724 - (Thayer David) - The great house at Collinwood stands deserted. A ghost walks the silent rooms, waiting for a possessed child to die. But Barnabas Collins, determined to thwart the spirit, finds himself back in the year 1897. And Barnabas discovers his presence there changes the history he knows happened. For Quentin, killed and buried, has risen from his grave, a robot following the orders of the vengeful Angelique.
Quentin carries Rachel's limp body through the woods.
Old House - Magda encourages Sandor to eat his soup before Barnabas rises. She complains she doesn't like what's happened to him since Barnabas showed up--he doesn't throw the knives like he used to, he doesn't complain. "I like my soup hot," complains Sandor. "Then get up earlier," she retorts as he spoons up his soup. He doesn't even talk of going on the walk in the spring, bitches Magda. Sandor's magic elixir doesn't seem so magic now, he says. No, it's Barnabas Collins, she says sarcastically--I should have read it in your palm. "Don't tell me you read his palm too!" says Barnabas, stepping into the conversation--I thought it a trick for strangers, and to frighten little girls. Magda starts to leave, but Sandor grabs her and tells her not to. Sandor won't help you, says Barn, and you know why--I'm glad you remember--it will keep you in line--go to Rachel's room--I'm afraid for her, and my presence has caused a spell to be cast. You bring trouble wherever you are, Magda slings at him. I'm not that callous, insists Barn, I want no harm to come to Rachel. What is the spell? she asks. You don't need to know that, insists Barn. I won't go! Says Magda. You must, says Barn--Quentin is buried and Rachel may be summoned to the grave--a ridiculous trick Angelique will like--tell Rachel I sent you, he commands her, and tell her that she isn't to leave the room and no one will get in there--report to me at dusk. Payment, says Magda. My gratitude, says Barn. Not enough, says Magda. Sandor rises from his soup and tries to intervene. "He is under your control, not mine!" snaps Magda. Barn reminds her, I can easily change that. Sandor begs his wife to go--do as he says. Furious, she leaves. Sandor assures Barn his wife doesn't mean to sound as she does, but Magda hates orders. Barn asks Sandor if he's heard of a zombie. Sandor crosses himself and asks, is your enemy THAT evil?--has she done that to Quentin?
If he's buried. . .begins Barn. He will be back, says Sandor firmly--his body isn't in his control, and can't rest until she lets him. Then we must break Angelique's control over him, insists Barnabas--surely you know how. Sandor shakes his head--I know the legends--Quentin's body wants the grave, want to escape from the power, it wants to lie in peace, but it can't.
Quentin brings Rachel to his open burial plot. He lays her down and she awakens, begins to scream. He covers her mouth, trying to silence her; they struggle. His open coffin awaits. . .who?
Old House basement - Barnabas laments to Sandor, my coffin is my prison, and on this, of all mornings, I would like to see the dawn most of all--Rachel may need me. Sandor asks what will happen if his enemy sends Quentin to him with a stake. No, says Barnabas, she won't do that yet, she will tease me, prolong it, make me realize how little power I have--without me to torment, she would be lost. Magda joins them. Barnabas is furious with her--I told you not to leave Rachel! She's gone, says Magda. Barnabas is horrified. Her bed hadn't been slept in, adds Magda. Barnabas explains that Quentin, now a zombie, has risen. She gasps and crosses herself as Sandor did (and does again). Sandor asks Barn if his enemy could have drawn her to the cemetery. Barnabas asks, is there time for me to get there? Magda and Sandor tell him no way--it's almost light now. Barnabas orders Sandor to go check Quentin's grave. No, says Magda, what if he has risen?--we know the strength of zombies! Harshly, Barnabas replies, "Just as he knows the power of a vampire, Madame." Magda's lips tremble as she eyes Barnabas over his coffin. A cock crows; he opens his coffin. Magda watches Barnabas climb in, her lower lip still trembling. She touches the closed coffin and mouths a silent epithet, looking as if she wishes she had the nerve to destroy him.
Quentin and Rachel struggle at his grave site, Rachel screaming shrilly. He renders her unconscious, lifts her, places her in his open coffin. Sandor watches from behind some bushes and takes out his sword, then goes over and shows himself to Quentin, touching his back to attract his attention. Quentin rises to go after this new threat. Sandor calls to Rachel to get out. She climbs from the coffin, but Quentin goes back to get her, Sandor following him. Quentin knocks Sandor unconscious and goes after Rachel.
Magda paces outside the Old House. A breathless Rachel comes running up and tells her Sandor is all right--Quentin came after me, but I lost him in the woods. Magda leads the hysterical Rachel into the house. I can't understand, cries Rachel--he said it was over, Quentin was dead--I have to tell all this to Barnabas. No, says Magda, Barnabas isn't here, he had to go to Bangor. Leave, says Magda--I must go to Sandor. Rachel accuses her of lying--I saw Barnabas not more than half an hour ago and he said nothing about going to Bangor.
Someone was waiting here for him, lies Magda, most urgent, and he had to go suddenly. This really upsets Rachel, who insists it makes no sense. Sandor returns; his wife calls him a hero. I'm all right, he assures her. She hugs him, calling him her big fat old hero. He tells her to shut up--I can't hit you because my arm is too sore. Magda clings to him, calling him a brave, foolish man for fighting a zombie. He grins. Rachel thanks him for his bravery. He gallantly kisses her hand; he doesn't like to see a beautiful lady buried before her time. Magda chastises him that he could have been killed. At least that would have made you cry, says Sandor, asking for hot water for his hurt arm. Now I have to nurse you, she mock-complains--better the zombie should have finished you. When she leaves to get the water, Sandor advises Rachel to try to forget. How can I? she asks--how did you know to come there? Barnabas, he says, he sent Magda to stay with you at Collinwood, because he was afraid this would happen. And yet he left? wonders Rachel. He couldn't help it, says Sandor, he didn't want to go. Rachel still doesn't understand--how can a man be dead and yet walk?--you know, don't you? she asks Sandor--I used to believe in one set of rules--a man lives and a man dies, and anything else was fantasy.
There has to be truth to make a story, says Sandor. Should I believe in ghosts, witches, werewolves? asks Rachel angrily (and vampires, honey, don't forget them)! Sandor says, I do. While I'm intrigued by fantasy, says Rachel, this is reality and there must be some explanation--Quentin can't be dead--but why does he look as he does?--why doesn't he speak?--such cold eyes!--what will I do?--if he is after me, why?--what will I do? Sandor has no answer.
Old House - Magda lights candles in the drawing room. It's time for Barnabas to awaken. Sandor looks out the window and shows her that Quentin is outside. Lock the door, she says. He's come for Barnabas, says Sandor, and locking the door won't stop him. Quentin approaches the door and tries the handle. Magda and Sandor cling together, wondering where they can go. Quentin pushes the doors in as if the lock wasn't there, entering the house. Sandor grapples with the zombie; Quentin pushes the gypsy to the door. Quentin shoves his way into the basement and heads downstairs. Sandor rushes to protect Barnabas, but Magda, face filled with satisfaction, closes and locks the door, fighting him off. "I won't let you stop him!" cries Magda. "I must!" cries Sandor, trying to get into the basement. "He will kill you!" shouts Magda. Give me the key! demands Sandor. Magda runs out the front door, Sandor chasing after her. Down in the basement, Barnabas rises and sits up. Quentin is sitting behind his coffin in a chair, so when Barnabas shuts his coffin, his first view is of the zombie. "Quentin, you cannot hurt me, you know that, too, don't you, Quentin?" asks Barnabas. Sandor comes racing downstairs, protesting, I couldn't stop him! Angelique sent him there to taunt me, show me her power, says Barnabas--go to the attic and find a very old trunk. Sandor assures him, we didn't take anything from it, I swear! Good, says Barnabas, find a packet of letters addressed to Jeremiah, that I put there--go find them. To Quentin, he says, "Since Angelique sent you here, let us make the best possible use of you." Quentin sits, eyes so wide you expect his eyeballs to pop right out.
Barnabas, Magda beside him, glances through a letter he found in a small trunk--I should have remembered these before, says Barn--Sandor, arrange the chairs in a circle around Quentin. Magda grins, wondering what black magic he's going to do now. Barnabas tells her it isn't black magic--it's white magic. Are you capable of doing it? she asks. I'm capable of trying, replies Barnabas--the chairs must be separated so the spirit can enter the circle--Quentin's spirit. Sarcastically, she asks if it's simply floating around the room, waiting for the path to him? Barnabas tells her the spirit is in the body of a boy, Jamison. And there it will stay, insists Magda. Barnabas is annoyed at her cynicism and says, I wouldn't allow you here, except I need three of us (the power of three?). Magda asks if he wants her to wake Rachel. "She is here?" he asks, shocked. Yes, says Magda. No, he says, his voice shaking, I want her to know nothing about this--I saw this performed in Martinique 100 years ago and wrote of it to Jeremiah in detail, knowing he would be fascinated--ideally, we need Jamison here, but when I saw it happen before, the body containing the spirit wasn't present.
Sandor asks, "And the spirit passed from him and into the body of the zombie?" Barnabas explains, "There is a point in the ceremony where the spirit would enter the body (finally saw Quentin blink) of the zombie or the body could go back to the grave and die." And will he rise again? questions Sandor. No, says Barn, the spell will be broken, but if the spirit does return to the body, Quentin will leave this room alive. He orders them to seat themselves on either side of Quentin, then, hand on Quentin's heart, begins to read, "His heart waits for the breath of life. In this circle, there is a man whose heart waits for the spirit to tell it to beat again. Spirit of Quentin Collins, you live in another body now, but your own body waits for you. Come to us here, now! Come to us! If you are in this room, speak to us, for you the spirit of the voice of Quentin Collins, do not let your body die as it must unless you return to it--speak to us!" Magda shakes her head, protesting, "No, no!" Barnabas ignores her and cries, "Speak to us!" "I cannot," says Quentin, lips not moving--"She will not let me!" "You can! You must!" says Barn--"Fight her!"--"Try!" Quentin rises. Magda stands and begins to cackle with dismay. "Stop him!" orders Barnabas. Sandor chases after the zombie. Quentin fights off both Barnabas and Sandor. "You must come back!" protests Barnabas--"You will die!" Quentin walks upstairs. Barnabas tells the gypsies that there's only one other chance--if he gets to that grave, he will be gone from us--stay here--when Rachel awakens, send her back to Collinwood and make sure she stays there, because whatever happened there tonight, no one must ever know.
Quentin is on his belly, inching toward his grave, intent on only one purpose--getting back there!
NOTES: Selby gets the Eyes Wide Open award for his amazing ability to, well, keep his eyes open! He's really good at that! I guess this is all Angelique's way of having one on Barnabas, but it really is a silly thing, a roadblock in the plot. Love the love between Sandor and Magda, it's so sweet, rough and real. Wonder if Barnabas told Uncle Jeremiah about the blonde he met in Martinique and how WILLING she was--or were his letters relegated to tales of zombies and such? They play it seriously, and I give them all credit, but this segue just annoyed me.
725 - (David Selby) - Collinwood in the year 1897, where Barnabas Collins has returned to save a life in the present. Barnabas' mission is in jeopardy, for Quentin has died before his time, and returned as a zombie. And his spirit has inhabited a child. Now Barnabas must try desperately to lure the spirit from the child into the unthinking body.
Selby does the intro, a rarity, but I guess they figured since he had no dialogue, they might as well give him something to say.
We see Jamison standing on the landing. There's a knock at the door; he flees. Barnabas enters, calling for Judith. He asks her for Jamison--I must take him along with me--Quentin isn't buried any longer--he walks, and his spirit is in Jamison's body--we have to return the spirit to Quentin's body.
Barnabas insists Judith accept it, but she doesn't want to let Jamison go with him. Barnabas warns her that if she doesn't do this, Quentin will wander the estate and Jamison will never be the same for the rest of his life. She can't deal with it. If I don't get to Quentin before he reaches his grave, says Barn, Jamison will be lost forever!
In the meantime, Quentin is reaching, reaching to get back into his grave!
Barnabas tells Judith if she lets him take Jamison, Quentin may live again as he was. She asks, what kind of madwoman do you think I am, to believe this?--I can't accept that he's walking the earth after being buried. Barnabas urges her to go to the grave and see for herself, but she refuses. Barnabas reiterates that he must have Jamison, or everyone in Collinsport will know what's happened here. The specter of scandal scares Judith more than anything else Barn said, and she finally relents. Before going upstairs for the boy, she asks Barnabas if both he and Jamison will be in danger. No, he assures her. She asks what special power he has over Quentin, but he turns away and simply asks her to get Jamison. She goes upstairs, giving him an odd, angry look before she disappears.
Quentin's body is twisting as he attempts to get back to his grave; he collapses. Jamison and Barnabas appear. "Get up!" demands the child, kneeling beside Quentin. Get up now, don't let her do this to you! Barnabas calls the boy Jamison, who says, "Jamison is a child, Barnabas, you know that." Barnabas kneels, too, and asks Quentin (in Jamison's body) to take the zombie's hand in his. It's cold, Jamison protests, but Barnabas promises it will grow warmer--concentrate, and think of how much Quentin wants to live, to get revenge on who did this to him.
"I hate her!" cries Jamison--"I've always hated her!" Use every bit of willpower you have to bring him back to life, says Barnabas, who stands and tells the spirit to depart from the body in which it's found refuge--go into your own body, let the force of life start your heart beating again. Let movement come to the hands, the limbs, let your eyes see again. Jamison is moaning; his eyes close. Quentin's eyes flutter, then open; he sits up, stands. Barnabas calls to him, begging him. Jamison laughs uproariously. "I told you not to call me Jamison anymore," he says, grinning, and Barnabas looks at Quentin and realizes he is still a zombie.
Judith waits in the drawing room. What's happening out there? she wonders. What is happening at Quentin's grave, to all of them? Until Barnabas arrived, everything seemed the same, but what has he to do with it? Something, I'm sure. He knows too much. He's involved himself so quickly, as if he were the center of it. She answers the door. A gray-haired, grinning man named Reverend Gregory Trask stands there, cordially introducing himself, asking to come in--I thought Edward had mentioned me--apparently, Nora and Jamison's father had considered sending the children to my school--I only hope my establishment can be worthy of the very wealthy Collins family. Judith explains that Edward isn't here. Trask tells her that Edward talked to him about the urgent need to take the children to Worthington--so I came in person to talk you (Judith) into it. Judith tells him he's kind. Trask asks for a few moments of her time--I will prove what an inspiring experience my school will be for your nephew and niece.
She tells him, I'm not feeling well--my nerves. He comments that peace (piece?) is what we are all after--it's so enormously difficult to find, and one must begin with the child, and let the seed of contentment grow, show the child how to protect himself from the forces of anarchy which exist in all of us--that's what we do at Worthington Hall! Jamison returns to Collinwood, calling Judith "dear sister." Trask smiles at the boy. Judith orders Jamison to his room, now, but Trask intervenes. "They are coming, Judith," says a grinning Jamison--"It has failed!" Trask comments that Jamison is overly familiar with his elders, and asks Jamison to come to him. Judith tries to stop that, but Trask asks Jamison to shake his hand. Jamison, wanting to act as a "proper Collins," obliges the Reverend and shakes his hand. Trask calls Jamison handsome, but the boy insists, I must go. Trask wants to talk to him, but Judith insists this isn't the time. She asks about his earlier statement that "they're coming." Jamison says "Right now." She tells Trask she can't speak to him right now. Trask says, I'm convinced Jamison is disturbed. Tomorrow, says Judith. Trask wants to privately interview Jamison. No, she says, but he threatens to give Edward a negative report. I'm in charge, she informs him, not Edward. Trask remarks that Edward is wise to leave the house in such capable hands--my wife, Minerva, and daughter, Charity, are my right hands, further advantage of my school--I want to interview the children, or my whole trip will be in vain. Nora is ill, says Judith, and Jamison isn't himself, which sounds strange. Trask says I'm used to interviewing children. He convinces Judith, and assures her he'll find his own way, without her assistance, as he wants to set up this new relationship without a close relative's interference. She warns him again that Jamison is in a strange mood, ordinarily not like this--I wouldn't allow it if Edward hadn't insisted. Trask says, if I see the problem, I will be able to solve it. Judith advises Trask that Jamison has an overactive imagination--don't believe everything he says. Properly channeled, says Trask, imagination often leads to genius. He goes to Jamison. Barnabas returns with the zombie Quentin. Judith says they can't come in. We must, insists Barn. She tells him about their unexpected visitor. There's a small pulsebeat, Barnabas tells her, their noses nearly touching--Quentin must be near Jamison. He's with the visitor, protests Judith. "Are you willing to let him die again?" demands Barn. She relents. She moves out of the way and Barnabas leads Quentin into the foyer, then the drawing room. Judith closes the double doors, saying, I can't bear to look at them--"Can he hear us?" Barnabas doesn't know. What will I do, frets Judith?--if he comes downstairs, he'll see Quentin!--this can't be known! Barnabas tells her that he's learned that nothing can be known for sure. This must be kept secret, she insists. Barnabas re minds her this isn't Quentin's fault. It isn't mine, says Judith--I've seen books in his room, terrible pamphlets, those wands he brought back from the Orient--he's being punished for his godless life! Quentin stares straight ahead. Barn says whether it's true or not, it isn't solving our current problem. Judith believes there's no way to solve it. I need Jamison, says Barnabas. Judith tells him, you must wait. Barnabas paces, Judith sits, Quentin sits and stares.
9 PM - Judith opens the double doors and gazes at the clock. She hears Trask coming downstairs, calling his chat with Jamison "interesting," and hastily closes the doors. Trask and Jamison stand at the head of the stairs. The boy says, "He's in this house! I know, I can feel his body waiting!" Judith tells him not to talk like that. I've always talked like that, dear sister, says Jamison, or have you forgotten? Judith quickly tells Trask that whatever Jamison told you, he did it deliberately, lying so he wouldn't have to go to your school. Jamison grins. Judith points this out--he knows he's wrong. No, he doesn't, says Trask, and for one very good reason--"The boy is possessed!"--where is Quentin--I can help--I want to give you the peace I know! He holds her shoulders and asks for her tragic story--grief is to be shared. Barnabas comes out and observes this Trask ancestor with horror. He's with Barnabas! cries Jamison--"Quentin's in there!" TRASK! shouts Barnabas. The Reverend asks, how do you know my name? Judith figures she mentioned it and says they should tell Trask everything--perhaps he can help them--he must! Barnabas gazes on the face of his old enemy with shock and disbelief. (Should Barn have asked, "Didn't I wall you up in another century?")
Everyone is in the drawing room. Trask gazes at Quentin and says this is beyond belief, but then again, the devil's work always is. Barnabas objects--you're wasting time. Trask says not--I needed the true facts before I could begin. Begin what? demands Barnabas. An attempt to end this dreadful situation--by prayer! Responds Trask. Barnabas turns away. Trask asks him if he is a doubter in the value of prayer. Barnabas turns to him and says, I've lived long enough to learn to doubt nothing--but I don't expect miracles. Neither do I, says Trask, but I must make some effort to end the pain I see in this house. Judith tells Barn they must give Trask a chance. Barnabas objects. She reminds him HE was willing to take other chances. Indeed, sir, says Trask, interested--perhaps you know of other ways.
I don't, says Barn. Trask asks, why do you object to MY efforts? Judith sternly says she wants to know that, too, and feels Trask deserves an answer. I have none, admits Barnabas. Trask asks to begin--but first, Judith and Barnabas must leave the room. Barnabas refuses. Trask says it isn't possible because I sense in you a spirit which is alien to my cause--I'm sorry, but in these matters, I must trust my instincts, and I want you to go. Jamison asks Trask what he's going to do. Trask says, to make you the handsome young man you want to be, as you were, and there's nothing to fear. Judith and Barnabas leave the room. Trask closes the doors on them.
Barnabas asks Judith what she knows of Trask. She explains about the school. Having seen the way he handled Jamison--"I don't trust him!" says Barnabas unhappily.
Trask darkens the room. He orders Jamison to kneel. At first, he refuses, but finally gives in, when Trask demands it again. Trask raises his arms and says this small, lost lamb needs his help. . .a small, frail body possessed by a giant evil force leaving the cold, dead body of what once was a man. Have mercy, have mercy! The devil has been in these rooms, and he has inhabited the bodies of these two and looked with favor upon them. The devil must be vanquished and driven from them, before he can be driven from this house! He has taken refuge in their bodies and is using them against their wills! Have mercy!" Jamison begins to rock, moan and pant. "Have mercy! Have mercy, our lord!"
We see the portrait of Barnabas in the foyer. Judith asks why he keeps staring at it. I was thinking about Barnabas and the time he lived, replies Barn. Why? she asks. There is some connection, says Barnabas. Judith says, I can only think about what is happening behind those doors. Softly, Barnabas agrees with her. She asks what will happen if Trask doesn't succeed, what then?--will they be this way the rest of their lives? Jamison suddenly screams. Judith calls to Barnabas, who immediately runs to opens the doors. Trask orders him not to come in--"You will only aid the devil's work!" (DISS!) Jamison continues to scream. Barnabas flings open the doors. . .
NOTES: I love all the Trasks, they're such hypocrites and so much fun. Some say this was the worst Trask, but that's a discussion for some other time. What was Barnabas thinking of--Bathia's attempts to rid him of the vampire curse? Here we actually saw Barnabas reacting to a familiar face--with horror, mistrust and disgust. The last time he saw a Trask, he was walling him up in 1796! Imagine going to a school run by this pious Trask who appears to be a chip off the old block!
Will Trask succeed where Barnabas failed? Will Jamison survive, and Quentin?
Love, Robin
