Yes, early Barnabas is a fantastic storyline, at a time in Dark Shadows when the supernatural isn't taken for granted by any of the characters, and when the writers had a clear idea of where the story was going. I would like to have seen the end, in the series, of Barnabas as Dan Curtis originally imagined it. I know that House of Dark Shadows is supposed to have shown it, but by that time I'm sure there were changes, and, though I haven't seen the movie, I understand it was a whole lot bloodier than anything that was ever seen on the series. I don't do well with blood, so I would like to have seen the toned-down TV version. And then, of course, we would learn that it was all a dream, and go on with the show as it actually played out.
Later on in 1967, when it was decided that such a popular character as Barnabas couldn't be killed, it seems the writers lost the sense of where they were going, or where they
could go with a vampire who couldn't be killed off. That part of 1967 is still good, but for different reasons.
Also, it seems that Jonathan Frid actually studies his scripts the night before.
Give Frid a break. My understanding is that he always studied his scripts, but his memory just wasn't made that way, and that later on, being tired from all the outside appearances didn't help.
fanforever, would you be interested in putting some comments in the Watching Project topics?
Discuss - Ep #0241
Discuss - Ep #0242
MB has said if he ever has time he's thinking of putting them into a board of their own instead of scattered across six (soon to be seven) Current Talk boards. Of course he'll never have time, and I wouldn't
think of complaining because everything that he does do is so wonderful. But I still like seeing a buildup of conversation about each episode, even if it can be hard to find.