The BEST episodes of Dark Shadows season 1

Every episode of Dark Shadows season 1, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Dark Shadows season 1!

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: 11/8/2024Network: ABC (US)Status: Ended
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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
9.14
50 votes

#3 - 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
9.04
57 votes

#4 - DS-3

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 6/29/1966

Elizabeth's brother, Roger Collins, desperately searches for local artist Sam Evans. Meanwhile, Victoria meets Elizabeth's teenage daughter Carolyn and begins to wonder if Collinwood is haunted.

Writer: Art Wallace
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
star
9.02
54 votes

#5 - DS-4

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 6/30/1966

Victoria is interrogated by Roger over her knowledge of Burke Devlin and their encounter at the train station. Later that night, Victoria has an unpleasant first meeting with David Collins

Writer: Art Wallace
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
star
8.91
34 votes

#6 - DS-108/109/110

Season 1 - Episode 108 - Aired 11/23/1966

Scared from her close call, Victoria unwittingly runs to Matthew's cottage for help. As they talk, she realises that he was the driver. Matthew refuses to let Victoria leave.

Writer: Ron Sproat
Watch Now:Amazon
star
8.85
33 votes

#7 - DS-103

Season 1 - Episode 103 - Aired 11/16/1966

Victoria is terrified at what Roger might do to prevent his secret from being made public. She is later disturbed to learn that Roger knows she lied to him about spending time with Burke earlier.

Watch Now:Amazon
star
8.79
34 votes

#8 - DS-116

Season 1 - Episode 114 - Aired 12/5/1966

As Matthew holds Victoria captive, the Collins household thinks that she left for her trip as planned. Elizabeth worries when Frank calls her to say that Victoria has not arrived. Victoria makes a bid to escape.

Directors: Lela Swift
Writer: Ron Sproat
Watch Now:Amazon
star
8.78
9 votes

#9 - DS-31

Season 1 - Episode 31 - Aired 8/8/1966

Burke defies expectations and lies to absolve David of involvement in the crash. However, he later privately confides in Victoria, warning her to beware of her young charge.

Writer: Art Wallace
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
star
8.76
34 votes

#10 - DS-87

Season 1 - Episode 87 - Aired 10/25/1966

Roger is suspicious about Victoria's disappearance and decides to investigate the closed-off wing of the house. He releases Victoria and is shocked to hear her claim that she was visited by a ghost.

Watch Now:Amazon
star
8.75
36 votes

#11 - DS-105

Season 1 - Episode 105 - Aired 11/18/1966

After Burke confronts him about the fountain pen, Roger decides to retrieve the pen he earlier buried. As he uncovers it, he does not know that he is being watched by the sheriff and Burke.

Watch Now:Amazon
star
8.73
37 votes

#12 - DS-100

Season 1 - Episode 100 - Aired 11/11/1966

Victoria tells Burke about her suspicions regarding Roger and the pen she found on Lookout Point. Meanwhile, Carolyn reveals to Roger that Victoria knows about the pen's origins.

Writer: Ron Sproat
Watch Now:Amazon
star
8.64
36 votes

#13 - DS-101

Season 1 - Episode 101 - Aired 11/14/1966

Victoria agrees to accompany David on a return visit to the Old House, Later, Victoria confides to Maggie that she believes she now knows who killed Bill Malloy.

Watch Now:Amazon
star
8.40
15 votes

#14 - DS-10

Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 7/8/1966

Roger puts pressure on Elizabeth to send David away to boarding school, a conversation the boy overhears. Burke gives Carolyn false information on the reason for his return.

Writer: Art Wallace
Watch Now:Apple TV
star
8.33
6 votes

#15 - DS-122

Season 1 - Episode 120 - Aired 12/13/1966

David begins to realise that Matthew has kidnapped Victoria. Meanwhile, Matthew's paranoia escalates as he is confronted by ghostly sobbing and an eerie light coming from the portrait of Josette.

Writer: Ron Sproat
star
8.20
5 votes

#16 - DS-117

Season 1 - Episode 115 - Aired 12/6/1966

Elizabeth worries about Victoria's safety. Joe learns the truth about Carolyn and Burke's relationship and the two men come to blows. The discovery of Victoria's luggage proves that she never left for her trip.

Writer: Ron Sproat
star
8.20
5 votes

#17 - DS-118

Season 1 - Episode 116 - Aired 12/7/1966

Victoria's disappearance becomes a police matter. When Joe and Burke search for Victoria at the Old House, Matthew and his prisoner hide in a secret room. Victoria manages to call for help, but to no avail.

Writer: Ron Sproat
star
8.10
10 votes

#18 - DS-27

Season 1 - Episode 27 - Aired 8/2/1966

Burke meets with his private investigator Stuart Bronson, who provides him with a complete breakdown of the Collins family finances., as he begins to make plans.

Directors: Lela Swift
Writer: Art Wallace
Watch Now:Apple TV
star
8.06
34 votes

#19 - DS-72

Season 1 - Episode 72 - Aired 10/4/1966

At the Collinsport Inn diner, the seeds of Burke's plan to infiltrate Collinwood with Mrs Johnson are planted. Duly, Carolyn later suggests to Elizabeth that Mrs Johnson should be given a job at the mansion.

Writer: Art Wallace
star
8.00
7 votes

#20 - DS-26

Season 1 - Episode 26 - Aired 8/1/1966

The police obtain a warrant to search Burke's room, believing him to be a suspect. When Victoria attempts to retrieve the bleeder valve, she discovers that it has been taken.

Writer: Art Wallace
Watch Now:Apple TV
star
8.00
5 votes

#21 - DS-33

Season 1 - Episode 33 - Aired 8/10/1966

Joe Haskell pays an unannounced drunken visit to Collinwood, passing out in the mansion. Meanwhile, Victoria journeys to the Blue Whale for a meeting with Burke Devlin.

Writer: Art Wallace
Watch Now:Apple TV
star
8.00
37 votes

#22 - DS-99

Season 1 - Episode 99 - Aired 11/10/1966

Mrs Johnson begins to believe that Collinwood is haunted and confides her fears to Burke. Meanwhile, the takeover plans for the cannery are abruptly ended when the company executives reject Burke's offer.

Directors: Lela Swift
Writer: Ron Sproat
star
8.00
34 votes

#23 - DS-115

Season 1 - Episode 113 - Aired 12/2/1966

David continues to help Matthew hide out. Trying to forget her recent ordeal, Victoria plans a trip to Bangor. Victoria visits the Old House, where she finds herself helpless in Matthew's clutches.

star
7.97
35 votes

#24 - DS-96

Season 1 - Episode 96 - Aired 11/7/1966

Roger drives Victoria back to Collinsport, but heavy rain forces them to take shelter until the storm passes. Victoria is shocked by Roger's demand that she should keep her discovery about Burke a secret.

star
7.97
34 votes

#25 - DS-84

Season 1 - Episode 84 - Aired 10/20/1966

David attempts to scare Victoria by telling her stories about the ghosts that haunt Collinwood. Luring her to the closed-off wing of the mansion, David locks her in, leaving her trapped.

Writer: Art Wallace