Dark Shadows Diary, Episode 21

Episode 21, "Some People That I Used to Know"
July 25, 1966

Victoria Winters shares a troubling story with Carolyn about the foundling home where she grew up .. and it was a LOT darker than I was expecting. It's not SLEEPERS dark (I'm sorry for putting that image in your head) but it points to a childhood that wasn't as serene as we were lead to believe.

She tells Carolyn that, when she was six years old, one of the attendants at the foundling home played a "trick" by telling her that her real parents were coming to pick her up. This is as much a "trick" as punching someone in the face.

Victoria's breakfast chitchat is resoundingly dark. Carolyn interrupts her as she's woolgathering, asking the governess if she's thinking about "the meaning of life." Victoria responds by saying the exact opposite concept is on on mind. That would be "death," for those of you playing at home. Victoria is rapidly turning into a goth Pollyanna, and it's easy to imagine her listening to The Cure in the dark while writing poetry about unicorns.

Victoria is troubled by Roger's near-fatal car wreck the night before and its possible connection to Burke Devlin. Even though we've already seen David a.) with the car part removed from his father's car and b.) planting a magazine about automotive maintenance on Victoria, DARK SHADOWS seems to be hedging its bets as to the identity of Roger's would-be assassin. It wouldn't surprise me if the show pulled an 11th hour plot twist to reveal everything we've seen about David has been a red herring. For the time being, though, just about everybody on the show is lying about something, murder or otherwise. If Victoria isn't quick to acquit OR convict Burke on the evidence she's seen, she can hardly be blamed.

Bill Malloy, on the other hand, has already made up his mind that Burke was playing satanic mechanic on Roger's car and doesn't mince words. He visits Burke in his hotel room over breakfast and tells him as much, pointing out that Devlin's claims of playing Collinsport tourist are a bunch of shit. The private investigator he hired, Wilbur Strake, is mentioned again, and Burke eventually admits to hiring the man to investigate the town's social and business climate. That would be a plausible explanation had Victoria not received a letter from the foundling home telling her that Strake has been asking questions about her in New York, as well.

Feeling the jig is up, Burke makes a phone call and warns an unseen business associate that "Things are starting to happen and I want to get moving ... fast."