656 — darkshadows

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Number	647
Timeline	1968
Narrator	Kathryn Leigh Scott
Writer	Ron Sproat
Director	Henry Kaplan
Broadcast	December 30, 1968 (Monday)
Recorded	December 26, 1968 (Thursday)
Video	Complete: Disc 69 Collection 12: Disc 1

We have 32 images of Dark Shadows 656

Barnabas plans to carry out Elizabeth's wishes to be buried in a special casket and mausoleum.

Synopsis

Morning at Collinwood, but there is no joy in this morning, for the mistress of the great house died on the previous night. There is considerable mystery surrounding her death, mystery that can only increase before its ultimate resolution. And at this moment, two innocent children are about to be drawn tighter into a web of terror neither can understand.

Barnabas tells Mrs. Johnson of Elizabeth's wishes for a private burial. Mr. Jarrett arrives from the funeral home, offering his services. Barnabas is at a loss as to who notified him of Elizabeth's death. Upstairs David and Amy try to reach Quentin, and tell him that they contacted the funeral director, per his instructions. Barnabas makes plans to send the children away to Boston for awhile, and perhaps even enroll them in a school there.

Mrs. Johnson and Maggie pack up Victoria's possessions. As Barnabas is the acting head of the family, they ask him what to do with Victoria's clothes. He says to burn them, destroy them, or give them away - he does not care as long as they are gone. Mrs. Johnson finds the music box and remembers that Barnabas gave it to Victoria. She asks him if he wants it back, but he declines.

Memorable quotes

Barnabas: (about David) Poor little fellow.

Mrs. Johnson: Vicki Winters would have known what to do.

Barnabas: Mrs. Johnson, that's not fair to Maggie.

Maggie: It will help me take my mind off a lot of things I want to forget.

Barnabas: (in Victoria's room) Get rid of everything.

Mrs. Johnson: (about Victoria) I hate to think of her being lost to us forever.

Maggie: I hate to think about that, too.

Mrs. Johnson: This house is cursed and everyone who's under its roof. I'm glad the children will be leaving.

Mrs. Johnson: No human hand has touched these clothes since I took them away. It's a sign. It's a sign. . . . It's a sign. It's a sign from Vicki! She's trying to reach us, to contact us to tell us...that she's coming back. Vicki's coming back!

Dramatis personae

Background information and notes

Production

This episode was recorded out of broadcast sequence. The previous episode to be recorded was 658.
Clarice Blackburn returns to the cast after an absence of 38 episodes.

Story

David refers to Barnabas as "Cousin Barnabas" in every scene they have together.
Amy plays "London Bridge Is Falling Down" on the piano. This song was previously associated with the ghost of Sarah Collins.
INTERNAL MONOLOGUE: Barnabas: I've got to forget you, Vicki.
SEDATIVE: Julia gave Carolyn a sedative to calm her down.
TIMELINE: Day 258 begins, and will end in 658. 9:30am at the start of this episode. Elizabeth died the previous night. 4:45pm: Barnabas plans for Maggie, David, and Amy to leave for Boston in "a few days."

Bloopers and continuity errors

The clock in the foyer is supposed to be showing 9:30. However, the hour hand is pointing almost directly at the 9. At 9:30, the hour hand should be mid way between 9 and 10.
Amy seems to have gotten over being kidnapped by her cousin Joe.
Joe was last seen in the foyer at Collinwood. Is he still at large? If so, it seems strange that everyone would leave Amy and David alone to wander all over the place. Aren't they taking a chance to Joe will return to try to kidnap Amy again?
At the beginning of the scene in Act I when Barnabas is reading Elizabeth's will, Jonathan Frid is seen looking up, awaiting his cue to begin the scene.
When Barnabas and Mrs. Johnson are speaking about Elizabeth's burial in Act I, while Mrs. Johnson and Barnabas are facing each other, their close-ups have them both facing the same direction.
Just before Barnabas talks to Mrs. Johnson about the wishes of Elizabeth, a camera makes an appearance to the right of the screen.
Actor Bob Fitzsimmons refers to Barnabas as "Mr. Jonathan." He also seems to stumble over saying his own character's name when he introduces himself.
Jonathan Frid fumbles a line when talking to Mr. Jarrett: “This has been a mistake on someone’s part. But, uh...you must have come here unnecessarily.”
Jonathan Frid starts to say, "How like..." in a flub with David and Amy.
When the scene shifts from David and Amy going into the secret passageway to Mrs. Johnson and Maggie in Maggie's (Vicki's) room, Clarice Blackburn is seen looking off to the side awaiting her cue to begin the scene.
If those are VIcki's clothes in the closet, where is the forest green dress so prominently featured and discussed earlier when Mrs. Johnson was packing up her clothes?