Dark Shadows: New Audio Dramas from Big Finish

Well, I FINALLY got an e-mail from Big Finish,  but it seems too late in retrospect.  I only hope they learned from their errors....

What did they say? When will they be ready?

Janet

OK, this is from their e-mail message to me:

* Due to some unforeseen production difficulties, the release of the
third and fourth Dark Shadows audio dramas has had to be postponed until
the New Year.

Big Finish would like to apologize for this delay and for any
disappointment that it may cause. However, The Christmas Presence and The Rage
Beneath are now both on track for release in January and we are sure
that it will be worth the wait.

We thank you for your patience and support.

Well, I FINALLY got an e-mail from Big Finish,  but it seems too late in retrospect.  I only hope they learned from their errors....

You are luckier then some of the rest of us. I haven't received any word either by
email or snail mail. And neither has 3 others I know who have prepurchased.

My experience may not be typical, but while I did preorder months ago-- at the Fest, actually-- the charge wasn't applied until the end of October (in anticipation of a November release, I'm assuming) and it appeared on my November bill, so no, I did not pay months in advance.

I did not know this.  However, what about ppl who paid in cash?  Or even checks?  And still, they DID charge your card when they THOUGHT they'd be shipping out the product, so you have now pre-paid for something that is delayed.  So an email to you wouldn't be out of line. 

Probably what they should do in the future, and really ALL company's should do this, is what Amazon does.  Charge the credit card ONLY AFTER the product has actually been shipped.

Whew, I'm glad the email about the delay (to follow up what was discussed here) went out to some at least.  It's good to have something resolved - between the war in Iraq and the daily tragedies I read in the paper and online, the last thing I needed was to read about another crisis here.  Thank you for the reports.

Nancy

I did not know this.  However, what about ppl who paid in cash?  Or even checks?  And still, they DID charge your card when they THOUGHT they'd be shipping out the product, so you have now pre-paid for something that is delayed.  So an email to you wouldn't be out of line. 

I did receive an email.  And honestly, I only explained my experience with the pre-charge to dispute your claim that payment was made "months in advance," though I assumed you knew of someone who had.  But since you say you didn't know and didn't preorder yourself, it now seems that you're searching for some fault on which to hang your hat.  The company attempted to notify its preorder customers, offered an apology, and provided a firm release date.  If no one has anything new to offer regarding this issue, then it should be given a rest here, and personal complaints should go to the company.

Probably what they should do in the future, and really ALL company's should do this, is what Amazon does.  Charge the credit card ONLY AFTER the product has actually been shipped.

Amazon is a dealer, and one of high volume-- thus, the name Amazon.  If their customers cease to be satisfied, they would shop elsewhere.  Big Finish, OTOH, is keeping DS alive by offering a new product.  I'm thrilled with what I've seen so far and willing to wait a little longer for the next 2 installments.  I appreciate their representation here, and also the opportunity to save a little by preordering, but if our readers have grown dissatisfied with their pre-order process, I hope these fans of the show will still support the project by purchasing the CDs after they are released.

I also received an email stating that the CDs would be late. I was happy that they took the time to send this email out, even if it was prompted. I think this shows great morality and responsibility because they can learn from their mistakes.

I did receive an email.  I only explained my experience with the pre-charge to dispute your claim that payment was made "months in advance."   It seems that you're searching for some fault on which to hang your hat.  The company attempted to notify its preorder customers, offered an apology, and provided a firm release date.  If no one has anything new to offer regarding this issue, then it should be given a rest here, and personal complaints should go to the company.

Okay, first off, just because your card didn't get charged months in advance doesn't mean that others, the aforementioned cash/check payers, didn't pay AT THE FEST.  Secondly, you didn't say in your post about the November charge to your card that you'd been emailed about a delay.  You say they DID notify ppl, well there's several ppl here, from what I've read, that either learned HERE and NOT from the company, or just found out via email as Charles did!  I'm just trying to point out that I think it's bad customer service to not tell ppl, "Hey guys, sorry but there's going to be a delay.  Apoligize for the inconvenience."  I think ALL company's, and not just ones that keep DS alive, are obligated to keep their paying customers informed if a delay in shipping is imminent.  I am NOT trying to find fault in this company, it's CLEARLY visible, no help from me.  I NEVER said they were a bad company because there was a delay, quite the contrary!  I said if something is delayed ppl should deal w/it, BUT, they should be notified.  I'm only agreeing w/what others here have said.  Why am I getting raked across the coals for AGREEING w/other cousins comments??  I personally couldn't care less about the future of this company so have no reason to complain to them, especially since I'm NOT complaining!  I'm merely AGREEING w/others when they say they should have been notified!

I'm only agreeing w/what others here have said.  Why am I getting raked across the coals for AGREEING w/other cousins comments?? I personally couldn't care less about the future of this company so have no reason to complain to them, especially since I'm NOT complaining!  I'm merely AGREEING w/others when they say they should have been notified!

I was suggesting that customers send their complaints to the company, and I said that unless a poster has something new to add, this discussion must stop.

Saying the same thing over and over again is not productive.  And in my view, agreeing with what's already been said is just that.  So is pointing out that you were only agreeing.  To be even clearer, any future posts that agree or disagree with what's already been said, or restate, critique, or speculate further about it are going to be removed.

I would like to speculate about future releases.  In the first scene of "The House of Despair" [spoiler]spoiler-y we encounter a mysterious stranger who seems to know quite a bit about Collinsport.  Quentin also hear's that voice in his head, declaring "vengeance draws near".  Who do you think this mysterious stranger is?  Is he some new character or someone alluded to in the series?  I wonderered if he might be Count Petofi, in a new body.  Judah Zachary also comes to mind.[/spoiler] Any ideas?

I'll have to take a relisten on my commutes to and from work these next couple of days, but as of this moment, here's what I think:

[spoiler]Didn't someone say that the mysterious man at the beginning of THOD was played by Robert Rodan? I'm pretty sure of this, and I'm also somewhat sure that I read/heard that he will be reappeaing in The Rage Beneth or The Christmas Preseance playing the same character. So, with this reappearance, it's obvious that he is playing someone that could potentially be important. I'm guessing that everything will be wrapped up (somewhat at least) in The Rage Beneth, the last CD for this first series.[/spoiler]

More than likely, that was written as the end-all for the series because they weren't sure at the time of writing and production if the second series was going to commence or not. So I'd look for many things to be tied up there. But of course, like any good writer, they'll always leave SOMETHING open from which to continue.

I have been given permission to put Frid's one man show material on DVDs and CDs but fan attitudes like yours have definitely made me think twice about it.  Fans cry and carry on about wanting DS to carry on, sign petitions and the rest of it and then when someone does try to do that there's hysteria over a delay in production.

Nancy, I can understand your reluctance to take on a major task like putting Jonathan's shows on DVD, but I have at least half a dozen friends who would scoop that up in a heartbeat, they are primarily fans of Jonathan and Lara like me, so would not want to buy most general DS merchandise, but certainly would those DVDs, as some of them did Lara's new novel---I also know some non DS/JF fans who loved seeing his show, and gave him a standing ovation...

Check out the artwork for "The Rage Beneath"!  As of this moment, it's not on the American site, but you can see what they have on the main site for Big Finish  http://doctorwho.co.uk/darkshadows/ds104_ragebeneath.shtml   I think this is a good time to be a DS fan!!

The cover artwork to the fourth CD, "The Rage Beneath" can now be viewed at www.darkshadowsreborn.com

 

Potential spoiler question here....

Since I, like Buzz and a few others have mentioned here, am not really interested in buying these CDS at this point, could someone please satisfy what might be the curiousity of some of us not getting the CDs and answer how they explain [spoiler]the change in Barnabas' appearance in the Cds, an Adam-experiment, a spell by Angelique, or, or????Some interesting possibilities come to mind.[/spoiler]

Thanks a lot!!