DARK SHADOWS FORUMS
General Discussions => Current Talk Archive => Current Talk '24 I => Current Talk '06 II => Topic started by: ShadowsAtlanta on July 11, 2006, 02:27:48 AM
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Wow. I finally got around to getting the revival series DVDs (a big sale helped me move past my reservations about the fake widescreen), and jeez... how awesome was that?! Now I'm just sad that it was cancelled prematurely and I'll never know what happened to "those" Collins. siiiigh....
So, I just wanted to share my impressions of the series, using a "best of" format... feel free to agree, disagree, or add to the list.
And, be forewarned, there are SPOILERS GALORE, so stop reading now if you intend to watch the revival series later...
[spoiler]** Best reinvention of a character: Maggie Evans.
Psychic, wild hair, artist, messing around with Roger, not paying the first bit of attention to Joe Haskell.... wow.
** Worst reinvention of a character: Angelique.
The acting was good, but this Ang was just too one-note and lacked the camp/humor/fun.
** Most shocking departure from the original series: The murder of Joe Haskell.
Seriously. I did NOT see that coming.
** Most frustrating loose end: Vickie knows Barnabas is a vampire.
** Best continuity corrective action: Daniel is a direct part of Joshua's bloodline. Yay.[/spoiler]
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Worst Reinvention of a Character: Willie Loomis :P
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Yeah, Willie was kind of over the top, but he and his "auntie" had me in stitches at times! Auntie and her blueberry flapjacks!! :)
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I totally loved the revival. It was actually my true introduction to DS, other than HoDS, as I never saw the original till the Sci-Fi run. While I wasn't crazy about the format of the DVDs, as well as the lack of ANY extras, the VHS tapes are aging and take up SO much space. I totally agree with your observations, especially regarding the ending (or lack of...).
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Worst Reinvention of a Character: Willie Loomis :P
I disagree. I loved Jim Fife's Willie, he was a stitch! Of course, Johnny Karlen will always be my favorite Willie Loomis, but Jim's was great too. ;)
Best line by Fife? "Gee Barnabas, it's too bad you can't see yourself in the mirror anymore! You look TERRIFIC!"
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I have mixed feelings about the revival. My first viewing of it was on dvd when it came out last October.
My favorite thing about it is without doubt Joanna Going as Victoria. She's by far and away my favorite character of the revival. I also think she played a great Josette. Her portrayal of those characters - along with the 1790 storyline - is what keeps these dvds on my shelf.
I have to agree that Willie is the worst reinvention....too bufoonish. Played for too much comedy.
I liked the reinvention of Maggie. And Michael T. Weiss plays an excellent Peter Bradford. One I can not only tolerate, but like, and that's amazing. :)
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Question and speculation regarding the revival series --
[spoiler]Since both Professor Woodard and Joe Haskel were killed-off during the first season, doesn't it seem strange to have the show continue without those two important characters? Do you think TPTB had plans to "replace" them in some way? Perhaps with another professor (Stokes?), and another hunk/good-guy to replace Joe?
I'd love to hear your speculation.
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I thought the new Willie blew chunks. He was just way too comedic and silly, and played the role for laughs most of the time. He belongs on Saturday morning cartoons, not on Dark Shadows.
Joanna Going did a great job as Vicki. She was excellent.
Jean Simmons was a very good Liz. She had a lot of the regal presence Liz should have.
Roy Thinnes' Trask was weird and totally nuts, and I liked that. I was indifferent to his Roger. Roger in the new show was very bland compared to Lois Edmunds' version.
I didn't like Carolyn that much. I thought she was kind of lame.
David was pretty good.
I loved Barbara Steele's Julia - she was different from Grayson Hall's Julia, but retained the essential elements of the character. Barbara Steele's version seemed cold and eccentric, but in a different way from Grayson's early Julia episodes. I liked them both. I also really enjoyed Steele as Countess Natalie. Her performance as the Countess, as opposed to Fyfe's Willie, is an example of how humor can be an effective part of the DS universe without being stupid for "yuks."
Lysette Anthony was just so-so as Angelique IMO. I didn't feel she truly conveyed the fiery inner rage, jealousy and sense of rejection that the character demands. Instead she just seemed kind of crazy from the get-go. It was an ok take on the character, but I don't know how she would have evolved had the series progressed.
Ben Cross was ok. I have mixed feelings on him. At times he didn't seem to be into playing the role. In interviews he sometimes came off, to me anyway, as dismissive of DS. And what was up with the tan? That said, he was very good at certain points in the show but it wasn't consistent. He could play Barnabas as very fierce, but the dark, calculating intelligence was missing.
I did enjoy the '91 show, and wish it had continued, but the original is my favorite.
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Question and speculation regarding the revival series --
[spoiler]Since both Professor Woodard and Joe Haskel were killed-off during the first season, doesn't it seem strange to have the show continue without those two important characters? Do you think TPTB had plans to "replace" them in some way? Perhaps with another professor (Stokes?), and another hunk/good-guy to replace Joe?[/spoiler]
I'd love to hear your speculation.
I thought the reason [spoiler]Joe died so soon was so that they could bring him back as Chris and start the werewolf storyline. That is my guess because it did happen very quickly, his death.[/spoiler]
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I thought the reason [spoiler]Joe died so soon was so that they could bring him back as Chris and start the werewolf storyline. That is my guess because it did happen very quickly, his death.[/spoiler]
I think you're right, Satan! :D
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I thought the reason [spoiler]Joe died so soon was so that they could bring him back as Chris and start the werewolf storyline. That is my guess because it did happen very quickly, his death.[/spoiler]
I tend to agree that they would have [spoiler]brought him back as a different character... perhaps a time-travelling or reincarnated Peter Bradford... I also think they killed Joe off so soon for shock value... and it certainly worked. My jaw was on the floor!![/spoiler]
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Joanna Going did a great job as Vicki. She was excellent.
Jean Simmons was a very good Liz. She had a lot of the regal presence Liz should have.
Roy Thinnes' Trask was weird and totally nuts, and I liked that. I was indifferent to his Roger. Roger in the new show was very bland compared to Lois Edmunds' version.
Definitely agree on these counts.
Overall I really really enjoyed this series and am already going through withdrawal!
One nitpick I forgot though... did anyone else think Barnabas looked a bit cartoonish in his makeup toward the end? Kinda like a Saturday Night Live version of Dracula? Oh well... it wouldn't be DS without a little camp!
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did anyone else think Barnabas looked a bit cartoonish in his makeup toward the end? Kinda like a Saturday Night Live version of Dracula?
I agree, ShadowsAtlanta. I never liked Barnabas's "vampire make-up" I thought it looked terrible and was unnecessary. Red eyes and fangs, I can deal with -- but I never really have enjoyed the recent trend for vampires to change their appearance just before they attack someone.
A good actor can change his/her own expression and attitude, and with the addition of fangs, can scare the Hell out of viewers. All the extra make-up is silly. Can you imagine Jonathan Frid being painted all white, everytime he bared his fangs?
Everytime I see Ben Cross in a scene with all that make-up, I just cringe. I don't mind a little camp on DS, but I hate it when the show does something that will make people laugh at it.
I did really enjoy the Revival series, but Ben Cross in that white make-up -- YUCK!
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I thought the reason [spoiler]Joe died so soon was so that they could bring him back as Chris and start the werewolf storyline. That is my guess because it did happen very quickly, his death.[/spoiler]
I tend to agree that they would have [spoiler]brought him back as a different character... perhaps a time-travelling or reincarnated Peter Bradford... I also think they killed Joe off so soon for shock value... and it certainly worked. My jaw was on the floor!![/spoiler]
I don't think they would have done that. Only because [spoiler]Victoria wasn't in love with Peter from the revival series. It wouldn't make sense to bring him back. I think it would have been better doing it the way of having Michael play Joe's twin brother or cousin that's a werewolf. That way Carolyn could have something to work with for that following season.[/spoiler]
Apparently I missed the post about the actors/actresses. Everyone was ok except Lysette. She acted floozy when doing the spells. I didn't care for it. There wasn't one drop of evil acting coming from her like Lara performed. Lara knew how to be a witch. Lysette didn't and I couldn't picture that show continuing with her as Angelique. I don't think she was the right actress for the part.
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I thought the reason [spoiler]Joe died so soon was so that they could bring him back as Chris and start the werewolf storyline. That is my guess because it did happen very quickly, his death.[/spoiler]
I think you're right, Satan! :D
That's probably correct. And from what I heard back in the day, Adrian Paul was slated to play Quentin.
A good actor can change his/her own expression and attitude, and with the addition of fangs, can scare the Hell out of viewers. All the extra make-up is silly. Can you imagine Jonathan Frid being painted all white, everytime he bared his fangs?
Hmm, Frid was so pasty to begin with, was there really a need to use white make-up on him. ;)
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Don't faint, anyone, but I am about to defend Lysette Anthony.
Having enjoyed Anthony's work in a number of UK productions, I don't think it's fair to judge her by the ghastly travesty of her work on the DS 1991 series. I'm not sure whether it was miscasting so much as poor direction. That accent alone is awfully hard to get past. It may have been miscasting, but I think Lysette would have surprised people by how good she would have been as Laura in season 2 (I think the plan was for her to return as Laura--I know there is a book where they published the notes for the projected second season). Without the crap fake-French accent and with hopefully better direction, I think she would have brought a smolderingly sinister quality to the part.
Agree, IN SPADES, about the OTT vampire makeup. That stuff has become as over-used as the blacked-out eye effect for Witches casting spells on TV. Those blacked-out eyes always make me think of this terrible film Robert Fuest directed in the 1970s, The Devil's Rain. Ernie Borgnine plays Asmodeus. Need I say more??
Penny Dreadful, I mostly agree with your assessment of the acting on that 1991 show. I do think Julianna McCarthy deserves high marks for her work as Mrs J and Abigail. She was really solid in her work for the show (to echo what Alexandra said about the original Mrs J--the Divine Clarice Blackburn!).
G.
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I do think Julianna McCarthy deserves high marks for her work as Mrs J and Abigail.
Agreed, she was good in both roles, but I must say, I enjoyed Clarice's Mrs. J much better. Not to say Julianna wasn't great in the role too, but Clarice was just so damn FUNNY as Mrs. Johnson, whether it was INTENTIONAL or not, I can't say. But her always grumbling about having to pick up after the family and clean this or that just makes me break out in gales of laughter! She's the freakin' MAID for god's sake! [stfl]
As far as Abagail goes, I think I actually liked Julianna better. Clarice was good in the role, but annoying (as was her Minerva Trask--I guess after the tour de force of Mrs. J she had peaked). Julianna was SCARY as Abagail, Clarice's just make me sigh, roll my eyes and want to bitch-slap the TV. [twak]
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I do think Julianna McCarthy deserves high marks for her work as Mrs J and Abigail. She was really solid in her work for the show (to echo what Alexandra said about the original Mrs J--the Divine Clarice Blackburn!).
Agreed on all counts! Julianna McCarthy was very good.
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I have to voice my agreement on the vampire make-up....well, not so much the make-up, but the red eyes and the mugging/snarling at the camera for what seemed to be forever. Overdone, IMO.
Julianna McCarthy made a great Abigail. I'll always prefer Clarice Blackburn as Mrs. Johnson, but McCarthy's Abigail worked really well for me.
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the mugging/snarling at the camera for what seemed to be forever. Overdone, IMO.
That was one of the very few negative aspects of the '91 series for me. But we can thank DC for it because he loved it. And that's one of the reasons I was relieved when we learned DC wouldn't be directing the WB pilot and he was only one of three executive producers.
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Agree, IN SPADES, about the OTT vampire makeup. That stuff has become as over-used as the blacked-out eye effect for Witches casting spells on TV. Those blacked-out eyes always make me think of this terrible film Robert Fuest directed in the 1970s, The Devil's Rain. Ernie Borgnine plays Asmodeus. Need I say more??
Gothick, I'm not familiar with "The Devil's Rain" so I looked it up... IMDb has a link to photographs, and there was William Shatner with pure black eyes. Now there's the stuff of nightmares!
Anyway, I can't recall ever seeing black eyes on a witch until the first season of Buffy when Mrs. Madison was introduced in, appropriately, "The Witch". It was consistently used on the show whenever a witch channeled great power (i.e. Amy Madison [the daughter] and the very powerful Willow), especially if it was a dark great power. And occasionally, non-witches on Buffy had black eyes too, such as the demon played by Joel Grey. But getting back to your comments, has it really been all that over-used? Yes, Charmed ripped off the black-eyes effect from Buffy (so what else is new?), but by the time we saw pitch black eyes on the 2004 DS' Angelique, I thought it was still a creepy and cool effect. 8)
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Glad to see this topic - a good friend of mine gave me the DVDs of the revival series for Christmas and my husband and I recently watched the whole thing - one episode every Sunday night. Both of us enjoyed it so much. It gave my husband a better idea of what the overarching storyline is for the original series, and I think he's a bit more likely to watch the older show with me now!
The biggest disappointment of the show for both of us I think, was the constant day for night shots that I guess weren't correctly remastered for the dvd release. You could really see that California sunshine during many scenes that were supposed to be happening at night. Just killed the Gothic mood. And my husband remarked that since they were obviously using the Greystone Mansion for both Collinwood and the Old House, it was sometimes difficult for him to tell where the heck the action was supposed to be taking place.
On to the actors!
I thought Jim Fyfe as Willie was a little overdone, but he was lots of fun - though John Karlen will always be my fave! Jim was also good as Ben Loomis in 1790, and I thought brought some pathos to both roles.
Likewise, Lysette Anthony was over the top as Angelique, but in this case I didn't enjoy her very much. I know for lots of DS fans there is nothing to like about Lara Parker's Angelique, but I've always found her amusing and just riveting to watch. Despite her smoldering sensuality (which was on the plus side in my book) Lysette was kind of one-note (to me) in her approach to role and I didn't like the character. Still, hearing that she would have been Laura is a promising idea.
Agree with those who were loving Julianna McCarthy as Abigail - she was amazing! And for some reason, she really made me believe that she was a woman of the 18th century, I can't explain it, but she just seemed right.
Joanna Going was particularly lovely and affecting both as Vicki and as Josette, and I really liked how they changed it to Vicki/Josette - that worked well. Also quite liked the revamping of Maggie's character as a no-better-than-she-should-be village artist/psychic. It gave the character something special of her own to do. And if they'd ended up getting to the 1897 storyline, I would have loved to see that actress play Beth.
Have to say, Roger and Carolyn were both rather boring. Carolyn especially - and it seemed to me as if the actress who played her was, I dunno, maybe high [smokn] during the filiming of several episodes?
As others have said - though Barbara Steel played Julia as a rather different character than Grayson Hall (way more buttoned-up, icy and controlled), but in either series, this is my favorite character. IMHO, Steel was as fabulous as Dr. Julia Hoffman in her own way as Grayson was in hers.
Also on the plus side were Michael T. Weiss as Joe (v. sexy), Adrian Paul as Jeremiah, Jean Simmons as both Liz and Naomi, the little guy who played David/Daniel, Stefan Gierasch (sp?) as Joshua, and the gent who played Dr. Woodard.
My big question is where was Prof. Stokes? I have to believe they'd have tried to bring this character on in season 2, had they not been cancelled. Sarah Collins was a more natural actress than the little girl who played in the 60's version, and I thought Roy Thinnes Trask, though very different, was appropriately mad and vicious.
On the minus side, the character of Daphne was pretty stale and one-dimensional, and they didn't do anything with Sam Evans. Maybe they just didn't have time.
Ben Cross generally looked right as Barnabas, but yeah, there was way too much snarling and mugging at the camera while dressed up in that hideous white make-up. For some reason, he didn't seem as courtly as Jonathan Frid in the role, but he was a good choice for the role. He and Joanna Going had good chemistry as a couple, and I loved this twist in the revival -
[spoiler]that when Vicki returned from 1790, she knew Barnabas was a vampire.[/spoiler]
I wonder where they would have gone with that?
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IMDb has a link to photographs, and there was William Shatner with pure black eyes.
Midnite, I couldn't find this pic of Shatner you mentioned. Can you post a link?
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BuzzH--
Here's the full page of pics, also accessible via the IMDb page for The Devil's Rain, under External Links/photographs. Enjoy!
http://www.angelfire.com/movies/satanickeys/
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My big question is where was Prof. Stokes?
He was a composite character known as Prof. Woodard and played by Stefan Gierasch. [spoiler]He was ofted early on but later came back as Joshua.[/spoiler]
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For me, the best part of the series was Jean Simmons. She was splendid as Elizabeth/Naomi. That being said, I have my critiques of the revival. Of course, there were all those palm trees everywhere, palm trees, palm trees, palm trees, along the cold, weather-beaten coast of Maine. Oh, how I hated those palm trees. Didn't they have the cinematic technology back in '91 to air-brush them out of scenes?
The series seemed to me to be more of a remake of HoDS, even an expanded version of it, rather than of the original show. It lacked the subtlety of '66-'71 and got right into the "meat" of a vampire on the loose, just like the movie, with cops running around with crosses and wooden stakes and a shocked community having no choice but to accept the fact that there really are such things. Now, that works in a two-hour movie, but not on a TV series designed to carry on for several seasons. On the original, it worked because no one, save very few, ever thought that a creature like that was on the prowl, only that it was some psychotic serial killer. On the remake, how would they handle it? It's not like everyone would forget that some living-dead monster was terrorizing their town and now all is hunkey-dory.
But I did appreciate the attempt, and for all its warts, I missed it when it left the air after only one season.
Gerard
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The biggest disappointment of the show for both of us I think, was the constant day for night shots that I guess weren't correctly remastered for the dvd release. You could really see that California sunshine during many scenes that were supposed to be happening at night. Just killed the Gothic mood.
You know, I noticed that as well but convinced myself I was imagining things... thanks for brining this up.
On the minus side, the character of Daphne was pretty stale and one-dimensional, and they didn't do anything with Sam Evans. Maybe they just didn't have time.
I never quite figured out where this Daphne fit into the family. Was she supposed to be David's sister?
I enjoyeded readiing your observations... and I agreed with pretty much all of them!
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I never quite figured out where this Daphne fit into the family. Was she supposed to be David's sister?
Her name was conceived to be Daphne Stoddard, Liz' niece. That would have also made her Carolyn's cousin, but with no blood relation to David. However, when the prop department made her gravemarker, they mistakenly made it out as "Daphne Collins," and for whatever reason they decided to just leave it that way rather than make another. So, Daphne became a Collins of unknown relationship. ;)
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Her name was conceived to be Daphne Stoddard, Liz' niece. That would have also made her Carolyn's cousin, but with no blood relation to David. However, when the prop department made her gravemarker, they mistakenly made it out as "Daphne Collins," and for whatever reason they decided to just leave it that way rather than make another. So, Daphne became a Collins of unknown relationship. ;)
She was probably another cousin from England, LOL! ;)
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BuzzH--
Here's the full page of pics, also accessible via the IMDb page for The Devil's Rain, under External Links/photographs. Enjoy!
http://www.angelfire.com/movies/satanickeys/
Thanks Midnite. Indeed, the pic of Shatner w/the black eyes is creepified!
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I never quite figured out where this Daphne fit into the family. Was she supposed to be David's sister?
Her name was conceived to be Daphne Stoddard, Liz' niece. That would have also made her Carolyn's cousin, but with no blood relation to David. However, when the prop department made her gravemarker, they mistakenly made it out as "Daphne Collins," and for whatever reason they decided to just leave it that way rather than make another. So, Daphne became a Collins of unknown relationship. ;)
Ahhhhh, okay. Thanks for the info -- now I don't feel quite so dense. 8)
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The revival was okay, it did have that gothic feeling to it, but I feel it really can't compare favorably to the original series.
First of all the actors: Ben Cross was okay as Barnabas, but definitely not in the same league as Jonathan Frid, who made Barnabas such a complex and fascinating character.
I didn't particularly like Barbara Steele's Julia Hoffman, too cold and very selfish....I didn't like that she was gonna betray Barnabas and turn him back into a vampire just because he preferred Victoria to her. Can't really blame Barnabas for wanting to get even with Julia after that.
I actually liked Joanna Going as Victoria/Josette....she brought both characters to life in her own way...I would compare her performances to those roles very favorably to Alexandra Moltke and Kathryn Leigh Scott's.
Definitely didn't like Jim Fyfe's Willie Loomis....he made him into a total moron....in the original series Willie may not have been the smartest guy around but he was a heck of lot more complex that. John Karlen made Willie Loomis a 3-dimentional character, whereas Jim's Willie was strictly one-note.
Juliana McCarthy was okay as Mrs. Johnson/Abigail Collins, but I definitely prefer Clarice Blackburn in both roles.
While I may not have liked Abigail (regardless of who played her) Clarice was simply brilliant. Her Abigail was such
a self-rightous old biddy but she really did believe in her religion. The newer Abigail I did not get that impression..
she just wanted to have things her own way and have anyone and everyone agree with her.
Roy Thinnes was fine as Roger (though Louis Edmonds will always be tops) but he sucked as Trask. He did not
make me hate him as much as Jerry Lacy made me hate his Reverend Trask. Thinnes' Trask came off as too
over-the-top and came off more hysterical rather than evil.
Jean Simmons, other than Joanna Going, is the one performer I feel was an equal to her predecessor. Jean brought the same elegance and strength that Joan brought to the role....it would have been interesting to see
how Jean would have done in regards to the Elizabeth/Jason storyline.
But you know the original was a daytime show, the revival a nighttime show....the revival only had 12 episodes...we never did really get to know most of the characters a whole lot.....maybe if it had been renewed
it would have been different. But the stories and execution all felt rushed....
Just my two cents.
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Wow - we're in perfect agreement :)
Well, almost, anyway. I liked Steele's interpretation of Hoffman. Otherwise, spot-on.
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I liked Barbara Steele, too. She was colder and more subtle, but I thought she worked. She wasn't trying to channel Grayson Hall. She brought her own performance to the table, and it worked, IMHO.
I thought Joanna Going was perfect. It's a shame I wasn't able to take to Ben Cross, because I like the way the romance between Barnabas and Victoria was written in the revival.
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I liked Barbara Steele, too.
I liked her as Natalie, but not her Julia. So far I haven't seen anyone who can portray Julia as good as The Divine One. ;) The chick on the WB pilot, forget about it! ::)
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And from what I heard back in the day, Adrian Paul was slated to play Quentin.
Adrian Paul could play a lamp post and I'd watch. I vaguely remember AP gave interview in which he stated he would have played Quentin had the series not been axed. As a fan from his Highlander days there is no doubt in my mind he would have pulled off Quentin well.
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The series seemed to me to be more of a remake of HoDS, even an expanded version of it, rather than of the original show. It lacked the subtlety of '66-'71 and got right into the "meat" of a vampire on the loose, just like the movie, with cops running around with crosses and wooden stakes and a shocked community having no choice but to accept the fact that there really are such things. Now, that works in a two-hour movie, but not on a TV series designed to carry on for several seasons. On the original, it worked because no one, save very few, ever thought that a creature like that was on the prowl, only that it was some psychotic serial killer. On the remake, how would they handle it? It's not like everyone would forget that some living-dead monster was terrorizing their town and now all is hunkey-dory.
But I did appreciate the attempt, and for all its warts, I missed it when it left the air after only one season.
[spoiler]Thats one of the problems with the revival series, Daphne was made into a vampire and staked by the sheriff and police with the full knowledge of her family and the town. They also were aware there was another vampire around who made her that way. Yet they did forget this fact and everything was hunkey-dory-- they even had a gala costume party not too soon after this![/spoiler]
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[spoiler]Thats one of the problems with the revival series, Daphne was made into a vampire and staked by the sheriff and police with the full knowledge of her family and the town. They also were aware there was another vampire around who made her that way. Yet they did forget this fact and everything was hunkey-dory-- they even had a gala costume party not too soon after this![/spoiler]
Actually, the show made it clear that months (I believe at least three) had passed between the time [spoiler]Daphne was destroyed and any idea of the costume party came up.[/spoiler] People believed the vampire was somehow gone.
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Apparently I missed the post about the actors/actresses. Everyone was ok except Lysette. She acted floozy when doing the spells. I didn't care for it. There wasn't one drop of evil acting coming from her like Lara performed. Lara knew how to be a witch. Lysette didn't and I couldn't picture that show continuing with her as Angelique. I don't think she was the right actress for the part.
Let's face it, sometimes no one but the original will do........and there is only one Lara Parker.
And there is only one Grayson Hall.
Barbara Steel too many times seemed like she was talking a page from the acting days of the old silent films with all the eye rolling and all the emotions she tries to register on her face every 5 seconds. The scenes I hate the most is where [spoiler]Barnabas is turning into the ancient vampire and Willie is bring Dr Hoffman to the House House in the rain. BSteele does everything but stand on her head to keep her face in the camera.....[/spoiler]
All in all I liked the revival series and wish they had been about to keep it on for at least a few seasons. JMHO
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I'll click on my soapbox icon for this. [hall2_smiley]
The revival had its good points and bad. I was impressed with the new Willie and his relationship with Mrs. Johnson. Joanna Going is an extremely talented actress who, IMO, has not had anywhere near the career she deserves. Ben Cross had some nice moments, but frankly he played a vampire as little more than a collection of snarls. Lysette Anthony is a good actress, but Angelique was a more interesting character when she had some grey to her, rather than unrelentingly evil worthy of Basic Instinct (but with magic).
I had two real problems with the show. First, it was in essence nothing more than a remake of the original stories but in a rushed sort of way. As a result, it felt rather like a stitched-together collection of highlights from the series and the first movie. Methinks this was also something wrong with the first new TREK series, which so often seemed like a retread of something from the 1960s rather than a modern show aired as the same time as BABYLON 5 or after milestones like BLAKE'S SEVEN. For example, in 1969 we might believe a vampire would kill someone and just leave their corpse lying around somewhere. But isn't that in fact rather stupid? Almost as stupid (and this one really bugged me) as leaving the door to the room where you keep your coffin UNLOCKED DURING THE DAYTIME?? ?? ?? ?
My other problem was some of the changes which I disliked. Does that seem a contradiction? Well, simply, I didn't want change for the sake of change. I wanted good changes. Having Victoria and Josette reincarnations of each other did not work, IMO. One of the wonderful initial conflicts within Barnabas was always his longing for the past versus living in the present. This was so wonderfully made clear by how he tried to turn a girl into someone she isn't (Maggie), as opposed to his attraction to a real woman right there, in the present (Victoria). The whole reincarnation thing didn't seem to mean anything at all.
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Zahir, welcome!
[bonny_hand]
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The NBC series had its moments. The superior production values and location shooting actually worked against it, as it failed to capture what Jonathan Frid called the "dark Brigadoon".
Jim Fyfe and Lysette Anthony did as best as they could. He is hampered by a character that would be a good friend of Lenny and Squiggy. She is hampered by that Pepe Le Pew accent. Jean Simmons gives the show a touch of class but she really doesn't have much to do.
Joanna Going, Veronica Lauren, Julianna McCarthy and Michael T. Weiss do some very good work, in some cases surpassing the original cast. Barbara Steele is quite good as well. Michael Cavanaugh's Maine accent is pretty good but, unfortunately, out of place.
Loved the idea of Maggie as a combination of Stokes and pansy Faye. A Maggie/Laura showdown would have been great. Roy Thinnes was okay as Roger but those Trask eyebrows were amazing. Ben Cross seemed miscast to me. Maybe Timothy Dalton?
I got quick a kick out of Barbara Blackburn. She brought a touch of humor to the show. Her portrayal of Millicent as a spoiled bitch, along the lines of Cybill Shepard, was one of the highlights for me.