Time-jumping vampire does it again!http://tv.zap2it.com/tveditorial/tve_main/1,1002,271|86120|1|,00.html
WB Hopes to Hide in 'Dark Shadows'
(Monday, February 02 01:49 PM)
By Daniel Fienberg
LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - If P.T. Barnum were looking over the history of The WB, he might note that a bloodsucker is born every minute.
The WB is looking to sire a new vampire franchise, reportedly greenlighting a new version of the popular daytime serial "Dark Shadows," which first aired on ABC from 1966 to '71. NBC resurrected the franchise for a short-lived primetime revival in '91.
Original "Dark Shadows" creator Dan Curtis and "ER" and "West Wing" producer John Wells are the creative forces behind the WB update, along with Mark Verheiden ("Smallville"), who wrote the pilot.
Is there room for two vampires in The WB's drama family? Joss Whedon's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel" shared time on the network's schedule for two seasons, before "Buffy" migrated to UPN. Since that time, the David Boreanaz supernatural private eye drama has had the monopoly on the network's share of stakings, bloodlust and holy water aversion.
It remains to be seen how many new high concept franchise-type dramas The WB is going to have room for next fall, particularly considering the failures of heavily promoted series like "Birds of Prey" and "Tarzan." In the fall, the network spend big money for the rights to develop a new version of "Lost in Space"
One thing that's for sure is that even if this "Dark Shadows" remake never makes it to the air, there will always be undead yarns for The WB to unspool.
NBC aired their version on Friday nights. Not a bad move if you are aiming for a very young or family viewership, but the sexy vixens on that prime-time DS were clearly there to attract a viewing audience that often doesn't spend Friday evening in front of a TV.
Well, as long as they don't air it opposite Survivor, y'know.
SMILES ARE FREE