Out of Harm's Way

Maggie is safe and "dead", leaving the others to indulge in their own dramas in Episodes #261-265

From Here to Eternity anyone?

With Barnabas on her neck, Maggie gets help from Sarah (corporeal ghosts come in handy for opening locked doors) and finds herself out on the beach down Widow's Hill through a secret passage. But before she can run away far, she collapses on the sand from exhaustion. Barnabas appears on top of her like a preying animal and we think it was all for nothing til Sam, having taken Sarah's advice to be there, hears Maggie's screams and rushes to the scene. Barnabas hides behind a rock as Sam finds Maggie unconscious.

Maggie as a 10 yo girl

When she wakes up at the hospital, Maggie has no recollection of, say, the last 10 years or so: she has regressed to her childhood, clinging to the doll Sarah left behind. She also doesn't want to be touched. With Maggie unable to identify her assailant, the clever Doc Woodard suggest that they fake Maggie's death for her safety and send her to pre-mentioned Dr. Julia Hoffman's hospital where she'll be taken good care of. Sam agrees to this pact that'll only be known by Woodard, Joe and himself.

The suspect always comes back

Suspicious enough (but obviously not enough for the Doc), Barnabas shows up at the hospital upon "hearing the rumours" and wants to "check on Maggie's health". Woodard informs him about her "passing" due to shock and he openly looks pleasant that she couldn't say anything before her death. I could imagine him doing somersaults on his way out.

Bad news travel fast

The next morning, Vicki is devastated after hearing the news of Maggie's demise. Liz comforts her and later asks for a favour: to be her legal witness at the wedding. Vicki at first refuses, now fully knowing Liz is blackmailed into this marriage but says she'll think about it. 

Later, Vicki tells Carolyn about Maggie, who takes it..well..sympathetic enough. They also argue about Liz's marriage and Vicki hints, despite giving her word to Liz, that there may be another reason behind her marriage with Jason. 

The new Burke & Nietzsche

Even later, the new Burke takes Vicki up to Widow's Hill where she's swaying between pessimism and nihilism. Confused by her knowledge of Paul's murder, she even tries to justify Maggie's killer until Burke snaps her out of it. They talk about Liz and Carolyn's marriages and how they don't approve neither.

Buzz gets kicked in the buzz

Carolyn returns home with Buzz (in his last appearance) but kicks him out upon seeing Liz and Vicki giving her the attitude. She has another fit and storms to her room. Vicki tries to convince it's the perfect time for Liz to come clean with Carolyn about her father. Liz considers it but delays to an indefinite date, admitting to be a coward. Then Vicki announces that Liz's one brave woman and she'd would be honored to stand by her side as a witness no matter what (if that's the way you feel Vickster, how about you get married to Liz?:)

The next day, Carolyn and Vicki read the news of the attack on another girl the previous night. Carolyn has feeling she is gonna be the next victim (No luck there, Barnabas seems to go for brunettes; even Mrs Johnson has more chance to become his bride).

Two Visits

Later, Vicki and Carolyn meet with Sam and Joe respectively to give their condolences. Sam, knowing how Vicki was fond of Maggie, almost blurts the truth out. Carolyn talks more about herself than Maggie or Joe as usual. Later Joe and Sam admit that it was hard and unfair to fake the mourning but once again agree it's best to keep silent.

That night, Roger and Jason come clean about their dislike for each other. Roger says he'd do anything to stop the marriage to which Jason replies with subtle threats.


Roger, as a big wuss, goes to Barnabas to complain. Even he seems to have noticed Liz is being forced into this marriage. He doesn't wanna meddle but Jason's deal with the estate and the family concerns him too, so he offers to give him a push (This is the enemy of my enemy moment. Can Barnabas be our savior?).

Two Evils

So he has a talk with Jason where Barnabas slightly tries to push Jason's buttons. In return, Jason too questions Barnabas' nature and asks him what kind of a gentleman would need to hire a rotten man like Willie. He observes he can't ever recall seeing Barnabas during the day and questions what he is up to.

When Willie met Sarah

Willie, upon Barnabas' earlier order to check on a child like figure wandering outside, comes across to Sarah. She can't find her parents but when asked where she lives, she points to the Old House. Annoyed by this, Willie offers to take her to the town but she mysteriously disappears. Later, Willie recites his encounter with the little girl to Barnabas who acts confused and bothered.

A doctor of unorthodox practices

The next day, Sam, Joe and Dr. Woodard travel 100 miles to Windcliff Sanitarium where Maggie's being treated by self-proclaimed "unorthodox" Dr. Julia Hoffman. She's strongly against the visit but lets them in anyway knowing pretty well it'd be disastrous for both sides. She believes it'd teach them a lesson not to interfere with the treatment.

As expected, Maggie -still clinging to the doll and murmuring London Bridge- throws a fit during their visit forcing Sam and Joe to leave, but not before getting an attitude from a random nurse.

Dave can't melt Julia's ice

Doctors of different visions, Woodard and Hoffman discuss the anomaly in Maggie's blood, which Julia confirms Woodard's diagnosis as an "unholy union" but refuses to tell anything else. Woodard asks if it's possible for her to be more humane dealing with these people. She asks them to trust her.

Julia tries to reach out

Later, she goes on with another hypnosis like session with Maggie whose only wording seems to be the lyrics of the song. On their way back, Sam and Joe wonder if it's actually Maggie they've been warned about not to see or Julia herself?



This set of episodes have marked many important events:

• #1 is clearly Maggie's freedom that's been dragged for so long I was about to lose my mind. I really hate captivity stories.
• The other is the first, though brief, appearance of the new Burke. He seems less broad, less loud but more agile and looks a bit younger compared to the one before. He actually looks more like Joe's older brother. Well, he's a stayer for a while so we might as well enjoy it. I kinda like him for no reason. 
• But more importantly, the introduction of Dr. Julia Hoffman who will be one of the leading characters of the show in the future. I think she has the most episode appearances after Barnabas. She looks firm, eccentric and distant; a sui generis indeed. I was really curious about this character so I'm ready to give her a go..but is she ready for me?~