156

Elizabeth is having memory bouts; Joe and Carolyn have a run-in at the Blue Whale.
== Synopsis ==
Teaser
: My name is Victoria Winters. A storm in all its raging cruelty threatens Collinwood for there is a force threatening Collinwood far more sinister and far more cruel than the raging storm... and it has unleashed itself upon one woman in particular.
Roger finds Elizabeth unconscious at the bottom of the stairs and calls to Mrs. Johnson and Victoria for help.
Act I
Victoria goes to call a doctor, but Elizabeth comes to. Roger wants Vicki to call the doctor anyway; Elizabeth refuses it. She also refuses the brandy offered by Roger because she's waiting for a call from Mr. Metcalf and waiting for Mrs. Johnson to finish sorting the linen so she can be given tomorrow's menus. Elizabeth seems to think it's afternoon; Roger and Victoria remind her that it's past 10 o'clock and that Metcalf called at 3:30 and Mrs. Johnson has the menus. Elizabeth tries to remember the missing parts of her day. The last things she remembers: Scolding David for criticizing Mrs. Johnson's cooking during lunch; writing letters in her room... She thinks starting up the steps will bring her memory back. She remembers going for a walk; a few moments later she falls forward, begging to be taken to her room.
Act II
Carolyn and Joe have a run-in at the Blue Whale during which Joe refuses to be rude or accept Carolyn's genuine gratitude. Joe admits that he wants to get even with Carolyn. He thinks they should steer clear of each other. Carolyn really wants to be friends; Joe can't because he's due to pick up Maggie, whom Carolyn heard Joe's been seeing. Carolyn thinks Maggie's nice; she gets a call. Joe tells her to say 'Hello' to Burke for him. It's Roger, of course, informing her that Elizabeth has had a bout of something and the doctor is with her. She rushes home.
Act III
Carolyn insists she be allowed to see her mother; Roger warns her that Elizabeth is having bouts of memory loss and may not recognize Carolyn. In fact, Elizabeth doesn't immediately recognize her daughter. Elizabeth wants to go to her own room; she is having difficulty concentrating. Elizabeth is convinced something terrible is happening to her, but it sounds like ranting. Elizabeth becomes adamant as she starts to remember. Carolyn's tears stop her. Elizabeth implores Carolyn to help her and hold her, begging for someone to save her.
Act IV
Victoria is angry that the doctor doesn't know what's wrong with Elizabeth. Carolyn believes they should defy Elizabeth's wishes and put her in a hospital; Victoria relays the doctor's belief that that step is as yet unwarranted. The doctor will be back tomorrow to make additional tests; Carolyn frets. Carolyn is wavering in her belief that Elizabeth will recover and worries because she can't be all alone. Victoria asks if there's anything she can get for Carolyn; Carolyn admits that despite her mother's condition, the only thing she really wants is Burke Devlin to lovingly embrace her and never let her go. The clock chimes midnight. Elizabeth remembers being inside the Cottage with Laura and telling her to go sans David. Her memory spurt causes her to call for Roger and Victoria. She gets up to go to them, but a cloaked figure at her window ceases her egress. She screams; the figure vanishes. Elizabeth falls back to the bed, entranced, and rambles about fire to an astounded Victoria, Carolyn, and Roger.
== Memorable quotes ==
: Elizabeth: The bird, high against the sky; fire; the waves against the rocks; the stones; the bird. Fire! Fire! Fire!
== Dramatis personae ==
* ← Joan Bennett as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard →
* ← Louis Edmonds as Roger Collins →
* ← Nancy Barrett as Carolyn Stoddard →
* ← Joel Crothers as Joe Haskell →
* ← Alexandra Moltke as Victoria Winters →
* Bob O'Connell as Bob Rooney (uncredited)
* George McCoy as Blue Whale Customer (uncredited)
* Susan Sullivan as Ghost (uncredited)
== Background information and notes ==
=== Production ===
* Joel Crothers returns to the cast after an absence of 11 episodes.
* Susan Sullivan, who plays a ghost in this episode, later plays Lela Quick, the second wife of Quentin Collins, in the Big Finish audio dramas.
* This episode has a semi-split voice-over.
* The bartender has three lines but does not receive a screen credit. This is the first time he has spoken on camera.
* Instrumental versions of "Yesterday" and "Michelle" by play at the Blue Whale. These two are from the 1966 album ”Michelle” by jazz saxophonist Bud Shank. It is one of the somewhat rare instances where music not composed by Robert Cobert plays at the Blue Whale. The previous time this happened was episode 65.
* First episode to show Elizabeth's room.
* In Elizabeth's room, the Ralston Purina lamp appears in Collinwood for the first time, which has previously been seen in the lobby of the Collinsport Inn (1, 7, 8, 11, 24).
*There are no cast or crew credits at the end of this episode, only the "Dan Curtis Productions" logo.
=== Story ===
* TIMELINE: It's after 10pm at the start of this episode. Day 32 begins, and will end in episode 157. 2am: Elizabeth writhes in bed.
== Bloopers and continuity errors ==
* The statue on the foyer table is missing.
== End credits announcement ==
* Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.
== External Links ==
Dark Shadows - Episode 156 on the IMDb
Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 156: Why is my baby crying?
Dark Shadows Before I Die- Episode 156: 1/30/67
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