Dark Shadows - Episode 264 / Barnabas Confronts Jason

 Barnabas has an issue with Jason. He lives in the Old House. Jason McGuire aims to gain full control of the Collins estate, which would eventually involve Barnabas. When Roger's disgust for McGuire leads him to Barnabas' home, needing to vent, Barnabas realizes the family's enemy is his own. This is where Jason makes a HUGE mistake. He might have Elizabeth seemingly in his trap, but when Jason brings up his investigation into Barnabas' affairs--where does his money come from, where is he during the day, evidence of his past--he fails to realize just how much danger he is in. And Barnabas later brings that up to Willie, who knows Jason's typical "bluffs" and antics, feeling he really doesn't pose Barnabas a threat. Barnabas won't tolerate Jason trying to blackmail or frame him...that is almost a certainty to be Jason's beginning of the end. In this episode, Jason decided to make sure Barnabas--and Roger--knew that he was onto him, looking into him. Roger has plans to make sure the estate and holdings remain with the family, not endangered to be a victim of a Jason takeover. I did wonder when the show would eventually bring the A and B story arcs (Barnabas, the vampire, and Jason's blackmail of Elizabeth) together. Here are the planted seeds. Roger visiting the Old House was a fun, rare Dark Shadows development. You just rarely see Roger at the Old House. But in order for Barnabas to be made aware of what was happening--and how he could be hurt by it--Roger needed to tell him all the details. Roger's concerns and anxiety--and deeply disturbed feelings after a spat with the gloating, Machiavellian-grinning scum, Jason--certainly are enough to bring Barnabas into the situation. Also of importance, besides Willie's guilt over "Maggie's death" and Barnabas' easy "shaking off" of that "worry", is Sarah's emergence again. Sarah sort of comes and goes as the show needs her. I admit that I sometimes forget her unless my son reminds me of when she will show back up. But Willie encounters her outside the Old House as Sarah is looking for her parents, pointing at Barnabas' home as her own. Willie resolutely insists he takes her to where she actually belongs, having no idea that where she was pointing--The Old House--is her home. Barnabas learning of the little girl, his reaction, is a neat little way to end the episode. But this episode will remain forever important as the Jason and Barnabas confrontation where the gloves are off and a clear threat is made between them. Willie being in the middle of them, too, adds extra drama to their obvious rivalry. 4/5