Jabbapop

The running story arc in Season 1 was Legion attempting to "employ" Frank Black. Their methods and motives were so transparently nefarious that I've concluded it was a disingenuous gesture, and that their real purpose in constantly bumping uglies with him was as to divert his attention from the people he should really be worried about: the Millenium Group. They were a strawman of sorts, acting as a lightening rod for Frank's negative energies and putting him in such a fluster that he'd fail to recognize the real enemy. Indeed, it work for a while: by Season 2 he was deep in with the Group. I wonders if he would have stayed with them, had Catherine not died.

Was thinking about this episode again... The premise just doesn't make any sense to me whatsoever. Why would a group that's so capable, with links to leading edge research and law enforcement, allow themselves to fall into such a sloppy "corpse disposal gaffe" such as this? Couldn't they just dissolve the bodies in acid, like in Breaking Bad? Why go through all the trouble of saving them to deposit under a highway construction site? Were they hoping to imbue the streets with haunting power ala an "Indian Burial Mound" curse? This is just such a goon level MO, right out of Goodfellas.

"The greatest trick the @Devil ever pulled was to convince the world he doesn't exist." *crickets chirping. @Devil post count still at 0* What Devil?

Old thread, but what's great about this ep is how the motivation characterizes Frank Black. He wasn't doing this because law enforcement or the Millennium Group contacted him, but because he heard a simple call for help. In this battle between good and evil Frank finds himself in, he can't silence that "still small voice," his conscience and dedication to goodness. When everyone else was willing to let some "entitled punk" lie dead, Frank would not give up, going so far as to throw himself into harms way for a stranger. Alternatively, we could read Frank's motivations in taking this case as attempting to fall back into Catherine's good graces, which might be a little self serving, no? I refuse to believe that, however; Frank is too driven when it comes to his gift, which is more than just obsession: the proof is in the pudding. The man is doing God's work. Contrast this with Season 3's intrusion into the "gift," of confusion, mixed signals, and absurdity. But that's a discussion for another thread. Edit: I think Frank was thinking, "this is worth it."

I really enjoy the fact that you can tell how far along in season 3 the episodes are by how much grey returns to Lance Henriksen's hair. :)

After Season 2 knocked off with Frank Black's hair shot Moses white, I was eager to see a S3 Frank in some strange space, but instead we got these close-cut brown strands... But as the season progressed we saw him shed the pretense. Alas, after the trauma, his hair was dyed, and in the stress he just gave up trying to maintain its color. It's a simple premise, but creates continuity watching on the screen. Season 3 was a bit of a reset, but not quite. There WAS a very real life changing event at the end of Season 2, and as much as we can try to cover that up to maintain traction, the treads wear. This is Frank Black we're talking about. A dedicated and brutality honest man. We begin the season with a lie, that everything is okay, and as time goes on we see the conflict more clearly. Both in the ideas on screen and in the motif of Frank Black's white hair.

Aye aye aye. I'm waking up in the middle of the night in sweat and you're over there waking up to sleet! In Florida it's becoming rather spring like. Skipped over winter this year: there have been seasons where frost nipped at the tips of grass days on end and plants had to be tucked in at night under warm sheets. Only one day of that this winter... and Now the pollen is falling , like snow you could say! A leisurely pillowish haze! Allergies aflame, drowsy days! It's all about being prepared as you say, and as far as abnormality goes, your weather's got mine beat! So I'll just pop back a couple of benadrylls and clam shut... Just hope a sneeze don't escape me! Adieu and achoo!

Very interesting ethsnafu caught the link of this ep to Closure. I thought a similar thing... The idea of Crime without reason. A perfect counterpoint to season 1; in which Frank's power of getting inside the mind of the killer was tantamount. These two episodes signal a marked shift in Frank's ability: away from the texture of intuitive understanding, and into "procedural resolution," as it were. Let me restate: these two episodes conjure the "serial killer of the week" formula that Millennium season 1 marked for itself, and turned them on their heads... Peter Watts told Frank in Season 2 that his powers would get stronger. In season 3, have they? Perhaps: Less is the hubris of "understanding," more is the concern with "resolution." Who isn't glad that Frank was able to grab this dame by the arm and yank her back to her cell? Counterpoint to "Loins Like a Hunting Flame" where old yeller puts himself to sleep. Sorry, I'm rambling, massaging an idea I shouldn't be in this state. Beer. Burp. Belch. I'd certainly be more dismissive of this season but for ethnsafu's illuminating signal markers.... And the sheer joy of watching Frank's hair dye degrade. ;)

Just finished this episode. I know a lot of people liked it, and I could enjoy it as entertainment, but it seemed a little pastiche to me. Just a hodgepodge of a lot of cliches from genre movies and some unresolved mystery to keep interest churning. Can we really believe all of Lucy Butler's baroque machinations and clue dropping were really just to get Frank's attention? Whenever Lucy Butler is involved there's always a kind of nefarious plan, but what is the actual fruit? How does this all speak to the nature of evil in any meaningful way? Anywho, that aside, my main question after watching was: where were the Millennium Group in all this? In the past they've shown extreme interest in her, putting an agent on surveillance in an attempt at monitoring her whereabouts. Surely with their tentacles in all departments of law enforcement, they'd have caught wind of her presence at least after Frank had. Narrative wise, I can understand why the show-runners would want to keep the scope "tight," focusing instead on Frank's relationship to Lucy, but in terms of verisimilitude to the universe created, I can't believe the Millennium Group would drop interest just because Frank is no longer a prospective member. If a potentially influential politician and is family are coming under the "spell" of the devil incarnate, surely they'd want something to do about it.

Although this is TV and we understand how these things work, I thought it was in universe a little too convenient that after Frank loses everyone, he just happens to gain this partner, or could we even call her "Work wife." I like to imagine that the spirit of Catherine from beyond the grave called Emma Hollis to Frank to give him support. Definitely adds a little bit of layer to the cake!

What I find weird is the character of Samiel in Bartered time is played by the actor Eric Mabius, while the character of Mabius is played by actor Bob Wilde. Trivial, I know, but still a little confusing. :-X

I like the characterizations explored in this episode, as well as the convergence of certain story bits (marburg virus, millenium style executions from skull and bones), but there was also a lot that became problematic for me. In the penultimate episode of season 2, we are shown the Marburg virus acting almost instantaneously; who can forgot that macabre Mother's day family dinner as the chickens fly the coop? Here, however, the virus acts at a glacial pace, conveniently fitting in enough suspense for the story beats to act out. We can justify this in universe as a variant on the virus, but clearly the explanation is apparent: the timing was jimmied to fit the needs of the episode pacing. Another thing that bugged me was the further nefariousness of the Millennium group. Not only are they performing mass executions, but testing chemical agents on American soldiers. In season 2 we were introduced to the Old Man, who seemed like a right old dude. I can't believe he was approving all of these things, but they happened on his watch, so do we then believe he was simply ignorant of all this skulduggery? The factionalism of the Owls and the Roosters was kids gloves compared to the truly evil stuff they're revealed to have been doing in season 3. It seems like such a moot point, a petty argument whether the millennium is religious or scientific when they're otherwise occupied with this insane nefarious violence. AND ANOTHER THING! How did the evil dude who was with Watts (is that Mabius? They haven't said his name yet and he seems so much like a grunt) get away with sniping the military dude. The FBI is gonna want to know where the bullet came from that grazed their suspect. It strains credulity to imagine that when Peter Watts is asked that they're going to accept it was just Elmer Fudd hunting wabbits. It's not a difficult inference for law enforcement to make that it was a Millennium group operative taking the law into his own hands. But is there no fallout? Anywho, script could have been tighter, but I like seeing Watts explored deeper, and Frank navigating the politics of this case.

I think there's something you bring up that begs a differing perspective. When you say the group approaches people at their weakest time, it sounds as if you mean that they prey on peoples vulnerability, as if it makes them more salient to joining the group. I think it's for quite another reason: they group wants to see a prospective member at a weak point, to see if they can be trusted to have strength of character to overcome difficult situations. For example, in Dead Letters, the prospective member Jim Horn is in a situation similar to what Frank would be in. His response of clouded judgement and volatility proved to the group he was unfit for candidacy. I've just finished Collateral Damage, but in this overlap of motifs, family members being endangered and what have you, you've got to admire Peter Watt's ability to keep his cool. One wonders the exact details of a difficult time, if any, the Group approached him at for candidacy. In the S2 finale eps he mentions a case of finding a baby decapitated in a cooler, the horrifying presence and irrationality of evil starting to get to him. If the group truly has become evil, the tragedy of Watt's has got to be his strength in walking this tight path.

Thanks Earthnut! I realize I might have to check myself a bit... Sometimes I race here after watching an episode just to vent. :-p I find myself doing that a lot more in Season 3, but after wading through previous posts here I tend to cool off a bit... That being said, I'm with you on trying to appreciate each season for its unique approach.

In seasons 1 and 2 the group's involvement in taking cases almost always seemed "exploratory." They took on cases which signaled a nefarious evil or apocalyptic flair and dove right in. In season 3 now it seems like all they're interested in doing is manipulating law enforcement to cover their trails. Granted, this is the furthest I've gotten so far, but I'd have liked to see an episode where Agent Hollis and Mr Black are investigating a case that Peter Watts shows up on because it happens to be truly, to quote Giebelhouse, "milleniumistic." (Speaking of which, it was nice seeing Giebs again in Teotwawki.) This shift of having the millenium group only show up to do something nefarious is a bit too sneering-villain thick. I'm not saying that I can't accept the sinister angle of the group; it's just that now they're only shown doing sinister things, and it can't be the case that now that's all they do. A group doesn't do a 180 in mission statement just because of a change in management.