476

Dr. Lang tries to convince Barnabas to go through with the experiment of transferring his life force into another body.
== Synopsis ==
Teaser
: Victoria Winters has returned to the great house at Collinwood, back from her strange and frightening adventure in the past. Now she and all those around her are haunted by the terrible events she witnessed in the year 1795, events which may change the course of history and forever alter the destinies of all who live at Collinwood. On this night, Barnabas Collins, for almost 200 years a prisoner of a witch's curse, will learn an amazing secret... one that could set him free forever.
Eric Lang brings Barnabas to his laboratory, and shows him the body he is building.
Act I
Lang explains that he has learned the secret of bestowing life to inanimate matter. Lang will transfer Barnabas' life force to the creature he is building, forever freeing him from the curse of the vampire. Barnabas is unsure, there are many things to think about. And Lang says he isn't ready yet, there are a lot of things still to accomplish. Barnabas mentions a major thing still to be done: choosing the face for the body. Lang says Barnabas should choose the face, after all, it will become his face.
Act II
Lang accompanies Jeff Clark to the cemetery to dig up one more body. Jeff balks at the task, not wanting to be a ghoul. But Lang insists his intentions are honorable. Jeff refuses to dig. He has decided to tell Vicki about his past, so Lang can't blackmail him. Lang asks if he will tell her he is a murderer, but Jeff says he doesn't believe he is one... he doesn't remember it, and only has Lang's word about it. Jeff throws down the shovel and walks away, telling Lang he can dig up the grave himself.
Act III
In the garden at Collinwood, Barnabas tells Julia Hoffman that Lang has offered him a way out of his curse, and asks what kind of man he is, whether he can be trusted. Julia wants to know what Lang is planning, but Barnabas says he can't tell her, he gave his word he would not reveal his experiment. Julia tries to talk him out of going through with the experiment, but Barnabas insists that with Angelique back, it might be too late if he waits.
Act IV
Barnabas is still in the garden when he hears Vicki and Jeff approaching, and he hides. Jeff confesses all he knows about his past to Vicki, that he doesn't know who he is, he has no memory of his past before the sanitarium. Barnabas watches as they kiss.
Barnabas returns to Lang's laboratory, and tells him he has decided to cooperate. Lang says he will be ready in three days. Barnabas tells Lang he wants the face on the body to resemble Jeff Clark's face. Lang says he can do better... it will BE Jeff Clark's face.
== Memorable quotes ==
: Dr. Lang: I think that thinking about failure is a contemptible weakness.
== Dramatis personae ==
* Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins
* Grayson Hall as Julia Hoffman
* Addison Powell as Eric Lang
* Roger Davis as Jeff Clark
* Alexandra Moltke as Victoria Winters
* Duane Morris as Adam (uncredited)
* Peter Murphy as Gravedigger (uncredited)
== Background information and notes ==
=== Production ===
* This episode was recorded out of broadcast sequence. The previous episode to be recorded was 477.
=== Story ===
* TIMELINE: Dr. Lang will be ready to begin the experiment to cure Barnabas permanently in two or three days (it will occur in 485, a gap of five on-screen days).
* Dr. Lang has told Jeff that he was discovered wandering around in a daze on the Portsmouth waterfront with a piece of rope in his pocket, strands of which were found on the necks of two women who were strangled to death. 
== Bloopers and continuity errors ==
* In the teaser, as Dr. Lang brings Barnabas into his laboratory, a boom mic can be seen above the laboratory lighting apparatus.
*It is curious that Barnabas and Dr. Lang dance around the question of the face when in 471, Lang already suggested that the face could look like Jeff Clark's.
*In Act I, Jonathan Frid steps on Addison Powell's lines. When Dr. Lang says Barnabas will be reborn as "a fully intelligent, mature man," Barnabas begins to say, "I don't..." but Lang interrupts by finishing, "Will you do it, Barnabas?"
*In Act III, when Julia tells Barnabas that if Barnabas dies during the experiment, this time death would be permanent, Barnabas replies, "That might not be as preferable... as leading the life I am now." The line probably was meant to be "That might be preferable to leading the life I am now."
*When Jeff and Victoria are talking in the garden, as Jeff says he doesn't even know if his name is Jeff Clark, there is off-stage noise.
* At the beginning of the scene in Act IV when Barnabas agrees to Dr. Lang's experiment, a stagehand's arm is seen with a wrench reaching over to a table on the right, tapping something into place. [Addendum: It seems the stage hand is trying to get the second Jacob's ladder to start working.]
* In Act IV, when Dr. Lang goes to answer the knock on the door to his laboratory and asks if it's Jeff, it sounds like Barnabas says, "Barnabas Collin."
==External Links ==
Dark Shadows - Episode 476 on the IMDb
Dark Shadows Every Day - Episode 476 - Monster Mash
The Dark Shadows Daybook - Episode 476
Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 476: A piece of rope
Dark Shadows Before I Die- Episode 476: 4/22/68
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