The Dark Shadows Daybook: August 2

By PATRICK McCRAY

Taped on this date in 1967: Episode 297

As Sam and Joe contemplate moving Maggie elsewhere to avoid her kidnapper, they find that Maggie has no interest in running. Nor does she have any memory. When she is visited by the ghost of Sara, Maggie only thinks her to be a local girl.  Later, when Barnabas visits, she shows no fear of him. He is, however, deeply disturbed by the news of Sarah's visit. When he visits Maggie that night to watch her sleep, he hears Sarah singing and demand to When he visits Maggie that night to watch her sleep, he hears Sarah singing and begs to know what she wants of him.

The Sarah Storyline really, officially, we-mean-it-this-time, begins. With it, the redemption of Barnabas Collins. I contend that the story of Barnabas is one that is only properly understood if you begin in 1795 and move forward. Because of hasty choices and a conflicted heart, events in Barnabas’ life snowball to such an extent that love becomes a punishment rather than a reward. Nowhere is this more poignant than in the denial of Sarah’s love. In a life devoid of love, the quest for power can become the most powerful motive. But Sarah, who refuses to appear to Barnabas, teaches him that the quest for power is no substitute, because it will never grant him what he truly wants. He just wants his sister back. The sister whose impending death propelled him to marry Angelique. The sister who died,nonetheless. He failed her and he failed himself, and if the true curse of Barnabas Collins is his inability to forgive himself, at least she might be able to do so. That she doesn’t? He is left with no choice but to change. Barnabas Collins must find not only the man he used to be, but one far nobler, wiser, stronger, and worthy of love than he ever knew possible. He must fulfill the potential that Jeremiah showed. He must love as much as his father scorned. He must be model David will never find in Roger. He must be the champion who will inspire Quentin to push through tragedy and unleash the hero within. That’s real power.  Angelique’s curse was as much a gift as a torment. It was a fire that burned away his mediocrity and then his petty impulse for evil’s easy way out. What is left is the true Barnabas Collins, and the one we know from the hundreds of episodes to come after he destroys Nicholas’ equipment to revive Eve and commits himself to his ultimate moral journey.

The most important event for this day in DARK SHADOWS history happened in 1966, and that would be the first appearance of Thayer David, who would still be with the show five years later in the last episode and in his ninth role.