Always on my Mind - Renfield Turnbull

[lipstickcat]

Title: Always on my Mind
Author: lipstickcat
Character: Constable Renfield Turnbull
Fandom: Due South
Spoilers: All seasons
Author's Note: Two days late... Umm, sorry? A massive thank you to kill_claudio for beta-ing this monster and some very helpful suggestions.
Word count: 4,262 words

Comments

[slytherin_gypsy]

What a fantastic essay! You've managed to work with what little we know about Turnbull from the series and show that his character is much more complex than it initially appears to be. I particularly like that you pointed out that something must have happened to him after his graduation to make him have such an "unstable reaction to adrenaline boosting situations" because it's something I've never considered, but that makes perfect sense.

[lipstickcat]

Thank you for your feedback! ^_^ People have pointed out to me before that the RCMP run a rigorous training program, and how on earth did he get through it? I had assumed that Chicago was his first posting, but if he's done at least 5 years service previous it makes you wonder why he suddenly got sent to be a receptionist. It seems likely to me that this posting is some kind of rehabilitation for him.

[gaffsie]

This was a great essay. There is so little canonical background to Turnbull and yet you still managed to flesh him out enough to make him seem like a real person. Pretty damn impressive.

I had no idea that there was *nothing* in Due South to suggest that Turnbull loves cheese. I've just always assumed that it was such a prominent part of fanon for a reason. Good thing you set me straight. ;)

You've obviously taken your essay writing very seriously. It's amazing. :)

[captainlaura]

I could be wrong, but I seem to remember the whole "Turnbull loves cheese" thing coming from an episode commentary (podcast, something of the sort) where the person revealed that Dean McDermott was trying to get them to do an episode all about how much Turnbull loves cheese. Sadly, they had to turn him down.

[lipstickcat]

Ah! That rings a bell! I would love to get my hands on a transcript/audio of that...

Heh. That wacky Dean *loves*

[buzzylittleb]

It was the commentary to COTW by PG, he said they were all figuring out the destinies of the individual characters... uh, maybe there, but I think the likes cheese comes from (drunk?) Dean having an idea for an episode revolving arounf T's love of cheese. God, I manage to confuse myself

[floriatosca]

Yay! Turnbull was the first dS character I fell for (I got into due South through fanfiction and the first story I read was "One Knight's Stand") and I'm still very fond of him, bless his big gay flustered Canadian heart. You did a great job getting to the person behind the comic relief.

Fraser's treatment of Turnbull has bothered me a little, because Fraser tends to, in other circumstances, get along quite well with people who have unconventional mental processes. I think that there might be a certain amount of "there but for the grace of God" in Fraser's feelings. Fraser has plenty of eccentricities of his own, and if he didn't go around saving the day all the time and was a little less ridiculously multitalented, would there be any reason for the people around him to take him much more seriously than they do Turnbull?

[liviapenn]

That's a very good point-- they do say that the traits that annoy you most in other people are the traits that you don't like about *yourself*. Of course this isn't always true, but I think it could definitely be applied to Fraser and Turnbull. Watching Turnbull, Fraser must be unable to help feeling a bit mortified-- is *that* really what he looks like to other people?

[lipstickcat]

Watching Turnbull, Fraser must be unable to help feeling a bit mortified-- is *that* really what he looks like to other people?

Yes! The bit in Asylum where Turnbull starts rambling about court cases to the Duck Boys and Fraser gets aggitated - It so easily could have been Fraser reeling off that information. Perhaps he heard himself in Turnbull....

[lipstickcat]

Oh, I love that fic! There are some really fantastic Turnbull stories out there, they just take a little searching to find <3

You have a good point there. Perhaps he's getting frustrated because Turnbull voices what Fraser thinks? Asylum stands out to me because I recall twice during that episode where they almost become one mind - the excitement over the curling match and the discussion about a toilet flush. And then there's the part where Turnbull started to reel off court cases to the Duck Boys and it could so easily have been Fraser blithering on instead... Yes, definitely a good point there.

Thank you for reading and for your feedback.

[debris_k]

Wow, that's great. Very comprehensive! I'll be saving it for later referencing; so many Turnbull facts in one great place! You rock. *hands you big chocolate coconut muffin*

[lipstickcat]

Yay! Muffin! *starts picking out the coconut bits*

Glad you found it useful. I have a feeling I'll be adding to this later as well ^_^

*squeezes her muse and laveshes him with affection*

[sansets]

*twirls you around*

Wonderful essay m'dear! :o)

[lipstickcat]

*is twirled* Wheeeee!!!!

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it ^_^