405 - (Lara Parker) - A seance has been held in the great house at Collinwood, a seance which has suspended time and space and sent one girl on an uncertain and frightening journey into the past, back to the year 1795. There, each of the Collins ancestors resembles a present-day member of the Collins family, but the names and relationships have changed, and Victoria Winters finds herself a stranger in a sea of familiar faces. And in that fateful time, she is soon to learn that one person's attempt to alter the course of history is doomed to failure.
One of DS' most important eps, as we learn exactly how Barnabas became a vampire.
In Collinwood's drawing room, Josette firmly tells her Aunt Natalie to make her goodbyes--she's leaving Collinwood. Natalie is upset, knowing this is Barnabas' doing (she says she considers HIM the danger to Josette), and even though she forbids her niece in this foolhardy act, Josette is determined. Well, then, says an exasperated Natalie, Josette is a lady and can't travel alone--she's going with her to Boston! Abigail hears of this sudden departure and is both scandalized and disappointed--she wanted Natalie to testify at Vicki's witchcraft trial! Natalie points out that Trask himself and Angelique saw Vicki flee from the house; they're the best witnesses. Abigail is shocked to learn that Natalie has no idea why Josette wants to leave so quickly, but Natalie says Josette is quite prepared to leave without her, so they're both going.
In the gazebo, Barnabas presents Josette with the music box. Keep it with you, he encourages, to remind you I will be with you very soon. She's frightened, but he says she will be going to the Inn at Portsmouth, where he hopes she will be safe. She points out that she's fearful for HIS safety, and he again asks her to trust him. She promises she does, but has a terrible feeling she won't see him again. By the way, asks Josette carefully, what about Angelique? Barnabas won't go into details, but he does say when he sees Josette again, he won't be married to Angelique (doesn't this clue her in about the identity of the witch)? It's not goodbye? she asks. Think of me often, he says softly, and remember I love you. He gives her a kiss and she gazes at him with a face filled with naked love and trust.
Abigail goes to the Old House and is shocked to see Josette's portrait hanging over the mantle. Angelique says that although she objected to it, Barnabas hung it there anyway. Well, sniffs Abigail, Barnabas' obligation is to his wife! Abigail asks Ang if she'll testify at Vicki's trial, and Angelique says of course she will. Abigail explains they really need her testimony because Natalie and Josette left Collinwood an hour ago! Angelique looks like her head is going to explode at this news, but Abigail says she should be glad Josette is gone. Angelique claims she is, then asks Abigail to leave, she wants to go to bed. Barnabas comes downstairs as his aunt is leaving, the box of pistols in his hands.
Angelique and Barnabas square off. He's made a big mistake, she says, her eyes glinting angry sparks. He tried to betray her, but he won't succeed--does he really think getting Josette out of town will stop her? She's got more powers than he thinks, spits Angelique, and proves it by turning Josette's portrait into a bloody skeleton. Oh, sure, you can distort the portrait, but not really hurt Josette, says Barn. She asks where Josette is, but he refuses to tell her. She could force him--but then, he says smugly, she wouldn't be getting him the way she wants him, thus defeating her purpose. She accuses him of being unfaithful to her, which he denies, and says she knows he'll keep lying to her. When is he going to Josette's side? He denies this, too, but she says she knows his plan is to kill her and then go to Josette! She has no hold over him, he says, with Josette out of harm's way--he can leave at any time! Well, Josette may be safe, but NO ONE ELSE IS! vows Angelique. She races upstairs and while she's gone, Barnabas takes the box of pistols and places them on a chair.
Ang, livid, returns with Sarah's doll and the hat pins. She can keep him there, all right! she snarls, and begins stabbing pins into Sarah's doll. I can put one right into the doll's heart, killing yout sister! She cries. Barnabas, turning pale, begs her to remove the pins; he'll do whatever she wants! Sarah will come very close to death is he deceives her again! screams Angelique. Barnabas slowly backs away, then turns, grabs one of the pistols from the box, and fires at his wife. "Oh, Barnabas, what have you done?" she moans, holding her hand pressed to her bloody shoulder. She drops the doll. He immediately retrieves it and removes the pins. And then, Angelique says, with bitterness and fury, "You didn't do the job well enough, Barnabas. . .I am not dead yet, and while I can still breathe, I'll have my revenge. I set a curse on you, Barnabas Collins! You wanted your Josette so much, well, you will have her, but not in the way you would have chosen. You will never rest, Barnabas, and you will never be able to love anyone, for whoever loves you will die! That is my curse, and you will live with it for all eternity!"
Bleeding, she falls over, unconscious. Barnabas calls her name and checks her body. He rises and hears the sound of breaking glass. A bat flies in the window and chases him. Barnabas shouts, "Get away from me!" and tries to back away, but it's useless--the bat latches onto his throat, and Barnabas, screaming, falls down against a pillar.
NOTES: Whoa, baby, I know the bat Bill Baird used looked really fake, but that scene left me shuddering all weekend long when I saw it in 1968! Where did one see stuff like this on any other soap back then? So amazing!
406 - (KLS) - A seance has been held in the great house at Collinwood, a seance which has suspended time and space and sent one girl on an uncertain and frightening journey into the past, back to the year 1795. There, each of the Collins ancestors resembles a present-day member of the Collins family, but the names and relationships have changed, and Victoria Winters finds herself a stranger in a sea of familiar faces. On this night in the old Collins house, a curse will he uttered--a curse that will forever haunt the Collins family.
Barnabas lies slumped against the pillar, screaming for help, but passes out, his punctured neck streaming blood.
At the Three Belles Inn in Portsmouth, Josette feels an odd tingling on her throat, in the same spot where Barnabas was bitten, but seems to feel it's a communication from Barnabas. He's in danger, she tells her aunt. Nonsense, insists Natalie, and suggests a Tarot card reading to help them figure things out.
At the Old House, Ben peers through the window and sees the horrific sight of Angelique lying in a pool of blood and Barnabas lying unconscious against the pillar. He wonders--did Barnabas kill his wife? Did she kill him, too? He sees the oozing marks on Barnabas' throat and decides he'd better help him upstairs and get a doctor. He can't risk letting Joshua see him.
Natalie finds the Tarot reading very vague, yet disturbing--the lover is surrounded by cards of destruction. Holding her neck, Josette insists Barnabas is in danger; Natalie checks her niece's throat and gasps--blood is running from non-existent wounds in her neck!
Ben hauls a pasty-faced Barnabas into bed. The injured man weakly tells Ben he wants to leave, and describes the curse that Angelique set on him--the bat came flying in and attacked him, says Barnabas, in delirium. Ben tells Barn that Ang is dead, and he wants to go for a doctor, but Barnabas insists it's too late, and advises Ben to watch out for the bat. Barnabas, cautiously hopeful, tells Ben he shot Angelique--are you sure she's dead, Ben? Then Angelique, still holding her bloody shoulder, comes in and tells the two disappointed men she isn't dead and isn't going to die. Ben tries to keep her away from Barnabas, but she says she must look at him, and they must keep him alive. If he dies. . .never mind, she says savagely to Ben. She touches Barnabas' face and says she wants him to know how sorry she is. Ben explodes at her--first she puts a curse on the man, now she's sorry! He tried to kill me, says Ang, that's why I set the curse! But now she wants to reverse it. She'll fix her own wound, then take care of him. Ben wants to go for a doctor, and inform Barn's family, but she orders him to stay and essentially says to hell with his family, she's got work to do. Ben doesn't want to leave her with Barn; he's afraid she'll kill him, but she tells him he's just going to have to trust her. He was attacked by a bat, explains Ang, but they must keep him alive, because after he dies, even worse will happen--he'll become one of the living dead! Ben denies there is such a thing, but she assures him there is, and if this happens to Barnabas, he'll be cursed with eternal life!
An upset Natalie keeps wiping blood from Josette's throat, but is puzzled because the flow seems to have no origin. Josette insists Barnabas needs her and they must return to Collinwood, but Natalie talks her into waiting until morning. Josette sends Natalie upstairs to sleep, but sits in a chair, touching her throat.
Barnabas, feverish and irrational, gets out of bed, grabs a suitcase and staggers over to his dresser, where he begins tossing clothing into the suitcase. Wait, Josette, I'm coming! he calls obviously feverish. Angelique, in a fetching blue dress, enters and tries to stop him. Tell me where Josette is, she asks Barn, I'll get her, bring her here! No, says Barn craftily, she'll never find Josette--she's safe! He'll go to Josette and nothing will stop him!
At the Three Bells, Josette sleeps, blood still oozing down her neck. A bat hovers outside the window, squeaking.
NOTES: Was that the same bat that attacked Barnabas? Why was it outside Josette's window? Was the plan to sic the bat on Josette after Barnabas? What will become of Barnabas now? What kind of danger will Josette be in if she insists on returning to Collinwood?
Love, Robin
