MilleniuM Review

[HighPlainsDrifter]

not sure when this came out but i loved the review

Millennium : The Complete First Season (DVD)

Lance Henriksen, Brittany Tiplady, Megan Gallagher, Klea Scott, Stephen E.Miller, Terry O'Quinn

Besides an episode here and there, I never really watched “The X Files” (I worked radio at night, so I’d miss it by the time I got home), so I couldn’t tell you which was the better series: it, or this, its loose spin-off. Having discovered both series - both from the intergalactic mind of Chris Carter - on DVD though, I have to say that the former lacks a little something in the way of disposition.

Sure, Lance Henriksen’s a terrific actor and his Frank Black is quite a compelling character, but there’s just something about the Mulder and Scully union that entices someone back for the next episode with far less wiles. Maybe it was the fact that Frank Black was a pretty melancholic, solemn fella and at least Mulder and Scully seemed to have an array of emotions? I dunno. Whatever it is, "Millennium" ain't quite as good, and the proof lies in the pudding that was its early demise.

"Millennium” centred on a bright FBI criminal profiler who’s recently recovered from a bit of a nervous breakdown. He and his family move towns for a fresh start, which is just what Frank Black (Henriksen - best known, for better or wose, as 'Bishop' from "Aliens") thinks they needed. Unfortunately it’s not the case – the job Black gets, working for a top-secret team named the Millennium Group, a group of retired law enforcement officers who carry on the fight against malevolence, ends up causing more sleepless nights than ever before.

Unlike “The X Files” which did have its lighter moments – usually in the form of goofball trio, The Lone Gunmen – “Millennium” is pretty much dark from go to woe. It’s quite a disconcerting show, and from the pilot episode it’s evident that this isn’t something to watch before bed. It’s eerie; it’s rather freakish and touches on quite a few ugly subjects as the series progresses. BUT, with Henriksen in tow though, it’s a much easier watch than it sounds. Still, would've better if they'd injected some lighter moments into the show, it's too black for its own good.

The DVD is quite a treat. There are a couple of commentaries. Chris Carter is his usual informative but flat-sounding self (hmmm...makes you wonder whether he based the character of Fox Mulder on himself?), whilst writer David Nutter is slightly more enthused and for the most part, more entertaining. There’s a couple of entertaining featurettes – one on the show itself, which runs for about 50 minutes, and another on the real-life group that inspired the series – a spot on how the credit sequence and logo was created and the obligatory batch of TV Spots.

Unlikely to have the same demand as an “X Files” box set, but still- this is a welcome recompense for stringent fans.

Rating :

Reviewer :Clint Morris