MovieChat Forums > French in Action Discussion > Episode 52

Episode 52

posted 17 years ago by LCShackley
5 replies | jump to latest

I discovered this series by accident on our local PBS station and have been watching it for a few months, probably starting with an episode in the 30s.

Was anyone else besides me freaked out by episode 52? I kept waiting for Prof. Capretz to appear and explain everything as he usually does, but instead the episode got weirder and weirder. Most bizarre of all is when Robert et Mireille pay a pilot for his plane (did any of us know Robert could fly?) and they manage to visit all of France in about 5 minutes. (Paris to Strasbourg in 30 seconds or less!)

Then violence ensues, secrets are revealed, dreams are fulfilled, and the sun sets behind a contented couple (probably stock footage!). What a great way to end the series! It's almost as bizarre as the final episode of THE PRISONER!

I'm very happy to say that our PBS station is starting over now with Episode 1, which seems very strange after seeing the ending. Now I'll be able to catch up on the character development.

A bientot!

[–] LCShackley 17 years ago

I should add that episode one is almost a complete waste of time! Just a setup of how the course is going to work, with some shots of Capretz with his shirt unbuttoned to the SECOND button! Not looking professorial at all. And almost all in English, with loads of testimonials from teachers and students. If I had seen this episode BEFORE episode 52 (I joined halfway) I probably would never have continued.

[–] irenireniren 17 years ago

that was the greatest episode! btw does anyone know where i can find it?

[–] aries__ 16 years ago

Well I found the website, which has all the episodes on it, but you have to sign up first....
http://www.learner.org/resources/series83.html
I found French In Action by total accident too!
It's too bad it comes on at 5:30 in the morning where I am. Haha

Keep Austin Weird

[–] Qanqor 16 years ago

I'm glad someone else was freaked by episode 52! I just saw it for the first time last week. And yes, I also thought of the last episode of The Prisoner. It's almost that surreal... [WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD] I mean, come on, Robert falls off the balcony, looks like he might be *dead*, is horribly bandaged up in the hospital... and then just gets up like it's nothing, rips the bandages off like they're the fake tv props that they are, and runs off to save the fair Mireille! It was all so rushed at the end, it almost seemed like he was intending to make a few more episodes, and then had to cram the rest of the story all in at the last minute. I think it would've helped if they hadn't spent *three* episodes on the quintet sitting around arguing about where to go on vacation.

And the talk at the very end about new adventures! I *totally* wanted to see a French In Action II!!! The major bummer, though, was that we never do get to see the two young lovers kiss. I think we were entitled to one good kiss, educational show or not!

Anyway, I was quite bummed that my local station here in Seattle did NOT immediately go back and start the series over with episode 1; instead, they took it off the air. I was looking forward to watching it all through again, and seeing if I could detect improvement in my French from my first watch-through.

Oh well. Mysteres et boules de gomme!

[–] cellmaker 16 years ago

French in Action runs pretty much continually on the Annenberg Channel.