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896 Gallery
896
Number

884

Timeline

1969

Narrator

Grayson Hall

Writer

Violet Welles

Director

Lela Swift

Broadcast

December 2, 1969
(Tuesday)

Recorded

November 17, 1969
(Monday)

Video

Complete: Disc 92
Collection 17: Disc 4

896 Gallery
We have 28 images of Dark Shadows 896

David is mesmerized by the Leviathan sign of the Naga. Olivia searches for the Tate painting.

Synopsis[]

Teaser

There is a time coming when a horror beyond belief will descend on the great house of Collinwood. But that time is not yet at hand. At the moment, there are only warnings of the storm to come. Such is that which will be felt by Carolyn Stoddard, as she sits peacefully at an antique shop in Collinsport. She and many others will soon learn that a horror is all around them, and there is no escape.

Megan rushes into the antique shop, screaming that someone is coming to kill her and she needs to hide. She runs upstairs, and Carolyn hears the bell ring: someone has entered the shop.

Act I

Julia enters the antique shop. Carolyn explains that Philip is missing and Megan thinks someone is coming to kill her. Julia notices the Leviathan Box and wonders how it got to the antique shop. Carolyn says she doesn't know or care, and shows Julia the sick baby. While examining the baby, Julia notices he has a very strange birthmark. Megan comes rushing in, telling Julia to get away from the baby. Megan says she must dress the baby so they can leave, but Julia says she can't leave without Philip. Megan then suddenly calms down, and acts as if nothing is wrong. She says Philip will come home "when he is ready to" and the baby will feel better soon before heading upstairs. Julia feels Megan is afraid of something, but is not sure what.

Amy is playing in the drawing room at Collinwood when David walks in. He is about to retrieve the Leviathan Book from the desk but Amy catches him. She asks him why he lied to Carolyn about it, and David says he was planning on giving it back before he learned how valuable it is. David says he plans to burn the book so no one will know that he took it. Amy objects, and tries to steal the book from David. He drops it, and it opens to a page where David sees the sign of the Naga.

Act II

David begins to act strangely and tells Amy to stand outside the door so he can read the Leviathan Book. Amy is frightened with his behavior, but agrees to stand guard. David begins to read the book and appears to understand its language perfectly.

At the antique shop, Megan comes downstairs after taking a nap. She tells Carolyn that Joseph is feeling better. Carolyn suggests that Megan call her sister to tell her to come pick up the baby. Megan gets upset at this, saying the baby is her responsibility. The phone rings, and it is Mr. Corey asking about the painting that Julia purchased a few days ago. She gives him Julia's contact information. Megan thanks Carolyn for all she has done for her over the past couple of days.

At Collinwood, Julia asks David if she can do him a favor and take a letter to Barnabas at the Old House. David, who still appears to be in a trance, says he can't do it, and abruptly leaves. The note says that Mr. Corey is coming to Collinwood at 5:00pm see about the painting, and she believes it could be Quentin. Noticing that she has about 15 minutes to spare she quickly hurries to the Old House to tell Barnabas.

Act III

Julia returns to Collinwood shortly after 5:00pm for her meeting with Mr. Corey. As she walks into the drawing room at Collinwood, she sees that Mr. Corey is actually a woman named Olivia Corey and bears a striking resemblance to Amanda Harris from 1897. She said she had the hotel clerk call for her and had the clerk identify her as a man to prevent the asking price for the painting from going up. Olivia says she is an actress from New York, and she is interested in all of Tate's works, because one of his first paintings was of someone who looked just like her grandmother, Amanda Harris. Julia tells Olivia that her painting is not for sale, which upsets her. Julia asks who her grandfather is, and after an awkward pause, she makes up a name. She goes on to say that she is interested in any of the Collins family portraits that were created at around the turn of the century. Julia, feeling that Olivia is hiding something, tells her that there is no portrait at Collinwood of Quentin Collins. Olivia looks stunned, but Carolyn walks in and tells Olivia her cab has arrived. Olivia leaves, but not before telling Julia there is a lot they could learn from each other.

In the woods, David approaches the Leviathan Altar, and says "I am one of you now." The altar opens, revealing a hole in the base of the stone. David crawls into it and it closes behind him.

Memorable quotes[]

Julia: (to Megan) Please, make the baby take some aspirin.

Carolyn: Julia, what do you think is the matter?
Julia: With her or with the baby?
Carolyn: With both of them, I would say.

Olivia: We actresses are vain. I mean, if we didn't admire our own appearance, we wouldn't be on the stage, would we?

Olivia: Everything's for sale, sooner or later.

Dramatis personae[]

Background information and notes[]

Production[]

  • This episode was recorded out of broadcast sequence. The previous episode to be recorded was 898.
  • First appearance of the character Olivia Corey in the present day. She will be revealed as Amanda Harris in 922, having last been seen during the year 1897.

Story[]

  • A quote often attributed to H.P. Lovecraft[1], but in fact by Harold Farnese, a correspondent of Lovecraft, reads:
    "All my stories, unconnected as they may be, are based on the fundamental lore or legend that this world was inhabited at one time by another race who, in practicing black magic, lost their foothold and were expelled, yet live on outside, ever ready to take possession of this earth again."
    • This idea is echoed in this episode when David reads from the Leviathan book:
      "And then those who have been hidden so long shall rise and show themselves, and the others will know their time is ended and the time of the people of the Leviathan will begin."
  • Julia is familiar with Olivia's acting career but has never realized before the resemblance in appearance with that of Amanda Harris. It is most likely due to the fact that she has not thought of Corey in the few months since her return from 1897 when she met Amanda Harris. [Addendum: It could also be that Julia is not familiar with Olivia's acting career and making up a story.]
  • INTERNAL MONOLOGUE: Julia: (reads her letter to Barnabas).
  • SEDATIVE: Julia recommends strongly that Megan give the baby aspirin for its fever. She complies.
  • TIMELINE: Carolyn arranges for Olivia to see Julia's painting at 5pm later today. 4:45pm: Julia leaves Collinwood. 5:15pm: Julia returns.

Bloopers and continuity errors[]

  • Grayson Hall apparently has a well concealed 'bandage' underneath her chin.
  • Today aspirin is contraindicated for feverish babies because of the risk of Reye's Syndrome. [2]
  • When Megan walks downstairs in the antique shop, the boom mic is briefly seen on the top left of the screen. As Carolyn and Megan talk the sound of large items being moved (possibly the Leviathan Alter set) can be heard.
  • When Olivia picks up her purse from the table, she accidentally bumps a metal knick-knack and partially flips its lid, making a metallic noise.
  • When the Leviathan altar opens for David, both sides move outward, as they did when Barnabas emerged from it. After David crawls into the hole in the Naga-symbol backdrop, when the altar closes back up, only one of the sides moves, resulting in the front part of the altar being uncentered against the Naga backdrop.

References[]

External Links []

Dark Shadows - Episode 896 on the IMDb

Dark Shadows Everyday - Episode 896 - Help Wanted

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