In 1967, the gothic soap opera, "Dark Shadows", introduced a new character to its viewers. Barnabas Collins, a vampire, was brought in for a limited run to boost the sagging ratings of the unusual daytime drama. Shortly after the introduction of this unique character, another character was injected into the storyline to play Van Helsing to Dark Shadows' version of Dracula. As originally conceived, this character, Dr. Julian Hoffman, was also to last for a brief period of time before assisting in the destruction of Barnabas Collins. Legend has it that a secretarial typo changed Julian to Julia, and on June 30, 1967, Episode 265, Dr. Julia Hoffman made her first appearance on daytime television.

Instead of succumbing to the stake, Barnabas became a surprise hit due in large part to the sensitive portrayal of actor Jonathan Frid. Dr. Julia Hoffman also became a popular character thanks to the actress who portrayed her, Grayson Hall. Grayson had decided on her own to make Dr. Hoffman more three dimensional by having her fall in love with the reluctant vampire. Thus began the relationship that delighted viewers during the series' original four-year run and that has continued to fascinate fans for another twenty-seven years and counting.

The relationship of Barnabas Collins and Julia Hoffman underwent a gradual transformation during the course of "Dark Shadows". From doctor/patient to on and off adversaries to allies to best friends to something more than friends describes the evolution of feelings that occurred between these two unique individuals. Julia loves Barnabas unconditionally throughout it all whether he is vampire or human or something in-between. She is steadfast, loyal, and loving despite the circumstances. She risks her life on more than one occasion to save him never asking for anything in return. Julia sees something in Barnabas that he no longer recognizes in himself - the kind, gentle man that he had been - and her belief in his innate goodness gives him the hope and strength to continue his quest to once again become a mortal man. Julia never tells Barnabas outright her feelings for him although she comes close a time or two. She never says to him, "I love you," but her eyes, her face, her voice and certainly her actions are enough to tell him all that he needs to know.

Barnabas' feelings for Julia are slower to develop. At first he distrusts her although he desperately wants her experiment to cure him to succeed. He can be exceedingly cruel to her in the beginning of their relationship and physically assaults her on more than one occasion. Eventually, he comes to trust her completely, and she becomes his closest confidante and ally. And then we begin to recognize that which Barnabas Collins is reluctant to admit to himself; his feelings for Julia, this modern professional woman for whom he has no frame of reference, have grown deeper and deeper. One need only consider his reactions to her various disappearances to realize how much she means to him. It is streetwise Willie Loomis who forces Barnabas to first voice his feelings for Julia out loud when she is missing at the hands of the vampire Tom Jennings. "What do you want me to admit, Willie? That I care for Julia more than I appear to? All right, I will admit it. She's been a part of my life for so long, a very important part." And so Barnabas Collins
finally articulates to his servant and to himself that Julia has come to mean a very great deal to him indeed.

As the series proceeded, the viewers got a better glimpse of the depth of Barnabas' devotion to Julia Hoffman. Time after time when she is missing and often presumed dead, Barnabas is wracked by worry and frantic to find her. He risks his life to save her as she has risked hers to save him. Perhaps the most crucial display of his feelings comes during their sojourn to the year 1995. Julia begs him to return to their own time without her because she remains under the evil Gerard's influence. Barnabas refuses, telling her tenderly, "Not without you. Never without you." His eyes, body language and gentle voice indicate that perhaps Barnabas has at last admitted to himself that Julia is more than just a
friend to him.

It is unfortunate that "Dark Shadows" ended before Barnabas and Julia were given the opportunity to pursue a happy life together. Both Jonathan Frid and Grayson Hall stated that they were playing the characters as if they were a couple. Fan polls taken at the time voted for a B and J union. Eventually, the two actors insisted that Barnabas and Julia become a couple, and Dan Curtis finally agreed that Julia would be Barnabas' final love interest. The series was cancelled before these plans could become reality, but head writer Sam Hall wrote in a follow-up article in TV GUIDE that the couple married following their return from 1840. Since that time, fans have written all manner of fanfiction in which Barnabas and Julia find their way to each other and become husband and wife.

Below are (links to) numerous "defining moments" which illustrate the evolution of the Barnabas-Julia relationship throughout the life of "Dark Shadows":