Warning do not read unless seen episode.
This is another of my favorite episodes of the show, this episode marks the end of the Dark Shadow's rogue Nicholas Blair which has been sometime coming and that time is now. However, Barnabas and Julia must go one final round before that can happen.
It's suspenseful because it's a hostage situation as Nickolas still has some dark power left despite the fact time is quickly running out for him. It's literally a damned if they do or damned if they don't situation because if Barnabas and Julia don't go through with the experiment, they'll both be struck down, though also another life as well which is Adam as both Barnabas and him still have the connection which Nickolas can sever easily. Though I'll admit whenever black magic is involved, I don't know why none of the characters ever think of bringing a revolver because as powerful as witches and warlocks are they're not bulletproof. But oh well, maybe they're have some mystical forcefield or their black magic is too quick for the bullet, so I just roll with that.
However, what makes the situation worse is that fact that Maggie Evans is to be the lifeforce for the experiment. I remember thinking "By the Gods you will not!" I just knew what it meant for her once she went though with it which is death, but that is what Nickolas is counting on as he's made a deal with his boss from down under.
But even I and even Barnaba's suspects despite what Maggie said on being a willing participant, she's not really talking and acting on her free will, when Nickolas mentions he's given her his love I knew he put a spell on her. We also know that what Nickolas did isn't an act of love but an act of possession. If he really did love her then he'd let, go of her, and let her live her life in the mortal realm. But he doesn't respect the rule of the mortal realm nor of all that is good, his love for Maggie is selfish and one sided, as he's never been truthful to her, nor ever seemed to know or tried to on what she wants out of life and who she is, which is why therefore his love for Maggie is not whole to be true.
Things get intense when we hear the experiment conducted, we hear Maggie's screams of pain which I'll admit just clinch my fists as it really hurt me seeing Maggie in this state. And then the last thing she says in beautiful melodramatic fashion but also realizing she was on the brink of death, that moment I though "Barnabas do something!" It then comes to a breaking point and at that moment Barnabas then terminates the experiment, couldn't help but cheer as Barnabas's heroism, ethics, and most importantly his friendship for Maggie comes though and does what any good friend in fact any person that loves Maggie should do, protect her.
We see Barnabas just smash and break the equipment despite Nickolas trying to apply his black magic to control and possibly kill Barnabas. But Barnabas doesn't care and he knows as we do that Nickolas is going to kill both him and Julia anyway as he never keeps his word. But also Barnabas does this because not just does he remember the bad results with Eve but also he and Julia would never be able to live with themselves, they'll forever live in dishonor.
Even like the moment when Adam turns against Nickolas as Nick tries to kill him to kill Barnabas. This moment just shows that the odds are completely against Nick but also that his time has finally ran out as his powers and his boss and evil forces have abandoned him.
The finale is satisfying as well as a little funny due to the bad special effect, hey it's a soap opera on a minimum budget what are you going to do. But the actor's performance in that moment makes it even more effective and powerful. We see much like any corporate weasel on the end of his rope he is just groveling in desperation but knowing the boss down under, it does Nick no good in fact all of that is probably making him angrier which makes the inferno Nick is under larger and hotter.
Nickolas comes back to Hell a poor man, without power and without love.
Rating: 4 stars.
This is another of my favorite episodes of the show, this episode marks the end of the Dark Shadow's rogue Nicholas Blair which has been sometime coming and that time is now. However, Barnabas and Julia must go one final round before that can happen.
It's suspenseful because it's a hostage situation as Nickolas still has some dark power left despite the fact time is quickly running out for him. It's literally a damned if they do or damned if they don't situation because if Barnabas and Julia don't go through with the experiment, they'll both be struck down, though also another life as well which is Adam as both Barnabas and him still have the connection which Nickolas can sever easily. Though I'll admit whenever black magic is involved, I don't know why none of the characters ever think of bringing a revolver because as powerful as witches and warlocks are they're not bulletproof. But oh well, maybe they're have some mystical forcefield or their black magic is too quick for the bullet, so I just roll with that.
However, what makes the situation worse is that fact that Maggie Evans is to be the lifeforce for the experiment. I remember thinking "By the Gods you will not!" I just knew what it meant for her once she went though with it which is death, but that is what Nickolas is counting on as he's made a deal with his boss from down under.
But even I and even Barnaba's suspects despite what Maggie said on being a willing participant, she's not really talking and acting on her free will, when Nickolas mentions he's given her his love I knew he put a spell on her. We also know that what Nickolas did isn't an act of love but an act of possession. If he really did love her then he'd let, go of her, and let her live her life in the mortal realm. But he doesn't respect the rule of the mortal realm nor of all that is good, his love for Maggie is selfish and one sided, as he's never been truthful to her, nor ever seemed to know or tried to on what she wants out of life and who she is, which is why therefore his love for Maggie is not whole to be true.
Things get intense when we hear the experiment conducted, we hear Maggie's screams of pain which I'll admit just clinch my fists as it really hurt me seeing Maggie in this state. And then the last thing she says in beautiful melodramatic fashion but also realizing she was on the brink of death, that moment I though "Barnabas do something!" It then comes to a breaking point and at that moment Barnabas then terminates the experiment, couldn't help but cheer as Barnabas's heroism, ethics, and most importantly his friendship for Maggie comes though and does what any good friend in fact any person that loves Maggie should do, protect her.
We see Barnabas just smash and break the equipment despite Nickolas trying to apply his black magic to control and possibly kill Barnabas. But Barnabas doesn't care and he knows as we do that Nickolas is going to kill both him and Julia anyway as he never keeps his word. But also Barnabas does this because not just does he remember the bad results with Eve but also he and Julia would never be able to live with themselves, they'll forever live in dishonor.
Even like the moment when Adam turns against Nickolas as Nick tries to kill him to kill Barnabas. This moment just shows that the odds are completely against Nick but also that his time has finally ran out as his powers and his boss and evil forces have abandoned him.
The finale is satisfying as well as a little funny due to the bad special effect, hey it's a soap opera on a minimum budget what are you going to do. But the actor's performance in that moment makes it even more effective and powerful. We see much like any corporate weasel on the end of his rope he is just groveling in desperation but knowing the boss down under, it does Nick no good in fact all of that is probably making him angrier which makes the inferno Nick is under larger and hotter.
Nickolas comes back to Hell a poor man, without power and without love.
Rating: 4 stars.
