277

Barnabas sets the next phase of his plan for a new "Josette" into motion as he invites the family to a costume party at the Old House to celebrate its renovation. Each will come as an 18th-century ancestor, with Victoria 'playing' Josette.
== Synopsis ==
Teaser
: The strange needs of a man who has crossed from another world will have a lasting effect on those who are innocent. He walks the Earth a lonely, desolate soul, searching for a relationship that can never be real.
At the Old House, Barnabas is gazing forlornly at the Portrait of Josette. He plays her music box but it only saddens him more. On the bed lies one of Josette's gowns. Willie enters and reports that everyone in town believes that Jason McGuire left town due to Sheriff Patterson's orders. Free of suspicion, Barnabas is ready for his plans to proceed: very soon, Josette's room will be occupied.
Act I
Barnabas assures a nervous Willie that his next Josette will come to him of her own free will. To implement this, he decides to invite the Collins Family to a costume party in order to celebrate the restoration of the Old House. Everyone will come dressed as a family member from the 18th century, and Victoria will be Josette. Meantime, at Collinwood, Elizabeth is working on a ledger in the drawing room when Roger enters. He suggests that instead of doing business at home she should do so at the office. After all, the reason for Elizabeth remaining at Collinwood no longer exists. He thinks it is high time his sister went to see all the improvements and additions to the Cannery. Elizabeth agrees. She also assures Roger that the position created for Jason will not be filled. Roger can't help but bring the subject around to McGuire's whereabouts.
Act II
Roger is concerned over whether Jason has really left Collinsport or not. McGuire's expensive wardrobe is still hanging up in his room, and Roger finds it hard to believe he would leave that behind. Elizabeth learns that Jason left all of his personal items as well. Sheriff Patterson has made inquiries and it seems as though McGuire did not depart town by bus or by train. However, Elizabeth feels certain Jason is gone. The last place McGuire was spotted was at the Blue Whale, and Roger cheers Victoria for having given the criminal a piece of her mind. Roger goes on to suggest fumigating the room Jason occupied. Elizabeth plans to give away everything McGuire left behind to charity, further delighting her brother. Some time later, Barnabas arrives at Collinwood and Victoria greets him at the door. He points out the view of the ocean, which Victoria has admired many times. Barnabas, who prefers the night, confesses to finding the daylight harsh and cruel and cryptically states he has been redesigned to live without sunlight. Victoria questions this, and Barnabas claims he meant that he is more active and alive at nighttime. He flirts with her some more, hoping the two of them can share more discussions, particularly about life... and death. At this, a dog starts howling...
Act III
Moving inside, Victoria admires Barnabas' interest in philosophy, which was a formal and practical education for him. She is grateful when he offers her the chance to peruse his library for both books on philosophy and history. He piques her interest when he talks of plans to recreate a moment in time. Victoria brings Barnabas into the drawing room, where Roger and Elizabeth are pleased to see him. Barnabas announces that he has completed restoration on most of the Old House, and he plans to have a party in order to celebrate the achievement. He is pleased by Victoria's excited reaction when he reveals it is to be a costume party. But he is crestfallen when Elizabeth turns down his invitation.
Act IV
Roger speaks to Elizabeth alone whilst Barnabas waits in the study. Roger has noted Barnabas' disappointment and personal rejection, and he tries to convince his sister to attend the party. He points out that Elizabeth is behaving like a recluse all over again. She doesn't like the "living in the past" aspect of the party, but after Roger's cajoling, she eventually agrees to go. Victoria and Barnabas return, and the latter is pleased Elizabeth has changed her mind. She apologizes for having turned down his earlier offer. Barnabas tells them of his plans: he will attend the party as his "namesake", Roger will be Joshua Collins, Elizabeth will be Naomi Collins, and Victoria will be Josette Collins.
== Memorable quotes ==
: Barnabas: I like the night very much; do you?
: Victoria: Sometimes.
: Barnabas: I prefer it. I find the daylight harsh and cruel, whereas the night is kind and soft.
----
: Barnabas: When one considers that the moon takes on its beauty by reflecting the rays of the sun, it seems inconceivable that the sun could be so ugly.
: Victoria: I don't think the sun is ugly.
: Barnabas: One cannot even look upon it without being blinded; it burns the skin, it scorches the Earth....
: Victoria: But our whole universe revolves around it; we can't exist without it.
: Barnabas: For me, it is to be avoided rather than adored.
: Victoria: Mr. Collins, man was designed to live with it.
: Barnabas: And I have been redesigned to live without it.
----
:Barnabas: I find myself more active and alive at night.
:Victoria: Then when do you sleep?
:Barnabas: I find the time.
----
: Roger: I'd like to get his [Jason's] room fumigated.
: Elizabeth: I'll have Mrs. Johnson pack his things, and if we don't hear from him, his belongings can be given to charity.
: Roger: Oh, I like that idea. He'd hate that.
== Dramatis personae ==
* Joan Bennett as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard
* Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins
* John Karlen as Willie Loomis
* Louis Edmonds as Roger 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 280.
* Josette's music box plays a different arrangement of the music than what will be heard later. It currently plays the opening seconds of Drumdramatics No. 2 (1-4). It was changed to an original composition from series composer Robert Cobert to save paying for an outside music source. Series creator Dan Curtis disliked featuring music in the series that he himself did not own. Cobert's version remained in use for the rest of the series, except a couple of accidental appearances during the "Dream Curse" storyline.
* First episode narrated by Alexandra Moltke in the third person and not in character as Victoria Winters, the first episode narrated by Moltke that does not begin with the words, "My name is Victoria Winters."
=== Story ===
* Keeping with established continuity, Barnabas mentions Jeremiah Collins having built Collinwood. Of course, this was to be changed in later storylines.
* Elizabeth notes that there is a resemblance between herself and Naomi Collins; Joan Bennett would later play Naomi during the '1795' storyline. Barnabas assigns Roger the role of Joshua, Barnabas's own father, and Louis Edmonds will play that role in the 1795 story line as well.
* TIMELINE: Day 96 takes place.
== Bloopers and continuity errors ==
* Both Louis Edmonds and Joan Bennett experience a pregnant pause at the beginning of Act II. It is clear someone has forgotten lines. Bennett's opening line is, "Is there a doubt in your mind that he is gone?" When Edmonds does not answer right away, Bennett's eyes go to her right to look at the teleprompter. All Edmonds can get out is "Well it seems... so it seems..." Bennett once again glances at the offstage teleprompter and asks, "Why?" At that point, Edmonds turns around and continues on script, talking about Jason's wardrobe.
* When Barnabas knocks on the door of Collinwood, he almost pushes the door open.
* In Act II, Elizabeth and Roger converse in the drawing room. Later, when Victoria opens the front doors to admit Barnabas to Collinwood, the drawing room doors are opened behind her, and the room is empty. However, when Barnabas enters the foyer at the beginning of Act III, the drawing room doors are now closed. Victoria opens them to reveal Roger and Elizabeth, still engaged in their conversation from the previous scene.
*Barnabas tells Roger and Elizabeth that he has "completed restoration on most of my house." However, the entryway and foyer of the Old House remain as they were, ratty with torn wallpaper. While Barnabas doesn't claim he has renovated the whole house, it seems the entryway and foyer would be high-priority areas for a "complete restoration."
== End credits announcements ==
* Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.
==External links ==
Dark Shadows - Episode 277 on the IMDb
Dark Shadows Everyday - Episode 277 - Around the Sun
Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 277: Redesigned to live without it
Dark Shadows Before I Die- Episode 277: 7/18/67
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