WB ORDERS FILMING OF NEW DS PILOT

[Nancy]

I believe if Frid had taken the role, it would have been heavily publicized to get people to watch the new rendition of DS if only to see what Frid looked like now.

Nancy

Regarding the possibility that John Karlen played the "Mysterious Old Man"......I believe that if Jonathan Frid had said yes to their request they would have moved heaven and earth to keep it a secret, (but knowing full well it would be a wildly discussed rumour) just to give the older fans a rush when they spotted him in the opening.  But he said no, so there was no harm in letting the fans know that they tried, but it didn't happen.

[jimbo]

Obviously, Zombies have played a role in the classic Dark Shadows and I would be very happy to see them in the new DS providing the make-up is realistic (so far it looks oh so good) and appear in the proper story context.

[Mary]

Sorry, dom!! 

[Mary]

Obviously, Zombies have played a role in the classic Dark Shadows and I would be very happy to see them in the new DS providing the make-up is realistic (so far it looks oh so good) and appear in the proper story context.

Thank you, Jimbo!  (Love how you put that -- "oh so good!"  Hee hee! ) 

[Joeytrom]

The Barnabas Undead site says that two other series (Jack and Bobby and The Mountain) may be the two hour long shows WB needs to fill its programming.

It also said that the WB may consider a year long schedule with shows alternating week to week.  I don't think thats a good idea to get a new show getting an audience.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

The Barnabas Undead site says that two other series (Jack and Bobby and The Mountain) may be the two hour long shows WB needs to fill its programming.

Yes, the full text of that article from Variety is posted here:

Posted: Mon., May 3, 2004, 10:22pm PT

Frog hopping with fall fare

Net likely to pickup 'Mountain,' 'Jack'[/b]

It also said that the WB may consider a year long schedule

Actually, that seems to be the way things are moving. In fact, FOX is already loudly touting the idea with their promos for all the new shows they'll be launching this June.

with shows alternating week to week.  I don't think thats a good idea to get a new show getting an audience

It's not really week to week, but shows would alternate in the same time slot. For instance, a few seasons back the WB started out that season with 13 Felicity episodes (wrapping up with a cliffhanger), which then gave way to episodes (I forget exactly how many) of Jack and Jill, followed by the remaining 9 episodes of Feliciity. Something like that is what the WB is thinking of doing again, particularly with its dramas that feature a continuing overall storyline. They feel that sort of practice could garner better ratings than they might otherwise get having one show in a timeslot and breaking up its schedule of new episodes with repeats, as they do during the Thanksgiving and Christmas season and late winter/early spring so that they'll still have new episodes left for the May Sweeps period.

[jimbo]

FYI
This article dated today, seems to suggest that the people involved with the Lost In Space pilot are very confident and/or are oblvious to what is going on with the WB recently, that its pilot will go to series.
http://www.syfyportal.com/article.php?id=1362
For those who care the site also posts a photograph of the new cast.

It just may come down to LIS vs. DS for the final time slot.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

This article dated today, seems to suggest that the people involved with the Lost In Space pilot are very confident and/or are oblvious to what is going on with the WB recently, that its pilot will go to series.

Well, that's not really a surprise - EVERY site is going to say that they're confidant that their show will go to series. It's just the nature of the biz. 

It just may come down to LIS vs. DS for the final time slot.

Not that the Futon Critic is by any means the last word on the subject, but for what it's worth (which, given how completely inaccurate he was last year, might not be much), he did say that DS and LIS are each other's only competition.

But as I keep saying, as much fun as it is to read/discuss all these things, don't put too much stock in any of it - good or bad as far as the WB DS pilot is concerned. The so-called "experts" and "insiders" are often dead wrong. As hard as it is, the best thing to do is just prepare for the worst, hope for the best, and wait to see what happens on the 18th...

[Midnite]

Whoa, over 10,000 hits for this topic.  Just had to mention that. 

[dom]

Sorry, dom!! 

No need to apologize, Mary, but thank you.    It was big of you to acknowledge the post and I appreciate it.

dom

[Mary]

No need to apologize, Mary, but thank you.    It was big of you to acknowledge the post and I appreciate it.

You're welcome, dom, and thank YOU!

[Miles]

[For instance, a few seasons back the WB started out that season with 13 Felicity episodes (wrapping up with a cliffhanger), which then gave way to episodes (I forget exactly how many) of Jack and Jill, followed by the remaining 9 episodes of Feliciity.

As far as new shows are concerned, the Jack & Jill example is probably not the archetype for success the network execs are going for.  Splitting a semii-established show's season (in this case Felicity) doesn't do as much harm as splitting a new show (J&J).  The odds of people coming back some months later is slim unless they're ardent followers of the timeslot/network to begin with.  I don't think Jack & Jill survived season 1 part 2.  Of course it's just one example and it could've been destined to fail from day 1, but if I'm watching network television a show must be doing *something* right.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Well, here's a flattering ( :-  ) excerpt from a new article about this year's pilots:

But British brilliance isn't the only thing the networks are trying to replicate: American mediocrity is also up for grabs. Fox is remaking "Mr. Ed" ' and the WB is retooling "Dark Shadows" ' and "Lost in Space." '

The author claims the article is a "not too cynical" survey of the various pilots. Hmmm. Am I the only one who wonders what he might have said about DS had he actually been trying to be cynical? 

But anyway, you can read the entire article here.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I don't think Jack & Jill survived season 1 part 2.  Of course it's just one example and it could've been destined to fail from day 1

Actually, the season that Jack and Jill shared a timeslot with Felicity was its second. And the major reason that season was its last was because stars Ivan Sergei and especially Amanda Peet (who was having great success on the big screen with The Whole Nine Yards) were more interested in moving on to "bigger and better things." According to Entertainment Weekly's 2001 television season wrapup chart, J&J's viewership had remained on a par with where it was during the first season, so the decision to air it in between blocks of Felicity didn't really effect it one way or the other. And as for Felicity, airing it in two virtually uninterrupted blocks helped it enormously because it saw its viewership climb 30% from 3 million to 3.9 million.

If the WB is really serious about instituting the practice of shared timeslots again, that *could* be good news for DS because it would allow for a much greater chance that it might get picked up.

[Miles]

I stand corrected.  Maybe it is the wave of the future.

either way, of course, you will not convince me it was a good idea as *I* (ya know, the viewer who matters  ) lost track of the show.