According to my notes: This ep. features seven actors playing eight roles--the most in any Dark Shadows episode until the very last one. How the writers ever managed to pull this off right under DC's nose I can't imagine.
I assume that Angelique doesn't know Barn is a v******. Barn refuses to tell Angelique how he knows who she is and sternly warns her to stop messing with Maggie. With a nearly imperceptible bow, he wishes her goodnight and leaves. [As the v****** leaves, we get a quick glimpse of him in the mirror.]
TIM STOKES indeed! He's one of my favorite characters, a much seedier version of our fastidious professor AND with a mustache. TD's characters seem to alternate between messy (Matthew, Ben, Sandor, Tim) and neat (our Timothy Elliot Stokes, Petofi, [spoiler]Mordecai[/spoiler]). Tim also gives TD a chance to show his comic side.
The writers can't seem to make up their minds about whether Tim is Angelique's father or her stepfather. Having him be the stepfather makes no sense, especially since Angelexis did say her ancestors were Angelique the First and Ben Stokes.
Barn runs into the disheveled but still very handsome Quentin, who asks him how Maggie is. Barn gently suggests he should see for himself. Tactfully he doesn't mention that Maggie just tried to kill herself.
Parallel Collinwood seems to be teeming with experimental types. Tim arrives at Collinwood in response to Angelique's rather peremptory summons. It’s obvious that he has no interest in "Alexis" and never has. But when Angelique tells him that his experiment has been successful and that she, Angelique, has returned from the dead, they have a happy reunion. He does seem a little bothered that Angelique killed Alexis to revive herself: I was only her stepfather [what he says], he says, but I didn’t want her to die. Angelique cheers him up by reminding him that he has her back again. She tells him about her plan to get Quentin back and about this interfering Barnabas Collins person, who may possibly have supernatural powers. Stokes recognizes Barnabas’s “ancestor” as the subject of Will Loomis’s most recent book. Angelique also tells him about how she has seen this room (they’re in her old room) change and about seeing “our” Julia Hoffman. Stokeses in every dimension seem to know all about everything, so he proceeds to expound on parallel time.
Quentin silently lets himself into the master bedroom. He gazes down sadly at his beautiful, sleeping bride (who has somehow ended up back in their bedroom). Maggie explains about the dress. Almost absently he tells her it doesn't matter. As he talks, he takes off his neckcloth and undoes the top three buttons on his shirt to reveal-- absolutely nothing, I’m sorry to say, but doubtless driving Quentin watchers everywhere wild. Maggie is too distracted to notice as she asks him, Does it matter to you that I almost killed myself tonight? That I heard Angelique speak to me through the painting in her room? That she said I had nothing to live for? That you might have found me splattered on the stones beneath Angelique’s window? Angry again, he says, You were imagining that. Please, Quentin, Maggie says, I wasn’t. Calming down a bit, Quentin says, I’ve been thinking about things and trying to work them out. I always seem to hurt you. I hope it’s still possible to start over. (He looks so delectable that we would forgive him almost anything!) But for the first time, Maggie answers, I don’t know. I don’t know anymore.
As dawn approaches, Timothy Stokes enters Loomis House almost as if if it were his own. He tries to open the tall writing desk, then spots Barnabas’s wolf’s-head cane. Barnabas quietly opens the louver doors to the left of the fireplace and starts at the sight of his visitor. Stokes introduces himself as Timothy Eliot Stokes (no surprise there) and says that Will Loomis is an old friend. Barnabas wonders why he’s roaming around a friend’s house just before dawn. Stokes says, Will didn’t use to keep regular hours--perhaps he’s changed. Perhaps he has, Barnabas replies as he retrieves his cane. Stokes addresses Barnabas by name, explaining, I recognized you on account of Will’s book. You look very eighteenth century. Barnabas explains, I’m still in costume from the ball at Collinwood. Stokes comments, My daughter started the annual costume ball. Shocked, Barnabas asks, Are you the father of Angelique and Alexis? Their stepfather, Stokes corrects him, _her_ stepfather. There is only one of them left now. Yes, Barnabas agrees wryly, only one of them. Stokes observes, You almost seemed to recognize me. I was surprised at seeing a complete stranger wandering about the house at such an unorthodox hour, Barnabas replies. Stokes says, Will is an old friend who has given me permission to come to Loomis House anytime I like. Will is asleep, Barnabas tells Stokes; as the clock chimes its warning, he adds, I would like to get some rest myself. Clapping Barnabas on the shoulder with unwelcome familiarity, Stokes asks him to give his regards to Will, then leaves.
Sabrina (remember Sabrina?) hasn't seen Cyrus in days and wonders if they're still engaged. Cyrus is saved from having to think up an answer when someone knocks on the door upstairs. Almost as if Sabrina were only his servant, he sends her upstairs to answer it. He is momentarily electrified when he hears Sabrina greet Maggie. Maggie arrives, wanting to speak to Cyrus. She tells him (off camera) all about how Angelique’s portrait spoke to her. She pleads with Cyrus to persuade Quentin to believe her. I wonder if I can ever work things out with him, she ends sadly. Cyrus answers, Maybe you can’t. Maybe you had just better accept the fact that Quentin will always be involved with Angelique. I can’t believe you mean that, Maggie says in complete astonishment. Carefully turning away, he replies, I mean... there are other men in the world besides Quentin. Maggie can’t see Cyrus’s guilty enjoyment as he continues, Is it possible that somewhere in this world [he looks up the ceiling], there is a man who can make you as happy as Quentin can? Cyrus! she exclaims. That doesn’t sound like you at all! Just as the words leave her lips, Cyrus is suddenly seized with cramps, stumbling away from her as the change begins, unbidden. He can barely gasp out, I have things to do in the lab--alone. Maggie is sure he’s ill, but she goes. But the unlucky Sabrina comes back down just in time to see her mild-mannered fiancé transform into the depraved John Yaeger. No, Cyrus, no! she gasps in shock. Yes, yes! Yaeger answers with a leer. Oh, Cyrus, I don’t believe it! she says, horrified. The name is Yaeger, he corrects her, John Yaeger. Backing away from him, at last she puts two and two together: The experiment--that compound! she exclaims, horrified. Yes, gloats Yaeger with a laugh--success beyond my wildest dreams!
Now in his own splendiferous threads, Yaeger picks up his suede overcoat and cane. (Sabrina is still there, but whether she saw him change his clothes is left unexplained.) Cyrus, please don’t leave! I love you no matter what happens, she pleads. I understand. Yaeger answers scornfully, You couldn’t possibly understand. Hearing a knock at the door upstairs, he pushes her over to the stairs and orders her to see who it is. When he hears Maggie’s voice, he hides behind a convenient pillar near the side door. Maggie tells Sabrina, I came back to see if Cyrus is all right. Sabrina loyally says, He just left by the side door. I’ve never seen him behave like that, Maggie says. He’s been working very hard lately, Sabrina says by way of explanation. Just then Quentin arrives, also looking for Cyrus. Sabrina says he’s just gone to the chemist’s. Quentin is extremely surprised to find Maggie there and decides to wait for Cyrus. He won’t be back for quite a while, Sabrina says almost desperately. It’s all too obvious how nervous each of the women is. You’re both hiding something, Quentin says. I want to know which of you will tell me what it is. Maggie admits, I came to tell Cyrus about how Angelique’s painting did speak to me. I was hoping Cyrus would get you to believe me. Quentin doesn’t bother to hide his annoyance, even in front of Sabrina. He storms upstairs as Maggie follows, pleading with him to wait. As Yaeger listens, he says to himself, Don’t worry, my dearest Maggie. You won’t be putting up with the likes of Quentin Collins much longer. John Yaeger will see to that!
In the evening, Barnabas comes by Collinwood to see how Maggie is doing. We had a long talk last night, Quentin replies. I hoped she was getting better, but-- When Barnabas gently asks, But what? Quentin says, Maggie has a fixation on my first wife. [She’s not the only one!] She thinks she heard Angelique’s voice coming out of the portrait. That is unfortunate, Barnabas comments, carefully looking down. She’s asleep, Quentin tells him. I hope that a couple of days’ rest will make her feel better. He is just on his way to see Cyrus, and Barnabas agrees to walk with him part of the way.
With the house virtually deserted, Yaeger silently makes his way to the master bedroom. Just as Quentin did last night, he soundlessly opens the door, steps in, and shuts it again. And just as Quentin did, he stands at the foot of the bed. But where Quentin’s gaze was full of sadness, Yaeger stares avidly for a long moment at the beautiful, utterly vulnerable Maggie, deep in innocent slumber. With a leer of anticipation, he moves toward her, urging himself (quite unnecessarily), Now, John Yaeger! Now!.........
