Dark Shadows

[Vee]

I liked both Burkes, but Mitchell Ryan was always a very formidable presence in film and TV, including later soaps, and is so much stronger in the show's first year-plus than George. They were invested in Ryan and it showed. I always thought Burke should've come back for revenge, given the open question of whether Barnabas had crashed his plane. (I had envisioned him resurfacing on a revival as some ancient tycoon out to destroy Barnabas for what his adventures led to for Vicki.)

 

The portion near the end of '67, right before 1795, where everything is coming apart and Barnabas is out to murder Julia and she's on the run, Carolyn is his thrall, etc. was terrifying to me as a kid watching on Sci-Fi. It felt like anything could happen and it was extremely tense episode to episode. I don't know how much of it was from the original draft of the storyline, in which Barnabas would've killed Julia before being vanquished himself. I also identified with David at that age (I was about the same age) and he was on heavy rotation later at that point because he was on to Barnabas - I didn't know what would happen to anyone, the kid included.

Edited October 2, 2020 by Vee

[DRW50]

 

I think that is the best the show ever got. Everything was cooking - the murder of Dave Woodard (his "I saw your sister Sarah" line to a flummoxed Barnabas always stays with me), Julia's crackup, the introduction of Tony Peterson, Julia hypnotizing poor Vicki (perpetually stuck in that blue mini-dress with the green hair ribbon), vampire slut Carolyn constantly coiled, ready to fly into bitch mode at any moment. The seance is genuinely gripping, with Grayson Hall WAILING and SCREAMING and WHIMPERING as she so often did. I really hated to leave that period - it's never quite the same once they get back, as you could tell (IMO) that the writers had less and less interest in writing for the regular time.

[Soaplovers]

The dream curse post 1795 was the last time the show seemed to write a good story in the present day.  Vicki being the final victim made sense because of her connection to Barnabas, plus her history with Angelique.

 

I think Vicki knew deep down Barnabas of the present was the same as the Barnabas of 1795..she opted to block it out.  She had recall of all of 1795 including Angelique...but not of Barnabas.  Just my view.

[Vee]

I think elements of the Leviathans period have their moments, but I've always had a soft spot for that storyline and its kitchen sink fun. I think the original Quentin/Beth Turn of the Screw story is also very good, though IMO it suffers from shoving Maggie into Vicki's role which she never fully fit despite the talent of Kathryn Leigh Scott. And I think bits of the summer 1970 period, with Gerard's ghost, are very good especially the climactic zombie apocalypse. But it's more the harrowing 1995 stuff that sticks with me than that period.

 

I also think Vicki knew. Her dreams, in fact, often indicated she did.

Edited October 18, 2020 by Vee

[danfling]

I accepted Katheryn Leigh Scott as the new heroine of the show, but I had a hard time in accepting that a former waitress would suddenly be an educator.

 

[DAMfan]

Dark Shadows binge this weekend on Decades channel

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[jam6242]

Dark Shadows virtual reunion on Saturday.  KLS posted on FB today that David Henesy will be joining them too!

 

[Vee]

Wow. That I might look at.

[amybrickwallace]

That sounds awesome. What better day than Halloween for a DS chat?

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Edited October 30, 2020 by amybrickwallace

[Soaplovers]

Shame Alexandra Moltke says away from doing much with it..but I can understand why based on the Claus and Sonny scandal.

[amybrickwallace]

 

Too bad. I personally think she was one of the most fascinating people associated with DS.

[Soaplovers]

 

I would show contemporaries her pic..and both men and women would remark at how beautiful she was.

 

My mom followed the scandal at the time and knew she looked familiar..but she was going by Isles at the time not Moltke.  When DS came back in 1991..she saw an article with her pic and instantly remembered her from the scandal.  

[vetsoapfan]

 

Me too!

[amybrickwallace]

Did anyone see the chat? Thoughts?

[jam6242]

I enjoyed it.  I did wonder why they kept panning to Roger Davis, even when he wasn't talking.  Was that some kind of joke because of his reputation as a screen-hog, lol?  Roger seemed to spill some tea about Don Briscoe being "in love" with David Henesy's mother.