The topic of this article is "Buffy, the vampire slayer" (WARNING: spoilers for early seasons) but I think some of the general thoughts could be applied to why we love DS so much...

http://the-toast.net/2013/08/14/buffy-the-vampire-slayer-a-new-version-of-you/

Best,

G.

That's good to know, Quentin. 

G.

The 1821 death date for Naomi presumably carried over for the original backstory for Barnabas, in which his own death happened in the 1830s (I'm thinking 1832 or 1837 for some reason?).  I should write, THE PROP for Naomi's tablet in the crypt was a holdover from previous years and nobody probably bothered to think, "Hey, we changed the storyline, we need to fix this."

I remember reading long ago, in an issue of 16 I think, that in one scripting session around 1970, nobody in the room could remember what had happened when in a previous storyline.  They were baffled as to how to proceed and then somebody said, "Hey, the studio kids are outside--let's ask THEM!"  and of course, they were able to quote chapter and verse.

G.

I think the 1968 Cassandra period is the only time on DS when we see a Witch and Warlock shrink at the sight of the cross.  I personally find this just plain silly, but I won't belabor the forum with the reasons why.

Nicholas (when he eventually shows up) is right--Cassandra should have been able to handle Trask's ghost.  It's interesting to speculate why she ultimately fails to prevail over him.  The only answer that makes any sense is her growing emotional attachment to Barnabas AND the adulteration of her own powers with her indulgence of other emotions, such as gloating over Elizabeth's fate.

This was the 2nd episode I ever saw of DS and it made me an addict FOR LIFE.

G.

I heard this sad news a few hours ago on the international Social Networking Site.  I was shocked as I considered Ms. Black "too young to die."  She was about a year and a half younger than my own mother (and Lara Parker) as it happens.

I was thinking about Ms. Black a few weeks ago when a fan started a thread here about what role Ms. Black would have played had she been cast in the original series of Dark Shadows.  I had to smile because I recalled that many years ago now, when a gala was held at the Museum of Television and Radio in Dan Curtis's honor, many DS luminaries showed up, and Ms. Black made a late entrance to the room.  At the time it was reported that she was overheard to look around her, narrow her eyes, and demand of a flunky:  "Wait a minute, this isn't a Dark Shadows thing, is it?"  She was assured that it was indeed an evening in honor of DC and she proceded to her place onstage.

I also think of a performance art band, maybe based in NYC, about 23 years ago called "The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black"--it was written up in Michael Musto's column and I believe Ms. Black may have eventually attended, or even participated in, a performance.

May she know true peace.  We'll miss her.

G.

Wow, I thought I knew a lot about DS, but you guys have me beat!

I never even heard of Natalie Norwich/k.  I do vaguely recall having heard of Florence Stanley...

G.

dom, I have the same "go to" regarding Dan Curtis that you do when it comes to some of the more senselessly way-out plot swings.

Being a DS writer back at this time was a hard row to hoe.  Violet Welles seems to have been the most adroit when it came to rolling with the punches.  She worked as a ghost writer for Gordon so it's hard to know when she started helping with the scripts.  Thayer did re-write some of the dialogue and Joel Crothers flat out wrote whole scripts--we have testimony about this from back in the day.

G.