In Depth CommentaryPompeii, 79 A.D.A More Permanent Hell - LaCroix returns to Pompeii after completing a campaign in Gaul, to find his daughter strangely changed. During the eruption of Vesuvius, Divia asks him whether he wants to live or die. His choice is to live, and Divia makes him a vampire.Vesuvius erupted on August 24, A.D. 79, burying Pompeii and Herculaneum
in ash. Not a pleasant way to go, the ash was so heavy that people suffocated
quickly. Since this happened during the daytime, my question is, how did
Divia and LaCroix escape?
Egypt, 99 A.D.Ashes to Ashes - Divia takes LaCroix to the tomb of Aya-Hotep and reveals she has killed her master. She attempts to persuade LaCroix to become her lover, reasoning that they are beyond mortal mores. In his appalled horror, LaCroix beheads Divia and buries her there.LaCroix tells Nick that "twenty years after Pompeii, I thought her dead
and buried along with the guilt -- and the secret that one dare not share."
This of course places the flashback in A.D. 99, in the Valley of the Kings,
Egypt.
Paris, c. 1070-1100A Fate Worse Than Death - LaCroix offers Janette a chance for revenge and freedom from her life of prostitution, by making her a vampire.Both the timestamp and the location are provided by dialogue; Janette's
friend Anna says that if she had conceived by her husband she would "still
be married in England instead of a prostitute in Paris," and Janette tells
Nick in the present day that nothing has changed in "a thousand years."
If Janette shares Nick's habit of rounding off centuries, it may be slightly
later than 1100.
Wales, 1220Queen of Harps - Nicolas de Brabant is framed for Gwyneth's murder when he makes the mistake of falling in love with her. His only chance to avoid death is provided by Lord DeLabarre who arranges amnesty for him on the condition he join the Crusades and liberate Jerusalem. Nick, reluctantly, agrees.This is our earliest encounter with a mortal Nick, and obviously takes places several years prior to his being brought across. Nick has to have time to travel to Jerusalem and return to Paris prior to his fatal encounter with Janette. We can assume several months travel time each way. This narrows the time to between 1218 and 1225. Gillian Horvath, who wrote the script, however states Queen of Harps took place in 1220. Paris, 1228Dance by the Light of the Moon - The first time in the series (chronologically) that we see Nick as a mortal man; but not for long. Janette lures him from a banquet where he seems to have gotten very tanked and very bored, seduces him, and turns him over to LaCroix.Near Death - Nick is brought across by LaCroix. As he hovers between life and (un)death, he is given the choice to die or return. Nick cannot resist the temptation (naturally) to know what life is like as a vampire. This takes place immediately following the events in Dance by the Light of the Moon. Some have questioned whether it was the same night or not, since Janette's attire has changed. I suspect this is due to the 18 month gap between season 1 and 2, and the loss of the wardrobe, more than anything else. Nick is after all, still in the nightie that he was wearing while frolicking with Janette. Perhaps she got dressed so Nick could concentrate on what LaCroix had to say, since Nick's so easily distracted, but it probably didn't help. We know he didn't hear the full disclosure statement. Dark Knight - Nick's first night as a vampire; he makes his first kill, encouraged by LaCroix and Janette. This was an easy one to place, since they gave us the date and place in print on the screen in the very first scene of the series. There is also a brief clip in "I Will Repay" that was a part of the "Dark Knight" sequences in the Canadian-aired cut. Killer Instinct - LaCroix teaches Nick to find him by following the "vibration" felt between master vampire and convert. Curiouser and Curiouser - Nick dallies over his dinner during his first week of feeding, and finds that while the blood isn't bothering him, something is. LaCroix gently warns him that he must shed his mortal mores or there will be consequences. This is truly Nick through the looking-glass, because he has a flashback in the middle of a delusion or hallucination. LaCroix tells him that his first week of feeding has gone well, nailing down the time and place, before going on to discuss Nick's lingering guilt. Brabant, c. 1228-1230Be My Valentine - Nick returns home to see his mother and sister one last time. Unexpectedly, LaCroix falls for Nick's sister. In order to save her life, Nick makes a very bad bargain with LaCroix, agreeing that if he should ever love a mortal...well you get the drift.Another easy one to date. Nick tells LaCroix he isn't going to disappear
without seeing his mother and sister one more time. I suspect this happened
very shortly after Nick became a vampire and he was still in the process
of "letting go his mortal bonds." That places it within a couple of years
after being brought across -- at least in my book.
France, c. 1247Fallen Idol - Nick returns at Fleur's death to care for her son Andre. LaCroix is amused at Nick's naiveté in believing that Andre will still love him when Nick reveals his nature. LaCroix takes matters into his own hands to makes sure Andre really understands who and what his Uncle Nick is.The script dates this one as 1274, but I believe it was a typo in the script. In Be My Valentine, Fleur has grown up, but is not yet married. Since Nick has been gone since around 1220, that put BMV at the latest in 1230. Fleur's son, Andre looked to approximately ten to twelve years old. Based on that, 1247 is a much more believable date.
France, 1428-31For I Have Sinned - Nick meets the girl who will become known as Joan of Arc on her way to meet with the Dauphin, and again on the eve of her execution. On both occasions he debates with her about spiritual vs. actual immortality, and is very bothered by what she has to say.Also easy to place, thanks to the presence of a historical personage. The first meeting was somewhere between Domremy and Vaucouleur, probably close to the former; Joan was executed at Rouen in 1431. Europe (probably France), c. 1440-60Dead Air - Janette and LaCroix terrorize and finally kill a man bound to a chair, apparently as a substitute for LaCroix's father. Nick observes the proceedings in disgust.This one is tough because the whole sequence is in one room, removed from the mortal world. The key was when it dawned on me that Nick is in what appears to be the same outfit as when he had last spoken to Joan, but it's a wreck and so is he. LaCroix's comments indicate that Nick has not been with them in some time, and his disheveled condition indicates that he has been living on the fringes, possibly as a result of the doubts raised by his debates with Joan. As for my approximate dating, it's based mostly on the gown and headdress on our favorite immortal fashion plate. This will henceforth be referred to as Janette-dating, just because it's late and I'm in a silly mood. Thanks to the timely observations of Leslie GS, this one has been narrowed down from 1440-60 to 1435-48. SHe points out, that the flashback from Trophy Girl takes place in 1448 and Nick has spiffed up by then. France, c. 1448Trophy Girl - Nick is troubled by LaCroix' dalliance with Liselle. Her beauty haunts him and he wants to save her from from death at LaCroix' hands. Nick attempts to convince her to leave, but Liselle doesn't believe him and playfully seduces him. It's too much for Nick's control and he kills her.The script gives us the date for this flashback, but it doesn't tell us where, beyond a castle keep. Based on the fact that Liselle is speaking French, I believe this takes place in France. It makes sense within the timeline, since all earlier flashbacks occur in Paris and France, once Nick becomes a vampire. As for the clothes, I could find precedents for both Nick and LaCroix's outfits (Nick's jerkin belted with metal belts and LaCroix's surcote) to tie it to the script date. Hertogenbosch, Holland, c. 1490-1516Dead Issue - Nick learns that a young artist's model, Ilse, was raped by the master painter but believes herself guilty of seduction. He is unable to convince her otherwise, and she commits suicide by poison.The master painter's tunic and Ilse's gown indicate both the period and a northern European location, most likely Holland as it was a leading force in early Renaissance art. The period is reinforced by Ilse's conviction that her rape by the master painter was her fault, an attitude that was most prevalent, and in fact actively endorsed by the Church, at that time. The timeframe is further narrowed by the lifetime of Hieronymous Bosch (1450-1516), who is the master painter. Nick refers to him as Master Bosch, and he is painting the rather recognizable "Garden of Earthly Delights." Hieronymous Bosch lived in Hertogenbosch, a provincial town located in the modern Netherlands close to the Belgian border, all his life. Italy or Germany, c. 1510-1519Partners of the Month - Janette decides to leave Nicolas after 98 years of life together. Nicolas, feeling angry and betrayed, keeps a painting of Janette by Leonardo, much to her dismay.Janette informs Nick that she will commission another painting when she sees Leonardo, during their argument. From this I concluded Leonardo must still be alive. Since we know that Da Vinci's life spanned from 1452 to 1519, this gives us a timeframe. After that I fell back on Janette-dating. Janette's ruff is a sign of Spanish influence which came around 1540. There is a discrepancy between the dialog and the clothes, so I decided to go with the dialog. I placed this towards the end of Leonardo's life, somewhere between 1510 and 1519 to get it as close as possible to the clothing style. When I first published this timeline I received a serious argument for late 1500's, based on Janette's clothing, and the idea it was possible Janette had forgotten or didn't know Leonardo was dead. It was also suggested that Germany would be a good location based on the clothing style and color. I still prefer Italy because of the references to Leonardo and the fact that Nick spoke Italian. Austria, 1528Dead of Night - Nick weds Alyssa von Linz and on their wedding night attempts to bring her across to be his eternal companion. It is his first try and when he fails, he begs LaCroix to save her. LaCroix tells him that not even he can revive an ember that has burned out. He leaves, reminding Nick to "not take too much."The script tells us Dead of Night takes place in 1528. Nick's dashing outfit with the upper stocks and padded doublet with slashed sleeves fits right into a description of what was being worn in 1530. LaCroix once again is wearing something a little less high fashion, but his surcote appears to match the time. As for where it takes place, possibly Austria or Germany since Alyssa's last name is von Linz. Italy, c. 1530-1570Crazy Love - Nick finds the perfect lover. Amalia loves Nick and wants to give herself to him completely. Nick knows that this will eventually lead to her death, but cannot bring himself to part from her. And finally, when Nick takes too much, she dies happily in his arms.This one is tough to date. However, I looked at Amalia's caps and believe that this took place either in France or Italy. In England, woman were wearing hoods and gabled headdress, which entirely concealed their hair (not too mention their necks). In Italy, the caps were more decorative at this time. The full sleeves and dress suggest the period between 1530 and 1570. Nick's attire seems to suggest a later time-frame than Amalia, since he is wearing breeches rather than hose. However, his short fitted jacket fits the time frame. Lake Titicaca, the Andes, 1531Black Buddha, Part 2 - Vachon meets his death at the hands of the Inca after fierce battle. They are both brought across by Angel, and during the night, taught what they need to know to survive. She then gives them her final orders, and walks into the sun. Vachon and the Inca bury themselves in the dirt for the day. That night, Vachon rises first and wanting to be free, runs a tree through the Inca and leaves believing (erroneously) he's killed him.This one is a ...er dead give-away, since Vachon tells us the date. The year is 1531, and he is running messages at a battle at Lake Titicaca when he is brought across. Spain, 1578Sons of Belial - Nick and LaCroix are taken in the night and thrown into prison to await interrogation by the Inquisition. Nick's compassion leads him to reveal the vampire to save a fellow inmate, Ario, from certain death. When the jailers attempt to kill Nick and LaCroix, Ario returns the favor and saves them.What a place to be--in Spain, in jail--and in the hands of the Inquisition! The script tells us that this is placed in 1578, and the clothing certainly bears that out. Nick is wearing clothing in the style of court dress, with the ruff and double or false sleeve. LaCroix's clothing is more traditional for the time, and probably more comfortable than that ruff. Guess we know who the fashion plate is, don't we?
France, c. 1620-1640Blood Money - Double dealing abounds when Nick and his partner-in-crime murder the Dauphin, after successfully extorting money from the King in a kidnapping plot. After meeting up with LaCroix and Janette, Nick--wanting the money for himself--turns the table on his partner. Nick kills his partner after a great sword fight (which Nick loses), despite LaCroix' warning that the money will be a curse.Another tough one. But the bucket-top leather boots (love 'em), linen
collar, and vertically slashed sleeves were popular in the early 1600's.
Not only that, in the 1620's and 1630's men grew their hair longer to lie
on the shoulder. Certainly looks like what Nick is wearing, and very well
too One of the times when it would be helpful to have Janette or somebody
female, as women's fashions change about twice as fast as men's. The location
is only a guess; my best clue to time and place is Matthew's beliefs, Puritan
or something very similar. Nick's comment that "devout men are not troubled
by such things" hints that it may be around the Salem lunacy (1690's),
when a great many devout men were troubled by such things.
While the script tells us the flashback occurs in 1660, the great plague
of London actually occurred in 1664-1665. So I looked at the costuming
to double-check. LaCroix' dress is actually the most helpful in determining
the date. He is wearing a doublet and breeches that were worn from approximately
1625-1635. In the Doctor's plain outfit we can also see the influence from
the Dutch that was prevalent at the time. LaCroix places the flashback
in Fever for us with the phrase "London used to be such a nice city."
Another case where the costuming provides the period and hints at the
location. Nick and LaCroix are clearly differentiated from the trio whose
table they take. It would be difficult to find another time and place where
fashion statements were quite so politically charged; Nick and LaCroix
would be seen as supporting the King, a camouflage that is echoed by the
officers' uniforms in WWII London.
Note: I have had an argument that Fatal Mistake may have taken place
between 1642 and 1652 when the Puritan Roundheads defeating the Royalist
Cavaliers based on the clothing styles. The pearl drop earring one that
one of the men chased off by LaCroix hits they could have been Royalists
(or at least not for Cromwell), and that LaCroix's plainer clothing could
have signified his backing of Cromwell since they were...er winning. And
we all know LaCroix's penchant to back the winning team Vachon's voice-over is actually more helpful than the flashback itself.
From his narration we learn it occurred over 200 years ago during the Queen
Anne's Campaign of the French and Indian Wars. Based on where the Campaign
took place, the flashback occurred in eastern Canada, probably near where
Toronto would later be built.
Place from accents, time from clothing, and a healthy dash of pure intuition
on my part.
This one is very easy to do. Both the date and place were given by Frank/Francesca
under hypnosis. The year was 1755 and the place Avignon, France, the Cote
du Rhone to be really precise.
This is a little tricky, as the theatre costumes are slightly earlier
than the gown we see Erica wearing in the last section of flashback, dancing
with her doll. That one falls during the transition between the heavily
structured bodices and panniers of the Revolution era, and the simpler
"Empire" style. I was tempted to think the sequences had a substantial
span of time between them, but I think the play was set earlier than the
time they were performing it; or perhaps the costumes were refurbished
castoffs of an earlier style.
Another tough one to place from clothing because the clothing belongs
to people in the working class, which is not as well documented as the
aristocracy. However the coat Vachon is wearing and the waist-coat that
ends at the waist help place it in between 1760 and 1800. The script says
1792. The script states this flashback takes place in Spain. The only thing
I know for sure is that it takes place in a barn or some similar building.
The Baroness is wearing the Empire style (mentioned above in Last Act).
In the present-day story the Baroness is going by "Sophia Jurgen;" if she
followed the pattern established by Nick and others we have seen, the given
name is probably hers but the surname probably isn't. However, "Baroness"
is a title usually associated with Germanic nobility, and if Jurgen is
not her original surname she probably did choose one to match her origins.
Marise has a music box that plays Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" (op.
101, 1816), which belonged to her mother. Mass production of music boxes
began in the 1820s (making them the CD singles of their day); Nick's coat
in particular is no later than early 1830s.
Elizabeth and the fishermen are not exactly fashion plates, and we don't
get as good a look at Nick's clothes as I would like, but I'm going by
what I could get from that.
Another case of Janette-dating. Spanish influence, ankle-length taffeta
with what sounds like two or three petticoats but no hoops. (Yes, this
does get easier as we get closer to the present--good guess! :-) ) Very
much the cutting edge of fashion, and probably a little daring to more
conservative ladies like the extras in the courtroom. I'd be in trouble
if I had to judge by Nick and LaCroix, as those outfits could be anywhere
in the first half of the nineteenth century.
Men's clothing was in the time period where changes are hard to see,
but I believe Nick is wearing a Frock coat, and the shirt collars that
were in vogue at the time. The womens dresses also seem to bear out the
time period. Where are they? The script says Geneva, Switzerland.
Just to bear out what I said above, Nick and LaCroix are dressed almost
exactly as they were in "False Witness". Janette-dating! A more tailored
bodice with a longer waist; and I suspect she got rid of a hoop skirt before
they started running. Hoops were still of modest diameter at this time--it
would be about ten years before the look we associate with Scarlett O'Hara.
I'm guessing England, since we know that Hunted which takes places in the
same time period probably occurred in England.
This is an effective companion piece to first season's "Hunters", and
probably takes place not too long after it. Janette is appropriately attired
in the sort of habit an upper-class lady would wear for a fox hunt. The
guys are in essentially the same style they've been wearing for half a
century; they're finally due for a change in the next decade or so.
From around 1830 to 1860, the changes in men's clothing are fairly subtle,
and unless they give you a really good view of the clothing, it's hard
to tie it down. Since the only woman's dress we see it Chinese, that doesn't
help either (where is Janette when you need her?) However, Nick is definitely
wearing a frock coat out of heavy fabric with a fur collar and a high stiff
collar and neck-tie which place it between 1830-1860. The script says 1850,
Chinatown, San Francisco.
The uniform that LaCroix is wearing is that of a French Hussar. In fact
it looks exactly like the one in a book that states the year as 1853. The
same as the script. A-maz-ing. Since this was the year the Crimean war
started, and we all know how LaCroix loves a good war, I'd say that nails
this one down.
I have placed this one between 1855 and 1860 for several reasons. First
we know that Nick and LaCroix were in the Crimean War in 1853. They had
to have a little time to change continents. Secondly, the Underground Railroad
was active between 1830 and 1861. When the Civil War broke out, I guess
things got a little tough to keep going. Third, we find Nick serving as
a doctor during the Civil War. These factors put very definite bookends
on the possible time during which this flashback could have occurred. Since
Nick misdirects the slave hunters to Charlotte, I suspect they are in South
Carolina.
Piece of cake, even without Janette-dating, just because the Civil War
was relatively short. Sullivan has one line referring to "the run", which
is a common Southern term for creek or river, but which can also be taken
as referring to Bull Run. There were actually two battles there in 1861
and 1862. (Thanks to Paula Sanders for her sharp ears on this one!)
Thanks to Diane Echelbarger, we can determine the year. Janette's dress
is almost an exact replica of one seen in the Wisconsin Historical Society,
dated 1867. Not only that, the oval hoop was only in style for about two
years. However, the place is not so easy. We only know that the "Resurrection
Doctor" left England. I tend to think it's France, after all, it is home.
I place this one between 1870 and 1880 because the "Old West" as depicted
here points to the late 18th century. Not only that, Nick had to get back
to England by 1883 to do the Sherlock Holmes thing in Blind Faith. Furthermore
I suspect he stayed and helped out throughout the Civil War before heading
west, which limits the amount of time he could have spent hanging out in
the sagebrush. It's really hard to pinpoint a place when all we get to
see is a campsite somewhere in the west. Let's just say it's the southwest.
It looked pretty barren.
The script tells us this takes place in Croyden England in 1883. Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle was born in 1859, so that would make him 24, which fits
with the way the actor played the part.
It is unclear whether we are meant to think LaCroix brought over the
Ripper before, after, or in the midst of the Whitechapel murders of August-November
1888. My pet theory is that it ended the nearly two-month lull before the
particularly grisly "double event" that marked the Ripper's farewell...to
London, at least.
Circumstances point to this as Nick's last kill, and he stated in "Cherry
Blossoms" that he had killed no one for a hundred years. (It's also worth
noting, for the sake of tracking Nick's moral development, that he has
had a "code" for the previous 300 years of killing only the "guilty".)
Costuming provides further clues to the period, and the custom of the ballerina
receiving visitors in her dressing room suggests the Paris Opera, where
the foyer de danse and sometimes performers' private dressing rooms had
the reputation of being the place to find a fashionable mistress.
After 1880 woman's evening wear was elaborate with décolleté
necklines and short sleeves. Bustles were smaller and skirts were draped.
Urs' dress certainly matches the description. Without the script, however,
I wouldn't be able to name a location (besides a bar). They tell us it
is New Orleans.
Since the flashback takes place aboard the Titanic, the time frame is
limited to the one and only voyage the Titanic made, ending on April 14-15,
1912 when it sank approximately 1600 miles from New York. What I want to
know is how did Nick escape?
At last, Nick tells us the year, by reminding Janette of it when she
comes to rescue him in the present. It's not a period that particularly
suits her, or anyone else; but give the designer responsible, Paul Poiret,
credit for getting us out of the corsets and yards and yards of useless
stuff.
Well, let's see, we have Rasputin along with Nicholas and Alexandra.
Yeah, it's St. Petersburg, Russia, just before the Russian Revolution.
The script dates it as 1916. Works for me.
Another historical figure, this time it's young Adolph Hitler. (Sounds
sort of like a bad young Indiana Jones, doesn't it?) Placing it, is a little
tough, since they are on a moving train, and nobody tells us the destination.
The script simply says the European Frontier, I'd like to think its either
Germany or Austria.
Seems to be after the Tutankhamun discovery prompted a boom in the population
of European archaeologists of varying degrees of qualification, but before
the Egyptian government started effectively watchdogging them. The lady
scholar's clothing would be considered quite conservative in the 20s, in
keeping with the need to maintain a respectable image in a man's profession.
This is fairly easy to place. Serena tells us she has been looking all
over Paris for the perfect man. The clothing that her pregnant friend is
wearing in the flashback are very typical of the flapper era.
Janette's bobbed hair and risqué party dress seem to place us
at the height of the Jazz Age; however, since they are in Paris and Janette
has never been one to miss the cutting edge of style, it may be as early
as 1921.
No Janette-dating necessary, although it helps pinpoint the most likely
years. The "Blitz" occurred through 1941, making it a good bet; but bombing
of London did continue for some time, and everyone in the flashback seems
somewhat accustomed to it.
This one is easy, too. World War II in occupied France. The script
narrows this one down to 1942, Lyon France.
There is a small glitch with this one, as Nick says he met the Barringtons
in London in the 50s and that they moved back to Toronto "after the war".
If you pretend he said 40s, everything is fine. Since this is the same
ep with the now-infamous "Battle of Hastings" comment that amounts to Nick
claiming to be at least 150 years older than he his, I don't feel too bad
about fudging another line by a decade in light of the way it fits much
better before the 1954 sequences than after.
Again, Nick tells us the year and city, when showing Natalie his desk
nameplate in the closing minutes of the episode.
Couldn't get more obvious, as the date and place are stated clearly
in the episode, which is mostly flashback. This was my freebie. :-)
Well, clothes didn't even come into it. How do you determine a time
frame when everyone is wearing that timeless Chicago police uniform. But
it didn't hurt that Nick and his partner inspected a "Classic Ford Mustang"
on their patrol. That style was produced only between 1964 and 1968. They
also had a nicely placed picture of President Lyndon Johnson on the precinct
wall to back this up.
I dated this one based on the fact that the Democratic National Convention
in 1968 was held in Chicago. The narrow ties and jacket lapels match the
time frame as well. I also realized watching this show that Lisa Ryder
has the dubious distinction of being killed twice on Forever Knight.
The Vietnam war helps to narrow this one down pretty effectively.
Jumping back to Nat's 28th birthday from her 30th. The outdoor scenes
are probably the night after their initial meeting in the lab. Nick has
at least had time to clean up and change clothes; dialogue found in the
Canadian cut tells us he did try to make her forget about him and
was checking up on her, which if he had any sense (yes, I know that's questionable
sometimes!) he would do as soon as possible, before her knowledge could
start causing trouble.
This is the only episode that features Schanke's flashbacks, and they are
very easy to date. All of them take place after he and Nick became partners.
You would think he would have clued in sooner that something about Nick
just wasn't right. But maybe he couldn't, until he had a "real" flashback.
This is easy, since it's Janette's flashback of the last few months
that she has spent in Montreal after leaving to rid herself of the "desire
for humanity" infection. What she finds instead is her mortality. Talk
about a cruel twist of fate. Poor Nick.
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| Last Knight - As Nick contemplates
what to do when his life comes crashing down around him, he remembers pivotal
events in his life. They are included here in order of appearance(s)
(1) Last Act (2) Only the Lonely (3) Dead of Night (4) Black Buddha (5) Be My Valentine (6) Black Buddha (7) Human Factor (8) For I have Sinned During the love scene, images of violence overshadow Nick and Natalie.
It is not clear if Nick or Natalie is seeing these events:
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