Has the new shadowgram update #109 appeared anwhere yet.

All i can say is that the Wb better not make it into one of those other "so-called" supernatural garbage like fluffy buffy and angel, dark shadows is not like that, and that will turn dark shadows fans of the original off on it in a snap, i know it will for me if that is what i see on the new pilot when and if it airs on fall 2004 primetime on the WB.

replying to cassandra blair, angel may be dark as hell, but dark shadows was never dark as hell, nor should it be now.

I think johnathan frid was the right age protrayal of barnabas, so what if he was older that the women he interacted with, it  was very believable and except for the fact that he was a vampire when barnabas was trying to make maggie into josette it could possibly more true than real love, espically when he tryed to get vicki to be his bride, it was the closest a person in love could be without going mad on each other. Can you imagine an actor in his mid 20's protraying barnabas in the original series, he would have bad acting and not very good for the kind of 19th century guy released in 20th century 1967  because he was a vampire thing, it would be the same thing today, so i hope that they be very careful in selecting who will play barnabas in the new pilot, he was emotionally the most hard character to play,he was also the most complex  because he was so popular they had to find a way to make it last as long as  possble and barnabas became a complex person and character to play, i also think that a relative unknown play barnabas, and at least should have some experince in the dramatic arts, because just no ordianary actor can play barnabas the way he should now be intended to be, complex.

That may be all well and true, but telling good stories is not just what it is about. It has tol tell stories that are uniquely dark shadows and indistiwuishably darks shadows. It has to have the appeal to young,new viewers that the original had, but still tell the same calibur and quality of stories as the original that pulled us in and never let go. It has to have some of the familiar characters to provide a base for us original series fans as well as some of the same settings. But it must not have an all teenage cast. The only teenager i want to see on the new pilot is an 18 year old carolyn and a 20+ vicki. so i have decided to relax my requirements for the original series...
1.Same opening sequence and music.
2.Some of the same characters and settings to provide a base for us original series fans.
3.If it has to, new storylines.
4.Do not overdo it on the special effects, make sure the emphasis is on the character, content and atmosphere and the storyline.
5.no all teenage cast.
6.no comedy, unless a boom microphone or camera gets into a shot or the actors flub  the lines or sets falling down.
7.be serious with what they are trying to accomplish. it cannot take a light hearted, comedy fillled take on it. Dark Shadows has always been serious at what it does. It cannnot be like al the other so called supernatural shows like flufffy buffy, angel or any other of that garbage.  And i am not saying that the original was picture perfect production, but it focused more on character and content and atmosphere and relied less on special effects. On that and the acting in the original series, no revival, remake or new series will be as good as the original. That is a view we also have to keep in mind.

all right ypu guys, so we won't take the whole intro of barnabas thing and redo it, what will potential new viewers think. They won't know any basis or ground for the characters, old or new, if this new WB pilot airs next fall. I am speaking of people who do not nothing about the original series. I think i would be confused if all of a sudden i were a new viewer and all of a sudden a vampire named barnabas collins showed up on screen and did what he did in the original series and what ever they decide to have him do in this new pilot. They should at least do the inro of barnabas story to introduce him to the new viewers. They must not sacrifice the character and dramatic and romantic side of barnabas that made him so likeable in the original series, both as a vampire and a human. He used that to charm people and not to lure his victims. So what ever they call for him to do in this new pilot he must have the same qualities that the original barnabas had. Knowing that no one could come close to johnathan frid's portrayal of barnabas in the original series. I am also concerned of the casting for this new pilot for the WB. The WB is infamous for casting all teenage casts for it's shows. Dark shadows is not about some teenage garbage nor should it be made to be like teenage garbage. Nor do i think that the 21st century setting should influence the way it is made and played out. That would sacrifice character and atmosphere and the effect.  Maybe a more plausible take could be on what happend to barnabas and the collins family after barnabas, julia and professor stokes returned from 1840. we never got a proper series finale instead we got stuck with 1841 parallel time garbage. This new version of dark shadows must not have an all teenage cast. Johnathan frid had at least a few crow's feet on his head when he was cast as barnabas. I think the minimum casting age for him would be from 32 on up. Roger from 38 on up. Elizabeth from 42 up. david from 9 to 10. Carolyn 18 exactly. Victoria from 18 o 28. Mrs.Johnson can be anything from 40 on up.  Willie in the mid 20's. I don't know but there had better not be an all teenage cast. There must be some familiar ground for us original dark shadows fans to go on. I will watch this new pilot when and if it airs next fall like a hawk and if it steps out of my line of personal expectations i will not watch it beyond the first episode and will only look at the listings at the tv guide if something good comes along.

The new WB network's version of dark shadows has been committed to a pilot and if accepted it will most likely be put on the WB's primetime 2004-2005 fall lineup.