The Continuity was Copacetic and Other Sordid Ideas

[Bob_the_Bartender]

Dear Fellow Dark Shadows Fans,

I was glad to see that there were no wardrobe continuity bloopers/blunders on today's first episode.  Everyone appeared to wearing the same outfits they had on when Vicki first "departed" on her sojurn into the past several months ago.

Liz still had on her yellow dress.  Roger was still sporting his grey checked sportscoat.  Carolyn was wearing that same blue Nancy Drew dress.  Ms. (now Dr.) Hoffman still had on the same drab brown dress.  And, Mr. B., as always, was sartorially spendid in his navy blue three-piece Brooks Brothers suit.

I think that today's first episode was one of the most compelling episodes of Dark Shadows.  Nancy Barrett's straightforward, yet, profound introductory comments set the right tone for this memorable episode.  Kudos to writer Sam Hall for his superb dialogue and to all of the actors for their wonderful performances.

That being said, I was puzzled by Julia's explanation to Mrs. Stoddard for her coming to Collinwood under false pretenses:  "I came to Collinwood because my medical duties and responsibilities at Windcliff had become too much for me.  I thought that I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown," or words to that effect.

Oh yeah, and trying to help a nearly two-hundred-year-old vampire to find a cure for his "disease," (not to mention aiding that same vampire in the plot to murder your lifelong friend and colleague) is NOT enough to drive you over the edge?  Mama mia!  Next thing you know, they'll be telling us that Miss Vicki is not the only one who can traverse time!

Sincerely,

Bob the Bartender, who lives by the ancient Taiwanese maxim, "Believe none of what you hear and half of what you see."

[Bette]

Dear Fellow Dark Shadows Fans. I was glad to see that there were no wardrobe continuity bloopers/blunders on today's first episode.  Everyone appeared to wearing the same outfits they had on when Vicki first "departed" on her sojurn into the past several months ago.

Actually I think I did spot a costume blooper in the first episode. When the gang had Vicki lie down on the sofa I noticed her shoes and they looked like 1968 vintage black pumps with a low heel--definitely not what she would have worn in jail! 

Bette

[Cassandra]

Hey, didn't the hangmen think it strange that the person they just hung, suddenly happens to be wearing another color dress? ?!? Vicky's was some sort of blue, and Phyllis had on an orange dress[hdscrt]  Perhaps she just borrowed it from Angelique,  because she wore the same one. Maybe that's why they hung her as a witch.

[Gerard]

Actually, Bob, to make sure they were wearing the exact same outfits, the performers kept them on at all times, under their other clothing and costumes, for over four months.  It worked, but after several weeks they didn't get much in the way of social invitations.

Gerard

[Dr. Eric Lang]

The continuity of costumes was spot-on; however, the same cannot be said for casting. That's a different actress playing Phyllis Wick than the one we saw several months ago when the 1795 story line began.  

[Bob_the_Bartender]

Gerard,

Concerning your explanation about how all of the actors kept on two separate sets of clothing for weeks on end, now I know why Jonathan Frid, Alexandra Moltke, Louis Edmonds and Nancy Barrett NEVER appeared as a guest celebrity contestant on The Dating Game Show during that specific period of time.

Bob the Bartender, who still grooves to the Dating Game Show theme song played by the great Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass.

[Paul]

;)I thought also that that was a different actress playing Phyllis Wick. Dorrie Kavanaugh was Phyllis Number one, who was Phyllis Number two?  ?!?

[Dr. Eric Lang]

;)I thought also that that was a different actress playing Phyllis Wick. Dorrie Kavanaugh was Phyllis Number one, who was Phyllis Number two?  ?!?

I meant to look that up in the credits and I forgot.

Also, not only was this a different Phyllis, she wore a different outfit as well. The first Phyllis arrived wearing a cape, and her right shoulder was exposed. Also, Phyllis is seated in a different chair at the table than she was in the original version. This was probably changed so she could fall over into the empty space behind her.

[VAM]

I meant to look that up in the credits and I forgot.

Also, not only was this a different Phyllis, she wore a different outfit as well. The first Phyllis arrived wearing a cape, and her right shoulder was exposed. Also, Phyllis is seated in a different chair at the table than she was in the original version. This was probably changed so she could fall over into the empty space behind her.

Chris_2
Do you work for the FBI?

[VAM]

Vicky's was some sort of blue, and Phyllis had on an orange dress[hdscrt]  Perhaps she just borrowed it from Angelique,  because she wore the same one. Maybe that's why they hung her as a witch.

Cassandra
You give them more credit than I do!  

[Dr. Eric Lang]

Chris_2
Do you work for the FBI?

LOL! Nope, I just have a VCR! And I went back and watched the last 1967 episode where Vicki disappeared during the seance on Sunday night before the airing of her return on Monday for comparison.

Two other discrepencies: hair. Julia is wearing a different wig than she was when Vicki first disappeared. (I always assumed she had cut her hair during the 1795 story line and wore a wig for continuity for the first post-1795 ep); also, Carolyn's hair is noticeably longer as well, despite how hard they tried to curl it (the "flip") on the ends.

[Ben]

I think that today's first episode was one of the most compelling episodes of Dark Shadows ... That being said, I was puzzled by Julia's explanation to Mrs. Stoddard for her coming to Collinwood under false pretenses:  "I came to Collinwood because my medical duties and responsibilities at Windcliff had become too much for me.  I thought that I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown," or words to that effect.

I agree, Bob.  The episodes that approach the close of one storyline and the opening of the next generally seem faster-paced, tighter, and quite compelling.

I, too, thought it peculiar that Julia would blow her own cover like that.  Barnabas must have been tempted to grab her throat right then and there.  If the several months worth of late nights at the Old House weren't spent researching her history book, then what WAS she up to?  When we last left her and Barn in 1967, their relationship was still somewhat adversarial.  In this context, Barnabas would have to have taken her admission as some kind of a threat to him.  

Ben
(taking this opportunity to offer two thoughts on other posts on this thread: (1) like Bob, I am a fellow Herb Alpert & TJB fan; and (2) if Chris_2 indeed works for the FBI, do you think he would tell us??)

[Cassandra]

;)I thought also that that was a different actress playing Phyllis Wick. Dorrie Kavanaugh was Phyllis Number one, who was Phyllis Number two?  ?!?

Paul, the second Phyllis Wick was played by Margo Head.

[Bob_the_Bartender]

Ben,

Herb Albert and the TJB were terrific.  In addition to being a fine musician, Mr. Albert headed A & M Records (Albert & Moss), a label which had other great groups, such as Sergio Mendes and Brazil '66 and Julius Wechter and the Baja Marimba Band.

I never had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Albert and the TJB in concert, but I have seen Sergio Mendes and the various versions of Brazil '66 in concert over the years.  In fact, one of the female vocalists of the group, the lovely and truly vocally-gifted Lani Hall, is, I believe, Mrs. Herb Albert.

The one regret that I have is that my hero/avatar, Bob Rooney, never seemed to have any TJB or Brazil '66 music on the Blue Whale jukebox.  I can just see Barnabas and Julia slow-dancing to Brazil '66's "The Look of Love," or Carolyn and Buzz grooving to TJB's "Walk, Don't Run."

Bob the Bartender, a Bossa Nova junkie.

[Dr. Eric Lang]

I, too, thought it peculiar that Julia would blow her own cover like that.  Barnabas must have been tempted to grab her throat right then and there.  If the several months worth of late nights at the Old House weren't spent researching her history book, then what WAS she up to?  When we last left her and Barn in 1967, their relationship was still somewhat adversarial.  In this context, Barnabas would have to have taken her admission as some kind of a threat to him.

Julia told Elizabeth she was on sabbatical and that she really was writing a book. However, just prior to the 1795 story line, Julia told Elizabeth she was just about finished with her research and would be leaving Collinwood within the next week. As it happens Julia never does move out, nor is her "book" ever mentioned again.