DARK SHADOWS episodes 3 to 10
DARK SHADOWS ep 3: We start out with some nice location
shots of Roger in his car driving! He stops and goes out the full cottage that
Maggie and her father Sam Evans live in! There's a banging sound on Vicki's
window and a location shot of where her room is from outside. It is not quite
spooky but it might have been meant to be. Carolyn knocks and enters and Vicki
knows she is Carolyn. They talk and Carolyn does not know Burke Devlin
but...and this is odd and disturbing...when Carolyn talks about her Uncle Roger
she says things like, "He sends me," and "isn't he a doll?"
I...she then seems to think she wants a choice between Joe Haskell, a fisherman
that her mother wants her to marry that we met last episode or...who? Roger?
I...don't know what to think or even write. There's a camera shadow against
Vicki's wall over her bed just over Carolyn. Carolyn, later, talks about Issac,
who's picture hangs in the drawing room. The door that Vicki shut to the room
opens. Bill Malloy meets Roger at the Collinsport Inn's diner where Maggie
works and we learn that Burke is an ex con. He tells Strake to go back to NY.
This is before Burke becomes boring and his lines about ghosts are interesting,
in hindsight. When Vicki and Carolyn return to her room, the letter she wrote
to her friend is out of the drawer and on her bed. David? Burke also reminds me
that almost the entire history of DS has someone come to visit who starts
trouble and/or has had history with the family or someone related or connected
to them in some way. Still interesting and spooky.
DARK SHADOWS
ep 4 1966
This episode
takes place entirely at Collinwood. Vicki has her hands full: Liz leaves her
alone to be questioned by Roger, who’s worried about Burke Devlin. Roger annoys
Vicki into wanting to leave. Vicki, later, hears ghost-like crying echoing
throughout the house and goes to the empty drawing room. So was that a ghost? I
mean if it was supposed to be Liz crying, it sounds very unlike her…for the
most part. If you listen closely, you can also hear voices murmuring…or was
that a blooper of the crew or other cast members talking when they were not
supposed to? Or the ghosts of the Widows? As Vicki walks through the house more
than once in this episode, a level of tension arises; Roger also seems to be
stalking Vicki outside her bedroom door, stopped by Liz. Only Carolyn seems
nice to her while Liz seems protective. A door opens and closes in the hallway
(probably David spying on Vicki) and the scene stealing David appears out of
the shadows, ghostlike, at the upstairs landing in the foyer, telling Vicki one
thing, “I hate you.” Super. A super episode. Note: There are at least two “I
DON’T KNOWS” in this episode. And this ends the first night of Vicki from
episode one to episode four. There also seems to be a bug on the floor when Liz
and Roger both question Vicki. We also hear Roger’s pet name for Carolyn,
“Kitten,” twice.
ep1-4
These four episodes detail VICTORIA WINTER'S first night in
Collinsport
and Collinwood. The first thing to note is that this is a
soap opera and
it takes time to unfold. Not that slow always equals bad or
boring, in
fact, these four episodes are far from boring. They set up
all the
mysteries and all the characters in fun and scary fashion
and give almost
nothing away, except that it is Roger haunting Victoria in
ep 4. The first
ep is rather strong with the filmed location stuff, Victoria
on the train,
at the train station, and her car pulling up to Collinwood
and earlier to
the Inn. She meets Maggie, has flashbacks to her friend
Stacy ("Go out to
Long Island and have a ball"---in fact a few
characters--Carolyn for
one--- talk about having a ball) and meets Burke Devlin.
Maggie is played
as a wise cracking blond and it doesn't really work. There
is the hotel
caretaker played by DIFFERENT STROKES actor Conrad Baine
(wasn't he in
MAUDE too?) who appears a few times in the first year or so
and then
vanishes, only to get killed by a werewolf a few years
later! We meet Liz
and Roger far before Victoria does and they are a brooding
pair but say
some funny things such as Roger's answer to Liz's inquiry
about where
David is, "The little monster's asleep and I for once
couldn't be
happier." In fact, we're introduced to David through
others' chats about
him before he appears at the very end of ep4 where David
gives a great
performance of "I hate you," with such venom. The
old lady on the train
and Vicki's friend and her foundling home lady add to the
background of
Vicki but it is kind of clear that Vicki is really probably
Liz's
daughter. They had planed on that for some time but the show
took a
different direction. I must admit the fog, the music, the
camera angles,
the filmed stuff, the brooding dialog and atmosphere all add
up to a great
shows and it's hard to see why the show was failing before
BARNABUS or
maybe that is just fan rumor, maybe it wasn't. It's also
interesting to
note a few mentions of Roger's wife and David's mother...in
what will
later be the first supernatural storyline and
character...Vicki thought
she was dead, Carolyn tells her she thought wrong, and
David, when the
creepy boy is smashing Vicki's initials off her suitcase in
ep5 says,
"Mother," three times or so as he looks out the
window. There are creepy
sobs (Liz crying over her past or ghosts?, talks of ghosts,
and lots of
dread, also the Widow's Hill cliff makes an appearance...in
long shot and
filmed sequence. Vicki goes out the back door of Collinwood
in long shot
and walks through the back parts of the patio...amazing
stuff. We also see
Roger drive to Maggie and Sam's cottage where he bangs on
the door
(despite later telling Maggie that he's not the banging
type!). And we see
the Blue Whale as Carolyn shakes her...well, her everything.
The music she
dances to is funny but the scene is kind of played straight
as is almost
all of DARK SHADOWS. We see the kitchen/breakfast room in
Collinwood and
the hotel kitchen/bar/grill. Maggie calls everyone in that
house kooks.
Carolyn and Vicki bond; Roger at first menaces Vicki about
Devlin but
later apologizes to her. Vicki, after David's "I hate
you," prepares to
leave. It all sets up the situations rather nicely and it's
not boring but
does move at a leisurely pace. And sometimes that's nice.
Carolyn also
tells Vicki that her uncle Roger does not turn into Dracula
at night and
that he does not bite...some nice foreshadowing
unintentionally (?). The
interior sets are well done. The scene where Vicki and
Carolyn chat in
Vicki's room contain shots of boom mikes and shadows of boom
mikes, the
unintentional ghosts of Dark Shadows that would plague the
show almost to
the very end...and which gives it much of its charm. Maggie
gives us a
flub when she can't seem to say the letter B or something in
ep1and Vicki
finally arrives at the house and enters at the very end of
ep1. Mysteries
include: the sobbing at 2am, the Burke Devlin return and why
Roger is so
nervous about it, Roger's advances to Vicki and why Liz does
not want any,
David being so strange, Carolyn's wanting to leave and her
boyfriend Joe
Haskell, Burke's investigations of the Collins family, and
Vicki's past
and why she was hired. The doors opening, the windows
opening from wind,
the doorknobs turning, and strange sounds have already
started and it's
just great.
https://darkshadows.fandom.com/wiki/2
http://nicholasmooneyhan.com/darkshadows/061966.html
Vicki’s first morning in the house happens here. We see the breakfast room. Roger apologizes to Vicki and turns on the charm, uses the word kitten to Carolyn, and tells Vicki to give David a kick for him if she sees him. David’s quite the creepy little brat here. Remember this is pre-OMEN days although some creepy kids graced movies (THE BAD SEED). David calls, “Mother,” twice. Vicki’s origins are discussed by herself and Carolyn (there seems to be a camera shadow). There’s location work as Vicki goes out of the house, to widow’s hill, stands there and goes back home. The set includes her first meeting with Sam (Mark Allen now) who says a bunch of mysterious and creepy things and leaves. Vicki decides to stay. We also see Carolyn ironing! We see the breakfast room with its large patio window doors. This episode is good because it further Vicki’s friendship with Carolyn, who hasn’t yet turned into the brat she later becomes during this year. It also makes David the creepiest kid around and establishes his power in the show and the house. Vicki’s story is probably that she is Liz’s daughter! A good episode that takes place entirely during the day! Oh, and Sam tells the story of Josette, who can be heard sobbing, he says. Like the sobbing Vicki heard last night in the last episode (4). She came from France and her husband build the house for her! The episode also establishes Vicki as an orphan again and a letter she received. One David rolls up and throws down. The clues point to Vicki needing to stay. Another good episode.
“I hope we
can be friends.”
There’s at
least one I DON’T KNOW. And Joan flubs Matthew Morgan’s name as Martin when
talking to David, who’s hiding in the basement but Vicki could not find him.
Liz checks the locked “storage room” in the basement, which is really a creepy
place (and contains an antique radio of the kind that Uncle Lewis cursed in
FRIDAY THE 13TH: THE SERIES). Matthew Morgan, here played by the guy
from LAND OF THE GIANTS-SIX HOURS TO LIVE, menaces Vicki but Liz puts him at
ease. He used to work in the cannery but 18 years ago Liz hired him for the
house, gave him his own house not from Collinwood, and fired all the other
help. Vicky, urged by Carolyn, who is still nice, asks Liz what she knows,
interrogating her and finding out nothing but that Roger heard about her from
someone at the Hammond Foundling home and that is why he recommended her to Liz
for David…We also learn that the curbs sneak up on drivers and that Vicki can
drive. Someone sent 50 dollars to the home where Vicki was. There’s also a talk
or two about David’s mother being away. Vicki reads AMERICA SAILS THE SEAS. Liz
offers David a book, THE ROVER BOYS, a series of books that Roger used to read
(and the books have been down in the basement for over 20 years), to David but
David, feeling that his father hates him and told him so, refuses it. These
episodes fly by and was over before I knew it. It was another good episode,
keeping the mystery of Vicki going.
https://darkshadows.fandom.com/wiki/6
http://nicholasmooneyhan.com/darkshadows/071966.html
DARK SHADOWS 7
Darien answers the phone calls, doing the time and the phone
service. We actually see another house across the street from Maggie and Sam’s
cottage…from their inside window! There’s also a nice outdoor location shoot of
Sam walking the street to the cottage. Before that, he is seen walking, briefly
past what seems to be a dock or a boating factory or both. Sam seems to flub
one line. Later, when Burke visits there is a hint of shadow of a camera or
mike moving. It’s ironic that Maggie states they couldn’t pay her enough to
live and work at Collinwood as that’s what she will do in the future of the
series, much later on. She also asks what Victoria’s name was. Despite some
obvious charms from all three, Roger, Sam, and especially Burke are all rather
unlikable characters, with Roger a nervous worried wreck, Sam a miserable
drinker, and Burke a prying (don’t like how he questions Vicki) and strange man
(saying he kills infants and attacks widows and that he’s Vicki’s oldest
friend). Maggie reveals the newspaper that is local is only once a week. We see
a car outside the Collinsport Inn. Roger also briefly says something to a man
tending the office desk, who then goes upstairs? Vicki seemed to arrive “last
night”. This might be the first time the gentle music is used. Roger calls
Carolyn who is not seen and calls her Kitten once. Vicki calls the Hammond
Foundling Home to talk to Miss Hopewell in the rousing cliffhanger. Just
kidding. While there’s nothing terrible about this episode, it’s not that
interesting but far from the boring Burke stuff that will drag on later.
https://darkshadows.fandom.com/wiki/7
DARK SHADOWS
ep 8
Why does
Carolyn tell Liz that Vicki went to town to find out if Liz was telling the
truth? Is she starting her nasty phase? Carolyn mentions that Liz could have
hired someone from Bangor or Lewiston or in the area. For the records I always
thought Vicki was Liz’s daughter. Miss Hopewell appears during her phone call
from Vicki. Hopewell claims she talked to the entire staff, which means Liz IS
lying to Vicki but Vicki just sort of lets it go. Liz claims they never had a
stranger living in Collinwood. Joe visits and brings yellow flowers to Carolyn
and also flowers for Liz. Joe is an ex fisherman, Bill Malloy’s offered him a
desk job (a checker) for more money: 25 dollars more a week. Joe can save 500
dollars a year! Carolyn says she loves Joe but clearly she doesn’t love him
enough to marry him or even want to marry him. We get an “I don’t know,” from
Carolyn followed by a, “All I know…”
Hopewell dictates a letter to Collinswood. A man who is a private
detective ---a Mr. Wilbur Strake (the same one hired by Burke). Not sure this
letter ever goes anywhere?
A standard
soap ep but not bad for what it is. The Vicki storyline is meaningful and the
only thing stopping it from being more interesting is the fact that it does go
NO WHERE and we all know that in hindsight now. Frankly, her mother and father
could be anyone (maybe even Roger or is he too young? With Laura?). I always
adhere to the fact that Vicki IS Liz’s daughter but the father is up for grabs
really. Bill Malloy? Jason? Sam Evans? Paul Stoddard? The sheriff? Richard
Garner? Matthew? There was another man Liz talked to over the years, too, maybe
him? BTW Bill was in ep 3. At times, the musical cues are…oddly placed,
stopping and starting as soon as they start or loud in places they should not
be.
https://darkshadows.fandom.com/wiki/8
DARK SHADOWS
ep 9
Nothing says
anyone should like this episode but I do. Carolyn isn’t as yet as unsympathetic
as she would become as the Devlin thing wears on. Vicki is present and
Alexandra Moltke can do no wrong at this time of the series and is front and
center even if she’s just writing a letter. Later, she’ll become a mere victim
who’s totally clueless about everything, especially the men in her life but now
she’s just charming. Her relationship with Carolyn is the highlight of this
episode. Carolyn gets to tell Vicki some of the truths about her own fear:
she’s putting on an act and wants to find out more about Burke Devlin.
Carolyn also
tells Vicki the story of Josette, briefly and the other two women, both
governesses who threw themselves off Widow’s Hill and mentions the madman who
built “this house.” Of course this will all change in the future of the show
and it will not be old man Jeremiah (who will not even be an old man) who built
the house or caused this. Ironically, when Barnabas tells them the story of
Josette, it is Carolyn who is really afraid of the story (in a terrific scene
well played played by Nancy). Here, Carolyn jokes that legend has it a third
governess is supposed to be found at the bottom of the cliffs, too.
Other talk
is of ghosts and goblins. Bill Malloy fears if Carolyn doesn’t leave now when
things starts happening thanks to Burke she will have dreams and see ghosts.
Liz insists there are no ghosts here. A knock on the door reveals on one and a
shattered tea cup. Liz blames David, who’s not in this episode. Was it him? Do
we ever learn if it was?
Another
charmer of an episode that ends with Carolyn going to the hotel, mailing a
letter for Vicki and calling Burke at his room so she can come up to visit him!
Of note: Liz
comes off as strong and determined, not to be undermined by the possible threat
of Burke who may want the Collins fishing fleet, factory and house. Joan has
some strong dialog and handles it well. Bill has a niece that he wants to send
Carolyn to and his niece has a daughter Jenny.
The music
goes right into the credits and then the end DS music starts.
DARK SHADOWS
episode 10
This episode
is an odd one. There are so many lines and bits of dialog that seem….almost out
of context with this time on the show and more in line with what will come next
about ghosts and “lots of things happen here,” kind of scripting. Burke calls
himself a monster when Carolyn enters his hotel room. They toast to the death
of the monster. Carolyn has a funny line in that she can only have one ginger
ale a night.
Another
thing to notice is that although later, the Burke and Carolyn thing will become
nauseating and boring, it’s not yet and their rapport is a mixture of charming
and unnerving as Burke uses the phone call…to fool Carolyn into thinking he’s
made a business deal while holding down the receiver, (his pre-arranged
reminder call) and his motives are still very much unclear and a bit…scary I
might say. The call he fakes include him talking to someone he names as Jose
from Venezeula.
Speaking of
scary, David: he’s all dirty and holding something in his hand. I dare ask what
it is. Are they implying he killed an animal? Or is this the dirt from when
David sabotages his father’s car. Roger finds David hiding and is almost
abusive to him but calms himself down in a rare moment but David is mean to him
and when Roger releases him, oddly David calls, “Mother! Mother!” His mother is
nowhere in this episode and won’t be in the show for quite some time so it’s
odd. Maybe he feels Liz is his mother but for him, at his sage, to call Liz
that? Or was something else going on here?
Roger’s
early phone call to Liz is funny as Liz refuses to tie Vicki down or lock her
in her room and we hear only Liz’s part of the conversation.
The credits
seem to start with some of the incidental music still playing but it’s okay as
it gives it a fresh feel.
The fly
lands on the sofa in Burke’s hotel.
Surprisingly
an effective episode that draws you into the storyline of Burke, who meets Liz
again for the first time since he’s been back when Carolyn brings him home! Liz
seems to have some kind of dream and mutters about “Ghosts, there are no ghosts
here.” David blames the tea cup
shattering on a force that sounds like a ghost. “Things happen here. Lot of
things happen here.”
My original
review, which spotlights how time and place may form opinion. I haven’t seen DS
since around last October (of 2019!) so…ep 10 is fresh DS for me…
10--11
Okay this is probably why some people
prefer the new DS over the classic
better DS. These two episodes are tedious
at best. The Burke stuff is
already becoming monotonous and boring
and slow moving...slower than
possible. Here we get him manipulating
Carolyn all the way and getting
himself into Collinwood to have some
sparring with Liz. We have David and
his toy robot (which I'm sure also
appeared in VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE
SEA-THE TERRIBLE TOYS). I think we also
have Liz giving David a boy book
about the ROVING BOYS or something like
that. David hides on Liz who spots
him earlier; David hides and overhears an
important conversation between
Liz and Roger about his mum, Burke
Devlin, and how Liz made Roger leave
Collinwood with his wife...we get little
info but these bits are the best
part of these two eps. Sam and the hotel
guy (Conrad Baine) have a lot of
conversation as Sam walks up to the hotel
(GREAT LOCATION WORK) outside
and looks for Maggie, he's drunk yet he
makes more sense than all of his
other scenes put together.
Sam phones Collinwood looking for Roger
but get Liz and overhears that
Burke is there and hangs up before
revealing who he is. Then he leaves for
the bar and then comes back to talk to
the hotel man again. There's not
even a huge moth or fly to liven things
up as before. Then Carolyn
explains all of what happened in ep 10 in
ep 11 to Liz, telling her they
do not have to fear Burke. Yeah, they
kinda do.
Sam talks of Burke acting like a Trojan
Horse and spreading his fear to
everyone in the house. Vicki is, sadly
missing from these eps and it
shows and it felt. When she's not around,
the show loses its
focus...something the makers of the show,
the writers should have taken
stock in. They realized it for when
Alexandria M left, they tried to
recast her but it just didn't work.
Another thing they should have
realized earlier than they did is that
the supernatural stuff works better
for a show like this. The crashed tea cup
and the door opening must have
been David even if the little liar
insists they are not. There is
brilliant supernatural type music but
accompanying...in these episodes,
phone calls, Liz going through a door,
and Carolyn walking up steps.
Other than illustrating David's
complicated non rapport with his cold
father (who almost seems to say that he
wishes he never had David) and the
warmth between David and Liz AND
Carolyn's stupidity and naiveté, these
two episodes are just really boring and
watching this at the same time as
watching eps of BUFFY are like watching a
LOST WORLD silent movie with
JURASSIC PARK. One has a fast pace, quick
relationship issues without
boring us over a season, and plots that
just grab us and surprise us. The
surprises might be in store for the Burke
storyline but they take forever
getting to us. And when they do, do we
care?
It's helpful to remember that this is a
soap opera and shown every day.
Compared to other soaps of the
day---where people just sit around talk in
rooms---on hindsight THIS is very close
to that---DS ranks higher. I would
hate to see old reruns of those shows. In
fact, I did once and once was
enough...it was a half hour of GENERAL
HOSPITAL with Roy Thinnis and
someone else just sitting and talking and
drinking coffee in a room with a
curtain across it at a table...the entire
half hour. Again DS ranks higher
than those overall but these two eps, bar
the location work and the sets,
come close to that.
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