238

Carolyn and Victoria pay a visit to the newly restored Old House, impressed with its restoration. After they leave, Maggie emerges entranced, dressed as Josette.
== Synopsis ==
Teaser
: My name is Victoria Winters. The search for the missing girl continues; she seems to have vanished into thin air. But she is hidden in a place where no one would think to look . . . a place close by . . . a place where she is to play her part in a diabolical fantasy.
Victoria brings in the evening newspaper, which features a front page news item on Maggie's disappearance, into the drawing room where Carolyn and Elizabeth wait. The state police have dragged the water for Maggie's body without success, and false reports have been coming in hourly. Liz warns the girls about leaving the house alone at night.
Act I
Elizabeth feels certain that, because Maggie hasn't been found, that she must have been kidnapped. She stresses Sheriff Patterson's warning that no women should be out alone after dark. A sullen Carolyn feels as if Collinwood is becoming a prison, and Victoria suggests they go out for some fresh air. They agree to visit the Old House to see how the restoration work is progressing. Later, the girls walk through the woods and approach the first Collins family mansion. Carolyn shivers with cold and wants to return home, but Victoria continues to knock on the door. She eventually gives up when there's no answer, and she and Carolyn turn to go. But then the door creaks open of its own accord. Victoria calls for Barnabas and Willie, but again there is no answer. She concludes that her knocking must have jarred the door open. Carolyn protests when Vicki goes inside.
Act II
With a bit of cajoling, Carolyn relents and joins Victoria. She is awed by the changes they find, including repaired antique furnishings and a sparkling chandelier. They admire the painting Sam Evans has almost finished, and both comment on how it is almost identical to the Portrait of Barnabas hanging in Collinwood's foyer. Victoria, excited by the renovation, decides to go upstairs to look around, but Carolyn points out that Barnabas' home is not a museum. Victoria counters that, in a way, it is. She finally convinces Carolyn to come along, and the girls discover Josette's room. It is the only room on the floor that seems to have been restored, and both Carolyn and Victoria are overcome by its beauty. Victoria sees the Portrait of Josette and Carolyn notes how well it seems to fit the room. The girls are drawn to the dressing table, and Victoria finds a perfume bottle filled with jasmine--Josette's scent. Suddenly, the door slams shut. Cautiously, Vicki opens it to reveal Willie on the other side.
Act III
Willie, nervous to find the girls, says they shouldn't be in the house. Victoria and Carolyn congratulate him on all the hard work he's done. But Willie becomes upset when he discovers that things have been moved while the two young women admired the room. Carolyn wonders what the room will be used for, and Willie insists it's only to be looked at. Victoria inquires about Barnabas' room and Willie claims it's being fixed. He then rudely tells the girls to leave. After they have gone, Willie takes great care in making sure the room is back in order. As Carolyn and Victoria go downstairs, they find Barnabas waiting for them. They tell him how amazed they are with the restoration of the house, and Barnabas is quite taken with Victoria's reaction to Josette's room. He confirms that the room belonged to Josette Collins.
Act IV
Willie nervously interrupts and suggests Carolyn and Victoria leave now that it is dark. Barnabas asks if there is any news concerning Maggie, then feigns sympathy for the search party. Before she and Carolyn return to Collinwood, Victoria asks about the story Barnabas told them about the woman who committed suicide on Widows' Hill. He confirms that it was the true story of Josette's death. After the girls leave, Barnabas notes how upset Willie becomes when anyone talks to him. He orders Willie to complete the arrangements for their "dinner guest." Back at Collinwood, Elizabeth scolds Victoria and Carolyn for going down to the Old House, particularly because of Willie's presence. They gush about the restoration work, but Elizabeth can't imagine why Barnabas would restore Josette's room. Meanwhile, dinner has been laid out and the Old House is illuminated in candlelight. Maggie, wearing Josette's wedding gown and carrying her music box, comes downstairs and Barnabas welcomes her as Josette.
== Memorable quotes ==
: Elizabeth: (to Carolyn and Vicki) Well, until she is found, I don't want either one of you to go out of the house alone at night. If Maggie has been kidnapped, I have a feeling that whoever's responsible won't leave it at that.
----
: Victoria: It's so strange to see a room like this in the midst of such dust and decay.
== Dramatis personae ==
* Joan Bennett as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard
* Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins
* Nancy Barrett as Carolyn Stoddard
* John Karlen as Willie Loomis
* Alexandra Moltke as Victoria Winters
* Dorrie Kavanaugh as Maggie Evans (uncredited)
== Background information and notes ==
=== Production ===
* This episode was recorded out of broadcast sequence. The previous episode to be recorded was 239.
* This episode features location film footage of Nancy Barrett and Alexandra Moltke walking toward and entering the Old House.
* Dorrie Kavanaugh, an unspeaking extra, portrayed Maggie Evans in the final scene of this episode, with her back turned to the camera. Kavanaugh also played Maggie in several other non-speaking dream sequences as well as ghostly figures.
=== Story ===
* The edition of the Collinsport Star newspaper reporting Maggie's disappearance, dated April 16, 1967, has the headline, "Local Girl Mysteriously Disappears", and features a picture of Maggie.
* TIMELINE: Day 73 begins, and will end in 239. 5:15pm at the start of this episode. Victoria saw Joe by the shore when he was searching for Maggie yesterday. 5:30pm: Victoria and Carolyn leave to go to the Old House. It was the "other night" when Barnabas told Victoria and Carolyn the story of Josette Collins (occurred in 233).
== Bloopers and continuity errors ==
* Sam Evans's portrait of Barnabas has had some more detail sketched in on the hands, including blackening the ring, since Sheriff Patterson looked at it in the previous episode. However, this would seem impossible since this episode takes place the next day, and Sam would obviously not have come the previous night to work further on the portrait with Maggie missing.
* Barnabas calls Carolyn Miss Stoddard. Previously he always called her by her first name.
* After Vicki and Carolyn have left the Old House, once Barnabas has closed the front door, a studio noise can be heard, the dull sound of something breaking as if a lighting stand had toppled over bulb first.
== End credits announcements ==
* Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.
==External links ==
Dark Shadows - Episode 238 on the IMDb
Dark Shadows Everyday - Episode 238 - Unreal Estate
Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 238: This place is becoming a prison
Dark Shadows Before I Die- Episode 238: 5/24/67
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