2025 marks the 55th anniversary of the 1970 feature film, House of Dark Shadows. To help celebrate the occasion, Ansel Faraj and Darren Gross return to Terror at Collinwood for a lively conversation about the movie. Topics include: First time seeing HoDS, the original screening date in 1970, international screenings, things we liked about the picture, fandom feelings about the movie, scenes that were cut from the film, the Curtis and Frid situation after the film’s release, speculation about what a sequel with Jonathan Frid might have been about, and more!

In a very special treat (or trick?) for the Halloween season, the evil mage Count Andreas Petofi visits the podcast to let us all know what he’s been up to. Other topics include: the Hand, Aristede's whereabouts, selling ice cream to Christopher Lee, and much more. Special thanks to Count Petofi’s agent, Dr. Manfred Von Bulow, for helping to arrange this rare interview!

From March 1971 to March 1972, the Newspaper Enterprise Association syndicated the Dark Shadows daily newspaper comic strip. The strip featured six different stories and was beautifully illustrated by artist Kenneth Bruce Bald. While the comic strip’s writer remains unknown, its story editor was Elliot Caplin. Returning to the podcast to discuss the DS newspaper comic strip are authors and fans Rich Handley and Dr. Jeff Thompson. Join us for a fun dive into this unique and fascinating Dark Shadows story world.

Nancy Barrett appeared in every single Dark Shadows storyline and in both feature films. A versatile actress with a knack for creating layered, quirky, and fascinating characters, Nancy remained an essential part of DS from beginning to end. Visiting the podcast to discuss each of the wonderful Ms. Barrett’s DS characters are longtime Dark Shadows fans, Joe Flanagan and Beth Caster. And be sure to check out Joe’s page, the Many Faces of Nancy Barrett, on Facebook! NOTE: Sincere apologies for the audio issues in this episode.

Scott Young is a producer, writer, director and Dark Shadows fan who attempted to pitch a Dark Shadows TV reunion movie in the 1980s. Despite support from several of the original series’ writers and cast members, the Return to Collinwood pitch was not greenlit. In 2014/2015, Scott dusted off the pitch, reenvisioned it as a series, and retitled the project, Darker Shadows. However, this attempt was also unsuccessful. Scott visits the podcast to offer some insights into his proposals for a new DS. In addition, Scott discusses his involvement with the DS fandom going all the way back to his days volunteering at ShadowCon in the 1970s as well as assisting with the Original Music from Dark Shadows Volume 2 album. He also talks about his podcast/radio drama series, Secrets of Harridge House.

Curse of Dark Shadows writer and comics creator Craig Hurd-McKenney returns to the podcast to discuss the Kickstarter for the special edition hardback of the new DS graphic novel from Hermes Press. Craig offers some information and clarification regarding the Kickstarter and drops some teases about the book as well as its potential sequels. In addition, he provides details on the Hermes Press Dark Shadows panel and signings at San Diego Comic Con 2025!

Is Dark Shadows Fading and What Does the Future Hold? with Patrick McCray – As Dark Shadows Daybook author Patrick McCray astutely observes, “Dark Shadows is the “Star Trek” of horror”… but is it fading from popular culture? Patrick is the good cop and Penny is the bad cop in this episode where several questions are raised… Why aren’t there more licensees? How can new fans access the show? References, and why aren’t there more? What can fans do to boost the signal? Is it actually best for DS to stay in the shadows? Has the fandom become too contented? What will the fandom be like in 20 years? And much more!

What better way to celebrate the 59th anniversary of Dark Shadows than with a spirited discussion about the mistress of Collinwood, Elizabeth Collins Stoddard as portrayed by Hollywood legend, Joan Bennett?! Returning to the podcast for this deep-dive character analysis are two of Elizabeth’s biggest fans – Nina Ogle and Tina Marie DeLucia! Topics include: Liz’s character traits, role in the story, relationships with family members and other characters in the show, the Victoria question, House of Dark Shadows, side-trips into Joan Bennett films, and much more!

Edward Gross is a writer and veteran entertainment journalist who has written books and articles on film, television, and comic books since the mid-1980s. There was a dearth of new “mainstream” Dark Shadows material available in the 80s, but Ed came to the rescue with the Dark Shadows Files magazine series. He visits the podcast to discuss his lifelong fandom for DS and these memorable Files publications, which included his interviews with many DS cast and crew members such as Jonathan Frid, Grayson & Sam Hall, Art Wallace, Ron Sproat and more. In addition, we take a fun side-trip into Ed’s longtime enthusiasm for Superman. Other topics include: Willard, Escape from the Planet of the Apes, whether there should be a new Dark Shadows, and more!

What do Dark Shadows and Masters of the Universe have in common? Perhaps, more than one might think! Penny Dreadful is joined by her friends Ted Biaselli, Director of Original Series at Netflix and Executive Producer on Masters of the Universe Revelation and Revolution, and Jon Kallis, host of Masters Cast - the longest-running He-Man and She-Ra podcast in the universe - to discuss some interesting parallels! In addition to DS, He-Man, and She-Ra, many other pop culture topics and IPs are explored and addressed. These include: fandom, revivals, The Charmings, The Green Hornet, Iron Man, Archie, Riverdale, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Jem, Lost in Space, Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and much more! Bonus: Ted shares a fun story about meeting John Karlen in Los Angeles!

A talented actor, comics creator, and beloved Dark Shadows cast member with an electrifying presence and personality, Christopher Pennock was taken far too soon when he left this plane of existence in 2021. As part of his extensive body of work in theatre, television, and film, Chris appeared in several projects helmed by filmmaker Ansel Faraj. These include Theatre Fantastique, Doctor Mabuse: Etiopomar, The Most Haunted House of Venice Beach, and The Job Interview. Ansel returns to the podcast and is joined by actors Elyse Ashton, Douglas Eames, Kelsey Hewlett, and Kelly Kitko as they reminisce and share memories of working with Chris. Special thanks to Ansel for editing this episode and including several rare clips, photos, and an interview featuring the legendary Christopher Pennock!

In this episode, Penny is joined by Emmy Award-winning comedian, actor, writer, and voice artist Dana Gould (Stan Against Evil, Hanging with Doctor Z, The Simpsons) and television writer, comedian, and associate programming manager Kandice Martellaro (Stan Against Evil, Hanging with Doctor Z, Don’t Bring It In)! Join us for a fun chat that, of course, features extensive discussion about Dark Shadows, but also includes topics such as: Kolchak, Stan Against Evil and what the next season would’ve been like, Simon’s Sanctorum, Feep, Twin Peaks, Club Babyhead, Creature Double Feature, King Kong vs. Godzilla, Doctor Who, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, The Simpsons and the episode that never came to pass, Planet of the Apes, the horror community, sketch comedy, standup comedy, and MUCH more! You do not want to miss this one!

Award-winning screenwriter and playwright John Logan (Gladiator, Sweeney Todd, Penny Dreadful, Hugo, Skyfall, Red) returns to the podcast! In this episode, we take on the challenging task of choosing our TOP FIVE Dark Shadows storylines! Join us as we discuss our personal picks for the DS cream of the crop.

A somewhat salty, and possibly insane, Penny Dreadful addresses another batch of DS continuity, plot, character, and canon questions in this episode, inspired by Dale Clark’s wonderful Dark Shadows Books of Questions and Answers which were published between 1989 and 1995. In this installment, the following questions are addressed: Would Julia’s treatments have permanently cured Barnabas? When Barnabas is in his coffin during the day, is he sleeping and can he be awakened? How does Laura Collins “work”? Was Barnabas destroyed at the end of House of Dark Shadows? Where were Gerard’s pirates in 1840? Stagehands in the shot? Mic shadows, boom mics, and cameras in the shot?

The ghosts that haunt the Collinwood estate represent the most numerous and diverse group of supernatural beings in Dark Shadows. Some spirits are helpful, offering spectral warnings in attempts to assist the living. Others are malevolent, bent on revenge… or worse. Many are tragic figures, doomed to wander the halls of Collinwood or the Old House for all eternity. Bobby Lugosi and Katherine Gonzales visit the podcast to discuss some of our favorite DS ghosts and revenants! Other discussion topics include Night of Dark Shadows, DS collectibles, and real-life ghostly encounters. Bobby Lugosi is a Rondo Award-winning monster kid influencer who runs the very popular Lugosi Theatre channel on YouTube and social media. Katherine Gonzales runs the Discount Artificial Sweetener channel on YouTube where she posts her song creations (Katherine's lyrics, with music made using AI tools) based on Dark Shadows storylines, characters, and other topics.

TJ Lubinsky is a television, radio, and digital media host, and a director/producer known for his PBS pledge drive and music programs. He also happens to be the mysterious Dark Shadows fan who built his own replica of COLLINWOOD in Pennsylvania! TJ visits the show to tell the tale of how he undertook this epic project. Along the way, he discusses his origins as a Dark Shadows and Doctor Who fan, tells us how, as a 15-year-old, he met and interviewed Jonathan Frid, talks about his longtime friendship with Jim Pierson, reveals his crush on Dr. Julia Hoffman, and much more!

Penny invites some old friends - Erin Haas, Rachel Freitas, Jed O’Berry, and Adam P. Cray - onto the podcast to explore the topic of “What Makes a Cult Television Show?” in this spirited New Year’s episode! We discuss various topics, including: What are the characteristics of a cult show? Should there be a new Dark Shadows if the tone is changed? Should a new DS be a remake or a continuation? If a show or movie goes fully mainstream, is it still considered a cult show or cult film? A Dan Curtis Shared Universe? While the focus is on Dark Shadows, we also discuss and/or mention: The Twilight Zone, Batman, Being Human, Interview with the Vampire, Kindred: The Embraced, Manimal, Lost in Space, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Hexed, The Wild Wild West, Bordertown, Star Trek, Doctor Who, Planet of the Apes, In Search of…, The Monkees, Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Brady Bunch, The Golden Girls, Cobra Kai, The Partridge Family, The X-Files, The IT Crowd, Twin Peaks, Blake’s 7, Freaks and Geeks, The Tomorrow People, MST3K, Monty Python's Flying Circus, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, The Mandalorian, What We Do in the Shadows, Star Wars, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Room, Pet Sematary, The Lord of the Rings, H.R. Pufnstuf, The Young Ones, Three’s Company, The Office, Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, superheroes, and more!

David Henesy visits the podcast in this special yuletide episode of Terror at Collinwood! Celebrated and beloved by Dark Shadows fans for his portrayals of David Collins, Daniel Collins, Jamison Collins, Parallel Time Daniel Collins, and Tad Collins, David Henesy is the CEO of Panama Botanicals and the owner of La Factoria imported specialty foods, where sustainability is key! In the first half of the episode, David talks about the ethos behind his successful, and environmentally conscious, endeavors in the restaurant and food production businesses. Along the way, he elaborates on his origins in the restaurant business. In the second half of the episode, David dives into his time in show business. Topics of discussion include: working on Broadway with Mary Martin, being in the touring company of Oliver!, and of course, plenty of fun talk about his memorable years on Dark Shadows! You do not want to miss this episode!

From 2011-2013, Dynamite Entertainment published 34 issues of a new Dark Shadows comic book series based on the original show. Issues 1 through 23 comprised the bulk of the series and featured the comic’s main storyline, a continuation of the original show set in 1971. There was also a 5 issue Dark Shadows-Vampirella miniseries and then a 6 issue Dark Shadows: Year One miniseries, which was a reimagining of the TV serial’s 1795 storyline. Returning to the podcast to discuss the Dynamite Comics are writer and editor, Rich Handley, and Madelyn Marks, administrator of the Dark Shadows Discord group!

An esteemed actor and writer, Jerry Lacy delighted Dark Shadows fans with his portrayals of fanatical witch hunter Reverend Trask, young hardboiled lawyer Tony Peterson, villainous hypocrite Rev. Gregory Trask, Mr. Trask the butler in Parallel Time, and the vengeful undertaker, Lamar Trask. Mr. Lacy’s list of credits includes his critically acclaimed performance as the ghost of Humphrey Bogart in the Broadway and film versions of Play It Again, Sam, Rick Latimer in Love of Life, and Doctor Mabuse in Ansel Faraj’s Doctor Mabuse Trilogy of films, among many more. He pays a visit to the Terror at Collinwood podcast for a chat about his many amazing experiences and even lets us know about an upcoming animated voiceover role! Don't miss this special Thanksgiving episode with the incredible Jerry Lacy!