*
" F O R E V E R
=
" K K N N G G H S T A R R I N G
" KK NN N I G H H TTTT
((=)) K K N NN I G GG HHHH T ^..^ Geraint Wyn Davies
|+| K K N N I G G H H T Catherine Disher
|"| K N I H T ^..^ Nigel Bennett
|"| Lisa Ryder
|+| ^..^ Ben Bass
|"| _____ Blu Mankuma
|| |"| ~~~~~~~~||
||___ |+| ~~~~~~~~~~||~
||___|____|_|__~~~~~~~~~~~||~~____________________________________________
An OK Review by LeeRecord January 30, 1996
Please note: This review contains a complete scene with Nick and LaCroix.
THE GAMES VAMPIRES PLAY Episode 3-15 (1st Run)
Written by Naomi Janzen
Directed by Nicholas J. Gray
Post Production Release: January 18, 1996
Guest Starring George Chiang as R.H. Lo, Diane Plotka as Linda Fulford and
special guest star Catherine Bruhier as Rita
Prologue:
A young computer programmer is working on an interactive virtual reality game
that features a seductive, young woman that invites the player to stop
working and play the game. He is making adjustments to the tactile response
routines, when he is shot dead by what appears to be the woman in the game.
The Story:
Nick is preoccupied with something, and everyone from Tracy to Cpt. Reese is
concerned. At the crime scene, he seems distant and inattentive. He paces
the crime scene holding the VR gear. Reese and Natalie conclude that because
there wasn't a struggle, the victim, R.H. Lo, might have known his killer.
Nick finally chimes in that he could have been preoccupied if he was using
the VR game. Tracy has learned that Lo was co-owner of the company that
developed the game and they should be looking for the other owner. Reese
tells Tracy that he is going to get some help from computer ops. and to
follow up on that. After a couple of tries to get Nick's attention, Reese
tells him to follow up on ballistics. Nick nods an okay as he stares at the
floor. Natalie gives him a concerned look.
At the morgue, Natalie retrieves the bullet and Nick asks her if she ever
gets tired of it. She says - so that's the trouble.. your bored. That's not
good for a cop and it could be disastrous for your partner. She tells him
that if he was anybody else, she would prescribe a week at the beach. She
asks him what he does when he gets bored. He tells her that he moves on! Nat
tells him that he needs to find something to fill the void or live with it.
Reese calls Nick onto the carpet about his work not being up to par and that
he needs to do something about it. As he leaves the office, he hears a woman
shout:- "It's a vampire!"
This gets Nick's attention and he goes to see what is going on. Tracy
introduces him to Detective Linda Fulford (Where do they get these names?)
from computer ops. She had been checking out the VR game. Nick gives it a try
and when he sees the virtual vampire, he almost metamorphoses.
Rita Scott, the victim's partner, is brought in for questioning. She is also
the girl that modeled for the vampire in the VR game.
Nick goes to the evidence locker and gets the game. He plays it and discovers
that Rita might be the killer. He tells everyone that he must play the game
to it's end to prove that she is the killer. Rita is on line, somewhere,
playing the game with Nick.. daring him to catch her. She leaves virtual
clues in all the places that they go in the game. When Nick goes to the real
places he finds the clues.
Everyone is on Nick's case about playing the game too much. They don't
believe he is going to find out anything. Reese tells him to put a
surveillance team on Rita, not play a game. Natalie is concerned that he
likes the game because of it's virtual vampire kicks and he might want to
stay a vampire. She has doubts that he has overcome any of his past setbacks.
LaCroix, on the other hand, is quite amused at his VR game.
xx INT. Nick's apartment - NIGHT
LaCroix visits Nicholas and the two men in gray-black
talk of vampires returning to the fold - over a bottle
of human blood.
MASTER:- "Would you care to try a little human vintage? It's young, but it
has an earthy robust taste and it finishes quite well. It really is quite
delicious."
Nicholas takes the bottle as LaCroix continues.
"Ya know.. I've been having the strangest inklings about you, Nicholas.. That
you are ever so slowly wandering back into the fold. So you can imagine my
delight at finding you here like this. I almost hesitate to ask what has
happened to you?"
NICHOLAS:- "Nothing's happened! //long beat// It's the game. //beat// It's a
virtual reality game.. about vampires."
MASTER:- "How quaint. And this.. game has rekindled the stirrings in you?"
NICHOLAS:- "I'm doing it to solve a crime."
MASTER:- "Oh yes yes, of course you are. ;)= And you have killed in this
game?"
NICHOLAS:- "Yes!"
MASTER:- "Savored the victim's blood? //long beat// Must be quite an
impressive game?"
LaCroix whooshes away.. leaving Nick to ponder
what is happening to him. He opens the bottle
of blood and guzzles a hardy amount. He puts the
VR goggles on and continues the virtual game.
Will Nick find the real killer before the game time runs out?
Will Nick's past setbacks catch up with him?
Will Nick continue dressing like LaCroix and go back into the fold?
Will Nick move on?
Will these reviews ever get any shorter?
Episode Quote: "What's with that cute little dice?" -Tracy
Review **** I liked this story because we learn a little more about Nick's
dark side. He reveals that he still longs for the hunt and the blood thirst.
He talks about his past setbacks. And most important, we get to feel his
anguish as he fights to keep from, as LaCroix says, wandering back into the
fold.
The encounter between Nicholas and LaCroix is well played and Nicholas's
black and gray clothes let us see that he and LaCroix are cut from the same
cloth. It's a nice touch; dark meets dark.
Once again we are treated to some fine directing and special effects. If this
is going on the cheap, they should have done it two years ago. The acting was
top notch and Geraint was so into it.. at times he broke into his Welsh
accent.
Whether you're into computer games or not, I think you will enjoy this story.
Make no mistake about it, this story is about Nick and his dark side. If you
are looking for Nick and Nat, Nick and LaCroix, or any other such storylines,
then this is not for you. LaCroix is in it just long enough and Natalie is
there to scold him because of the way he is behaving.
I am on my third viewing of this story and I'm enjoying it as much as I did
the first time. This is one of those episodes that I can watch more than
once, even when the outcome is known.
Promo: 00:30 sec
Narrator -"On Forever Knight.. to solve her crime.. Knight must play her
game, but the closer he gets to the truth.. the stronger his hunger becomes;
on the next -Forever Knight-"
Promo: 00:10 sec
Narrator -"Virtual vampires on the next -Forever Knight-"