The Double Denby

When we first see Harry Denby he seems to be a straight-forward, professional detective. He seems to be doing his job. The next time we meet Denby, however, it is a very different story. The day is done, and Diane and Denby meet in the evening in a local bar. We see he has been drinking and his approach to Diane seems more sexual than professional. He is also quite hostile. As he himself says, "Gets mean behind his cocktails, this Denby." He tries to get Diane, who has identified herself as an alcoholic, to drink and also pressures her into kissing him in exchange for information about the case. Diane reacts angrily, and from now on, anger will be the predominant emotion Diane has when with Denby.

Diane is very confused by this new, second Denby--and so are we! In this second meeting, Diane says: "You were a decent guy this morning." Denby replies, "It's not morning any more on this part of the globe." And when Diane says, "You must hate yourself in the mornings." Denby responds, "Only sometimes. Often I don't remember anything at all."

And, indeed, we see that Denby drinks so much this evening that he doesn't remember what happened, or where Don went, or who the body in the dumpster is. Or does he? Is he really as much of a werewolf as he seems here, or is there some calculation--some method in Denby's madness? Is this second, damaged personality actually just a brilliant disguise? Is this second Denby simply an impersonation of evil used to secure the success of an undercover operation? The sense that the Second Denby is a guise by which he works deep undercover is one that many viewers find persuasive, or at least wish were so. Many fans of Denby hope that he is, after all, just doing his job.

But what if Denby's identity as an undercover cop is little more than a barely achieved surface normality beneath which lurks the true, dark Denby? This Second Denby is lost, lonely, desperate; inside, he is bleeding all over the place. And it is this Second Denby that more and more emerges in his relationship with Diane.

Denby and Diane

Denby's boorish behavior is deliberately meant to make Diane angry. He seems to want to provoke some kind of passionate reaction from her. At the very least, in feeding Diane's anger, Denby keeps her involved with him. This suggests an impaired capacity for intimacy, combined with a life-affirming wish for intimacy that comes through the self-destructive morass of his life in spite of himself. The anger in Diane tells Denby that Diane cares about him, on some level. And Denby seems to want Diane to care about him enough to get angry with him. He knows his behavior is shameful and infuriating, and he expects--even hopes--that Diane will react with anger. Denby is asking Diane to be strong for him; in test after test, her angry response actually empowers her and tells Denby that she is a woman who has the strength and the resources necessary to rescue him. Her anger is, in this regard, actually reassuring Denby, telling him she won't cave, won't give up. The way in which the character of Denby creates new strengths and possibilities for the character of Diane is one of the key reasons this relationship is such a powerful one.

Although he tries to tempt her, Denby knows Diane will react with anger and rejection, even counts on that reaction. He seems to be deliberately arranging for rejection, for punishment. This need for self-punishment suggests that Denby knows he has gone to the bad, knows that he has sold himself and his ideals out. When he remembers, he does hate himself in the morning. And in making Diane angry with him, he is reminding all of us of how far he has fallen, and, on some life-seeking level, he is telling us he is hoping to be pulled back from the edge.

The Real Denby

So who is Harry Denby, really? On the one hand, you can see him as a deep undercover cop who has perhaps used his alcoholism as part of his underworld disguise--but that he's ultimately on top of it, he's calling the shots. On the other hand, you can see him as someone who has truly gone over to the dark side--that he is a tortured soul teetering on the brink of the abyss, hoping for someone to save him. If you believe in the Second Denby, his relationship with Diane is not professional, but personal. This vision of Denby suggests that his encounters with Diane are not simply related to the case or his investigation, but are desperate efforts to connect with someone he hopes can turn him around.

Perhaps, at this point, Harry Denby himself isn't sure who he really is or what he is really doing! But can Denby be defined simply by his job as an undercover detective? The brilliant interpretation of this character by Scott Cohen suggests there is more to Denby than what he does for a living, that his soul is not something contained within his job description. It is far more likely that the real Harry Denby is the one that comes out when day is done and it's not morning any more on his part of the globe, when he is alone with himself and his griefs and demons.

-Meg Birns

I just read Meg's review of Denby and it wonderfully encapsulates all I was gleaning from his short, but rich appearances. Like the conflicted Wolf, Denby is a combination of great writing and a great interpretive actor. I can see why Scott had such a difficult time with this character...sitting alone in his trailer going over and over his lines. In this episode in particular, I could not predict what Scott was going to do, even though I had read the episodes transcript over and over. He keeps me absolutely transfixed, and I think Scott's triumph is that he played it so well that Harry could believably still be either a good cop or bad cop. Whether he's under deep cover or not, Denby and all his verbal torture has made me rethink the contempt held for the addicted.

-Kristin

D = Delightfully Devilish
E = Enticingly Equipped
N = Notoriously Nocturnal
B = Bedable Bad-Boy
Y = Yearningly Yummy

-Cory

Denby is a creature of paradox, and this is something Scott just does so well. In that way he is a perfect actor for writer David Milch. So, paradoxically, while all this nefarious stuff is going on, and in spite of Diane's bad attitude and Denby's bad behavior, I also see little Kissingtown hearts begin to form around Diane and Denby. I found it interesting that when Diane and Denby first meet she is standing next to a grieving widow. This of course was true for Diane as well--I think it is a reference to Diane's situation. And then along comes Denby! Yay! And what a quirky first date, complete with good-night kiss! The date from hell! But a date, nevertheless. Do I hear wedding bells?

-Ever The Romantic, Meg Birns

The more I see of Denby, the more I am intrigued... Is he a bad guy or a good guy? What an incredible acting job! The point made about him NOT downing Diane's drink is a good one. I, too, have only seen whatever episodes have been on since my first "Denby-sighting", including the older re-runs with Bobby.

As for the other characters, I think that they all are somewhat overplayed, but are interesting, and I seem to be one of the few in the world that actually like Sorenson.

Being a cop can indeed be rough. It can be hard on your perceptions of life. Make you cynical. For example, I have, next to my computer, a letter from a friend of mine who is a Deputy. Here is a quote, "Well, I am still on graveyard and will be forever. The nice thing is that everybody I see is a big hairy ugly bad guy. The bad thing is that everybody I see is a big hairy ugly bad guy. The total conversation I engage in now is 'Put your hands up, lay on the ground, get in the car.' This is the same conversation I have with the Deputies too." Yea, he is a good guy, and a very funny guy. He also pissed off his boss, which is why he said that he will be on graveyard forever.

I am really happy that there are cops out there to help us when we need them, and I know that they bear watching as anyone with that much power can go bad. Which is why guessing which way Denby has gone is so fascinating!

"Diane Denby." Whadda concept... hmmm...

-Mary

They sure threw a lot of curves into this episode. I'd just accepted Denby's deterioration into a nasty drunk. The sweetest, kindest and gentlest man I have ever known was also the biggest ---- when he drank so I can believe this scenario. Then the last scene is him not drinking Diane's scotch after he'd been swilling the stuff like water. Hmmmm.

IMHO the most significant part of the episode was when Denby changes his tune and tell's Diane to tell Kirk. to keep her trap shut about anything she might have done for Don. Was he setting her up before? Was it just Kirk he was after initially? Or was he out to discover how deep Diane was in it too?

I have a feeling his initial advice was bogus. It was a setup and that after the business he gave to Diane he was just so disgusted with himself that he gave her the straight scoop.

Did anyone else notice how unhappy he looked after that kiss? For a man who'd just gotten what he asked for he looked pretty miserable. He couldn't even look at her until he'd had another hit of scotch.

As much as I'd love to there are too many contradictions for me to be firmly commited to a 'Denby's Undercover' (Oh, the images that phrase triggers) scenario. Here's hoping tues. episode will make things a bit clearer. I'm tired of straddling this particular fence.

-Daun Czechowski

Aha, so I'm not the only one who senses a Hamlet-like duplicity in Denby. I, too, wonder if his first overtures towards Diane were the false ones...sent on a mission by the "wuss" prosecutor to get what he could any way he could, i.e. putting on the pretense of being a decent guy and offering Kirkendahl a way out of her connection to Don. He seemed to be even more predatory at night in the bar, shifting his tactics to get the same information. I think he's a bit disillusioned with humanity, even if he is under deep cover, and is genuinely struck by Diane's pain and willingness to endure it for the sake of her partner. He can't help but respect her, even while he's angering and taunting her. His first apology was false, but I think he wore a brief, honest expression of shame on his face after he kissed her.

That we are even asking these kind of questions is a tribute to Scott's ability to complicate a character and deliver his dialogue in unexpected ways. I hated Denby for teasing Diane about her alcoholism," Huh, I sense we're drilling in bedrock here," and a moment later when he's finished crooning softly, "The whole sorry history of the red man is staring me in the face, " I find myself yelling at the screen, "Kiss him, kiss him you fool!!"

I think he and Diane would make for a very interesting and passionate story line. Please, Mr. Milch, listen to the fans!!

-Kristin

10) Is probably a pretty good undercover cop.
9) Appreciates what women do to protect their families
8) Is lonely and needs someone to love him.
7) Is incredibly sexy
6) Has the soul of a philosopher.
5) Knows what "a priori" means.
4) No awkward silences...ever.
3) Manages to look like a million dollars even when he's drunk.
2) They can go to A.A. meetings together.
1) Every time she kisses him, tens of thousands of women across the country will envy her!

-Meg Birns