I just watched episodes 241/242, and I think that the original cast were awesome. The original premise of Barnabas, Josette, Dr. Woodard, et al., was really something quite special. For instance, anybody notice how stupid the writers made "Josette"? Boy, Barnabas sure likes them stupid! And speaking of stupid, I'm sure all of you noticed the classic gaff "microphone" insted of "microscope" from Mitch Ryan - and you get the feeling in this period that when he looks at his drink, he wishes it's more than just tea - ha ha!   Also, it seems that Jonathan Frid actually studies his scripts the night before. His performances are stupendous, obviously the reason Dark Shadows was given another thriteen weeks of life.  

Dr. Woodard, of course, played by actor Robert Gerringer was note-perfect from the word "go". Also notice that Dr. Julian Hoffman was a man. It seems likely that during this period Dan Curtis was probably hanging out in the control booth. You get the feeling that he was much more hands-on than in the later episodes. While little David's acting skills leave a little to be desired (he'll acquire them later), for the most part all the actors are giving it 110%.   It's interesting to see the crossover from boring, hum-drum daytime soap opera fare into imaginative, surrealistic story-telling. No wonder why they had to change it from 3:30 to 4:00, as the original viewers - mothers and housewives doing their laundry and cleaning house - would't stand for such shenanigans.  

I know all of this has probably been discussed add-nauseum, but I just couldn't help writing how I feel about these early episodes.   If any of you wish to add your thoughts and comments to these wonderful early Barnabas episodes, please feel free - Merry Christmas.   

Yes, yes, the writers really screwed up big-time when they decided to go back again and again to the same storyline. I mean, how many times can someone visit 1796 and not wind up with the future looking awfully wierd and grotesque? I mean, I can understand about this thing with Vicki - the writers obviously thought that
[spoiler]we needed a reason for David and Amy not to go to Boston as planned[/spoiler]
But come on! We really don't need a third trip down memory lane.

In a way, it seems like Petofi may have hired her for the expressed reason for his future plan. Quentin never had a more devoted servant than Beth, and he must have known that if he did anything to Quentin, Beth would run to his side (again). 

Yeah, I really wish she was in more episodes instead of the common, uninteresting nurses that usually haunted the halls of the Collinsport Hospital. At least this character had some life! 

Only because
[spoiler]she insisted on staring at it for hours on end every spare moment she had! It wasn't as if Sky had decided, "Oh, this seems like a nice painting for Angelique . . ."[/spoiler]

a hicky
li'l lice runnin' 'round

(sorry - can't think of the definitive answer)

The whole Angelique and Quentin thing never did seem convincing to me, even as a child. What's more,
[spoiler]Angelique admitted later on that the whole romance/engagement with Quentin was just to spite Barnabas!  [/spoiler]

Besides, the whole thing seems like a hoax for Edward to let her stay on at Collinwood and cause trouble for Barnabas.

That sounds good in theory, but it doesn't explain why
[spoiler]Angelique bought Q's portrait in 1969. She said that she bought it to remind her of Quentin and Barnabas, and how could it remind her of Q if she hadn't even been to 1897?[/spoiler]