Petition to Save The WB DS / merged with 'Petition'

[Gothick]

A few observations:

(1) You can't "save" a television program that's never even been on the air.  The network's decision was clearly part of a programmatic shift in the direction of material they perceive as being more where the market is moving now.  I doubt whether they did more than glance at the NWBDS pilot by the time it was finished since they had made these programmatic decisions separately from the process of generating the pilot.

(2)  Reality TV shows *are* scripted.  I imagine the writers who are getting jobs are the ones who (besides having the right personal connections--that's how H'wood has ALWAYS worked) are good at coming up with the situations/concepts that non-actors can parrot successfully.

(3)  Far from "dying" I think the Dark Shadows "franchise" is enjoying adequate success, given that we're talking about a television show that is nearly 40 years old (ugh, you don't know how old that makes me feel!).
Not only has the entire series been steadily in print on VHS format for the past decade. it is now enjoying a success on DVD to the point where MPI is accelerating the schedule for the release of the episodes.  The honoring of Dan Curtis at the TV Museum, the spate of articles around the pilot, and the fact that TV Guide is running a piece about the original series in a week or two, all shows a lot of health, as far as I can tell.  Of course I hardly have my finger on the pulse where today's entertainment scene is concerned.  I am afraid I do not have the stomach for that.

Let's hope we see the return of the original episodes to broadcast television in the near future.  I would think the events I have outlined above would be enough to show how "viable" (as we used to say in the 70s) the property still is.

G.

[David]

I've no doubt that the original series will return to broadcast at some point, it always does. SoapNet, TV Land or the upcoming Horror Channel would make fine homes for it.

But the bottom line on the new series is that if DS fans were to show enough interest/support for the new show, then the WB, or UPN or Showtime, could easily be persauded to pick it up.

If my petition had 10,000 or even 1,000 signatures instead of the 110 it now has, the smaller networks would take notice.

But with the vast majority of fans looking for reasons to NOT sign the petition, with DS fans showing their LACK of support for the new show, the new DS will remain dead in the water.

I remain mystified as to why ALL responses to my petition on another DS board were negative & sarcastic.

A very close friend of mine tells me that three people told him they won't sign the petition because they don't "like" me. These are all people I've not had contact with since the 1980s! What does it matter if we "like" each other or not at this point, or where the petition is concerned?
Do they want a new show or not?
I guess not.

I remain utterly mystified as to why it's so hard to get longtime DS fans to show support to the networks for a new series,
but so easy to get those same fans to hold baseless, lifelong grudges against each other.

 

[Nancy]

I will never get caught up in that kind of behavior again. Your rules are also my rules, and I thank you, Midnight, with all my heart, for making this forum a safe haven for me & many other DS fans.
It's the only safe haven for DS that some people have.

What I am hoping this thread can turn into, is an open, honest, respectful dialogue on what can be done to improve DS fandom, so that festivals & other boards can become the same safe haven we have here, so that ALL
finger pointing loses it's support base, and so that we can all work together to revive the DS franchise & keep it alive.

I think anyone can appreciate your zeal regarding DS fandom, David, but I don't think the DS franchise is any danger of dying simply because there is not a current home for DS on cable or network television. That can change anytime.   For quite a few years, DS did not have a home on television but it has survived and the advent of the internet has increased fan awareness and ability to intermingle without physically being together at festivals or some other convention.

The articles in the trades for the past few weeks have led many to believe long before it was announced that DS would not be on the fall schedule and that had more to do with network direction than an opinion about how well the show would do.  I know I am not the only one who shares that opinion and that is likely why no one wanted to push the petition.  It didn't address the cause of the reason the series was not picked up.

But that's not the end of things.  I am glad Gothick posted about an upcoming article on DS in TV Guide. I missed that news before.

Nancy

[David]

To Nancy:(who, along with Midnight, rates as being among fandom`s best people)

The bottom line is that if DS fans came together as a unified group & showed real support for the new show,
WB might change their minds, or UPN or Showtime might get interested in it.
But DS fans are refusing to do that.

What makes this all the sadder is that it's never a problem to get DS fans to bad mouth each other or make snide remarks about each other's sex lives/body types.

But to get them to support a new show?
Heaven forbid!

[jimbo]

David I do hope that another network shows an interest in Dark Shadows. Clearly, for some unknown reason, the WB will not reconsider having DS on its schedule. If us fans are told that a particular network has indicated a willingness to consider DS, at that point writing encouraging words of support by all DS fans to that network would be truly helpful. It is hard to show support for a show when we do not know yet if a particular network is considering DS for its schedule. I am hoping the WB reconsiders and/or another network shows an immediate interest in our beloved show. I will sign any petition to bring back DS to television.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

David,  your hope that this thread could turn into an open, honest, respectful dialogue on what might be done to improve DS fandom is an extremely commendable one.    But criticizing the behavior of other fans isn't being respectful. While I can certainly understand your disappointment, you're not helping your cause.

If you want people to be respectful of your points, they might respond favorably if you aim for a more positive tone. 

[Misa]

Hi everyone,

There is a petition over at www.barnabasundead.com that is asking the WB to reconsider airing the new Dark Shadows; it already has 460 some signatures. Why don't you check it out and maybe sign it? you could also check out the site while you're there. It is a pretty nice board all-in all.

I really like this board too! I only use three boards so far and this is one of them.

Misa

[Midnite]

There is a petition over at www.barnabasundead.com that is asking the WB to reconsider airing the new Dark Shadows; it already has 460 some signatures. Why don't you check it out and maybe sign it? you could also check out the site while you're there. It is a pretty nice board all-in all.

I really like this board too! I only use three boards so far and this is one of them.

Glad you're enjoying the board, Misa. 

The petition url is in the main topic on page 1.  Craig's forum is at http://www.barnabasundead.com/forums