DS run on SciFi to end Dec. 30

Ya know, I'm beginning to feel like it's April 2, 1971 all over again.

Gerard

Gerard.....please don't let it get you THAT down.

No matter what happens with televised runs of the show, it can't be as bad as it was that first time....if for no other reason than the existance of tapes and DVDs.

We thought we'd never see the show again back in '71.

Well, that's never, ever going to happen now....

And so long as Midnite and MB have THIS little home-away-from-home up and running, we won't any of us be alone in our love of the show either! 

Hey y'all -

I know that in the greater scheme the cancellation by Sci-Fi isn't a big thing.  And maybe part of this is that it's been a pretty crappy day for me in several ways.  But I am just devastated by the news from Shadowgram!  Feels like I've been punched in the gut.

Like you, murph, I started taping this run from episode one.  While I don't have every single episode, I'm quite bitter that I won't at least have the last episode.  Am not a huge fan of the upcoming 1841PT, but still wanted to tape enough of it to convey the main arc of that storyline.  And yes, I know I can purchase the tapes from MPI, and that they'll eventually release the DVD's but...

While I most appreciate Sci-Fi for airing Dark Shadows for so long, and so many times, it just feels like the biggest slap in the face for them to just drop the show unceremoniously so near the end of the total run.

Would it have killed them to air those last 20 or so episodes?  Really just feels like there's someone new at the network who doesn't give a crap about those of us who have been loyal viewers for lo these many years.

Guess I, too might have to stop watching Sci-Fi.

Sorry to sound like Big Baby Whiny Butt.  But thanks for listening!   Glad y'all are here to commiserate with.

I'm not at all surprised by SFC's decision to stop running DS; what's surprising is that it ran as long as it did, given their obvious ambivalence about it. I'm grateful that I was able to record the show and purchase the tapes so that I do have the complete run (minus a few episodes here and there). I don't think I've seen an episode of DS on SFC since it was in its second run. It doesn't come on at a time I can view it and on those rare occasions when I'm home on a weekday, I pretty much haven't remembered to turn on the TV. Those times I have remembered, the damn thing was cancelled that day anyhow, so it just hasn't been in the cards.

Regardless, just knowing that it was on a broadcast channel has been a kind of reassurance, a feeling that yes, it's still going after all this time. But I can plug in the tapes any time I feel like it. It's not like I'm going to be personally deprived in any way.

Still, it feels weird knowing that it won't be showing on a regular basis.

I'll confess that after DREAMS OF THE DARK, with the nightmarish logistics of having to coordinate business dealings with DCP and HarperCollins (neither of which seemed to communicate with each other), endless rewrites, compromises, and rude surprises, I suffered some burnout. After getting some of the spirit back, I wrote THE LABYRINTH OF SOULS, which was both a catharsis and a rejuvenating effort. But again, after that, having been so close to the subject for such a long time, I've put some distance between me and DS in general for a while.

Then the other day, out of the blue, I got a craving, and I pulled out the old Marilyn Ross novels, which I now own most of, and started reading.

Guess what I'm into now. Yep. The whole dang lot of 'em.

It's good to come back (even if it's not the "real" thing!), even as the show is winding down on SFC.

--Mark

Well I for one feel like crap about this announcement! It  made me upset when they moved it to 7am weekdays.  How could they ever build an audience with garbage hours like that!!! They don't care about the fans and pre-empt DS at the drop of a hat so they can show a bunch of garbage marathons that don't mean anything. Right now I'm put out with the Sci-Fi Channel and believe me when it does come to renewal time my money is definitely not going there. Sci-Fi channel spends an awful lot of money on lousy productions that just don't cut it anyway so I certainly won't be missing much not tuning them in anyway. Perhaps there was an 'insider' DS fan working for them before who helped to keep it on the air and now that person is gone. Who knows!

In hindsight, Sci-Fi never properly managed Dark Shadows.  They still might keep runing it.  This may just be another chapter in the Sci-Fi/Worldvision book.  They have a different idea of how much the show is worth, you see.

Anyway, this Soapnet may want it to build themselves up a bit.  They could get some die-hard subscribers.  Better yet would be to get DS on MTV Networks.

MTV owns the Nick Networks.  They could put it on Nick at Night and have a massive hit with it.  They really know how to ad up a show.  Their promotion/ad dept is unbelievable & a show like DS would be right up their alley.

They really could use DS in a time slot right after their prime time sit-com classics.  That would be a wise move for them -- they could get the news or late night talk gabbers very easily.  DS would be much bigger than it ever could hope to be on Sci-Fi (which may want to keep it just so someone else doesn't do it right!).

I'm just so bummed out about this.  Even though I could get the DVDs there just seems to be something reassuring to me to have it on television.  What bothers me most is that it seems that SciFi doesn't give a damn about us loyal fans as to not show the last twenty episodes.  If it has to end at the end of the year I can't understand why they can't fit them in.  Instead of all the marathons for every other show, how about a DS marathon for the last episodes.

MTV owns the Nick Networks.  They could put it on Nick at Night and have a massive hit with it.  They really know how to ad up a show.  Their promotion/ad dept is unbelievable & a show like DS would be right up their alley.

  I disagree that Nick At Night would be a good place for DS. Their programming is sporadic. They would have DS all over the place.
SoapNet may be okay. I'm not very familiar with that station, although I did watch Falcon Crest from time to time.    How about AMC?

Janet

It seems I heard a rumor recently about a new Horror cable network that may be starting soon.  Perhaps they will pick it up.  Or, what about TVLand?

Guess I, too might have to stop watching Sci-Fi.

GO CASSANDRA BLAIR!

Sorry to sound like Big Baby Whiny Butt.  But thanks for listening!   Glad y'all are here to commiserate with.

You go ahead and VENT all you want; that's what we're here for!!

Patti

This is my first time watching "Dark Shadows."  I have been watching DS since the first episode that aired back on May 17, 2001, on the Sci Fi channel.

Welcome to Valerie Collins!  It's great to meet n*e*w fans of the show and I hope you'll continue to visit and post.

 

I'm sorry to hear that Sci-Fi will stop showing DS at the end of the year, but I thought that was going to happen.  I think they've played it back to back at least twice so it doesn't surprise me.  I started taping from episode 1 when they started playing from the beginning this last time around and only missed a few eps.  *I did have the foresight to tape the last storyline though (PT 1841) and I taped it because I was afraid SCi-Fi would stop playing the show after the 1840 storyline.  Glad I was thinking ahead for a change.


I hate to admit this but after watching and taping faithfully for almost 3 years, I'm ready for a break.  I'm going to dive into some of the Marilyn Ross books, I'm only missing one of those.  Gee, it's hard to get a complete set of anything with DS.

But I do plan to keep watching DS via my tapes/DVDs.  Only at a slower pace now.

Love the pumpkin smileys!

HobbiesDS

Here's a brief list of the classic science fiction/horror television shows that the cerebral cretins (in their "infinite" wisdom) over there at the Sci-Fi Channel have pulled the plug on, over the years:

1. Lost In Space
2. Sightings
3. The Time Tunnel
4. Beauty And The Beast
5. Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea
6. Land Of The Giants
7. The Invaders
8. Star Trek (The original one ...)

Wow, BtB, that's right.  Many of those shows, along with DS and "The Twilight Zone," were among the reasons Sci-Fi was once my favorite cable channel.  When its programming became infiltrated by the likes of John Edward, perhaps the handwriting was on the wall.

I can identify with Mark Rainey and the others who felt a sense of comfort, just knowing that DS was somewhere on the air, even if they couldn't catch it all the time.  I felt the same way about my old grammar school and high school -- it was as if a piece of your childhood still existed, untouched by time, and it felt good just knowing that you could return to it, if you ever wanted.  It was so cool rediscovering "Land of the Giants," which I hadn't seen since I was in fourth grade.

My grammar school closed in 1978.  Then my high school closed in 1999.

And now DS.  But who knows what lies ahead?

Ben

you are right Bob i never even watch the CH anymore because
i hate their shows and weird commercials

when Georgie Porgie in NY finishes firing half his staff for the poor Fall Classic we just endured maybe he can work on the Sci fi folks!

jennifer

If any current cable network would pick it up it should be the soap network. That is what Dark Shadows is a soap opera.  Alot of people are not Sci-Fi fans or Horror fans but love Dark Shadows or would get into Dark Shadows.

Soap Opera Network seems to promote their shows as well.  When Dynasty came on last year, the network promote it big time.  I was at this bar, and I acutally got a Dynasty muscle shirt, coasters, etc.

Soap Opera Network has also ran Ryan's Hope and now Shows Another World.  Both canceld Daytime Soaps.

And from my understanding, they always looking to add new programs on their network to keep it freah.  Dark Shadows would bring in a different kinda of viewer who might not have turn in before.