As with so many things in any aspect of life, once you turn your attention to something you see it everywhere. I recently procured copies of an audio series by Big Finish that resumes the story of the Collins family. A story that started as a daily soap opera during the late 60's. In 6 years they managed a measley 1225 episodes and two movies. In the 90's there was a return to the Dark Shadows world with a much darkere and slicker look, but the audience never really took root. So only 12 episodes were made before it got cancelled. Big Finish has made 8 hour long audios so far and there are 4 more coming. But you can find out more about that in the review section as I begin reviewing them. Along the way there were also a number of books and comic books as well. Too many to list here.

But this note is about the return of Dark Shadows. And it is set to return in a big way. Johnny Depp and Tim Burton are working together on a big screen version of the series.

For those who might not know, Dark Shadows tells stories of ghosts, witches, vampires, werewolves and all manner of supernatural elements. The stories center around the Collins family whose patriarch is the venerable Barnabas Collins. Himself a vampire.

The amazing thing about this series was it's longevity on live mainstream tv during the 60's. Yes that is correct. Live tv. Everything they dealt with had to be fully realized for live broadcasts. There were some notable mistakes and bloopers that arose during the show, but the accomplishments far outweigh those minor slights on their record.

Anyone who has any experience with this show will agree with me that the hauntingly eerie music sends chills down your spine and gets the mind salivating in anticipation of seeing Barnabas Collins. If you are not familiar with it, find a way to check it out.

JimmyZ