Dark Shadows - Finally Maggie Escapes That Damned Cell

 Thankfully, Maggie FINALLY is allowed by the writers of Dark Shadows to leave the cell. It takes a riddle from Sarah, ghost girl, to Maggie to get there, but I was like, "Hallelujah!" Seeing her put that riddle together, go to that "brick" wall (the walls in the basement are quite "fragile"), find that one brick that pushes in, and the escape "hatch" opens; I was just as relieved as her. Of course, the episode really milks that search for the button and Barnabas moving glacially and ominously to her cell. I was laughing while my son was closing his eyes half the time. The writers really wanted that walk to last and last. I got a kick out of it. Barnabas told Willie that when he woke up Maggie would be killed. Willie even thinks about his situation, killing Barnabas, helping Maggie; all of this in his head narrated to us at the beginning of the episode, Willie eventually decides to poison some milk. Willie knew that he would be killed or much worse. So instead of releasing Maggie and trying to contend with Barnabas, Willie thinks her drinking milk that is laced with poison will just end it all! Wow, Willie. 

But with Willie failing to do anything, once again just fucking leaving her to be killed by Barnabas (he does leave the milk in there!); at least Sarah appears to give Maggie some riddle that provides her the only available escape possible. Yes, the door is there conveniently as a device to rescue Maggie, but after so many episodes where we see her sullen and broken and driven off the deep end in that cell, I think most are totally cool with that. Seeing Maggie confused and out of sorts as she moves through this hidden corridor of chamber doors looking for the exit while Barnabas follows after her, that is really neat because the writers had already built up the long walk and loud footsteps approaching the cell. Of course, the episode ends with Barnabas proclaiming to Maggie that she'll never escape. Well done. 4/5

***Sarah visits Sam, gets her portrait done, asks about his own daughter, tells him she will be at the beach of Widow's Hill, and then while his back is turned disappears. Sarah has been added to Dark Shadows, it seems, as a unique adversary against Barnabas. Quite an addition that was just dropped into the show rather abruptly. But she sure seems to be quite important in such a short amount of time!***

***Episode 260