Dark Shadows - Back to the Beginning / Episode 8

 

The juicy melodrama between Burke Devlin, Roger Collins, and Sam Evans becomes white-hot in this episode of Dark Shadows as their story-line takes center stage. A “trial” is mentioned when Maggie talks pleasantly with Burke as he orders coffee and donuts in the Collins Port diner. Roger has a rather heated (to put it mildly) conversation with artist Sam over what they are to do about Burke. Their conversation really shows that Burke’s reemergence in Collins Port has shaken them to the core. Whatever was the cause of the trial, and how it concerns these three, something exists that troubles Roger and Sam. Roger, a bundle of nerves, and Sam, a slobbering drunk who often waxes poetic (the poetic is often about his woes in life), really have a hard time being even in the same room with each other, so their discussion doesn’t exactly part on good terms. Sam seems willing to face Devlin, tired of the anguish that the incident, yet not fully described, has grieved him into alcoholism, while Roger, on edge, is making preparations to defend himself if necessary. In the diner, Maggie is, as of now, just inquisitive, intrusive, and opinionated. Victoria and Burke converse as Maggie often butts in, and perhaps this is best since Devlin tries prying information out of her about Roger and just her reasons for working at Collinwood. Each episode regarding the Burke Devlin angle seems to give us a juicy morsel, a little tidbit, which any good soap does so we will return to get more information. This episode, I thought, rebounds nicely from the rather uneventful previous episode where Victoria confronted Elizabeth, getting nowhere in regards to the reason for her hiring. This episode, on the other hand, really forwards the Devlin storyline and how his presence in town has caused quite a stir. Maggie still hasn’t become a strong character as of yet, in my opinion, but in due time she would get rid of the blond wig, smart aleck attitude, and nosy persona. A soap can often give actors a chance to flesh and evolve their characters and I’m glad Kathryn Leigh Scott had such a privilege.