Ender's_Jane

I don't believe I have posted on this paticular board before but I post on a lot of others here at Fan Forum.
Just a few moments ago I was on a completely different message board and came across an article someone posted that reminded me, once again, of this subject.

It seems that Angel's timeslot next season, as it is being given the boot, is going to be filled by a remake of Dark Shadows.

See the article below>


I am not old enough to have seen the original and have never felt a particular need to go back and watch it.
The thing that stings me, though, about this news that it is being remade and is expected to go over very well and be very successful, is that it was already remade.

In 1991 it ran for 12 episodes and then was harshly cancelled. The article sort of glosses over this fact, but the 1991 remake, though it didn't last very long, was, IMO, a very good show.
As compelling and dramatic as any of the great stuff we worship today.
In rewatching the reruns, it does have a bit of that early 90s cheese going on but as far as atmosphere, costumes, dramatic tension, love plots, twists and turns, character pitfalls--it was fantastic.

I think that I might need to watch this new one but I feel sort of at odds about it. The series that I knew was amputated at the waist just as it was getting good. It has such a great quality to it that I don't even know how to explain. It had me--hook, line and sinker. And I just have a hard time imagining anything else being that cool.
The two possible outcomes would both leave me feeling a little hollow. If it turns out to suck, I would feel like it killed my memory of the "original" but if it turned out really great, I feel I will be left angsting for what might have been with the 1991 show.

If anyone else was a fan of this show and has heard the rumors about the new one, I would love to start a discussion about it and your feelings about it being remade. The 90s version being sort of glossed over in collective memory.

I fear I may be grasping at straws here. I'm not sure that that many people watched the show, but if you did, how about a little 'this or that' to start us off:

Beginning credits spooky theme music or ending credits music box song?

TheCheshireKitten

When I first heard there was going to be a remake of the show, I decided I wanted to see the original series. I've been getting the DVDs for the past few months. I'm on set 5. I'm not sure I'll ever get to see the '91 version, unless I end up buying them because that's the only way I know of for me to see it.

I'm addicted to the original, and really looking forward to the new series. I've been following all of the news since I heard the first rumors. I hope like hell it gets picked up. I'm excited about the possiblity of it in the fall. No matter what night it's on, I'm going to watch. It may not replace Angel on Wednesday nights though. That's never been said.

Big Dark Shadows fan here. I'd like to see the '91 version.

[ 04-17-2004: Message edited TheCheshireKitten ]

Wildfire Girl

Knowing John Wells, this will be very intense and unique indeed.

jennarose

I'm looking forward to this. I hope it's good. I've seen a couple of episodes of the old series and I keep thinking I'll rent the DVDs but I never remember. I was 11 in 1991 and wasn't allowed to watch much TV so I didn't see that series, but I know my cousin really liked it.

I would love to know what the Dark Shadows community thinks.

Ender's_Jane

Jennarose, I was 11 in 1991 also. The funny thing is, my mother, who wouldn't let me watch the x-files when I was 13 wholeheartedly allowed me to watch this series as a kid.
I think it was the nostalgia factor. She and my aunt used to love the original.

And, TheCheshireKitten, if you do ever decide to buy the VHS tapes they are worth the viewing. However, I heard a rumor online, that once they are done releasing all the seasons of the original, they might consider releasing the 1991 series. There were only 12 episodes, so it wouldnt be a long drawn out thing once they decided to do it.
Anyone know how many seasons there were of the original and which season they are up to now? So I can keep track of just when the revival series might be out.

[ 04-17-2004: Message edited Ender's_Jane ]

TheCheshireKitten

The original was a daytime soap, with episodes airing daily, so there's no season box sets. There's volumes with 40 episodes per set. Right now they're at Collection 12 (episodes 656-695). I believe there was 1200+ episodes....so they're probably a little under half way (because the pre Barnabas episodes of the show have not been released, either).

jennarose

I added the first series to my queue at Netflix. All 12 4-disc collections! I think it doubled my queue in ten minutes. [img]smilies/lol.gif[/img] It's going to take me a long time to get through them all.

I hope they do put the 1991 series on DVD - and soon. I don't really want to pay $20 per episode for videotapes for a show I've never seen. DVD is the way to go now. Maybe if the WB show takes off it will speed things up.

[ 04-18-2004: Message edited jennarose ]

BehrItAll

My mom watched the original series as a child. She would run home from school everyday to catch it [img]smilies/lol.gif[/img]
When they repeated the series on the Sci-fi channel I would watch them with her. We also used to watch the 1991 remake, and we are looking forward to the remake coming up.
Angelique was my favorite character. She was soo cool and so pretty.

BehrItAll

My mom watched the original series as a child. She would run home from school everyday to catch it [img]smilies/lol.gif[/img]
When they repeated the series on the Sci-fi channel I would watch them with her. We also used to watch the 1991 remake, and we are looking forward to the remake coming up.
Angelique was my favorite character. She was soo cool and so pretty.

LilDegrassiPrince

Ohmigosh! My mom did the same thing with her brothers and sisters! She would run home from school and then half the time have nightmares about Barnabas! Lol, while I was really little for the 1991 series, my mom did get me hooked on the re-airing on Sci-Fi. When I was sick from school one day, I remember watching Adam kidnapp Victoria. It was really good and I liked this show wayy better than the soap operas on TV now! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

TheCheshireKitten

My mom watched the original series, too. She'll watch the new one with me if it gets picked up.

sarzy

I'm fairly sure this show never aired in Australia, as I have never heard of it, but it does interest me that the WB chose to replace Angel with another show about vampires. Given that their reasons for cancelling Angel were that it wasnt a viable moneymaking venture, I wonder if Dark Shadows will fair any better.

TheCheshireKitten

No one really knows if that's the only reason they cancelled Angel, or that they're actually replacing Angel with Dark Shadows. Dark Shadows may be on a completely different night.

As far as it being successful...it already has an established fanbase, but it will also be a new show and will have the chance to draw in new audiences as well. As long as it's well written and acted.

And sure, there are similiarities between Angel & Barnabas as vampires, but Angel and Dark Shadows are two different shows with two different tones. They both deal in the supernatural, and they both have vampire leads, but there's plenty of things different about them as well.

[ 04-19-2004: Message edited TheCheshireKitten ]

LilMouse

My mom use to watch the original series too. I would watch the repeats on the sci-fi channel. I vaguely remember the 1991 series. I'm excited about the new series and can't wait to see the differences/similarities.
My favorite storyline was with Quentin. I hope they do that story.

LilMouse

My mom use to watch the original series too. I would watch the repeats on the sci-fi channel. I vaguely remember the 1991 series. I'm excited about the new series and can't wait to see the differences/similarities.
My favorite storyline was with Quentin. I hope they do that story.