Ladies of the Night

[Guest PROVO_SIX]

What caught you by surprise about a character?  Something they did, said, an observation about life-style, etc...  What surprised, shocked or confused you?

Ladies of the Night, this was an icon on Frank's desktop (screen) that Catherine commented upon when she was helping Frank gain access while in Alaska -- Luminary.

hehe...his response that it was a "CDROM" that has some information on it...  hehe.

I was surprised that Frank would have such a quick link to such a subject.

[Bardo Thodol]

He actually said that it was a program about the behavior of nocturnal birds or something like that.     I really got a kick out of the whole scene... the looks on Catherines face, and the way she sort of busted him about it!  LOL!  And it was so funny that he didn't even miss a beat, or get flustered.  He just kept right on with what he was talking about and what he was asking her to do.

The show never really dealt much with Frank's sexuality directly, except for the sort of nemisis/anti-chemistry with Lucy.

Actually, he seemed to be quite undistracted by sexuality.  And he always seemed very respectful of people in this regard.  He was never dehumanizing, and never sexualized people.  He was always treated women as people and equals.  And he never judged people for their choices regarding consensual sexuality.  I always admired this about him.  I also love the connection that Frank and Catherine share.  Their passion was obvious in their love for one another.  I loved the scenes when Frank and Catherine were at her parent's home, and they were joking around about it in the hall, and later when they were laying in bed together.  I think the relationship of Frank and Catherine, from beginning to end was well developed and very real.

But, now, specifically to the question of a "character surprising me"...

This is a tough one.  I think the character that surprised me the most was when Lara became soooo taken in by the MLM Group and its machinations.  I really thought she had more strength and more of a questioning mind....  To bad she she didn't accept Mr Johnson's offer to "relieve" her of her gift, and perhaps investigated what the Owls had to offer.

[Raven Wolf]

MY LADIES OF THE NIGHT would HAVE to be Lasa & Rose.  The whole living underground, by candlelight, outsiders.....  I feel a kind of kinship to them.  

[The Old Man]

Once again the Psycho hits the nail on the head, this time with Frank. Frank made an excellent choice of role model and the way he regarded women and treated them as equals was portrayed really well by Lance. for example think back to the scene in "Loin Like a Hunting Flame" when he advised Detective Thomas treat Millennium Group sex crime expert Maureen Murphy as an equal.

It was 'rewarding' to know sometimes that Frank and Catherine had such a close relationship, one built out of trust and respect for one another. It was also good in a strange kind of way to know that Frank & Catherine could be intimate and light hearted about this - "Frank and Catherine were at her parent's home, and they were joking around about it in the hall, and later when they were laying in bed together."

Strange how the characters can overwhelm you sometimes...

As far as temptation is considered, I recall reading how many fans thought that Lara means was brought in to add a degree of sexual tension between Frank and Lara, forming a triange with Catherine. I never felt any sexual tension between them at all and I get a buzz from the scenes in Midnight Of The Century when she comes around to his house to offer her insight and again earlier when she greeted him at Peter Watts Christmas Party.

[Guest Wellington]

Hi

I too think that Lara may have been used as a possible source of tension. I expected it mainly at the beginning of Rooster (I think), when she and Frank are analyzing a crime scene configuration at Frank's home. Lara walks out to let Frank and Catherine alone, and I was desperate to see some unease in looks, which did not convincingly come. It looks like Catherine is really confident. I really wonder whether the writer missed their point or they achieved it...

Regards

[Guest PROVO_SIX]

Loin Like a Hunting Flame Detective Thomas was sharing with Frank his sexual "issues" as an extension from relationship and personal issues.  This was somewhat of a confession for Thomas, and Frank really didn't reach out to help this guy.  I would hope that I would act similarly and just patiently listen offering no real opinion on the matter.

Lara did make me a little uncomfortable with her warm greeting and hand holding with Frank in Midnight Of The Century.  Lara did express to Frank how she had difficulty maintaining relationships she thought were going well.  Anyway, I'm glad their relationship turned-out platonic.  

I too was taken back by Lara's initiation into the group.

[Bardo Thodol]

I thought the Lara Means/Frank relationship tension was actually quite a natural development.  I mean, they were partners, they had much in common.  They both had a gift that was rare and fairly troubling/oppressive at times, and they were both forensic behaviorists/profilers.  So, the both experienced and perceived the world and humanity with open eyes, etc.  They both had a very similar dry sense of humour.  They were partners, working together quite often.  So,  I can easily see them finding a great relief from the loneliness of their perspective, and great enjoyment of each others company.

So, I think it made total sense that following separation of Frank and Catherine, that there would be some sort of connection or tension developing between Frank and Lara.  Particularly on Lara's part.  I can easily see her been powerfully attracted to Frank.  And, though Frank loved Catherine and his family very much, he had to be lonely after the separtion.  So, regardless of how strong and disciplined a man Frank was, I can easily see him experiencing an attraction for Lara, given all factors of the situation.

[Guest LauraKrycek]

I saw their relationship as being one of good friends who share deep emotional urges that they feel no one else can really understand.  So they get together and talk.  And when they're talking, sometimes with that connection that they make, there can be tension and sometimes even impure ideas,  but never expressed or acted out.  There is a certain underlying tension between them at some points, but it could never equal what Frank had with Catherine -- Lara was another part of his soul, but Catherine and Frank were two halves of a puzzle.  Where he and Lara understood each other and were able to collaborate because of their similar experiences, he and Catherine complemented each other perfectly.  She was his "constant, his touchstone", the core of his world when the rest of it was falling apart.  So while there might be tension b\c him and Lara, nothing could ever take away from what he had with Catherine.  Complement, but never destroy.

[Raven Wolf]

I must agree with you and Scott equaly.

I could see a "tension" for lack of a better term, between them.  Laura was as complicated as Frank, and, in him, she finaly found someone she felt comfortable to, that she could relate to.  But, she knew that nothing could ever come between Frank and Catherine, so she kept her guard up.

I agree that Catherine "completted" Frank, and that no other woman could ever replace her, in Frank's heart.  He most likely felt the tension as well, and probably appreacted it, being very lonely at the time, but he knew that his relationship with Laura was very special, yet completly different, from his relationship with Catherine.  They were just one of those examples of "soul-mates" who were not ment to be together, romanticly.

[Guest David Marx]

Wow...

I feel a little silly.  I never -ever!- picked up on any sexual tension between Laura and Frank.  I just thought they had to decide how close they were going to be, which can be quite a dance in and of itself.  

(Now I'll have to watch them all again with that filter on! )

I felt that the depiction of how a professional relationship can grow into respect, trust and platonic love was shown well both for Laura and Peter, albeit in different ways.  Since my long posts kill conversations, I'll leave it at that...

-Rob_