The strangest instance of this was at some point in, I think, the early 1990s, all of a sudden DS cues were being played during some Saturday Night Live skits.
I remember that moment on "Saturday Night Live" too. I think the music was from "Josette's Music Box." Did that happen as late as the 1990s? I recall that the audience reacted to the music with a mixture of awe and laughter, obviously recalling it. That's why I wonder if this incidence was really more than 20 years after the series.
I really don't remember anything specifically about "Dark Shadows" ending. It must have been near the end of the school year, and in our location I remember that "DS" aired at 3 p.m., and school was dismissed at either 3:10 or 3:15. There were times that I ran home from school, through the park, and managed to catch .... about the last five minutes of the show, which was a disappointment and almost not worth it. So while I have a vague thought or memory of disappointment upon hearing that the series was ending, I wasn't able to watch it anyway at that time (and wasn't
supposed to watch it, either).
I never completely forgot "Dark Shadows," and when I was living in the SF Bay area in 1982-84, I was startled one night, late at night, to flip the TV channel and stumble upon DS airing on the local PBS station, I think it was. The thrill and memories returned instantly, and I was able to watch quite a few episodes over some time (it was during the part about the Leviathan book, which I had no previous memories about), and then I don't know what happened - school got in the way or the broadcasts ceased or both. But I do recall excitedly telling some of my college friends about it and everyone brightened up right away and remembered the show fondly and with instant recognition and interest.