Post by JoeWasnt the Leviathan storyline after their highest ratings with a
werewolf and vampire? Why not continue with a new vampire and maybe
even a different werewolf? That was a storyline that clearly worked.
The Leviathan thing was stupid
Dark Shadows kept recycling stories in its last year and a half or so,
trying new twists on stories that had worked before. The werewolf was
dropped, but stories featuring Barnabas as a vampire again continued
throughout 1970, after the Leviathan storyline had concluded.
The 1840 storyline, according to one of the Dark Shadows books that have
been released, was a deliberate attempt to revitalize the show by
recycling ideas that had worked in the past...a main character accused
of witchcraft...Barnabas vs. Angelique...Reverend Trask...even a
character who had been haunting present-day Collinwood, leading to the
1840 flashback. Problem was, it had all been done before, and had been
done better the first time.
Personally, I wish Dan Curtis had released both Gordon Russell and Sam
Hall from the daily writing chores. By this time, I think that both men
had simply run out of ideas. Jonathan Frid, of course, probably didn't
help things any by refusing to sign a new contract with the show unless
he could play some other character besides Barnabas...but the series was
on its way out by this time anyway.
Ironically, according to the Dark Shadows Almanac, ratings for Dark
Shadows actually rose during its final few weeks on the air.