18

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Number	18
Timeline	1967
Narrator	Alexandra Moltke (as Victoria Winters)
Writer	Art Wallace
Director	Lela Swift
Broadcast	July 20, 1966 (Wednesday)
Recorded	July 6, 1966 (Wednesday)
Video	Complete: Disc 2 Beginning 1: Disc 2

We have 2 images of Dark Shadows 18

Roger questions Victoria about his car crash. David examines the bleeder valve, which he has hidden in his bureau drawer.

Synopsis[]

Opening narration

My name is Victoria Winters. My past is still a mystery to me, but my future is bound to the great house on Widows' Hill. To a boy whose eyes brim with fear and torment. To the strange sounds and lonely echoes of a small room filled with the memory of long dead years.

Teaser

A restless Victoria is wakened by Roger knocking at her door. He asks her to come to the drawing room as he has something important to discuss with her.

Act I

As Roger comes back downstairs, David hides in the shadows again. He follows his father into the drawing room, and asks him if it hurts. David says he is sorry, but Roger snaps, “Sorry for what? That I survived?” Roger quickly apologizes, and minimizes his injuries.

David wants to know why his father wants to talk to Victoria, and that he knows his father thinks someone fooled with the brakes, which is why the car crashed. Roger tells David to leave him alone and go to bed. David storms out of the drawing room saying “Maybe I’m not sorry at all. Maybe I wish you…” and then runs out.

David goes to Victoria’s room, and she tells him that he has no reason to be sorry, or anything to apologize for. David insists he had nothing to do with it.

Act II

David wants to know what Victoria will tell his father. She explains she will just tell him what she knows. David asks what if it wasn’t an accident, and Victoria explains that in that case, the person responsible will be caught and put in jail.

In the drawing room, Roger interrogates Victoria about what she saw when she found Burke Devlin in the garage. He shows her the drawing of the bleeder valve that Bill Malloy drew, saying that the part had been removed from the car. This caused the brakes to fail, and he believes Devlin is the one responsible. Victoria remembers that Burke was holding a wrench when she entered the garage.

Act III

After questioning Victoria more, Roger is even more convinced that Burke is guilty. He plans to go to Burke’s hotel room and confront him, and he insists Victoria accompany him, so Burke will not have a chance of denying what she saw.

Act IV

David takes the bleeder valve out of his chest of drawers, and goes to Victoria’s room, not knowing she is there getting dressed. David runs back to his room and hides the valve again.

Roger and Victoria leave to go to the hotel. David hides the bleeder valve in his chest of drawers again.

Memorable quotes[]

Roger: (to David) Don't you glare at me, young man! I'm in no mood for your nonsense.

Dramatis personae[]

← Louis Edmonds as Roger Collins →
← David Henesy as David Collins →
← Alexandra Moltke as Victoria Winters →

Background information and notes[]

Production[]

This is one of only five episodes in the series to feature just 3 actors as part of the on-screen cast, along with 244, 250, 507 and 1061.
This is the third episode in which only Collinwood sets are used.
The first episode in the series to not have any actor or crew credits; the credits are shortened to just include the Dan Curtis Productions copyright year tag. There is also no vocal end announcement.

Story[]

The opening narration is punctuated by some of the action. After Victoria says "Widow's Hill", the narration stops, and we see Roger climbing the stairs, followed by David coming out of the shadows. Then the narration continues.

Bloopers and continuity errors[]

Knocking is heard at the door to Victoria's room before Roger even gets there.
In the drawing room scene where Roger explains the accident to Victoria, Louis Edmonds flubs his lines, and Alexandra Moltke, with the camera focused on her, breaks out into a girlish grin, which she immediately (and obviously) wipes off her face.
When the scene shifts from David stepping on his toy car to Roger continuing to talk to Victoria, Louis Edmonds glances off screen for his cue before he starts shouting at Victoria.