DS - Appropriate for Children?

[Philippe Cordier]

Yesterday's first episode where Carolyn tried to clobber Adam with a rock and ending with Adam pushing her so that she hit her head and was lying unconscious represents a significant milestone in my personal history with DS!

I may have been the only child to have been forbidden to watch DS because of violence -- and it was on the basis of that episode!

I never knew until a few years ago from online comments that there had been a movement by fundamentalists to ban DS because of its occult nature. (Fortunately, I wasn't raised in a fundamentalist home, for which I'm honestly grateful.)

It's also amazing that I remember this so clearly considering I was 7 years old at the time.  I think my sister and I were introduced to Dark Shadows by a babysitter (my mother didn't watch any daytime TV).  I'm sure the Adam episodes provided thrills to my young mind ... but this is the first episode I remember, and that's probably because of the consequences that resulted.  I remember excitedly telling my mother about that (violent) scene between Adam and Carolyn (I can still picture Carolyn's blonde hair), and she said that that wasn't a show for children and that I couldn't watch it any more.

I do think her judgment on the matter was unfair, seeing as she didn't know anything about the show, but I am also trying to see that parents sometimes have to make swift calls especially if it's something that they don't think is all that important (little did she know I would one day be attending DS festivals ... an act of rebellion?).  She must have felt that the show had an adult theme and wasn't suitable.

My question is, do any of you mothers out there with young children (it seems there are a lot of you!) have any reservations about your children viewing DS?

I'm still somewhat envious of friends whose mothers (and/or fathers) had no problem allowing them to watch the show.  There definitely were worse moments of violence to come on the show -- one that stands out in my mind from my last viewing is when Jenny goes after Quentin (I think) with a knife.  Even I might hesitate about allowing a young child view that ... but then I was a product of a sheltered environment and still do not entirely embrace the total openess with which many of today's parents tend to view TV.

P.S.  Of course, my sister and I managed to watch the show anyway, at our playmates' houses, etc.  A couple of years later my mother finally relented after I said that DS had been written up in our current issue of "The Weekly Reader," or whatever, but the series was nearing cancellation by that point.  Only five minutes remained of the show by the time I ran home from school, so it really was too late ...

[kuanyin]

Oh, it is fine with me for my kids to watch the show. But, they are boys and not very prone to being scared. If I had a sensitive child that was having nightmares, I might decide differently.

Actually, my kids have had two movies that scared the hooey out of them. My older son watched "The Indian in the Cupboard" at least once daily for over a year. Then he became terrified of it and didn't watch it for a year. When he finally did again I had to hold him through the horrifying part-when the teeny Indian pricked the boy's finger with his knife! It was very hard not to laugh.

Both kids watched a movie at their Dad's after we separated, nightmares ensued, and they talked of "the beast" for well over a year. I finally asked him what they had seen that had "the beast" in it. It turned out to be Disney's "The Sandlot"! I bought a copy and made them watch it. It helped a lot and then I could remind them that the beast was a nice dog named Hercules. So I guess I don't necessarily believe in protection, sometimes seeing it actually helps. (In hindsight, I wonder if the timing of Dad moving out and seeing the movie made it much worse?)

I do know as a parent I'm much more likely to protect them from something that I detest myself. WWF? Absolutely no way! Nascar may not be as offensive as WWF, but we are not watching it here.

Hee, hee, reminds of the time my older son squealed on the younger one..."Moooooooom, Gabe's watching GOLF!"  

[Barnabas]

I remember when I was a child my mother didn't want me to watch Dark Shadows because she thought it was the source of my nightmares. I can honestly say that my nightmares were probably more the result of a dysfunctional family environment than watching a gothic soap opera. While there were episodes that were very scary to me, I knew the difference between a tv show and reality. The only show that really scared me in a way that might lead to some kind of psychological trauma was General Hospital.  It was in black and white long after Dark Shadows had changed to color and the characters seemed far more tragic to me than the characters in DS.  They seemed to live at the  hospital (we never saw their homes) and the nurses were always having a crisis about some doctor who was having an affair with another nurse. They never had the kind of dignity and grace that our beloved DS characters displayed in the face of evil and calamity. I really would have believed that was what it was like to be an adult were it not for Dark Shadows giving me an alternate perspective.

[mfmdpt]

I'm still somewhat envious of friends whose mothers (and/or fathers) had no problem allowing them to watch the show.

Not only did my mom let me watch DS, she watched it with me. When I was 13 she drove me all around Newport, RI looking for "Collinwood." When I was 15, she took a friend and me to a drive-in in a neighboring state to see the triple bill of house of Dark Shadows, Night of Dark Shadows and Vincent Price's Cry of the Banshee because NoDS hadn't opened in any local theaters yet and I had to see it during opening week. And she was even a fan of the '91 NBC series.

I guess you could say she not only let me watch DS--she was probably my chief abettor whenever I decided that there was something I "just had to do" to feed my teenage obsession with anything and everything DS related.

[Cassandra]

I was fortunate enough to be able to watch DS as a kid. Both my parents worked full time jobs, and I had two older sisters who watched my younger sister and myself. They use to have a few of their friends over everyday and we'd all sit around the TV to watch the show. I don't remember any nightmares though, but I do remember being frightened at certain scenes, especially the one when Willie released Barnabas from the coffin and you see his hand reaching up to grab Willie, and also the one with Josette's ghost dancing around the white columns in front of the old house. Those scenes really scared me for awhile and I remember not wanting to go to sleep unless the light was left on.

As for my own children, both are in their teens (16 & 19) and between school, jobs & friends, they really don't watch the show with me.

I think the shows today where they show all that blood & gore are just horrible. Actually, they make DS look like a "saint" show. We sure were lucky to have a show like that when we were kids growing up. (Geesh, now Im beginning to sound like my parents) lol!

[scout75]

Not only did my mom let me watch DS, she watched it with me.

Same here.

[Gerard]

Ironically, it was during these very episodes - the one where Adam save Carolyn from falling off of the cliff, as a matter of fact - that my best friend and I at that time had our own little act of violence.  Everyday, right after the schoolbell rang dismissing us, we raced to his house to watch DS.  Both his parents worked (a rarity at that time), as did his older brother and sister, so we had the whole house to ourselves.  The old black-and-white TV was next to the door leading into his older sister's bedroom.  Well, the two of us watched the episode, and - being kids - we did goofy things.  As we watched Adam and Carolyn struggling, with Carolyn almost falling to her doom, my friend and I began to act it out in our own version.  We're were wrestling around trying not to "fall off the cliff" when we both slammed against his sister's bedroom door.  From inside came an incredible crash and the sound of tons of breaking glass.  We cautiously and fearfully opened the door.  Apparently, she had set up a wobbly cardtable by the door and kept all of her "girl" stuff (perfumes, lotions, makeup, etc.) on it, and when we smashed into the door, we sent the whole thing toppling.  There wasn't such a toxic spill again until the Exxon Valdez.  We tried cleaning it up as best we could, and when his mother came home, she demanded to know what happened.  My friend said:  "We didn't do anything.  We were watching Dark Shadows and we heard the table crash.  We wouldn't touch it.  You know I'm not allowed to go into her room."  We lied through our teeth, and his mother bought it.  She even praised us for trying to clean it up.

Gerard

[Dr. Eric Lang]

Actually, my kids have had two movies that scared the hooey out of them. My older son watched "The Indian in the Cupboard" at least once daily for over a year. Then he became terrified of it and didn't watch it for a year. When he finally did again I had to hold him through the horrifying part-when the teeny Indian pricked the boy's finger with his knife! It was very hard not to laugh.

This and other comments on in this thread demonstrate that a child could become frightened by anything they find psychologically disturbing for whatever reason - whether it be General Hospital or a tiny Indian. I guess the rule of thumb is never let your children watch anything unsupervised so you can explain whatever it is that they are troubled by, but you shouldn't try shielding them from too much because just about anything could disturb them.

My parents had no problem letting me watch DS. I remember I wasn't allowed to watch "Laugh-In" though. I guess they thought it was too "suggestive." Funny what parents pick and choose for their children. I myself think it's ironic and perhaps a bit twisted when parents worry more about their kids seeing anything sexual than seeing something extremely violent. Maybe that's just me. ?!?

[Raineypark]

you shouldn't try shielding them from too much because just about anything could disturb them..........

I myself think it's ironic and perhaps a bit twisted when parents worry more about their kids seeing anything sexual than seeing something extremely violent. Maybe that's just me. ?!?

It's absolutely NOT just you, Chris_2....I feel exactly the same way......I'm much more concerned about violent content than I am about sexuality.  I believe that the best way to have a positive influence on your kids is to get your two cents in first, while they're young, the first time they ask you.....and then your thoughts on the subject will already be with them when they encounter what ever the topic is.

Raineypark

[jennifer]

i was not forbidden to watch the show as a child and i never remember being afraid of anything in the show
my mother just thought it was junk and couldn't
believe Joan B would be in it!
my daughter laughs at it when she walks into the room
but Bambi upset her for hours after his mother was killed!
i tend to keep them away from violent movies and watch
the ratings!
There was a movement to ban the show because of the occult storylines but my mother just laughed it off and considered the show harmless

jennifer

i tend to view things first (read the Harry Potter series
after all that hype)anfd then decide if my kids ashould view it agree with Rainey talking usually works and
i know most of the time what my daughter can handle

[kuanyin]

There is some really cool reminiscing in this thread! I would have loved to be driven around to find the mansions! And I'm glad Gerard and his friend got away with it!

My folks protected me from horror stuff (the kind of movies that were on tv in the sixties) when I was young, like grade school age. But they let me watch it when I was jr. high and up. Thank goodness! I read recently that the reason many women (it is usually women) can't watch anything intense is that they didn't learn to watch it in their developing years. Theoretically, if you haven't watched it by the time you are out of high school, it could well be too late for you to ever enjoy it. And I would hate to be one of those wimps, not to mention that fact that I DO enjoy good horror very much.

[Raineypark]

And I would hate to be one of those wimps, not to mention that fact that I DO enjoy good horror very much.

Kuanyin, I think you just started a whole new thread.....what is "Good Horror" and how do we define it?

Raineypark

[Philippe Cordier]

I have a slight correction to make that won't make any difference to anyone but me, but since I tend to be somewhat obsessive about details ... Contrary to what I said, the Adam/Carolyn struggle isn't the first episode I remember, because I also have (very) vague recollections of Cassandra's arrival at Collinwood.  I wonder how many eps of DS would have remained locked away in my memory bank if I hadn't had the opportunity of viewing the series now as an adult.  And would they have resurfaced?  

There is some really cool reminiscing in this thread! I would have loved to be driven around to find the mansions!

I've read Michael Miozza's essay in one of the "World of Dark Shadows" publications, and it is very well done.  I especially like the comment his friend made, something like:  "We can die now -  we've seen Collinwood."!

I, too, think seeing Collinwood would be something like finding the Holy Grail.

[CastleBee]

I don't have children but if I did I would have no problem letting them watch "Dark Shadows" at any age (I let my dog watch - he's into the wolves  ).  Growing up I remember that my own mother never had a problem with my sister and I watching this show or really anything else for that matter.  The violence and sexually explicit issue never entered into what we watched back then because, for one thing, I don't think things had gotten explicit enough for her to even notice yet (really showing my age eek!).  By the time she notice did we were old enough to make our own decisions.  

Now that I've seen every ep of DS - and some more than once - I can honestly say I find absolutely nothing offensive about this show.  I can vaguely remember the movement to stop the show back when. I also remember wondering what their problem was and doubting any of them had ever watched the show in their lives.  After all there are tons of things each and every one of us find offensive on various levels yet most of us simply opt to turn off whatever it is that is broadcasting it rather than attempt to annihilate it.  Several years ago I griped about a popular local radio program for being so crude.  Then one day they finally hit the last straw with me when they started making jokes about people starving in Ethiopia.  It was on that day that I realized I had control of the situation and I turned my radio off never to tune them in again.  These idiots of course continued to prosper and are now nationally syndicated - but to me they are non-entities.  Why the self-appointed pious wanted to whine about Dark Shadows of all things I don't know.  As my grandfather used to say, they need to keep their own noses clean and let other people worry about theirs.  

I will say this too - as a follower of the Christian faith I do not find this show offensive or "dangerous" on a spiritual level either.  I am drawn to this show for many reasons that I've mentioned before - the big, mysterious sprawling mansion, the romance, and fascinating struggle between good and evil.  I do not consider any of those things bad or wrong any more than I feel guilty for reading Anne Rice, Stephen King or Dean Koontz.  I also don't now or did I ever feel a burning desire to become a witch, vampire or even a corrupt member of the clergy (LOL).  Of course, it helps to be able to tell the difference between fact and fiction - which I think most kids are able to start doing about the time they learn to talk.  

[Philippe Cordier]

I also don't now or did I ever feel a burning desire to become a witch, vampire or even a corrupt member of the clergy (LOL).

I think the show did have some influence on me.  I didn't think about becoming a vampire, but I thought it might be fun to be bit by one.    I'm sure I would have had an interest in the supernatural even if DS never existed, though.  DS may have helped stoke the interest.

Of course, it helps to be able to tell the difference between fact and fiction - which I think most kids are able to start doing about the time they learn to talk.  

I think I'd have to disagree with you on that point, Castlebee.  There have been a lot of psychological studies showing that children well into the elementary grades very easily confuse fantasy and reality.  (I make that comment without reference to Dark Shadows.)