Did the censor police ever take issue with anything done on Dark Shadows?

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I knew there was more women getting slapped by men on the show. I can't believe they allowed that and not the use of the word 'vampire'.

Considering the abundance of it on all the soaps at the time, it's hard to imagine that any of the networks' censors had any problems whatsoever with violence towards women.

[spoiler]One of the worst examples of physical violence on DS has to be the scene between John Yaeger and Buffie Harrington in 1970PT episode #1002. It's somewhat left up to interpretation as to whether he raped her or not (though the fact that Yaeger is seen buttoning his shirt could be a strong indiction that he did), but we definitely know that he beat her. But as bad as that one is, the worst example of violence, IMO, is probably in episode #997 when Yaeger tells Buffie, "You're like a dog - you have to be hit to learn." I think that's one of the most degrading things any DS character ever said to another character, man or woman - and a perfect example of how verbal violence can actually be much worse than physical violence. (Though I do have to say that his remark is amazingly effective in the scene because the whole point is to show what a misogynist pig Yaeger is.)[/spoiler]

[PennyDreadful]

 Since Yaeger is supposed to embody the pure - literally undistilled - essence of evil, those horrible remarks are certainly in keeping with his character. [spoiler]I do think he raped Buffie.[/spoiler] It's amazing and disturbing that they got away with even that implication on daytime television, but again, it's in Yaeger's nature to do something so utterly loathsome and depraved.

     In Stevenson's tale, Yaeger's predecessor Mr. Edward Hyde, tramples a small child for the sheer sake of it, and brutally beats an elderly man to death with his cane.  In some of the Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde movies (and more subtly in the book IIRC), it's also implied that he commits rape, amongst other horrific acts. The DS writers really nailed the "Hyde" thing with that character.  There's nothing redeeming about John Yaeger ... and some would say the same about that whole storyline!   Although, of course, I'd disagree.

   ~Penny Dreadful~

[arashi]

I remember reading somewhere that DS was picked up by TV stations across the country in several different places during the series run. There was a TV station in NY I believe that started airing the series the day teacher Dorcas Trilling was mauled to death by the werewolf in the 1897 storyline. I think I read the show was dropped as tons of irate parents called in about the show scaring their children.

I just skimmed through the almanac and the 25th anniversary companion but couldn't find the story, but I DO remember reading it. Will check the other books for the actual recount.

[FireRose]

You know after reading a couple of the post on violence toward women. This thought came to mind.

Back then the law didn't really consider a woman being beat up, especially a wife by the husband, that serious a crime. Plus alot of the views on rape were in the same mentality. I know there was a rape trial that my English Teacher was a juror on and she said that the defense attorney was allowed to ask the victim, who was 15 at the time if she enjoyed it. The fact that the piece of trash used a gun and nearly beat the girl to death didn't prevent the defense attorney from asking that offensive question. So with that mentality I would assume that that is how alot of the violence toward women got on all the daytime shows back then.

I can assure you most people would have been more offended if Barnabas had been allowed to bite Willie on the neck, instead of the wrist, more so than any of the violent acts Barnabas ever commited toward Dr. Hoffman when he was trying to kill her.

Because of the bite of a vampire being akin to a sexual act. Couldn't have that happening between two male character's on tv in the 60s. But beating up a woman wasn't that big of a deal.

FireRose

[Gothick]

I think the thread on violence against women on the show is highlighting just one of the *many* real life, nitty-gritty reasons for the gestation of the feminist movement in the US at that time (the 1960s).  The next time you hear somebody in the mass media bashing feminism (it seems to be quite the regular thing these days), you might stop and think about this.  And a lot of this sort of thing still goes on today.

Arashi, I thought that the episode you are thinking of wasn't the Dorcas Trilling killing, but that of Mr Wells, which featured one of DS' most Grand Guignol shots as the climax.  It is true that a lot of ABC affiliates began to drop the show from the fall of 1970 down to the end.  I remember during the very final weeks of the show, ch. 7 in Washington D. C. (I think) was airing it in the evenings.  I could pick up that broadcast and I was in heaven because I got to see some of the last episodes twice!

G.

[Cassandra Blair]

What really surprises me is the whole "Barnabas can't bite a man on the neck" thing imposed by the network's S&P office.  What do you suppose changed between 1967, when Barnabas had to restrict his biting of Willie to the wrist and 1969, when he bit Sandor on the neck (with great relish, I might add)?

Now, I think most of the violence towards women on Dark Shadows was in keeping with the characters and the stories, but how sad that S&P or the censors, or the Bible-thumpers or whoever seemed to have more of a problem with implied homosexuality or perceived Satanism than with violence towards women.  What does that say about the culture?

Okay, I'm down off the soapbox now. 

[Raineypark]

Mass media has hardly every led the culture.  Hell, sometimes it barely keeps UP with it.  And the reason for that is the simple fact that its primary function is to sell us things. NOT to educate us, or entertain us, much less enlighten us.

 Sponsors respond like Pavlov's dogs to the slightest rise in complaints from even the smallest demographic.  Why?  Because they might not sell as much detergent or shampoo.  Even cable stations have to be able to pull in sufficient numbers to justify their costs, and their bottom lines are still at the mercy of their viewer numbers and what amount they can charge for second showings on other channels.

If no one complained about the women on the show being smacked, bit, choked and murdered, then it was reasonablae to assume no one cared, and the sponsors would stay on board.  Hint at homoeroticism and heads would have rolled.

  And don't kid youselves into thinking that's changed.  There's actually more violence done to female characters on TV today than ever before.....but now the women fight back, so that's supposed to make it okay.

[arashi]

You could and very well are probably right Mr. Gothick. I myself have still never seen that episode! (Still haven't seen 90% of the Adam storyline either, but that is another story).

[Brian]

...the performers (Julia in particular) having to utter "what you are" and such.

Oh my God, you mean Barnabas was--heaven forbid--one of those whose love dare not speak its name--"what you are"--a homosexual!!  LOL. 

Brian