Millennium Reviews
The Pilot
Written by Chris Carter / Directed by David Nutter
The Case
Frank Black has moved back to Seattle after leaving
the FBI and has thrown in with the Millennium Group, a select group
of retired specialists such as himself. Frank was a crack profiler
with the bureau and still possesses this gift, or curse depending
upon your perspective. His first case with the Millennium Group
involves a serial killer who has named himself judge and jury over a
segment of the populationhe has condemned due to his own internal
confusion. The killer is struggling with his sexuality, thinking he
should feel an attraction to women when in reality he wants to seek
out male companionship. In his chaotic state of mind, he punishes the
women that he cannot respond to and the men he is unwillingly drawn
to, in the men's case testing the blood first to see if they are
"afflicted", then carrying out their punishment.
Following all the premiere hype, I have to say that I was
expecting to find the episode more bold and graphic, not that it
would have been necessary or even welcomed. I think everything shown
was reasonable with regard to the plot and there was nothing I
considered gratuitous. That's not to say I didn't find the scene
where they discover the man buried alive horrifying, it's just that
it's not so much seeing the image as imagining the brutality of the
crime and the victim's fear and helplessness in the face of his
captor. Those feelings are worse than any image that would pass the
television censors.
The Characters
The acting in this pilot episode was excellent. Lance
Henriksen has already set a great tone for the character of Frank
Black. With his wonderful voice and his stoic demeanor, he has gifted
Frank with a sense of calm and hope even as we feel the depth of his
past experiences and the effect they've had on him. When watching
Frank as he stood over the body in the morgue, it is hard to accept
that he can know all the details he lists without some psychic
ability. He claims he knows the profile from past experience but it
would appear there is more to it than this simple explanation.
Despite this ability, Frank reminds me of the original Batman
character who was far from indestructible. He was just a guy out to
set right wrongs without any super powers. Frank is simply a man with
a desire to see justice served and his family's future protected.
Frank's past partner Bletcher seems to be a character that will
provide a window into Frank's abilities for the viewers as well as
allowing us a few moments of humor on the show. I enjoyed the scene
as they approached the river and Frank wades right in...Bletch
hesitates, then commits, but not without a self-deprecating joke.
Megan Gallagher didn't get much of a chance to show us the depth of
Catherine Black, but since she was just going out on interviews
during this episode, I have hope that her character will be a richer
one as the series progresses. It is nice to see the Black family as a
beacon in the darkness, but it would be more fulfilling for both
Frank and Catherine to be multidimensional characters.
The Presentation
I had high expectations for the look and feel of this
show, having seen the work of most of those involved, and the art
design/direction/music met my expectations with ease. I particularly
enjoyed the way the scenes would start out black and white as the
color slowly washed into the picture. The beautiful house the family
has settled in with its wide open spaces and sunny disposition inside
and out, despite the rain, contrasted with the cramped feel of the
workplace and the darkness of the crime scenes. Mark Snow's music was
a wonderful addition to the show, seeming to remain sparse and subtle
when it was introduced. The theme for Millennium is a beautiful,
haunting and poignant piece that accents the show's opening
perfectly.
The Sentence
Overall, I thought the pilot episode for Millennium
was excellent. It is hard to get all the groundwork laid and the
introductions made in an interesting hour of TV. I think they were
successful in this regard plus gave us a first glimpse into the type
of case in which the Millennium Group will specialize. (Where the
heck do they get their funding anyway?) The final scene is of Frank
flipping through the polaroids which sets up a story arc that will
plague his family despite a cross-country move. But I'm counting on
Frank to remain optimistic and hopeful. The serial killer in this
episode prophesied in his final breath, "You can't stop it," while a
man in the preview clip for next week sounded like a fellow doomsayer
uttering, "No one is safe from it." I don't even know what potential
horror he was speaking of, but it seems that Frank's optimism is the
minority view. Of course, the Millennium Group isn't willing to sit
back and hope for a happy ending, so I'll tune in next week to see
them working toward that goal.
Back to Menu
Gehenna
Written by Chris Carter / Directed by David Nutter
The Case
Frank is contacted by the Millennium Group to join
them in San Francisco on a case of multiple homicide that has yielded
few clues. The only evidence in the Group's possession is a rose
garden full of ashes and a portion of a human ear that somehow
avoided complete destruction. Although Frank has some insight into
the case even with limited evidence, the bulk of this case is solved
with forensic evidence. During the investigation, the carbonized
bone, partial ear, teeth, and clothing of the victims turn up enough
clues to lead Frank and the other Group members to first an abandoned
dry cleaning warehouse and finally to the compound of a cult.
The victims are members of a cult that relied on their help in
acquiring money used to purchase firepower and chemicals for
biological weapons. The members were brainwashed into feeling a part
of this quasi-religous group overseen by an ex-chemical engineer.
Their indoctrination included the idea that discipline was the way to
prosperity and power, and to keep them in line, frightening imagery
was used as a threat. One of the victims said that he had seen "the
face of the beast" and that it wanted obedience and control. But in
reality, the cult's leader was the one who held their lives in his
hands and their discipline was an avenue to his own goal of
prosperity and power...they were only his tools.
A few things I'm pondering after this episode. This case took
place in San Francisco, so my question is in regard to the reach of
the Millennium Group. Do they seek out cases all over the country or
do they have a regional focus? It wouldn't have seemed necessary for
Frank to move if they are a mobile entity. I think that we need more
information on the Group. There is no plot-worthy reason for us to be
kept in the dark about the organization and workings of the Group. On
another topic, this case offered a chance to see more details of the
investigation unfold. From the limited amount of evidence in their
possession they were able to find traces of LSD, chemicals from the
dry cleaning site, and eventually the chemicals that connected to the
sarin gas and the cult itself. Frank's insight and battle of his own
inner demons was instrumental, since without this, the second victim
would have died the same grisly death as the first cult member we
saw. Unfortunately, he died anyway, but Frank was the only one who
empathized enough with the man to succeed with the questioning. I
still feel Frank's ability appears to be more than entering "the mind
of the killer" since the images he gets are too detailed for this
explanation.
The Characters
Gehenna offered a chance for us to meet some
additional members of the Group. Peter Watts and the other members
gave an example of the speed and efficiency at which the evidence can
be gathered and analyzed when you have the resources the Group is
obviously privy to...though I still don't know how they are funded.
Unfortunately, I didn't have an industrial strength magnifying glass
handy so I couldn't read the partial-screen credits at the end,
otherwise I would mention the additional characters by name. One
member, Mike, did seem close to Frank, acting as confidante and
helping him track down any evidence on the man stalking Frank's
family. Unfortunately, he didn't pay too much attention to the fairy
tales his parents read him when he was a lad, since he turned his
back on the oven...Hansel and Gretl anyone? When he went so far as to
walk into it even when he could see the ashes and bone fragments, I
figured he almost deserved his fate. But he survived and maybe we'll
see more of this character in the future.
In all the advertisements leading up to the premiere, we were
told we would see human monsters instead of paranormal or otherwordly
frights. They weren't kidding since in my estimation, the most
horrifying monster so far has been Frank's neighbor. He's so chipper
and nosy and annoying. In my book, he is the epitomy of evil
incarnate.
The best character insight was during Catherine's scenes,
including a look at her and a deeper understanding of Frank through
her eyes. I'm still a bit disappointed with the character of
Catherine but I think I just need to give it time. Right now she's
still a conduit to Frank's story but hopefully she'll become a force
in the episodes in her own right. I also hope that some of the Group
members and detectives are women since it would be a shame if the
only women we saw in the show were in a home setting. But back to the
topic at hand...
When Bob Bletcher came to the house to check up on Catherine and
Jordan, he had an interesting conversation with her regarding Frank.
Frank may feel alone in his struggle to protect his family and their
future, but he seems to have a good friend in Bletcher and a strong
ally in his wife. Catherine tells Bletcher that she works constantly
to convince Frank that she and Jordan are safe in order to keep alive
the vision of an island of calm he's created for them. Catherine is
protecting the family in her own way, and supporting Frank as much as
she can. She comes to Frank in the hospital in the final scene of
Gehenna and says she knows what he fears...losing control. This time
a heinous act was done to a close friend but the next time it might
be his family and she knows this is his fear. Mark Schwed's article
about Millennium quoted Chris Carter as saying that Frank lives his
life by the philosophy "Discipline, Order, and Goodness." This DOG
philosophy is how he keeps going in the face of all he witnesses.
Although Catherine supports Frank's efforts, she believes he can't
succeed. She tells Bletcher that Frank can't change anything. He can
only catch the monsters before they kill again.
The Presentation
I realized why I liked the opening sequence this
time. It reminds me of the beginning of "Taxi Driver". The music in
"Taxi Driver" is more powerful than moody, but the rainy street
scenes with the music leading into the dark imagery is why I make the
connection. I haven't read anyone's comments on this episode yet but
I know I'm not the only one who made the connection between "1984"
and the slide show the cult members were subjected to in Gehenna.
"FACILITATE ENVY"...how about "ALIENATE THE DEVOTED" or is that too topical to our current mailing list discussions?
Once again we were given the harsh contrast between the light in
Frank's life and the darkness of his work by way of the lighting
variations. With the darkness of the crime scenes, the blue sky and
yellow house almost made my eyes hurt. The scenes at the abandoned
dry cleaning warehouse were so dark and washed out that the view
through the nightvision goggles became the most colorful view...until
the "red pouring rain" began. The most impressive sequences were best
appreciated in slow motion on a second viewing. When the victim,
under the influence of LSD, was attacked by the cult leader, the
varying images that his mind conjured were straight out of Dante's
Inferno. Horrifying beasts with huge fangs and gruesome trappings
were seen as the attacker, when behind that we saw it was actually a
human monster all along. In reality, this human monster who preyed
upon these victims who allowed their own manipulation as a price for
cult admittance, is much darker and more sinister than any
frightening image the mind can dream up.
The Sentence
"I smell blood and an era of prominent
madmen."
This case forced Frank to question his ideas about evil and the
human mind. Does evil come from within, or is it a force waiting out
there to capture and control to meet its ends? When looking with a
long view to the future, Frank is questioning whether the "bad man"
can ever be caught. If you bring one person to justice, is the entity
of evil simply waiting to fill another human receptacle?
After viewing two episodes of Millennium I have to admit that I
am slightly underwhelmed. I have to say that I anticipated this show
with high hopes from the moment I heard of its creation. Maybe I set
my sights too high but upon one viewing, the episodes don't really
have the punch I was expecting. They look wonderful and moody, the
acting is above average, and the premise seems to have promise, but
so far I don't think the final product is living up to the potential
sum of its parts. I can't put a finger on it and possibly my opinion
would be higher if I actually held it up against other cop dramas for
comparison. Unfortunately, the only other show in primetime I watch
with any regularity is "The X-Files" which is not a proper
comparison.
Despite any complaints, I know I will tune in and continue to
watch the show. I'm optimistic that things will proceed in a positive
direction in terms of character development. Maybe once the show gets
all the groundwork laid, it will find a groove and become gripping.
Gehenna was a solid episode with a joint investigation that might
have rushed to a conclusion but didn't defy explanation. I think it
could have been stronger if so many plot points hadn't been added
(sarin gas and a link to the Japanese subway attacks in particular)
but despite these points it held together well. The insight into
Frank's mind and his reasons and worries give me something to think
about and I'll be interested to see how his study of evil effects his
outlook.
Back to Menu
Dead Letters
Written by Glen Morgan and James Wong / Directed by Thomas J.
Wright
The Case
In Dead Letters, Frank is teamed up with a detective
from the Portland Police Department who has a background in
behavioral science and practice in profiling. In the course of their
investigation, three murders are committed and each of these allows
Frank and James Horn (James Morrison) to learn more about the killer
responsible. In fact, this time we are offered a clearer window into
Frank's mind and how he solves these cases.
The first body is found at an animal shelter. As soon as Frank
arrives, he knows the killer has left a message but nothing is found
by the forensics team. The second body is found in the Dead Letters
Office at the post office and this time Frank finds the message he's
searching for written on a hair the killer hopes the investigators
will find. The profile is sketched by Frank and Horn and we're given
a primer on how Frank arrives at his conclusions. Using the locations
of the victims, the presentation of the bodies, and the items taken
and left by the killer, the picture is clarified. He's probably never
been married or had sex, but in fact killed a prostitute when he was
young and was never caught. He feels guilt and anger over this act
and the fact that he was never brought to justice probably fuels the
game he is playing with the investigators. He wants to be caught, but
he also wants to be significant. The duct tape over the faces of the
victims leads Horn to believe that the killer had prior contact with
them and in the end this turns out to be true and offers an
opportunity to set up the killer for capture. When it was possible to
follow the clues from discovery to interpretation, I had my faith
restored in Frank's abilities. This is the first case where I thought
the clues really had the ability to steer an investigator who was
paying attention and could indeed get inside the mind of a killer.
This week's episode offers some additional insight into the
workings of the Millennium Group. The Portland Police Department
called in the Group to help on this case and it's stated that the
Group is asked to consult on hundreds of cases. Local agencies are
apparently aware of their existence and can call on them to assist,
which would explain the access they seem to be given when they're
working on cases no matter what jurisdiction they're under.
The Characters
The guest role of James Horn was wonderfully acted by
James Morrison. His obvious breakdown precipitated by his juggling
work and family is a look into Frank's past. Horn is a father whose
son, T.C. (as in McQueen?), is his life and the focus of his
downfall. Before he had this child, he viewed the murders as
fascinating puzzles, but now his son's face is superimposed on each
victim. He's over the edge and his breakdown threatens his safety and
jeopardizes the case. In the end, the killer is caught but Horn has
probably lost his chance to be a part of the Millennium Group which
is a shame since I liked this character and was rooting for him to
pull himself together.
It was interesting to watch the exchanges between Frank and Horn.
Horn appears to be a younger Frank, and Frank's "I've been there," is
our confirmation. Everything Horn says and every emotional path he
seems to be treading is a revisitation for Frank, and he tries using
his experience to guide Horn to a place of stability. He tells him
that if he makes every case personal, he'll go insane..."and that's
from having been there." It was also a bit of a relief to see someone
respond to Frank in the way my less restrained side wants to..."work
with me!" Horn is trying to work on a profile and compile the
evidence with Frank but Frank is in a world of his own at the crime
scene and doesn't respond, even to direct questions. This is the way
he works, but I was glad for Horn's impatience and eventual success
at getting Frank to open up a bit and explain the way he solves a
puzzle. We had a chance to follow the path his mind takes as it mines
leads from the evidence.
On a final character note, I would be lying if I said I was
satisfied with the trend in Catherine's role. So far she has been no
more than a supportive wife and a sounding board for other characters
to explain their feelings and motivations to...I was hoping for much
more. The argument that it's only the third episode and that patience
is in order may be a valid one but I'll throw a possible wrench in
that. Megan Gallagher stated in interviews that her main reason for
taking the role of Catherine Black was the strong, female role of
Dana Scully that Chris Carter had created for the X-Files. I'll just
point out that by the first episode following the pilot, Scully was
already enough of a major player that she was pulling Mulder's bacon
off the fire, kicking butt, and taking names. I'm still holding out
hope for a stronger, more independent role for Catherine on
Millennium but I am also preparing to resign myself to the
disappointment of this never happening.
The Presentation
This was a beautiful episode in presentation. I've
been impressed by the lighting and mood incorporated into the
cinematography so far, but this episode is by far my favorite for
directing. The look and pacing of Dead Letters was incredible to
watch unfold. My favorite camerawork was in the workshop of the
killer. The solitary light while he works so carefully and
meticulously at his microscope was great illumination for these
scenes. The close-ups of his tools as he works and his eye as he
looks through the microscope all spoke to the obsession of his work.
But when his pride was threatened and his intelligence questioned, we
saw him explode into a scary intensity of another kind.
The pacing was much faster in this episode than the past two and
it worked for me. The scenes that had a slower, more relaxed feel
were the sun-drenched scenes at the Black's house and this
illustrated the surreal innocence that Horn feels enfolds the
children. The only monsters the children seem aware of are those in
their dreams, and the clown image Jordan conjured up was definitely
scary. Too bad this couldn't have figured into the main story, but
maybe it's for the best. Way too creepy. My favorite shot was from
the seemingly contented setting in Frank's yard to the workroom of
the killer. The camera catching the smoke rising from the barbecue
became the bright, white light under the killer's microscope. A shift
in mood and placement captured in a great visual transition.
The Sentence
"For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me. And
what I dreaded has happened to me. I am not at ease, nor am I quiet;
I have no rest, for trouble comes." Job 3:25,26
Dead Letters is the best of three episodes thus far and the case
itself became a launching pad for a focus on profiling. Frank quoted
Dostoevsky, saying "There's nothing more sad than a life that ends
and no one knows or cares." The killer didn't want to die unnoticed
and insignificant. He didn't want to be a dead letter, simply lost.
He wanted significance and his self-importance and pride was his
downfall. Their way of getting to the killer was definitely a
recycled idea since I've seen it in shows and read it in
books...insult the killer and incite him to eventually reveal himself
by mistake. The interesting thing about all of the killers on
Millennium so far is their Ted Bundy quality on the outside. None of
them have appeared as Manson-like psychos which only seems to up the
stakes for the Group.
The episode itself really became a character study. We had a
chance to see where Frank has been and where he could return if he
loses his grasp in his attempt to establish control over his family's
safety. James Horn asks Frank, "How do you do this? Why do you do
it?" Horn's final question to Frank is never verbally acknowledged,
but we know the answer as we see Frank back home. He does it because
of his family. As he tells Jordan, he knows enough about bad dreams
to keep them from her. Dead Letters was an excellent piece of work by
Morgan and Wong and I look forward to their next effort on
Millennium.
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