For Barnabas Collins, threatened with the return of the curse of the vampire, a time of terror continues. For Maggie Evans, a time of terror at Collinwood has ended, and the source of her torment has been identified as Michael, the boy who lives with Megan and Philip Todd at the antique shop. And now Michael faces his own time of terror. For with shocking swiftness, he has fallen ill, and as she examines him, Julia Hoffman knows his illness is grave indeed.
Julia prepares to give a suddenly-ill Michael a shot. Soon after, she decrees that the shot didn't work, and pronounces him dead.
Act I
Julia is preparing Michael's death certificate, and lists "heart failure" as the cause of death. Philip and Megan both feel they did a horrible job of taking care of Michael after "the accident," when he was heartbroken. The couple requests Julia that she lets everyone at Collinwood know what happened, but to not call or visit the antique shop for a few days.
Later, Megan and Philip are at a funeral parlor, looking at Michael's body. Megan asks Philip to leave her alone with him for a few minutes.
Julia arrives at Stokes's house, who now has possession of that Tate painting which has Quentin's portrait underneath. He tells her that he will soon have the painting removed, but Julia, who is preoccupied with Michael's death, doesn't seem that excited. She asks about a town 20 miles south of Collinsport, which is where Michael stayed when he was "younger." When Stokes leaves the room to get food, Julia sneaks out, hoping to get answers about Michael.
Act II
Julia goes to see a woman named Mrs. Hutchins, who Philip and Megan said took care of Michael before he came to Collinsport. She is very distraught over Michael's death, and tells Julia he was always a getting into mischief as a child. Julia thanks her for speaking to her, and leaves. Soon after, Philip emerges from another part of the house. He gives her an envelope full of money, and tells her she was "very convincing." Philip then orders Mrs. Hutchins, who apparently is an alcoholic, to forget ever meeting him, Julia, or knowing anything about Michael. She argues with him for a moment, but then agrees to forget everything. Philip leaves the house, but Julia sees him as she hides behind the bushes outside, and realizes everything Mrs. Hutchins said was a lie.
Philip returns to the antique shop, and informs Megan that Julia showed up to Mrs. Hutchins's house, and she believed everything.
Meanwhile, Julia returns to Stokes's house, who is upset that Julia walked out on him. Julia finally admits that she has been investigating the strange happenings at Collinwood and the antique shop ever since Barnabas returned from 1897, and feels there is an evil that will soon be affecting everyone. Stokes agrees to help, and asks Julia where to begin.
Act III
Stokes decides to go to the antique shop to see if he can find anything out. While there, he notices Megan and Philip are both wearing jewelry featuring the sign of the Naga on them, and appears to recognize the symbol. He purchases an antique and then leaves. Philip and Megan both recognize Stokes as a potential threat to their plans.
While closing down the shop, Megan and Philip hear someone walking down the stairs. It's Michael, returned from the dead, who says he "decided not to go through with it."
Memorable quotes
Megan: Oh, you talk about your classic cases. Well, this was one all right. That boy died because he didn't want to live anymore. His heart stopped beating because he didn't want it, it was broken!
Julia: They always have perfectly acceptable explanations.
This episode was recorded out of broadcast sequence. The previous episode to be recorded was 932.
This was the final episode recorded in the 60's, recorded on New Year's Eve.
Closing credits scene: Birdcage in Mrs. Hutchins' house.
Story
Michael's surname name of 'Hackett' is given for the first time.
Megan claims Evelyn, Michael's mother, was her favorite cousin. Michael's father was named Bert. All a lie, as part of the fake story that Mrs. Hutchins was instructed to give Julia.
Collieville is a dreary little place twenty miles down the coast from Collinsport.
At the wake, Michael is laid out on a bier. In modern times, the corpse is rarely placed on a bier without first being placed in a coffin.
SEDATIVE: Julia injects Michael in an attempt to shock him back to life (an anti-sedative).
TIMELINE: Day 350 begins, and will end in 936. Micheal's funeral is held this morning. It's getting late and is time to close the antique shop.
Bloopers and continuity errors
Julia says Michael died today. However, it is unlikely the funeral would have been held on same day. [Addendum: Megan does say that she wants to have the funeral quickly when Julia says she wants her colleagues to examine Michael's body.] The funeral is stated to have been held in the morning which would create a conflict with the 4pm time given in the previous episode when Michael died soon after. Shortly after the funeral, Mrs. Hutchins says she received the tragic news about Michael's death yesterday.
When Julia knocks on Professor Stokes' door, he does not say anything or answer the door, and Julia just walks in without being invited.
A crew member walks in front of the camera as Julia admires the painting.
Camila Ashland as Mrs. Hutchins flubs a line when she is talking to Philip: "One thing...that I can't remem...that I can't think..."
Julia says that the mysterious boys all have blonde hair and blue eyes. This would be logical if they were all the same person, but Michael's eyes are not blue; they are green.
As Professor Stokes enters the antique shop the shadow of a boom microphone is visible on the side of his face momentarily.
When Professor Stokes sees Megan's locket, the front of the locket is facing the wrong the way so that the Naga symbol cannot be seen.
After Professor Stokes leaves the antique shop, Marie Wallace trips on her way to look out the window.
Grayson Hall flubs over the lines involving the words "classically" and "it's almost classic".
Not necessarily a blooper, but would the Todds have opened their shop, gone to the funeral parlour, and come back to close the shop? Wouldn't they just have stayed shut for the day and put up a bereavement notice on the door?
