F O R E V E R  K N I G H T

Review by LeeRecord                                        May 01, 1996

FRANCESCA
Episode #FK3-21  (1st Run)
This episode must air before episode 320 "Ashes To Ashes"
Third Season     (05/03/96)

Written by Gillian Horvath
Directed by Nigel Bennett

Guest Starring Maurice Dean Wint as Frank, Brooke Johnson as Lisa Kadlec


Prologue:
A vampire is seen in a flashback as she smiles at a man in a cage. back in
the present a woman places a dead man onto a restaurant table. In flashback,
we see the vampire with her hypnotized pray; she raises a dagger and thrusts
it into his heart. In the present, the woman is about to cut the throat of
the man on the table. In flashback, the vampire stands near the body of the
man she has placed on a table; she raises a silver cup of his blood and
drinks. In the present, we see the man's slashed throat as the woman walks
away.

The Story:
Lisa Kadlec has hypnotized a man that she is taking into past life
regression. He says he was a female vampire in 1755 that was killed by
another vampire that she loved. As he speaks, we see the female vampire and
Nicholas making love. The vampire is Francesca!

The doctor brings him out of his trance after he begins shouting that they
died in each others arms a thousand times. The confused patient, Frank,
leaves and a bewildered Lisa listens to the tape of their session.

Tracy, Nat and Nick investigate the death of the man in the restaurant. Nat
says he was killed with a knife into the heart and his blood was drained. A
red lipstick kiss print was left on his forehead. Nick comes over to get a
closer look and realizes that this is all too familiar. He recalls the past
with the beautiful, but evil Francesca. Their Master, Lacroix, introduced
them and apparently she learned her lessons well.

Tracy has a case of deja vu when she looks at the body; she doesn't like this
case at all.

At the morgue, Nick asks Nat what the man had eaten. Nat describes an
expensive gourmet dinner -- his last meal. "The lipstick kiss print was mixed
with blood -- she's drinking the blood!", Nat explains.

She asks Nick if it was a vampire that killed the man. He explains that he
has seen it done that way before. He recalls Francesca and her love for
drinking the blood of her victims so she could experience their soul.

Tracy tells Vachon how the man was killed. He tells her that some, for a
price, will get human blood for vampires that get off on the death rush. They
are blood connoisseurs that like poets, musicians and etc. Tracy says:-
"Blood brokers.."

Has Nicholas' sister, Francesca, returned?
What are her plans for Nick?
Will Lisa Kadlec learn that there really are vampires?
Why is Tracy having deja vu?


Episode Quote: "If this is Francesca reincarnate, I doubt that she
                remembers you fondly" -Lacroix to Nicholas


Review **** (of four) Francesca is a fine story that reveals that once you
have chosen the vampire curse, your soul will be doomed to wonder the earth
forever in one form or another. Nick wonders if it is possible for him to
ever be a forgiven mortal. Francesca was evil and used human blood as a drug,
so her soul remains cursed, but what about Nick's? He wants to atone for his
sins, but is it enough? (Gillian does a fine job explaining why the drinking
of blood is so addictive; it's more than just food to a vampire.)

Nick describes how a vampire experiences the very soul of a victim when
drinking their blood. Natalie becomes so moved by his words that it seems
like she wants Nick to bring her across -right then- so she can experience
this mystical beauty that contradicts the persona of the vampire and it's
evil.


Promo: 00:30 sec
Narrator -"A blood letting.. could be a clue to life after death.. Is it
           proof of reincarnation.. or a lover's revenge?  On the next
                     -Forever Knight-"

Promo: 00:10 sec
Narrator -"Hate never dies.. on -Forever Knight-"