Burning Down the House (The Newbie's Perspective)

Season 3
Episode #141

Original Broadcast Information

Director:  George Bloomfield

Guest Stars:  Gordon Pinsent (Fraser, Sr.), Diane Douglass (Greta Garbo), George Bloomfield (Zoltan Motherwell)

Featured Music:  None
 
Note:  "Motherwell" is named after a character played by Paul Gross in "The Kite"  (IIRC)

Review
Fraser's right when he says, "It's not in my nature to do that" (leave things alone).  It's a fairly continual thread through the ep that he is attempting to disprove that Ray Kowalski is Ray Vecchio or get Ray to admit the same (although the degree to which he takes his attempts lessens considerably).  

I admit that I'm at somewhat of a disadvantage for the Ray V/Fraser convo about friendship at the beginning since I haven't seen any of the Ray V eps, so I'm pretty much going to leave that one alone.  What I have heard is that Ray V was not a particularly nice guy in that he tended to treat Fraser somewhat poorly or as being embarassed by him, but that's all hearsay until I get to see the s1 and s2 eps.  The only thing I got from it is that it possibly signified some type of change...some lessening of their relationship from "partners" to "friends", meaning that there would not be this other bond (so to speak) between them.  

From the first moment we see Ray K, he is "on" in the Ray V persona or what he thinks/might have been told is the Ray V persona down to the outfit - except the jeans and boots which shows Ray K's personality coming through despite the cover he's taken on.  I always get the impression that the switch was made quickly with not too much time for Ray K to prepare beyond getting his new ID and "by the way, there's this Mountie..."  

The whole convo in those first few moments is Ray doing his RV impersonation, but I think he's also trying to clue Fraser in as much as he can that something is going on and that he knows Fraser is taken aback, but that Ray's prepared to do what he needs to in order to make this work.  When Fraser starts loudly proclaiming that Ray is *not* RV and he doesn't believe it, Ray's dialogue changes...gets a little harder, IMO.  Ex:  "Everyone here knows who I am, Fraser.  How about you?"  In other words, "Don't blow my cover here.  Get with the program like everyone else."  

The convo in the car on the way to the Vecchio house is an early establisher of how they're slipping into a rhythm.  Even though Fraser is using stuff like missing a turn to try and prove Ray isn't Vecchio, he's still picking up and responding to this person.  The car conversations seem to continue this bond that's forming.  Fraser still has his attempts to disprove Ray K, but he engages in a type of banter ("You're thinking of other terrorists whose MO involved impromptu thermonuclear devices?) and seems to be waiting to see what Ray's going to come up with next.  Their back-and-forths become more of a who's playing who here? And you can see how they're both starting to just like each other, period.  End of statement.  There is an immediate chemistry there that they're both responding to whether knowingly or unknowingly.  I think it's knowingly on Fraser's part, but he's trying to ignore it until he just can't.  With Ray, it might be more unconscious since he's having to vacillate between being two people.  

The first time we get a glimpse of Ray Kowalski acting as Ray Kowalski is when he tells Fraser, "Look, pal, I don't stick my neck out for anyone!"  He's not a coward by any means, simply proving that even if he wasn't familiar with the word, he can be prudent by not rushing into a burning building.  However, once things are in motion and he sees Fraser run in  (love the little raised eyebrows like "wow...this guy is really something different), he does help by running up and assisting Frannie after Fraser tosses her out the window.  

I found it interesting that Fraser, Sr told Fraser to "collect evidence on the Yank to see if he's who he claims to be" because "people might contradict you".  It goes along with his comments at the end of the show where he tells Fraser that Ray is a good man.  I think he wanted Fraser to see that for himself.  By "investigating" Ray, Fraser had to pay attention to who this guy was, how he acted and what he said.  That opened up the opportunity for Fraser to really see Ray and not just look for how he was *not* Ray Vecchio.  And, in the end, Fraser agrees with his father's assessment.  

Once Ray K "breaks cover" with his comment about not risking his neck, he starts to respond more and more as Ray Kowalski and not as he thinks Ray Vecchio would.  For example, when Fraser licks the socket *shudder*, Ray's response is more of concern than something denoting how weird Fraser is or how embarrassing it is to be with him.  Also, when they're back in the station and he suddenly wheels around to try and pick up Elaine (IIRC), I think it's because he *remembers* that he's supposed to be acting like Ray V.  He does it, gets the answer he thinks he will and then turns back around and picks up the conversation right where they left off.  And Ray also gets to needle Fraser a bit when he says, "Hunches.  That's all I have.  You know that, Fraser."  It's like, Hello, oh Mr. Prove Me Wrong <g>.  

The whole scene with Motherwell is just too good.  I've noticed that CKR, when he's listening in a scene, will often find something to do rather than simply stand there and wait for his cue.  Here he's flipping through the file and rolling his eyes as Motherwell goes on.  Then he starts up with the whole "He's Canadian.  He's *polite*."  He's not only serving notice to Motherwell that he is in no way going to be as gentle on him as Fraser is being, but also to Fraser that he (Ray) is fully a part of this case and this team, and that he has his own ideas and ways of doing things.  

The minute he starts getting in Motherwell's face, Fraser's whole posture changes.  He's attentive; he's grabbed by this guy and his energy - what he's doing and how he's doing it..  Hell, he's *attracted*.  When he tells Motherwell that it's a posture but he could be wrong, Fraser's admitting that this guy is a wild card; he doesn't know what's going to happen next and I think he likes that uncertainty.  By the time they hit the Consulate, they're a team and it's sayonara, Raymond Vecchio.  (Don't let the door hit you in the arse on the way out).  

I won't bore all of you with how much I love the convo in the Riv <g> since I wrote about it, but that moment where Ray says it's been weird, but a pleasure and Fraser looks at him and says, "Likewise," and they both look at each other?  It's there.  The mojo is workin', baby!  

I did so love the little yellow rubber ducks that Ray was laying on when he pulled up his shirt to show Fraser the bulletproof vest <G>.  

Last (as you all sigh in relief) was the end tag.  I don't care much for the little postcard "heat me up" bit.  Seemed a bit hokey to me other than the fact that Fraser lets Ray see him light it and then tells him everything is fine - his old partner has communicated he's okay.  When he asks Ray if he wants to get something to eat, the smile that lights up Ray's face...it's an overt admission that Fraser likes him and Ray is both happy and relieved because I think he liked Fraser a lot almost from the beginning, but didn't want to show it because Fraser seemed so hard over on his *not* being Vecchio.  Now I think he knows Fraser will like him for him.  

Overall, I love the way this episode sets up Ray.  Not only is he a good cop (per Welsh), but it does a pretty damn decent job of sketching in the outline for what's to come.  There's early hints of plotlines in SB and in M&S in Ray's comments about "you can burn down my dance hall" and how he and Fraser are a "1-2 punch".  He has good instincts, he's prepared - dealing with Motherwell, he had the whole file and the phone log.  I think LaT said, and I agree, that his convo in the precinct when he first meets Fraser shows he has a philosophical bent, and he's not dumb, either.  Hell, I don't know if *I* would have thought of "Leopold and Loeb" when I was naming partnerships.  On a good day, it's "Gilbert and whatshisname" :).  And, when he gives his friendship, he gives it without reserve.  He puts his heart into what he does.  He's intelligent, funny, emotional and generous.  All qualities on display throughout the season.  

Quibbles and Nitpicks:  Fraser's on the hood of the car and tells Ray that Garbo is taking the exit.  Cut to the van going right across two lanes of traffic.  Ray swings the wheel hard *left*.  Cut to a shot of the car going hard *right*.  

Ray's outfit is nearly a dup of Vecchio's with the mock turtleneck and blazer.  Yuck, yuck, yuck.  I'm sorry, but who decided that those colors looked good on CKR with his (a) hair color and (b) period.  Bleah.  I much prefer when Ray is in "his" clothes at the end (brown shirt).  

At the docks is *not* the first time Fraser calls Kowalski "Ray".  He does it in Garbo's apartment and *nobody* reacts to it.    

Droolworthy Moments (or Shallow!Girl Speaks!):  Two, count 'em, two crotch shots of CKR.  They both happen on the porch of the Vecchio house.  One is where Ray comes down the steps to say to the fireman, "Do you believe this?  That man went back into the building for fish!" and the second is after Fraser licks the socket and Ray again leaves down the steps saying, "Let's rock and roll."  

The close ups of CKR in the precinct when he's on the phone and listening to Fraser talk on the phone with Motherwell, specifically the little slight grin and "oh yeah" look when Fraser says, "I'm not sure that he is my friend/if you think you *are* RV."   The smile on Ray's face when Fraser asks him if he wants to go to dinner.  

And to add...I think the fact my index finger has "weiver" (think about it for a sec :) on it speaks for my drool quotient.  

PG looks pretty damn good with some facial hair.    

Slash-o-Meter Rating:  5.  I'm giving my rating more for potential than anything else.  I've got my own timeline of when they actually get together, but I think there's so much chemistry between them that it'd just be so, so wrong to deny it <G>    

Newbie signing off,

Lori Goldman

***And, because I forgot to add it and was oh, so subtly reminded :)....I hereby proclaim that Callum....well...he's JSF (just so fuckable).

On to Eclipse

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