Barnabas and Julia are too good at getting people to tell them what they want to know.
Yup, gotta love Barnabas. Carolyn and Mrs. Johnson survived the Gerard invasion for 25 years. Barnabas appears on the scene, and they both of them are dead within a fortnight.
Carolyn tried to tell in a letter, for the sake of her family, knowing she'd die?
I don't think Carolyn knew she'd die. My impression is that she most definitely wanted to live. She may have been aware that there was a risk of dying, but her thinking was muddied enough so that I imagine she decided she could tell Barnabas, and Barnabas would make everything right, and all her family would return as they were in 1970.
Julia's been drawn further into Gerard's power. She exults in it. Gerard, I imagine, has taken hold of her admiration for Barnabas's powerful personality and twisted it towards himself. If Julia ever escapes from Gerald's power, and if she displays an un-Dark-Shadows-like ability to learn from the past, will her love for Barnabas be soured because of what Gerard did?
Meanwhile, Daphne staged a minor rebellion, which got quashed. It was surprising to see Daphne and Gerard physically handle that note, and then to see Gerard tearing it up manually.
Gosh, David Selby was perfect today, never missing a line as he changed expressions and intonations.