I started re-watching the series from episode #1, and am now viewing the early Barnabas episodes. I have to say that watching these episodes in their original context has given me a new appreciation for just how good a show DS was, and is. It's as if I'm watching the series for the first time, with no prior knowledge of it. Seeing the transition from Gothic drama to full-on horror makes me realize how daring a move it was to introduce a vampire into a daytime drama. I find myself thinking, "I can't believe they actually got away with this!" Especially impressive is the exploration of the vampire myths and legends from a scientific standpoint, which brings a strange realism to the often fantastic happenings.
DC and Company were truly ahead of their time.