The BEST episodes of Dark Shadows

Every episode of Dark Shadows ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Dark Shadows!

With vampires, witches, warlocks, werewolves, and other supernatural creatures, it became a surprising phenomenon. The show revolves around Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid), a guilt-ridden 175-year-old vampire who longs to be human again and returns to his estate after being chained inside a coffin for nearly 200 years.

Last Updated: 8/7/2025Network: ABC (US)Status: Ended
star
9.74
34 votes

#1 - DS-112

Season 1 - Episode 110 - Aired 11/29/1966

A shamed Matthew confesses the murder to a stunned Elizabeth, before fleeing. The police hunt for Matthew, who has hidden at the Old House. Victoria makes peace with Roger, apologising for her accusation.

Writer: Ron Sproat
Watch Now:Amazon
star
9.66
35 votes

#2 - DS-111

Season 1 - Episode 109 - Aired 11/28/1966

Matthew reveals that he killed Malloy, but that it was an accident, and vows to kill Victoria to maintain his secret. The police are called to search for Victoria, while Elizabeth pays a crucial visit on Matthew.

Writer: Ron Sproat
Watch Now:Amazon
star
9.50
2 votes

#3 - DS-638

Season 6 - Episode 176 - Aired 12/4/1968

Chris and Julia find themselves at odds over Amy's care, as she begins life at Collinwood. While walking in the woods at night, Elizabeth finds herself at the mercy of a wild animal.

Watch Now:Amazon
star
9.33
3 votes

#4 - DS-666

Season 6 - Episode 203 - Aired 1/13/1969

Ben kills Nathan and Natalie before they can harm Barnabas. In the present Willie and Julia wait for Barnabas to return, however he never does. Willie checks the mausoleum but Barnabas is not in the coffin; shortly after Willie leaves the chains re-appear around the coffin and Barnabas is trapped inside. Josette appears to Willie, crying; he is convinced that Barnabas is in the coffin now.

Watch Now:Amazon
star
9.14
50 votes

#5 - DS-6

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 7/4/1966

Victoria looks for David in the basement of Collinwood. While looking, a stranger enters the room and asks who she is. He accuses her of snooping around. Elizabeth comes down and says it's Matthew Morgan, the caretaker of Collinwood. She asks Victoria why she is in the basement, and when Victoria tells her that she is down there looking for David, Elizabeth tells her David would not come down there. Once she leaves, Elizabeth finds David hiding in the basement. Later, Victoria sees Matthew again, stoking the fireplace. She says she hopes they can one day be friends, and she starts asking him questions. She finds out that Elizabeth fired all of her servents 18 years ago and then hired Matthew, giving him a cottage on the edge of Collinwood grounds. In the basement, Elizabeth gets out a crate of adventure books that had belonged to Roger when he was a boy. David does not want anything associated with his father. Carolyn tells Victoria that she should ask Elizabeth about what happened 18

Directors: Lela Swift
Writer: Art Wallace
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
star
9.00
2 votes

#6 - DS-695

Season 6 - Episode 232 - Aired 2/21/1969

Chris and Maggie manage to point out the man they have both seen, Quentin, in a family history book to Barnabas. David and Amy sneak back into Collinwood to get the old telephone, however they cannot find it. Maggie catches them and tells them to never go back to the house. Later David and Amy find the telephone in his room. Maggie finds the children missing.

star
9.00
2 votes

#7 - DS-700

Season 6 - Episode 237 - Aired 2/28/1969

While searching the hidden room Stokes finds I Ching wands and is convinced they may be the key understanding Quentin. Amy tells Maggie that if they don’t find David soon he will die. Maggie goes to Collinwood and finds David, when she does he falls unconscious; later Julia tells everyone that David is in a coma and will die soon. Against Stokes’ advice Barnabas decides to use the I Ching wands contact Quentin and save David. Barnabas enters a trance and makes a mental journey through a door where he sees a chained coffin.

star
9.00
2 votes

#8 - DS-697

Season 6 - Episode 234 - Aired 2/25/1969

Maggie comes around and can only remember seeing Quentin then she was dressed in 19th century clothing. Roger is determined to find David, Quentin leaves a note saying “David is mine.” Ned calls Chris and finds that Sabrina can say his name. Barnabas takes Chris to the mausoleum as he starts to feel the transformation starting. Barnabas visits Sabrina and when she sees his wolf’s head cane she becomes very upset.

star
9.00
2 votes

#9 - DS-699

Season 6 - Episode 236 - Aired 2/27/1969

Julia thinks there must be some connection between Quentin and Chris. Maggie has a nightmare about Quentin which she later tells Julia and remembers a room at Collinwood that they had not searched. Amy warns Quentin that Maggie knows about the hidden room and they are coming to find David. Maggie and Barnabas find the hidden room.

star
9.00
2 votes

#10 - DS-701

Season 7 - Episode 1 - Aired 3/3/1969

Barnabas finds himself locked in his coffin. In 1897 gypsies (Sandor and Magda) live in the Old House. Quentin returns to Collinwood after some time away. Edith Collins, head of the family is expected to die soon, and is expected to tell the family secret to the next in line, Edward Collins. Magda sees the mausoleum in her crystal ball and sends Sandor to find jewels; however he finds and releases Barnabas.

star
9.00
1 votes

#11 - DS-704

Season 7 - Episode 4 - Aired 3/6/1969

Barnabas asks for permission to live in the Old House. Barnabas finds that Beth is hiding something when she denies the existence of a third child at Collinwood. Barnabas attacks a woman in the village (Sophie Baker). Quentin threatens Edith to make her tell him the family secret.

star
9.00
1 votes

#12 - DS-727

Season 7 - Episode 27 - Aired 4/8/1969

Charity Trask (Gregory Trask’s daughter) shows up at Collinwood, Rachel is very upset by her presence. Rachel tells Barnabas that she used to live and work at Worthington Hall and was intimidated and blackmailed into staying there. Later Trask accuses Rachel of stealing and warns her to comeback with him. Barnabas bites Charity Trask.

star
9.00
1 votes

#13 - DS-747

Season 7 - Episode 47 - Aired 5/6/1969

Jenny prepares to kill Quentin and Beth after overhearing them declare their love for each other.

star
9.00
1 votes

#14 - DS-748

Season 7 - Episode 48 - Aired 5/4/1969

After Quentin accidentally kills Jenny, Magda informs him that he will be cursed for the rest of his life.

star
9.00
1 votes

#15 - DS-749

Season 7 - Episode 49 - Aired 5/8/1969

Magda describes the history of the curse to Quentin and tells him that it will begin that night.

star
9.00
1 votes

#16 - DS-768

Season 7 - Episode 68 - Aired 6/4/1969

Barnabas orders Beth to guard him during the day when he lies vulnerable in his coffin.

star
9.00
1 votes

#17 - DS-892

Season 8 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/26/1969

Megan and Philip find a book inside the box. Barnabas tells Megan that a room must be prepared. Philip and Megan put a cradle in the room they have prepared and claim “in darkness it will grow.” The strange man identifies himself as Paul Stoddard, Carolyn’s father.

star
9.00
1 votes

#18 - DS-899

Season 8 - Episode 14 - Aired 12/5/1969

Elizabeth follows Carolyn and finds her with Paul. Elizabeth demands that Paul leave town. A sailor recognizes the Leviathan mark on Paul’s wrist and agrees to help him. Paul sits inside a pentagram and there is a knock on the door.

star
9.00
1 votes

#19 - DS-951

Season 8 - Episode 63 - Aired 2/16/1970

Barnabas, now a vampire again, kills Nelle Gunston a devoted Leviathan who has come to town in search of Jeb. Julia and Quentin find that Barnabas is a vampire again. Barnabas goes to the antique shop and burns it down.

star
9.00
1 votes

#20 - DS-953

Season 8 - Episode 65 - Aired 2/18/1970

Nicholas Blair arrives to make sure that his plan for the Leviathans will not fail. Nicholas consecrates a new room in which Jeb can change to his true form, and makes him change. Jeb becomes paranoid and digs up Paul Stoddard’s grave, Paul’s corpse smiles at him.

star
9.00
1 votes

#21 - DS-983

Season 9 - Episode 3 - Aired 4/1/1970

Daniel plans to drive Maggie out of Collinwood. Quentin tells Chris to make sure Bruno Hess, another loyal friend of Angelique, is kicked off the estate. Daniel frightens Maggie by having Amy hum a tune, making it sound like it was coming from Angelique’s portrait; Amy later tells Daniel that she did not make the humming sound.

star
9.00
1 votes

#22 - DS-991

Season 9 - Episode 11 - Aired 4/13/1970

Sabrina and Alexis are sure that Angelique’s death was murder, however Quentin believes that her death was due to stroke. Daniel sees Alexis and believes she is really his mother. Cyrus learns that a John Yaeger started a fight at the Eagle. Daniel has a dream about his mother, when he awakes he asks Alexis if she really is his mother.

star
9.00
1 votes

#23 - DS-1028

Season 9 - Episode 48 - Aired 6/3/1970

Yaeger is interrupted and leaves Maggie. Sabrina confronts Yaeger, she is sure he can change back to Cyrus; Yaeger warns her to keep her mouth shut or he will kill her. Yaeger rents a room at a remote farm then kills the owner. Yaeger lures Maggie to Widow’s Hill.

star
9.00
1 votes

#24 - DS-1032

Season 9 - Episode 52 - Aired 6/9/1970

After talking with Julia in the standard timeline Barnabas plans to go back to parallel to help save Maggie; Barnabas wait and is transported back to parallel time. Angelique is determined that she must destroy Barnabas. Maggie pretends to agree to go away with Yaeger. Julia sees Barnabas enter the secret room in the Old House, where his coffin is.

star
9.00
1 votes

#25 - DS-1086

Season 10 - Episode 26 - Aired 8/24/1970

Hallie and David don’t go up the stairs, later they get locked in David’s room; David climbs out the window. Elizabeth finds Hallie locked in David’s room and she blames David. David and Hallie find a pirate flag on the model boat. David and Hallie have a dream in they see Flora and Quentin of 1840, the also see Carrie and Tad dead. When the children awake they find Gerard watching them.