I get the impression--but then, I'm still a newbie here--that the general distaste held for RD's characters has as much (or more) to do with offscreen things than onscreen.  Particularly his demeaner at one or two specific conventions, and the fact that other castmembers have broadly hinted at friction on the set.  

Try as I might, I can't see anything in the show itself that would lead people to think of him as annoying--his quirks are no weirder than those of the rest of the cast...  Almost everyone has some silly habit or another.  As a whole, I find them endearing.

Not to say that I'm any special fan.  (I chose the name  CD Tate here thinking it would be a reasonably obscure reference, not realizing that it would brand me for life in the forum.  Let's just say I'll be glad when he's gone too, so I won't need to keep hearing the tirades every day...)

People like to jump on bandwagons, and people like to make fun.  Nothing wrong with that...  But as someone whose only contact with Dark Shadows is the show itself, I can't figure out why all the animosity.  Other than to humor our Mysterious Benefactor, that is...  

I ordered mine from a Canadian retailer to take advantage of the cheap exchange rates.  Hasn't shipped yet...  

I went thru www.dvdsoon.com --but it's my first order thru them, so I can't give you a personal recommendation yet...   And the free shipping is only if you get several things--I don't remember the price cutoff, but it's listed...  

They've got a mixed reputation so far, from what I can tell.  I usually start by checking out www.dvdpricesearch.com , which you may already be familiar with...

I also like the introduction of Amy Jennings.  It gives David someone to get into trouble with!

Except I always think she's going to blow up like a balloon and turn purple, like she did in Willie Wonka...  

He made changes to the script...KLS made the statement at a FRIGHTVISION Q & A.

Ahh...  It all starts to come together.  I've always thought it odd that Thayer's characters like the Professor and the Count were so...   let's say "authentically sophisticated" compared to the others.  Besides being a fine performance, they always did seem better written, as Rainypark says...

Even servile Ben had a certain complexity that I never saw duplicated in Barnabas's other minion, Willie--although John Karlen was more than his match for energy and passion...

I think Thayer must have been a remarkable person...

It's an interesting notion that I hadn't thought of before, and I tend to agree with what's been stated so far.  

Perhaps RTJulia is mostly good--although she's done several evil deeds--specifically because Barnabas, the object of her unrequited love, is similar: capable or great harm, but in a constant struggle to stay good.

If her Barnabas had gone completely to the dark side, become truly evil, would Julia have followed him?  I think the evidence from early on in the series is Yes, if Barnabas is evil, Julia would be too...

John Karlen, as Harvey Lacey,  of course.  He more than held his own with that Richter Scale-measuring persona otherwise known as Tyne Daly.

I'd totally forgotten about that...  He was great on that show...   I'd love to see those reruns again.