339 - (Joan Bennett) - Upon this night, there is one who knows a desperation that mounts with each passing moment. For there is a man who suspects his dangerous secret-and before this night is over, he may be exposed and destroyed.
Julia admits to Barnabas that she's frightened. Woodard knows she's conducting experiments on Barnabas (this horrifies the vampire),
but she had to tell him something, since he had that list of supplies! She told Dave Barnabas has a rare blood disease she's treating him for, and he wants it kept secret so his family doesn't know. However, Julia says Dave acts like he's onto something, and she fears it could be their mutual end. Barnabas is highly disturbed to hear this and suggests she could have been more intelligent in ordering the supplies. He again insists she burn her notes, but she again refuses; Dave doesn't know they even exist! Julia explains to Barnabas that Dave believed she remained at Collinwood even after Willie's capture because she cares for Barnabas. The latter expresses incredulity that Woodard would believe such absurdity, but Julia, obviously hurt, says she doesn't find that so preposterous. He starts to ask her more, but decides against it and again returns to demanding she destroy her notes. Julia insists it isn't necessary.
Mrs. Johnson, comments to Woodard, who has stopped by Collinwood, that Julia goes out every night. He tricks her into revealing which upstairs bedroom is Julia's, mutters that many questions could be answered that night, then heads upstairs to search.
Roger and Liz argue in the foyer over Liz' offer to Burke and Vicki of the West Wing. He won't tolerate it, Roger shouts, but Liz tells him, crisply, that it's her house and to hell with what he wants. Mrs. Johnson tells them that Woodard is upstairs with David.
When Julia keeps insisting she needs her notes, Barnabas says they're going to Collinwood right now to destroy them--no argument! She offers to bring it back to the Old House, but he wants to check out the lock to make sure it wasn't tampered with. Julia expresses awe over his show of fear; she didn't think he could feel any emotion, not even fear. Barn just hustles her out the door, not wanting to get involved in that touchy discussion, either.
Woodard searches through Julia's clothes (burn 'em, doc!), and accidentally knocks something over. Mrs. Johnson, dusting in the outside hallway, hears something drop and opens the door to Julia's room. Woodard has cleverly hidden himself behind the door and Mrs. J can't see him. She looks over the room, sees no one is there, and goes away, causing Woodard to heave a sigh of relief.
Back down in the drawing room, Roger berates Liz and suggests she turn Collinwood into a hotel. Liz says he must accept her decision. Barnabas and Julia come in and try to sneak upstairs, but Roger spots them and complains to them about Liz' plans. They explain they were going to check out some altered architecture in the West Wing (great excuse)! Barnabas seems to think it's all right, since it means Vicki will stay (the lost look that passes over Julia's face right then really got me) for poor David, of course. Roger blathers on about how he's sure Burke would LOVE to live at Collinwood. Woodard finds Julia's strongbox on top of her armoire, takes it down, puts it on the desk, finds it locked and jimmies the lock open.
He finds the key in the box, opens the diary, glances at some of the pages and his eyes widen with astonishment. Wow! He pockets the journal (one of those cheap diaries with the even cheaper lock), replaces the strongbox on top of the armoire and hurriedly leaves the room.
Barnabas tells Roger he refuses to go against Liz' wishes in the matter of Vicki and Burke staying in the West Wing. They all see Dave heading downstairs, and Roger calls out to him, wanting a word with him, but the agitated Woodard says he has to go, and does. Freed from the family conference, Julia and Barnabas hasten upstairs, only to find the worst has happened
--the strongbox has been pried open and the journal is gone!
NOTES: Woodard wasn't as bad today as he was in the previous days, but this storyline has lost its resonance with the unfortunate replacement of Gerringer. Too bad for us.
340 - (Grayson Hall) - This is to be a night of violence and sudden death, for one who stalks the night to destroy has become the hunted. Someone has come perilously close to learning his dangerous secret, and he is beginning to realize that he must kill once again in order to protect himself.
RIP, Dave Woodard. Barnabas digs the knife into Julia's heart and twists it around and around today. He was just so heartbreakingly nasty!
Collinwood, Julia's room - Barnabas tells Julia Woodard must die--and SHE must help him do it! When she steadfastly refuses to kill her friend (or former friend, as Barnabas so cruelly points out), the vampire promises Woodard an agonizing slow death at his own hands. Which way does Julia want it? He reminds her that she is already an accessory to murder because she protected him, and thus shares his acts of violence. If she helps him kill Woodard, she can turn it into a mercy killing. Agony etched all over her face, she painfully admits she has a drug that can provide what will appear to be a heart attack--and a painless death for Dave. He taunts her--he's pleased she's finally proving to be of use to him (low blow!)
and she wishes she hadn't told him. She's a doctor, she shouldn't be administering death! He orders her to come along, and reluctantly, dragging her feet, she does.
Woodard goes into his office, locks his door, closes his shade and begins to read Julia's journal. He's clearly shocked. Sam stops by for a prescription for Maggie and Dave nearly tosses him out of his office in his haste to get back to the journal. Sam notes how jittery Dave is, and the latter explains that this is a very special night, but can't be more specific. Dave asks Sam to leave, then bends his head over the journal again.
Drawing room, Old House - Julia fills a hypo with blue fluid, hands shaking. She tells Barnabas death will be instantaneous and hands him the shot. Oh, no,
SHE'S going to give the shot, he informs her, seeming to enjoy saying cruel things to shock her. No, she says, she can't commit murder, can't, and WON'T! Dave is her friend. WAS, Barn reminds her, now he's a threat. Well, he'll do it then. Julia, miserable, suggests asking Dave to cooperate with them, with her experiments and the hope it will give medical science. Barnabas seems amused at this suggestion, calling her naive, but agrees to let her try. He orders her to take the filled hypo along--she may find it useful.
An astounded Dave finishes the journal. He calls Sheriff Patterson's office and leaves a message that he's coming right over there. Julia arrives at his office. He admits to overhearing her conversation with Barnabas, and says he's read the entire notebook. He speaks contemptuously. He knows what Barnabas is, knows everything. He's planning on going to the police and refuses to listen to what she has to say. She observes him through slitted eyes, listening to him rant and accuse her:
She protected Barnabas, sacrificed lives! Yes, for the sake of her experiments, for knowledge, she pleads. There's no excuse insists Dave. They fight for the phone as he tries to call out again, but he decides to go to the sheriff himself, right now. Julia begs him to blame her, then tells him Barnabas is waiting out there in the dark and will kill him--he won't make it to the sheriff's office. All Woodard knows is that he wants to see Barnabas destroyed. They both hear squeaking at the window, then see a bat hovering outside. Woodard's eyes seem about to bolt from his head as Barnabas appears right in front of them. Woodard woodenly says he had hoped it was a nightmare.
Barnabas retorts: "Consider it a dream from which you never will awaken."
NOTES: An episode rarely gets colder than this. Frid is in such fine form, he deserved an Emmy. It's hard to believe Barnabas will really kill this good doctor; Jason McGuire deserved it, but Dave doesn't, not beyond his knowledge of Barnabas' true character. So sad!
Love, Robin
