Cows and Ackerman

[PennyDreadful]

So I've been watching the early Barnabas episodes (my favorite part of the series). These shows are so atmospheric and creepy.  For several months, I've actually been rewatching the show from episode 1 and it's really great seeing how things become more and more eerie as the show goes on.

However, regarding Barnabas' initial release from the coffin, I am reminded how odd it is that Barnabas

[spoiler]Starts out by attacking calves offscreen.  I mean why does he do this?  Maybe he was trying not to attack humans to start out with in order to try and lie low when he first appears in Collinsport?  I assume the animal blood, as usual in vampire stories, isn't sufficient to satisfy his thirst.  It must be human blood and so he, or rather Willie doing his "job," soon starts attacking locals.[/spoiler]

Interestingly one of the first local girls who is almost attacked is named Jane Ackerman.  Does anyone know if this was a little inside joke referring to Forrest J. Ackerman, the beloved editor of Famous Monsters of Filmland?  Just curious.

- Penny

[Lydia]

Perhaps he did have some initial good resolves - no more victims scattered all over the place; he'd prove to the memory of his father that he was still a good guy - and perhaps the sight of Maggie just blew all his good resolutions to smithereens.  Perhaps.  I don't think that's the full answer (the reaction is just too extreme), but maybe it's the beginning of an answer.

One of my favorite moments in Dark Shadows is when [spoiler]Maggie, dressed in Josette's dress and having had a previous conversation with David in which he believed her to be Josette's ghost, stands alone on the first floor of the Old House, calling out, "Little boy?  Where are you?  I need you." [/spoiler]I love the fact that there is never any follow-up to that - it's just a voice crying out in the wilderness, and nobody hears, and nobody is affected, and nobody - not even the voice - remembers.

[PennyDreadful]

Good theory Lyda.  I could definitely see that - the remnants of Barnabas' conscience and his desire to try to live a "normal" life might have definitely been factors in his initial choice of victims. 

[retzev]

Interestingly one of the first local girls who is almost attacked is named Jane Ackerman.  Does anyone know if this was a little inside joke referring to Forrest J. Ackerman, the beloved editor of Famous Monsters of Filmland?  Just curious.

Nice catch!

I don't know if it is, but I hope so!