531

Victoria has the dream in which Barnabas beckons her; in the dream, she finds Barnabas lying on the floor of the Old House, bleeding at the neck.
== Synopsis ==
: On this seemingly peaceful night, an act of violence has taken place on the Collins estate; somwhere near the Old House a man has been struck down by a strange, inarticulate, and frightened creature, who for his own confused reasons has left the body for Barnabas Collins to find inside the house.
Just after Barnabas discovers Joe, Julia arrives on the scene. She asks if Barnabas had anything to do with his condition, and he tells her that they both have some responsibility. Julia finds that Joe is still alive, Barnabas and Willie take Joe to the Hospital. Victoria has the dream in which Barnabas beckons her, she finds Barnabas lying on the floor bleeding at the neck.
== Memorable quotes ==
: Barnabas: Through sight and sound and faceless terror; through endless corridors by trial and error; ahead a blazing light does burn; and one door leads to the point of return.
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: Barnabas: Willie, we'll deal with your mental aberrations later.
== Dramatis personae ==
* Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins
* Grayson Hall as Julia Hoffman
* Joel Crothers as Joe Haskell
* John Karlen as Willie Loomis
* Alexandra Moltke as Victoria Winters
== Background information and notes ==
=== Production ===
* This episode was recorded out of broadcast sequence. The previous episode to be recorded was 527.
* During Victoria's dream, there are 18 seconds of a still of the Old House (this is to allow Alexandra Moltke to move between sets). There is also a long time devoted to Victoria in darkness.
=== Story ===
* Julia and Barnabas are unaware that they need to keep Adam alive for Barnabas' sake. 
* DREAM SEQUENCE: Victoria experiences the dream curse. She is the eleventh victim. She opens four doors, revealing a skull, a guillotine, a skeleton bride, and a blazing light leading to a vision of Barnabas on the floor of the Old House, bleeding at the neck. The beckoner is Barnabas.
* TIMELINE: A "few minutes" have passed since the end of the previous episode. It's been "almost a week" since Adam disappeared after Sam's accident (occurred in 515). It was earlier this evening when the ghost of Sam told Victoria the dream. Victoria hasn't had much sleep the past few nights (in 525, Nicholas used her to locate Cassandra, and in 528 she was awoken by Maggie, who saw Angelique in the room).
== Bloopers and continuity errors ==
* In the teaser, as Julia is kneeling down by Joe's unconscious body in the Old House front hallway, the back of the short fake staircase can be seen.
* There are several odd, awkward camera movements following Barnabas around during the teaser and Act I.
* As Victoria paces before sleeping and before Julia visits, she is wearing her dress shoes with her nightgown.
* Shortly after Julia arrives to Victoria's bedroom at the Evans cottage, there is squeaking noise off-stage.
* During Victoria's dream, when Barnabas is lying in the ground dead, he can be seen to be still breathing. [Addendum: It's not clear that Barnabas is supposed to be dead in the dream. We see vampire (bat) bite marks on his neck, which are bleeding, which does not necessarily mean he is dead.]
* Barnabas is wearing a different suit than he was wearing at the end of the previous episode. [Addendum: Throughout the latter part of the previous episode, after Barnabas leaves the Old House and then returns, we see him only in his cloak. It is difficult to see what suit he is wearing underneath his cloak, but based on what we do see, it very well could the suit he is wearing at the beginning of this episode.]
* During Victoria's dream, while Barnabas is repeatedly saying "the point of return," at one point he says "the re-point of return."
==External Links ==
Dark Shadows - Episode 531 on the IMDb
Dark Shadows Everyday - Episode 531 - The Interpretation of Dreams
Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 531: A blazing light
Dark Shadows Before I Die- Episode 531: 7/9/68
0531