Dark Shadows Episode Six

“Episode 6.” Dark Shadows. ABC. Various stations. 4 July 1966.
Victoria’s monologue lets us know she is going to stay, even though by this point she knows full well she should run. She’s in the basement, looking for David. She fails to find David, but she does find a creepy old man lurking in the shadows.

The old man takes Victoria to be a snooper, and makes it clear he’s going to do something drastic with the poker he’s carrying. The intervention of Elizabeth saves Victoria, who introduces her to Matthew (the old man). The point is reached relatively quickly, as proper introductions are made all around. Matthew is the handyman of the Collins family, and he doesn’t like snoopers. Elizabeth doesn’t seem to believe Victoria about her reasons for being in the basement, and seems quick to point out that a certain door down there is always locked.

Dismissing Victoria, Elizabeth hurries to the locked door and unlocks it. Behind the door is a storage room, and after searching the place, she finds David nestled inside a box. She scolds David for his actions, politely ignoring his insistence that his father would in fact beat him then says nothing as David scolds her for bringing Victoria to the house. David swears Victoria is a spy and plans to hurt him. Elizabeth tries to comfort the boy.
Upstairs, Victoria runs into Matthew again. He introduces himself as Matthew Morgan. When Victoria asks why the basement is forbidden, Matthew doesn’t give an answer. Victoria tries to bring up another topic, namely the subject of Mr. Stoddard. Matthew makes it clear he knows nothing about Mrs. Stoddard’s husband.

Matthew explains his loyalty to the family. Eighteen years prior, Matthew labored in the canary when Elizabeth hired him to work at the Collins house, as well as giving him a cottage. He was hired by her the day after her husband vanished (and right after she fired all the other servants). Matthew’s advice to Victoria: keep your nose out of other people’s business and you’ll do alright.
Back in the basement, Elizabeth finds an old paperback of the Rover Boys, a boy’s adventure series. She gives the book to David (and fumbles with Matthew’s name a bit), who seems appreciative…at least until she mentions how much his father liked the books when he was David’s age. That turns David right off.

David speaks for a bit about his mother. It seems he’s convinced that as long as Victoria is there, his mother won’t come back. Elizabeth scolds him for that, and says Victoria would never want to keep a child from its mother. She seems to projecting a bit, isn’t she?

In the drawing room, Carolyn and Victoria have a talk. Carolyn demands Victoria talk to her mother about the money the orphanage received when her mother comes in. A phone call from Joe takes Carolyn’s attention away as Elizabeth confronts Victoria.

She informs Victoria about David’s concerns and fears. She doesn’t come out and explain why, naturally, but Victoria has questions too. She points out the money to care for her came about the same time as Mr. Stoddard’s vanishing act. Elizabeth makes it clear the two are not related.

Victoria tries to find out why she of all people would be hired to care for one child several states away. Elizabeth grows hostile. Victoria backs off, but Elizabeth makes it clear that her previous answer regarding Victoria’s hiring was the truth and will no go any further. Victoria leaves to phone the orphanage, but will have to drive herself; as that phone call from Joe? It seems he’s going to come to the house and needs to talk to both Carolyn and Elizabeth.

We see more of David, and while some sympathy is raised, he manages to kill it almost at once. Elizabeth proves to be a master at bringing up a subject then refusing to elaborate. Also, Carolyn should stop saying ‘make out’ in conjunction with her relatives

Questions raised: What does Joe want to talk about? What is the issue with David’s mother? Who is Victoria going to talk to?