A Very Small Selection of Due South Season 2 Recaps For Your Delectation
Season 2
2x12 Some Like It Red Fraser dresses as a woman.
Onward to Season 3...
Season 2
2x12 Some Like It Red
A girl walks down a Chicago street. In an alley, she meets a man and offers him a silver candlestick out of her duffle bag. The guy smashes her into the hood of a car, and she escapes and runs away.
Fraser and Ray Vecchio walk into a bar.
Stop me if you've heard this one before.
Fraser has been sent by Thatcher to find a rare vintage of scotch for a visiting dignitary or something. Ray chats with the bartender, and old friend of his, and helps Fraser arrange to buy the scotch for $500 USD. While Fraser is counting the money, Ray spots someone he knows across the bar, a woman he calls Annie. She's a nun now, and she's looking for a high-school age girl. Ray offers to help--"believe it or not, I'm a cop now"--and she refuses, saying she doesn't want to get the police involved. Ray runs after her, and a burly guy stops him, saying the sister doesn't want to be bothered. Ray pushes him. Brawl! The $500 USD bottle of scotch is broken in the chaos. Things which make me unnecessarily nervous in TV shows: credit card debt; expensive bottles of alcohol.
The next day, Ray goes to the Catholic school where Annie teaches and offers his help again, as a friend, not as a police officer. Annie accepts and explains that some of the girls have been getting into really bad things, especially the missing girl, Celine. Later, in the car, Ray shows Fraser a gun, which after some banter we find out used to belong to Elliot Ness, the guy who took down Al Capone. Somehow, Celine got her hands on it. Annie is letting Ray bring in someone to talk to Celine's friends, but it can't be a cop, and--because it's an all-female school--it has to be a woman. Ray has a friend who's agreed to do it, but when they arrive at her house, they find a note on the door for him. She can't help after all because she just broke her leg. Ray's disappointed and heads back to the station to try to dig someone else up, but he needs someone by the next morning. You can see the moment of inspiration pass over Fraser's face.
He has been waiting for this moment.
Ray offers him a ride somewhere, but Fraser just says, vaguely, "Oh, no, I'm going--over here." And he walks off.
We cut to high heels walking down the steps at the police department. We pan up some shapely legs. The legs are admittedly feminine-looking, but when the woman passes the camera and we see her in full from behind, we can already tell what's going on because the woman's hair has that kind of shiny perfect straightness that screams "wig!" Elaine compliments Fraser on his dress, and Welsh appears rather taken with him. He asks to speak with Vecchio. His voice is a little lighter and softer than usual--not his typical resonant bass of paladin-y moral rectitude--but it's still just you know a man's voice. Even if they don't recognize Fraser, it seems fairly obvious that this is a man in drag. Oh well. Fraser sits patiently by Ray's desk as Ray finishes getting shot down on his attempt to recruit a woman for the job. He hangs up and walks right by Fraser as he says, "I'll do the job." "I don't even know who you are," says Ray. "Actually, I believe you do." And we get our first look at Fraser's face. He's done a good job with his makeup; the lipstick is a little bright, but it could be worse, and his mascara really brings out his blue, blue eyes.
A mighty princess, forged in the heat of battle.
He has definitely been waiting for this moment. There's no other explanation for how he pulled it all together so quickly. Or how he even thought of it so quickly. He must have had all this stuff just lying around his house.
Fraser and Ray walk down the street, Fraser standing out just as much as he always does with his height, rectitude, and general brightness of color. Ray doesn't like this drag idea; he think it's "going too far." "I'm sure if the situation were reversed, you'd do the same for me," says Fraser. Ray says, "Not in a million years." Fraser seems hurt. He explains about a tribe who believes that men should spend time as women. I love that Fraser is so offended by Ray's bad reaction; it makes sense if he's just a crossdresser and he doesn't like the idea that he can't tell Ray about it, or that Ray doesn't approve of him in general, but it also totally makes sense for his character even if this is his first time. He's open-minded and lacks hang-ups, especially where techniques which could help with justice and do-gooding are concerned, and he doesn't understand, or approve of, Ray's repulsion.
Ray interrupts Fraser's lecture to say he'll float the idea with Annie, but if she says no, it's no. "Understood," says Fraser, and he asks Ray if this teal is his color. Ray doesn't care.
School. Annie has apparently agreed, because she's leading Fraser to his class. She pulls a tag off his wig. So the wig is new, then. That explains why it's not as good as the rest of his stuff. The rest of his stuff is tried and true. When Annie introduces Ms. Fraser to the girls, they all giggle and exchange whispers about how much trouble they're going to make for the substitute. A girl blowdarts a spitball at Fraser, and he catches it out of the air, confusing her. He then makes friends in his usual courteous way with Melissa, Celine's best friend. She's sad, and he encourages her to smile, as smiling takes seven fewer muscles than frowning. "Save your energy, you're going to need it in your childbearing years," he advises, flipping his flowered scarf over his shoulder.
Walking down the hall, Fraser assures Annie the class was fine, although Melissa didn't tell him much about Celine. Annie says she's protecting her. "That's what friends do for each other," says Fraser. Speaking of which, when Annie walks away, Ray appears out of the woodwork and corners Fraser. He asks if Annie said anything about him. He explains that they used to date in high school, but they broke up after her father walking in on them making out. He's afraid he turned her off dating and caused her to become a nun. Fraser seems unconvinced. His hair is back in this scene, and he really is quite pretty. It's really the hair that's the only problem.
Okay, so maybe the Courtney Love eyeliner could be scaled back, too.
Fraser stops by Melissa and Celine's room. She agrees to help him look for clues about where Celine went, because she misses her friend. She's impressed and grossed out, as all right-thinking people are, when Fraser licks random stuff. Fraser finds Celine's diary, and Melissa begs him not to read it. Fraser agrees, handing it over. Melissa is so impressed by Ms. Fraser's respect that she changes her mind and lets him use the diary if it will help figure out where Celine is.
Ray drives while Fraser changes back into his uniform in the backseat. (He appears to have worn his longjohns under his smart dress suit, at least the top part.) He curses pantyhose for pinching in "the most inappropriate places." "Most people who wear pantyhose don't have those places," Ray comments. Fraser also reads aloud from Celine's diary, which Ray describes as "prose so purple it's giving me diabetes." The girl writes about her love for a boy, whom she "gifted with gold and time." Fraser notes that the handyman was wearing a gold watch. Ray agrees to check him out while Fraser goes to the consulate. He points the mirror at Fraser and indicates his face, reminding him he's still wearing makeup.
Cake or death?
Consulate. Thatcher yells at Fraser for not getting her the scotch. She goes to the door, and Fraser jumps in front of her--I'm not sure if he's trying to block the entrance to his little office, where he's presumably keeping his clothes, or to rush to open the door for her. Either way, they're suddenly face to face, and Thatcher sniffs his neck. "Perfume?" "Passionflower, ma'am," says Fraser professionally.
Police department. Aw, Ray is on the phone trying to track down Fraser's scotch. It's so nice they do things for each other, share the labor, you know, each one doing what he does best--talking to bartenders v. crossdressing semi-unnecessarily. Elaine has looked up the handyman; he's a former car thief.
Celine and the handyman sell a vintage silver flask to a jeweler. The jeweler gives them what seems like a pretty bad deal, and then waits for them to leave and follows them. In the ensuing chase, the handyman is hit by a car. Celine runs away. Ray arrives, having trailed the handyman, I guess; he finds the jeweler's card.
Annie breaks the news to Melissa that the handyman was found dead. Later, Fraser comforts her. Melissa is mostly worried about Celine; she really loved the handyman, although she "could have had any boy she wanted." Oh, I see. She has one of those friendships with Celine. More of a partnership, really. Fraser interprets Melissa's remarks as meaning she's insecure about her relative inability to get guys and he tells her that boys respond not to beauty but to confidence. He asks Melissa to "accompany me to the dance," which seems kind of weird, and Melissa agrees because she is a lesbian.
In the hall, Fraser is looking for clues when he's accosted by the two girl bullies from his class.
GIRL 1: We're onto you, Miss.
GIRL 2: Totally.
GIRL 1: We see the way you're always opening doors for women.
GIRL 2: And the way you're like incredibly tall.
GIRL 1: And polite.
GIRL 2: Totally.
GIRL 1: We hear the way you talk.
GIRL 2: For sure.
GIRL 1: You know you can't fool us. We should have known it right away.
GIRL 2: You're a Canadian.
FRASER: Oh. (relieved) Do you think we could keep it between us?
Ray and Fraser--still in drag--visit the jeweler. He admits to seeing Celine, but doesn't mention she sold him anything. He asks if Ray and Fraser are her parents. Kidfic! Fraser asks to see the flask, licks it, and then declines to buy it. "I can't take her anywhere," Ray apologizes. Outside, Fraser tells Ray the flask has the same fungus he tastes on Celine's shoes. When Ray goes round to his own side of the car without opening the door for Fraser, Fraser barks, "Ray! Manners!" Ray goes back and opens the door for him, but he says, "You know, Bennie, there's a limit." Fraser snorts, "A limit? To good etiquette? I think not, Ray." Hee. I like how he still thinks etiquette requires Ray to treat him as a woman when they both know he isn't, but perhaps it's for the benefit of any onlookers.
Celine shows up back at school and has an emotional reunion with Melissa. Celine wants Melissa to help her score a final bunch of stolen goods and then they can run away together. Melissa is hesitant, but agrees, and they exchange "I love you"s.
Everybody on this show has a partner, too.
Ray talks to his uncle in a nursing home, who gives him the inside dirt about what supposedly happened to Al Capone's stuff; he's surprised when Ray guesses that the stash is near the girls' school.
School dance. There are guys here, so I guess it's a mixer with a boys' school. Fraser encourages Melissa to make eye contact with a boy, informing her that he's clearly been getting up the courage to come ask her to dance; "I have a profound understanding of the interior working of a young man's mind." The boy does ask Melissa to dance, and Fraser is asked by a short male teacher who hits on him. Fraser seems not to mind. Ray appears and cuts in. "You're welcome," he says. "For what?" "For saving you from dancing with a guy." Fraser points out, "It would appear that I am still dancing with a guy." Ray seems put out and stops dancing. Fraser tells him to keep going so they can talk inconspicuously. They're pretty hilarious with their outdated dance moves, crossing their eyes with peace-sign fingers and doing the "hold your nose and go underwater" move in total synchrony.
Boogie down.
Ray informs Fraser about the cache of Capone stuff, and Fraser notices Melissa has slipped away. He tracks Melissa to the basement where the jeweler and some of his thugs have met with her and Celine. They're all impressed by the treasure trove, but predictably they pull out weapons and try to overpower the girls to get out of having to pay. Fraser and Ray appear and start throwing punches. Fraser fights with his usual straightforward manly socking despite his delicate dress, although at one point he confuses an attacker into not punching him by saying "You wouldn't hit a woman, would you?" Melissa helps by yelling at Fraser to duck, and Celine tries to help by throwing bottles of whiskey at the bad guys. Fraser, identifying his scotch, dives to catch the bottle before it smashes; his wig flies off. "You're a cross-dresser?!" cries Melissa. She catches on quick.
Easily overshadowed plus of this episode: one of the few looks at messed-up!hair!Fraser!
Wrap-up. Guys being led off in cuffs. Fraser back in his dress uniform and no makeup. Annie thanks Ray, saying the money from the antiques will help the school. He asks her forgiveness, and she assures him her decision to become a nun wasn't about him. Melissa is hurt that Fraser lied to her about his identity, but Fraser tells her that, although "those weren't my clothes, and that wasn't my hair" ("and those weren't your breasts," Melissa puts in), everything else he told her was the truth. I think those probably are his clothes, technically; did he not buy them? Who does he know that's his size that he could have borrowed them from? I think they're his and what's more I think they've been his for some time. Melissa tells him teal isn't his color, and he says, "I'll remember that for next time." FOR THERE WILL BE A NEXT TIME.
Fraser and Ray walk off together.
RAY: You know Bennie, you weren't a bad-looking woman.
FRASER: Thank you, Ray.
RAY: Of course, you weren't exactly my type, either.
FRASER: What exactly is your type, Ray?
RAY: I like a woman who is kind and honest with a good sense of humor.
FRASER: What, I don't have those qualities?
RAY: No, no, you do. I just like a woman who is, you know, a woman.
FRASER (hurt): That's picky, Ray.
RAY: Don't get in a snit.
FRASER: I'm not.
RAY: Well, good.
FRASER: Well, fine.
RAY: What are you doing after work?
FRASER: Nothing with you!
I love this show.
Bottom Line: This is a thoroughly enjoyable episode and I like seeing textual support for Fraser's openness to nontraditional sexual/gender expression because, oh my god, the fic. I also like that he just doesn't understand why Ray wouldn't like it; that there is just as much evidence to suggest that he's dabbled in crossdressing for a long time than to suggest that this is his first time; and that there is exactly zero evidence to suggest that he isn't 100% interested in Ray.