I love good guys

I'm afraid that I'm not up to par for this rewatch reflection. I've got a vicious cold (maybe an ear infection). Might you help fill in my gaps?

"Dying to Know You" is a strong, rich episode. Some elements look back at whence the series has already come; at least one arguably foreshadows far ahead.

Recap: "Dying to Know You" (DTKY) (S1E06) is the episode in which the wife and daughter of Conrad Hedges, a wealthy philanthropist, are kidnapped, and the wife murdered, crimes later revealed to have been at Hedges's instigation to protect his secret. A psychic named Denise Ford, who has previously worked with Stonetree, assists Nick and Schanke's investigation after a vision about the kidnapping. Denise finds herself psychically aware of Nick's vampirism. She suspects her sanity. Wondering whether he should tell Denise his secret, Nick remembers Matthew, who committed suicide when Nick didn't confide in him (c.1649-1659). Nick tells Denise. As the bad guys are brought to bay, Hedges kills Denise; Nick blames himself.

( some thoughts on DtKY )

What do you think?

Next week: "False Witness" (FW) (S1E07)

"Last Act" (S1E04) (LA) is one of FK's best episodes. Excellent writing, directing, acting. Outstanding themes, parallels, genre-entwining. Movement between the daytime human world and the nighttime vampire world. (Some bloopers with scene-to-scene costuming continuity!) On all its levels, "Last Act" is about motivations, and its tenacious grappling with why epitomizes much of what I so love in FK's first season.

As Natalie says of Erica's final play, "I know it was all about death, but I found it very life-affirming." To me, that line speaks meta not only about this episode, not only about first season, but, archetypally, is the foundation and justification of all that FK should be.

Recap: "Last Act" is the episode in which Nick's old friend and lover Erica ("How old?"/"Oh, two, three-hundred years."), a playwright, commits suicide in the sun, and Nick remembers her (and is, perhaps literally, perhaps metaphorically, haunted by her) as he investigates the suicide of a young doctor, Marilyn Siegal, slowly revealed to have been a murder. The procedural story structure offers three suspects: Doctor Cole, coworker; Dean Simmons, patient; Carl Janns, fiance. In the end, Nick and Schanke expose and capture Janns. And it is all — from Erica through Marilyn and the suspects to Nick — about motivations. Who values life, and how?

( Some thoughts on LA )

What do you think?

Next week: S1E05 "Dance by the Light of the Moon" (DBLM)

I rewatched both the Region 2 and Region 1 versions of "Dark Knight, the Second Chapter" (S102).

While the Region 2 DVDs stitch the two halves of "Dark Knight" (S101 & S102) together seamlessly, where the Region 1 DVDs separate them as aired, there is otherwise essentially no difference between the two regions for DK2 (S102)! Where the Region 1 DVDs present a version of DK1 (S101) that's distressingly full of holes, lacking many scenes that originally did air in Canada, those same DVDs present an uncut version of DK2 (S102). Even scenes that didn't always air in North America (like the "I shall repay you" flashback, and Fenner cutting the brake line with Nick hearing his keys) are right where they should be on the Region 1 DVD.

I don't know why the two regions treat the two halves of the one premiere so differently. You know FK. :-)

( some thoughts on DK2 )

What do you think? :-)

Next week: "For I Have Sinned" (S103)

So as we all know, what would become our beloved Forever Knight (1992-1996) actually first appeared as the TV movie Nick Knight (1989). It starred Rick Springfield (Nick), John Kapelos (Schanke), Robert Harper (Jack (Natalie)), Michael Nader (Lacroix), Laura Johnson (Alyce), Cec Verrell (Janette), and Richard Fancy (Brunetti (Stonetree)).

I think that I last watched it for its 20th anniversary in 2009, which would mean I'd never before seen it on as large a TV as I did tonight. :-)

( a few thoughts on rewatching the original Nick Knight movie )

What do you think? :-)

Next week: FK S1E01 "Dark Knight"

What's with Natalie giving Nick engraved metal objects in second season? (The watch in "Killer Instinct" and the pillbox in "Be My Valentine.") Does she know someone in the engraving business? Did a new kiosk open in her favorite mall? Did Nick drop some sort of hint, genuinely or by miscommunication? Inquiring minds want to know! The nameplates on the plaques in "Partners of the Month" and "Can't Run, Can't Hide" are also engraved metal objects in second season, no?

Just fly-by silliness, here. :-) One week to fkficfest/fkficfest!

(Actually, if I remember correctly, the earlier versions of the "Killer Instinct" script -- before Cohen was Cohen -- called for Nick to own a police academy class ring, which would be the stolen and planted item.)