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Beware Of The Dog

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Guest chrisnu

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Guest WaveCrest

Watched "Beware of the Dog" earlier in the week. It started off well, but in the end I felt the same as I did when Sky One first screened the episode in the UK...underwhelmed by the whole thing. It was a bit disappointing.

Did anyone else think the growls of the angry dogs didn't sound like the sound a dog would make, but rather the sound of a man impersonating a dog growling?

Was the young man's house built on an ancient Indian burial ground, like the house in the Amityville films?

I did like the use of the Bobby Darin song when Frank drove to Bucksnort.

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  • 2 months later...
Guest rubicondecisionday

Just some random incoherent observations:

It's a parable on the nature of evil,man's pretensions to keep it out, and our reneging on our responsibility to recognize it and stop it from forming. Crime is a symptom of poverty. The abused become tools for The Adversary andbecome minions to abuse others. The dogs are mindless minions, and despite all the work of the Millennium group, there will always be more.

The dogs are feral, not the domesticated pets we like to pretend they are.

The Old Man uses the satellite toreport back his observations and to communicate. Micahel Beebe usesit for entertainment.

The Buddha is a symbol of the Old Man'squiet contemplation.The sacred symbol "The Indian Drum" serves as mere window dressing for Michael. It has no power and is burned.

Doors and windows only keep out thosewho recognize the boundaries. Followers of evil never do.

The Old Man is quoting from the 30thChapter of Job, specifically Job 30:26 Yetwhen I hoped for good, evil came; when I looked for light, then came darkness.

See Matthew Henry's commentary:https://www.searchgod...job&chapter=030 My guess it was naturally chosen since it talks of dogs as well as despair.

Michael Beebe: cryptic. Michael is thePrince among the angels. Beebe is old English for a bee farmer,someone who harvests honey. Perhaps it's a conundrum, a blend of thefact that we can be powerful, not merely passively gathering a harvest of others.

They walk out, with dogs on either sideof their path. They have to find the balance in order to coexist inthe world where evil always will exist.

Edited by rubicondecisionday
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What a fascinating post. Thank you so much for sharing those observations. When you mention The Old Man utilising the satellite are you referring to the Vansen-West comet or did I miss something in the episode. I wasn't aware of a mention of a satellite beyond the comet he was observing. I also like you observations regarding the dogs and The Old Man's statement that there will always be more. I always felt The Old Man saw the Group's efforts to be a infinite endeavour, one that would go one as long as reality existed. He made the statement that alluded to the fact that the Owls and Roosters were wrong and that the true vision of the Group was to be found in Frank and Lara. I always assumed this was because both the fractions were to concerned with the end, they had set a date for when their task would be complete whereas Frank and Lara had only begun their journey and were far from contemplating the end of it.

Eth

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Guest rubicondecisionday

What a fascinating post. Thank you so much for sharing those observations. When you mention The Old Man utilising the satellite are you referring to the Vansen-West comet or did I miss something in the episode. I wasn't aware of a mention of a satellite beyond the comet he was observing. I also like you observations regarding the dogs and The Old Man's statement that there will always be more. I always felt The Old Man saw the Group's efforts to be a infinite endeavour, one that would go one as long as reality existed. He made the statement that alluded to the fact that the Owls and Roosters were wrong and that the true vision of the Group was to be found in Frank and Lara. I always assumed this was because both the fractions were to concerned with the end, they had set a date for when their task would be complete whereas Frank and Lara had only begun their journey and were far from contemplating the end of it.

Eth

Look at the top of the Old Man's cabin. Note the satellite dish. Yeah clearly he's making observations about comets i.e. the poster showing the tails of comets. Living in isolation, the sat may be the only way to communicate i.e. the photos sent digitally to Frank. For fun watch 19,19 again. I think the props person reused the satellite again for the bad guy's trailer.

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Ah I see now. Thank you for the clarification. You've certainly watched this show with a keen eye. What's your opinion of the episode overall? I happen to really like it. It isn't the most immediate of episodes and it doesn't leap at and grab as an instant classic when you first view it but it's definitely one of these episodes with enough layers and subtext to demand a few repeat viewings. Huge amounts of kudos has to be awarded simply for introducing The Old Man who is such an remarkable character IMHO.

Eth

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  • 7 months later...
Guest roofless

I have to say I enjoyed this ep. more when I was younger than now. I'll explain that one later...

I agree this episode is sleeping gem in that it is milestone in Franks journey with the group and his understanding of good and evil. The introduction of the Old Man makes it a+. I also enjoyed the siege mentality of the towns people. Their fear definitely heightened the emotional tension of this viewer. Although the theme of "the crazy townspeople have a secret that kills unbelievers" is a popular theme.... I don't get tired of it for some reason. I really like the mood conveyed by the shots of the lonely RV outside of town. Frank running through the streets and the cluttered cabin filled with interesting curiosities. ( I would love to spend a week there exploring everything!). As said by others I relished the info about the nature of the coexistance of good and evil.

I've wondered for a long time why the Old Man carries off the dead canine. At first i thought it hinted at a more complex relationship. (perhaps the Old Man mourns the loss of an adversary?) I'm sure the negative force behind the dogs would not do the same for him.

These days I like this episode less than when I fist viewed it. I feel that there are so many complex elements to this episode... the representation of dogs as evil terrorizing a town.... Is a little bit of a let down. I suppose any thing less than pedestrian would not fit... The banality of evil and all that... Still...

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Maybe the Old Man carried off the dog to keep if from the people of the town burning it, or whatever. There could also be a place where the dogs go when they die, because they are always replaced with a new one. The number of them always stays the same. Plus, both he and the dogs kept a balance in the area, and I believe they were more of an ally then adversary, yet each with it's own method of operation. The Old Man as the more peaceful keeper. Wouldn't surprise me if something were to happen to him, that the dogs would carry him inside the circle to wait for a replacement. Sure makes me want to chat with the writers.

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Wow...... This makes me want to watch this one all over again. I always get something new every time I watch an episode, and it seems I'm not alone in that! Wonderful observations, Earthnut, Mark, and rubicondecisionday!

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  • 8 months later...

Ok, dusting off an old topic!

This MAY have been covered somewhere before, but if it has, I can't find it.

Due to the events of the past few years of my life, & my constant searching for symbols that come to teach, I'm hoping someone here can share their thoughts on this.....

WHY do you feel that Mike (the guy who built the log-cabin/house) was the focus of the negative energy in this episode? He seemed like a nice enough guy, who was just basically sick of the crime in the city. I can understand the message "you can't run away from your fears", but is THIS why he was being punished...? Because he left the city to find a quiet life in the country? Was he ostrasized by the community, and the focus of the dogs, because he was supposed to STAY in the city? What about the rest of the townsfolk? I remember Frank saying to Mike "Not just you. ANYBODY." Was this some negative vortex on Earth that all people needed to stay away from?

Frank's experience in this episode seemed to strengthen his resolve to NOT sell his house. In the final scene, we see him pulling the real estate sign out of the ground.

*Catherine - "What are you doing, Frank?"

*Frank- "It's not for sale."

*Catherine- "Are you moving back in?"

*Frank- "Yup. When it's home again."

Thoughts?

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