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As Carolyn's plan begins to work on Elizabeth, Jason tries to stop it, first by shaming Carolyn and then by trying to bribe Buzz.
== Synopsis ==
Teaser
: My name is Victoria Winters. There are those who inflict harms upon themselves in order that others might feel a greater pain. They debase and sacrifice themselves for causes that are often futile, and the instrument of revenge becomes the executioner.
Elizabeth meets Buzz at the front door of Collinwood and tells him he may not come inside. Carolyn arrives and upon discovering Buzz has been so rudely treated, reminds Elizabeth that he is her future son-in-law.
Act I
Carolyn meets Buzz outside the front door and invites him inside so that she can have a confrontation with Elizabeth. Elizabeth tells her the plan is not going to work, that she plans to marry Jason anyway. Elizabeth threatens to have Carolyn's marriage annulled and Carolyn tells Elizabeth she and Buzz do not plan to have children because of Elizabeth's poor parenting. She suggest they make it a double wedding to save on expenses. Elizabeth asks if she were to not marry Jason if Carolyn would "end this idiocy", to which Carolyn says she should try it and see.
Act II
In the foyer Buzz meets Jason while waiting on Carolyn and they have a conversation with many veiled threats. Jason says they look like they are going to have lots of fun and tells Carolyn he will have to buy her a black leather jacket. In the drawing room Elizabeth says she only agreed to marry Jason because she did not want to ruin Carolyn's life by admitting she murdered her father, but since marrying Buzz will also ruin her life, the deal is off. Jason tells Elizabeth that Carolyn will chicken out at the last moment, but Elizabeth has doubts. Jason plans to talk to Carolyn, and give her some “fatherly advice”.
Act III
Jason tries to give Carolyn "fatherly" advice in her bedroom, and Carolyn tells him to never use the word "fatherly" around her. Jason tells her Carolyn is just like her father: headstrong, thick-headed and temperamental, which is why he ran off 18 years ago, causing Elizabeth all those years of heartbreak and humiliation, and now Carolyn is going to repeat history and cause her mother more heartbreak. Jason asks Carolyn why she resents him so much and has prejudged him. He promises to be a good step-father to her, and she says he is making her sick. He then gets tough and tells her to stop her tantrum and give people a chance for happiness. In the drawing room, Elizabeth paces until Jason returns and pours himself a brandy. She asks Jason how it went and he says it is under control, but Elizabeth is not satisfied with his answer. Jason says the next move is to have a "chat" with Buzz. Elizabeth tells him if he does not handle everything he will be in as much trouble as her.
Act IV
At The Blue Whale Carolyn and Buzz dance the night away with the help of a few beers. Buzz suggest they go to Logansport, and Carolyn excuses herself to "powder her nose" first. This is when Jason walks in and starts talking to Buzz. Buzz reveals that Carolyn never paid much attention to him before, but he always thought she liked him. Jason lays the cards on the table by telling Buzz that Carolyn is only using Buzz to stop their wedding. Buzz agrees this is a possibility, but says he does not mind. Jason says Carolyn will never marry Buzz, but it would be best to quit seeing Carolyn and offers him enough money to buy a new motorcycle if he does. Buzz rejects the offer and tells Carolyn that Jason just offered to buy him a new bike if he quit seeing her, but he would never swap her for a bike. They leave and Jason realizes he has made things worse.
== Memorable quotes ==
: Carolyn: In the first place, Mother, he's not my friend;, he's my fiancé. And in the second place, you will have to talk about him because he's going to be your son-in-law.
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: Carolyn: We're already in agreement about a lot of things, such as children. We're definitely not going to have any. The one thing I could never stand is to have a child and then cop out on it, the way you're doing to me.
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: Buzz: (about Carolyn) She comes from a family that makes big noise, and I come from a family that makes big money.
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: Buzz: (to Jason's offer of a bribe) I say no. I like the bike I got...and the chick I got.
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: Buzz: (to Carolyn, about Jason) Come on, let's go to Logansport, before he offers me a sidecar too.
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: Carolyn: Don't wait up for us, Jason. Pleasant dreams. But I know your dreams are always pleasant; they're about money.
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: Elizabeth:  Can’t I put some sense in your head? 
: Carolyn: I doubt that, Mother...because nothing makes very much sense anymore. You’ve collapsed my world for me, and I’m only trying to find a way to survive. 
: Elizabeth:  You can’t survive with that creature out there!
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: Buzz (to Jason, after Jason asks if he can sit at the table): If you feel it…sit it.
== Dramatis personae ==
* ← Joan Bennett as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard →
* ← Dennis Patrick as Jason McGuire →
* ← Nancy Barrett as Carolyn Stoddard →
* ← Michael Hadge as Buzz Hackett →
* ← Bob O'Connell as Bob Rooney → (uncredited)
* George McCoy as Blue Whale Customer (uncredited)
== Background information and notes ==
=== Production ===
* New music can be heard playing at the Blue Whale.
* This is the fifth episode since Barnabas' introduction in 210 not to contribute to the vampire storyline instead focusing solely on the blackmail storyline.
=== Story ===
* This episode includes one of the very few mentions of a holiday throughout the series. Jason tells Carolyn that he should buy her a black leather jacket "for your birthday...or Christmas, whichever comes first."
* TIMELINE: Day 86 begins, and will end in 258.
== Bloopers and continuity errors ==
* Buzz seems to say his line backward: “I guess she figured I wasn’t her type. She comes from a family that makes big noise… and I come from a family that makes big money." It would make more sense for him to say he's from the family that makes big noise and Carolyn's from the family that makes big money. It could be that Buzz is being ironic--he does say HA! after the line, but that could just be a way to recover from flubbing the line. [I think it's pretty clear the line is intentional, not a flub. He's joking with Jason, and the humor is perfectly in line with his character. He understands irony in a way that Alanis Morissette never will.]
== End credits announcements ==
* Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.
==External links ==
Dark Shadows - Episode 257 on the IMDb
Dark Shadows Everyday - Episode 257 - Bachelor Party
Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 257: If you feel it, sit it
Dark Shadows Before I Die- Episode 257: 6/20/67
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