Midnight Of The Century

[Raven Wolf]

(((((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))))))) ethsnafu

I've missed your posts, my friend.

And yes, I noticed the awkward hand-shake, too. But, other than that, I never saw any real chemistry between them. Frank's heart was always with Catherine, and, though Laura may have developed a deep respect, admiration, and perhaps infatuation with him, both she, and Frank, were too much "best friends" to ever pursue it. They both knew, without ever saying it, that his heart was always with (*ooops! typo!* "Catherine" heart was always with Catherine, not Frank!) . You can see it in "Midnight", when Catherine comes in while Laura's there. I always felt that Laua was trying to NOT get in the way.

Edited December 24, 2005 by Raven Wolf

[ethsnafu]

Gosh, thanks Ravenwolf. I am looking forward to the New Year when I will have more time to really get my teeth back into things but......

I, like you, have never found any evidence for Lara and Frank being anything other than friends. There are some moments of tenderness that is true but nothing that ever resembled the burning embers of unbridled passion. I have read, somewhere, that people consider Lara a direct usurper to Catherine's throne, an thinly disguised attempt to usher Catherine on to the B-List and plonk herself her at Frank's right hand though I have never found any evidence to support this. If you consider Lara's contribution to Season Two she shares meaningful screen time with Frank in only four of the twenty three episodes which is an insanely lackadaisical attempt to replace Catherine if ever there was one. I agree with your comments about 'not getting in the way' - the scene in which she watches Frank and Catherine discussing 'home and hearth' matters is my favourite Season Two moment: Catherine is defiantly unflustered, engaging Frank as the man she loves without any regard for Lara and Lara simply watches the scene, embarrassed to be intruding on a private moment without the faintest shred of the loathesome 'green eyed monster'. That is the truth of Lara, Frank and Catherine to my mind. Whilst you're here could you help me out with a quandry? When Frank receives the envelope containing the 'midnight of the century' card it is postmarked '24th December' - does the US Postal Service (or however it is known) really process mail on Christmas Eve?

Till then,

eth :smiley_snowman:

[Guest ein042]

A good time to watch this episode again, particularly in light of the new info provided.

Thank you all for your amazing insights.

Ethsnafu - I'm in total awe!

btw - not sure how it was in 1996 but the post office claims it will be delivering on Christmas day this year, in New York City anyway (not sure about Seattle)

USPS

[Raven Wolf]

About the "Eve" post...... I'm really not sure. Terry said he doesn't think so. I don't think so either....though it may vary from state to state.

[4th Horseman]

Gosh, thanks Ravenwolf. I am looking forward to the New Year when I will have more time to really get my teeth back into things but......

I, like you, have never found any evidence for Lara and Frank being anything other than friends. There are some moments of tenderness that is true but nothing that ever resembled the burning embers of unbridled passion. I have read, somewhere, that people consider Lara a direct usurper to Catherine's throne, an thinly disguised attempt to usher Catherine on to the B-List and plonk herself her at Frank's right hand though I have never found any evidence to support this. If you consider Lara's contribution to Season Two she shares meaningful screen time with Frank in only four of the twenty three episodes which is an insanely lackadaisical attempt to replace Catherine if ever there was one. I agree with your comments about 'not getting in the way' - the scene in which she watches Frank and Catherine discussing 'home and hearth' matters is my favourite Season Two moment: Catherine is defiantly unflustered, engaging Frank as the man she loves without any regard for Lara and Lara simply watches the scene, embarrassed to be intruding on a private moment without the faintest shred of the loathesome 'green eyed monster'. That is the truth of Lara, Frank and Catherine to my mind. Whilst you're here could you help me out with a quandry? When Frank receives the envelope containing the 'midnight of the century' card it is postmarked '24th December' - does the US Postal Service (or however it is known) really process mail on Christmas Eve?

Till then,

eth :smiley_snowman:

Nothing like an ethsnafu post to bring back old times....i too often wondered about the handholding, but there were several other instances where it SEEMED there could be somewhat of an attraction developing..

1. In Roosters, as she is sitting at her desk at the beginning, she is obviously in need of companionship, especially after being dismissed by Peter Watts for meeting with Johnston in the library, she picks up the phone and calls Frank. There seemed to be an implied longing there on her part, a need for comfort and understanding.

2. I dont remember the episode, but Frank calls Laura this time and actually uses her catch phrase.."This is my thing"...at the end of the message he says he really needed someone to talk to.."I hope you are OK"...

3. Also there is the final conversation in "The Time is Now" when Frank tells Laura she is the only one who really understood him.

4. Also, in Siren, Catherine is present in the hospital when Frank leaves against his doctors wishes, but who is it that goes after him? You would think it would be Catherine, his wife, but it is in fact Laura who picks him up as he is walking down the road...Why?

5. At the end of "Goodbye Charlie" when Frank and Laura are sitting in the car, the ease at which Frank converses and the looks that Laura was giving Frank was to me the flash point of a possible relationship..

Now, i think that the writers were wise in NOT pursuing this avenue. I liked the fact that Frank was so in love with Catherine and that she was really his soul mate. It would have diluted the show to a large degree and most likely would have been met with a backlash from its fans...

I would say that i agree with most of what has been put forth here, Frank seemingly keeping the candle buring for Catherine, but i also had a feeling that had she had her chance, Laura most certainly would have pursued it further...

4th Horseman..

[Guest ein042]

About the "Eve" post...... I'm really not sure. Terry said he doesn't think so. I don't think so either....though it may vary from state to state.

I know :huh_snowman: It's still a federal holiday?

[ethsnafu]

"A woman has two smiles that an angel might envy, the smile that accepts a lover before words are uttered, and the smile that lights on the first born babe, and assures it of a mother's love."

Thanks for that. I have to admit to believing that the 'Christmas Post' thing would be a case of artistic licence but such is art I guess. I also agree with Fourth Horseman that there were some genuinely endearing moments between Frank and Lara and I agree most strongly with his suggestion that it would more than likely be Lara who made the first move but I remain firm in my conviction that a relationship, beyond shared experience, would have been a grave error of judgement on the part of Morgan and Wong. As Lara was essentially a creature of pathos she had to remain 'alone' to fulfil M+W's long term intentions for the character: that of someone who could proffer an alternative commentary on the visionary experience. To express such profound loneliness through Frank would have called for too drastic a personality change on his behalf - to depict the visionary experience as unbearable, destructive and irreconcilable with 'everyday life' required a character with a blank canvas as we already knew that despite the magnitude of his abilities Frank was reasonably successful in maintaining some semblance of everyday normality. Lara had to portray a character for whom all existence was referenced from the point of a tormented pariah, a woman who's relationships, solitude, recreation and future all were tainted, even made impossible, by the psychic stigmata her gift inflicted upon her and whilst I admit that there were many touching moments shared by Frank and Lara she was to ultimately beg Catherine not to leave Frank as she feared for both their futures which is way too altruistic for a woman secretly desirous of what Catherine Black had.

Whatever, and there are many detractors, you think of Miss Means she was intended to show that when faced with such profundity not every 1013 character would bear it with such super-human aplomb or Christ-like martyrdom but that some would struggle with the ciggies, muse over high-school dances, dye their roots and ultimately cry, fear and lie their way to an end she knew was unavoidable. Anamnesis and Goodbye Charlie both hinted that Lara believed she would ultimately be driven insane or would end her own life and certainly in Anamnesis she has surrendered, without question, to the inevitable and without wishing to be twee in the extreme she reminds me of the lyrics of 'Old Man River' (bear with me) - "I’m so weary, and sick of tryin’, I’m tired of livin’, but afraid of dyin’."

I know too that some malign the abandonment of the visceral-realism of Season One for the Magical-Mystery Tour of Season Two but it is my belief that amongst the magic Lara was a vestige of normality and is not generally recognised a such. B-52's, flower diaries, dating marines, rock music, family problems, fashion, dieting and hairstyles were all hers and in a masterstroke her one arching eyebrow and cheeky sarcasm were to give way to days and nights alone - the human condition in superhuman circumstances.

Oh well, that's far too much Lara even for my tastes but if providence does in fact reveal that Lara and Frank were destined to 'get it on' had she been allowed to hang around then I will eat my words but when all said and done I can imagine far worse ways to spend an evening that in the company of Lara Means.

Till then,

Eth

[Raven Wolf]

I can imagine far worse ways to spend an evening that in the company of Lara Means.

And I can imagine far worse ways.....than to spend an evening in the company of Frank Black.

I can never get enough of these discussions about Laura. I feel she had so much potential as a caracter, and was simply snuffed out in her prime.