Fox // 1997 // 989 Minutes // Not Rated
Reviewed by Chief Justice Michael Stailey // October 12th, 2005
The time is near
Season Two is the closest this series ever got to firing on all cylinders. Chris Carter was right to turn the series over to X-Files bad boys Morgan and Wong. Unfortunately, they didn't stick around long enough to reap the harvest they so meticulously sowed.
A life-changing search and rescue mission leaves Frank Black (Lance Henriksen, Aliens) more alone than ever before. He's comes to realize that enlightenment has its costs, not the least of which is the somewhat solitary path upon which he now finds himself. The darkness he's fought so hard to keep at bay has shattered the sanctity of his home and his family. Unable to protect the ones he loves from the life that has chosen him, Frank sequesters himself, putting all his time and energy into his work. Yet, the deeper he goes, the more he finds that all is not what it seems. Even The Millennium Group, with whom he closely works, holds centuries old secrets that undermine their self-professed altruistic motives. As the Millennium draws near, the darkness grows, and the signs of things to come are more and more apparent...at least to those in tune enough to see them.
Season One defined Frank Black and the world in which his talents are a rare beacon of light and hope. Creator Chris Carter went to great lengths to showcase this overwhelming darkness and despair as a metaphor for the diseased core of modern society and its oft-inhuman populace. However, with Carter fully immersed in post-production of The X-Files: Fight the Future, he was forced to relinquish creative reigns of the series.
"When the cat is away, the mice will play."
Season Two spins the series' original concept on its ear, discovering the dark and twisted humor found in any dire situation. Like a cavalry lead by John Waters and Tim Burton, the rebellious yet oddly reverential creative team of Glen Morgan and James Wong march into this dour world, lighting its deepest recesses with black light, and injecting its atmosphere with a mixture of nitrous oxide and fine Colombian reefer.
Don't get me wrong. It's not as if the show morphed into The Munsters move to Eerie, Indiana. Frank is still up to his eyeballs with things that go bump in the night and the inhumanity we needlessly inflict upon each other. It's just that Morgan and Wong take Carter's dark tapestry and deftly weave in pop culture references, spiritual and cultural folklore, and a welcome dose of self-deprecating humor.
Gone is the serial killer du jour, replaced by the unfolding (and deeply disturbing) mythology of the Millennium Group. Instead of exploring the fractured psyches of the human mind, we're now peering through the arrogance of our own unenlightened existence, to discover the inner workings of the pawn-like significance humanity plays in this vast cosmic chess game. Through Frank, our eyes are opened to a world we could have never imagined; one that operates just out of reach of our factory installed senses.
Next to the installation of the Morgan and Wong engine, the most notable accessory for Season Two is Frank's expanded support network...
* Lara
Millennium Group investigator/seer, Lara Means (Kristen Cloke,
Final Destination), crosses paths with Frank while investigating a
strange case of child abuse in "Monster." Their pre-arranged trial by
fire -- the first of many Group manipulations this season -- forges an
interesting bond between the two, and lays the groundwork for a partnership that
evolves over nearly half of the second season storylines. Henriksen and Cloke
play exceptionally well off of each other; his ying to her yang. The addition of
Means enables Frank to see that no matter how bad you think things are in your
life, there is always someone worse off than you.
* Roedecker
Brian Roedecker (Allan Zinyk, Angels in the
Endzone), the Millennium Group's chief geek, enters the fray in the season
premiere "The Beginning of the End." Oh he of wise pop culture wisdom
(e.g. Soylent Green is People) pimps out Frank's new place with a security
system and a computer tied directly into the Group's main server. Only appearing
in five episodes, this is a character that makes you smile every time he arrives
onscreen, and leaves you wanting more. Zinyk provides a welcome dose of levity
to counterbalance the series darker moments.
* The Old Man
Every ancient culture had a wise man, charged with
protecting the knowledge and secrets of its people. Legendary character actor RG
Armstrong (Major Dundee) arrives in "Beware of the Dog" as the
Millennium Group's eldest statesman. Frank will encounter him only three times,
but each experience holds an almost spiritual exchange between the two. Yet
another character we should have seen more often.
There are a handful of episodes and story arcs in Season Two that represent the best the series has to offer.
* "The Curse of Frank Black"
My personal favorite and
arguably the series' finest episode. Frank quietly dances with the devil in the
pale moonlight, in this exquisitely choreographed Halloween ballet. Frank's work
in Season One has attracted the attention of the dark side, drawing out the head
horned one himself to make Frank an offer he shouldn't refuse.
* "The Hand of Saint Sebastian"
Frank and Peter (Terry
O'Quinn, Lost) are off on the Road to Deutschland, in search of a
mysterious artifact that ties into the past and the future of the Millennium
Group. It's a tale of intrigue, dark secrets, and double crosses. By the end,
you begin to wonder exactly who can Frank trust, if anyone?
* "Jose Chung's Doomsday Defense"
Schlock auteur Jose Chung
(Charles Nelson Reilly, Lidsville) returns to the Carter-verse, in a tale
written and directed by Glen Morgan's brilliantly twisted brother Darin. When a
follower of Onan Goopta and his Institute of Selfosophy ends up dead (after
enjoying a preview of Chung's latest work), it sets off a Selfologist frenzy and
puts a mark on the head of the quirky author. It's up to Frank and Giebelhouse
(Stephen James Lang, Disturbing Behavior) to protect him, while
unraveling the accident/murder. This thinly veiled but hilarious defacing of L
Ron Hubbard and his Church of Scientology, proves once again that both Charles
Nelson Reilly and Darin Morgan are underappreciated national treasures.
* "Midnight of the Century"
Perhaps the series most
touchingly beautiful episode. Darrin McGavin (Kolchak: The Night Stalker)
guest stars as Henry Black, Frank's estranged father. The tale connects Frank
and his gifts with those of his late mother, Linda, and the emerging insights of
his daughter Jordan (Brittany Tiplady, The Pledge). I'm a sucker for
holiday themed episodes, but the writing team Erin Maher and Kay Reindl, along
with director Dwight Little, have gone above and beyond the call of duty to give
us something truly exceptional.
* "Owls / Roosters"
This two-parter bookends "The Hand
of St Sebastian" as a chilling look deep inside the core of the Millennium
Group. Like the US political system, the Groups' membership has quietly divided
into two distinct and often rabid camps: one who disbelieves the doomsday
Millennial prophecies and wishes to prove them fallible (The Owls), while the
other is intent on providing a conducive environment in which they may unfold of
their own accord (The Roosters). When a piece of wood (suspected to be part of
the crucifix upon which Christ died) goes missing, the group begins to tear
itself asunder. Frank, refusing to be sucked into this invented drama, removes
himself from active membership, only to be pulled back in by Lara and The Old
Man, when evidence of a third party surfaces. Morgan and Wong weave a
fascinating back-story, tying together history and religion in a frighteningly
accessible way.
* "Somehow, Satan Got Behind Me"
Yet another Darin Morgan
masterpiece. This POV tale centers on four old demons -- veteran character
actors Dick Bakalyan (Chinatown), Bill Macy (My Favorite Year),
Wally Dalton (The Thorn Birds), Alex Diakun (Friday the 13th Part
VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan) -- swapping early morning war stories at a
local donut shop. Turns out all of their tales have a common thread, an
enigmatic human named Frank Black. Sick and twisted in so many ways, it's
episodes like these that linger in the mind and define the power of
television.
Now here's the bad news.
In the face of sinking ratings and almost certain cancellation, Morgan and Wong used the last two episodes of the season to burn the series to the ground. Frank, Peter, Lara, and the Millennium Group finally come face to face with the apocalypse they have long feared.
You can't blame the creative team for wanting to cap the show. The last thing a cancelled series wants is to leave their fans hanging. However, the way it was handled left me extremely disappointed. For all the bold, creative risk-taking that underscored Season Two, this apocalyptic plague comes across as forced and incongruent with the well-established mythos. Here's a show chock full of monsters, demons, and evil forces, all hyped into a growing frenzy over the power of the impending Millennial event. Yet, when it finally arrives, it's in the form of a scientific experiment gone wrong? Where is the justification in that? It's little more than stealing the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man scene from Ghostbusters -- the true face of evil is both recognizable (e.g. West Nile, Ebola) and insipid. Been there, done that (remember when it was called Outbreak?). Show me something I haven't seen.
I know I'm in the minority here, but I don't care. The end of the world, in the hands of Morgan and Wong, should have arrived in a mind-blowing package, not the latest update from the Center for Disease Control. To me, this was the moment the series "jumped the shark" -- an admittedly overused pop-culture phrase, but quite apropos. The only redeeming aspect of this two-part debacle is the resolution of Lara's storyline. It is not only smart writing, but has the side benefit of showing Frank what life could have been had he chosen a different path. Lara would not return in Season Three, nor would the level of quality that was the trademark of the series first two seasons.
Presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen, the sound and image quality of the transfer is impeccable. Granted, it is a dark show, much of it being shot at night, but the incredible use of lighting to establish setting and mood is beyond reproach. The color palette, a diverse mix of earth tones punctuated by the vibrancy of blood reds and calming blues, is used to paint a distinct landscape on a very broad canvas. Mark Snow's emotional underscore is tailor made for these tales. This is yet another level of quality few hour-long dramas ever achieve. While not as intense as a 5.1 remastering, the 2.0 surround is more than adequate to convey the emotion of these 23 episodic adventures.
In terms of bonus features, Fox continues the trend established in the first season release. Two episode commentaries for "The Hand of St. Sebastian" and "The Mikado" (an all too prophetic glimpse into the future of internet web cams) are appreciated, but nothing to go out of your way for. Same holds true for the featurettes on the "Making of Season Two" and the "Academy Group," both picking up where their Season One counterparts left off. What is sorely lacking here is any involvement from Glen Morgan and James Wong. To have made such a definitive impact on a series and not contribute to its DVD release could easily be classified as criminal neglect.
Millennium is a series few people watched and fewer people appreciated. If you are a fan of shows such as the WB's Supernatural, Fox's Bones, and ABC's remake of Night Stalker, you owe it to yourself to seek out the first two seasons of Millennium. Trust me, you will not be disappointed.
Weighing carefully all of the evidence and testimony presented, this court finds Millennium: The Complete Second Season not guilty. However, on the separate charge of neglect, writer/producers Glen Morgan and James Wong are found guilty and sentenced to write a book detailing their experiences as well as the rationale behind the conclusion of Season Two. This court is adjourned.
Review content copyright © 2005 Michael Stailey; Site layout and review format copyright © 1998 - 2009 HipClick Designs LLC
Scales of Justice
Video: 98
Audio: 94
Extras: 60
Acting: 98
Story: 94
Judgment: 96
Perp Profile
Studio: Fox
Video Formats:
* 1.78:1 Anamorphic
Audio Formats:
* Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround (English)
* Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround (French)
* Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround (Spanish)
Subtitles:
* English
* Spanish
Running Time: 989 Minutes
Release Year: 1997
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distinguishing Marks
* Two Episode Commentaries
* Featurette: "The Turn of the Tide: Making of Season Two"
* Featurette: "The Academy Group: Victimology"
Accomplices
* IMDb
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0115270/combined
* Official Site
http://www.foxhome.com/millennium/
* Secret Site
http://millenniumsecretsite.com/
* TV.com: Millennium
http://www.tv.com/millennium/show/1172/summary.html
* Fan Site: The Millennial Abyss
http://www.fourthhorseman.com/Abyss/
* Season One Review
http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/millenniumseason1.php