676 - (Clarice Blackburn) - Late afternoon at Collinwood. The great house is peaceful and quiet, and those inside know nothing of an arrangement being made on another part of the estate.
Barnabas leads Chris to the mausoleum, asking him if he has any memory of what takes place after the transformation. No, says Chris, and that's the most agonizing part of the whole thing. Did you know you attacked me just the other night? Asks Barnabas. I suspected as much when you came to the cottage next morning--I saw you were hurt. I fought you off with this, says Barnabas, holding up the cane--it's the only thing that can destroy you in your other form. They enter the mausoleum. You promised to take me someplace I couldn't get out of, Chris reminds him. "I did" Barnabas assures him. Looking around, Chris advises, kill me tonight--the gate won't hold me after the transformation. But this door will, says Barnabas, opening the secret panel, showing Chris the room with the coffin.
Barnabas tells him this room was originally a storage room for ammunition during the Revolutionary War. When Chris asks how he knows about it, Barnabas replies, "I am a Collins, I know a great deal about my family history," as though that's more than enough explanation. (I loved the grand way he said it, too.) Chris points to the coffin--it must have had other uses after the war, he observes. "Yes," says Barnabas, but doesn't elaborate. The coffin is empty, says Barnabas, but I don't know where the body is. Do you know and just don't want to tell me? asks Chris (sharp guy). Barnabas suavely changes the subject to the reason they are here. Why are we here? asks Chris. To prevent you from doing further violence this night, replies Barn. Why are you helping me? Chris asks gently. Barnabas softly responds, "Because I want to help you." Chris feels there must be more of a reason why he's willing to take the risk. Because I know you aren't responsible for what you do after the transformation, Barn answers. Will you bring me here for every full moon? Asks Chris. Yes, Barnabas tells him--until we can find a cure for your condition. That's a waste of time, insists Chris--the first transformation happened seven years ago--there's no time left to tell you more. Barnabas assures him there's still time--I need to know more about you to help you, insists Barnabas, so talk now. You aren't safe here with me, objects Chris, but Barnabas points out the silver wolf head on the cane again. Chris says, "It was just a few days past my 21st birthday. I'd just graduated college, was going to be an architect. Oh, I was going to be an architect to be reckoned with, bold, imaginative, revolutionary. I thought nothing could stand in my way. But something did, something I thought happened only in fiction. Suddenly I began to feel a great pain all over my body. It began to increase, I was terrified out of my mind. All of a sudden, it stopped, but then I got the most shocking thing that ever happened to me in my life. I looked down, and my hands, my hands had begun to grow hair, all over them! I looked in the mirror and there was hair growing all over my face, too!"
I blacked out, and next morning, I woke up and was myself--I thought it just a nightmare, until I looked around and saw the evidence I've seen a hundred times since then--muddy tracks on the floor, clothing torn, furniture turned over, and always the news someone had been attacked and often killed by a vicious animal--and I knew the animal was ME! Barnabas assures him tomorrow morning will be better for him, but Chris shouts, "How can you be sure that even this place is going to hold me?" Foot-thick granite walls will do it, Barnabas assures him--I'll lock you in--I didn't show you how to open the door from the inside. The pains begin. Chris pleads with Barnabas to get out--for your own sake--it will happen in a few minutes. Barnabas wants to help him, but Chris says to just close the door, close it good, and pray that I can't get out of this place. Barnabas promises to return for him in the morning. Chris grunts with pain, and Barnabas pulls the ring in the lion's mouth, closing Chris in the secret room. He stares up at the moon.
David, wearing a suit and tie, finds Amy outside gazing at the moon, too. He tells her it's dinnertime. She says she's been out here a few minutes, looking at the moon-- sometimes it scares me, she says, I can't help it. You get scared of the funniest things, he comments urging her to come in the house.
Barnabas returns to the secret panel and listens. Chris' body has begun to change, and he leans against the coffin as the werewolf takes over his body. Barnabas hears the creature's growls, dips down his head, and appears to pray.
David and Amy play War with the cards on the drawing room floor. Mrs. Johnson comes in and nervously appraises them. She straightens up the place a bit. They keep staring at her, unnerving the poor housekeeper. She asks why they're staring at her. Just watching you work, says David innocently. We're tired of playing cards, says Amy. Mrs. Johnson suggests they go to bed. Maggie is coming to get us when it's bedtime, they tell her. David encourages her to keep working. She moves to another part of the room; they continue staring at her. You look pale, remarks Amy. I'm fine, Mrs. Johnson snaps. You ARE angry, says David--why? Amy asks if she did something wrong. Mrs. J accuses them of being up to something. David denies it. Neither of you are innocent babes in the woods, she says. You're still frightened of that man, says David. What man? asks Amy. The one Mrs. Johnson thought she saw in the cottage, says David. Mrs. Johnson insists she DID see the man. We didn't, agree the kids. David figures the man went away, no one else ever saw him. Only Mrs. Johnson, says Amy insinuatingly. The housekeeper orders them upstairs. They reluctantly leave, bidding her good night--"and pleasant dreams." The children exchange knowing smiles as they head upstairs.
Barnabas enters. Mrs. Johnson drops a glass on the floor and tells Barnabas she wishes he'd gotten there a few minutes earlier--the kids are trying to drive me crazy! Barnabas encourages her to sit on the sofa and calm down. He asks what the children did. She doubts he'll believe her, think she's crazy, but she caught the kids playing dress-up in a deserted servant's room, speaking strangely to each other. She ordered them to bed and thought that the end of it, but the next night, she saw the strange man down at the cottage--the door was locked from the outside, and I was sure the man was going to kill me--the look in his eyes--narrow, so evil!--very tall, long sideburns, wearing an old fashioned frock coat--when Maggie and the children arrived, the man disappeared.
Mrs. Johnson is convinced the children are responsible for that man's appearance--when she found them playing dress-up, David was wearing the same kind of clothing that man had been. Barnabas assures her he doesn't feel she's lost her mind, but asks to hear more.
The kids go to the West Wing, into Quentin's room. Quentin waits for them, and they greet him eagerly. Amy asks for Beth. The cradle is gone, too. Are you angry with us, Quentin? They ask. David turns to Amy and says, in an adult-like manner, "No, it's not that, Amy. Quentin wants to talk to me alone." Amy agrees to wait in the storage room. David says Quentin wants her to wait downstairs. Hurt, she looks at Quentin, then runs out. The music begins to play. Quentin conveys his message to David, an evil smile on his face.
David asks, what do you want me to do? Quentin sits down in a chair.
Amy goes downstairs. Barnabas asks to speak to her. She keeps looking behind her. Barnabas comments, you don't seem yourself. I'm fine, she assures him. He questions her about the man in the cottage, explaining that Mrs. Johnson was too frightened to describe him clearly. Amy says she never saw the man that night at all--she's quite sure. Barnabas wonders if David saw him. No, says Amy, he'd have told me if he had--he tells me everything, never keeps a secret from me, says Amy, unconvincingly. Barnabas notes this. She asks why he's anxious to find out about the man Mrs. J saw. I'm concerned about a total stranger wandering the estate, answers Barn.
Perhaps Mrs. Johnson only thought she saw a man, says Amy--I don't know if it was real or imagined. Barnabas asks why she keeps checking the hall. I'm waiting for David, she says, apologizing for not being able to tell him more--but if Mrs. Johnson DID see a man, he's far away by now. We'll hope so, says Barnabas. He bids her goodnight, squeezing her shoulder.
David asks Quentin where the bottle is. The ghost rises from the chair and directs David to a rolltop desk, which opens by itself. David opens a drawer and finds a bottle with white powder in it--strychnine. That's poison! David realizes. David insists, I can't do it--Chris is Amy's brother, he can't do anything to hurt you!--I don't understand why you want me to, Chris has never hurt you--it's wrong, and I won't do it. David runs from the room, leaving Quentin's ghost infuriated. Amy diddles the piano keys, then looks out at the moon. David joins her. She chides him--it took you long enough. Quentin had something important to tell me, says David, claiming not to know why he didn't want Amy to hear. Are we playing the game tonight? She asks. No, we aren't playing anything, says David. What's wrong? Asks Amy. Nothing, says David, but he doesn't believe himself. Quentin takes the bottle of poison into his hand and looks at it, his face twisted in an ugly frown.
NOTES: I LOVE the way Barnabas wants to help Chris--giving him an alibi, locking him away so he couldn't hurt anyone else. If he'd only had one quarter of that compassion for Adam, the big fella might have turned out OK.
Chris' sad, angry explanation of how he first became a werewolf shines as one of Briscoe's finest performances.
Why would Quentin want to kill Chris, who we at least suspect must be an ancestor by now? This part of the story really puzzles me.
Once again, a sterling performance from Clarice Blackburn. She's so much fun, being a plaything for the kids, and so earnest in telling Barnabas her concerns and fears. He's great with her and with Amy. They bring out the best in Frid here.
Very enjoyable episode.
677 - (Grayson Hall) - The dawn of a new day at Collinwood. Most of those who live in the great house are still asleep. But for Barnabas Collins, there can be no sleep until he learns what happened the night before in the family mausoleum at Eagle Hill Cemetery. There, a young man, afflicted by a curse that transforms him from man to beast, has spent the night locked in a secret room.
Barnabas enters the tomb to check on Chris. His coffin has been overturned, the insides ripped to shreds. At first, he can't find Chris, but finally spots him huddled in a corner and wakes him up. Chris is startled. Fortunately, it's apparent nothing bad happened--Chris didn't kill anyone. Their plan worked--Chris stayed in the room all night. Barnabas helps him out of the mausoleum, saying, we'll go back to your cottage and work out the next plan. Chris, his sweater actually intact, seems relieved.
Julia is waiting in the cottage, a smoldering cigarette in the ashtray. She tosses the newspaper onto a chair and dials the phone with a gloved hand. Heading back to the cottage, Barnabas asks Chris about tonight. It will depend on whether or not there's a full moon, says Chris. If so, I will have to lock you up again, says Barn. You must stop me from killing, says Chris. . .and they walk into the cottage. Julia hears the word "killing". Barnabas demands to know how long she's been waiting there. Since dawn, she says, putting down the phone--I know your secret, she tells Chris. Barnabas assures the young man no one else knows besides the two of them. Julia assures him she hasn't told anyone, nor does she intend to--I'm willing to try to help you, but decided so reluctantly--I feel helping you is dangerous.
Chris tells Barnabas, you should have listened to her, she's right. I've made my decision, says Barnabas and will follow through. Chris asks what they will do. We must wait one more night, says Barnabas. Julia doesn't understand why it might happen again. Barnabas explains that the phase can be anywhere from one to four nights, but no longer. Chris, however, fears it might. Julia asks if he knows how it happened. It just did, explains Chris. Barnabas promises Julia to reveal Chris' whole history to her. Chris thanks them for what they're trying to do; he just wishes he could be optimistic about the results. Barnabas encourages him; by being confined to the tomb, at least his violence was contained, a big step forward. Chris agrees. Julia will begin testing his blood tomorrow to see if it relates to the transformation. Chris is cautiously hopeful. Barnabas promises to come back for him before sundown. I'll see you tomorrow, Chris, says Julia. After they leave, Chris takes a drink, sits down and reads about his handiwork in the newspaper. David comes to the cottage. You're all right! he says to Chris--I thought I saw someone sneaking from the cottage. Barnabas and Julia were just visiting me, says Chris. I always get up really early, says David, praising the appearance of the cottage--I think it will do Amy good to have you around--are you serious about Carolyn? David babbles on that Carolyn serious about you, I can always tell those things with Carolyn. Let's not pry into any of each other's affairs, OK? Asks Chris, amused.
David agrees, then asks if Chris is coming to work on the estate. Carolyn offered me a job, says Chris--I'm considering it--are there anymore questions, your honor?--how about a soda? (David seems like a nice little boy, not possessed here.) After they leave the room, the cottage door opens by itself, then closes. Someone pulls the stopper off the booze bottle; the strychnine is poured in by an unseen hand.
Chris tells David he prefers carbonated grape soda, and asks the boy to "split" after he finishes his soda--I was up all night. Why? asks David. Chris reminds him of his promise not to interfere. Why were you up all night? asks David. (can't take a hunt, huh?) I couldn't sleep, says Chris. David asks, were you worried?--maybe you should see a doctor. Chris, finding David's intrusion amusing and annoying, tells him, you're done with your soda, now please go. They part affably. Chris goes into his bedroom, unaware of the deadly addition to his decanter.
Amy, jump rope in hand, meets David when he returns to Collinwood. He tells her he went hiking. She wishes he'd awakened her so she could go with him. Amy thinks he's angry at her--you've been different since last night, when you said you didn't want to play the game. You're imagining it, insists David. You've stopped being friendly, says Amy--why? He calls her questions stupid and tells her to go ask Quentin if she wants answers. I did, last night in the West Wing, says Amy--but he wasn't forthcoming, either.
At the cottage, it's nearing 6:30. Barnabas asks Chris how he feels. I wish you'd stop asking me that, complains Chris. Barnabas apologizes--the sun is going down, and moon will rise shortly. Chris is obviously relieved; there won't be a transformation tonight--I always start feeling pain as the sun hits the horizon, and I don't feel it now--I've been through it so many times, I know every phase of it. I can imagine how relieved you are, says Barn.
I got some rest, says Chris, but on days like this, I can never really rest for all the tension and anxiety. I understand that, says Barnabas. I feel better knowing nothing is going to happen, says Chris--I want to celebrate with a Drink. Barnabas refuses the offer--I want to go tell Julia what has transpired. Next month will be more of the same, Chris reminds him, at least one other night of the same. A lot can happen in a month, says Barnabas, but Chris isn't so optimistic. We will try, Barnabas assures him. Chris thanks him--you're a good man, Barnabas. There are those who didn't think so, says Barnabas ruefully. They're wrong, insists Chris, and sees him to the door. Chris helps himself to a drink, then looks outside, contemplating how short a month can be. He swallows the contents of his glass.
To his horror, Chris is suddenly stricken with pains similar to what he experiences prior to transformation. This can't be happening! he tells himself. "God help me!" he groans, doubling over.
Barnabas returns to Collinwood. Julia meets him in the foyer and tells him she has been reading THE LYCANTHROPE OF ANGIERS--I figure I should do some werewolf research, she explains, before I begin working on Chris--I have learned there are two schools of thought on werewolves--that a man becomes a wolf, or that it's a mental disease, and he only behaves like a wolf. We know it's not the latter with Chris, says Barnabas--we've seen the animal he becomes. Julia has found two ways someone becomes a werewolf--if bitten by another werewolf and survives, or if part of a curse. It must be a curse, says Barn--Chris would surely have known if he was bitten. Julia takes the book to continue studying before bed, and bids Barnabas good night.
Chris, overtaken by pain, stumbles around the cottage, finally collapsing to the floor. He grabs the phone and pulls it down beside him, falling unconscious.
In her room, Julia is trying to get some sleep, but awakens to the sound of a woman sobbing heartbrokenly. Julia sits up, demanding, "Who's in this room?" She sees the ethereal Beth drift from the corner of her room. Julia puts on a robe and follows the ghostly woman.
Barnabas spots Beth leaving the house and at first thinks it's. He follows her outside. Julia joins him and explains that the woman was in her room. Neither knows who she is, but they see her at the edge of the woods, on the path to Chris' cottage.
Chris lies on the floor, the buzzing phone near his hand. Beth comes in, kneels, touches Chris' chest, sobbing over him. Barnabas and Julia have seen her go in, but when they enter the cottage, Beth has disappeared. Julia takes Chris' pulse.
He's dying! Julia exclaims. She and Barnabas stare at each other, horrified.
NOTES: Yes, you're a good man, Barnabas Collins, and you're pretty great, too, Julia. This is the beginning of their heroic efforts to help Chris and save the Collins family from evil. This new storyline is the favorite of many DS fans, for excellent reasons.
Will Chris die as a result of the poison mysteriously slipped into his booze? Was it Quentin who did it? I thought he couldn't leave the room. If so, why didn't he just do it in the first place, instead of trying to make David do it? Surely he knows David, unpossessed, wouldn't do anything to harm Amy's brother.Can we assume, then, that David, possessed by Quentin, did put the poison in the drink, or did someone else do it? And why? What's his beef against Chris?
We have some fascinating mysteries here, and it's going to be fun unraveling them.
Love, Robin
