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Post by Deleted on May 14, 2019 16:35:09 GMT
I'm guessing that... {Spoiler} With Barnabas and Julia restored to their own bodies and off on their explorations again, future developments are going to involve the rest of the extended DS family and f(r)iends, with Andrew Collins still on board as 'Bramwell'. Enough time has passed and there have been enough stories told by BF without either Barnabas or Julia that it no longer seems vital to keep Barnabas front and centre in the Dark Shadows universe. But we'll know that they're out there... somewhere... Interesting thoughts and i agree its time to open up the Dark shadows Universe with the characters we have. I really have enjoyed Bloodline and am very much on the feeling i have enjoyed it MORE than Bloodlust and cannot wait for more especially Windcliff.There is so much to explore further and look forward to the audio journey
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Post by silverednickle on May 14, 2019 18:12:14 GMT
Time for me to gush, speculate, and rehash my thoughts on this amazing conclusion to a brilliant new series. Well done to everyone who helped with his, showing clear respect to the present Dark Shadows universe and the rich and extremely complicated past stories, characters, and nuances. It makes we want to retackle the whole series (the original and Big Finish’s stories) all over again with a fresh appreciation for so many parts. I'll probably repost later with more praise and speculation, but I think I have typed enough below. {Spoiler} Barnabasl- After the original series ended, Sam Hall (one of the writers and husband to the original Julia Hoffman- Grayson Hall) wrote a sort of summary of plots for the various characters at the end of the story. In it, Barnabas (free from his vampiric curse) and Julia get married eventually and live in Singapore. Big Finish hasn’t fully followed all of these, but they have followed the audio drama Return to Collinwood where Willie Loomis says that they’re in Singapore together. House of Despair established that Barnabas’ soul was put into a new body and the earliest Big Finish audios had him seeking out his old body. I’d like to think that now that Julia and Barnabas are in their original bodies, they are free to live in the sun in Singapore together (with one stormy evening visit to Collinwood’s Old House for the audio The Night Whispers). Sorry for the long answer, but it’s a lot the writers were seemingly lining up. I’m a little sad we’ll likely have limited stories from their perspective, but happy that Joe, Davy, & co are moving along the plots.
Bramwell- Barnabas’ second body (the one played by actor Andrew Collins for most of the Big Finish audios) like Lilith was a person before. The audios had the demon of Stryx possessing that body before Angelique ousted him for Barnabas, but possible Stryx wasn’t the first occupant. Poor Bramwell after a series of possessions might need a little rest at Windcliff before he’s back to his old self, whatever self that might be.
Windcliff- He did the writing thing! He did the writing thing! Oh my, what a brillant potential teaser for next year’s audio miniseries at Windcliff. Bramwell and Sebastian are there. Maybe Harrison Monroe ended up there too. I’d love for it to help move towards the plot of Jackie and Maggie working there. Big Finish lately seems about connecting these stories together.
The bit with Nancy Barrett at the end- Willie Loomis was sent back in time to the early 18th century. He was helping Daniel Collins destroy all of Milicent Collins’ books, so he hid some for her and luckily wrote her a note about it. Unfortunately actor John Karlen has been having some health issues, so I think Big Finish was limited to using old sounds clips they had of him from earlier audio dramas. I think they had Barrett read the letter aloud so we could get a nod to him without having to get really creative with the sounds clips.
Speaking of clips- I loved the farewell recording they created with actors Frid, Hall, and Donnachie (Jacki). It was a wonderful way to send off Barnabas and Julia using their own voices. I cannot imagine the hours and creativity it took to find clean enough clips from them to piece together, but it was lovely to finally move them towards their happy endings. Big Finish has done a wonderful job bringing Dark Shadows forward and I’m happy that we get to hear a little of them pursuing happiness. Plus Jackie will likely need to fill in Susan or Maggie and us about them one day. I was crying for a mix of being happy for Barnabas and Julia as well as saying goodbye to Frid and Hall all over again.
Possibly Ed and Jessica needed to go back in time because Jessica was snooping with Quentin on the fire and things. Narratively, it gave Ed a It’s a Wonderful Life moment split between him seeing his past and our seeing Collinsport without The Blue Whale. Perhaps it can be used as a motivation tool with reworking Ed. Ed’s got to be a tough person to write for- he’s a bit brittle and doesn’t really seem to have much to do aside from being against the Collins (especially Quentin). Maybe he’ll have a turning around moment, maybe he’ll go crazy from time travel headaches and end up at Windcliff.
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Post by DoctorScoffman on May 15, 2019 0:49:07 GMT
Time for me to gush, speculate, and rehash my thoughts on this amazing conclusion to a brilliant new series. Well done to everyone who helped with his, showing clear respect to the present Dark Shadows universe and the rich and extremely complicated past stories, characters, and nuances. It makes we want to retackle the whole series (the original and Big Finish’s stories) all over again with a fresh appreciation for so many parts. I'll probably repost later with more praise and speculation, but I think I have typed enough below. {Spoiler} Barnabasl- After the original series ended, Sam Hall (one of the writers and husband to the original Julia Hoffman- Grayson Hall) wrote a sort of summary of plots for the various characters at the end of the story. In it, Barnabas (free from his vampiric curse) and Julia get married eventually and live in Singapore. Big Finish hasn’t fully followed all of these, but they have followed the audio drama Return to Collinwood where Willie Loomis says that they’re in Singapore together. House of Despair established that Barnabas’ soul was put into a new body and the earliest Big Finish audios had him seeking out his old body. I’d like to think that now that Julia and Barnabas are in their original bodies, they are free to live in the sun in Singapore together (with one stormy evening visit to Collinwood’s Old House for the audio The Night Whispers). Sorry for the long answer, but it’s a lot the writers were seemingly lining up. I’m a little sad we’ll likely have limited stories from their perspective, but happy that Joe, Davy, & co are moving along the plots.
Bramwell- Barnabas’ second body (the one played by actor Andrew Collins for most of the Big Finish audios) like Lilith was a person before. The audios had the demon of Stryx possessing that body before Angelique ousted him for Barnabas, but possible Stryx wasn’t the first occupant. Poor Bramwell after a series of possessions might need a little rest at Windcliff before he’s back to his old self, whatever self that might be.
Windcliff- He did the writing thing! He did the writing thing! Oh my, what a brillant potential teaser for next year’s audio miniseries at Windcliff. Bramwell and Sebastian are there. Maybe Harrison Monroe ended up there too. I’d love for it to help move towards the plot of Jackie and Maggie working there. Big Finish lately seems about connecting these stories together.
The bit with Nancy Barrett at the end- Willie Loomis was sent back in time to the early 18th century. He was helping Daniel Collins destroy all of Milicent Collins’ books, so he hid some for her and luckily wrote her a note about it. Unfortunately actor John Karlen has been having some health issues, so I think Big Finish was limited to using old sounds clips they had of him from earlier audio dramas. I think they had Barrett read the letter aloud so we could get a nod to him without having to get really creative with the sounds clips.
Speaking of clips- I loved the farewell recording they created with actors Frid, Hall, and Donnachie (Jacki). It was a wonderful way to send off Barnabas and Julia using their own voices. I cannot imagine the hours and creativity it took to find clean enough clips from them to piece together, but it was lovely to finally move them towards their happy endings. Big Finish has done a wonderful job bringing Dark Shadows forward and I’m happy that we get to hear a little of them pursuing happiness. Plus Jackie will likely need to fill in Susan or Maggie and us about them one day. I was crying for a mix of being happy for Barnabas and Julia as well as saying goodbye to Frid and Hall all over again.
Possibly Ed and Jessica needed to go back in time because Jessica was snooping with Quentin on the fire and things. Narratively, it gave Ed a It’s a Wonderful Life moment split between him seeing his past and our seeing Collinsport without The Blue Whale. Perhaps it can be used as a motivation tool with reworking Ed. Ed’s got to be a tough person to write for- he’s a bit brittle and doesn’t really seem to have much to do aside from being against the Collins (especially Quentin). Maybe he’ll have a turning around moment, maybe he’ll go crazy from time travel headaches and end up at Windcliff.
{Spoiler} Thank you for the explanation on the end tag!
I had heard John Karlen had health issues recently, but wasn't sure if that was why his role in this was so small. I hope he is well soon!
I wondered if they also had to cut Burke Devlin's part down. The way he showed up, played a role, and even got Barnabas a bit bloodlust-y, it felt like the intent was for him to have a bigger role, but maybe the actor had to back out... but maybe they already had some bits recorded with other actors so they cut out what they could and recast for the rest? I hope if the original actor was supposed to be in this he backed out because he had something fabulous come up vs. health reasons!
The series reminded me a lot of a David Lynch movie or Lynch's Twin Peaks: The Return. Huge. Sprawling. Messy (not a criticism). And finding creative ways to reincorporate footage of actors who are no longer available.
Really great and innovative stuff. I don't listen to anything else of Big Finish's... is it all this good?
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Post by Zagreus on May 15, 2019 2:07:34 GMT
I have the urge to listen from House of Despair through to the end of Bloodline, just.... some things coming full circle there
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bobod
Chancellery Guard
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Post by bobod on May 15, 2019 7:19:44 GMT
Re: Aesop(?) Cunningham, man does Scott Haran ever do a great blend of his own voice and a Matthew Waterhouse imitation. Just perfect. If Asa looks like Adric, swims like Adric, and quacks like Adric, then Asa probably is Adric. I'm faaarrr too pleased with that.
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bobod
Chancellery Guard
Likes: 2,759
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Post by bobod on May 15, 2019 7:40:58 GMT
I think they had Barrett read the letter aloud so we could get a nod to him without having to get really creative with the sounds clips. That scene I'm sure formed part of the original plot as written and planned. It wasn't recorded later as a 'quick fix' to get them out of a hole. AFAIK.
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bobod
Chancellery Guard
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Post by bobod on May 15, 2019 7:52:17 GMT
I wondered if they also had to cut Burke Devlin's part down. [...SNIPPED A BIT OUT HERE...] it felt like the intent was for him to have a bigger role, but maybe the actor had to back out... but maybe they already had some bits recorded with other actors so they cut out what they could and recast for the rest? Joe has answered this already elsewhere but in case you haven't seen that... No, no changes were made to Burke's involvement once Mitch wasn't available. It's familiar soap opera fare to have previous characters return for a wedding and only have tangential involvement with ongoing plots before they then leave after the wedding (or often non-wedding). Would that we all have something fabulous come up when we're 91.
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bobod
Chancellery Guard
Likes: 2,759
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Post by bobod on May 15, 2019 7:54:26 GMT
I have the urge to listen from House of Despair through to the end of Bloodline, just.... some things coming full circle there Tell us about it if you do.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2019 20:13:45 GMT
So now that thrill ride has finished its back to The House Of Despair for me and onwards always an enjoyable audio journey
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Post by barnabaslives on May 16, 2019 6:41:52 GMT
Really great and innovative stuff. I don't listen to anything else of Big Finish's... is it all this good? Individual tastes/mileage may vary, but I personally think most of Big Finish's catalog is really good. I got excited after all the fun with Bloodlust came out and started listening to some of the oldest Doctor Who Monthly Range items that have been deeply discounted, and was so impressed with them that I bought more and etc. A lot of the boxsets are truly outstanding.
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Post by Joseph Lidster on May 16, 2019 9:37:15 GMT
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Post by Joseph Lidster on May 16, 2019 9:41:08 GMT
And here's the Bloodline cast in order of appearance... {Spoiler} Kelly Burke as Marina Lane and Fiona Tanner
Tom Michael Blyth as Court Clerk, Jamie Forbes, Jerry Gerse and Sheriff Hackett
Jerry Lacy as Judge Matthew Young and Reverend Trask
Jake Wardle as Arnold Haggerty, Robber and Barman
Alexandra Donnachie as Jacqueline Tate and Sarah Filmore
Nico Diodoro as Vernon Monroe and Brian Monroe
Michael Shon as Tom Cunningham and Carl Collins
Georgina Strawson as Vivian Bell and Evie Grimes
Adam Hall as Train Conductor, Old-Timer, Burke Devlin and Andrew McLellan
Jamison Selby as Ed Griffin and Jamison Collins
Lachele Carl as Sheriff Rhonda Tate
Walles Hamonde as Richard Hill, Cody Hill and Duncan Hill
Marie Wallace as Jessica Griffin, Dorothea Summers and Jenny Collins
Susan Sullivan as Lela Collins
David Selby as Quentin Collins
Stephanie Ellyne as Amy Jennings, Anna Collins and Connie Johnson
Alec Newman as David Collins and Daniel Collins
Scott Haran as Harry Cunningham
Julie Newmar as Doctor Julia Hoffman
Andrew Collins as Barnabas Collins and Bramwell Collins
Sarah Pitard as Bonnie Sands and Bridget Sands
Daniel Collard as Rosier, Pastor Grayson and Abner Hanley
Roy Gill as Randy Young
Matthew Waterhouse as Andrew Cunningham and Asa Cunningham
Abi Harris as Nurse Grimes
Nancy Barrett as Carolyn Stoddard, Millicent Collins and Charity Trask
Sydney Aldridge as Waitress, 1820 Nurse and Present Day Nurse
Lisa Richards as Sabrina Longworth-Jennings
Christopher Pennock as Cyrus Longworth-Jennings and Geoffrey Collins
Kathryn Leigh Scott as Maggie Haskell, Patience Collins and Josette du Pres
Wallace McBride as Edgar McBride
Lara Parker as Angelique Bouchard
Ursula Burton as Susan Harkaway and Peggy Griffin
James Storm as Robert Harper
Alan Flanagan as The Traveler
Brendan O’Rourke as Doctor Hilary Cooper
With John Karlen as Willie Loomis and Alfred Loomis, Joan Bennett as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, Christopher Ragland as Jonah Rooney, Grayson Hall as Doctor Julia Hoffman, Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins & Thayer David as Ben Stokes
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Post by lurkerintheshadows on May 16, 2019 13:43:24 GMT
Volume One CDs arrived this morning. As ever, a very classy looking affair. Nice to see Mitch Ryan among the 'thanks', too.
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Post by collinswannabe on May 16, 2019 16:05:59 GMT
Just a few random thoughts about "Bloodline." Overall, I very much enjoyed the series! They took the story in unexpected directions and kept me guessing until the end. I am looking forward to "Windcliff."
{Spoiler} I am a little confused about the ending. Now that Barnabas is back in his original body I assume he is free of the vampire curse. I base this assumption on the fact that in the "Night Whispers" he was free of the curse and the obvious intent of the writers to give Barnabas and Julia a happy ending. Does this mean that Bramwell is a vampire?
I loved Julie Newmar's performance as Julia and hope she will remain in the series as Lilith.
I am glad Lela survived! I was very concerned she would be killed off. I hope Big Finish will do a series featuring her and Quentin like they did last year with Maggie and Quentin before she goes to her reward. The chemistry between Susan Sullivan and David Selby is incredible. One the weaknesses of "Bloodline" for me was that their characters weren't together enough.
Finally, I find it odd that Lilith, while in service to the Dark Lord, had the time and power to erase half the townspeople from everyone's memory, send them into the past, burn down the hospital, and send Barnabas's bloodlust into overdrive but could not take 10 minutes to rescue the Dark Lord's son from the Collinwood basement! Why is the Dark Lord so much more interested in tormenting Barnabas Collins than in saving his own son?
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Post by masterdoctor on May 16, 2019 18:30:00 GMT
Just a few random thoughts about "Bloodline." Overall, I very much enjoyed the series! They took the story in unexpected directions and kept me guessing until the end. I am looking forward to "Windcliff."
{Spoiler} I am a little confused about the ending. Now that Barnabas is back in his original body I assume he is free of the vampire curse. I base this assumption on the fact that in the "Night Whispers" he was free of the curse and the obvious intent of the writers to give Barnabas and Julia a happy ending. Does this mean that Bramwell is a vampire?
I loved Julie Newmar's performance as Julia and hope she will remain in the series as Lilith.
I am glad Lela survived! I was very concerned she would be killed off. I hope Big Finish will do a series featuring her and Quentin like they did last year with Maggie and Quentin before she goes to her reward. The chemistry between Susan Sullivan and David Selby is incredible. One the weaknesses of "Bloodline" for me was that their characters weren't together enough.
Finally, I find it odd that Lilith, while in service to the Dark Lord, had the time and power to erase half the townspeople from everyone's memory, send them into the past, burn down the hospital, and send Barnabas's bloodlust into overdrive but could not take 10 minutes to rescue the Dark Lord's son from the Collinwood basement! Why is the Dark Lord so much more interested in tormenting Barnabas Collins than in saving his own son?
Re your last point first: I really believe that Bramwell and the Son of the Dark Lord are being pitted against each other as The Dark Lord’s prodigy and Windcliff might have them go against each other. And yes more Lela is amazing and Quentin and her need much adventures together or as apart of Windcliff onwards, Maggie and Quentin don’t get together until the 90’s if I’m correct.
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Post by jolyon on May 16, 2019 21:25:59 GMT
Loved it, loved it, loved it.
Proper lump in throat stuff.
Any aspect that I praise at this stage would be a spoiler. But my mind is blown.
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Post by Digi on May 17, 2019 2:24:13 GMT
Really great and innovative stuff. I don't listen to anything else of Big Finish's... is it all this good? My two cents: Big Finish has an incredible batting average of titles that run from ‘good’ to ‘excellent,’ vs. the few and far between that can fairly be called ‘bad.’ And even then, the ‘bad’ ones are often simply forgettable rather than actually cringe-bad. Bloodline is kind of unique though. There aren’t many Big Finish releases where the writing is this dense, this complex, this demanding of multiple listens to track down everything you missed on your first (second, third...) time through.
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Post by DoctorScoffman on May 17, 2019 3:51:54 GMT
Really great and innovative stuff. I don't listen to anything else of Big Finish's... is it all this good? Individual tastes/mileage may vary, but I personally think most of Big Finish's catalog is really good. I got excited after all the fun with Bloodlust came out and started listening to some of the oldest Doctor Who Monthly Range items that have been deeply discounted, and was so impressed with them that I bought more and etc. A lot of the boxsets are truly outstanding. Thanks! Any in particular you would recommend to start with? Whenever I go to the site to look at DW, the amount of choice is a bit overwhelming I still have a bunch of Dark Shadows to get through and somewhere I have the Tomorrow People CDs, so it'll be a bit, but I think I'd like the DW.
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Post by DoctorScoffman on May 17, 2019 3:58:30 GMT
Really great and innovative stuff. I don't listen to anything else of Big Finish's... is it all this good? My two cents: Big Finish has an incredible batting average of titles that run from ‘good’ to ‘excellent,’ vs. the few and far between that can fairly be called ‘bad.’ And even then, the ‘bad’ ones are often simply forgettable rather than actually cringe-bad. Bloodline is kind of unique though. There aren’t many Big Finish releases where the writing is this dense, this complex, this demanding of multiple listens to track down everything you missed on your first (second, third...) time through. Yeah, I just think Bloodline is amazing. Bloodlust was amazing, too, but in a different (less dense/complex/demanding way). I can see why that approach might not work with something like Doctor Who where the universe is still going (even if the exact characters/actors from years ago are not).
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Post by elkawho on May 17, 2019 10:48:55 GMT
Individual tastes/mileage may vary, but I personally think most of Big Finish's catalog is really good. I got excited after all the fun with Bloodlust came out and started listening to some of the oldest Doctor Who Monthly Range items that have been deeply discounted, and was so impressed with them that I bought more and etc. A lot of the boxsets are truly outstanding. Thanks! Any in particular you would recommend to start with? Whenever I go to the site to look at DW, the amount of choice is a bit overwhelming I still have a bunch of Dark Shadows to get through and somewhere I have the Tomorrow People CDs, so it'll be a bit, but I think I'd like the DW. I recommend starting with the 1st 50 Main Range releases. They are very good and deeply discounted. Highly recommend Whispers of Terror, The Fearmonger, The Marian Conspiracy, Storm Warning (McGann's first), Chimes of Midnight, Spare Parts, Creatures of Beauty, Doctor Who and the Pirates. Although there are so many good stories in those 50. Or go another route and start with The Eighth Doctor Adventures. It's a great jumping on point but not as inexpensive. Good luck and enjoy!!!!
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