Dark Shadows - Episode 262 / A New Burke Devlin

 This episode, while addressing Maggie's "demise", as Victoria and Elizabeth learn the news, the other big story arc involving Liz and Jason's upcoming nuptials gets some rub by the Dark Shadows writing team. Vicky also tells Caroline about Maggie's "death", while dealing with her loss and considering accepting Liz's request to be there for her when the marriage occurs, a witness of the "event".

But a very important change in the show is the recasting of Burke Devlin. I'm a Mitch Ryan fan, so when he was fired from the role, from the show, it was such a disappointment. It does make me want to return to The Beginning when Ryan was such an integral part of the show. Sadly, his alcoholism left those in charge no alternative. But by this point, Burke as the villain was no more. Anthony George has a soft face, a friendlier tone of voice, looking like some prime time television doctor of the 60s. I noticed that Vicky is very much an adult woman, very grown up, even though when she was first introduced in The Beginning, she was quite mature. There was just something different about Vicky in this episode. Maybe with Burke in the form of George, she isn't a "child" anymore. The burden Vicky carries at this point is similar to Elizabeth, knowing the truth, hoping she'll tell Caroline, trying to convince her that the marriage is far worse that how her daughter would react to knowledge of her father's death. Because the story must continue to be prolonged (Dark Shadows is very much a soap opera in extending a story arc for a hell of a long time), Elizabeth won't budge even though Vicky appeals with the greatest sympathy. I think you can see Vicky and Liz are family, no longer employer and employee. Hell, you barely see David much, and Vicky spending time with Burke overlooking the ocean as the water crashes against the rocks while deep in a depression and her thoughts certainly indicates that she's so much more than just some tutor to a brat whose relationship with his father is anything but close. I guess out of the entire Jason blackmails Liz to marry him for her money story arc is the closeness that she has with Vicky at this point in the show. Liz often felt like she was on an island, trapped in the house. Vicky was able to convince her to go to the police station to visit a defiant Caroline. That was a hell of a feat. **12 / ***** 


***Caroline and Buzz appear to be an impasse, or even an end. She noticed Joe while out and returned home realizing Maggie's loss left such an impact. It hurt Caroline to see Joe left with such devastation. She's still difficult, with Liz trying to cultivate some sort of peace between them. Vicky even indicates in how she functions that she is carrying a secret Caroline notices. But Vicky cares for Liz and a promise is a promise. It will be up to Liz to reveal the secret, even if Jason is allowed to marry her out of blackmail.***


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