I watched "Dear Fran" not long ago and notice how much more the Chief, Ed, and Mark cared about Fran, when she was faced with a death in her family. Such a contrast to when she first encountered the three members of the team in "The Gambling Game". Ironside was not happy with her at first after being injured when Fran tried to investigate on her own. Ed particularly was not very happy with her. How things changed.
shareI think "Dear Fran" was my most favorite episode of 'The Fran Years', although I must say that I much prefer 'The Eve Years' in the series. That said, I do agree with you that it did appear that the three members of the team really showed their concern for her in this particular episode much more so than in Fran's first episode, thus making it a very touching episode.
shareI know a lot of people liked Eve better than Fran, but I liked Fran because she genuinely seems to show her love and concern for the Chief more often then Eve did. I suspect that Elizabeth Baur and Raymond Burr really were friends and it showed in the series. Elizabeth Baur had glowing comments about Raymond Burr when she first started on the series. I sometimes felt that Eve was a little more aloof at times. Fran's background was more middle class, so she seems a little more down to earth.
shareWhat you say may and could be very true since from what I have read Barbara was relatively new to Hollywood and Elizabeth had family who was in the industry and who probably had known Raymond Burr through the industry. Also as you say 'Fran' was from the middle class and probably more approachable, and 'Eve' was from the upper class - though I do feel 'Eve' did get to show a very caring side when it was called for. I, myself, just have not been able to sit and watch repeatedly 'the Fran years' like I do 'the Eve years' because to me the show seemed to be on a totally different course when Barbara left which unfortunately just doesn't keep my attention; however, I must say that I did enjoy "The Return of Ironside" where Barbara and Elizabeth's 'Eve' and 'Fran' interacted. It was nice that the two actresses and characters were a part of the movie.
shareRaymond Burr said on a talk show (with the entire case of the Return of Ironside) that he felt the stories were better in the second four seasons.
shareAnd in between Fran became something of a ball buster, in a playful sort of way.
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