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TODAY: Dark Shadows 50th Anniversary Celebrated On Decades Network!

Courtesy/Decades

Courtesy/Decades

It was 50 years ago that the first gothic soap opera came to be, when the iconic Dark Shadows debuted on ABC on June 27th, 1966.   In the network line-up it followed General Hospital and The Nurses.

The series aired from 1966-1971, and Dark Shadows became a phenom with vampire Barnabas Collins, a role made famous by Jonathan Frid, as the show’s most beloved and recognizable character.  Dark Shadows took its viewers audiences to the mysterious town of Collinsport, Maine, and all of its characters.  Dark Shadows also feautured in its cast: David Selby, Grayson Hall, Kathryn Leigh Scott and so many others over its short, but historic run.

Today, Decades Network will be featuring Dark Shadows episodes, including the debut of vampire Barnabas Collins. Decades remembers the premiere of this cult favorite with the 12 episodes that marked the beginning of the Barnabas storyline, one that propelled the daytime series to new heights. The episodes will be presented in groups of three at 9 a.m. ET, 3 p.m. ET, 9 p.m. ET and 3 a.m. ET.

In addition to the selected Dark Shadows episodes, the Decades original one-hour daily series Through the Decades will present an exclusive interview with Steven August Papa, the proclaimed #1 lifetime fan of Dark Shadows, who shares his childhood love for the show and why he is still hooked many years later. They also speak with Walter Podrazik, Television Curator at the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago, about the show’s place in TV history. The episode will feature interviews with cast members Jonathan Frid (Barnabas Collins), Kathryn Leigh Scott (Maggie Evans) and Lara Parker (Angelique Bouchard Collins).

Decades.com will also present the 1968 Dick Cavett interview with Jonathan Frid.  Once thought lost, this rare audio recording is taken from an interview on The Dick Cavett Show not seen on television since it originally aired. The interview covers a variety of topics including the actor’s thoughts on researching and playing the vampire Barnabas Collins, a memorable and chaotic press tour he took for publicity, fan mail influencing the show, and his rapport with actress and co-star Grayson Hall who played Dr. Julia Hoffman.

So, were you a fan of Dark Shadows? Share your thoughts on Decades Network remembering their  50th anniversary in the comment section below!

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I’ve been watching DS on Decades this morning. I’d love to see more.

I wish I had known about this tribute, I would of stayed home today. Loved everything Dark Shadows, watched it every day after school.

im its no1 fan.-lol..i even had figures made of the cast…still own books, records,board games and ring ect…..ive watched the episodes every time they air…its my top favorite serial and tv series of all time!!!…and im watching on decades!!!

i wish Edge Of NIght saved their episodes as it is my second favorite series….

0ohh my gorsh!
the music gave the creepy feeling..
When Barnabas walked to the door the drum went- boom booom booom booom..
the short celebration left me wanting a lot more!
can’t wait for Decades 3 day binge of Dark Shadows, again.
I wish a network would run DS again, 2 episodes a day for 2-1/2 years!

I LOVED Dark Shadows and have many fond memories of watching with my sisters when they came home from school or summer break. I’d watch if I could.

Thanks for the memories Dark Shadows!

I did check out Decades.com Thanks for the info Mr. Fairman! Love it!

I love you Dark Shadows !!

I wish they would bring this show back… it would totally do well today! Loved the 90s remake!

I’m catching the 8pm (ct) tonight.
When the new network ‘Decades’ aired, it’s very 1st ”bing”premiere weekend it aired Dark Shadows.. It ran the episodes for 3 days, nonstop..
It was fun.. too sad I didn’t record it..
There will be another 3 day binge of Dark Shadows’ looking forward to it, again.

Tonight is 12 episodes to celebrate it’s 50th !

btw; Decades rocks!
This 3 day/weekend binge was the original Superman from the 50’s B&W to color..
It was fun seeing those Superman episodes!!

I am dating myself, but this was my soap! It was right up there with The Edge of Night.

My two personal faves. Add OLTL and its my perfect trio!

This was an awesome show, they don’t make them like this anymore! Growing in San Jose, Ca I remember as a kid watching this show and I remember Kate Jackson in 1970 she was awesome then and of course was the smartest Angel on Charlie’s Angels.

David Shelby was awesome as well.

There is 3 day convention/festival going on as I write in NY.
Dark Shadows will never die!
Every year since it went off air there has been the yearly Dark Shadows convention, every year to date.
The stars would be there and etc..

There are Dark Shadows Cruises since 2009–
(((((Activities will include special DARK SHADOWS screenings and DS Costume Party with the stars, Q&A sessions, autographs, a special DARK SHADOWS Origins in Martinique Presentation, performances by the stars, a bus tour of Martinique and much more!
Rates are per person based on double occupancy and includes all meals, all shipboard entertainment, all port charges and DARK SHADOWS registration fee. Fans who join now with a refundable deposit by March 31, 2014 will attend a private Cast Party on the ship!)))

Dark Shadows has Facebook and Twitter, and a very active fan club.
There are still DS costume parties and books and memorabilia being sold and collected.
I find that so amazing that Dark shadows lives on that I had to Mention it.
……….. And it has been 50 years!!!

I’m sorry I missed Dark Shadows. Why did it go off air?

Since it went off the air the second time, I think you mean. It was originally on ABC, and a decade later NBC (in its ITC Serif Gothic typeface days) rebroadcast it. I was living in NYC at the time and still remember the commercials for The Milford Plaza and Rollin’ Roaster.

Dark Shadows also aired on the SyFy channel ..

who played Quintin Collins?

David Selby, Maureen.

Tivoed the whole series on Decades and will binge watch this weekend! It was my first soap that I’d run straight home after school to see. Lots of great memories watching the Decade Channel shows and so happy to catch the DS 50th Anniversary marathon.

Sadly, DECADES has no immediate plans to add Dark Shadows to its daily lineup. But you never know. Because once Barnabas has risen, he won’t go back in his coffin without a fight.

“Dark Shadows” has taken to Twitter and Facebook suggesting that fans email DECADES “saying how much you love the show and want to see all the episodes.” It’s an excellent idea, considering that DS has a loyal (and vocal) fanbase.
The DECADES email address is
—— feedback@decades.com

Or you can send a letter via snail mail (always more impactful) to:
Weigel Broadcasting
26 N. Halsted Street
Chicago, IL 60661

Thanks su!

I have been attending Dark Shadows events since 1983. I was at the one in Tarrytown this past weekend. It was so much fun to revisit a part of my life that has brought me so much pleasure for so many years.

When I texted my sister to let her know DS was on Decades (which I don’t get with ATT UVerse) she told me I could watch on HULU for anyone who is interested.

My wife & I attended the 50th Anniversary Dark Shadows Festival in Tarrytown , NY last weekend. Twelve former DS cast members were there & signed autographs & had photos taken with fans. It was our third festival & we enjoy it more each time:-)

Eugene and Jay..
wow! how awesome you both were at the 50th Anniversary Dark Shadows Festival in Tarrytown , NY … what a great time you had!!!

Would like to see Dark Shadows brought on Decades. Loved the recent marathons. I would like now to see the Quentin Collins day. So many fans would watch the show. Loved this show as a kid and would so enjoy seeing the show again.

Dallas

Lifetime’s ‘Ladies of the ’80s: A Divas Christmas’ Brings Epic Food Fight and “Slapfest Coup de Grâce”

Get ready for the feuding soap opera divas, when five actresses known for their signature primetime and daytime roles are brought together in Lifetime’s new holiday film, Ladies of the ’80s: A Divas Christmas.

Saturday night, December 2nd on Lifetime (8pm ET/7PM CT) marks the highly-anticipated holiday movie premiere featuring: Donna Mills (ex-Knots Landing), Nicolette Sheridan (ex-Knots Landing), Morgan Fairchild (ex-Falcon Crest et al), Linda Gray (ex-Dallas) and Loni Anderson (ex-WKRP in Cincinnati).

Here’s what we do know! In story, five alums from the long-running soap, The Great Lakes reunite for a live Christmas finale. Uh-oh!  Now take a look at the backstory of the colorful cast of characters (pay special attention to the clever twists on the actresses names!)

Photo: Lifetime

LAUREN EWING (Linda Gray) “Everyone thinks I’m so damn good all the time,” confesses the junk food-loving Lauren of her second act as a lifestyle guru. “I don’t know how Gwenyth Paltrow does it!”

DANA CUNNINGHAM (Donna Mills) Now a sitcom mom, she’s yet to make amends to ex-bestie Juliette after abruptly leaving the soap back in the day. Not that she hasn’t tried: “When I thought the world was going to end in Y2K,” Dana says, “I reached out to her, and she never called me back.”

LILY MARLOWE (Loni Anderson) After replacing Dana on ‘Great Lakes’, Lily never again found a role to win her acclaim. “What do I have to show for (my career)? An arc on  For the People – Shonda Rhimes’ only flop!”

JULIETTE MATHESON (Nicollette Sheridan) “She left me for L.A.,” the party girl turned fashion mogul recalls of Dana’s betrayal. Will their feud derail the entire event?

MARGEAUX ROBERTS (Morgan Fairchild) “Fasten your face-lifts, ladies, it’s gonna be a bumpy weekend!” The sassy grande dame of ‘Great Lakes’ sees the Juliette-Dana beef as the perfect escape from her own domestic drama.

Photo: Lifetime

Now, making this all the more hysterical is the director of The Great Lakes reunion special, which makes the five women live under the same roof, is its former child star Alex, who has gotten his ex-girlfriend, Nell to direct the finale. Meanwhile, in the subplot. the ‘Ladies of the ’80s’ come up with a plan to get Alex and Nell back together.

As with any good soap opera, there is a major food fight. Linda Gray shared with USA Today ,”The food fight was one take. And it was fabulous.” And of course, their is a bitch-fest slap-fest. Morgan Fairchild revealed, “Oh honey, we all got ours in. Mine was a simple, ‘How dare you?’ with a slap. But I was hoping for a punch.”

Photo: Lauren Dukoff/Lifetime

The movie’s EP, Larry Thompson, who is a Hollywood manager and has Donna Mills as a client, said that the entire scene peaks with the”slapfest coup de grâce.” What is that exactly? That is when Donna Mills pushes Nicollette Sheridan into a pool in a nod to Dynasty’s Lily bond battle between Dynasty’s Alexis (Joan Collins) and Krystle (Linda Evans).

In case you missed it previously, check out the trailer for Ladies of the ’80s: A Divas Christmas below, also starring Patrika Darbo, Alec Mapa, Mills real-life daughter, Chloe Mills, and Christopher Atkins with theme song by Tiffany.

Now let us know, will you be tuning in to the movie for a premise that should delight many a longtime soap fan? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

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RATINGS: The Young and the Restless Hits Five-Month High in Total Viewers

The emergence of Aunt Jordan played by As the World Turns favorite Colleen Zenk, and Claire’s (Hayley Erin) machinations against Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott), gave CBS daytime’s The Young and the Restless a ratings spike.

For the week of November 13-17, 2023, (the 17th being the episode which featured Aunt Jordan’s first appearance in the cliffhanger) gave Y&R a total of 3.343 million viewers.

According to SON, the series celebrating their 50th anniversary season, added +168,000 week-to-week and all in all their highest number of viewers since the week of June 26-30, 2023.

Photo: JPI

One can only expect next week’s ratings which would be for the week of November 20-24th and the numbers for the following ratings week of November 27-December 1, to also bring in some hefty numbers for the top-rated soap opera, as viewers witnessed the drama that unfolded between the entire Newman family vs. Aunt Jordan and Claire’s vengeful plot.

Photo: JPI

In addition, Y&R’s sister soap, The Bold and the Beautiful also had a strong week averaging 2.862 million viewers. B&B had a net gain of +66,000 viewers compared to the week prior.  The series continues to play up the story that has Eric Forrester (John McCook) trying to cope with the fact he has been told he only has a short time left to live.

Photo: JPI

So, what do you think about the ratings performance of The Young and the Restless? Were you tuning-in to see what went down when Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott) was stabbed with a hypodermic needle than put on an IV-drip of alcohol? Let us know in the comment section below, and make sure to check out our brand new livestream interview replay with Y&R’s Hayley Erin below.

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Mishael Morgan Stars in Hallmark’s ‘Christmas with a Kiss’

The Young and the Restless fan favorite, Mishael Morgan (Amanda Sinclair) is back with yet another holiday film, in which she stars. This Sunday, December 3rd, look for Morgan in Hallmark Channel’s, Christmas With a Kiss (8pm ET/7pm PT).

In the romantic holiday film, Morgan stars a Mona, a New York City social media ambassador who has been rather unlucky in love as of late. Before Christmas, Mona takes a trip to Manhattan and returns to her family’s farm upstate to help her parents prepare for the annual Christmas carnival, founded by her great-grandfather.

According to Sinclair family lore (interesting the last name is “Sinclair” … right, Y&R fans?). one will find everlasting love if they kiss their date under the mistletoe during the carnival’s closing-night dance.

Photo: Hallmark Channel

Like clockwork, Mona runs into her ex, Fletcher (Ronnie Rowe Jr.), and old sparks reignite. But wait! Mona has another suitor in Dez (Jamie Callica), a reporter doing a story on the Sinclair family.  Who will Mona ultimately kiss under the mistletoe?

Mishael who resides in both Toronto and Los Angeles, was able to be part of this latest holiday movie near her Canadian backyard as it was shot in Milton, Ontario back in October.

Photo: JPI

In a recent Instagram post, Morgan shared: “What a fun shoot this was. In the name of Christmas, Don’t miss this one 😆🎄” The actress also just starred in BET’s: Sworn Justice: Taken Before Christmas. One thing is certain, since departing Y&R, Mishael has been in-demand.

Check out a sneak peek of Christmas with a Kiss below. Then let us know, if you hope an Amanda Sinclair visit to Genoa City might be in store next year in 2024, via the comment section.

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