159

Victoria attempts to carry out Elizabeth's orders concerning David despite her inner conflict and her lack of legal standing.
== Synopsis ==
Teaser
: My name is Victoria Winters. Sudden illness has come to Collinwood, an illness so strange the doctors cannot diagnose it. The atmosphere is tense and worried in the great house as the one who is ill lies unmoving, eyes wide, staring fixedly at something no one can see.
Victoria is pacing in the drawing room when a knock sounds at the door. It is Frank. She tells him that Elizabeth is worse and that the doctor doesn't know what's wrong. Frank wonders what the cause could be; Victoria relays that the only pressure that Elizabeth has been under has concerned David/Laura. Victoria flatly states that Laura has something to do with Elizabeth's illness.
Act I
Frank doesn't understand how Laura could be involved, but Vicki is adamant that she has a very strong feeling Laura is responsible. Frank tells Victoria that she doesn't have a legal right to prevent David and Laura from seeing one another because no matter what Elizabeth wanted to talk to him about, she is not David's guardian. Roger's desire to promote the relationship between Laura and David doesn't help. Frank doesn’t know diddly about the supernatural/extrasensory perception, with which Collinwood seems to be bounding. Frank knows a PhD in ESP, parapsychology, at Dartmouth (Dr. Peter Guthrie) who he thinks can help.
Act II
David genuinely beats Laura in a race from Collinwood to the Cottage. Laura allows David to play with the fire and puts him in charge of it. David is enthralled by the fire, its sparks and its sounds. She invites David over to build a fire in the morning and have breakfast with her. Laura is grateful that they're friends now. Laura gloats over her victory to David after inviting him to sleep over some night.
Act III
Victoria scolds David for visiting Laura and uses Elizabeth's desire for David to keep up with his studies as a way to keep him from breakfasting with Laura. David gets angry, even when Victoria offers to have Laura up for breakfast. David catches on to Victoria's ploy and accuses her of trying to keep her from him. David wants to take care of Laura's fire, which causes Victoria untold consternation. At that moment Laura appears.
Act IV
Laura defends Victoria and agrees with David's need to keep up with his schoolwork. She tries to bargain with Victoria, who stalls. Laura offers olive branches to Victoria, and asks why she's stopped being helpful. She accuses her of drifting on Elizabeth's orders. Laura vows to get David... no matter what.
== Memorable quotes ==
: Victoria: (to Frank) The things that have happened here wouldn't stand up in court!
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: Frank: Well, I’m afraid there aren’t many who can explain phenomena and extrasensory perception, and this place seems to be full of it.
== Dramatis personae ==
* ← Conard Fowkes as Frank Garner →
* ← Diana Millay as Laura Collins →
* ← David Henesy as David Collins →
* ← 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 160.
*First mention of parapsychologist Dr. Peter Guthrie.
* As with the previous episode, in the space on the wall in the Collinwood foyer, which will later hold a portrait of a Collins family member, is instead a mirror in this episode.
=== Story ===
* TIMELINE: Day 34 takes place. It was yesterday when Carolyn discovered Elizabeth comatose. 9pm: David returns from Laura's cottage.
== Bloopers and continuity errors ==
* There is a great deal of off-camera noise of things being moved or dragged along the floor. A camera wobbles out of its framing on a shot of Frank.
*"Ohrbach's" is misspelled as "Orhbach's" in the end credits.
== End credits announcement ==
*A witch who wishes she wasn’t a witch uses her witch’s wiles to make her marriage wonderful. See Elizabeth Montgomery on "Bewitched" in color tonight on ABC.
*Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.
==External Links ==
Dark Shadows - Episode 159 on the IMDb
Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 159: No absolute values
Dark Shadows Before I Die- Episode 159: 2/2/67
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