Victoria gives Jeff back the engagement ring after they argue over his recent strange behavior.

Synopsis

It is nightfall at Collinwood, and the great mansion lies quietly under a gleaming moon. Beneath its radiance, the Old House hides dangerous secrets, secrets a young man is attempting to learn. He is under the spell of an evil woman, and because he cannot break her hold over him, he must secretly learn how to complete a terrifying experiment.

Jeff Clark watches over Eve's body, but is consumed by guilt. Julia discovers Jeff with her notebook, but is doubtful of his intentions. After taking the notebook and locking it away, she expresses her doubts to Barnabas, but is interrupted by Victoria, who enters and tells Barnabas that Professor Stokes is coming to see him. She then takes Julia aside and asks if she knows any reason why Jeff keeps acting so strangely, but Julia doesn't give her any satisfactory answers. Jeff eavesdrops and agonizes about his inability to tell Victoria the truth.

Stokes shows up and tells Barnabas about Adam's escape and likely bad (homicidal) mood. Jeff tries to leave for yet another date with Victoria, but is told by Stokes that if he doesn't stay and keep working on the experiment, Adam will likely take his frustrations out on Victoria, the person he originally kidnapped and threatened.

Jeff then tries to break his date in a polite manner with Victoria, but she gets agitated and demands reasons for his frequent absences and his refusal of Roger's job offer. When he can't give her any, she gives him back his ring and breaks off their engagement, saying that she could never marry a man who kept secrets from her.

Memorable quotes

Dramatis personae

• Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins
• Grayson Hall as Julia Hoffman
• Thayer David as Timothy Eliot Stokes
• Roger Davis as Jeff Clark
• Alexandra Moltke as Victoria Winters

Background information and notes

Production

• This episode was recorded out of broadcast sequence. The previous episode to be recorded was 576.
• Costume designer Ramse Mostoller is credited simply as "Mostoller" from this episode onward.

Story

• INTERNAL MONOLOGUE: Jeff: Imagination.
• TIMELINE: Julia will be gone for an hour. It was months ago when Jeff worked for Dr. Lang (he stopped working for Lang in 478). It was last night when Adam disappeared. The body for the mate will be completed tomorrow.

Bloopers and continuity errors:

• Jeff is wearing an open collar, yet there are no signs of a vampire bite. The only indication is that he rubs his neck occasionally.
• At the very beginning of Act I, Grayson Hall can be seen glancing to the side, apparently looking for her cue to begin the scene.
• Early in Act I, someone clears his throat off-stage when Julia says, "Nothing is going to happen to me."
• Roger Davis stumbles over his lines when Jeff Clark asks Julia about the life force they will use.
• When Jeff and Julia are discussing the life force in Act 1, there are squeaking sounds from off-stage. There is also squeaking noise when Barnabas talks with Jeff on the cellar stairs.
• A round light reflection appears over Barnabas's shoulder as he and Julia talk after Barnabas returns to the Old House.
• In episode 575, Prof. Stokes already knows about Jeff Clark's involvement in the experiment and Jeff knows about Adam's threat to kill Vicki and the Collins family, but in this episode, why is Prof. Stokes so surprised to see Jeff at the Old House, and Jeff doesn't seem to remember about Adam's threat until Prof. Stokes mentions it? [Jeff is fully aware of Adam's threat; that is why he is doing the experiment. Here, Jeff seems more unclear about why Stokes thinks Vicki is in imminent danger, not about the general threat of Adam against Vicki.]
• When Jeff, Stokes, and Barnabas are talking about Adam, there is a lot of off-stage noise. Also, there is a point when it seems someone has forgotten his lines. After Stokes says, "it was enough to pacify him...until now," there is an unusually long pause. The camera is on Barnabas, but he says nothing. Eventually, Jeff says, "What do you mean?"
• Early in the conversation between Vicki and Jeff in the Collinwood foyer, a boom mic shadow moves across Jeff when Vicki walks away from him. Also, off-stage noise can be heard.
• When Vicki returns the engagement ring to Jeff, the camera zooms in on a close-up of her hand holding the ring, but it never focuses.
• When the scene switches from Collinwood to Julia in the basement of the Old House at the end of the episode, it takes a couple of seconds for the music to change.
• Shadows and partial reflections of unknown cast/crew members moving around can be seen in the glass cabinet during the closing credits.

External Links 

Dark Shadows - Episode 579 on the IMDb

Dark Shadows Every Day - Episode 579 - Sproatinger's Cat

The Dark Shadows Daybook - Episode 579

Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 579: One tick of the clock

Dark Shadows Before I Die- Episode 579: 9/12/68