Discuss - Ep #0001

[michael c]

kls said in one of the books that director lela swift told her to act like a wisecracking "young eve arden" in her earliest episodes(hence she has the sass to call her customer a "jerk").

but maggie really only ends up acting like that for a couple of episodes before she takes on the persona we know and love. and have i mentioned it here before that i LOVE early diner maggie evans? apple-cheeked gossip. spunky and cute.

b.t.w. this eve arden/anne southern type of wisecracking working girl with the proverbial heart of gold was very much a mid-century archetype. by 1966 that attitude was already becoming somewhat dated which is one of the reasons maggie's personality in this episode(to say nothing of the ash blond wig)is sort of jarring.

[Lydia]

I was surprised by how slowly Maggie talked.  I've seen very little of Eve Arden, but I've always thought of her as fast-talking.

apple-cheeked

Yes, it's funny how much the wig changes the way Kathryn Leigh Scott looks.

[EmeraldRose]

I'm back!   Isn't it neat how the 2011 calendar is the same as the 1966 calendar? It's even more special that the WP is watching the episodes EXACTLY 45 YEARS after they originally aired!  

So, here we are with the very first episode of Dark Shadows, shown in glorious black and white! Even when it was broadcast in color, I was watching in black and white, because we had a black and white TV at home. The only times I got to watch DS in color was when I was visiting my sister and her family. But I digress...

I find Maggie's first appearance quite refreshing. It's too bad they had to change her character. DS could have used such a character during its run. She was still quite attractive, but looked much different with that blond wig.

I don't think it was strange for Vicki to get into that car with Burke. How else was she supposed to get to town? I think Elizabeth should have arranged for transportation for Vicki.

When Roger broke that glass, it was the first time of many when a glass was going to be broken in such a fashion. I understand that his hand wouldn't have been cut after breaking a plastic glass, but I don't recall ANYBODY'S hand being cut when breaking a GLASS glass on DS.

More digressions... I really enjoyed watching this episode with the original commercials. They were quite charming! I also love the slate at the beginning. Too bad they only showed the slate on these "Beginning" episodes!  

One last thing... The first time I watched this episode was at my first Dark Shadows Festival in 2003. I originally didn't start watching DS until just before Barnabas came onto the show. I now have ALL the episodes on DVD and have seen the pre-Barnabas episodes a few times since then.  

----- Sally -----

[Midnite]

Welcome back, Sally! 

[EmeraldRose]

Thanks, Midnite! 

----- Sally -----

[Lydia]

EmeraldRose, it's great to see you posting again!

[EmeraldRose]

Thanks, Lydia! 

----- Sally -----

[MagnusTrask]

EmeraldRose, it's great to see you posting again!

Same here!

[EmeraldRose]

Thanks, Magnus! (Also, to avoid having to post this response again, anyone in the future who welcomes me back here, I thank you, too!) 

----- Sally -----

[alwaysdavid]

"The little monster is asleep and I'm delighted." Roger in reference to his son.  The pupil may be a handful.  The train pushes relentlessly on though the night carrying the governess to her destination.  It becomes obvious that there was no interview before either party agreed to the position.  Would you really hire someone you had never met on some other person's word?
The train hasn't made a regular stop in about five years and yet one can hire a chauffered car in Collinsport or perhaps it came Bangor.  Having seen Eve Arden in other roles, I can't believe that KLS had.  The details of the sets are great.  Salmon Steak 75 cents.  This is heads above the General Hospital sets and no organ music. 

[Midnite]

I hope you'll be reviewing more episodes, alwaysdavid! 

[loril54]

I decided to start watching again.  You can really see that these shows were cut and done like
a regular TV show. It was like they were trying to make a good impression. Joan is so regal, she
always bought class to the show.

You can see by the camera work, and lighting it is shot by a different angle than it will be in the
future. It is nice that they did all the exterior shots. It would have been great if they would have
continued it. But it would have been to expensive I imagine.

[KMR]

With all the time Liz spent contemplating her arrival, did she ever once consider sending a car for her?  (Anyone but Roger?)  If Burke hadn't happened along, would the poor girl have been stranded on the platform all night, waiting and wondering if a taxi was going to show?  How safe would that have been?

It does seem odd that they didn't have a car waiting for her, doesn't it?  Reminds me of the 1991 series, when I was horrified by the idea that Roger was just sending the drunken Willie Loomis over in a pickup truck to drive Vicki from the Blue Whale.  Surely they could have hired a professional driver (or have gone over themselves?  Roger drives, doesn't he?--I don't think there was going to be a bleeder valve incident in '91--and Liz didn't seem to be a recluse).

[DarkLady]

It certainly does seem odd, doesn't it. But I suppose they had to set up her meeting Maggie so that Maggie could warn her to turn around and go back to New York. Otherwise, we wouldn't have learned about the gloomy old house and all the "kooks" who live in it, about whom Maggie could have told tales that would have turned Vicki's hair gray.