What do you think were the messages/meanings of Beware of the Dog?

[ethsnafu]

I don't know that the whole thing with Beebe and his house was anything more than a prime opportunity for the Old Man to have a demonstrable presence of evil to expose to Frank and see how he dealt with it.

I agree with you on every level Celt but interestingly the Mighty Fourth is correct!

A cursory glance at the transcript notes that Beebe states the there have only been two attacks in the last two months which fits comfortably with the narrative and the Old Man's resume of activites yet Frank's proposal that animal handlers be summoned is met with the response that the townsfolk's problems were abandoned 'years' ago?

Could it be that the insular and intolerant ethic of the people of Bucksnort has created an emergent issue that has developed over years and found its zenith in the subtle homophobia directed towards Beebe? I can't see any reason not to believe that he is simply the 'current' focus of the town's intolerance and that the prevalent lack of belonging has been directed at numerous individuals who have challenged consensus?

Definately doing the 'Dog' tomorrow!

Best wishes,

Eth

[Raven Wolf]

Dear Fourth,

Gosh you are so right I never considered that......

I agree with you that the assertion is that the 'evil' has persisted for a considerable time and I only wish my knowledge of this episode would allow me to rationalise the points you make. Mark's comments have only added to my desire to this episode again as he may well have pointed out a few holes in the Old Man's theory.

Staunch stuff my friend both you and Erin have made me really excited about viewing this episode again.

Best wishes,

Eth

To further Horseman's point... here is part of the transcript. I thought I remembered Frank saying this.... Look at the very last thing Frank says.

FRANK: That you don't belong here.

MICHAEL: Huh! You, you, get out, just out, out, out. I don't care if you are the Sheriff. Just – out of my house.

[He's on his feet, moving towards the front door. After a pause, Frank gets up and follows him.]

FRANK: Not just you, Michael, anyone.

And, yes... I'll be watching it again tomorrow, along with Eth. Who else?

BTW... thanks for mentioning this being when Frank learns to not always look at things through the logic he was so accustomed to. That speaks to me, personally...as I tend to go at problems more with logic than anything else.

[The Old Man]

Talking of Beebe, isn't a shame that the actor who played him passed away last year? Makes me sad every time I see that episode now.

Here's a reminder, in case you missed that tragic news item...

https://millennium-thisiswhoweare.net/news_...php?article=345

[ethsnafu]

Gosh,

I did miss that Graham, thanks for reminder. Heart failure and 48 is both very young and very tragic.

His Wikipedia entry states that he was responsible for casting David, Gillian and Lance in their respective roles. I never knew how much of a debt we owe him.

Best wishes,

Eth

[Guest Sheree Dawn]

I think the hidden agenda for this show is that metrosexuals shouldn't build dream houses deep in the woods. I sort of get a "built on an indian burial ground" or a "night of living dead" vibe out of this episode. If there is some deep meaning here, it went over my balding head.

Definitely night of the living dead, lol.

I didn't get a really deep meaning out of it, just a renewed sense of how man has disrupted the ecosystem. Where I live, we have coyote problem. They have started coming down out of the mountains, into people's yards, killing pets and livestock... All of this because of the same reason the dogs in this episdoe became so psychotic... Man has destroyed the forests and homes of these animals.

The natural balance has been disrupted by urban development.

[Raven Wolf]

Talking of Beebe, isn't a shame that the actor who played him passed away last year? Makes me sad every time I see that episode now.

That's terrible! I can't believe I missed that!!

Gosh,

I did miss that Graham, thanks for reminder. Heart failure and 48 is both very young and very tragic.

His Wikipedia entry states that he was responsible for casting David, Gillian and Lance in their respective roles. I never knew how much of a debt we owe him.

Best wishes,

Eth

Well, this is another reason for us all to take tonight and go watch Beware of the Dog on the same day.

The natural balance has been disrupted by urban development.

I agree 100%.

[hippyroo]

hmm I thought he was a metrosexual not a homsexual... very nice cabin, all the latest toys, I didn't see any soulmates about

guess I'll have to watch this again...

[ethsnafu]

Hi Roo,

I think your interpretation is as valid as mine to be honest as his sexuality is not implicitly referred to. Any hunch regarding Beebe's sexuality is just that and my interpretation is probably more than a little clouded by my knowing that 'Randy Stone' was himself a gay man.

Oddly quite a few Episode Guide's refer to Beebe as homosexual so it seems others interpreted the characters depiction in a similar way.

We will never know just what we were intended to draw from it I guess.

Best wishes,

Eth

[Raven Wolf]

*UPDATE* The dogs are back...

First of all, I laughed yesterday, when I went to the store at the end of my road.... It reminds me SOOOOOO much of the little diner in BOTD. The central congregating point of red-neck-dum. I went in there to ask around and make sure these pups didn't belong to the owners of the store (who have a little mixed breed dog they keep letting have puppies, rather than getting her fixed... grrrr Well, the woman behind the counter was less than useless...but then a boy came up...about 12...and blurted out "Hey, if you can catch 'em...You can have 'em!" I turned my attention to the boy. "Oh, so they're your pups?" He responded with "They ain't my dogs!" And all I could see was The Old Man, making that very statement.

What does anyone here think was the underlying message with his statement "They ain't my dogs."....which he stated to Frank? Was this his, and the writer's. way of showing how people don't take responsibility? Or were they really NOT his dogs, but some manifestation of evil? The fact that they didn't hurt the Old Man is telling...somehow...

Anyway.... I went back today, with a piece of paper, containing a picture of the pups, since the boy had said he DID have 2 pups that kept getting out, but that there 2 others "Half wild", that he said were not his. The boy wasn't there, but a different woman was behind the counter. I showed HER the picture, and she said "Yeah.... those are his." She explained he had 4.... 2 of which he wanted to get rid of, and so he'd been saying they weren't his.

Not accepting responsibility. What does everyone think about that, both in the show, and in whatever message is contained in this experience for me?

[ethsnafu]

THE OLD MAN: That's all you need to know for now, Frank, about the Millennium Group. The reason you're here is to learn about the event.

Hi Chicken,

My theory regarding The Old Man's somewhat immunity from the Dogs is tentative, even apocryphal but I present it nonetheless for your musing.

The "They ain't my dogs" statement doesn't make much sense if taken in isolation but one can arrive a plausible conjecture if you view the Old Man throughout the Season. The first, to my mind, telling moment that hints at The Old Man's purpose comes from Lara who, in addition to the fact that Frank's abilities have returned, notes that their visits to The Old Man have allowed them to sense the evil in Dani Barbakow with a degree neither has been able to access before, the assertion seems to be that he heightens sensory abilities by his presence alone. He exerts a field of influence that affects those in his proximity if you will.

In Roosters it is noted that Odessa have coveted The Old Man for an age and given their thirst for the Cross of Christ based purely on the myths attributed to its presence it is implied that they desire people and artifacts who energetically raise their stakes in their quest for resurgence giving credence to Lara's earlier observation that The Old Man has an influential ability. After The Old Man's death and the transference of the compass insurgent elements within the Group seem to rise to power as depicted in Season Three, turning the Group into a malign entity which was a situation deemed almost impossible during The Old Man's monarchy if you will. Again it seems that his ability to influence, heighten or temper was essential in mediating the ever present incompatibility that existed between the numerous factions and that in removing his influence as Legion influenced member Johnson did it seems that this nefarious cancer within the Group was finally allowed to rise to prominence.

My theory regarding the 'Dogs' is that whatever evil influenced them The Old Man was able to remain immune and exert his influence due to some tacit gift that he possessed. Given that the Group was so enamored of those with abilities beyond the norm it seems in keeping with its depiction that it would have at its helm someone who possessed an ability of their own.

Like I say that's my own, tentative, take and I wouldn't consider it anywhere near the truth but we make of Millennium what we can I guess, you might wanna see if you can reign Laredo in on this one, he's much more logic based that I am and he might have a much more salient point of view.

Woof, Woof,

Eth