Was this the scenario at a production meeting?
"Oh dear, we're one episode short. Quick - jot down a plot on the back of this cigarette packet and we'll pad it out with clips."
It certainly feels like it. It's a cop-out. A milk-dud. Such a sad and disappointing end to the second series that the US have never shown it.
The sort-of plot: Jeweller is kidnapped by the women he's been two-timing. Fraser jumps on the back of their get-away vehicle to get the registration number (translation - license plate - you know the one), falls off, bumps head, loses memory, cue for clips.
In fact, the entire cast wander through this episode as though they are suffering from collective amnesia of what Due South is about or why they are there - and a Benton Fraser with attitude is almost more than I can bear!
Redeeming features? (Yes, even so.) Watching the clips and playing "Spot the episode". And the marvellous sequence of out-takes of Paul and David during the final credits. Now why couldn't they just have given us a whole programme of those?
The only good thing about it was the scene where Fraser walks through the door and doesn't hold it (see! He's really lost it!), thus knocking some old lady right on her tush. Forgive me, but I thought that one scene was hilarious. Other than that, an absolute dud.
Having read the reviews of "Flashback", I feel obliged to say something in it's defense.
This episode is, first and foremost, a lot of fun. As a bonus, we are given our last chance to look at the development of the "bond" between Fraser and Ray before things are thrown back to square one when Stan breaks onto the scence. Given that it was then thought this would be our heroes' last appearance, it is entirely appropriate that we should look back on some of their adventures...and laugh with them once again.
Granted, Fraser was very funny in his "not quite himself" state, but surely the real beauty of this episode lies in the flashbacks themselves. We see not only Fraser in his kindness personified role, but also the more complicated aspects of his character. We watch Ray dealing with his friend's quirks ("Why do I always have to be the fulcrum?") and trying his common sense, hard work brings results policing attitude in truly bizarre situations ("Un-mush, un-mush!").
Everyone seems to forget the classic ending to this episode when Ray tries to arrest the (admittedly not very terrifying) criminals with a toy "BANG" gun, and "Cliffy" trying to reach for the sky whilst tied to a chair. And isn't it a wonderful moment when Fraser not only recover's his memory, reeling off the license plate number without effort, but also his identity: "Aw, come on Mac, no one's that polite!"
You're right, Fraser. No one's that polite...except you.
But if or not, must be pretty strange to remember NOTHING and then being told you´re ....well....FRASER.
I liked that puzzled look back in the hospital when Ray told Benny the "Mountie in Chicago"-Story.
And that scene in with the woman recognizing Benny. THAT look - just great.
Of cousre the plot wasn´t the big one. The kidnapping story was just boring. But I liked the Flashbacks, great scenes. And every series has an episode like this - but they´re not always as clever made like this one.
The wolf. Fraser afraid of Dief - that I like. And of course the door-scene. Rays reaction´s just great. Really shocked.
At last, there´s one question open - why does Fraser has such many rubbers [erasers] in his desk?