Dark Shadows: The Beginning

Dark Shadows: The Beginning aired on ABC from 1966 to 1971 is a unique and highly engrossing genre-twisting daytime serial that is unlike any other. The series masterfully transforms from a traditional gothic soap opera to an immersive dreamlike spectacle intricately wove with supernatural threads that span a range of genres, including horror, fantasy, and mystery. Dark Shadows: The Beginning gradually evolved from its conventional daytime soap beginnings to eventually become a cult classic that significantly influenced the genre and amassed a substantial fan following that continues into the present day.

The story primarily focuses on the Collins family, an old and prestigious lineage residing in the morose and secluded town of Collinsport, Maine. Collinwood, the grand yet ominous family mansion, stands stoically atop a cliff, casting long shadows that metaphorically mirrors the dark, unrevealed secrets of the Collins family. The narrative begins on a grounded note, introducing us to mundane human secrets and wrongdoings typical of the soap opera genre, including malicious scheming, hidden truths, tangled relationships, and love triangles.

However, the series takes a dramatic shift when it ventures into the macabre world of the supernatural. This shift not only brought forth the unusual elements of vampirism, witchcraft, ghouls, werewolves, time travel, and ghosts into the daily telecast but also breathed a new perspective into an otherwise saturated genre. As the series progresses, the tone grows progressively darker and eerier. Pentagrams, stakes through the heart, black capes, and full moons added a layer of excitement and dread that was uncommon in day-time television.

The series is noted for its extensive ensemble cast, which adds depth to the storyline, and its style of storytelling, unique for its era – employing techniques such as parallel time narratives, dream sequences, and memory journeys through time. The portrayals of intricate characters like vulnerable werewolves and sympathetic vampires efficiently blurred the lines between black-and-white morality.

A central figure in the series is Barnabas Collins, a 200-year-old vampire, who serves as one of the iconic characters in television history. Other notable characters include the witch Angelique whose unrequited love for Barnabas creates a whirlwind of fantastical complications, and the introspective Maggie Evans, whose life becomes intimately entwined with the Collins family.

The ominous and fog-filled atmosphere of Dark Shadows: The Beginning was complemented by its ground-breaking technical work. While the early black-and-white episodes exhibited a somber aesthetic perfect for a series that incorporated elements of gothic horror, the introduction of color gave the show the ability to venture further into increasingly lavish and otherworldly storylines.

Over the course of the series, the tale spans a few hundred years, seamlessly weaving historical elements with modern plotlines and transporting viewers back and forth between the past, the present, and the other dimensions. The narrative’s complexity, combined with high-stakes storytelling techniques that left viewers hooked, quickly established Dark Shadows: The Beginning as a singular entity on daytime television, creating its own niche within the highly competitive field.

Despite its initial tumultuous journey and production hiccups, where it struggled to find its creative voice and faced the threat of cancellation, when Dark Shadows: The Beginning found its stride delving in the supernatural world, it made a unique space for itself in television history. The show’s immense popularity led to several feature films, remakes, reboots, and numerous convention gatherings, further strengthening its legacy.

In essence, Dark Shadows: The Beginning can be best described as a gloriously macabre, complex, and voluminous narrative that combines various elements present in thrillers, melodramas, romances, and horror stories. As dark as its narrative might be, it casts an even larger shadow over contemporary television programming of the same genre today, offering a unique and dynamic viewer experience. As such, it stands tall as a significant pioneer of serialized supernatural storytelling on television, whose influence is evident in many modern shows of the same vein.