Audio - Dark Shadows: Bloodlust Episode 10

Some nightmares can never be forgotten as, with some spoilers, Susan Omand heads back to Collinsport to listen to episode 10 of Dark Shadows: Bloodlust...

Amy reads a bedtime story to Tom, Sleeping Beauty, but the story is interrupted by echoes of Angelique casting a spell and Quentin imploring Tom to “set the monster free.” However, it is all part of Tom’s dream as Quentin wakes him after the full moon and assures Tom that he didn’t hurt anyone.

Barnabas wakens Angelique, who had been knocked unconscious by Carolyn’s magic protecting Collinwood. However Barnabas has to retire quickly as the sun is rising, using that as an excuse not to explain where he was the night before.

Kate’s alarm wakens her, very hungover, and she calls for Frankie before remembering he isn’t there, so she goes back to sleep.

The radio news at the Inn reminds listeners about the mandatory blood testing. Maggie switches the radio off and Amy asks if tests are really necessary. They arrange to meet later and chat. Quentin and Tom come in after Maggie leaves. Tom explains to Amy that he is “one of the monsters” they are looking for.

At the sheriff’s office, Maggie finds out from Eric that 6 people who have “blood anomalies” have been locked up to prevent another Trask incident. Mike Devereux hears this and asks Maggie why she is not investigating Trask’s murder. She says that she will get round to it but other things take priority.

Quentin has explained his family relationship to Amy, along with the family curse. She doesn’t take the news well, blaming Quentin for what happened with her brother and his wife, and is even more determined to leave the town. Quentin wants them to stay to help him hunt down the killer and find the truth.

At the Blue Whale, Ed wakens Frankie, who stayed there instead of with Kate, and persuades him to phone her. Kate is still asleep and the message goes to voicemail.

Quentin, Amy and Tom go to Angelique. They speak about Collinwood and Carolyn. Quentin says they must go to the house to try and stop whatever is happening. Back at the Blue Whale, Susan appears to Frankie and tells him that Ed is going to die.

Amy knocks on the door of Collinwood and greets David, who obviously doesn’t want to see his old friend. She starts to reminisce about their past at the house to keep him distracted while Quentin and Tom break in, to try and find Carolyn.

Ed and Frankie chat at the bar. Eric comes in for a beer after his shift, asking about Kate as she wasn’t in the newspaper office. Frankie doesn’t know where she is as she hasn’t returned his call. Kate is still sleeping, her dreams being invaded by a feeling of hunger.

Quentin and Tom are now in the house, heading for the drawing room but Quentin feels a familiar unease about the place and they seem to be walking in circles.

David tells Amy about his past since they last met, about a demon, Stryx, that scared the whole family away. Carolyn tried to destroy Stryx and David managed to find another demon at Windcliff Asylum and get trapped. (This story is told in in Kingdom of the Dead). Amy asks if Stryx is behind what’s happening. Meanwhile Quentin and Tom are being misdirected around the house by some unknown force.

Kate has finally woken up. She gets Frankie’s phone message and decides to go and meet him at the pub as she is still very hungry.

Amy finally realises the time and says she must leave. David kisses her and explains about the distraction spell he’s had her under, keeping her with him all day, and that Tom only has a few minutes left before the moon rises and he turns again. David had been aware of Tom and Quentin in the house the whole time. In the house, Tom comes to the conclusion that the misdirection may be an illusion, like in Sleeping Beauty, and they are where they should be the whole time. They stop walking and concentrate, finding themselves in the drawing room with Carolyn chanting a spell...

Well, I think we can fairly safely say that there’s not going to be a lot of the cast left at the end of the series as we lost a few and more lives hang in the balance at the end of this episode. Also I take back what I said at the end of the last episode’s review. I’ve changed my mind again about who the attacker is. While I could see where Kate’s story was going in this episode I must admit it still managed to shock me which is testament to the good writing. I also liked the idea of Amy and Tom, whose part in the story I finally think I understand after 10 episodes, joining up with the other three to try and solve the mystery. However, it has also left me wondering if all the obvious pointers in the story are leading to the truth, or a bluff, or even a double bluff! It’s frustrating, confusing and intriguing in equal measure as I don’t yet know what to believe. The use of echo in the sound design at several points in this episode was also very effective in maintaining the real sense of disorientation that seemed to be the over-riding theme of this episode. Well played by all, I look forward to seeing what the consequences of that final discovery in the episode are going to bring.

Image - Dark Shadows

The episode is available direct from Big Finish