Topic: "Due South" marathon

[Tom]

Sadly you won't be reading any reviews on Due South by me this week. I found out, that none of my DVD players can read the first disc (first 4 episodes). I didn't try the others, but I remember that I had trouble reading the beginning of the episode "Starman" in the past.
So I decided that I order now the second season again. This time the UK version. It is, of course, more expensive than the complete set from the US, but it is said to be a much better video quality.

[Najemikon]

Well, that's not right! I assume you're sending the set back? You shouldn't have to buy it twice.

What I would try is copying the discs, removing all superfluous information including menus. That's got me round a couple of dodgy discs before.

[Tom]

Well, that's not right! I assume you're sending the set back? You shouldn't have to buy it twice.

I bought my set six years ago. A little late for sending it back
Though I did claim back then. They (dvdboxoffice.com) asked me to send it back and only then they would ship a replacement. At the time I noticed a decline in their reliabity and I knew from experience that they do not reimburse for shipping costs (shipping such a DVD set from Germany to Canada is quite expensive). So I didn't want to take the chance of never getting the replacement and I didn't want to spend so much hassle and money for a few minutes of an episode. But I did stop buying from them soon after.

What I would try is copying the discs, removing all superfluous information including menus. That's got me round a couple of dodgy discs before.

The DVD drive in my PC is also one of the player which cannot read the disc at all.

[Najemikon]

Well, that's not right! I assume you're sending the set back? You shouldn't have to buy it twice.

I bought my set six years ago. A little late for sending it back
Though I did claim back then. They (dvdboxoffice.com) asked me to send it back and only then they would ship a replacement. At the time I noticed a decline in their reliabity and I knew from experience that they do not reimburse for shipping costs (shipping such a DVD set from Germany to Canada is quite expensive). So I didn't want to take the chance of never getting the replacement and I didn't want to spend so much hassle and money for a few minutes of an episode. But I did stop buying from them soon after.

What I would try is copying the discs, removing all superfluous information including menus. That's got me round a couple of dodgy discs before.

The DVD drive in my PC is also one of the player which cannot read the disc at all.

Six years? Ah, well. Been there myself with L.A. Confidential and Long Good Friday (although I managed to "return" that one after all!) ... 

Some DVD copying software will still be able to copy it though, I bet. I've had those discs before, but because the writer application (like CloneDVD) isn't trying to play it, it displays the titles ok and you just tick the ones you want. In this case, the individual episodes.

[addicted2dvd]

Sorry for your troubles Tom... hopefully you will get the new set sooner then expected.

I am putting off this weeks episodes for a little while... though I do still have hope that I will get them all watched by Sunday. I just want to finish off my Lois & Clark Marathon since I am so close with only 6 episodes left to watch! 

[DJ Doena]

@Tom: PM.

[Achim]

@Tom: PM.

Wonder what that can be about...

(click to show/hide)

[DJ Doena]

[Chandler]Could I BE any more obvious?[/Chandler] 

[Achim]

[Chandler]Could I BE any more obvious?[/Chandler] 

No.

(Hence the laughing smiley in the spoiler of my previous post )

[Tom]

2.01 North (1995-11-09)
Writer: Paul Haggis (Created By), Jeff King (Writer)
Director: Richard J. Lewis
Cast: Paul Gross (Constable Benton Fraser), David Marciano (Detective Ray Vecchio), Beau Starr (Lt. Harding Welsh), Daniel Kash (Detective Louis Gardino), Tony Craig (Detective Jack Huey), Catherine Bruhier (Elaine), Red Green (Hamish), David Calderisi (Vecchio Sr.), Gordon Pinsent (Fraser Sr.), Andrew Jackson (Hogan), Kevin Rushton (Hunter), Brian Smegal (Jack), Barry Stilwell (Cop), Ramona Milano (Francesca (uncredited))

A good start into the new season. It follows up on Ray's promise in the last episode. This episode perfectly shows how far their friendship has come.

Rating:



2.02 Vault (1995-11-07)
Writer: Paul Haggis (Created By), Jeff King (Story By), Paul Haggis (Story By), Kathy Slevin (Story By), Kathy Slevin (Screenwriter)
Director: Steve DiMarco
Cast: Paul Gross (Constable Benton Fraser), David Marciano (Detective Ray Vecchio), Beau Starr (Lt. Harding Welsh), Daniel Kash (Detective Louis Gardino), Tony Craig (Detective Jack Huey), Catherine Bruhier (Elaine), Ramona Milano (Francesca), Camilla Scott (Inspector Margaret Thatcher), Christina Cox (Morgan), Scott Gibson (Ovitz), Boyd Banks (Norm), Vince Corazza (Lenny), Nicholas Kilbertus (Harold), David Crean (Cooper), Ken Quinn (Mountie Will), Michael Maiola (Damian), Marc Donato (Little Kid)

A great episode. Fun interactions between Ray and Fraser in the Vault. More screentime for Francesca. And the introduction of Fraser's new boss Inspector Thatcher. I always liked her character in the second season. Sadly with beginning of season 3 she is only bitchy (and with a bad new hairstyle).

Rating:

[Tom]

2.03 The Witness (1995-12-14)
Writer: Paul Haggis (Created By), Peter Mohan (Writer)
Director: George Bloomfield
Cast: Paul Gross (Constable Benton Fraser), David Marciano (Detective Ray Vecchio), Beau Starr (Lt. Harding Welsh), Daniel Kash (Detective Louis Gardino), Tony Craig (Detective Jack Huey), Catherine Bruhier (Elaine), Camilla Scott (Inspector Margaret Thatcher), Lee Purcell (Louise St. Laurent), Aidan Devine (Robert Kruger), Conrad Dunn (Sidarous), Silvio Oliviero (Edgar Torres), Sherry Miller (Commander Sherry O'Neill), Scott Gibson (Ovitz), Paulina Abarca (Rosanna Torres), Gordon Pinsent (Fraser Sr.), Nicky Guadagni (Judge Shore), Frank McAnulty (Fast Eddie), Garry Robbins (Carl), Vince Guerriero (Anderson)

A rather average episode. Some fun moments like Fraser trying to steal something.

Rating:



2.04 Bird in the Hand (1995-12-21)
Writer: Paul Haggis (Created By), Paul Haggis (Writer)
Director: Paul Haggis
Cast: Paul Gross (Constable Benton Fraser), David Marciano (Detective Ray Vecchio), Beau Starr (Lt. Harding Welsh), Daniel Kash (Detective Louis Gardino), Tony Craig (Detective Jack Huey), Catherine Bruhier (Elaine), Lee Purcell (Louise St. Laurent), Ken Pogue (Gerrard), Dick Anthony Williams (ATF Agent McFadden), Scott Gibson (Ovitz), Philip Williams (Lloyd P. Nash), Stewart Arnott (FBI Agent Borland), Dean McDermott (Constable Turnbull), Gordon Pinsent (Fraser Sr.), Christopher Thomas (Marshall #1), Brian King (Marshall #2), Matt Birman (ATF Agent #1), Branko Racki (ATF Agent #2)

A lot of great exchanges between Fraser and his father. Wouldn't it have been for that, it would have been a rather average episode. Also this episode introduces Constable Turnbull for the first time.

Rating:

[Tom]

Next deadline: 2009-08-16
The Promise
The Mask
Juliet Is Bleeding
One Good Man aka 'Thank You Kindly, Mr. Capra'

[lyonsden5]

I typically like the 2nd season of most shows. Typically the characters are usually well developed, the actors have developed into their characters and the writers/producers are obviously happy their show got renewed. Sophmore seasons are typically very enjoyable (with the HUGE exception of Buck Rogers   ).  With that said I am obviously looking forward to the next 20whatever episodes of this series.

North
This episode is a great way to start the season. I like the way they did something different this time, with the location being out of the city completely. Ray being a city boy did pretty good job as a wilderness survivalist, with the help of Fraser of course.  

Of course, even though Fraser it hit with some... difficulties in this episode he never gives up on his quest of getting the bad guy, just like the Mountie Code says  (or does it )

Great line at the beginning of the show:
Fraser: “Do you have your reserve gun Ray?”
[witty banter removed]
Ray pulls out his gun
Fraser: “Great Ray, but you know I will have to arrest you when we land”  

Some interesting scenes with the fathers of both Ray and Fraser. Good thing Pete has come around on Fraser's dad or this episode my turn him off to the series completely!

This episode perfectly shows how far their friendship has come.

Agree 100%   It also shows how far Ray and Dief have come a the two of them have a few 'conversations' in this episodes.

My Rating

[lyonsden5]

Vault
This episode is what you would think would be a 1st episode of the season. It introduced a couple of new characters and had a lot more screen time for Francesca, leading you to at least hope she will be more of a recurring character this season.

I enjoyed Fraser's solution on how to catch the bad guys (again - he always gets his man). Having Francesca put a monkey wrench to his plan was great (the way she did it was interesting as well  ).

In the end it took teamwork from everyone including Diefenbaker to save the day.

Speaking of end... great ending! 

My Rating

[addicted2dvd]

North

Definitely a good episode... I enjoyed it. It was fun to see Ray out of his element. One thing that did bug me a little... either the wolf is deaf or he is not deaf. In this episode... if the wolf was deaf how would he come running by Fraser hollering out that they were leaving and were not coming back (beginning of the episode). But I shouldn't be surprised as they are always putting little things in there as if the wolf could hear. just not quite this blatant about it.

My Rating: