Fans, it was forty-six years ago that we first tuned in to hear those mystic words uttered: "My name is Victoria Winters..."  On June 27, 1966.  (I personally did not start watching until nearly two years later, in June 1968, so I have no personal memories of this day to share.  But I know there are fans here who started watching on this day.)

Happy Birthday DS!

cheers, Gothique

I am revisiting the mid November conclusion of the "1968" storyline and just watched episode 624 (which aired on Nov. 14, 1968).  I was surprised to find what must surely have been the very last reference to the Foundling Home whence Victoria Winters began her momentous journey.  Vicki has received [spoiler]two wedding gifts, and one of them proves to be a necklace that had been a family heirloom from a favorite nurse at the Home (her name sounds like Norris or Norridge).  Vicki reflects that she always felt so alone when she was at the Home, when in fact there were people all around her who cared about her.  It's a very poignant moment, and Liz is present.[/spoiler]

One or two episodes later, there's an episode where Vicki is studying the old Collins Family History and she tells Liz:  "I want to understand."  "You'll NEVAH understand," declares the Mistress of Collinwood.  Another poignant moment in the saga of Victoria Winters....

I'm really sorry that the writers did not allow [spoiler]Vicki and Jeff to go off to a happy ending in time for Moltke to finish out the storyline. Moltke's departure is so abrupt, I always think that she must have had a bad episode of morning sickness and simply been unable to come to work.  Curtis took her departure as a fait accompli.[/spoiler]

I also always think of Lara Parker at a 1990s Festival informing fans who asked why Moltke left:  "She didn't want to be on the show!  She REFUSED to wear make-up!"

Memories light the corner of my mind....

G.

A friend of mine who has more patience for current pop culture trends than do I saw the movie on Friday.  She praised the performance of the actor who played Lincoln (Ben Walker, I think, was his name? she said he was Meryl Streep's son-in-law) but particularly mentioned the ever-luscious Rufus Sewell, who plays the head vampire.  On a whim, she decided to buy the novel on her way to see the movie.  She started reading it on her way, I think.  Anyhow she thinks that the movie is a bit of fun but the novel is much, much better.  Just letting folks know one fan's opinion.  She is also a diehard DS fan (she gave the Depp movie a lukewarm review--for anyone who's counting heads, I still haven't seen the Deep creature).

G.

Fans,

looking through the Collinsport Historical Society site, I found this clipping from what is clearly a late Summer or Early Fall 1966 newspaper article interviewing Joan Bennett about her work on DS.  If this clipping was passed around by fans in the early years, it may account for why the story spread for awhile that Joan "hated" being on DS:

http://www.collinsporthistoricalsociety.com/2012/01/joan-bennett-talks-dark-shadows.html

Note that in the interview, she refers to already having a contract to do a play in February 1967--Liz's first "breakdown" as a result of a certain plot incident coincided with this.

G.

Yay!  congrats, cousin Taeylor!

G.

Calling all devotees of the Divine One:

Check out this exciting link!

http://www.collinsporthistoricalsociety.com/2012/06/grayson-hall-blog-thon-set-for-june-22.html

Grayson's son, author Matt Hall, as well as the author of the definitive Grayson Hall biography, R. J. Jamison, are set to participate, along with a bevy of other fan sites, including a podcast.

Best,

G.

I realize the repetition is wearisome, but I feel called upon to point out again that while 1968 boasts the dreary Adam storyline, it also features some of the series' best moments, such as the plotline MB mentioned, but also pretty much ALL of the Nicholas Blair scenes (I really think 1968 Blair was head and shoulders above all of HAA's divine characterizations), Cassandra Collins which is one of my personal favorite characters in the series, some great Prof. Stokes stuff (Stokes was one of the characters who first got me watching the show), and the original Chris Jennings werewolf storyline.  Some of Eve's scenes were really quite juicy as well, I thought--Marie played her with such understated venom--and then there was Danielle Roget, "the most evil woman of the 18th century."

The parts of it that frustrate me the most are the endless winding-down of Vicki's trial storyline in the final part of 1795, and every scene involving Peter/Jeff; nearly all of Adam's scenes, although before Adam learned to talk Robert Rodan brought great heart to the role; and the interminable storyline involving Liz's curse to live in fear of death and being buried alive, a terrible betrayal of what was once a great character.  The reduction of Vicki to a simpering idiot who just "doesn't understand" is a very, very disappointing end to another character who was the fascinating centerpoint of the entire story, originally.  And finally, the unimaginative, dull scenario by which Joe Haskell was written out of the show, although Joe's final episode boasts one of the series' most compellingly bizarre and creepy dream sequences.

G.