they seem to have quite an unusual brother and sister relationship.

[schmerica]

Today's topic is "due South episodes I really like that most people really don't." Today's specific illustrating example will be "Say Amen."

Reasons most people seem not to like this episode:

1) The plot is kind of boring.
2) The whole Thatcher gospel singing.
3) Generally, pretty cheesy.

Reasons why I like it, in ascending order:

1) I find Eloise and Davey kind of sweet.
2) The stuff about Ray and churches.
3) The way Dief is comforting to Eloise in the hospital.
4) Ray: To hell with his rights, he's going to do something stupid. No one has the right to do something stupid; well except. [Points at Frannie] Which is not only a lovely piece of characterization, but completely consistent with "Strange Bedfellows" -- "The Constitution is a piece of paper, a kick in the head is a jolt."
4) The beginning, with Ray having spent his spare social time seeing a movie with the three Mounties, is not only pathetically sad, but it also sets up in a really interesting way that his life really is completely centered around Fraser. This is only two episodes before "Call of the Wild".
6) The way the episode sets up the parallels of Eloise=Fraser and Davie=Ray.

Francesca: Fraser, is he all right? You know she is such a nice kid I feel really sorry for her.
Fraser: Why?
Francesca: She never goes out, she's never been to school, her parents keep her locked up in that church all the time. What kind of life is that for a kid? I mean really, what kind of parents would do that?

Ray: You finished? Are you done? Look I'm trying to help. Here's the deal of the thing. She's 17, her parents don't want you hanging around, so you got to stay away from the girl.
Davie: I can't man. Ray: Look, I know what it's like to be in love and lose the girl. You think your life is over but it isn't.
Davie: How would you know?
Ray: 'Cause it happened to me.
Davie: Well, what did you do?
Ray: What this, and that, and then I got err-
Davie: What?
Ray: I got married.
Davie: See, you didn't lose the girl man.
Ray: Yeah, but eventually I got divorced.
Davie: So what, you get over it?
Ray: Look, the point is..

Fraser: Are you all right?
Eloise: Davie was always so gentle, so nice to me. He just couldn't kill anybody. He couldn't.
Fraser: But your parents saw it happen.
Eloise: I know but, how could I be so wrong about him? About everything?
Fraser: It's difficult to know people, especially if you lack experience.
Eloise: It's all my fault.
Fraser: No, you can't be expected to predict the future.

Also: Fraser believing at love at first sight, looking at Ray. Ray and Fraser at the end, arguing about whether love can last. Dief believes it will.

(All quotes here are from the transcripts at realduesouth.net.)

Comments

[serialkarma.livejournal.com]

Aw. Those are all the things I like about that episode too.

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

*grins* I find it charming. That scene with Eloise and Fraser, especially, makes me go WOOBIE and *heart*.

[estrella30.livejournal.com]

huh.

Pearl...watching a scene with Fraser, and saying, WOOBIE.

how - well, how odd!

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

*grins* Fuck you, my darling.

[kijikun.livejournal.com]

I so wish I had the ep so I could watch it again.

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

Awwww. It really is enjoyable for me, though not a great episode.

[lamardeuse.livejournal.com]

Fraser believing at love at first sight, looking at Ray.

Yes, yes, yes. One of my favourite F/K moments.

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

That moment's really interesting not just for the obvious reason (which, yum) but also because I actually can't quite figure out what the directing intention is there. It's rather strange.

[shayheyred.livejournal.com]

I think the episode has gotten a bad rap, really. I do like it, for all the reasons you cite, and Ray's comment about religion -- I think he says he's a human sacrifice kind of guy,

The only thing I don't like is the lack of much interaction between Fraser and Ray. Also, my favorite episodes are those in which one of Our Boys has a personal issue at stake, and this one, for all the parallels, is not one of those episodes.

And the Thatcher singing thing? Doesn't really bother me.

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

and Ray's comment about religion -- I think he says he's a human sacrifice kind of guy,

*grins* Yes, indeed -- that's what I was basically thinking of with point number 2, up there.

Also, my favorite episodes are those in which one of Our Boys has a personal issue at stake, and this one, for all the parallels, is not one of those episodes.

*nod* This is not one of my very favorites, actually, but I definitely like it more than most people, from most of the reactions I've heard.

The Thatcher thing seems to majorly bug an awful lot of people.

[engenda.livejournal.com]

I love Fraser with Eloise. He's so gentle and empathetic with her. That hits all my woobie buttons. And the argument over whether their love will last.

Your point about Ray's life revolving around Fraser is an interesting one - in that, not as a surprise kind of way - but in that hmmmm kind of way. I also love Ray's comment to Fraser about being in Chicago for quite a while - adjust. Which highlights Fraser's refusal to adapt to his new environment - or willingly adapt.

I can just imagine - Ray goes to pick Fraser up at the end of the day at the Consulate and starts chatting with Turnbull and they get on to this movie they want to see. I'd love to see the scene where they convince Thatcher to go with them. She'd be rolling her eyes so much the tides would change.

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

I love Fraser with Eloise. He's so gentle and empathetic with her.

Really, that's one of the things that makes me love Fraser so much; he's really very very good at that. With Eloise here, Bruce in I Could Have Been a Defendent, the kid in the Promise, the girl in Some Like It Read, just over and over and over again through the series; it's the part of his character I love the most, maybe.

[mimesere.livejournal.com]

You know, every time I see you post like...ever, I keep thinking, "I should write more AtS/due South fic." And then I think, "Surely no one will care about how I've not seen that many episodes."

And now you've given me transcripty goodness.

So, you know. Fair warning. If I write more sketchy fic about a fandom I'm only half-familiar with, it's all your fault.

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

I feel no qualms on taking responsibility for this!

(Actually, you know, I have fan-made dvds of all the RayK episodes if you wanted to borrow them for a couple weeks sometime.)

[lalejandra.livejournal.com]

Those are the things I like about that episode too! Yay!

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

Yay! We have such impeccable taste.

[fanaddict.livejournal.com]

You know, it's interesting because I've never been a part of the dS fandom, so I hadn't realized this ep had a bad rep. I've always remembered it more fondly than some other eps, mostly for the parallels between Fraser&RayK and Eloise&Davey - because that is so suggestive of a romantic relationship between both couples rather than just one. Also, I thought it gave insight into how both men view love, etc. The plot was eh, but the characterization moments were great.

The ep I personally can't stand is the one with the lady singer, and Fraser singing onstage. It had some good moments, but it felt like more of a vanity project for PG than a fully realized ep.

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

*giggles* Mountie Sings the Blues is another one that I like more than most people, I think. Although that is mainly due to a) Ray being hot and b) Fraserlooking adorable shuffling around.