Yeah, I remember hating the episode at first. We didn't know how good we had it.
Looking back, I really appreciate 1x06. I'm a sucker for angst and drama.
Of course, I love the scene where Francis is all concerned about Mary.
But I also really like the scene where he confronts her about kissing Bash, and the scene where he "releases" Mary to spend her time with others. It was incredibly heartbreaking because...he made sense. He was being rational and doing what he believed was best for France and for Mary. It was the Francis x Mary x DUTY triangle at it's peak, and it was fantastic to watch. Also, it's pretty amusing that Francis thinks he can "keep his distance."