Dark Shadows (TV Series) Episode #1.33 (1966) User Reviews

"This Is a Madhouse"

[wes-connors · 7/10 · 12 August 2011]

Reviewing her note from the foundling home, Vicki (Alexandra Moltke) laments the fact that she is no closer to discovering the secrets of her past. Finding her mother sitting alone in the dark, Carolyn (Nancy Barrett), learns Liz (Joan Bennett) plans to keep David at the house despite his attempt to murder his father. They agree even "Jack the Ripper had an aunt somewhere." At the Blue Whale, Burke (Mitchell Ryan) tries to console Joe (Joel Crothers), who is drunk after learning his fishing boat deal fell through. Later, Joe creates a scene at Collinwood...

With the "bleeder valve" and car crash incident over, "Dark Shadows" produces one of its best episodes to date. The cast and crew are in good form, with Mr. Crothers registering exceptionally well in the spotlight. Watch for a very young Harvey Keitel to put in his first appearance at the Blue Whale. One of the series' hardest working extras, bartender Bob O'Connell, is called "Andy" herein, but will later be called by his first name. Admittedly not a barfly, Vicki puts in her first appearance at the Collinsport watering hole, as she is planning to confront Burke...

******* Dark Shadows 1966 ABC #33 (8/10/66) John Sedwick ~ Joel Crothers, Nancy Barrett, Joan Bennett, Alexandra Moltke...

Back to abby normal.....

[mark.waltz · 6/10 · 29 October 2019]

With David exposed as a monster whom Aunt Elizabeth intends to protect, things at Collinwood are back to just plain freaky rather than super freaky. Elizabeth pesters Carolyn about marrying Joe and moving on, Joe gets drunk while telling Burke exactly what he thinks of him, and Carolyn explains to Victoria the family's nuttiness. "And what's your brand of insanity?" she then asks Victoria.

A lot has transpired in the near two months that the show has been on, and this is a downswing from the excitement of the previous two weeks. This is a great opportunity to see future soap heartthrob Joel Crothers at the beginning of his career, building up steam and finally exploding. If I'm not mistaken, the dancing extra is Harvey Keitel, although I hardly call what they are doing as dancing.

I had recalled seeing the mature Nancy Barrett as the aggressive d.a. years later on "One Life to Live", but here's her very young, full of life, and showing all sorts of believable emotion. Paired with Joel Crothers here culminates with the terrific conclusion of Joe begging Carolyn in his drunken state not to turn into a carbon copy of her mother. The look on Joan Bennett's face is one filled with regret and a realization of the truth, a scene that is really heartbreaking.

Drops down a gear

[Leofwine_draca · 4/10 · 10 March 2018]

With the 'bleeder valve' incident finally at an end, I suppose it was only inevitable that episode 33 would be something of a comedown after the high drama of the previous instalments. This one drops down a gear again, returning to Victoria's questioning of her origins and reasons for being in Collinswood, while the peripheral character of Joe is re-introduced. Somewhat rudderless in approach, this is chiefly of interest for seeing a very young Harvey Keitel playing an extra in the background in one scene.