"I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." - Revelations 1:18

Millennium. It liveth and was dead; and behold, it is alive for evermore...at least for one night, anyway. Reincarnated in the form of its sister series, the now defunct Millennium was finally able live up to its name. Ushering us into the new year, this episode presented our intrepid agents with their biggest challenge yet - saving the world, forestalling the Apocalypse, and defeating evil once and for all. Now that's how to party like it's 1999.

"There's no time like the present."

So much has already been said about this episode, I initially thought it would be difficult to write a truly original review. But then I noticed something lacking. Despite all the articles and discussions released regarding the importance of this episode in the history of "The X-Files," very little was ever said about the show itself. Focused solely on the last few minutes of the show, much of the world seemed to forget about Millennium's plot, characters, and themes...just like everyone forgot about the original series. I must admit, I wasn't an avid viewer of Millennium. I regret that now. If only I had watched it more, and tried to decipher its underlying plot, then this episode might have made more sense. Necromancy, the Four Horsemen, Kosher salt by the bag load...I didn't understand Millennium when it was on the air, and I don't now. For those of you who feel similarly, I took the liberty to summarize its plot in this (modified) children's song:

"Four little zombies lying in the ground. One jumped up and lost his crown. Mulder called the Frank Black and the Frank Black said, three more zombies left to take down."

I hope I don't sound as if I'm making fun of Millennium. I respect it very much - it was an original and disturbingly real series, a serious take on spirituality and violence in the frenzied time before the turn of the century. The disconcerting undercurrent which echoed through the series lingered in the disturbing ideas and images provoked by this episode. A basement full of drooling zombies, half-decayed corpses that cracked and popped...they didn't need to look real to send a shiver through me, they only had to sound it. Also slightly disquieting was the necromancer's method of recovering his newly revived zombie friends. Ah, the wonders of cell phone technology... Yet still something seemed off. It didn't feel like Millennium - it seemed almost a cliché of the series, actually - nor did it have the familiar mood of The X-Files. Everyone, especially Mulder and Scully, seemed out of place in this millennial mix. The source of these problems is most likely the overambitious nature of the episode. It was simply trying to do too much, simultaneously attempting to tie up the loose ends of a labyrinthine series cut off before it could properly explain itself, inform us of the fate of its brooding protagonist, advance Mulder and Scully's relationship, and tell a complicated story. Not surprisingly, this was no easy task, and the compression of all these components into one forty-two minute time slot made for a rushed and fragmented show. But good could still be found in the wake of this breathless effusion. In contrast, the hushed silence at the end of the episode was poignantly intensified. The world almost fell apart, but one could still find peace in the strength of love.

"The world didn't end."
"No, it didn't."

Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, perpetrators of the world's longest tease, have finally sealed their love with a kiss. I know what someone's New Year's resolution was... ;) It's an idea that's been toyed with ever since their fateful meeting in a dingy basement office seven years ago, one powerful enough to elicit debate and tear X-Philes apart. Would an expression of intimacy as intense as a kiss shatter the tension of Mulder and Scully's delicate bond of trust and love, or might it possibly benefit the series? Personally, I didn't want to know, cowardly believing the risk of any further progression of their relationship to be too high...even though for all intent and purpose, they've already kissed. The love, trust, and vulnerability of a first kiss were all present in the movie. It just lasted less than a millisecond whereas this kiss played out over eight beautiful seconds. Now that it's happened, I'm glad they didn't wait any longer for this moment. There's just enough time to fully explore the relationship without it destroying the show. Besides, it won't lead to anything permanent - Chris Carter would never let it come to that. It can only deepen their current state of affairs. And hey, it's not bad for ratings either. ;)

"Mulder, you've been spreading rumours."

For eight seconds, time stood still, shyness and inhibitions mixing with passion and respect to produce a tender and emotionally charged moment. Fate and circumstance allowed Mulder no hesitation, doubts, or withdrawal. He simply leaned over, met no resistance (or a fist in his jaw), and for this act of daring, received the greatest award of all - a smile from Scully. Such a scene is not completely new to the seasoned X-Phile. We've seen the actors kiss before. Yet there was still much satisfaction in finally being able to witness the reactions of the real Mulder and Scully. Happily, those responses were perfectly in character, filled with a joyful awkwardness only seven years of waiting could produce. As they communicate best with looks, I found their true feelings most apparent in the conversation of facial expressions that took place after the kiss. However, much can be said about their verbal one too, filled with double meanings. Let's compare:

Mulder: (looking insecure) ["Well, what'd you think?"]
Scully: (smiling) ["Finally Mulder! That was nice."]
Mulder: (tilting his head and starting to smile) "The world didn't end." ["Really, it was okay?"]
Scully: (looking slightly disappointed) "No, it didn't." ["Yeah, I'm feeling awkward too. Was that really the best thing to do?"]
Mulder: (looking deflated) "Happy New Year Scully." ["Yeah...I guess so."]
Scully: (trying to be reassuring) "Happy New Year Mulder." ["I think so too."]

Battered and bruised, Mulder and Scully were still able to find solace in each other. As the walked out together to end the scene, awkwardness gave way to comfortable rhythms. This is who they are.

"Well go ahead Scully. Nay-say me."

In a story bogged down in plot and explanations, Millennium still found some time for its characters. Moments of fun tease joined serious reflections. Interesting to note was Scully's increasing open- mindedness. She has by no means abandoned her scientific beliefs, but it was obvious she was shaken, her paranoia evident in both actions (instantly pulling out her gun as she walked into the morgue) and words ("He was dead...and then he wasn't.") Though I suppose there can't be anything worse than being attacked by a dead person - they're so smelly! It's a shame they couldn't explore these emerging doubts further, but at least they weren't entirely forgotten.

Like Scully, Mulder too faced strife. Sitting in a basement with a bunch of zombies is not my idea of a great New Year's party, and it didn't seem to be Mulder's either. Surrounded by rotting corpses with only a thin circle of salt to protect him, he truly looked scared, a rarity for the deadpan Mulder. But perhaps it wouldn't have been as obvious if not for the sharp contrast provided by the completely emotionless Frank Black. Though I do have to give Lance Henriksen credit. He brought more life to his character in this episode than was usually expressed in the series. I especially loved the evil look he gave Mulder when he foolishly asked him, "Don't you want to see [the Millennium group] stopped?" Let's see - they only killed his wife, took his daughter away from him, and completely destroyed his life. Asking him if he wants them stopped is like asking Mulder if he wants to put an end to the evil government conspiracy. Duh. Many such comparisons can be made between Mulder and Frank, actually. Both are well-known profilers with notorious, but less than flattering reputations. Single-minded? Check. Dispenser of arcane hints? Check again. But it takes more than two zealots to save the world. I guess where Apocalypses are concerned, three is the magic number. In the final showdown between good and evil, each member of our trio did their part to save the world. Ya know...no big deal.

"Sounds like someone I know."

Despite all its warnings of fire and brimstone, if anything this episode gave me hope for the coming year. There may be evil out there, but it can be conqueredl, fathers can be reunited with their daughters, and Mulder and Scully can be happy without the world ending. Who knew.

"Happy New Year Scully."
"Happy New Year Mulder."

Notes:

--Decked out in various shades of black, Scully seemed to be dressed for a funeral the entire episode. It was appropriate, I suppose, if not entirely flattering.

--I'm surprised Scully didn't pipe up when they starting discussing the ouroborus, the Millennium group's symbol. After all, she does have it tattooed on her back.

--Why was it so warm? It's Christmas! If they couldn't broadcast this episode closer to the holiday season, they could have at least try to make it look like it... (Hint: Try not to wear sunglasses on Christmas Eve)

--Cute moment: "And besides 2001 is actually the start of the new millennium." "Nobody likes a math geek Scully." On behalf of the math geeks of the world, I am insulted. ;)

A little song excerpt for your reading pleasure...

Millennium
By: R. Williams and G. Chambers

We've got stars directing your fate
And we're praying it's not too late
Millennium
Some say that we are players
Some say that we are pawns
But we've been making money
Since the day that we were born

Got to slow down
Before we fall down

We've got stars directing our fate
And we're praying it's not too late
Cos we know we're falling from grace
Millennium

Live for liposuction
Detox for your friends
Overdose of Christmas
Give it up for lent

My friends are all so cynical
Refuse to keep the faith
We all enjoy the madness
Cos we know we're going to fade away

CHORUS

Come and have a go if you think you are hard enough
Millennium
Millennium

CHORUS

And when we come we always come too late
I have to think that we were born two way
Get up and see the sarcasm in my eyes

CHORUS