Original Airdate: June 29, 1966

VICTORIA

MY NAME IS VICTORIA WINTERS.

COLLINWOOD: A STRANGE, DARK MANSION, BROODING ON THE CREST OF A LONELY HILL.

IT’S MY HOME NOW AND THE OUTSIDE WORLD SEEMS A MILLION MILES AWAY.

YET I KNOW THERE ARE HOMES OF WARMTH IN COLLINSPORT.

I KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE WITH HOPES AND DREAMS AND UNEXPRESSED FEARS.

Roger, still in a frenzy from the news that Burke Devlin is back in town, is seen pounding on the door of someone's house we don't know. It seems that the news that Burke is back in town has really disturbed him, and he's eager to get someone's attention.

(P.S.: Nice car, Roger.)

We then cut to Vicki, who's writing a letter. She doesn't tell us who she's writing a letter to, in my mind it's got to be Sandy, winner of the best NYC accent of 1966 award. Vicki is interrupted by a banging at the window, presumably our first overt paranormal activity. Of course, it could be the wind, but it could also be Barnabas Collins.

Naw, just kidding.

Carolyn bounds in wearing a very fine nightgown. It's interesting how the contrast between the two women is highlighted between their dress, Vicki seeming almost masculine by comparison. Carolyn wears heels with her nightgown for goodness sake.

CAROLYN

I BID YOU WELCOME TO THE HOUSE OF USHER.

Now this one -- maybe I'm just uneducated, but I had to look it up. "The Fall of the House of Usher" is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1839. It details the trials of a family who live in, for lack of a better term, a haunted house. Certainly there is a comparison to be made here.

Carolyn in this scene is overconfident and brash. She's a skeptic about the house, even her comparison to the House of Usher seems sarcastic, and she has the appearance of the worst kind of skeptic: the one who is wrong.

CAROLYN

WHEN YOU WRITE TO YOUR FRIEND, ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY IS ONE WORD.

HELP!

She whines about the house, but what does she really have to complain about? Her complaints seem ill-founded, and she appears a bit of a brat. But I can agree with her on one thing.

CAROLYN

VICTORIA WINTERS, I THINK I’M GOING TO LIKE YOU!

Me too, Carolyn.

Next comes a scene I found very strange. A character can feel how they want to feel, of course, and not all of our feelings are rational, but the subject turns to Roger Collins, and Carolyn expresses an immense amount of affection for him. She calls him a "doll", which seems an odd description, first of all for a man, and second of all for her uncle.

She continues, insisting that Roger has "more charm in his right earlobe than all the characters in this icky sticky town". Very, very strange. I personally don't find Roger all that charming, unless she's just really all about accents. I would expect her to like high-class men, I suppose, as that is what she was brought up with, but I'm surprised that her uncle has done much at all to earn her favor.

CAROLYN

HE SENDS ME, HE REALLY DOES.

OK Carolyn. I'll just have to take you at your word. She says that her mother wants her to be hung up on Joe Haskell. But she disparages his "homegrown variety". Isn't your uncle just as homegrown as Joe? Ah, but I know, it's that accent that really sends you.

Aw, come on Carolyn, look at that face. Is that the face of an ordinary fisherman? At least he's not a fishmonger. Or carpetmonger. Or mongermonger.

Joe apparently followed Burke's command to return to the Blue Whale. Everyone knows men don't have to follow curfew or something.

Roger Collins stops by the Collinsport Inn for a slice of pie and a bit of gossip from Maggie Evans. It's a good night for pie. We finally learn why he was banging on the door, or at least he lies about it. He may have a buyer for one of Sam Evans's (Maggie Evans's father) paintings. But that doesn't seem like a truth, why would he be banging on the door so passionately?

ROGER

BANGING ON DOORS ISN’T EXACTLY IN MY REPERTOIRE.

Oh Roger. I think the Anglish community is going to have trouble with you.

He reveals the true nature of his visit. He knows Burke is in town. Maggie helps him out, confirming that he did indeed check into the hotel last night, and he must have "hit it big", as he took three rooms on the top floor and was handing out big tips.

MAGGIE

I REMEMBER WHEN HE USED TO POSE FOR POP, FOR QUARTERS.

Oh boy, Maggie. Do tell us more.

It's a bit strange, Burke must have really changed over time, as he doesn't seem the type anymore to be posing for an artist. Maggie says that her father was very fond of him, but to be honest he doesn't seem very likable anymore.

Vicki and Carolyn take a visit to the drawing room and continue their gossip about Roger and his strong reaction to the name Burke Devlin.

VICTORIA

HE SEEMS FRIGHTENED, CAROLYN.

I’VE NEVER SEEN A MAN SO FRIGHTENED.

Oh, but you will honey. You will.

They change the topic as Vicki's attention wanders toward the paintings. She looks at one off to the left of the room, and Carolyn reveals that it is Isaac Collins, famed for building the fishing fleet and founding the town of Collinsport. All the while, the door opens on its own. Could it be the ghost of Isaac Collins?

Vicki is startled, as well she should be in this place. But Carolyn shuns her fears, saying, "Vicki, you're going to have to get used to doors like that.

CAROLYN

ISAAC COLLINS.

YOU MIGHT SAY HE’S THE MAN THAT PUT US INTO THE FISH BUSINESS.

I WONDER WHAT HE’D SAY IF HE COULD SEE THE TOWN NOW.

ARTIST COLONY, SUMMER PEOPLE.

AND THIS BIG FAT UGLY HOUSE ON TOP OF THE HILL.

Aw, Carolyn, Collinwood is a lot of things, but ugly isn't one of them.

Back to the Blue Whale, Burke reveals that he knows how much money Joe has saved and what he's saved it for. Private investigators had a lot of power back in the day, eh? He offers Joe over two thousand dollars to complete his plan. And all he wants in return is information. Sure, sure.

For information, all you need do is turn to Maggie, which is where we head next. Roger's date with Maggie is cut short when Bill Malloy, apparently an employee of the Collins family, comes into the Collinsport Inn.

Bill Malloy is apparently in on the Burke Devlin secret, but they don't let us know what it is.

ROGER

TEN YEARS IS A LONG TIME.

I’M SURE BURKE AND I CAN BE GOOD FRIENDS AGAIN.

We learn a new piece of information: Burke is an ex-convict. OK that would make sense why he's complaining about lost time. Yes, that makes a lot of sense.

BILL MALLOY

ROGER, YOU’RE EITHER A MUCH BRAVER MAN THAN I THOUGHT, OR A MUCH BIGGER FOOL.

Back at the Blue Whale, Burke is on the phone with the P.I. and discusses how pleased he was with the report on the Collins family, so much so that he's sending a bonus. I can't help but think a fool and his money are soon parted. What could this P.I. know that Maggie doesn't? She knows so much it would turn your hair grey.

Throw money at the problem! Burke continues to attempt to foist his money on Joe, insisting that all he wants is for Joe to get his boat, marry Carolyn, and be a happy man. Oh, I'm sure that's really all you want.

Bill comes into the bar and arrives at Burke and Joe's table. He is very protective of Joe, and it's endearing. I like Bill. I think he genuinely cares for the Collins family, and for Joe. He tells Joe to go off and get some rest, and turns to Burke, beseeching him to have some mercy for the Collins family, who have had nothing but hardships over the years.

BILL MALLOY

THAT WAS TEN YEARS AGO, LET IT REST.

Back at the Collins house, Vicki and Carolyn return to Vicki's room, where she is about to spend her first night in Collinwood. She finds her letter not where she'd thought she'd left it, but intead laid out in the middle of the bed.

Carolyn is again unsympathetic to Vicki's concerns, and lends her some very unhelpful two cents.

CAROLYN

VICKI, TAKE MY ADVICE.

LOCK YOUR DOOR AND GET A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP BECAUSE COME TOMORROW, YOU’RE GOING TO NEED IT.

Overall a pleasing third installment, and we finally get to see some paranormal activity. There's really not enough Vicki in this episode, but that's understandable as tension surrounding Burke escalates. Carolyn is a little overacted but she's an essential foil to Vicki, and that's OK.

★★★☆