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The party gets underway despite clear discomfort from Elizabeth and Carolyn for stepping into the past, and from Barnabas at Burke's presence. Then a chill in the air suggests another presence....
== Synopsis ==
Teaser
: The night wind murmurs through the ancient trees surrounding Collinwood, sounding like hushed voices speaking in whispers, voices from the past whispering from a void that transcends time. On this night, the voices may be heard most clearly in the forest surrounding a gloomy, forbidding old house. For there is one in that house who would transcend time this night, who would cause the past to merge with the present, who would cause the land of the living to merge with the land of the dead.
Barnabas, dressed in his own 18th century clothing, sits at a desk in Josette's room looking through a volume of a Collins family album. Willie enters and informs his master that everything is ready for the costume party. He continues to express his surprise that Barnabas' cousins have agreed to attend, especially Victoria who Barnabas tells him couldn't have been more delighted to portray Josette. For Barnabas, seeing everyone in their costumes will be like meeting his long-dead family again. His mood sours when he turns to the page featuring Jeremiah Collins' portrait in the album. Jeremiah stood in the way of Barnabas' and Josette's happiness, and he loathed him more than any other human being. Every moment he saw Jeremiah he longed for his death. And with Burke cast in the role of Jeremiah, they too will meet again tonight. Barnabas then tears Jeremiah's picture from the album and crumples the ripped pieces.
Act I
At Collinwood, Roger and Carolyn wait in the drawing room dressed in the costumes of Joshua Collins and Millicent Collins, respectively. Carolyn still feels nervous and uneasy about wearing Millicent's dress, but she chalks it up to herself being silly. Roger, on the other hand, is looking forward to the party although he isn't enthused about the idea of Burke attending. At that moment, Elizabeth comes into the room and she is a breathtaking vision in the costume of Naomi Collins. Second thoughts continue to plague her, and Roger promises to return her home if she doesn't have a good time. Next, Victoria is stunningly beautiful as she enters dressed as Josette. Commenting upon Burke's tardiness, Roger decides he will escort Elizabeth and Carolyn down to the Old House whilst Victoria waits for her beau. Meanwhile, Barnabas is gazing at the Portrait of Josette and pleading with her not to disappoint him and to accept him. At the same time, Victoria is staring out of the drawing room window into the night.
Act II
As Barnabas plays Josette's music box, Willie informs him that his guests have arrived. Seeing Barnabas with the music box, he deduces that the vampire is planning to give it to Victoria as a gift. Again, Willie warns Barnabas, and adds that others will prevent Victoria from coming to him willingly, namely Burke Devlin. Burke, however, doesn't concern Barnabas. This raises a red flag with Willie who suspects Barnabas is planning something. Barnabas, infuriated with his servant, angrily leaves the room to go and greet his guests. Alone, Willie picks up Josette's music box and casts a worried glance at her portrait. Downstairs in the parlor, Roger admires the restoration of the house but the feeling of having "stepped into the past" doesn't sit well with either Elizabeth or Carolyn. Barnabas enters and is congratulated on the reconstruction, which he claims was a labor of love. Carolyn remarks on Barnabas' resemblance to the 18th century Portrait of Barnabas, and he concurs that they all share a likeness to their respective ancestors. However, when he compliments Elizabeth, he nearly slips and calls Naomi Collins his mother. Barnabas quickly recovers, offering everyone refreshments. Roger comments on Victoria's amazing resemblance to Josette, which piques Barnabas' interest. The subject turns to Burke masquerading as Jeremiah Collins, and Carolyn speaks of the stories of how in love Jeremiah and Josette were supposed to be. This prompts an angry reaction for Barnabas who shouts "That's not true!" He regains his composure, stating that many of the family legends were inaccurate. At that moment, there is a knock at the door. Barnabas greets Victoria, and is taken by both her beauty and resemblance to Josette. Burke arrives shortly afterward, and Barnabas looks as if he might throttle the man on the spot.
Act III
Burke senses Barnabas' ire even as the vampire is cordial to him all the same. Victoria remarks on Burke's resemblance to Jeremiah, and Barnabas agrees. Returning to the others, Barnabas proposes a toast to the past and all its remembered glories. Victoria's feeling that she's actually living in the past, and would have been happy to be Josette is closely noted by Barnabas. The assembled group note the tolling of 11:00 PM of the church bell down in the valley, and a sudden chill fills the air. Elizabeth, who is more affected by the cold than the others, gasps as she feels as if someone touched her shoulder. Barnabas frowns in concern; is there a ghost, as Roger jokingly suggests, amongst them?
Act IV
Carolyn believes the sensation was all in Elizabeth's imagination. Roger isn't so sure, and he brings up the legends of Collinwood with its ghosts of the past that return to contact the living. He proposes conducting a séance in order to see if there really is a spirit in the room. Barnabas and Elizabeth dismiss the idea, but Roger believes it would make for splendid entertainment. Barnabas continues to object, and Roger wonders if his cousin might be afraid. Barnabas insists he is not, and the others reluctantly agree to the séance. Everyone gathers around a table, and they touch fingertips, except for Barnabas who has to be cajoled into participating. Roger instructs the group to concentrate on establishing communication with the presence he believes is in the room. He calls the names of the Collins ancestors they are impersonating, urging one of them to speak. Nothing happens, and they are about to call a halt to the séance when Elizabeth feels the piercing cold return. The candles all blow out of their own accord, then the front doors burst open. Victoria begins to moan as she enters a trance.
== Memorable quotes ==
: Roger: Mr. Devlin and I will never be the best of friends under any circumstances.
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: Roger: (commenting upon Victoria's appearance) It's like seeing a portrait of Josette Collins.
== Dramatis personae ==
* Joan Bennett as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard
* Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins
* John Karlen as Willie Loomis
* Louis Edmonds as Roger Collins
* Nancy Barrett as Carolyn Stoddard
* Anthony George as Burke Devlin
* Alexandra Moltke as Victoria Winters
== Background information and notes ==
=== Production ===
* There are no cast and crew credits for this episode, only the Dan Curtis Productions copyright notice.
* Louis Edmonds, Joan Bennett, Nancy Barrett, and Anthony George all would go on to play the same Collins ancestors that they portrayed at Barnabas' party. Alexandra Moltke and Jonathan Frid also appeared in those episodes but as the same characters.
=== Story ===
* The resemblances to everyone's 18th century counterparts is noted throughout the episode. Again, as in 279, Victoria is likened to Josette Collins, hinting at another connection between them. 
* Willie is the only character to not appear in costume for Barnabas' party, although he says Barnabas wanted him to. Similarly, John Karlen is the only member of the regular cast to not appear in the '1795' storyline. Willie had been written out in 329 and would not rejoin the series until 483, well after that storyline had completed.
* Barnabas wears his ring on his left hand in this episode.
*The bell from a chapel "in the valley," as Elizabeth says, can be heard at the Old House at times.
* Roger remarks upon the successful séance held at Collinwood which turned him into a believer, which occurred in 170.
* GHOSTWATCH: Barnabas, Roger, Elizabeth, Victoria, Burke and Carolyn hold a séance. Victoria goes into a trance. A coldness has arisen two or three times, and Elizabeth has felt a hand touch her should twice. As well, candles flicker and later go out, and the front doors blow open on their own.
* TIMELINE: Day 99 begins, and will end in 281. 11pm: Everyone is at the costume party.
== Bloopers and continuity errors ==
* In the teaser, Jonathan Frid stumbles over a line as he is talking about Elizabeth appearing at the party as Naomi: "The resemblance between the true...two..."
*The boom mic shadow makes numerous appearances in the scene in the Collinwood drawing room before the assembled go to the Old House for the costume party.
*At the costume party, after Barnabas's outburst denying Carolyn's statement that she understood that Jeremiah and Josette were very much in love, Nancy Barrett and Jonathan Frid step on each other's lines. Carolyn begins to say, "Is it?" at the same time Barnabas says, "I'm sorry."
*When Burke arrives at the end of Act II, he walks into the Old House and doesn't close the door behind him. At the beginning of Act III, Burke is in the same position, offering his hand for Barnabas to shake, but the door is now closed.
*In Act III Louis Edmonds trips over a line after Elizabeth says she felt a hand touching her shoulder. Roger says, "There's no standing bes...hind you."
*At the end of the episode as Victoria starts to go into her trance during the seance, Elizabeth's hands are not touching her seatmates', and she then puts them in her lap, which would have broken the psychic connection.
== End credits announcements ==
* Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.
==External links ==
Dark Shadows - Episode 280 on the IMDb
Dark Shadows Everyday - Episode 280 - Costume Drama
Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 280: To the past
Dark Shadows Before I Die- Episode 280: 7/21/67
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