Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2014 20:51:50 GMT -5
(Apologies for the delay)
Something important to remember about Fraser while watching this show is he is the Ultimate Mountie. We see him usually in his dress uniform and he seems to in many ways to be the personification of Mountie stereotypes, but with depth.
The focus of "Manhunt" is Fraser and Vecchio helping out fellow Mountie, Buck Frobisher (Leslie Nielsen, in a more serious performance than I was ever used to), who is on the run from a felon named Harold Geiger (William Smith). Frobisher was a good friend of Fraser's father, but he's noted for being the man who put Geiger away. Geiger is known for robbing a Michigan bank and then leading police on a chase where numerous police officers were killed. Frobisher is the man who caught Geiger and now he wants revenge.
First, Vecchio and Fraser have to find Frobisher in Chicago. They manage to find him in a flop house--how they find him is a great scene I will discuss later in the review--but Frobisher seems embittered. He is no longer the Great Brave Mountie engrained in Fraser's head. He's on desk duty. Still, Fraser being the good-nature Mountie will do what he can to protect Frobisher.
It also seems to me that part of the motivation as to why Fraser does go to great lengths to protect Frobisher is due to him being a good friend of Fraser's father. I didn't feel like that was really explored in this episode, but that's just me suggesting something.
Eventually, Frobisher decides that he will help Fraser and Vecchio, which means Vecchio is stuck with two Mounties, but as usual they end up getting Vecchio out of trouble. Geiger catches up with the duo and there are plenty of fights, as well as a canoe trip through Chicago's sewers but nothing as great as the chase through the park in "Free Willie."
The episode isn't nearly as comedic as some episodes, but the pacing of the episode is good. Plus, the episode does a good thing of ratcheting up the intensity as the episode goes on. It's not that great of an episode in the early episodes--the music is so bad, you guys--but it's still enjoyable.
Additional Thoughts
-Constable Benton Fraser is Canada's best export.
-VECCHIO'S HIDEOUS SHIRT CORNER: Vecchio only wears one bad shirt in this episode, and it's not really that bad compared to his other shirts.
-ASK THE CHICAGOAN ABOUT THIS SHOW: The extension Vecchio gives a woman calling about a cat is 312. This is the area code for Chicago's downtown area. The other Chicago area code is 773.
-When Fraser and Vecchio arrive at the flop house, the guy at the desk is given a photo of Frobisher. He says he hasn't seen him and without looking, he raises his hand to collect a bribe from Vecchio.
-Fraser explains to Vecchio what Geiger did. Vecchio's response: "God, I hate tourists."
-Diefenbaker knocks down a door to save Fraser at one point in the episode because Diefenbaker is the secret hero of "Due South."
-My favorite gag of the episode is Frobisher being ready to dramatically act as a Mountie, before saying, "Taxi!" Leslie Nielsen, of course, kills the line reading of this.
You can watch the episode in its entirety here.
Something important to remember about Fraser while watching this show is he is the Ultimate Mountie. We see him usually in his dress uniform and he seems to in many ways to be the personification of Mountie stereotypes, but with depth.
The focus of "Manhunt" is Fraser and Vecchio helping out fellow Mountie, Buck Frobisher (Leslie Nielsen, in a more serious performance than I was ever used to), who is on the run from a felon named Harold Geiger (William Smith). Frobisher was a good friend of Fraser's father, but he's noted for being the man who put Geiger away. Geiger is known for robbing a Michigan bank and then leading police on a chase where numerous police officers were killed. Frobisher is the man who caught Geiger and now he wants revenge.
First, Vecchio and Fraser have to find Frobisher in Chicago. They manage to find him in a flop house--how they find him is a great scene I will discuss later in the review--but Frobisher seems embittered. He is no longer the Great Brave Mountie engrained in Fraser's head. He's on desk duty. Still, Fraser being the good-nature Mountie will do what he can to protect Frobisher.
It also seems to me that part of the motivation as to why Fraser does go to great lengths to protect Frobisher is due to him being a good friend of Fraser's father. I didn't feel like that was really explored in this episode, but that's just me suggesting something.
Eventually, Frobisher decides that he will help Fraser and Vecchio, which means Vecchio is stuck with two Mounties, but as usual they end up getting Vecchio out of trouble. Geiger catches up with the duo and there are plenty of fights, as well as a canoe trip through Chicago's sewers but nothing as great as the chase through the park in "Free Willie."
The episode isn't nearly as comedic as some episodes, but the pacing of the episode is good. Plus, the episode does a good thing of ratcheting up the intensity as the episode goes on. It's not that great of an episode in the early episodes--the music is so bad, you guys--but it's still enjoyable.
Additional Thoughts
-Constable Benton Fraser is Canada's best export.
-VECCHIO'S HIDEOUS SHIRT CORNER: Vecchio only wears one bad shirt in this episode, and it's not really that bad compared to his other shirts.
-ASK THE CHICAGOAN ABOUT THIS SHOW: The extension Vecchio gives a woman calling about a cat is 312. This is the area code for Chicago's downtown area. The other Chicago area code is 773.
-When Fraser and Vecchio arrive at the flop house, the guy at the desk is given a photo of Frobisher. He says he hasn't seen him and without looking, he raises his hand to collect a bribe from Vecchio.
-Fraser explains to Vecchio what Geiger did. Vecchio's response: "God, I hate tourists."
-Diefenbaker knocks down a door to save Fraser at one point in the episode because Diefenbaker is the secret hero of "Due South."
-My favorite gag of the episode is Frobisher being ready to dramatically act as a Mountie, before saying, "Taxi!" Leslie Nielsen, of course, kills the line reading of this.
You can watch the episode in its entirety here.
