Dark Shadows has arrived!

[Willie Oleson]

We finally get to see Laura and Angelique locking horns. I don't know if it continues, it might be a one-off.
Nice to see Nora again, she should have more scenes.
The werewolf curse is a bit of dead-end storyline, it's a problem that won't go away unless the werewolf dies. Although original Barnabas was written in a similar way because he had to kill people for blood.
A full moon could also be an excuse for a "business trip to Bangor".

Suddenly they remembered that Barnabas could magically appear and disappear, it definitely reduces a lot of filler like walking through the woods and banging on doors.
I wish they'd bring back Quentin's younger brother played by Willie Loomis.

 

[tommie]

But I find her the most frightening Dark Shadows villain and once she starts scheming it becomes the most organic storyline in this DS chapter.

Definitively - I guess there's sort of limits how much you can change her trajectory since we know she's a Phoenix, but I liked seeing her again and don't mind that it's essentially a reheated version of the previous storyline. But it's obvious that her addition threw off story projections so they just sort started playing catch up with Rachel suddenly, whose storyline was probably meant to be further along at that point.

I'm not a fan of the actor who plays werewolf Chris in 1960s DS (forgot his name in this storyline) I think he's even worse than Dr. Eric Lang, but not in a funny way.

Hm, I don't recall having any specific issues with him but apparently the actor had "issues" (if that's mental illness, drugs or both can be debated).

 

[Willie Oleson]

but I liked seeing her again and don't mind that it's essentially a reheated version of the previous storyline

It's Dark Shadows' answer to the soapy custody battle trope so maybe that's why I like it so much.

I have no idea how all these storylines in Barnabas' mission to save the dying David Collins will come together.

 

[Daniel Avery]

I recall one of the throwaway scenes between Barnabas and Laura made it clear that Laura had a much more extensive history with the Collinses. Barn had actually met her before---when he was a child! The implication was that Laura kept buzzing around that family like a mosquito, popping up every 75 or so years to stir up trouble. I recall thinking that it meant the ol' scenery chewer could in fact pop up in ANY of the trips to the past. The prospect did not fill me with happiness.

In the 1991 DS reboot they combined Laura with Angelique, or at least they were laying that groundwork as they sailed through a year of stories in 13 episodes. As I rewatch 1897 I see why they made this effort because a lot of what Laura brought to the table could be accomplished just as easily by Angelique.

 

[tommie]

Barn had actually met her before---when he was a child! The implication was that Laura kept buzzing around that family like a mosquito, popping up every 75 or so years to stir up trouble. I recall thinking that it meant the ol' scenery chewer could in fact pop up in ANY of the trips to the past.

Oh, I wouldn't have minded that! Though again, it's sort of a limited storyline no matter how you put it due to Laura's nature, but I guess they could've had her there before she starts off on her Phoenix mission (we're not really sure what exactly the whole process entails).

In the 1991 DS reboot they combined Laura with Angelique, or at least they were laying that groundwork as they sailed through a year of stories in 13 episodes. As I rewatch 1897 I see why they made this effort because a lot of what Laura brought to the table could be accomplished just as easily by Angelique.

Also just similar blondes, plus it gives both of them more to do. The Phoenix thing is kind of one-note on its own, even if it's a cool storyline. Extending it into a general witch power makes sense.

 

[Willie Oleson]

I see why they made this effort because a lot of what Laura brought to the table could be accomplished just as easily by Angelique.

Yes, but there's still that nasty little thing about dragging your kids into a fire. Is it possible to combine that with Angelique's obsessive love for Barnabas?

The Phoenix thing is kind of one-note on its own, even if it's a cool storyline

True, it's a rehash of the story from the B&W episodes, but the circumstances are different. In this part of DS it's a family at war, they all hate each other and in every episode they're telling someone "I'm going to destroy you".
It's kinda like: whose dark secret is the most vulnerable? as it happened in Empire and TNT Dallas.

 

[Daniel Avery]

Yes, but there's still that nasty little thing about dragging your kids into a fire. Is it possible to combine that with Angelique's obsessive love for Barnabas?

In the reboot, we were told that David's mother was alive but institutionalized...but they hinted at a sort of psychic/supernatural link between her and her son. They had all the cast members doing their "1790 ancestors" and there was Lysette Anthony as Angelique, seemingly without a 1991 counterpart. The only other 1790 character without a 1991 counterpart I believe was Adrian Paul's Jeremiah. If there had been a second season, Anthony would likely have surfaced as Laura and (I'm guessing) Adrian Paul would have been Quentin Collins or maybe the Jennings twins, though I think having him as Quentin is more logical because if AP had arrived as Chris and Tom, it would have given away the plot point that the Jennings twins were long-lost Collins relatives.

 

[tommie]

True, it's a rehash of the story from the B&W episodes, but the circumstances are different. In this part of DS it's a family at war, they all hate each other and in every episode they're telling someone "I'm going to destroy you".

Yeah, that's what I remember enjoying about those episodes even if it's a bit overloaded at that point. I could see some critique that it became sort of muddled with everyone versus everyone, but I remember liking it plus the ratings were on the rise so clearly the audience did too. Plus, so many skip straight to the Barnabus storyline and right past Phoenix Part 1, so I like the fact that they get to experience it even if proper soap-enjoyers watch the entire thing.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Oh!My!God! You won't believe what just happened on Dark Shadows.

During a battle between Laura and Angelique - although it's really a battle between 5 characters: Barnabas, Quentin, Laura, Angelique, Magda - Laura summons her supernatural Egyptian fire to destroy Angelique.
Angelique returns, no surprise there, but this time she comes up with an ACTUAL EXPLANATION!!!!!!!
She had anticipated Laura's murder plan and created a DOPPELGANGER to be consumed by the flames. She's such an iconic queen.

 

[Daniel Avery]

The Battle of the Wild-Eyed Blondes has a sort of "rock/paper/scissors" quality since they both have such odd powers that can cancel the other's. Or put another way, just when you think Laura has the upper hand, Angelique holds up a mirror to Laura's scheme and the feud re-sets itself again.

Sound familiar? it's like I'm talking to myself here. Which would be very DS-esque, come to think of it.

 

[tommie]

Angelique returns, no surprise there, but this time she comes up with an ACTUAL EXPLANATION!!!!!!!
She had anticipated Laura's murder plan and created a DOPPELGANGER to be consumed by the flames. She's such an iconic queen.

Haha! I had actually forgotten about this. The show doesn't explain much, but I guess this was too much not to explain.

Yaaas, Kween, go create those dopplegangers (which will never ever come into effect later, pinkie swear).

 

[darkshadows38]

i put it back on pretty much 0n a lark i'm on Volume 4 episode #357 Carolyn is talking to Tony Peterson and this is right before Vicki goes into the past

 

[lbf522]

When I saw this thread, I thought it was about the 1991 remake which I enjoyed and hated that it ended as it was getting good.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Did anybody mention that Jonathan Frid turned 100 years old last December?

He's the first actor whose name I saw on the screen as a child and thought: 'Oh, that's the name of the actor who plays (in this case) Barnabas Collins.'

 

[Soaplover]

I think the Laura Phoenix story had to revived in 1897 because the actress wouldn't play any other character except her. To be honest, if they were able to accomodate her wish to keep playing the Phoenix anytime she came back to the show... I don't know why they couldn't have accommodated Ms. Moltke's wish to play a different character and/or a possessed/evil Victoria Winters.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

When I saw this thread, I thought it was about the 1991 remake which I enjoyed and hated that it ended as it was getting good.

I thought that the remake was quite good. I am surprised that DS has not returned to TV since

That horrible movie didn't help. It probably was at least somewhat successful at the box office,

but the tone, the context was all wrong. Too comedic, not enough gothic horror.

There were probably plans for sequels, but the fact that there were none speaks volumes

 

[Daniel Avery]

There were many great casting choices in the 1991 reboot, which helped it hit the ground running. It was a mix of film stars and daytime soap actors, with a few newbies thrown in; I can't recall any of the cast members being a "weak link".

I choose to pretend the 2012 film never happened. The world would be a better place if we all decided similarly.