Episode 1

Two strangers arrive at the mysterious gothic mansion known as Collinwood – one, a woman searching for her past – and the other, a mysterious relative from the past.

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Series	Revival
Episode Number	1
Tape Date	1990, March 19-April 11
Original Airdate	1991, January 14th
Narrator	Joanna Going as Victoria Winters
Year	1991
Written by	Hall Powell & Bill Taub
Directed by	Dan Curtis
Home Video	MP6310, Dark Shadows: The Revival (The Complete Series)
Opening logo.

Synopsis

Victoria Winters:

"My name is Victoria Winters. My journey is just beginning – a journey that I am hoping will somehow begin to reveal the mysteries of my past. It is a journey that will bring me to a strange and dark place – to a house high atop a stormy cliff at the edge of the sea – to a house called Collinwood; to a world I've never known with people I've never met – people who tonight, are still only vague shadows in my mind, but will soon fill all of the days and nights of my tomorrows."

Twenty-five year old Victoria Winters accepts a job as a governess, working for a man named Roger Collins. She takes a train from New York to the fishing village of Collinsport, Maine to begin her new life. An orphan, Vicki hopes that the nuances of the mysterious Collins family may hold the key towards discovering her own family heritage.

At the gothic mansion known as Collinwood, Roger Collins instructs a bumbling stable-hand named Willie Loomis to go into town to pick up Vicki. Willie has little interest in following Roger's orders and is more concerned about discovering the secret location of the legendary lost Collins family jewels. Regardless, Willie does as instructed, and drives into town.

He finds Vicki at a bar called the Blue Whale. After sharing a few biting remarks with bartender Sam Evans, he drives Vicki back to Collinwood. Vicki meets her charge, the irascible, David Collins. David is a troubled young boy who has no desire to have a governess looking after him. He boldly confronts Vicki declaring, "I don't want you here!"

Later that night, Willie Loomis goes to the Collins family mausoleum. He unlocks the key to a secret antechamber below the crypt. Here, he believes he will find the coveted missing jewels. Instead, what he discovers is a sealed coffin wrapped in heavy iron chains. He pries the chains loose only to discover that its occupant is a vampire named Barnabas Collins. Barnabas attacks Willie and turns him into his unwilling servant.

Several nights later, Barnabas arrives at Collinwood. He introduces himself to the family matriarch, Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, under the guise of a cousin from England. After meeting the extended family, including Elizabeth's daughter, Carolyn, Barnabas asks permission to move into the original Collins family estate – a gloomy, dilapidated mansion commonly referred to as the Old House. Barnabas expresses a desire to restore the crumbling mansion to its original condition. Elizabeth, excited by the proposal, agrees to let him move in. Barnabas hires Willie Loomis to work as his personal handyman.

That evening, Barnabas stalks the night claiming victims to slake his vampiric thirst. The first is Daphne Collins, a distant cousin and accountant for Elizabeth Stoddard. Fortunately, Daphne survives the attack but has no recollection of her attacker's identity. Sam Evans and his daughter, Maggie, find Daphne and rush her to the hospital. Barnabas' next victims are a young woman named Gloria and her boyfriend. They however, are not so lucky as Daphne.

It does not take long before news of the attacks reaches the local public. Sheriff George Patterson begins investigating the crimes and is shocked to discover that the attacker has drained massive amounts of blood from his victims' bodies. Stymied by the mystery of it all, he consults with a local scholar named Doctor Michael Woodard. Woodard immediately suspects that a vampire may be loose in Collinwood. He calls in a specialist from New York University – Dr. Julia Hoffman.

Dr. Hoffman arrives in Collinsport and examines Daphne. Amazingly, Daphne seems to be recovering rather quickly. At the request of Mrs. Stoddard, Daphne is moved to a special room at Collinwood, where Julia continues her treatment. She tries using hypnosis on the young woman in an effort to get Daphne to identify her attacker, but this procedure yields unsatisfying results.

Some time later, Vicki visits Barnabas at the Old House. Willie meets her downstairs and subtly encourages her to leave. Barnabas arrives before she can exit however and spends the evening with Vicki. He shows her a room in the Old House that once belonged to a woman named Josette DuPres. Inside the room is a portrait hung upon the mantle. The portrait is of Josette, who bears an uncanny likeness to Vicki. Barnabas romanticizes the possibility that Vicki might be Josette reincarnated. After Vicki leaves, Barnabas accuses Willie of trying to warn Vicki away. He accosts him, savagely beating him with the end of his cane.

That night, Barnabas stands outside of Vicki's window at Collinwood. The vampire bloodlust begins to consume him and he gnashes his fangs. Suddenly, the ghostly apparition of a young girl appears in the woods behind him. She begins calling out Barnabas' name. Barnabas turns and follows the eerie spirit into the woods behind Collinwood. He recognizes the young girl as the ghost of his sister, Sarah.

Special Expanded Version

The 1992 MPI Home Video video cassette release of this episode included scenes not shown in the original or subsequent telecasts re-edited into the episode:

Roger Collins tells Elizabeth Collins Stoddard of a walk he took with David Collins during which David asked if his father liked him. Despite Elizabeth's feelings that Roger and David will get to know each other, Roger explains that he resents David's life. Roger adds that he would have left the boy to die in a burning room to save the sanity of a woman he does not identify.
Joe Haskell walks out of The Blue Whale to watch Victoria Winters leave with Willie Loomis. Willie bids him goodnight, calling him "lover boy" again and laughing. Joe returns to the bar and carries Daphne Collins out to his car for a romantic moment.
Elizabeth tells Victoria that David has been without his father for about six years, and that she brought the boy back from England after his mother became ill. Victoria meets Roger, who prevents Elizabeth from revealing the identity of the artist who painted the Seurat painting in the drawing room. Victoria and Roger discuss teaching art, and Roger claims that David will be as much of a challenge as Victoria can handle.
While Victoria unpacks, Carolyn Stoddard visits her room. Dogs howl outside, and Victoria sees Barnabas Collins from the window, but he is gone by the time Carolyn looks. Carolyn suggests that Victoria take a bath and get some rest.
Although Dr. Fischer tells him to get some coffee, Joe refuses to leave Daphne's side in the hospital.
Elizabeth and Carolyn come into Daphne's room at the hospital. Carolyn kisses Joe's cheek and comforts him while Elizabeth looks at Daphne.
At breakfast, Victoria and Roger discuss David again, and Victoria suggests not to expect too much too soon from the boy. Roger states that he never expects anything to avoid disappointment. Sheriff Patterson comes to Collinwood and meets Victoria. He reveals that the investigation is no longer looking for an animal, and that he wishes to speak with Willie because of his behavior at The Blue Whale. Roger and the sheriff go to the stables to look for Willie, but find that he is not there.
Carolyn drives Victoria to the stables, telling her that she has recently come back to Collinwood after beginning a career in photography. Victoria suggests that Carolyn can now go back since she has arrived to take care of David, but Carolyn says that it would be hard to leave at the present time. Carolyn recommends that Victoria ride the chestnut mare named Carolyn.

Memorable Quotes

Carolyn: I hope she brings a whip and a chair. It's about the only thing I haven't tried with David.

Willie: Three graces spin high above. Lion looks at the dove.

Willie: Hope ya like this freak palace, Miss Winters.

Vicki: (about the Old House): Isn't it going to be wonderful?
David: It's going to be awful.

Vicki: We're going to be really good friends, David.

David (about Willie): Nutball. A total nutball.

Mrs. Johnson: All I can say is---Barnabas Collins is a wonderful man.

Barnabas (as Willie stays with him and Vicki) That will be all, Willie!

Timeline

This episode takes place in late winter, 1990.

Appearances

Dramatis Personae

Previous Episode	Character (Actor)	Next Episode
—	Barnabas Collins (Ben Cross)	2
—	Victoria Winters (Joanna Going)	2
—	Elizabeth Collins Stoddard (Jean Simmons)	2
—	Roger Collins (Roy Thinnes)	2
—	David Collins (Joseph Gordon-Levitt)	2
—	Willie Loomis (Jim Fyfe)	2
—	Julia Hoffman (Barbara Steele)	2
—	Mrs. Sarah Loomis-Johnson (Julianna McCarthy)	2
—	Sheriff George Patterson (Michael Cavanaugh)	2
—	Joe Haskell (Michael T. Weiss)	2
—	Maggie Evans (Ely Pouget)	2
—	Sam Evans (Eddie Jones)	2
—	Daphne Collins (Rebecca Staab)	2
—	Hiram Fischer (Wayne Tippit)	—
—	Sarah Collins (Veronica Lauren) (as a ghost)	—
—	Gloria (Hope North)	—
—	Professor Woodard (Stefan Gierasch)	2
—	Jonathan Harker (Steve Fletcher)	2

Locales

Previous Episode	Location	Next Episode
—	Blue Whale	2
—	Collins family mausoleum	2
—	Collinsport	2
—	Collinsport Hospital	—
—	Collinsport railway station	—
—	Collinwood	2
—	David's room	2
—	Dr. Fischer’s office	—
—	Dr. Woodard's home	2
—	Eagle Hill Cemetery	2
—	Josette's room	—
—	Old House	2
—	Vicki's room	—
—	Widows' Hill	2

Other Items

Previous Episode	Location	Next Episode
—	Barnabas' wolf's-head cane	2
—	Bust of Isaac Collins	—
—	Collins family jewels	—
—	Josette's music box	—
—	Portrait of Barnabas Collins	—
—	Portrait of Josette DuPres	—

Credits

Cast

Guest starring

And also... (Closing credits)

Hope North as Gloria
Michael Buice as Local Tough
Rif Hutton as Paramedic #1
Steve Fletcher as Paramedic #2
Georg Olden as Gardener
J.B. and the Niteshift as the Roadhouse Band

Crew

Opening credits

Music composed & conducted by Bob Cobert
Editor – Bill Blunden
Production designer – Fred Harpman
Director of photography – Dietrich Lohmann
Supervising producer –Steve Feke
Certain characters developed by Art Wallace
Series created by Dan Curtis
Teleplay by Hall Powell & Bill Taub
And Steve Feke & Dan Curtis
Story by Hall Powell & Bill Taub
Directed by Dan Curtis

Closing credits

Executive producer –Dan Curtis
Line producer – Norman Henry
Associate producer – Bill Blunden
Creative consultant – Sam Hall
Unit production manager – Norman Henry
First assistant director – Bob Della Santina
Second assistant director – Carl Dubliclay
Technical advisor – Matthew Hall
Executive assistant to Mr. Curtis – Ruth E. Kennedy
Production associate – DeAnn Heline
Art director – Janet Stokes
Set decorator – Jeannie Gunn
Property master – Lance Dodson
Sound mixer – Pat Mitchell
Special effects – John Gray
Women's costumer – Shirley Cunningham
Men's costumer – Paul Dafelmair
Makeup artists – Mony Monsano and Dee Monsano
Hairstylists – Laura Lee Grubich and Gus Leper
Location manager – John Farrow
Script supervisor – Steve Dorsch
Production coordinator – Marcia Warwick
Chief lighting technician – Chuck Sefton
Key grip – Bill Witthans
Assistant editor – Steve Butler
Music editor – Chris Ledesma
Supervising sound editor – Michael O’Corrigan
Sound effects editorial – Stephen J. Cannell Productions
Re-recording mixer – B. Tennyson
Re-recording mixer – Sebastian II
Re-recording mixer – John Boyd
Re-recording mixer – Dan Hilan
Casting by Robert W. Harbin, C.S.A.
Casting assistant – Wendi Matthews
New York casting by Deborah Aqiula
London casting by Rose Tobias Shaw
Color by CFI
Filmed on location and at Warner Hollywood studios in Hollywood

Notes

This series is a re-imagining of the original Dark Shadows television series, and as such takes place in a completely alternate continuity.

Many of the lines of dialogue and camera shots were directly inspired by the Barnabas Collins introductory story in episodes 210-212 of the original series, as well as the script from the MGM film, House of Dark Shadows.

Victoria's opening monologue is a paraphrased version of the first passage spoken by Alexandra Moltke's character, Victoria Winters, in the original ABC Dark Shadows television series.

The poem that Willie Loomis recites is a paraphrased version of the riddle recited by John Karlen's character in House of Dark Shadows. The original piece was written by Sam Hall (who did not receive screen credit in this episode, despite the fact that many scenes were liberally adapted from his work).

Composer, Robert Cobert, is credited as Bob Cobert in this episode.

Bloopers and Changes

This episode does not include the opening credits that would begin all other episodes of the series. The title is displayed over the first scene, with the credits shown over the first few minutes of the episode.
Ely Pouget is credited as a guest star in the pilot episode, but is included with the primary cast beginning with Episode 2.

References

Andre DuPres; Carolyn; Collinsport Inn; Harry (the spider); Isaac Collins; John Adams; Josette DuPres; Vampire