349

Barnabas ages rapidly to his true age as a result of Julia's experiments.
== Synopsis ==
Teaser
: A single star is visible over Collinwood, seeming like a cold, lonely light that exists in a void unto itself. Few men can know such isolation. But there is one who has, one who has hoped his isolation might be ended, only to have that hope destroyed. And desperation and terror will follow in its wake.
Julia Hoffman faces Barnabas Collins, who has aged to his true 172 years. Distraught, she informs him the treatment dosage he insisted on was too powerful. He touches his face, and, anguished, realizes what has happened.
Act I
Barnabas blames Julia for his grotesque condition. He believes this was an act of revenge on her part due to the fact he rejected her feelings for him. She denies the accusation and asks Barnabas for time to counteract the disastrous treatment. Barnabas refuses her help. He decides to fully revert back to a vampire as it is the only way in which he can save himself. Julia begs him not to. If he goes on destroying, she will be partially to blame. Barnabas instructs her to go to Collinwood and tell Victoria Winters he cannot see her tonight. As Julia opens the door, she is startled to find Victoria outside. While Julia distracts the governess, Barnabas turns one of the high-backed armchairs in the Old House parlor around and sits in it. Victoria steps inside, and Julia prevents her from going any further, telling her that Barnabas is ill. Victoria, who cannot see Barnabas, insists on helping him. But Julia persuades her to return to Collinwood. As Victoria reluctantly departs, Barnabas bows his head in despair.
Act II
After Victoria has left, Barnabas is sickened by the thought of her seeing him as a loathsome old man. He determines to take action in order to change back. Julia calculatingly suggests Barnabas use Victoria as the instrument with which to revert. Barnabas refuses to harm her. But Julia, not wanting Victoria to come to Barnabas willingly, pressures and tempts him into considering biting the governess. Meanwhile, Carolyn Stoddard visits Victoria's room and tells her she's heading to the Blue Whale to meet Joe Haskell. The girls discuss Burke Devlin, and Victoria continues to believe her missing fiancé is alive. When Carolyn asks about Barnabas, her suspicions about her cousin are raised when Victoria comments on his sudden illness. Back at the Old House, Julia continues to tempt Barnabas with the idea of drinking Victoria's blood. If Victoria will not come to him willingly, then Julia believes Barnabas will be a fool not to have her in any way possible. Barnabas angrily orders Julia to leave, but it is clear her suggestion is playing on his mind.
Act III
At the Blue Whale, Carolyn tells Joe that she has seen Sarah Collins. She believes David Collins' wild stories might very well be true. But Joe thinks they're too far fetched. Carolyn asks Joe to take her to Eagle Hill Cemetery and double-check if there really is a secret room in the Collins mausoleum. Joe refuses and tries to convince Carolyn that, although Sarah might be real, David's other stories are nothing more than wild imagination.
Act IV
Later, Carolyn returns to Collinwood and talks to Victoria, who has changed for bed, about her doubts toward Barnabas. Victoria refuses to believe Barnabas would want to harm David and, like Joe before her, tries to convince Carolyn that David's stories are a figment of his imagination. Carolyn bids her goodnight. At the Old House, Barnabas paces restlessly as he mulls over Julia's suggestion. Back at Collinwood, a slumbering Victoria is unaware of a bat that has appeared outside her window. The aged Barnabas appears in her room and moves toward the bed. He watches Victoria sleeping, and his deep love for her prevents him from harming her. He disappears moments before Carolyn, having heard a noise, knocks on the door. She apologizes for waking Victoria, and starts to leave... but the girls are shocked by the sight of a bat outside the window.
== Memorable quotes ==
: Julia: (to Barnabas) You'll have to forgo an appointment with Vicki? That must be a bitter pill to swallow.
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: Barnabas: Time…I have no time! The years have already pressed in upon me, and every passing moment brings me that one step closer to the moment of my death. Strange. It never occurred to me that being human would make me become the man I was, a man who would have been long dead by now.
== Dramatis personae ==
* Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins
* Grayson Hall as Julia Hoffman
* Joel Crothers as Joe Haskell
* Nancy Barrett as Carolyn Stoddard
* Alexandra Moltke as Victoria Winters
* Bob O'Connell as Bob Rooney (uncredited)
== Background information and notes ==
=== Production ===
* Joel Crothers returns to the cast after an absence of 25 episodes.
* There are no writer and director credits for this episode.
* Closing credits include special make-up Dick Smith, S.M.A. (Smith's old age makeup bears a remarkable resemblance to Frid in his own later years.)
* The date on the Dan Curtis Productions copyright notice reverts to the erroneous "1966".
=== Story ===
* Barnabas' onyx ring has returned to his right hand; previously he had been seen wearing it on his left hand.
*
* INTERNAL MONOLOGUE: Barnabas: (recalling Julia's words) / Biting Victoria.
== Bloopers and continuity errors ==
* When Barnabas sends Julia to Collinwood, she is about to leave the Old House wearing her lab coat. When Victoria arrives, Julia of course is still wearing it, yet Vicki shows no curiosity over it (no one at Collinwood knows yet that Julia is a doctor, or even a scientist).
*During Act I, a boom microphone shadow can be seen on the wall. The actual boom microphone can be seen on the upper left side of the screen when Barnabas is moving the chair. Later, one of the massive television cameras swings into view behind Alexandra Moltke and Grayson Hall three times.
*When Victoria and Carolyn are talking in Victoria's room, the sounds of a door opening as well as footsteps are heard.
*A few episodes ago, Julia hypnotized Victoria and brought her to the Old House basement to see Barnabas's coffin and to instill some fear of Barnabas in her, which succeeded given her later behavior in that episode. But in this episode, Victoria is back to normal, defending Barnabas, saying that he's kind and strong and that she needs him more than ever.
*Carolyn tells Joe that she saw Sarah "yesterday," but according to the passage of time in the previous and this episode, it would have been "today" (Carolyn saw Sarah during the day before the evening Barnabas turns old, which is currently ongoing).
*When Carolyn knocks on the door of Victoria's room, it is the same door that in the previous episode was Carolyn's room. 
*At the beginning of Act IV, Alexandra Moltke has a "frog in her throat" when she asks Carolyn if she had a good time at the Blue Whale, then clears her throat.
==External Links ==
Dark Shadows - Episode 349 on the IMDb
Dark Shadows Everyday - Episode 349 - Secret Aging Man
Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 349: A man who would have been long dead by now
Dark Shadows Before I Die- Episode 349: 10/26/67
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