If Dark Shadows ever did a Christmas Storyline?

[Cousin_Barnabas]

laura's introductory scenes in the coffee shop(in a hat and gloves no less!)are personal favorites...

even before any of the "phoenix" stuff took off i recall being absolutely mesmerized my diana millay's strange delivery and attitude in these episodes. there was something weary and languid about her as a perky-but-nosy pre-barnabas maggie pumped her for gossip.

definitely a favorite period.

I couldn't agree more.  I loved Millay here.  The writing, the direction, and acting for Laura were all superb.  It just wasn't the same the second time around...   Probably because there were other characters who took away a lot of the limelight. 

[michael c]

yeah laura's second appearance wasn't as good...


1897 was so cacophonous laura got lost in the din. and one thing i liked about her 1966 storyline was that it was a great mix of the supernatural and "normal" soap opera storytelling. obviously 1897 was anything but normal.

still it was fun to see diana again. for me she's a relatively small but very distinctive presence in the whole thing.

[michael c]

i recently watched the season two "christmas special" of 'downton abbey' and the maids were given as a gift from the family a bolt of simple cloth from which to make their own dress.  apparently this was a common custom in english houses.

do we think the collin's family gave mrs.johnson a similarly "do it yourself" gift? i can just see the barely disguised contempt on mrs.j's face upon it's reception. and you just know the christmas ham was canned.

i see liz and roger giving one another rather formal and somewhat impersonal gifts. for roger a pocket watch or fountain pen. for liz some fussy old perfume from the 1940's. a very heady floral that occupies the room long after it's wearer departs.

carolyn and david fare slightly better. for carolyn a fine cashmere sweater and silk scarf from 'brewster's'. for david a practical but cheerless gift like wools socks but also some spangly electric toy like that robot thingy that hangs out on the show's periphery for years without ever serving a narrative purpose.

poor vicki gets some dumpy gift like a cloth bound blank book to use as a journal for which she's still grateful because at the foundling home all the girls ever got was a pair of galoshes.

and like everything at collinwood a hint of sourness and gloom hangs over the entire affair.

[Lydia]

I'm sure Mrs. Johnson would prefer to get mayonnaise ingredients for Christmas rather than a jar of Hellmann's.

[retzev]

Alas, even way back in December of 1966, the corporate sponsors of Dark Shadows could not bring themselves to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas instead of the more politically-correct "happy holiday season"!

I agree, Bob. I also find it strange that the message was aired once, six days before Christmas, and never again.

?