Laurie's Review
Melanie's Review
Laurie's Review:This ep moderately satisfies me. I would like it so much better if the Fraser/Frannie angle had been handled differently or if it hadn't been included at all. I like the way the The Deal ends with a question mark, and not just because Francesca shows up at his door. It really wasn't necessary to address the issue, so I'm of the opinion that the substory was included solely for comic relief, not that I found it particularly funny. Instead, it undermined the seriousness of the main story. There's no balance at all between drama and humor, unless one finds the "did they or didn't they" question funny.
Kidnappings are commonplace on TV and Due South has had more than one such story. Psychics have been done to death too, but I like Garret and I like watching him battle his demons. He's homeless and has mental problems but he's treated with respect, not only by the writers but Ben and Ray. Our favorite FBI agents treat everyone like dirt so I don't expect them to be sensitive.
I can just barely tolerate the chase scene because of the music. At the Hundredth Meridian is one of my favorite songs from Due South, which has its share of car chases. I can come up with only three reasons for their inclusion: they fill up three minutes of screen time, they showcase a song, and TV writers think they will keep the attention of male viewers, who we all know only watch a show if there's violence, sports, sex or a car chase.
I enjoy watching Ben fret just a bit over Garret's accusation that he "saw" him and then his grateful relief when Garret says he didn't see him with the kidnap victim. Garret is the quiet hero, and it's fascinating to watch his indecision over whether or not to jump into the hole with the kidnap victim. When they're driving around looking for the factory, both Ray and Ben are skeptical about his abilities when he tells them he saw God. But he did (part of the lettering of the Goddard building), and it helped pinpoint her location.
Francesca puzzles me in this ep. In the beginning she's typical Frannie, though I think the gossiping seems out of character even for her. At the end, she's suddenly shy around Ben, and this change in demeanor seems to make him comfortable with her. Maybe it's the talk she had with Ray and the need to put things in perspective, but here was her chance to actually spend time with Ben. He offered to walk her home and she turned him down. The way she's dressed in this ep (very nice, rather conservative outfit) is so unlike her too. Any other ep and she would have been screaming to be taken seriously, but the gossiping blows it.
Ray also puzzles me a little. He's all bent out of shape over whether or not F&F slept together. Later in the car he apparently has come to terms with whatever he thinks he has to come to terms with, and as they're walking down the hallway at the station, he brushes Ben off with a slight smile when Ben tries to say something. Then moments later he goes ballistic with his sister.
I'm going to slide over nitpicks. The main one is the the Frannie/Fraser bit.
Now I'll focus on some of what I liked about this ep:
How about the choking notice in the lunchroom next to the vending machines? Does that appear in any other eps? How appropriate that it's where it is. We've heard enough comments about the food and coffee that Hugo stocks - I know it would make me choke.
Except for the Francesca standoff, Ray and Ben work well together in this ep. I love their "hmmm" conversation and their wordless communication at the end. I also like the two of them in Welsh's office during the strategy session after the ransom note has been delivered. In one shot they both have an elbow propped on the other arm with chin in hand (thought mode) and in another shot they both have their arms crossed and have similar thoughtful expressions on their faces, like they're thinking the same thing.
The closet scene is kind of cute, especially when Elaine shows up and asks if she's disturbing them. Ben says "no" while Ray says she is.
It's entertaining hearing Ben quote from Hamlet, and for all of us who didn't see PG at Stratford, we get a few scraps tossed out to us in a couple eps.
When Ben is reaching for Garret to pull him out of the hole, I like the way Garret stares at his "vision" and points his finger, almost in wonder.
I like the final shot: Ben looking around then kicking the water cooler. It has nothing to do with anything, it's not an ending and it doesn't lead to anything else. dS has a habit of wrapping up eps this way. It's a nice technique.
The search for a particular kind of chili reminds me of the hunt for barbecued rib recipes in Body Language.
Duesies:Ford: Sit down. He said you did it, Constable.
Ben: That's correct, Sir.
Ford: He even referred to you as the one in the red coat.
Ray: Gee, I wonder why he would say a thing like that.Ray (referring to Ford & Deeter): They couldn't find an eggroll in Chinatown.
Dief moment:Ben telling Dief to be careful and Garret responding that he's a good listener. I also like the way he looks at Garret as he leaves the kidnap scene and gives that little whine of his.
Keeperships:Ray's unkempt, unshaven, hasn't-slept-in-72-hours appearance, and the sweet smile Ben gives Francesca at the end of the ep.
Grade: B-
Melanie's Review:The A and B stories in this episode are very poorly matched; they completely fail to interact either as plot or theme. In the foreground is the tense, urgent search for the missing girl; in the background Francesca is dancing around the district station, gossiping about her encounter with Fraser at the end of The Deal. I'll add that the plots are also poorly distributed; the episode begins with a heavy dose of the "did they or didn't they?" gossip, then concentrates almost entirely on the kidnapping story for about 3/4 of the episode. Once the girl is rescued, we return to another heavy dose of the Frannie plot. This B story seems to be tacked on to the kidnapping, an awkward afterthought strangely late after The Deal. (This assumes that the episodes were shown in order. It would seem that Fraser's encounter with Frannie wasn't weighing on his conscience while he was chasing all over town with Katherine Burns in Invitation to Romance).
Explain away Frannie's or Fraser's gossip how you will, I still wish the matter had been handled more subtly. Perhaps if the gossip had already been going around, and Frannie and Fraser could have both been trying to clear things up--each in his or her own way.
The kidnapping story itself is subdivided, between the dry investigation involving a victim and her father who are completely undeveloped as characters, and the fully-developed psychic dishwasher, Garrett. Aside from Garrett's gripping tale, there's virtually no depth to the kidnapping story except for a tired redux of the "incompetent FBI" element from Chinatown. The very fact that Due South usually focuses tightly on the victims of crime makes the complete inattention to Madison and his daughter even more glaring.
Was there ever another Due South episode in which both the criminal and the victim were so completely unmemorable?
As for Garrett's plot, I thought it was very well conceived but somewhat heavy-handed in its execution. Okay, the guy is psychic! Being psychic is a burden. . . with great power comes great responsibility. . . yes, thank you, I got that part. Can we move on?
Man, I sure hope I never get that woman for my public defender. How many times did she try to stop the interrogation? And how many times did the cops just keep going?
The kidnapping story ended with the worst and the best. The worst was. . . you know what's coming, don't you? A damn car chase! Ending with an explosion, no less! [mutter, mutter, I hate car chases, mutter, mutter.] The best was the scene at the dirt-floored factory/warehouse/whatever that was, beginning at the moment when the vibrations from the FBI's red white and blue helicopter starting sifting the mounds of dirt. What a deliciously subtle moment of horror, as the floor started to head south! This is gut-gripping tension at its best.
And then Garrett jumped into the hole. How unexpected was that? Was it just heroism, or was it also a form of suicide? I tend to think it was the latter--a way of stopping the immediate pain of her peril while also making sure that the "voices" would never return. And yet, "She's strong. She wants to live." That goes for Garrett, too.
When the girl's wealthy father showed up, I expected a tearful, "What can we ever do to repay you?" resolution to Garrett's story. But no, he just turned his back and walked into the night. Lovely ambiguity instead of cheap sentiment.
Second Runner-Up Nitpick of the Week:I sure hope Benny washed his hands thoroughly before each chili tasting! I mean, the finger in the communal chili pot. . . ew.
Runner-Up Nitpick of the Week:
I know the FBI are supposed to be stupid, but I honestly can't believe that somebody didn't investigate the drop zone well enough to know there was a parking garage underneath!
Nitpick of the Week:
How the hell did Fraser and Ray find the girl? All they had to go on was a dirt or sand floor, industrial, dirty windows made of safety glass, and "God." And how did the FBI find them?
Dief moment:Fraser: Diefenbaker, be careful!
[Dief goes off in a separate direction]
Garret: Good listener.
Duesies:Ford: All that's needed here is a little cooperation, Lt. Surely your people can manage that.
Welsh: I've seen your version of cooperation. They're still replacing windows down in Chinatown.Ray: He was a crazy person, okay? Elaine, tell him Hamlet was a crazy person.
Elaine: Can't vouch for Hamlet but I'd watch out for Rosencrantz and Gildenstern if I were you.(My goodness, but this episode had dry dialog. Very little humor, or even wit.)
Snack to enjoy while watching Heaven & Earth:Soup kitchen chili, with Worcestershire sauce for that extra ooomph. Wash your hands first!
Grading:
Office Gossip B- Ray/Frannie Scene A Investigation C The FBI D Garrett A- The Rescue A+ Overall Grade B
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