39

Bill Malloy offers Burke Devlin a deal: if Burke will leave town, Bill will do his best to clear him of the manslaughter charge.
== Synopsis ==
: My name is Victoria Winters. The strands of fear seem to bind Collinwood to much of the outside world, fear I don't quite understand, fear that reaches down to others and holds them in its grip, a grip that draws more and more tightly every minute.
Roger Collins hides and eavesdrops on the discussion between Burke and Sam, during which Sam again attempts to get out of the deal, after he tries postponing it with a lie about having a headache. Burke again persists. Sam begins to sketch Burke while they talk about Collinwood.
Bill tells Elizabeth that Burke has been inquiring into the Collins family business. Bill is worried that Elizabeth will be destroyed by Burke. He asks for authority to do whatever it takes to stop young Devlin. Ned Calder gets back to Elizabeth; Bill is pleased that the old business manager of fifteen years might come back because he's the perfect man to stop Burke. 
Burke pushes Sam enough to uncover his dissembling after posing for awhile, then gets a call from Malloy. He dashes off and Roger emerges, saying he could kill Evans. Roger offers the painter a $6,000 bribe to leave Collinsport, but Sam doesn't want to run from his problems.
Bill offers to help Burke clear his name if he stays away from Carolyn, Elizabeth, and David (but not Roger). Roger again threatens Sam and learns about the letter. Malloy shows up at Sam's home.
== Memorable quotes ==
: Burke: (while Roger is hiding) You're not hiding a lady love in the bedroom, are you, Sam?
----
: Sam: Questions don't mean a thing. The only points of value are answers, and I didn't give him any.
== Dramatis personae ==
* ← Joan Bennett as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard →
* ← Mitchell Ryan as Burke Devlin →
* ← Louis Edmonds as Roger Collins →
* ← Frank Schofield as Bill Malloy →
* ← David Ford as Sam Evans →
== Background information and notes ==
=== Production ===
* This episode was recorded out of broadcast sequence. The previous episode to be recorded was 37.
* Roger has taken his forehead bandage off for the first time in this episode, and a poorly drawn stitched scar is seen.
=== Story ===
* Bill references Captain Ahab from Herman Melville's novel Moby Dick.
* Roger offers Sam six thousand dollars as a bribe, which adjusted for inflation would be worth $54,316.40 in 2023.
* TIMELINE: It's the "first thing in the morning" when Roger visits Sam. Roger has removed his bandage; there is a scar from the car accident.
== Bloopers and continuity errors ==
* Before the episode starts, announcer Bob Lloyd gets the date wrong.
* Roger's scar is obviously drawn on. In the next episode, makeup staff did a more realistic job on the scar
*There is a long pause in dialogue between Bill Malloy and Elizabeth Stoddard. It appears Joan Bennett may have momentarily forgotten her line.
*Apparently, both Sam and Burke have forgotten that Sam had already started making sketches of Burke in episode 22. 
== End credit announcements ==
* Stay tuned for '' next on ABC.
* Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis production.
==External Links ==
Dark Shadows - Episode 39 on the IMDb
The Collinsport Historical Society - Dark Shadows Diary - Episode 39
Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 39: Questions don't mean a thing
Dark Shadows Before I Die- Episode 39: 8/18/66
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