Dark Shadows Diary, Episode 35

Episode 35: "The Hand of Death"
Aug. 12, 1966

Who needs TMZ when you've got Joe Haskell?

Joe wastes no time getting to a telephone to tell Carolyn what he saw at the end of the last episode. Sure, he plays coy at first, demurring to explain himself BUT OMGVICKY WINTERS WAS IN BURKE'S HOTEL ROOM! I guess we should be lucky they didn't have Facebook in 1966.

 Carolyn catches David skulking around the foyer and figures out he was listening in on the conversation. As most conversations go with David, it ends in a physical confrontation, as David escalates the argument into violence. The little monster has worn out his welcome with everyone in the house exept for Liz.

 He turns on his Ted Bundy-esque charm and tries to speak to Carolyn as though he were a human being, but the facade doesn't last long. His careful, gentle approach is just a ploy to tell Carolyn that Victoria KNOWS she's got a thing for Burke and is trying to steal him away. The conversation ends badly.

David Ford joins the cast this episode, sparking one of the more curious (and unnecessary) controversies that revolved around DARK SHADOWS. Ford would later be briefly married to Nancy Barrett, the much younger actress who plays Carolyn. Barrett has spent the rest of her life politely explaining to SHADOWS fans why she married the stocky, not-terribly-handsome actor, even though it's none of our business.

Anyway, Ford is a welcome presence on the show, at least in the early years. Kathryn Leigh Scott has said Ford had difficulty remembering his lines and lived almost exclusively off the telepromter near the end of his run on DARK SHADOWS, but for the time being he still gives a shit. All we're missing now is the mighty Thayer David, and the show's core cast will be complete.

Ford makes his entrance to the show at the restaurant of the Collinsport Inn. He has a brief (and pointless) chat with Joe about hangovers before heading off to Burke Devlin's room. As he leaves, Joe makes a rather bitchy comment: "Make sure you knock first."

Unfortunately for Burke, there's nothing to interrupt. He's eating alone in his room with one meal too many, thanks to Victoria's hasty exit. Sam is interested in Burke's standing with local law enforcement, mostly out of self interest. He tries to talk his way out of completing Devlin's portrait and offers a host of excuses for why he can't take the job. Burke doesn't buy any of them, offers him $1,500 for the commission and brings an end to their negotiations.

Carolyn took David's barb to heart and acts nasty to Victoria when she returns to Collinwood. Even though she's got a boyfriend and insists (repeatedly) that she's not jealous, you can practically see the steam coming out of her ears. She later apologizes for her behavior, but turns the conversation into a pity party and paints herself as the victim  ... which is pretty much how Carolyn operates.

The episode ends on a dour note. Victoria finds David hiding outside the door of the drawing room, but the boy refuses to speak to her. When he does, it's unpleasant: "You're going to be sorry you ever came here."

It's just not Victoria's day.