374

Angelique casts a spell on Josette to make her declare her love for Jeremiah.
== Synopsis ==
Teaser
: Time has been suspended at Collinwood while one woman makes an uncertain, frightening journey to the past, back to the year 1795. And the secrets, those too terrifying to be written in a family history, are finally being made known.
In Josette's room, Ben Stokes is adding wood to the fireplace when Angelique Bouchard enters. She admires the room, and tells Ben it will never belong to Barnabas Collins and Josette du Prés as intended. When Ben protests, Angelique berates his simple-minded attitude and makes it clear that she is the ruler of her own destiny. She then adds a potion to Josette's rose-water cologne. Angelique informs Ben that Josette, who turned away every man before Barnabas, will learn how it feels to be rejected.
Act I
Downstairs, Jeremiah Collins chides his nephew over forgoing his bed rest after Dr. Thornton ordered him to stay there for a week. Barnabas insists that he is feeling fine. He greets Josette in the parlor and he learns that their first wedding present has arrived. Jeremiah snaps at Josette, telling her to be sure Barnabas rests after opening the gift. After Jeremiah leaves, Josette expresses how unhappy Jeremiah makes her feel. She does not care for the way he orders people around. Barnabas, however, insists that Jeremiah is actually a very kind person who has always been his closest friend. Changing the subject toward their wedding present, both Josette and Barnabas comment on how they want nothing except for each other. When they kiss, Josette becomes embarrassed and breaks away. It would not be proper if they were found embracing. She comments that Barnabas might be a little too modern in his attitudes. He agrees. Returning to the gift, Josette opens it and screams in horror: it is a skull!
Act II
Ben enters the room and when Barnabas questions him about the package, he explains that the present was already in the house when he returned with the firewood. Barnabas promises Josette to find out who was behind the gruesome gift. Josette believes the guilty party must be someone in Collinsport with an inexplicable grudge. Barnabas asks Ben to protect Josette whenever she ventures into the village. Ben agrees and is overwhelmed to learn that Barnabas plans to release Ben from Joshua Collins' service. His conscience getting the best of him, Ben tries to tell Barnabas and Josette about Angelique. Before he can name her, Ben starts to choke. Josette and Barnabas try to help him, but Ben races out of the house.
Act III
Ben goes to Angelique, who gloats over his attempt to betray her to Barnabas. Arms outstretched, Ben stalks toward her with the intention of killing the witch. But Angelique uses her supernatural powers against the convict, halting him in his tracks. She forces Ben to promise such an incident will never happen again. Only then does she release him and allow him to speak again. Ben realizes he has no choice but to obey Angelique. Meanwhile, Barnabas asks Jeremiah for his advice regarding the present. His uncle tells him he will handle the situation, which could be the result of malcontent at the shipyards. It seems that Joshua ignores the resentment toward the success the family has gained. Barnabas, however, suggests the gift might have come from someone in their own midst. As Jeremiah departs for the village, Angelique enters the room with a message for Barnabas: Josette does not feel like visiting the new house today. Barnabas wastes no time in accusing Angelique of being responsible for the present. She denies it, but Barnabas does not believe her. She rails at him, telling him she would never do anything to make him hate her.
Act IV
Later, Barnabas questions Ben about the earlier choking incident. He begs the servant to confide whether or not he knows if someone is against him and Josette. But Ben is unable to elaborate. Barnabas asserts that nothing will stop his marriage to Josette. Upstairs, Angelique soothes Josette's headache by massaging the tainted rose-water onto her forehead. Josette begins to feel different. That night, Jeremiah is reading in his bedroom when he receives an unexpected visitor: Josette. Unable to explain her actions, she embraces Jeremiah and proclaims her love for him. He pushes her away, insisting that she loves Barnabas. Josette, stunned, cries out and hurries from the room. She returns to her own room in tears, and Angelique pretends to comfort her. Josette wants to be alone and Angelique, secretly pleased with her handiwork, leaves.
== Memorable quotes ==
: Angelique: And I am a woman, aren't I? Well, aren't I?
:Ben: You say you are.
:Angelique: You don't know? Poor Ben. You obey my orders and maybe you'll learn something.
== Dramatis personae ==
* ← Anthony George as Jeremiah Collins →
* ← Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins →
* ← Thayer David as Ben Stokes →
* ← Kathryn Leigh Scott as Josette DuPres →
* ← Lara Parker as Angelique Bouchard →
== Background information and notes ==
=== Production ===
* This is the first episode not to feature any of the regular characters as conceived in the series bible. However, both Jeremiah and Josette were mentioned, albeit slightly differently than originally envisioned, who both feature in this episode.
=== Story ===
* Barnabas is planning to keep Ben in the house with him and Josette after they are married to serve out his sentence rather than send him to the new great house with Joshua.
*Josette believes that Barnabas is "modern" since he believes that the other members of the family expect him to kiss her before the wedding.
*In the village of Collinsport, there is resentment toward Joshua over his success (and Joshua ignores it).
*TIMELINE: Day 145 takes place. It's been two days since Angelique caused Barnabas to choke.
== Bloopers and continuity errors ==
* Thayer David can be seen in the shadows awaiting his cue on the Old House parlor set in Act II. [I don't think that this was a blooper... I believe that Ben was eavesdropping for Angelique, in regards to the box that Josette just opened.]
*At the start of Act III just after Angelique says "I warned you what would happen; I told you" to Ben, a loud crash can be heard in the studio. Right before that, Lara Parker also looks away, seeming to be distracted by something off-stage or perhaps searching for the teleprompter.
*It is very obvious that the box Josette is holding is empty, as she holds and moves it as if it weighs nothing.
*When Jeremiah attempts to put the head back into the box, it is clear the head is too big for the box, and the top does not fit properly. [He places it in standing up; maybe it could have fit/originally been delivered on its side.]
*A squeaking sound can be heard in the background briefly as Barnabas questions Ben in Act IV. [It is an odd sound. It almost sounds like fake laughter or a bird squawking and can be heard after Barnabas asks "No one more definite than that?"]
*The portrait of Josette hangs over the mantel in Josette's room, but it will not arrive until later as a wedding gift. The face is obscured from the camera by the bed-curtains, but the body is unmistakable.
*When Angelique pours the dark green potion into Josette's rose water cologne, it is clear that the rose water bottle is actually empty as you can see the green liquid clearly on the bottom after Angelique dispenses it.
*After rubbing the potion onto Josette's forehead, Lara Parker flubs a line: "You'll be surtri...surprised at how truly different you do feel."
* In the teaser, a boom microphone shadow can be seen against the door of Josette's room.
*The final music stinger of the episode plays just partially and then starts over again.
==External Links ==
Dark Shadows - Episode 374 on the IMDb
Dark Shadows Everyday - Episode 374 - The Wedding Presence
Dark Shadows Commentary- Episode 374: A woman decides, and it happens
Dark Shadows Before I Die- Episode 374: 11/30/67
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