Barnabas is back to being patient with Maggie, and she is like a blank slate waiting to be filled...but she doesn't take the chalk very well. Brainwashing is a slow, slow business, apparently, even when you can accelerate it using your vampire powers. Hypnotism would be more efficient, but maybe Barnabas needs Julia's inspiration before he can start trying it.
It's sort of interesting to see David reinforcing what Barnabas has told Maggie: "You are Josette." If only Barnabas knew how helpful David is being!
Knowing what happens later, I have to wonder how Barnabas will rationalize away the statements he made to Sheriff Patterson today, but I have no doubt whatsoever that he will do so to everybody's satisfaction. He's good that way.
The end of the episode is one of my absolute favorite moments on Dark Shadows.
What was Barnabas going to do with Maggie if she was going to live at the Old House. How was he going to explain her. He is not thinking things out.
I was thinking about this myself. I guess we need to remember that this was a transitional phase. Once Maggie had fully acquired and accepted the Josette persona, she was going to be turned into a vampire. At that point, I guess, she would have no trouble with staying out of people's way, seeing only with her beloved Barnabas (whom else would she need?) and the useful Willie, and periodically going out in the dead of night to feed on and kill whoever was foolish enough to be out and around. One question does occur to me: would Barnabas and pseudo-Josette share Willie, as every happy couple shares everything? (I'm a confirmed spinster. Don't shatter my illusions.) And if so, and if Barnabas and pseudo-Josette ever had (perish the thought!) a disagreement, whom would Willie obey? I'm picturing Willie in a routing loop.
