Why dont people like Adam?

[Willie]

I can sum up the reason for my dislike of Adam in one word:  arrogance.  I liked the storyline overall, the romance with Carolyn was boring but it didn't make me dislike him, and I absolutely loved the stuff with Nicolas Blair, Eve, Angelique, etc.  I found him sympathetic for a long time, but when he started assuming he was really smart, and of course he was wrong about most everything, I just couldn't stand his character anymore.  When he'd go over to Barnabas' house, start issuing orders and bossing everyone around, it's grated on my nerves. 

[arashi]

Like a lot of people on the board I am a fan of Barnabas and not because I want to jump in the sack with him, nor was I a fan of Buffy in high school because of any sexual content on the show. Most people are fans of something because they are intruiged by it's storyline or characters. Dark Shadows first drew me in because of it's supernatural elements, as did Buffy.

I personally grew frustrated with the Adam storyline because as smart as he was he just threw tantrums like a spoiled kid (which to a degree he was). It wasn't just Adam I was frustrated with but nearly every character that came in contact with him save Stokes. No one ever said a rational word to him, nor did they take a moment to tell him that that just isn't the way the world works. You can't bully, punish or threaten to get what you want without someday meeting the consequences head on, or without people refusing to help you.

 I could identify with Carolyn wanting to let Adam off the hook easy on the romantic angle, but then getting really annoyed when the guy just wouldn't take a hint. Barnabas and Julia brought him to life, but when they discovered that he had the mental state of a newborn, washed their hands of him and pawned him off on Willie, whom I wouldn't trust as far as I could throw. Nicholas and Angelique ARE from hell after all, so you know their dealings with him weren't with any good intentions.

It was a huge relief to me when Chris and Amy showed up and signaled the start of a new storyline.

Admins feel free to delete the following if it breaks any forum rules.

This is not an attack or an insult, but I don't think it's fair at all to ask for opinions and then get angry because they don't agree with yours. The forums are a great place to debate and converse, but in a civil manner.

[stefan]

The chemistry between Robert Rodan and Nancy Barrett was delicious- very close to being DS' version of Beauty & the Beast.  No wonder Sam Hall wanted to revive the romance down the road, as he outlined in his TV Guide article.  This love story has yet to fully explored!

I totally agree on this. I also felt Robert Rodan and NB had the best romantic chemistry of Barrett's beaux. Though NB always got along charmingly with the men she paired up with there was never that "umph" of romantic interest I felt with, let's say with - Barnabas/Josette : ), the crazy Barnabas/Angelique or even the beautifully complex Naomi/Joshua couples. (I never Saw Barrett and John Karlen and I read they were good together as well). RR and NB had a definate "spark" that was very cool to see considering I still feel NB was the second lead character actress, albeit very good, but didn't get the meatier or perhaps didn't attract the more interesting romantic relationships.

Regarding the character of Adam - he was initially played as an achingly pathetic creature with a considerable amout of harsh honesty and also integrity from Rodan. Rodan never attempted to romanticize Adam and I respect him for that. Adam just wasn't a very likeable person and he became, interestingly enough, a rather harsh, petty and cruel monster in the short time he was able to absorb what he was, what was done to him, how he was created, how people reacted to him and basically, was his prospects were in the life he found himself. Adam had the intelligence to realize that he was doomed from the start and acted accordingly. I feel the character should have been killed sooner as the story, especiallly that yucky Eve stuff, dragged on much too long. If he had been killed earlier the Adam story might have been more poignant. I would also have liked to have seen Rodan come back as another character as he had the talent and potential.

[stefan]

This is not an attack or an insult, but I don't think it's fair at all to ask for opinions and then get angry because they don't agree with yours. The forums are a great place to debate and converse, but in a civil manner.

I love diverse opinions. Go for whatever you feel!! (but be polite - as we all are I think) : )

[arashi]

Adam had the intelligence to realize that he was doomed from the start and acted accordingly. I feel the character should have been killed sooner as the story, especiallly that yucky Eve stuff, dragged on much too long. If he had been killed earlier the Adam story might have been more poignant. I would also have liked to have seen Rodan come back as another character as he had the talent and potential.

Good point, I agree with you there. Especially about the poignancy of the story had the character been killed sooner. (Even though he wasn't technically killed off!) Imagine how bad we would feel for the poor guy if he had been killed before he learned to communicate. He might have more fans. However, if there is one thing DS is not known for it is breviety of storylines!

And I agree with you that Rodan was fantastic in the role, I too wish he had been given another character to play down the line.

[David]

I think the real problem was Robert Rodan's appeareance in that horible 1969 movie The Minx!!!!

David

[michael c]

like barnabas' bride it's not so much the character of adam per se i dislike as much as what his appearance represents on the show.

before adam the show was written with a more adult sensibility.you're dealing with supernatural characters(a pheonix,a vampire,a witch)but in general it was plotted like a traditional "soap opera".i liked that.
with adam the tone and focus of the show changes violently.for me it becomes almost cartoonish during this storyline with monsters coming out of the woodwork and the original,human characters relegated to the sidelines.plus the darn thing just goes on forever.

eventually i got used to this new pacing on the show but i remember finding the first adam episodes to be almost physically jarring.

[Miss_Winthrop]

And wasn't it great during the storyline when Dr Hoffman examines Adam and comes to the realization that Barnabas is in bad trouble and how he and Adam are joined at the hip so to speak.?  The storyline wasn't totally bad and I thought it had some great things going for it and in particular the Carolyn/Adam eventually Eve theme.  However, as others have said it got to be boring after awhile and I was glad when it ended.

[IluvBarnabas]

I kinda liked Adam though at times he did get on my nerves.

In defense of Barnabas and Julia they honestly did try to be kind to him [spoiler](and this was before they found about about the link between him and Adam)....it wasn't until after Willie sadistically taunted Adam and Adam tried to kill him that Barnabas was really forced to hurt him. Maybe Barnabas could have found another way, but under the circumstances I think if Barnabas had stopped to think about it Willie would have been as good as dead.[/spoiler]

Julia was right when she said Adam was a child brought into the world fully-grown. Adam had no experience with the world whatsoever and a lot of his misforunes can be attributed to this. Adam was easy prey for a charming yet manipulative man like Nicholas Blair who filled his head with nothing but lies and schemes.

(BTW to the poster who said Barnabas was evil, I can't agree. I agree some of Barnabas' acts really were truly evil, but he himself I really believe wasn't truly evil. He did have a heart and soul, it's just sometimes he could
be selfish and cruel I will admit that but over the years on the show he proved he was capable of warmth and love).

[Para L. Time]

I always felt sorry for Adam, until he strapped Vicky Lewinsky to the table in the Old House (If I wasn't actually SEEING what was going on, it SOUNDED like an X-rated version of Dark Shadows when girl was being tortured!). What Willie did to Adam in the basment cell when he was still like a baby is absolutely unforgivable!

One scene that still sticks in my mind, is when Adam molested Carolyn on the floor in the West Wing. Did he rape her or not? It was never talked about, and nothing ever came up about it (like a pregnancy), but it seems to me he did!

[Willie]

I think he probably would have raped her, but he didn't know how.  She seemed to forget about it quickly enough though.  It didn't take long at all before she was getting all indignant about Barnabas making accusations against him (all of which were true of course). 

[retzev]

Has Robert Rodan ever appeared at a Fest? If so, how was he received by the fans?

[BuzzH]

Has Robert Rodan ever appeared at a Fest? If so, how was he received by the fans?

He has retzev, he usually turns up at the LA Fests, don't know that he's ever done a NY one, at least not that I'm aware of.  He is received very well actually, he's a really nice man, but he does seem a bit overwhelmed by it all at the autograph table, LOL! 

[Brandon Collins]

I disliked the Adam storyline because:

a) It lasted FAR too long.
b) It brought us Eve, which was a drastic misrepresentation of Marie Wallace's talents.
c) The green sweater. 'Nough said.
d) There are only so many times you can threaten a man with killing his family. I like to liken this to the scene in that Indiana Jones movie where that guy is swinging the swords around, all scary like, and Indie takes out his gun and just shoots him dead. C'mon Barnabas, just shoot him dead. Julia will feed you.
f) I got tired of him being mute for so long. Only so many "Uhh uhhh uhh"'s you can take in certain situations. *wink*

[Lydia]

b) It brought us Eve, which was a drastic misrepresentation of Marie Wallace's talents.

Gosh, you've just given me an excellent reason to like the Adam story line.  If Marie Wallace hadn't played Eve, she might never have played Jenny, and might never have gone on to charm countless fans at the Fests.  I've never met her (never met anybody in connection with Dark Shadows), but she's very interesting in the interviews on the DVDs.  I really should read her book sometime.