Will We Ever See A New DS? Or would you want to?

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I saw the 91 series and I don't remember Vicki's parentage ever coming up or being an issue.

However, it was planned as a future story - and it was also planned to reveal that Liz was her mother.

[dom]

And another two thank yous.

I read Brandon's pilot synopsis and it seems like there was a lot more shown than I remember from the
'04 showing. But I couldn't swear to it.

[Josette]

Welcome to the Forum, Taylor!!

I have mixed feelings on a new series - I was very excited when it was in the planning stages, but in many ways I think it would be better to just leave things as they are.

[Josette]

Sorry, Taeylor - I saw afterwards that I spelled it wrong!! 

[Willie]

Personally I wouldn't be too interested in another series.  The original was a perfect mix of characters, stories, and settings.  Just slapping the same character and place names on a new show and rehashing the old plots can't recapture that special magic that makes me watch the original.  But I'm sure I'd give it a chance, just to see what it would be like.  The other thing is, with so many episodes of the original to buy on DVD, it'll be a grand accomplishment just to collect the entire original series and I'm sure that once I've got them all I'll be pretty satisfied and not yearning for yet more Dark Shadows in my life.

Welcome to the board, BTW!

[BuzzH]

Hello Taeylor, and welcome!  I didn't like the 91 revival when I first viewed it and was gleeful when it was cancelled.  It was too much of a re-hash of the old show and HODS, plus Ben Cross as Barnabas??  Hmmm, I don't think so.    I like Cross, but not in that role.  I found that, because it WAS a re-hash, I kept comparing it to the original and it continued to fall flat.  Then I viewed it again about 5-6 years later (I'd taped it and still have those tapes) and pretended that the original didn't exist.  I liked it better the 2nd time, but still prefer the original.

Now, having said that, I *did* enjoy the WB pilot, which was shown in it's entirety at the 2005 Hollywood and 2006 Brooklyn Festivals, (Dom, what we saw in Tarrytown was only a partial viewing of the WB pilot) but like Brandon I thought the ending was hystercally bad!  But overall I liked it and would have been open to it continuing.

Like everyone else here I'm all for a new DS provided they MOVE FORWARD.  A next generation w/the kids grown up would work for me, or just continue where the old show left off.  I like the idea of flashbacks to explain things to new fans/viewers, sorta like the way Lost has their backstory flashbacks of the crash survivors lives before boarding their doomed Oceanic flight.  I also like the idea of either flashbacks or time traveling to earlier periods like the 1920's/30's/40's/50's and the 1860s.  It would be interesting to see the Collins' dealing w/the Civil War. 

[Gothick]

I was totally opposed originally to the idea of a remake, but Alec Newman's performance as Barnabas in the 2004 pilot made me think that it could be fun IF it were done as a start-from-scratch exercise rather than a remake tout court.

Just my personal opinion, but I think we are in the final years of series television on the regular networks.  I'll be surprised if ten years from now there are ANY drama series in production for the Big 3 (or is it now the Big 4--or 5??).  I would guess that HBO and Showtime and a couple of those other networks would be able to keep things going because of how they are structured.  A series of DS movies similar to the Donald Strachey movies on the "here" network might be fun.  Again, that would underline the difference between this version and the classic show which was a daily serial and had some of the leisurely rhythms of old Victorian storytelling in its pace.

None of my opinions matter but you did ask.  I do feel incredibly fortunate that we have the entire series (minus the one lost episode), and that it has not only survived but even been released on VHS and DVD!  That seems truly miraculous.

G.

[Brandon Collins]

Dom-- I was thinking that maybe you only got a partial screening, and Buzz confirmed that thought for me. Thanks Buzz!

Re: The 04 Ending...

If they had've cut out the last, oh, I don't know, 20 seconds of screaming, it would've been just fine. 

[BuzzH]

Re: The 04 Ending...

If they had've cut out the last, oh, I don't know, 20 seconds of screaming, it would've been just fine. 

Agreed, her screaming ONCE at Victoria would have been the perfect ending. 

[dom]

Thanks Buzz & Brandon for confirming my suspicions. It's always nice to get an answer to a question asked. Now I will make it my life's mission (lol) to see the full pilot. I hope there is a gathering this year and I hope it is shown and I hope I can make it.

[Darren Gross]

If they had've cut out the last, oh, I don't know, 20 seconds of screaming, it would've been just fine. 

There was a second cut of the episode they produced where they did cut that part down to the bone. One scream, and a quick fade to black with the 'Exec producers' credit. Only shown internally though.

[Brandon Collins]

Well, Darren, if the cut down version was what was shown to the WB, then BOO TO THEM for not picking it up. It was fine everywhere else. Fast pace, quickly introduced characters, and set up the beginnings of (what looked like anyway) an interesting storyline.

BOO I SAY!

[DLA75]

I would like to see a Dark Shadows the Next Generation with the same 5 day a week half hour format as the original. It would have both original DS actors plaing thieir original parts. aNd Young Actors playingthe Next Generation on the Collins Family (Carolyn and David's children) and Maggie's Children.

[retzev]

I had mixed feelings about the '04 series. I was excited and interested to see how it would turn out if picked up, but I was kind of dreading a new DS being a big hit with the kiddos (DS gear selling at Hot Topic, having to constantly explain "Yeah, I dig the original DS, not too keen on the new one though...etc" )

But if it meant that a succesful new DS would get Mr Gross's DS theatrical film restorations in the can and out on DVD, I'd be all for it.

edit*  - I think the next generation idea is a great one.

[adamsgirl]

Welcome Taeylor! I agree with those who said they'd like to see DS: The Next Generation. Rehashing what was already done wouldn't do it for me. As a kid who grew up with DS (I watched it from the very first episode when it first aired), I think I'd always have that series in the back of my mind. I did watch the '91 remake and thought it was well done, but it never really grabbed me. I also saw the pilot for the WB proposed remake in Tarrytown and Brooklyn. The pilot had its good and bad moments, but it was clearly rough, which we all were told before viewing it. It's a pity that fell by the wayside. However, getting back to a new generation, that would be much more exciting. Remember, Star Trek did it quite successfully, and I loved their Next Generation series.