'Millennium': The X-Files' Creepier Cousin

Hello, and welcome back to Second Chances where I give another shot to the maligned, forgotten, ignored, and freaky as hell.

There are few shows that made the Fox Network a force to be reckoned with more than The X-Files. Chris Carter's epic sci-fi behemoth about two FBI agents searching for the truth (mostly about aliens) managed to wonder and disturb devoted fans for nine years in its original run. Unfortunately, Chris Carter turned out to be a one-trick pony. After The X-Files, he saw mostly flops like the bomb The Lone Gunmen. However, there was another bright spot in Carter's resume, that being Millennium.

Of course, calling Millennium a "bright spot" feels incredibly weird because the show which ran from 1996 - 1999 was anything but bright. While The X-Files focused primarily on science fiction, Millennium was more about supernatural horror. The show revolves around the character of Frank Black, played by the always awesome Lance Henriksen. He's a retired FBI profiler with a strange gift (or curse as far as he's concerned). He has a strange psychic power that allows him to get into the minds of serial killers for a brief flash at a time. After retiring from the FBI, he and his family move back to Seattle where Frank becomes a consultant with the shadowy Millennium Group led by the very untrustworthy Peter Watts, played by Terry O'Quinn (best known as John Locke from Lost).

Like with The X-Files, government conspiracies and black organizations play very heavily into the overarching narrative of the show, but that's where the similarities end. Frank's threats come from the supernatural like demons, deranged serial killers, and prophecies straight out of the Book of Revelation. Much of what appeared is so disturbing that I'm amazed the censors let Fox get away with it. However, Frank isn't alone. While Mulder had Scully as his point of reason, Frank has his social worker wife Catherine (Megan Gallagher).

Performances all around are excellent. Lance Henriksen has an intensity that he brings to every role from Aliens to The Terminator, and that intensity is perfect for Frank Black. You look into his grizzled face and sharp eyes, and you can tell he has LITERALLY seen Hell. Megan Gallagher could easily have been pigeonholed as just Frank's wife, but she provides dimension as a woman who simultaneously supports her husband and refuses to put up with the crap the Millennium Group keeps doing. Terry O'Quinn's character Watts reminded me a lot of Garak from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, a guy who may have good intentions but is very self-serving and can't be trusted for a second. I've always like gray characters like that.

Now, it's time to give a primer for newcomers to the show. Here are eleven episodes out of 67 (in order of original airing) that best encapsulate what the show is about. These episodes are essential viewing.

'Pilot'

The first episode is easily one of the best. A serial killer hunting purveyors of sin is an excellent way to let audiences know what this show is about. Frank's curse is shown rather than explained, making what it is and why he has it a compelling mystery for the whole series. The stripper sequence in the teaser is absolutely haunting.

'Walkabout'

Frank becomes an unwitting test subject of a new hallucinogenic drug that leads other test subjects to reckless unintentional suicides. Conspiracies are a major element in Carter's work, and this episode shows how differently they're handled in this show compared to its older brother.

'Lamentation'

This was one of the first episodes to dive into Frank's past as he's called upon to join the hunt for a brutal escaped convict he'd caught years ago. This episode is particularly gruesome as the killer Fabricant is a barely-TV-friendly take on Hannibal Lecter. Strangely, the quiet and uneasy ending may actually be more disturbing than the carnage.

'The Mikado'

Many of the episodes are inspired by real-life serial killers, and this one provides a 90s take on Zodiac. A killer is using viral Internet videos to lead police on a murder spree. I find it refreshing that the very spiritual and psychic Frank has issues with technology. It really helps to humanize his character.

'The Pest House'

This one combines two things that don't get combined nearly often enough - psychic phenomena and the loony bin. Murders outside an insane asylum lead Frank into the path of a psychopath who can pull others' murderous tendencies into himself. The atmosphere (the most important element of good horror) is some of the best in the whole series.

'Anamnesis'

This show wasn't afraid to tackle Christian dogma, and this episode proves it most. A girl with a history of behavioral problems is convinced that she is getting messages from God causing a rift in the student body of a private school. This episode tackled the patriarchal attitudes of modern Christianity in an intelligent way (though Frank Black's absence is missed).

'Somehow, Satan Got Behind Me'

There are few "fun" episodes of the show, making this one really refreshing. Four demons sit at a doughnut shop and tell stories about the evil they were bringing into the world. I've always enjoyed dark humor, and this one has it in abundance. It pleasantly reminded me of one of the best episodes of Batman: The Animated Series, the similarly themed "Almost Got 'Im".

'...Thirteen Years Later'

This is just a great straight-up murder mystery. Murders are happening on the set of a new movie about one of Frank's biggest cases. This episode is one great big salute to classic slasher flicks, and it gave Frank a chance to bond a little with his Season 3 partner Emma Hollis (Klea Scott). Plus, the band KISS are guest stars. Nothing wrong with that!

'Collateral Damage'

Actions in Season 2 drove a permanent wedge between Frank and Watts, but they begrudgingly have to work together to rescue Watts' daughter who was kidnapped as an act of vengeance against the Millennium Group. The tension was ratcheted up perfectly thanks to the exceptional performance of guest star James Marsters, best known as Spike from Buffy: The Vampire Slayer.

'The Sound of Snow'

Here's an episode all about regret. People receive tapes of white noise that, when played, force painful memories to the surface in the form of powerful and potentially deadly hallucinations. This one allows Lance Henriksen to give one of his most powerful performances and a final farewell to Megan Gallagher's character.

'Darwin's Eye'

An escaped mental patient with a history of brutal murder takes a hostage, and the manhunt begins. This episode is what I want from a mystery, presenting the clues for the audience to figure it out yet leaving plenty of room for surprises. It reminded me of the first time I saw Psycho, and that's always a good thing.

Millennium is a bit dated; the show is twenty years old, after all. However, it still provides some excellent and unique chills on TV. All three seasons of the show are on DVD, and it's even available for streaming on Hulu (as of this writing). Give Mulder and Scully a break, and spend some time with Frank this Halloween.

Any more fans of Millennium? Let me know, and Happy Halloween!