Dark Shadows Episode 219: I'm Not a Doctor, But I Play One On TV

"A dawn obscured by mists from the sea slowly creeps towards Collinwood. Through the morning mist a man emerges from the darkest pit a man can know." Victoria narrates the introduction of episodes she's not in. I wonder if she will be the narrator for many future episodes. So begins episode 219 of Dark Shadows.

Willie appears at dawn. Through the front door. It makes me wonder why for such a large estate, why there aren't any other entrances one might sneak into. Jason McGuire is waiting to confront him. He wants to know one thing, and one thing only: why he went to the cemetery. Will he get an answer?

"You were looking for the jewels, Willie." Contrary to my hunch that Jason McGuire had caught on to the fact that Willie is a vampire, he believes he is simply in it to rob the jewels that are supposedly buried in Barnabas Collins' coffin.

Personal feeling: I am happy to be watching these episodes, but saddened to think I will very quickly remember almost nothing of what I have seen. I will use this blog as an external hard drive. Perhaps the experience of typing these blogs will help me remember. I went to Cub Scouts with Jack tonight and we built a birdhouse. I was completely unprepared for the experience, but I remained calm, and we managed to finish it. I was proud of us. Back to Dark Shadows.

Willie sees a way to deflect suspicion from his real malady and agrees he was looking for the jewels. Jason insists he will now leave town on the next bus. Willie insists he is sick and returns to bed.

Roger Collins confronts Willie in the early afternoon and demands he leave. He applauds Willie's "performance." He does not believe Willie is sick. Jason McGuire tries to convince Roger Willie is suffering from a strange illness, and they agree to bring in a doctor.

The sheriff calls wanting to see Roger Collins. But he will not mention why he wants to see Roger.

Jason calls the doctor.

What I learned: There IS a phone at Collinwood.

Roger's meeting with the Sheriff does not go as expected. He is told the animals from many local farms have been drained of blood. The reason Roger would be consulted is because the Collins family owns many of those farms. 

Meanwhile, the doctor gives his diagnosis of Willie. He is not sick. He is suffering from a loss of blood. An enormous loss of blood. Why the doctor doesn't consider this an illness makes no sense, but what am I, a doctor? 

The episodes without Barnabas Collins seem more like they exist more to move the story forward and provide details than anything else. This one was slightly dull. 








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Dark Shadows Episode 217: Willie's Mysterious "Illness"

Episode 217 of Dark Shadows begins with Willie Loomis writing in bed. Jason McGuire examines him, and the removes the bandage on his wrist. The wound appears to be no more than a scratch, but his arm has turned gray. It is as if the blood had been drained from his arm.

Carolyn tells Vicky that Willie looks like a different person, a person who doesn't want to hurt anyone, and doesn't want to be hurt by anyone.

"Don't let it get dark again. I'm scared."

Victoria brings Willie a tray of food, which he shows no interest in, and Jason McGuire witnesses him fall into a deep sleep. As he leaves the room Willie awakens. It is now dark. He goes to the window and seems to answer the call of some master who beckons him. Could it be?

Jason catches Willie trying to leave the new house and confronts him. Willie says he just has to leave this house. Jason tries to coax him back upstairs, but Willie bolts from the house.

Interestingly, we hear the sound of a car being started and driving off, but no car is seen. We then hear the sound of a car slowing down and someone getting out at the cemetery, but once again, no car is seen. 

Jason follows Willie to the cemetery and witnesses him entering the Collins family crypt. Willie trips the mechanism that open the door to the secret crypt where he first found Barnabas Collins' coffin. Jason follows.

Unable to find Willie in the small, enclosed crypt, Jason seems to become bewildered and frightened. He leaves the crypt and we hear the sound of heartbeats. 

This is two consecutive episode with no appearance from Barnabas Collins, instead focusing almost entirely on the "sickness" of Willie Loomis. I got an answer to my query about cars. Maybe they will be shown later in the series, and they're certainly in the two movies, but so far the action is confined to four locations. On to episode 218. 

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