TODAY IN DARK SHADOWS HISTORY

[joe integlia]

32 YEARS AGO TODAY, ABC television broadcast the final episode of D.S. it was replaced by PASSWORD.

[Gothick]

A date that will live in infamy:  April 2, 1971.

I remember this day well.  I was very upset by the final episode of DS. I had been waiting patiently every day since the end of 1840 for the series to return to 1971 and show what was happening to Barnabas and Julia.  At the end of the last episode, I realized I would never find out what their fate was and whether or not they would ever be married.

Finally in the autumn of that year, Sam Hall's article came out in TV Guide and did provide some closure for the fans. Although I hated that he killed off Roger and Chris in his projected finale.  Also thought that it made no sense that Quentin would wander off being obsessed with Daphne, since he would never have met her, given the way Barnabas and Julia had changed history.  Apparently there were plans discussed at one point to introduce Kate Jackson in the modern day storyline as a new governess named Tracey (the name of her character in NoDS).  Of course at that point, the children were really too old to require the attentions of a governess.

Gothick

[Bob_the_Bartender]

Joe Integlia,

Ah yes, the late, lamented Allen Ludden (a/k/a Mr. Betty White), the "Gabriel Collins of Game Show Hosts" (at least, as far as Dark Shadows fans are concerned).

( "Shh!  The password is...quisling.")

Bob the Bartender, who, to this day, cannot watch a repeat of Password on the Game Show Network.

[Cassandra Blair]

Replaced by 'Password?!?!'  Wait a sec, something's stuck in my throat!  [coughs]   

[Gerard]

I was wondering why I was feeling so maudlin today!  Do I ever remember that day.  After the final credits rolled, I cried like a baby.  I just did not want to believe that it was gone; I kept futiley hoping that it would come back in a few weeks or months.  Fortunately, there were still the comic books and the Marilyn Ross paperbacks still in publication for about a year afterwards, so that took off the edge a bit.

Gerard

[Connie]

"Gabriel Collins of Game Show Hosts"

ROFL.

( "Shh!  The password is...quisling.")

"Shh!  The password is...'Quentin'"

"Beautiful"

Answer:  Pretty

"Gorgeous"

Answer:  Lovely

"Yummy"

Answer:  Delicious

"Tall"

Answer:  High

"Werewolf"

Answer:  Monster

"Gramophone"

Answer:  QUENTIN!!!

Ding!  Ding!  Ding!

 

[Birdie]

Now I know why I was feeling blue today and I thought It was just the weather.

Birdie

[Ben]

I remember watching that last episode after running home from school for the last time.  I was in the final quarter of eighth grade.   I'd been having a hard time following 1841-PT storyline and maintaining interest in it, so perhaps that eased things a bit.

As I listened to Thayer David recite the "epitaph," I remember lamenting to myself, "This is it.  I'll never see this show again ..."

Little did I realize that I would become more involved than ever in the show 28 years later.  The daily reruns, the videos, being able to watch the show for the first time in color, the Fests, and the DS friends I've made along the way ... who'd've thunk it? 

Ben

[Cassandra]

32 YEARS AGO TODAY, ABC television broadcast the final episode of D.S. it was replaced by PASSWORD.

Now I know the REAL reason as to why I never could get into that game show!


Cassandra[/font]

[Annie]

Hi, Joe thanks for the info i didn't know when
DS was first aired sorry, guess i wasn't
paying attention that day.
        Love Anne

[murph]

I think in my hometown in the Midwest the episodes must have aired like a month and a half after they were filmed because I believe the last episode aired around May 20.  I remember being really bummed out when it went off the air like what could be worse.  Well I found out very shortly because on June 8 my dad died very suddenly.  I was 11.

I could be wrong  in that he died two months after I watched the last episode but it seems to me that the last episode aired and it was no more than 2-3 weeks later when my dad died.

I know in most of the country the last episode aired on April 2 but does anyone know if certain parts of the country aired the episodes later?

I agree the cancellation of Dark Shadows was very sad but the sudden death of my father right after helped me to put things in perspective, even to this day with other things that happen in life.

Sorry to be a downer but I always relate the cancellation of Dark Shadows with my dad's death because it happened right after.

Murph

[joe integlia]

yes there were stations airing ds on a delayed basis but i thought it was only a day or maybe a week later than abcs original broadcasts. i never heard of a delay this long unless u were watching it in europe.

[Gothick]

That's heartbreaking about your father passing away when you were just 11, Murph.  I'm really sorry to hear about that.

Interesting about the delayed broadcast of the shows.  We continued getting them in the 4 pm time slot right up to the very end.  But another station, can't now recall which one, started running all the shows in a late night (I'm thinking 11 pm?) time slot, which was REALLY cool.  I remember thinking how much more fun it would be to watch DS really late at night.  Now, of course, thanks to the magic of video, I watch it whenever I like.

Gothick

[CastleBee]

Little did I realize that I would become more involved than ever in the show 28 years later.  The daily reruns, the videos, being able to watch the show for the first time in color, the Fests, and the DS friends I've made along the way ... who'd've thunk it? 

I know exactly what you mean Ben.  As much as I loved watching DS back in the day, I have become even more of a retro-fan.  I think it all started when I walked into a big video store one day a few years back and noticed some of the MPI tapes. I started talking to a clerk about having been a fan during the original run to which she remarked something like, looks like another collector.  At first I thought, oh, no not me...I doubt I'd put the money into it. Ha! Little did I know I'd end up getting back into it to such a degree that I wouldn't even bat an eye at the price of the DVD collection and would be willing to travel to either coast to attend a fest!

I agree the cancellation of Dark Shadows was very sad but the sudden death of my father right after helped me to put things in perspective, even to this day with other things that happen in life.

Sorry to hear about that too Murph. Losing a parent at any time is hard, but when you're young it can be harder to deal with. I can relate, I lost my Dad at the age of 7.  It does give you a different perspective that's for certain.

[Debra]

I remember that day so well!  I came home from school only to have my brother and sisters tell me that DS had been cancelled.  And to add to insult I had detention that day so I was later than usual coming home from school!!  Didnt even get to see the last episode!!  A real bummer!!

Deb