261

Maggie manages to escape to the beach and is discovered by Sam. Dr. Woodard, concerned for her safety, decides to announce her death and sends her away for treatment.
== Synopsis ==
Teaser
: My name is Victoria Winters. Nightfall has come to Collinwood, and a cold mist blows in from the sea, a mist that clings to everything it touches and hides unexplainable horrors that stalk the Earth. In the subterranean depths of a deserted old house, there is a girl who dreads the approaching nightfall, for it brings a promise of death. Yet hidden within, there is an unexpected hope of escape.
Within her cell, Maggie finds a loose brick (from Sarah's riddle "5, 6 count the bricks"), and after several attempts, a panel opens. She hurries through moments before Barnabas arrives and finds her gone. Clutching Sarah's doll, she wanders through cramped, cobwebbed passages with Barnabas close behind.
Act I
Maggie has found two doors leading out of the Old House cellar. Unfortunately, neither one of them will open. As she hears an enraged Barnabas calling her name, an unseen Sarah causes one of the doors to open. Following the sound of Sarah's flute playing London Bridge, Maggie goes through the opening and into another series of passageways. While Barnabas continues to search for her, Maggie finally discovers a way out. She emerges onto the beach beneath Widows' Hill, collapsing from exhaustion. At that moment, Barnabas finds her lying in the sand and clutching Sarah's doll. She screams. Meanwhile, Sam has followed Sarah's advice and is searching nearby. He hears Maggie scream, and Barnabas reluctantly retreats behind a large rock as Sam approaches. Sam finds Maggie and embraces her, but she has slipped into unconsciousness. Barnabas, from behind the rock, seems to be hypnotizing her not to talk. Significantly, Barnabas does not choose to attack Sam and Maggie.
Act II
Having managed to get Maggie to the Collinsport hospital, Sam stands vigil as his daughter is examined by Dr. Woodard. Joe arrives, having been called by Sam, and an unconscious Maggie jumps when he touches her arm. Woodard explains that somebody or something frightened her so terribly that an unexpected touch brings the memory back to her. He believes Maggie will be able to tell them the identity of her kidnapper soon. Sam informs Woodard of his encounter with Sarah (260), and that it was with her encouragement that he went to the beach beneath Widows' Hill to search for Maggie. Woodard believes it is imperative that the little girl is found. Maggie begins to wake and calls out for Sarah; she recognizes Sam, but it is clear that Maggie has mentally regressed to being a child.
Act III
Joe attempts to get through to Maggie. She doesn't recognize him at all, but she's happy to learn they are friends. Dr. Woodard takes Sam and Joe outside Maggie's room; he explains that Maggie is blocking out something terrifying and has regressed to childhood in order to keep herself safe. Needing both a psychiatrist and security for Maggie, Woodard has a plan. He proposes to make everyone in Collinsport, crucially the kidnapper, believe Maggie has died. He wants to send her to a private nursing home (100 miles north) run by Dr. Julia Hoffman. Sam and Joe agree it is the best thing for Maggie.
Act IV
Returning to Maggie's bedside, Sam tells her he's going to take her on a trip where she'll be safe. Later that night, Barnabas visits the hospital and claims to have heard a rumor that Maggie was found. Dr. Woodard informs him that she is "dead", and that she never spoke a word of what happened to her. Barnabas requests that the doctor convey to Sam his "deepest condolences and, if there is anything I can do, they should not hesitate to come to me". Then he turns away and a smile of relief comes to his lips.
== Memorable quotes ==
: Dr. Woodard: As far as the outside world is concerned, Maggie Evans is dead.
== Dramatis personae ==
* Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins
* Kathryn Leigh Scott as Maggie Evans
* David Ford as Sam Evans
* Robert Gerringer as Dave Woodard
* Joel Crothers as Joe Haskell
* Jani Darnaglo as Nurse Packard
== Background information and notes ==
=== Production ===
* First full mention of Dr. Julia Hoffman. The character was referred to only once before in 242 and was male at that time. The original intention was that Dr. Julian Hoffman would be a Van Helsing-type character. However, the slip of a typist's finger turned Julian into Julia, and producer Dan Curtis saw potential to take the new character into another direction. [Addendum: The "Julian/typo" story is apocryphal and frankly sounds too convenient. There are several stories as to how the male "Dr. Hoffman" became the female "Dr. Julia Hoffman," including different stories told by different members of the cast and crew. There is little hard evidence as to how the switch actually occurred.]
=== Story ===
* TIMELINE: Day 89 begins, and will end in 262. 3:25am: Barnabas at hospital.
== Bloopers and continuity errors ==
* Just as Barnabas, in pursuit of Maggie, enters the secret panel in the cell, a man can be seen moving in the area outside of the cell. This blooper can also be seen in the previous episode (260) as the recorded scene from that episode is used as the first scene in this one.
* Although it is night and the underground passages haven't been used in years, they are well lit by candles somehow. Maggie walks far too slowly through the passageways to represent a woman fleeing a determined killer.
*Why doesn't Barnabas simply move up behind Sam and knock him unconscious or kill him? There is only Sam and an unconscious Maggie on the deserted section of beach surrounded by large rocks, so certainly it would have been easy for a vampire to subdue him and recapture her?
* The music cue to end Act I starts too early and is stopped quickly before restarting at the right time a few seconds later.
* At the end of the final scene, as Barnabas turns from Dr. Woodard to privately react to the news of Maggie's death, a boom mic momentarily dips into view despite that there is no more dialogue to be spoken in the scene.
== End credits announcements ==
* Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.
==External links ==
Dark Shadows - Episode 261 on the IMDb
Dark Shadows Everyday - Episode 261 - Bigger on the Inside
Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 261: Nine, ten, home again
Dark Shadows Before I Die- Episode 261: 6/26/67
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