Bring yourself back to this episode, go ahead, close your eyes. Janet and Benton have just tucked the kids into bed (« You’re lucky, » Fraser says. Hmm... but this isn’t the subject of this review). They move into Ben’s office where they’re just about to kiss when Fraser Sr. puts his two cents in and ruins the mood. No big surprise here, right? Wrong, *very* wrong! And, I don’t know if I’m reading too much into this episode, but I saw this scene as a *direct* reference to a particular scene in ‘Victoria’s Secret‘.
What am I talking about? Fraser’s about to kiss, and possibly make love to, yet another woman with long dark hair... His external conscience (in the form of Fraser Sr., of course) is reminding him of the last time he got himself involved too quickly with a woman with long dark hair. Fraser decides not to pursue the romantic moment with Janet because he’s a lot wiser than he used to be, a little less naive, and, yes, a little more cynical. This is demonstrated, and I couldn’t believe it until I watched both scenes one after another and compared them, the fact that Fraser’s wearing the *exact* same outfit he wore when he and Victoria made love with only one notable difference : the shirt’s a darker shade of blue!
At the end of the episode, Fraser does permit himself to kiss Janet because he has allowed himself to really *know* this woman with long dark hair. (This is also the only woman with long dark hair he’s ever had any luck with, or who’s had any luck with *him*; think Thatcher (she used to have long hair), Frannie, Elaine, Victoria, and didn’t Mackenzie King have long dark hair, too ?)
My verdict? If my theory wasn’t intentionally done, then it’s an interesting coincidence! There are other examples of this throughout the show, the most notable one being Fraser’s name and the colour he wears. The name Fraser comes from the French ‘fraise’, meaning strawberry, so the Frasers have always been associated with a bright red colour, just look at their tartan.
So, if all this was done intentionally, the writers of the show are even more incredible than I first thought. Really, ‘Bounty Hunter’ was the gem of the third season and I’ll stop here since no flaming is allowed!
Marie-Andrée
On the question of women with long dark hair: Mackenzie King was both tall with short dark hair (Diefenbaker's Day Off) and short with short blonde hair (One Good Man)! Not a contortionist, but two different actresses.
It also shows us that Fraser is now able to trust another women by saying to Janet ""You know something you can trust me" really saying "I can trust you". This trust growing throughout the episode.
We also see that he is lonely when Janet and Fraser are talking in his officer / room Janet states that she sometimes feels lonely and that sometimes it hard to hold things together Fraser agrees "..it"s very easy to become disconnected". This loneliness is further expressed through Fraser Sr.saying "You need someone, son", "I need someone".
It is the first time we see that Fraser is lonely of course he has friends but .....a family is different kind of loneliness. Fraser enters his father office and Fraser Sr. talks about Janet being sturdy and that he has been thinking alot about grandchildren lately. With this Fraser is thinking about children. "You"re lucky" he tells Janet when watching the children sleep and the fact he looked and played with the children like a father would his own children.
But when he resists from kissing Janet he sees himself as vulnerable (through his father"s eyes) and that he doesn"t want to rush into anything.
There are so many "moments" when you think that Janet is the kind of person Fraser is looking for and needs then this means he must feel the same way. The other women in his life are friends; Frannie is like a sister; Meg as his boss / subordinate; Janet is alot more like him, sharing some of the same instincts and having compatible personalities. He is hypnotized by her, acknowledging that he is attracted to her, we see this through the song "Unloved" and the flashbacks of this hypnotized state. I hope this character Janet Morse arises again it would make such as good story line.
We also see his desire for children (again through his fathers eyes) in the episode "Perfect Strangers". Fraser follows his father to his office and his father tells him about his painting with a space left for picture of the grandchildren and latter with his father discussing his baby bag and where the children should be raised. Meg raised his hopes for a child.
But "..it"s not over yet son."
I quickly wrote this so please respond if you don't agree.
I just have a few quick thoughts. I'm chosing to review Bounty Hunter because this episode has irritated me the most. Warning: my quick thoughts can run...
First, every episode of Due South in syndication is a first run for me. My Due South experience began with the Man Who Knew Too Little, which by the way is one of the funniest hours of television.
I am six episodes into the sixth season and I'm disappointed. Although I like Ray K, the chemistry just isn't there. So much of Fraser's charm came from Ray V. It just isn't funny when Kowalski flips on Fraser. Leading me to Fraser's change in attitude. OK, I know a couple years in Chicago can have an affect on a man, but somehow, I don't enjoy Fraser so much. And lastly, this thing with Thatcher... This is the most irritating thing. When did they decide to turn off the Fraser/Thatcher thing? Just a couple episodes ago, Fraser is talking about her eyes and green wallpaper (I can't even get into the thing with the Scandinavian decorator). Forgive me, I love the tension between Thatcher and Fraser.
So along comes this Janet woman and Fraser's outlook on love and future changes? Show him a "sturdy" woman with three kids and he's sold? This isn't convincing to me. But then I wasn't convinced with Victoria (ah, but that is a different review).
Although still entertained, just a little disappointed with Season Three. Bounty Hunter, today, topping it off.
The remarkable way this story brought out his not so proper, down to earth, human aspect as well as his vunerability in the end was yet another view of his character. Very well done.
I failed to see any similarity to the Victoria scenes or lines. However, both of these ladies left him with tears in his eyes.