DARK SHADOWS (1966-71)

[RCMerchant]

On Hulu they have every episode of DARK SHADOWS starting with the first appearance of Barnabus Collins. I been watching it- the early episodes are in black and white. The show was real good! In the late 60's it got so convoluted I had no f**king clue what was going on.
Back when these shows first aired I never got to watch it, because I was in school! And this was a daytime soap!

http://youtu.be/vgBMZOHZVLo

[BoyScoutKevin]

Then they are not showing every episode, because Barnabas Collins (the late Jonathan Frid) did not start appearing in the series till 10 months into the series, which gave a big boost to the popularity of the series.

[ER]

Then they are not showing every episode, because Barnabas Collins (the late Jonathan Frid) did not start appearing in the series till 10 months into the series, which gave a big boost to the popularity of the series.

In fairness Ronny did say every episode "starting with the first appearance of Barnabus Collins." Every episode from there on was how I read it.

[Paquita]

It's been years since I watched, but if I recall correctly, I think for like 30 episodes (I'm exaggerating) before Barnabas Collins shows up, there's a guy trying all these Wile E Coyote type tricks to get into Barnabas' tomb.  It's kind of funny watching all the episodes together, but I could imagine how boring it would have been having to wait to watch each episode and seeing the same thing every time, one day it's a crowbar and the next it's an axe, and the next he's rigged up a chain and hammer..

[RCMerchant]

^  Yeah. But Willie (That was his name in the show! Real close to Wile E.!)  did a good Renfield imitation!
The whole thing is drawn out contrived bulls**t. But it was better than all other soaps, and game shows!

[Allhallowsday]

I remember the original broadcasts, in the afternoon, of this soap.  Suddenly, everybody (whoever that must have been) said to watch Dark Shadows at 4 o'clock... and me and my brother and sisters would run home from school in time to do it, always on time!  Now, I understand Barnabas was introduced to prop up sagging ratings.  The tomb was opened by the "handyman" Willie Loomis, who got a surprise when he found Barnabas alive in his coffin.  Willie then became Barnabas' slave.  Many years later, in the early 1980s, my brother and sister and I watched many of those early episodes again, and the swift segway to color, on late night TV, two episodes in a row each night, starting about 2 or 3 AM!  You will see scenery move, people moving behind it, revealed by stumbling cameramen, and boom mics, watch out!!!  The best though, is when they forget their lines!  Barnabas: "Hominahominahomina...and so, Julia, what was it you just said...?!"   It's really quite cheezee. 

[RCMerchant]

^ I think I still have a VHS tape with all Dark Shadows bloopers! 

[RCMerchant]

I was aware of Dark Shadows! I seen the movie at the Strand in 1970, it was in Famous Monsters, I had the Barnabas model kit- (first model kit I ever got!), they had comic books-it was like a craze!

[RCMerchant]

I had this magazine in 1971! I still have a copy!

[The Burgomaster]

My mother watched it during it's original broadcast and I often watched it with her. HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS was the first horror movie I saw in a theater. I made my dad take me when I was about 6 years old.

[RCMerchant]

My mother watched it during it's original broadcast and I often watched it with her. HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS was the first horror movie I saw in a theater. I made my dad take me when I was about 6 years old.

I was 8. 

[chefzombie]

i was 9 and CRUSHED that quentin wasn't in it, i had such a crush on him, lol! the sequel did though, i think i saw that at least a dozen times at our local theater.

[Kowdisc]

they (abc) had changed the time from three thirty to four o'clock. the show was pre-empted a few times by apollo splashdowns. I started watching I think in late 1967 and watched the show to the end but by that time the storylines had gotten so convoluted it didn't matter anymore. the writers Gordon Russell and Sam Hall never should have taken their eyes of the fangs...BARNABAS COLLINS.
as for the nbc 1991 primetime revival which wasn't too bad they got a few things wrong however. they botched the casting of Angelique. lara parker with those eyes is unforgettable. but Barbara Steele must be acknowledged as having surpassed Grayson Hall as Julia Hoffman.

nbc pulled the plug too soon.

[RCMerchant]

^ It would have been swell to see Barbara in all her glory every week on prime time TV!

[chefzombie]

on that we agree, gentlemen, NOBODY holds a candle to barbara when it comes to the peepers!