550

Jeff asks Victoria to marry him. Adam becomes suicidal after he learns that he was created artificially and that Carolyn does not love him.
== Synopsis ==
: A gloomy day on the great estate of Collinwood, and to one girl, it is a day filled with hurt and sorrow, for she has found out a sad truth: a good deed done selflessly can cause as much agony as a malicious act.
A disheveled Carolyn comes downstairs and calls Professor Stokes. She is quite shaken and asks him to come to Collinwood immediately. She says she cannot go into Adam's room alone again. Jeff asks Victoria to marry him, and she happily accepts.
Stokes goes upstairs to talk to Adam. Adam professes his love for Carolyn and how he intends to marry her. Stokes sadly tells him that it is very unlikely. Adam believes Carolyn is afraid of falling in love, but Stokes tells him that is not the case. He finally tells Adam the truth about his origins. Adam does not take the news well, and orders Stokes to leave him alone. Despairing of ever winning Carolyn, Adam stabs himself.
== Memorable quotes ==
: Professor Stokes: Miss Stoddard, are you much given to melodrama? No, I'll answer that myself later.
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: Victoria: Cassandra has left Roger.
: Professor Stokes: He has my congratulations.
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: Professor Stokes: It simply means that the queen is dead. Long live the king, if the queen is truly dead, which I now tend to doubt. Most disturbing news.
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: Jeff: Who do you love? Peter Bradford, Jeff Clark, or both?
: Victoria: I think I love both.
== Dramatis personae ==
* Nancy Barrett as Carolyn Stoddard
* Thayer David as Timothy Eliot Stokes
* Robert Rodan as Adam
* Roger Davis as Jeff Clark
* Alexandra Moltke as Victoria Winters
== Background information and notes ==
=== Production ===
* Roger Davis returns to the cast after an absence of 20 episodes.
* There are no cast or crew members credited.
* There is a tape edit as Adam repeats Dr. Lang's message to Professor Stokes.
=== Story ===
* Adam's room in the west wing looks out onto the terrace.
* INTERNAL MONOLOGUE: Carolyn: I don't know what to do; Adam: Carolyn will love me.
* It was two months ago when Adam was created (Adam was brought to life in 490; the passage of time suggested on-screen since then is closer to that of one month).
* TIMELINE: It's afternoon.
** Jeff wants to marry Victoria on September 24th [in 1968, this fell on a Tuesday].
== Bloopers and continuity errors ==
* In this episode, Professor Stokes' telephone dial has a label bearing the number "COLLINSPORT 4099." In episode 521, Julia said that Stokes' telephone number was Rockport 6868. The COLLINSPORT 4099 number was previously seen on the phone at Collinwood.
*Jeff asks Victoria what her favorite day of the year is, and she responds that she likes September. A moment later he asks for her to pick a day, and she picks the 24th. It is clear that Roger's first line was supposed to ask her to pick a month.
* The boom microphone can be seen at the top of the screen as Victoria goes to sit on the bench at the terrace.
* After Jeff proposes, Roger Davis goes up on his line: “Well, don’t look like that; I’ll think you’re going to say no. I, uh — I had enough trouble… [looks at teleprompter] with the… effort just to ask you.”
* When Jeff is about to put the ring on Victoria's finger, there is a loud noise off-stage.
* In Act IV, as Professor Stokes and Carolyn are talking in the drawing room, a boom mic shadows moves across Nancy Barrett's head.
==External Links ==
Dark Shadows - Episode 550 on the IMDb
Dark Shadows Everyday - Episode 550 - The Afternoon After
The Dark Shadows Daybook - Episode 550
Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 550: Much given to melodrama
Dark Shadows Before I Die- Episode 550: 8/2/68
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