Dear Library,

Given how cavalier the DS writers (or more specifically, Lela Swift, since it seems to have been largely herself dictating where the storyline went at this point in the game) were with the existing continuity when it came time to construct the plot of the 1840 storyline, I'd say you should feel that you can have a free hand when it comes to 1870.

My biggest frustration with 1840, apart from the big reconciliation towards the end which strained credulity to the breaking-point, was that all kinds of information and hints were given about Collinwood in 1840 during the preceding "Summer of 1970" storyline--and then the writers proceeded to ignore nearly every snippet and hint they had dropped in favor of a completely different story!  In part this was because the story that had been envisioned would have called for such things as shipboard scenes on Gerard's pirate vessel, and they probably realized rather late in the game that there was no way in Hell that they could stage this at all realistically on the threadbare budget they were given.

Hope you enjoy writing your story.  We're not allowed to post fan fiction here, btw--just to let you know.

G.

Are people really expecting the characters in Depp Shadows to bear any orderly or systematic relationship to the classic DS series?  I mean, Maggie Evans was changed pretty radically from the person we knew from the Sixties in the 1990 redaction of the story.  So if they decide to make Vicki a waitress who--for example--is hired at Collinwood to be a companion to a disturbed and reclusive Mrs. Stoddard when everybody's favorite "Cousin from England" (or will it be set in England and he'll be a "Cousin from America" this time around?), that should come as no surprise.  This is NOT going to be a remake of the 1966 series; it's going to be its own thing altogether.  Or at least, that is what it should be if it wants to have its own identity as a 21st century pop culture phenom.

I'm still disappointed that Angelique wasn't cast with a black actress.  To my mind, that would make a fascinating new departure and a decisive sign that we're dealing with something new here.

G.

Hee hee!  MB proves again what discerning taste he has.  Thanks Kosmo for the clip URL.

I heard that a segment was run on Science Fiction in this series and it focused almost exclusively on Star Trek, totally ignoring 1950s sci-fi programming, The Outer Limits, etc.  What is it with Americans and wilful amnesia of our own history?

G.

Are they now saying Eva Green will portray Angelique in the new film?  Interesting.  She's playing another great Witch of legendry and lore, Morgana/Morgan le Fay, in the new Camelot series that's previewing on Starz at the end of this month.

There are trailers on Youtube--Green looks as if she really knows her craft and really knows how to bite into a role...

G.

Odd.  I have to presume that this blog, like another one to which someone posted a link recently, is written by someone whose first language is not English.  Are there a lot of these floating around out there?

Interesting to see that DS would even be considered as a topic for such a blog.  Perhaps there's even more of a buzz at work with press reports on the Depp project than I had surmised.

G.

I just loved Laura's showdowns with Liz.  The two were so well matched.  There was a regal, icy attention to etiquette between the two, and yet you could feel the rage and resentment boiling underneath.  Fantastic work from both actresses.

G.

Well, it was fun while it lasted.  Yet another sign that the suits who work for DCP have ZERO sense of humor--did they actually see these little treats as a serious attempt at a remake?

It's kind of tragic that we'll never get to see the main guy play Barnabas since it all seems to have been his idea...

G.