Tuesday, March 14, 2017

The Dark Shadows Daybook: March 14



By PATRICK MCCRAY

Jason arrives at Collinwood, and through gently pointed insinuations about past events from eighteen years ago, persuades Liz to allow him to take up temporary residence at Collinwood. Roger is pleased to meet him, but then disturbed that he will be staying on. Carolyn, however, is charmed. It’s clear that Jason’s connection with Paul will be a source of tension. Liz asks Vicki for strength to get her through the ordeal of having Jason there… and to help keep her secrets. Jason makes a phone call to tell someone that things are going fine.  

Happy birthday, Dennis Patrick! Arguably the most naturally likable actor on DARK SHADOWS, he nevertheless plays one of its most loathsome villains. Ruthless and manipulative, Jason makes such an ideal heavy because he cashes in on the primary vulnerability of the protagonists: secrets. And he does so with relish. It’s such a joy to see an actor really enjoy his job while maintaining a sense of realism. In its early days, DARK SHADOWS seemed afraid to mix elan with the gravitas. Dennis Patrick changes all of that. It’s too bad that he was just a hair too old to be a true sex symbol for the show. I would have loved seeing him return as other characters beyond Paul Stoddard.

On this day in 1967, John F. “Jack” Kennedy -- the real-life basis for the hero played by Cliff Robertson in PT-109 -- was moved from a temporary grave to his permanent memorial.

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