I have to add something on the subject of the casting of the 1991 series -- specifiaclly Ely Pouget as Maggie Evans.
Pouget did play Maggie Evans. She played the original concept of the character. She played that part better than KLS, in my opinion. But, wait, before you jump... KLS played this character only in the beginning. This was the
hash-slinging working girl, from the
wrong side of the tracks.
When Barnabas Collins arrived, he needed victim #1 -- now, they picked the semi-regular Maggie character. This is really when KLS began to shine. Later, Kathryn (as Maggie) took over the role of Victoria Winters. This was the only thing to do, because replacing Alexandra Moltke's Vicki in name just wasn't possible... it wasn't working..
So, the Maggie Evans character replaced Victoria Winters. That worked. That was the only thing you could do, until maybe Moltke returned. The fan reaction to Vicki being replaced was pretty much the same reaction they had to seeing Maggie in the 1991 series -- she seemed totally out-of-character (but was not, really).
When most fans tuned in to the nightime 1991 series, they expected Maggie to be the Maggie they remembered... the Maggie who was the
gothic governess, not the
working girl.
There were three characterizations of Maggie: 1) the original concept 2) the victim/Josette and 3) the gothic governess. Ely Pouget played characterization #1, as directed to. Fans were not prepared, since most of them had not known Maggie as originally played. Pouget did well, but wouldn't have been able to play Maggie as well as Kathryn later did... making her the memorable victim, then Vicki-type governess.
By the way, I thought Going was fine as Vicki, too. I agree, also with what was said about Roy Thinnes' work (though Jerry Lacy would have been a nice choice). Not mentioned was Michael Weiss -- he was pertectly cast as fisherman Joe Haskell. But, anyway, they played the parts as they were instructed... someimes it worked, but most of the time it didn't work... for various reasons.
Really, Kathryn Leigh Scott and Ely Pouget played
different characters.