time is visible over the lower half of her body. Later just as David talks about fat and skinny having a race part of a camera or teleprompter appears on the left side of the screen for a moment.
  • In both this episode and the reprise of the next, the unknown man is standing right in front of the shop, presumably on the sidewalk, when Barnabas runs him down.
  • When did Barnabas learn to drive? [Addendum: In episode 605 Professor Stokes tells Barnabas to take his car (the keys would be left in it) but he never does in the episode. It was established in episode 687 that Barnabas could drive when he drove Chris Jennings to the mausoleum. No explanation was given in these episodes regarding where or when he learned.]

External Links []

Dark Shadows - Episode 904 on the IMDb

Dark Shadows Everyday - Episode 904 - Watching the Detectives

Gallery (22)[]

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