TV Show of the Week 21: Millennium

Mr E

Millennium was an award winning show that ran for 67 episodes between 1996 and 1999. It was based on an idea by Chris Carter (creator of The X-Files). Carter was involved in the first and third seasons, and Glen Morgan & James Wong looked after the season in the middle.

The star of Millennium was Lance Henriksen, who played the retired FBI profiler Frank Black. There is some stuff about an upcoming apocalypse, an organisation called The Millennium Group, and lots of supernatural and not-so-supernatural goings on.....

... truth is I know feck all about this show, so I'll turn it over to you guys to tell me if its any good or not. From researching the show, I know that there wasn't really any closure (the show ended with a cliff hanger on season 3), and that there are ongoing fan campaigns to get a millennium movie up and running (good luck with that, almost 10 years since the actual turn of the millennium - whoops (no) apocalypse....)

So whats the deal, folks .... any good? Would I be converted if I tracked down the DVDs, or was it convoluted, drawn out and unfulfilling?

Basq

Ashamed to say while I loved 'The X-Files', I only really caught a handful of episodes of 'Millennium'.

But what I saw, I really liked. Much much darker than The X-Files - very violent and creepy.

As far as I know, ixoy and Karl Hungus were fans of the show. It had some real dedicated fans.

Will put it on the list of "TV shows to watch during the Summer" along the 7 billion other shows!

PS - One thing I did remember loving about 'Millennium' was the "dreary-but-cool" theme tune. And for some reason, the theme tune of 'Angel' (which I've started watching recently) reminds me a lot of it!

Anyone else or just me?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pes1o5YFDCM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lju484BCQCk

EDIT: Might just be the violin but they're damn similar!

ixoy

Yes, I was a big fan of the show basquille

This was one of the first "profiler" show with Frank Black "I see what the killer sees". Initally it was that he got into their heads from a pure psychological sense, the later seasons added a more supernatural element to it.

The stories, in the first season, tended to be dark, very dark. In fact I'd go so far as to say that it was the bleakest season of any show I've ever watched. Lance Henrisken brought a great world-weary talent to his cases, but it's nicely constrasted with his life at home which is quite idyllic. His cases feature some true deviants, but are also quite creative - I think they're handled far better than say "Criminal Minds".

The second season brought in some X-Files producers (Morgan & Wong) who began to create an interesting mythos based around the Millennium group (to whom Frank was a consultant). Interesting ideas about the millennium and what it meant here, culminating in an absolutely fantastic finale that was sadly short changed in a third season where they hit a bit of a reset button. There was more humour in the second season - the sort you'd be familiar with from X-Files and it worked for the most part.

The third season was a little weaker, changing a bit too many of the elements that made the show work. Still good, just not as strong - the finale was frustrating and the "wrap up" episode in 'The X-Files' was an insult to the show (I refused to re-watch it when I re-watched 'Millennium' a couple of years ago).

Best profiler show ever, delving deep into the human psyche and our fears, beautifully shot with some real creative thought put into it and some genuinely freaky moments (Lucy Butler!!!). Highly recommended and, despite being well into the '00s, a show whose themes and core values are still relevant.

steve 0

Lance Henriksen (Bishop from the Alien movies to some) was perfect in the lead and I really liked this show. It's one I keep meaning to rewatch in full. To be honest I didn't see much of the 3rd season, as it was buried in the early hours of Saturday mornings on Network 2 at the time. I enjoyed the The X-Files episode, maybe because of missing out on the 3rd season.
"Somehow, Satan Got Behind Me" from near the end of season 2 is a stand out episode for me.
The theme was from the legend that is Mark Snow, I think the violin is similar to Angel alright.

OT, Angel is an awesome show, hope you are enjoying it basquille. I could talk about it for hours, missed the discussion when it was stickied for the week.

kaimera

great suggestion...but OT, is there a thread with all the previous 'tv show of the week's in it by chance?

web is a tad crap to go back thru 'x' pages of the tv forum

Karl Hungus

Possibly one of the best things on TV, ever. And I don't say that lightly either. I've certainly never seen anything quite as dark as it either, and I can't think of a greater lead than Lance Henriksen.

It was Terry O'Quinn's finest moment also.

Ixoy's probably summed it up as well as I could. If you've not seen it, I'd consider it essential viewing.

Richard Dower

It was overrated.

Basq

Richard Dower wrote: »

It was overrated.

Care to elaborate?! :rolleyes:

Mr E

kaimera wrote: »

great suggestion...but OT, is there a thread with all the previous 'tv show of the week's in it by chance?

Life on Mars (UK), Prison Break, The Office (USA), Only Fools and Horses, The Apprentice, Lost, Quantum Leap, 80s American Soaps, The A Team, Heroes, Freaks and Geeks, Six Feet Under, The Shield, Dexter, The West Wing, House, Firefly, Battlestar Galactica [2003], Criminal Minds.

Google "TV Show of the Week" "Showname" site:boards.ie to find the thread, e.g.:

"TV Show of the Week" "Dexter" site:boards.ie

Elmo

Richard Dower wrote: »

It was overrated.

I don't see how this show is overrated since it didn't do all that well and is one of those shows many people have never heard of.

I have the first 2 season on DVD and have avoided the 3rd but really want to buy, next time I have the chance I think I will.

Much darker then the Xfiles, bar the 3rd and final season which try to revert to the first season while explaining the 2nd season

CSI robbed the montage effects that Millenium first started of the murders and the investigations.

ironictoaster

Great show, watched all of them when I was sick. Quite addictive..

themadchef

Really loved it. Dark and scary but the story line was all over the place, if you like Lost, you will love Millennium
The lead actor that made it for me. He was very believable. Not traditionally handsome but a very strong likeable character. I'd recommend it.

Elmo

From the First Episode