Melanie finds Stella Young tided up. Flora explains that Justin tried to kill Stella, so they had to lock her up to keep her from telling the police. Quentin and Morgan decide that the lottery must be held soon. Melanie promises Stella that she will be released if she promises not to cause any trouble. Justin’s funeral is held. Stella is found dead; Flora and Julia believe that Melanie killed her. Melanie tries to get in the cursed locked room then collapses.

DS-1204

Jonathan Frid

Grayson Hall

Nancy Barrett

David Selby

Joan Bennett

Lara Parker

David Henesy

Kathryn Leigh Scott

Thayer David

Roger Davis

Louis Edmonds

Jerry Lacy

John Karlen

Clarice Blackburn

Dennis Patrick

DS-1205

DS-1203

Julia warns Morgan not to marry Catherine until after Justin dies because the lottery will be held again so she will not have to be part of it. Every generation someone is chosen by lottery to spend a night the locked room, everyone who has ever entered has died or ended up mad like Justin Collins. Bramwell tells Catherine that he still loves her and is sure she loves him. Catherine tells Bramwell that she loves Morgan and plans to marry him. Morgan asks Catherine to marry him immediately, she is hesitant. Morgan sees a woman in white and claims that this is the night (that Justin will die).

DS-1199

Justin Collins is near death. Gabriel is scared that he might be chosen in the lottery and considers ways to get out of it. Justin, mad, feels compelled to go to the locked room. Justin collapses and dies. Morgan plans to hold the lottery as Justin instructed.

DS-1200

Morgan tells Catherine about the lottery and the locked room. Morgan prepares the lottery, Flora demands that the women be included. Catherine burns the lottery slips and asks Morgan to marry her immediately. Bramwell kidnaps Catherine intent on stopping her from marring Morgan.

DS-1201

Bramwell makes Catherine admit that she loves him. Kendrick sneaks around Collinwood searching for answers to his sister’s disappearance. (It is implied that Bramwell and Catherine sleep together). Catherine tells Bramwell that she still plans to marry Morgan. Quentin goes to the Old House and gets Catherine. While Catherine sleeps Melanie stands over her with a knife.

DS-1202

Catherine struggles with Melanie, Julia and Morgan stop Melanie. Morgan tells Catherine that Melanie once went into the locked room, and ever since she sometimes acts mad. Daphne tries to talk Catherine out of marrying into the Collins family. Melanie catches Julia bringing food to someone.

Morgan disposes of Stella’s body. Catherine resists Bramwell’s continued advances; she is attracted to him however she plans to marry Morgan. Morgan accuses Melanie of murdering Stella, she does not remember anything. Catherine asks Morgan to marry her immediately. Melanie and Kendrick start to fall in love, but she tells him to never come back to Collinwood. Bramwell interrupts Catherine and Morgan’s wedding.

Bramwell and Morgan fight. Melanie goes to see Josette; Melanie plans to find who her real parents are (Melanie Collins was adopted). Bramwell is forbidden from ever going back to Collinwood. Morgan challenges Bramwell to a duel. Catherine begs Bramwell not to duel Morgan; she threatens to kill herself if he kills Morgan. Bramwell and Morgan prepare for the duel.

DS-1206

Morgan wounds Bramwell; Daphne goes to take care of Bramwell. Kendrick asks Gerard to use his psychic powers to help find out what happened to his sister. Morgan and Catherine get married. Gerard and Kendrick dig up what appears to be a fresh grave.

DS-1207/1208

Kendrick and Gerard find Stella’s body. Kendrick confronts Flora who denies everything. Melanie lies to Kendrick, standing behind the family story. Flora, Melanie and Quentin hold a seance to find out more about the curse on Collinwood. During the seance they are warned that the lottery must be held or everyone will die of the plague.

DS-1209

The seance does not tell them what Quentin wanted to learn. Catherine wants to have children, however Morgan tells her that they must not because of the family curse. Quentin finds that the plague hit Collinsport in the past when the family refused to go through with the lottery. Morgan wants to find a way to get Bramwell out of the Old House. Morgan finds Catherine reading an old love letter from Bramwell. Melanie has a dream that she is dead, when she awakes she starts to show signs of the plague.

DS-1210

Flora tells everyone that the lottery must be held, otherwise Melanie will die of the plague. At Morgan’s and Quentin’s objections Flora demands that everyone including the women participate in the lottery. Morgan and Quentin criticize Gabriel (who is an alcoholic and a coward) for siding with the women and allowing them to participate in the lottery. Flora prepares the slips of paper, whoever draws the slip with the X will spend the night in the locked room; the lottery begins.

DS-1211

Gabriel draws the slip with the X, he runs off to avoid having to spend the night in the locked room. Quentin and Morgan catch Gabriel, they lock him in the tower room until it is time for him to go to the cursed room. Quentin comes down with the plague. Gabriel escapes from the tower room.

DS-1212

Julia considers the possibility that they may have to do the lottery again if Gabriel is not found. Morgan searches for Gabriel and finds him drinking at the Eagle. Gabriel claims that he is now willing to go to the locked room. Morgan and Julia lock Gabriel in the room.

DS-1213

Everyone anxiously awaits for the Gabriel’s night in the cursed room to end. Catherine is concerned that Daphne is spending too much time with Bramwell. Melanie and Quentin recover from the plague. In the morning Morgan goes to the locked room and finds the dead body of a stranger.

DS-1214

Morgan and Flora realize that Gabriel paid a friend, Tim Braithwaite, to trade places with him. Carrie delivers a message from Gabriel. Carrie has a vision of where Gabriel is hiding. Justin Collins’ ghost warns that the lottery must be held again.

DS-1215

Quentin and Julia realize the lottery must be held again. Quentin tries to find out information about James Forsythe from Carrie Stokes. Kendrick and Melanie continue to fall in love; Julia catches them together and tries to pay Kendrick to leave Collinsport, he refuses. Gabriel, now mad, shows up at Collinwood and tries to kill Kendrick.

DS-1216

Gabriel stabs Kendrick (wounding him); Morgan searches for Gabriel. Catherine is upset that Daphne is spending so much time with Bramwell. Gabriel tries to kill Daphne, Bramwell chases him off. Daphne announces that she is going to marry Bramwell. Catherine goes to Bramwell.

DS-1217

Catherine begs Bramwell not to marry Daphne. Catherine begs Daphne not to marry Bramwell. Josette tries to talk Bramwell out of marrying Daphne. Josette tells Catherine that she agrees Bramwell and Daphne should not marry. Carrie has a vision in which Bramwell visits Daphne’s grave.

DS-1218

Catherine tells Morgan that Bramwell plans to marry Daphne. Carrie finds a letter from James Forsythe, when she brings it to Morgan it bursts into flame. Bramwell announces that he has married Daphne. Catherine collapses; later Catherine tells the doctor to not tell anyone anything. Catherine claims that she was having a dizzy spell. Catherine goes to the Old House and tells Bramwell that she is pregnant with his child. [Known as the "Lost Episode," it was reconstructed using a fan-recorded audio track and still images.]

DS-1219

Bramwell tries to get Catherine to run away with him; Catherine tells Bramwell that she plans to raise the child as Morgan’s and expects Bramwell to keep it a secret. Flora decides the lottery must be held again. Quentin and Morgan try to find more information about James Forsythe. The lottery is held again; Catherine draws the slip with the X.

DS-1220

Morgan tells Catherine that he will not let her spend the night in the locked room; she tells him that she is confident that nothing will happen to her. Daphne and later Bramwell attempt to talk Catherine out of going into the locked room. Morgan locks himself in the room before Catherine can be taken there to spend the night.

DS-1221

Quentin tells Catherine that he and Morgan made a deal to not let any women go in the room. Morgan finds a secret room inside the locked room. Kendrick accuses the Collins’ of hiding Gabriel. Melanie tells Kendrick about her life. Everyone anxiously waits for morning to come. Quentin releases Morgan, who is still alive but claims his name is not Morgan.

DS-1222

Morgan appears to be possessed, but will not reveal who he is. Melanie asks Julia about her real parents; Julia tells her they are dead. Melanie finds a letter that indicates her real mother might still be alive, Julia takes the letter and burns it. Morgan goes to the cottage and demands that Carrie give him the key to the basement; Carrie goes into a trance and later realizes that Morgan is possessed by James Forsythe.

DS-1223

Julia accuses James Forsythe of being the man who put the curse on the Collins family; he claims that he was not responsible. Catherine has another fainting spell. Bramwell visits Catherine, Julia catches them together. Bramwell and Daphne argue about his going to see Catherine. Morgan (James) finds the body of Sarah Forsythe buried in the basement of the cottage.

DS-1224

Brutus Collins appears to Morgan (James Forsythe). James accuses Brutus of kill his sister Sarah, and Amanada Collins (Brutus’ wife). Julia and Carrie later find Morgan unconscious. Melanie tells Kendrick about the letter she found. Kendrick tells Melanie that there is no record of Melanie ever being at the orphanage that she was supposedly adopted from. Julia questions Morgan but learns little; he suggests that she question the spirit of Brutus Collins. Kendrick questions Julia about Melanie’s past; later he sees Melanie when she is in her “mad” state.

DS-1225

Julia tells Kendrick “a story” as to why Melanie occasionally acts mad; Kendrick does not believe it and suspects her insanity is due to a curse. Melanie finds Gabriel in the woods, he gives her a message asking Flora to meet him. Flora goes to see Gabriel, he waits for her with a knife.

DS-1226

Kendrick stops Gabriel from killing Flora; in the struggle Gabriel is stabbed. Flora tells Kendrick that Gabriel did not kill Stella. Quentin locks up Gabriel and question him about his experience while in the room; Gabriel tries to kill him. Melanie asks Flora to tell Kendrick who killed Stella.

DS-1227

Melanie tells Kendrick that she killed Stella. Bramwell ignores Daphne. Kendrick tells Melanie that he doesn’t believe she killed Stella and asks to marry him. Bramwell declares he will only ever love Catherine; Daphne sees Catherine and Bramwell kissing.

DS-1228

Morgan confuses Julia with Constance (Brutus’ sister). Daphne tries to kill herself with a pistol but is unable to do it. Julia tries to give Daphne hope. Julia warns Catherine to stay away from Bramwell. Morgan tries to kill Julia, thinking she is Constance Collins.

DS-1229

Quentin stops Morgan from killing Julia, and locks him up. Quentin plans a seance to release the spirit of James Forsythe from Morgan. Catherine drugs Morgan so they can take him to the seance. Morgan runs off during the seance; later Julia finds him and he agrees to tell her the truth of what happened in 1680.

DS-1230

James Forsythe was a business partner with Brutus Collins; Brutus was stealing money from James. James was having an affair with Brutus’ wife Amanda. Brutus kills James and Amanda and later Constance. Brutus set a curse on Collinwood, only the person capable surviving a night in the locked room would be worthy of the Collins name. Brutus’ spirit comes for James Forsythe’s spirit.

DS-1231

James Forsythe’s spirit leaves Morgan, he returns to normal. Bramwell finds that his ship will be arriving which will make him wealthy. Morgan finds that Bramwell has been coming to Collinwood while he was possessed. Daphne becomes ill. Bramwell finds that Daphne is sick, Josette tells him that Daphne is dying.

DS-1232

Bramwell tells Catherine that Daphne is dying. Kendrick asks Carrie to use her psychic powers to find who Melanie’s parents are. Bramwell tells Daphne that he loves her, (and he appears to mean it). Carrie is able to tell Melanie that her father is dead, but her mother is still alive and somewhere close by.

DS-1233

Julia interrupts Carrie before she can tell Melanie who her mother is. Julia accuses Carrie of knowing who Melanie’s mother is; Julia makes Carrie promise never to tell Melanie. Gabriel tries to convince Flora to let him out of the tower room. Flora consults the family, everyone believes he should stay locked up. Gabriel escapes from the tower room.

DS-1234

Morgan finds Julia unconscious and Gabriel gone. Daphne tells Bramwell that he and Catherine should be together after she dies. Daphne tells Catherine that she and Bramwell were meant for each other. Daphne enters a coma and has little time left. Melanie confronts Julia, she claims Julia of not letting her find who her parents are. Morgan and Julia investigate the secret room, inside the cursed room in hopes of  finding more about the curse.

DS-1235

Morgan and Julia find the bodies of Amanda Collins and James Forsythe in the secret room; Brutus locks them in the room. Gabriel attacks Catherine with a knife, however she bribes him with some jewelry. Melanie finds and realizes Julia and Morgan. Brutus Collins summons Gabriel and tells him to kill everyone. Catherine asks Morgan to take her away from Collinwood; he refuses. Melanie plans to marry Kendrick. Gabriel stabs Melanie.

DS-1236

DS-1237

Josette Collins reveals that she had an affair with Justin Collins shortly after the dead of her husband (Barnabas); Melanie was born and Justin adopted her. Daphne comes out of the coma. Julia tries to stop Melanie and Josette from telling anyone else the truth so they will not hurt Flora (who does not know her husband was unfaithful). Daphne gives her blessing to Bramwell and Catherine shortly before she dies.

DS-1238

Bramwell tells Catherine that Daphne has died, and her last request. Kendrick and Melanie are married. Julia is concerned that Morgan will become violent now that Bramwell is free to pursue Catherine; she asks Bramwell to leave, he refuses. Brutus Collins appears to Melanie; she becomes insane. Brutus warns that the lottery must be held again.

DS-1239

t is decided that the lottery will be held immediately. Catherine has another fainting spell. Flora tries to convince Kendrick to annul his marriage to Melanie, he refuses and plans to participate in the lottery. Morgan makes tries to make Catherine promise not to marry Bramwell if he dies. Kendrick is chosen in the lottery.

DS-1240

Bramwell asks Catherine to meet him later. Bramwell and Morgan argue, Julia breaks it up. Catherine meets Bramwell; Morgan follows Catherine and overhears that she is carrying Bramwell’s child.

DS-1241

Morgan contemplates murder. Daphne’s funeral is held. Morgan writes a note asking him to go to the remote part of Collinwood. Kendrick waits for night so he can go in to the locked room. Morgan knocks out Bramwell and locks him in the room. Morgan announces that he has locked Bramwell in the room. Catherine runs to Bramwell.

DS-1242

Morgan reveals that Catherine is pregnant. Julia warns Bramwell not to touch the corpses of James Forsythe and Amanda Collins. Morgan agrees to let Bramwell out of the locked room after Catherine’s pleas; however he locks Catherine in with Bramwell.

DS-1243

Julia discovers that Catherine is going to have Bramwell’s child and that Morgan has locked Catherine in with Bramwell. Catherine becomes possessed and tries to kill herself, Bramwell stops her. Bramwell is choked by an unseen force, but he recovers. As morning approaches Morgan goes to open the room, with a gun; if they have survived he plans kill them.

DS-1244

Catherine and Bramwell survive Brutus’ final attempts to destroy them. Brutus declares that they have won. Morgan shoots Bramwell, then takes Catherine hostage. Melanie’s sanity returns; She and Kendrick make plans to go away. Bramwell and Kendrick to go after Morgan, they fight and Morgan is pushed off the roof of Collinwood and dies. Melanie is found with mysterious bite marks on their neck, it is briefly implied that perhaps a vampire might be loose at Collinwood, however it is confirmed that this time the marks did come from an animal. Melanie and Kendrick move to Boston; Bramwell is invited to be the new master of Collinwood, he and Catherine are married.

DS-1245

Dark Shadows is an American gothic soap opera that originally aired weekdays on the ABC television network, from June 27, 1966, to April 2, 1971. The show was created by Dan Curtis. The story bible, which was written by Art Wallace, does not mention any supernatural elements. It was unprecedented in daytime television when ghosts were introduced about six months after it began.

The series became hugely popular when vampire Barnabas Collins appeared a year into its run. Dark Shadows also featured werewolves, zombies, man-made monsters, witches, warlocks, time travel, and a parallel universe. A small company of actors each played many roles; indeed, as actors came and went, some characters were played by more than one actor. Major writers besides Art Wallace included Malcolm Marmorstein, Sam Hall, Gordon Russell, and Violet Welles.

DS-1204

Seasons12

Season 12 Episodes46

Cast15

Discussion

Episode Summary