TV shows and movies love to milk father/son relationships, but La Croix's bizarre fascination with Nick that swings between paternal nurturing and sensual desire might be the most complex of them all.
By now you've learned that La Croix never feels appreciated. He thinks he gave Nick the best gift in the universe by making him a vampire, so everything Nick does to find a cure is a slap in the face to La Croix. How dare Nick look an undead gift horse in the mouth?
The best episodes explore the idea of being a vampire, and this one does a great job of showing us what La Croix feels as a vampire who has created other vampires. He feels a strong connection to his "children," and the look on his face when he gets a visit from Nick almost makes us forgive him for being an unrepentent villain.
But we also love La Croix because of the way Nigel Bennett makes the most of those radio broadcasts, his voice slithering through the night on its way to Nick, who is surely the only audience La Croix has in mind.
Flashback:
Ever wonder how vampires travel long distances? This time, Nick hides in a huge box and sits inside all the way across the ocean, knowing a crime lord is on the other side who profits by getting vampires back and forth.
Nick claims he just left Paris, France, in a hurry, but this isn't far from the time he left for America after Jack the Ripper's conversion. The timeline of his travels just doesn't add up, but that doesn't take anything away from the episode. Back in the distant past of the 90s, no one was writing that level of continuity.
(Well, not often. Duncan's historical journey on Highlander is pretty solid.)
Little Bites:
-Spoilers ahead!
-Vampire lore: Apparently, an old man still looks like an old man after being turned. I am surprised they didn't reuse the young actor for Constantine as a vamp.
-Fashion Police: It's been while since I called anyone out for their clothes, but the track suits and windbreakers are cringe.
-"I don't want another one. I like THAT one!" When La Croix says this, it's everything. He cares about Janette, but she's well aware the Nick is the favorite. Nick will always be La Croix's target, and it's a burden our hero will never get out from under.
Final Analysis: Exploring the parental relationship between vampires and their vamp-lings makes for a good episode. 5 out of 5 steamer trunks.
Adam D. Jones is a writer, historian, and undefeated cat wrestler. He's also something of an exporter of illicit goods himself, having once downloaded an album from Limewire so he could listen to it before he bought it.
WOOOO look at this veritable onslaught of Forever Knight reviews!!! :D!!! Well done ma man
ReplyDeleteThanks! There's a lot more coming, and it's a blast going through these great episodes again.
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