365

A séance is held to contact Sarah Collins, who speaks through Victoria; then Victoria disappears, and a strange woman appears in her place.
== Synopsis ==
Teaser
: A sudden storm over the great house of Collinwood. The heavens are as full of unrest as the house itself. Perhaps the spirits which disturb the house will finally make themselves known, or perhaps they will only bring new horror, new grief.
Elizabeth Collins Stoddard informs Roger Collins that David Collins claims to have seen Sarah Collins again. Roger believes it was a mistake bringing David back to Collinwood. Elizabeth insists that David could not possibly be making up all the things Sarah says to him. She goes on to tell Roger about Sarah's warning: that "the Dead" want to harm someone in the house. Roger then learns that Dr. Julia Hoffman believes David's stories about Sarah.
Act I
Roger and Elizabeth speak to Julia, and Julia confirms that she has seen the ghost of Sarah Collins. Julia shows them a portrait of Sarah in one of the Collins family albums, stating that this is the girl she met. Roger refuses to believe this is possible. At that moment, Carolyn Stoddard enters Elizabeth's study and accuses Julia of lying. But Julia has a way to prove the truth: a séance. Carolyn immediately makes light of Julia's suggestion. Elizabeth, however, is desperate to try anything in order to help David, and she agrees to the séance.
Act II
Carolyn hurries to the Old House where Barnabas Collins is sadly pondering Sarah's appearance to him. Carolyn reports that a séance will be held at Collinwood tonight in an attempt to contact Sarah.
Shortly afterward, Barnabas voices his objection to the séance to Elizabeth. He continues to try and talk Elizabeth out of the idea, and Elizabeth is shocked by his attitude. Roger and Julia come in, and it is clear to Barnabas that the séance will take place regardless. Elizabeth and Roger leave to fetch some candles, giving Julia and Barnabas a moment alone. Barnabas tries to frighten Julia with the possibility of Dr. Dave Woodard's ghost making contact during the séance. But Julia is unmoved; she plans to see tonight through to the end.
Barnabas goes to Carolyn with a plan in mind. Carolyn voices her surprise that Barnabas is going to stay for the ceremony. He tells her he has no other choice.
Act III
Victoria Winters joins the group in the drawing room, where five chairs have been arranged around a table. Roger requests Julia's help with the ritualistic side of the séance. The Collins Family History book is brought to the table; Roger wants to see for his own eyes that the girl in the portrait is really Sarah Collins. Julia reminds him that physical manifestations are rare, and stresses to everyone the desire to have the right attitude for the ceremony to be successful. With everything ready, the séance begins. Roger calls for Sarah to come to them and, suddenly, the room fills with the mournful tune of London Bridge and a gust of wind extinguishes the candles. Barnabas signals Carolyn to implement his plan. Carolyn pretends to be possessed by Sarah, and lies about visiting David. But Victoria goes into a trance, and Sarah speaks through her: "She lies. David is my friend. I play with him. I am Sarah Collins."
Act IV
Through Victoria, Sarah tells the assembled group that she will never let anyone see her again. She continues to accuse Carolyn of lying, and reveals that she appeared to Carolyn who protests. Elizabeth forces her daughter to be quiet. Sarah wonders why her new nurse-maid, whom she has drawn a picture of, is late. When she starts to mention Barnabas, the vampire is shaken. Sarah mentions Barnabas' impending wedding to Josette du Prés. Roger coaxes Sarah to tell them why she visits David. She explains that she returned to relate the story of "how it all began." The room is abruptly plunged into darkness, and Victoria screams. Barnabas turns on the light... and the group is shocked to find Victoria gone, and a strange woman wearing eighteenth-century clothing in her place. The woman, Phyllis Wick, appears to have been in an accident. She talks of her carriage having overturned, and that a solicitor in Boston hired her for Naomi Collins to be the new governess for Sarah.
Elsewhere, Victoria finds herself outside in front of the Old House on a bright, sunny day. "Where am I?!" she cries out.
== Memorable quotes ==
: Elizabeth: Barnabas, you of all people objecting to a séance! You’ve always been so interested in the past, I think sometimes to the exclusion of the present.
----
:Julia (re: the seance): Etiquette is not the important thing. Attitude is. If anyone doesn't believe, then he or she may stop the person we're contacting.
:Barnabas: I wouldn't want that, Miss Hoffman. I shall suppress my natural levity.
----
:Roger: I don't understand. If you have an imaginary friend, why not bring her along?
== Dramatis personae ==
* Joan Bennett as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard
* Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins
* Grayson Hall as Julia Hoffman
* Louis Edmonds as Roger Collins
* Nancy Barrett as Carolyn Stoddard
* Dorrie Kavanaugh as Phyllis Wick
* Alexandra Moltke as Victoria Winters
== Background information and notes ==
=== Production ===
* With this episode, Grayson Hall ends an unbroken run of 21 consecutive appearances, which started in 345, the longest of any actor to appear in the original series.
* A particularly dirty and scratched still image is used for the establishing shot of Collinwood.
=== Story ===
* The first time that time travel is used as a plot device.
* Julia has attended a séance before.
* GHOSTWATCH: Barnabas, Julia, Elizabeth, Roger, Carolyn and Victoria attempt to contact Sarah. Carolyn pretends to go in a trance and be possessed by Sarah; Victoria then goes into a trance, and Sarah speaks though her.
* INTERNAL MONOLOGUE: Barnabas: Where is Sarah?; Victoria: Old House different?
* TIMELINE: Day 141 begins, and will end in 367. Whilst Victoria is in the past, time in the present is suspended, meaning that from the perspective of those in the present, Day 140 and Day 188 occur consecutively. 461 indicates that time was frozen during the séance seconds before the stroke of midnight.
== Bloopers and continuity errors ==
* When Elizabeth is talking to Barnabas in Act II, Joan Bennett hesitates over her lines and looks at the teleprompter.
*Roger says he doesn't like séances; previously, in 280, Roger was the one actively encouraging the séance.
* Victoria makes a point of giving Roger the family history with the book open to the picture of Sarah Collins so he can identify the girl if she should appear. Roger takes the book, and without even glancing at the picture, closes the book when he places it on the table. [This is not an error. Previously in the same episode, Roger looked at the photo, so he didn't need to.]
*A stagehand can be seen moving at the bottom left of the screen just as the séance is about to begin when Roger speaks about wanting Sarah Collins to appear.
*When the candle on the seance table goes out right before Victoria is switched with Phyllis Wick, someone blowing it out can be heard.
* After Roger switches off the electric lights, as he circles the table to take his chair, a camera can be seen on the left side of the screen.
* A boom microphone and the top of the set are visible during the final shot on the drawing room set.
==External Links ==
Dark Shadows - Episode 365 on the IMDb
Dark Shadows Every Day - Episode 365 - Closing Time
The Dark Shadows Daybook - Episode 365
Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 365: Respectable houses
Dark Shadows Before I Die- Episode 365: 11/17/67
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