Constable Carter investigates Roger's car accident. David grabs the wrench so that his fingerprints will plausibly appear on it.

Synopsis

My name is Victoria Winters. On the surface, the day at Collinwood seems calm and serene. Nothing could be more normal than my preparing to teach a young boy his school lessons. Yet there is an undercurrent, a tension that is felt everywhere, a tension that reaches out and builds and waits to break free.

Roger tells Carter that there is an attempted murderer on the loose. He pushes Elizabeth aside when she comes to him with the news that Victoria's letter from the Foundling Home could cause her trouble.

David asks Victoria if she ever tried to kill anybody and what would have happened to her if she had. Victoria attempts to quiz David on the history of Maine. David wonders why Roger never liked him.

Carter is noticeably upset that twelve hours have passed since Roger learned of the bleeder valve; David asks Elizabeth why the brakes ceased functioning and freaks out when he learns the police are involved. Roger and Elizabeth outline the circumstantial case they have against Burke; Victoria says that Burke hasn't ever threatened Roger's life (in front of her).

David listens as the adults in the drawing room discuss Burke's guilt. Carter has a background check performed on Devlin. David learns about corroborative evidence and fingerprints. The Constable sets down the wrench in front of the boy, He looks away leaving David to stare at it before knocking it on the floor. David then quickly picks up the wrench leaving the Carter to comment about how they will now know why David's prints are on it.

Memorable quotes

Vicki: Well, let’s see. Once I got in a fight with a girl, and I gave her a bloody nose.

David: Did you ever try to kill somebody?

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Constable Carter: (in response to David's lack of reply to his greeting) It's all right. He's probably just impressed with the dignity of my badge.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Constable Carter (to Roger): Do you have something against an open mind?

Dramatis personae

• ← Joan Bennett as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard →
• ← Louis Edmonds as Roger Collins →
• ← David Henesy as David Collins →
• Michael Currie as Jonas Carter →
• ← Alexandra Moltke as Victoria Winters →

Background information and notes

Production

• Only two sets are used in this episode, the drawing room and David's room.
• First appearance of Michael Currie as Constable Jonas Carter.

Story

• David reads a magazine titled Night Crawlers.
• Constable Carter also has a deputy named Harry, who calls New York to get information on Burke Devlin from a Frank Palmer, a policeman or detective working in homicide. Harry will be mentioned again in 54 in which his surname is given as Shaw.
• Victoria once got into a fight with a girl, whom she ended up giving a bloody nose to.
• TIMELINE: Roger waited twelve hours before phoning Constable Carter.

Bloopers and continuity errors

• As the first scene opens, in the mirror behind David an image of a stagehand is visible for an instant.
• Actor Louis Edmonds flubs: "My sister has a whim of iron."
• The Collinsport Fly can be seen flying around the drawing room while Constable Carter asks his questions.
• Elizabeth tells Carter that the brakes on Roger's car had been checked the week before; in episode 16, Matthew Morgan told Liz the brakes were checked two days before.
• As Carter asks Vicki about her meeting Burke in the garage, the boom mic briefly dips into the shot.
• Joan Bennett garbles her line, "No one’s accusing of being of him of being insane."
• As Victoria heads for the garage with Constable Carter, Roger says to Elizabeth "Are you going to stay here?" To which Elizabeth replies, "No." Elizabeth then shuts the door, staying where she is. Presumably, Roger's line was supposed to be something like, "Are you going to come with us?"
• Joan Bennett muddles through her line when talking to David after discovering him hiding in the foyer: "But you're not going to learn any...it's too much excitement for one little boy to ignore."
• As David skulks about, a shadow of a camera can be seen on the walls.
• Michael Currie starts his next line before Joan Bennett finishes hers.
• The view through the drawing room window behind David and Vicki has only a few small branches in view, and the lower foliage is casting a shadow on the screen behind the set.
• During the end credits (after the "unit manager" credit) two people walk by outside the left second floor window of David's room.
• The character names in the end credits are written in lower case except for "Constable Carter."
• In the closing credits, Ohrbach's is misspelled as "Orhbach's"

End credits announcements

• 'Where the Action Is' made its debut one year ago with top recording stars performing where the fun is. Come along for a real good time next, here on ABC.
• Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis production.

External Links 

Dark Shadows - Episode 23 on the IMDb

The Collinsport Historical Society - Dark Shadows Diary - Episode 23

Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 23: The dignity of my badge

Dark Shadows Before I Die- Episode 23: 7/27/66

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