Scarecrow's Blog From the Darkside

Businessman, Alan Patterson, fails to realize until it is too late that a female employee just starting at his firm, smitten with him, and a male mailroom employee, who has been taking items inside the building, are both desiring something from him. Lily wants to be with him romantically and Merle wants to just be him. Meanwhile, Alan's wife starts to grow more suspicious of possible infidelity while he insists that nothing of an affair ever took place, that Lily fails to accept that he's happily married with a daughter. Matters get worse when Merle keeps tabs on Alan, later pursuing Lily. Even worse, Merle's sister visits, instigating further mental deterioration. I must admit that “The Twisted Image” plays so much like a Lifetime psycho thriller or any number of film noir that came decades before this first episode of the Boris Karloff-hosted anthology series (which lasted two seasons), Thriller . I liked the casting quite a bit, though. Constance Ford (the t...

Episode 221 features a big improvement for Maggie as she becomes an object of desire for Barnabas, while Willie questions his motives for leaving behind his cane at the diner when talking to her “over coffee”. Barnabas had only revealed himself to those at Collinwood, introducing himself to Maggie at the diner, surprising her (as he does again at The Old House later) as she was about to close. What his plans are (the big story arc where he sees her as his Josette because of her resemblance to her as Barnabas even planning to make her his bride) in this episode aren’t revealed but looking out a window in The Old House, after Maggie and boyfriend Joe Haskell (no longer trying and failing with Caroline) return his cane—and after ordering Willie to fetch him a victim after a failed first attempt, reported as a near-attack in the area—it is clear he’s very interested in her. The gaze is so strong, Maggie feels his eyes, that stare, at home while taking a drink with Joe. I wouldn’t say a...

The 220 episode of Dark Shadows is important in that it begins with Willie recovered from the vampire bite of Barnabas, trying to avoid Jason’s questions about what he is hiding and why he is acting so differently than before (he doesn’t even want his money, and any attempts to draw from him what happened in the cemetery is met with silence and “I’m sorry.”), attempting to inform Elizabeth of the truth regarding the “long lost ancestor”, and Jason rushing him out of the mansion before he might spill something that he shouldn’t. Barnabas, giddy that Elizabeth will allow him to stay in his “family’s” Old House, receives the keys, mentioning to an astonished Victoria (she tells Elizabeth that she was in awe of just how much about the Old House Barnabas knew, as if he belonged there) he might even restore the place. And once Barnabas arrives at The Old House, Willie arrives at his command, eventually told to go and return with what he desires…a hint but it is obvious a victim to feed ...

Episode 219 focuses on Willie's plight.  2/5 Good ole Dana Elcar ("MacGyver") shows up as the local sheriff, requesting Roger visit the office, conveying concern about a series of cattle deaths due to a severe loss of blood, with quite a cause: human responsibility! The viewer knows there is a particular predator set free from the chained coffin that once held him, but nobody else does. Meanwhile, Roger insists Jason get a doctor to check on Willie after an attempt to get him up out of bed early afternoon and gone. Willie has become a pathetic weakling just begging for someone to help him to and from bed. The call from his master, sleeping in the cemetery Collins' mausoleum, Willie fights the powerful lure from Barnabas as he tosses in bed. Barely able to stand during the day, just wanting to sleep, his diagnosis (doctor played by Richard Woods) is a major loss of blood (Roger is stopped in his tracks by this after speaking with the sheriff, both Willi...

As the title implies, Episode 218 considers Barnabas wanting the abandoned "spook house" to stay in while Jason is inquisitive about him. Mainly because anyone nearby might interfere with his own plans for Elizabeth. 3/5 This particular episode is important in involving Barnabas and Jason McGuire-the two major antagonists on the show-in their first real conversation. It is the type of conversation where a lot is said and a lot is implied. McGuire is obviously the type to try and fish for information in order to see if his inquisitive asides can bring potential benefit to him. Barnabas, realizing the type of character Jason is, feels him out as well. Jewels mentioned associated to Barnabas' "ancestor" Jason inquires of while he insists he has seen Barnabas before. Barnabas, of course, directs Jason to the portrait. Important, also, is Barnabas requesting to stay at The Old House with Elizabeth and Roger startled he would want to live in such a "...

 Episode 217 certainly keeps reiterating that Willie knows that he must be far away from Collinwood and yet Jason just won't let him because he knows too much. And his behavior is puzzling. As a soap opera, sometimes episodes spend a bit too much time going over the same terrain in order to spread a story out across a week. 2/5 This episode really treads water as Jason fights with Willie about staying in bed while Willie keeps trying to get up and leave. And that is on repeat, getting rather tiresome. Because soap operas operate with alternating actors/actresses in and out as to give dialogue between as few characters as possible to maintain focus within a 30 minute time frame (with commercials), I did consider the continued use of Barnabas' portrait (they are sure getting a ton of mileage out of that emphasized image) to remind us that he might not be around in the flesh all the time but that doesn't mean we will be forgetting him a clever directorial / script ...

In Episode 216, Jason won't take no for an answer when Elizabeth doesn't want Willie staying at Collinwood, using her past as blackmail. Yeah, he's an asshole and reminder of the past who won't go away. 2.5/5 If you weren't already convinced that Jason McGuire is a sonofabitch, then this episode should very well reinforce and emphasize that to its fullest. Just look at how Jason forces Elizabeth to agree to allow Willie to stay, bringing up her "criminal past" in order to get his way. Jason's blackmail has definitely made him now the second antagonist after Barnabas, as Willie has been reduced to a pale, damaged, frightened man just wanting to get as far away from Collinwood as possible, fainting after some fear-induced hysterics at the mere sight of the Barnabas painting near the stairs in the mansion. Willie at The Blue Whale is so out of sorts and lost in a scared fog, Jason has a hard time even talking to him, realizing something serio...

Episode 215 focuses on a re-emerging and very troubled Willie who just wants to be left alone. In Collinsport, if you are someone of a notoriety, being left alone in a soap opera is not happening: 2.5/5 Willie has been absent from the show for several episodes yet remained on the lips of most of the cast in conversation while he was missing. Returning to The Blue Whale really different in attitude and behavior, he is shaking and anxious, just wanting to be left alone once Burke comes to warn him about remaining in town after their scuffle and Jason when he wants to know his whereabouts during the "lost time". While this is a sticking point of the episode, Joe returning from his uncle's farm with news of a young calf drained of its blood while talking with girlfriend, Maggie, and Burke, directly correlates with Willie in a state of crisis. It a clever bit of *nudge, nudge, wink, wink* that I appreciated as a horror fan and just as someone who likes establishin...

Episode 213 sets us back to all of the blackmail drama that leaves Carolyn tiring of her mother and Jason's association, as well as, her frustrations with Burke.  2.5/5 This episode of "Dark Shadows" has Carolyn as its central focus. She overhears Elizabeth and Jason fighting not once but twice. Elizabeth does what she can to do what she does best: avoid admitting the truth about her past. What happened when Carolyn was but a child, 18 years ago, involving Jason helping Elizabeth get rid of something that would cause her great trouble. Jason waits until Elizabeth evades Carolyn's questions about their arguing, retreating upstairs because she "has a headache"...Jason warns Carolyn to leave well enough alone if she doesn't want to cause her mother harm. Jason has remained a great nuisance in Elizabeth's life, a constant reminder of her past. Writing about each episode, it does seem like I'm repeating myself over and over but with soap...

Episode 212: Ole Willie, quite a topic of conversation! But make not mistake about it: the new character in town is the real reason to talk about the show!  4.5/5 While Roger and Caroline remain absent from the show, this episode does "Dark Shadows" fans a great service by featuring Barnabas front and center. He tells Elizabeth that he is a cousin from England, a descendent of the man in the portrait. Of course, Elizabeth, Victoria, and David remain startled at just how alike/similar Barnabas is to that portrait, and there is a clever camera emphasis on the ring on both hands as he reaches towards it. I enjoy how Barnabas must use his wits to escape snafus like speaking of Collinwood and its environs when he was once walking their grounds/estate, having to work around it by telling Elizabeth that the stories and reports of it all were quite well taught to him and generations before him. Elizabeth is particularly excited about Barnabas declaring his desire to sta...

Episode 211...where on earth is Willie?!  3/5 I won't lie: my high rating for the episode is essentially for the great final image of Barnabas, in person, standing next to his own painting from a long time past, in the Collinwood mansion. I got goosebumps watching it again after a few years, and I think you can just see Dan Curtis building to it the moment Barnabas arrives. There is a lot of the maid in this episode, talking with Jason at great length about the missing Willie Loomis, and later with Elizabeth when wondering if she should set a place at the table for him. Mrs. Johnson (Clarice Blackburn) is quite the nosy busybody, poking around with inquisitive questions and interjecting unsolicited comments perhaps not wanted. While Jason is interested in Johnson's conversations with Willie about the Collins family and especially the Barnabas painting, Elizabeth isn't fond of her intrigue in why Willie is missing when he's always around Jason (and why sh...

Episode 210 unleashes the vampire on Collinsport/Collinwood! 5/5 Willie lustfully gazes at the "costume jewelry" ornating the coat of Collins' ancestor, Barnabas, in a painting that hangs near the doorway to the foyer in the mansion. Willie knows that his body is perhaps somewhere in the mausoleum of the Collins ancestry cemetery, successfully evasive when Jason has questions about his behavior, his elusive nature a clear sign he's up to something. While Jason can't get a handle on what Willie is scheming, he nonetheless secures blackmail money from Elizabeth for his nefarious fellow. Elizabeth, as per agreement, wants Willie out of the mansion and off the property, but Jason can't seem to find Willie now. Willie, meanwhile is off to the cemetery, locating the mausoleum where Joseph and Naomi Collins are buried, trying to pry open Naomi's coffin with no success. Noticing a handle on her coffin and a nearby lion face ornament above her name a...

The return of the Mikaelsons is the big reveal at the end of Bringing Out the Dead , as the writer’s room isn’t about to introduce coffins and allow Stefan to maintain control over them. It doesn’t take long as this episode shows Bonnie and Abby working together using incantations in the hopes of unsealing the coffin…in the coffin, the matriarch of the Mikaelson brood (Alice Evans)! As can be expected Stefan and Damon address Elena, and she is [no surprise] the topic of conversation when the Brothers Salvatore agree to meet with Klaus and Elijah (the twist at the end of the previous episode has Damon removing the dagger from Elijah, awakening him from his slumber) over a dinner. Klaus isn’t about to just entrust Elena (his doppelganger and key to making hybrids) with them as their rivalry for her affections he considers dangerous. Well, dinner conversation turns to Klaus holding Stefan’s hand over an open fire, telling Damon he wants the fourth coffin. Negotiations breaking dow...