Episode #253 - A full moon newly risen, continues to climb the early evening sky Collinwood, as though straining to create a distance between itself and what it sees on the earth below--a ring of silver mist encircles it--and the wind from the sea announces that soon no light will shine at all. But the dark that lies ahead is not the deepest dark to be found this night, and this brief moment of the moon, rising like a single hope, will only make the night more bitter, so that nothing can emerge from the darkness but an even darker despair.
Pity poor Maggie! Now she's attired in a somber black dress (who's been dressing her, anyway, and doing her fancy sausage curls, Willie?) instead of the pretty white bridal gown, but I guess Barn figured she isn't worthy. She's trying desperately to think of a way to escape the cell, but all she can think about is that coffin ! When Barnabas comes to the cell door, she screams at him to go away, but he insists HE'S the one who should be afraid of her--she DID try to kill him, after all! She's got a choice-cooperate with him, become Josette, and she'll live. It's her only hope. At first, she refuses, then seems to change her mind as a wonderful idea occurs to her. She tells him to leave the music box, she'll do what he wants. However, she wants something from him, as well--she wants him to give her ring (which is a different ring from the one she was wearing when kidnapped, folks) to her father, any way he can. He's annoyed that she thinks him that dense, but she says she just wants Sam to know she's OK.
He says, sure--AFTER she becomes his bride! He suggests she come up with a better plan than that, and leaves her crying "Please, Barnabas!" after his retreating back.
David thinks Maggie's disappearance is spooky and neat, until Vicki chastises him, after which he says he hopes she'll be found. He talks her into letting him go outside for a while, promising to stay near the house. He not only breaks that promise, he heads straight for the Old House and, finding the doors locked (finally!) he climbs in through an unlocked window.
Willie brings Maggie some food, but is dismayed when she eats little of it. She's grateful to him for saving her life, and wants to reward him--take my ring, please! she begs. He's unsure; he isn't even supposed to be talking to her. She swears Barnabas will never know--it's valuable and will fetch him some nice money. Besides, if he takes it, it will help her a great deal, by aiding her in forgetting her past, which the ring represents.
Willie happily accepts the pretty offering, grinning the way jewels always make him do. Maggie grins, too, in hope and abject fear.
Willie catches David heading upstairs to Josette's room. The kid was calling Josette, but got no response. He makes poor Willie's heart freeze by saying, "I know what you and Barnabas are doing here!" "WHAT?" asks Willie, shuddering. David hems and haws long enough to terrify Willie, but finally says they're trying to drive Josette from the house--well, he's not going to stand for it! Willie picks up David and bodily tosses him out the door. They exchange threats. David picks up a ring dropped in front of the door and tries to return it to Willie, but is ordered to go away. Shrugging, David pockets the ring and returns to Collinwood, where he tries to sidestep Vicki's questions about where he went.
She sees the ring in his hand and takes it from him. She tries to read the inscription in the ring, but can't make it out. Barnabas comes to visit, apologizing to David for Willie's poor hospitality. That's how Vicki learns David lied--again. Josette invited him, insists David. Barnabas sees the ring and asks to look at it. Oh, yes, says Barnabas, that was a piece of jewelry he'd given to Willie to sell--he appreciates its return, as it's quite valuable.
Maggie paces her prison, hoping against hope that her bait came to a happy fruition. Barnabas comes to her cell, where she hastily opens the music box and pretends to joyously listen to the melody. He praises her for her new show of cooperation, then cruelly lowers the boom: her ring was found, but he's going to keep it.
She did better this time, but her efforts still didn't succeed. As he leaves her, she retreats back into the cell, sobbing with frustration, and angrily slams the music box closed.
NOTES: Given that Barnabas has now set his sights on Vicki, it's odd that he's still willing to give Maggie a chance to become his Josette. Surely he must know by now how hopeless that is. She did her best to alert someone to her plight, but it figures that Barnabas would end up in possession of her ring after all-and all because Willie tossed out David and didn't listen to him when he tried to tell him he'd found the ring. Always messing up, aren't you, Willie, because now you've lost the chance to sell a piece of jewelry and make some money, but Barnabas has to know it was you who had the ring originally. Another beating is in your future, Willie, and we don't need a 1-800 psychic to know it!
Episode #254 - A clear night sky scattered with stars hangs high over Collinwood-a warm wind sends the scent of the sea into the open windows. And an almost unearthly calm pervades the night air. No cloud is seen, no storm is promised-but the storms within the human spirit continue to rage. Child is turned against parent. And rebellion, with all its pain and anguish tears at the heart of both.
Mother and daughter fought over their respective boyfriends bitterly, as Carolyn essentially tells her mother that if SHE is going to marry trash in the form of Jason, hell, so is she (Buzz)--like mother, like daughter! After Carolyn stalks out, declaring she doesn't care about what happens to her, Liz begs Vicki to help her, but Vicki says the only thing that's going to change all this is if Liz decides not to marry Jason.
Liz insists she only wants to have some happiness, a life of her own, but she doesn't sound very convincing, and Vicki doesn't buy it. Liz loves Carolyn more than anything, but there doesn't seem to be a solution to this.
Jason insists on buying Willie a drink he doesn't want at the Blue Whale. McGuire tells Willie he's marrying Liz (to Willie's disbelief), and says that he's in the full flower of his manhood and is certainly ready to marry one woman, especially a rich one like Liz. However, Jason spotted Willie selling jewels at the local bank and is sure his old crony has something going on the side--he wants in! Willie demurs-he was selling the jewelry for Barnabas Collins,
but Jason says that once he becomes Liz' husband, he's damn well going to have his fingers in every available pie possible. He wants his piece of the action, and promises Willie he'll be around to collect! Willie urges Jason to back off.
Carolyn and Buzz enter the bar. Seeing Jason, Carolyn makes a comment about the bad smell in there. She's about to go when Jason and Willie head for the door. First, Jason and Carolyn trade a few insults, with Jason assuring the young couple that if they ever need paternal blessing. . .
Buzz doesn't find the Blue Whale active enough for his restless soul, but he does enjoy watching Carolyn drunkenly dance for a few moments. He wants to ride, baby! As they're about to leave, they see Joe come in. Carolyn asks Buzz to wait outside for her and drunkenly approaches Joe at the bar to tell him how sorry she is about Maggie. He doesn't want to discuss Maggie, but he does raise an eyebrow at her latest main squeeze. Carolyn knows Buzz is as much fun as a bagful of spiders, as Joe poetically puts it, but she doesn't care.
Joe makes her aware that he knows this is just a temper tantrum aimed at Liz' marriage plans. He offers her a beer, and she seems eager to join him, but Buzz comes back in, impatiently looking for her. His bike is getting cold! Whines Buzz. She stands for a moment, torn between her old and new boyfriend, and almost regretfully leaves with Buzz as Joe looks on sadly.
Jason tells Liz he spoke to her lawyer--they can get married in two weeks! To her, that's too soon, to him, not soon enough. Drunk and laughing, Carolyn and Buzz come in. Jason tells them about the upcoming nuptials and Carolyn seems to throw off her drunken state as she mutters, "That soon? " Then she turns to Buzz and says, "They're going to be married!"
Liz tries to send Carolyn up to her room, but Carolyn hugs Buzz and says THEY should get married on the very same date! Yes! They'll be the other bride and groom! Liz and Jason look on in horror as Buzz agrees to go ahead with Carolyn's insane scheme.
NOTES: It's obvious Carolyn is just doing this to upset Liz, and hopefully forestall or postpone the wedding. If she can't do it with logic, she'll do it by ruining her own life! Joe got it right when he told Carolyn she's just having a tantrum because of her mother's plans, but Carolyn is getting too old for this kind of manipulation, and should just cut it out.
Funny how shocked Willie is that Jason is willing to settle down with one woman-of course, this is a rich woman, and Jason probably figures he can fool around on the side plus collect a generous allowance as he continues to blackmail Liz. If anyone probably knows how unlikely a husband Jason would make, it's Willie. Lord knows what these two have done in various ports along the way!
Love, Robin
