408

Josette begs Victoria to release Barnabas from her "witchcraft"; Victoria tells her about the Collins family history book that she brought from the future, in which Josette learns that she will die by her own hand.
== Synopsis ==
Teaser
: A séance has been held in the great house at Collinwood, a séance which has suspended time and space and sent one girl on an uncertain and frightening journey into the past, back to the year 1795. There, each of the Collins ancestors resembles a present day member of the Collins family, but the names and relationships have changed, and Victoria Winters finds herself a stranger in a sea of familiar faces, as she is forced to witness the first moments of the Collins tragedy that was to reach across the centuries.
Josette du Prés Collins rushes to Barnabas Collins' room to find him on the floor. He calls for Josette, and she tells him she is there. However, Barnabas does not realize she is Josette. Barnabas then says Josette must go away immediately since she does not know what danger is nearby. She tries to get him to reveal the witch's identity, and he turns to face Angelique before collapsing.
Act I
Barnabas is back in bed, where Josette and Angelique stand by his side. Angelique snaps at Josette that she should not have disturbed him, and Angelique tries to get his attention. Natalie du Prés comes into the room and inquires about the marks on his neck. Angelique tells the other women to leave and not come back. She then says there is one thing that could have happened, but she denies a question of witchcraft from Josette. Instead, Angelique says it's something far worse: the plague. Natalie asks what the doctor has said, but Angelique insists that no one, not even a doctor, must see Barnabas. Natalie stresses that a doctor must see Barnabas immediately, but Angelique says anyone else will send Barnabas away to die since there are no remedies for the plague. At least at home Barnabas will have a chance to live since Angelique knows something of medicine. Natalie stands her ground, telling Josette that she has enough influence to stop anyone from sending Barnabas away. The Countess leaves to fetch a doctor before Angelique stops her, but the younger woman cannot convince Natalie to stay. Barnabas continues to call for Josette. Josette wonders about the marks, but Angelique says they are nothing of concern. Angelique repeats that Josette should leave since Barnabas wants to be alone with his wife. Josette insists that she will stay in the drawing room even if it offends Angelique; she can only beg for forgiveness. After Josette leaves the room, Angelique says aloud that Josette will beg for more than forgiveness.
Act II
The doctor arrives, and Natalie asks for his findings. Angelique lets her anger toward Natalie be known. The doctor says he cannot fully explain Barnabas's condition, but he knows Barnabas has been bitten by a rodent, possibly a rat. He thinks the rodent was inflicted with a disease, which Angelique guesses is the plague. The doctor agrees with this surmise. Natalie asks the doctor to prescribe the proper remedies, but the doctor states that even the ailment is largely unknown. Josette wants more information, and she refuses to believe Barnabas is dying. The doctor stresses a need to remove Barnabas from the house and community, but Natalie urges him to let Barnabas remain at home, bringing up the notion that a diagnosis of plague would cause panic in Collinsport. Angelique takes Natalie's side and asks for but a little time. The doctor admits that his diagnosis may be on little evidence, and he agrees to do or say nothing for the moment. Natalie escorts the doctor to the door, and Angelique tells Josette that Barnabas must be isolated. Josette again talks of witchcraft, which she now believes. She then reveals to Angelique that she thinks she knows who the witch is, but she leaves the room before giving a name.
Act III
At the Collinsport Gaol, Josette has come to see Victoria Winters. The doctor has said there is little hope, but Josette tells Victoria that they know better than that. Victoria doesn't understand. Josette asks Victoria what the latter wants in order for the spell to be broken. Victoria realizes that Josette thinks she is a witch, and Josette offers to save Victoria if Barnabas can be saved. Victoria denies being a witch. Josette tells Victoria to destroy her if she really must destroy someone. Victoria tells Josette that she is in terrible danger and must leave immediately for "a terrible fate waits her... a terrible death." Victoria tells Josette of the book containing the Collins family history. She asks her to find it and read it; perhaps by knowing the future, it may be possible to change it.
Act IV
Angelique asks Barnabas if he can understand her. After getting a positive reply, she says the Collins family knows of his illness. Angelique tells Barnabas that Josette's destruction is certain if she discovers the truth about the witch. Barnabas agrees not to tell Josette in order to save her.
Natalie helps Josette search for the book in Victoria's room, which Josette finds in Victoria's dresser. The pair look through the book, which has a publication date of 1965 in the city of Bangor, Maine. They find a photograph of Josette's portrait pasted in the book, and Josette reads her biography, including "died by her own hand in the winter of that same year, 1795."
== Memorable quotes ==
== Dramatis personae ==
* Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins
* Grayson Hall as Natalie du Prés
* Kathryn Leigh Scott as Josette du Prés Collins
* Lara Parker as Angelique Bouchard Collins
* Alexandra Moltke as Victoria Winters
* Jack Stamberger as Doctor
== Background information and notes ==
=== Production ===
=== Story ===
* The district of Maine was part of until it became a state as part of the 1820 Missouri Compromise.
* SEDATIVE: The doctor has given Barnabas a sedative.
== Bloopers and continuity errors ==
* In Act I, after Natalie says a doctor must be summoned at once, Lara Parker hesitates and looks at the teleprompter before saying her next line.
*In Act II, there is a boom microphone shadow on the canopy of Barnabas' bed.
*The doctor has some trouble with his lines. For example, at one point he says, "And if my diagnose is uncertain." He also calls Barnabas his "client" rather than his "patient."
* Josette says that it was last week when her portrait arrived (occurred in 402). However, the on-screen passage of time since then would indicate it was two days ago.
*The year of Josette's impending death is given as 1795. Later in the series, this will be retroactively changed to 1796 and later still to 1797. January will be given as the present month in 413, the first indication that a year change has taken place, as 366 was stated to be taking place in November 1795.
*Josette reads that the Collins family history book was printed in 1965, but that would make it only two years old in 1967, and the book is clearly old and well worn.
*Natalie is puzzled by the reference to Bangor, Maine, saying, "But Bangor is in Massachusetts." Natalie should not have been puzzled by a reference to Maine as the part of the Commonwealth of Massachusets they are in was known as Maine. She should have been puzzled by "Bangor," however. In 1796, Bangor was a small frontier settlement of about 100 people, and it was only given the name Bangor three years earlier. It is not likely that a woman from Martinique would have heard of Bangor.
*After the cast credits, when the crew credits begin, starting with associate producer Robert Costello, the credits scroll is off-center and then shifts to the center before rolling.
==External Links ==
Dark Shadows - Episode 408 on the IMDb
Dark Shadows Everyday - Episode 408 - A Compromising Physician
Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 408: My imperfect science
Dark Shadows Before I Die- 1/17/68
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