299 - (Alexandra Moltke) - It is nighttime at Collinwood, and a balmy breeze blows in from the sea--all seems peaceful and serene, as if a once-turbulent world had reached some final peace--as if there is no terror in this night. But the seemingly serene darkness only serves to hide forces of terror and destruction.
Barnabas walks up behind Vicki in the terrace and reaches out to caress her cheek. His touch startles her, and he apologizes for frightening her. Nighttime is more peaceful than day, opines Barnabas. Would you enjoy a life spent entirely in moonlight? He queries, and she responds that she might. He asks her to the Old House to look over some family albums he found, but Vicki refuses--I have dates with Burke, both tonight and tomorrow, she says. You are Burke are seeing a great deal of each other, says Barnabas. Julia joins them, interrupting their discussion. Vicki excuses herself, but before she goes, she thanks Barnabas for his invitation and says she'd like to look over those albums some other time. After Vicki has gone, Julia warns Barnabas to leave the girl alone--I'll expose you if you don't cooperate.
Barnabas doesn't believe her threats, and assures her that he and Vicki are only friends. Vicki is in love with Burke, states Julia emphatically, but Barnabas says he finds it hard to accept that a sensitive girl like Vicki could love a crude man like Burke. Julia repeats her warning, and Barnabas says he understands. He leaves. Julia goes to the fountain and lights a cigarette.
Vicki's room - As Vicki lays out a couple of dresses on the bed, Julia knocks at her door. Julia helps Vicki choose a dress for her date with Burke. Vicki and Julia agree to call each other by their first names. Barnabas is attracted to you, states Julia, and it would hurt him less if you avoided becoming closer to him.
Vicki can't believe that Barnabas considers her more than just a friend.
Later, Vicki and Burke have returned from their date and talk. Burke tells her about his father, who abandoned his family when Burke was nine. Vicki reminisces about a nurse at the foundling home, Ina O'Donnell, who gave her a doll that she's kept to this day. Burke becomes romantic, telling Vicki he knows how he feels about her--and that she feels the same way about him. The embrace and smooch. Burke, very happy, tells her that one little governess undermined his plan for revenge against the Collins family.
Unknown to Vicki and Burke, Barnabas watches them from behind the gate.
In the foyer, Burke and Vicki embrace and bid each other good night. Julia walks in and offers apologizes for interrupting them; she was returning a book to the library. Burke tells Julia he'd like to speak to her, and Vicki heads off to bed.
In the drawing room, Burke informs Julia that he doesn't want Vicki assisting her with her research anymore; it stimulates her obsession with the past--he wants Vicki to live in the present. (And who is he to demand this? Doesn't Vicki herself have a say?) Julia agrees completely with Burke, to his surprise,
and she assures him she'll do as he asks. She walks Burke to the front door, where they shake hands, and he departs.
Barnabas cautiously enters Vicki's room (through the door, not by materializing) as she lies asleep. He bends over the bed, then backs off and walks around her bed. He gazes at Vicki with longing, and opens the music box on her night table. He leaves through the door as the music box sweetly, insistently plays.
NOTES: This episode showed, for the first time, one of my favorite DS sets--the terrace with the working fountain. At the time, I figured DS was doing all right, if they could afford a fancy set like that.
So, Julia told Vicki to stay away from Barnabas, told Barnabas to stay away from Vicki, and told Burke she'll take Vicki off the historical detail, also keeping her away from the Old House. The woman has fallen in love with Barnabas already, this episode is the first sign!
300 - (Alexandra Moltke) - The afternoon sun that warmed the walls of Collinwood is disappearing beyond the horizon. Soon, night will fall. There is a terror in the lengthening shadows, but as yet it is unknown. No one at Collinwood senses the danger that awaits within the night.
(B and W kinescope) - Drawing room - When Vicki tells Julia she "dreamed" someone was in her room but suspects someone really WAS in her room because her music box was open, Julia realizes the wayward vampire ignored her orders to stay away from the pretty governess. To cover Barn's butt, she suggested that Vicki herself opened the music box.
Julia tells Liz her book is progressing well and she's talking to Barnabas again later. Liz tells Vicki that, barring complications, she'll sell Seaview to Burke, which pleases Vicki very much.
We learn that Barnabas has Willie spying on Vicki and Burke, and when his servant has the audacity to suggest Vicki loves Devlin, Barnabas, clearly furious, grabs his throat--oh no he doesn't!
Julia examines Barnabas. His cell structure is really changing, she says, pleased to hear his heartbeat is normal (he has a heartbeat?) While he admits to being skeptical about her experiments, he's now beginning to consider that he might even one day know life as a human being. What would that be like, he wonders. He'd be able to give and accept love, she says (hint, hint?) He WANTS to be happy, he says, and she MUST cure him! He tries to sidestep around her accusation that he paid Vicki a visit the night before, but he defensively claims he only wanted to LOOK at her.
Bull, says Julia, I know what you are and what you REALLY wanted. He doesn't like taking orders from her, but she says no Vicki if he wants a normal life. She expresses fear that she can't trust him, and he points out they must trust each other; they have no other choice. A really good scene.
Burke and Vicki kiss by the terrace (will someone please give these two lessons in kissing?) She tells him how happy she is that he's buying Seaview, but seems surprised when he says he wants it to be THEIR home. He professes his love and proposes marriage. She says she loves him, too, but marriage? She isn't sure. What about David and the rest of the Collinses? She asks for time to think, and he agrees, but reminds her how impatient he is. She muses on how her lifelong search for her identity will be over if she marries him. That's right, he says, she'll be Mrs. Burke Devlin (gag me, please)!
They share more insincere kisses as Willie watches from the gate.
Barnabas visits Liz, discusses his possible ship-building business, and is perturbed to learn she has agreed to sell Seaview to Burke, who, she is sure, has intentions of asking Vicki to marry him.
Barn wonders how Liz feels about that, and Liz says she only wants Vicki to be happy.
Willie nervously returns to the Old House, preceding Barnabas, who, when he comes in, wants to know what happened with Burke and Vicki. "You've lost her," insists Willie, who is sure the two will marry. Oh, no, says Barnabas, that's one wedding that will never take place: "There will be no marriage," vows Barnabas, "Devlin won't live to claim Miss Winters as his bride.
Burke Devlin must die!"
NOTES: There goes that murderous streak in our Barnabas again! If he's not throttling Julia, he's threatening to do away with someone else, and now Burke is his target! Rather than woo Vicki away from Burke, Barnabas will simply destroy his rival! You've got to admire a guy who can get what he wants with little behind him but murderous intent!
I can't stand Burke at this point. His telling Vicki that when she marries him she'll be Mrs. Burke Devlin perpetually pisses me off. She wants to know who SHE is, not turn herself into Mrs. HIM!
Here Julia seems to be hoping that Barnabas will eventually want to be human for HER, but whether or not that will happen seems highly uncertain. She already knows Vicki's the one he wants, but is trying her damndest to keep them apart, all in the guise of protecting Vicki from the vampire. He had his chance to make her his earlier, and didn't take it, which tells me he is hoping to win her as a human male.
They always kept it interesting on DS!
Love, Robin
