OK, this was *going* to be about Turnbull. Then it kind of grew...

[mardahin]

This was going to be a few questions regarding the character whom a friend of mine has referred to as "The dorkiest character in all of TV-Land" (actual quote is here). Then it grew. As a result, here's the general speculation on ages and originating locales of the main characters. Things I still need feedback/help on are in bold.

Comments

[kindkit]

Isn't the canon timeline for Ray K. kind of screwed up confusing? According to "Eclipse," he got his first citation in Dec. 1988, at which point he was already an undercover cop.

However, in "The Ladies' Man," he says he was a rookie at the time of the Beth Botrelle arrest, eight years previously (ca. 1990).

Also, if he dropped out of college to join the police academy, he wouldn't have been much older than 22 or 23 as a rookie. And if we figure his character was born in 1960/61, that would sometime between 1982 and 1984.

Yes, I have been thinking about this way too much. If anybody can clarify, I'd be grateful.

[mardahin]

Isn't the canon timeline for Ray K. kind of screwed up confusing?Yes. That's why I'm asking for input. If he turns out too messed up, he's getting his own post eventually

[kindkit]

depending how liberally you want to take Fraser's comment in Eclipse (03x02)

Which specific comment do you mean?

And in the flashback segments of "The Ladies' Man" (04x05) Ray is seen in uniform and he refers to himself as a rookie. It's implied that this is one of his first big busts, and it appears to be the first time he's seen a dead body. To me, all that suggests a very new cop.

On the other hand, Ray also says that the Botrelle bust caused him to be promoted (to detective?), so maybe the term "rookie" is being used loosely.

[kindkit]

"Eclipse" (03x02) gives us some definite information about Ray K.'s age, if not his time on the force. Ray says that he was 13 at the time of the Marcus Ellery bank robbery, and later in the episode he says that the robbery occurred in 1974. So he must have been born in 1961, or possibly late 1960.

[kijikun]

Turnbull I've seen be called anywhere from 25 to 29. If I remember my uniform research (eerr still working on that post), Turnbull is a one star constable. Which means he's been in the force for 5 years. (Fraser having three by season 3 meaning 15 years)

[mardahin]

So depending on whether he had 4 years of post-secondary education (Either in Depot or at another Uni) or went straight into a 3 month Depot session, he's anywhere from 24 to 28 canon wise when we first meet him. I wish we had those Depot numbers. *Growls and stalks off to find another source to dig up length of time in RCMP training*

[kijikun]

Have you tried emailing them?

[mardahin]

Actually they finally got their faq back up, so I've gotten it sorted out (It was down for a week or so in there and driving me batsh*t). EMail was my next resort, though!!

And I don't mean to pressure on the post, it was meant as a friendly enquiry.

[mardahin]

*** I don't know, but he was 'conceived in an igloo north of the Clyde River'. I know that doesn't mean they lived there for any length of time ... (BDtH; Season 3, episode 141)

I looked up the Clyde River, and it's actually a location as well as just a river Map of Nunavut in current day Nunavut, which would have been NWT back when Fraser was born. And thinking on it, if the parents were staying in an igloo while Bob rebuilt the cabin, then they must have been residing somewhere near there. Thanks for sparking my brain!!

*nods* So for RayV we have a day and month, but no year. It's something, at least.

Another interesting thing. The Obit says 'Ellroy' but Ray clearly says 'Ellery' at least twice ...
I wonder if that was the director trying to sort out his accent? He was still new enough they may have been playing around with mispronounciations at the time.

Does all of my conjecture make sense?

[mardahin]

I just remembered that in COTW (Finale) Turnbull makes a reference to how he's never flown. That rules out any of the territories as a Point of Origin for him, and indicates he's probably from one of the provinces reasonably close to Saskatchewan since he'd have had to travel there for initial training. Now, there's decent rail service running from Montreal West, but I can't see him not taking a plane if travelling that far.

[kijikun]

Wouldn't it be great, if we could email the writers and all? One of my past fandoms we got lucky and had the creator come to the forum and awnser a whole bunch of questions about things like ages and origns. It was a maverolous thing.

Actaully what we need are freakin' dvd extra and commentary!

[mardahin]

Actaully what we need are freakin' dvd extra and commentary!

Umm. Yes. Please. I'd buy the set again if they came out with full features. Seriously. And I know I'm not the only one.

Unfortunately it's been long enough since DS aired that we're unlikely to get access to any of those involved in its production. A shame, but it does leave some wiggle room for the creative author.

[mardahin]

I was *wondering* when you were going to chime in with your wonderful canon knowledge :)

Thanks ever so much. Glad to see that my hypotheticals weren't too far off from our episodic references. And thanks for the comment on the 3rd star, that combined with his age will tell us how old he was entering the Academy, and if he had previous Uni. The post-overhaul may not happen until I get to Wisconsin Sunday(I drive out tomorrow afternoon and life's *nuts* right now), but I'll do my best to try to fix it ASAP.