when does barnabas collins appeared on dark shadows

Barnabas Collins actually showed up way later than most people assume. He didn't pop up in the very beginning of the show. He actually made his first appearance in episode 211, which aired back in the spring of 1967. It's pretty wild to think the show ran for so long without him, considering he basically became the face of the whole franchise later on.

I remember binge-watching some of those old tapes a few years back and it's crazy how the vibe of the show totally shifted the moment he stepped into the plot. Before him, it was more of a gothic soap opera, but he brought that whole vampire element that made it iconic. If you're planning on watching it, just stick with it through those first two hundred episodes—it definitely picks up speed once he arrives.