DS mentioned on King of Queens

[Carol]

Hubby and I are watching The King of Queens and they've been discussing Dark Shadows and going to the DS "Convention".  We both stopped in our tracks and cast each other the evil eye when one character mentioned that he was going as "Barnabas".

[CastleBee]

OMG!  I just saw that episode and I almost flipped.  How wonderful that the resident nerd Spence on the "King of Queens" is a DS fan - is NOTHING sacred!    They must not have a very good research department though because he said if he didn't make it to this one he would have to wait 3 years and he "couldn't survive on the chat lines" that long. 

[AllMyShadows]

I was too lazy to change the channel a while ago, so I was watching "The King of Queens" on CBS. In one scene, one of the supporting characters said that her husband was going to miss the Dark Shadows Convention to spend their anniversary with her. The other character didn't know what DS was so the wife explained. She said that it was "kinda like a soap opera from long ago that had vampires and stuff." Later on, the other character said something about the husband and the other "dorks" at the convention. Boy was I mad!!!!!!!! Then in the next scene the husband was with his friends and he was complaining about missing the convention. He said that "Dark Shadows is NOT Star Trek, it doesn't have a convention every week." He said that he would have to wait three years for the next one. Then he said that he wasted $70 on a Barnabas Collins costume that he'll never use. I thought it was pretty cool that DS was mentioned on a current sitcom that many people watch. Maybe it will help boost some ratings.

[Lindsey]

Yep, I just watched that episode also. I was on the computer talking to my friends when I heard the term "Dark Shadows." Immediately, I was glued to the t.v. I found it interesting; I've never heard it mentioned before.

Sorry I haven't been on for awhile. I have been insanely busy lately (ACT, NHS resumes, tests, homework, clubs, ect...), but I always quickly read the messages here on the weekends. This past week, my school choir went to New York City; it was awesome! I kept hoping, since we were driving everywhere, that we'd go by the old DS studio, but I never saw it. But it was a great trip anyway!

-Lindsey, who's glad to be back

[MsCriseyde]

I'll have to keep an eye out for this one when it's rebroadcast. Might be useful for my class.

Some folks already know about this. I'm teaching a topics-based version of a college freshman composition course that I proposed to the department last fall. It deals with fans and fandom in general, though students are warned up front that they will be subjected to DS examples. Some of them will probably come in Wednesday and mention seeing this on King of Queens.

What interests me about this ep is not so much that it's a DS mention but that it's a depiction of perceptions of fans, conventions, etc. We're winding up the semester by looking at two fan-related films. Then students get to choose their own final research projects, and one option would be to explore the media representations a bit further, so this show could be useful for that.

If anyone had told me I could have this much fun teaching a course, I would've done it ages ago. 

I'm in the process of getting together an annotated syllabus to propose the course again for the fall. That would make attending the Fest a "research project." 

[Midnite]

I'll have to keep an eye out for this one when it's rebroadcast. Might be useful for my class.

I'll throw in a tape for you (an advantage to being 3 hours behind the other coast).

If anyone had told me I could have this much fun teaching a course, I would've done it ages ago. 

I'd kill to take that course. 

[jennifer]

wow that is weird i was watching it for a few minutes but changed to watch a movie! sounds like they din't do their homework though!

jennifer
Welcome Back Lindsey

[MsCriseyde]

I'll throw in a tape for you (an advantage to being 3 hours behind the other coast).

Woo hoo! Thanks!

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I'm in the process of getting together an annotated syllabus to propose the course again for the fall. That would make attending the Fest a "research project." 

Hmmm - does this mean you might be able to write off the trip on your taxes next year?

[Luciaphile]

Possibly one of the best books I have ever read that depicts fan culture and conventions is Sharryn McCrumb's mystery Bimbos of the Death Sun. It's fiction and it has nothing to do with DS or Star Trek, but it's worth hunting down.

[MsCriseyde]

Hmmm - does this mean you might be able to write off the trip on your taxes next year?

Doubt it. For some reason, the IRS has this notion that teachers beyond the high school level don't spend any money on their students, or else I'd be claiming toner cartridges every semester since the department only gives me enough copy money to print off a grand total of 15 photocopies per student per semester, which isn't much when you consider how long the syllabus winds up being with all the legal mumbo jumbo we have to include these days.

[Josette]

Welcome back, Lindsey!! 

It's nice to know that you've actually managed to keep up with us here!!

[MsCriseyde]

Possibly one of the best books I have ever read that depicts fan culture and conventions is Sharryn McCrumb's mystery Bimbos of the Death Sun. It's fiction and it has nothing to do with DS or Star Trek, but it's worth hunting down.

Luciaphil,

Thanks for the suggestion. Another person also mentioned this book to me a couple of days ago, so it definitely has its fans. I'll have to check it out. 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

For some reason, the IRS has this notion that teachers beyond the high school level don't spend any money on their students

Tell me about it! But believe it or not, under the right circumstances it is possible to deduct certain expenses for things like seminars and such if you can prove they're directly related to your curriculum or improving your standing/knowledge in your field. I haven't personally done it, but I have colleagues who've done it quite successfully. So...