Millennium Movie Musings

[Guest Jim McLean]

Hi All,

Here's my thing,

Carter discussed a Millennium Movie some time ago and his concept was of a reboot, a return to the Pilot if you will, and he lamented what the series became and was tantalized by the prospect of having the chance to rebirth the concept. Whilst this seems to me to be a thoroughly logical way of making Millennium palatable to a new and uninitiated audience I do fear that reboots are often controversial and maligned by existing fans who feel overlooked when the merciless excision of the past takes place. I have followed numerous comic titles over the years where convoluted storytelling and increasing preposterous plots have all but forced reboots of years of mythology as writers become increasingly unable to chart stories through aeons of discombobulate storytelling. Whilst it certainly gives the writers a blank canvas upon which to craft something unhindered by overly labyrinthine back stories, those fans who have invested often decades of attention in these titles are passionate in their condemnation of erasing a history they care about.

I am not sure how I would feel to meet Frank at the beginning again or how I would feel if Catherine were to return in light of this and whether I could cope with Jordan being recast with an infant actress or whether I could accept the revelation that The-Old Man, Lara, Emma, Owls, Roosters, Mabius and so forth never happened.

If the only way to keep the integrity of a mythos I have cherished and celebrated for over a decade is to treat it as a direct to video franchise then I have to confess I would probably opt for this.

Many of my favourite films are niche or cult and had little effect on public consciousness but I assert that mega-bucks and gloss can result in dross and superficiality and the mainstream is no place these days to find creativity and substance.

It's a difficult thing to get the balance right methinks.

Smiles,

Eth

I'd like to think we're too far away from 2000 for a reboot, but as 2000AD never changed its name, "Millennium could simpy reflect the entry into a second millennium and the angst, fear and doom which already precedes in the media (despite not a great deal being all that more horrific than the horrors in the 20th).

My reasons for this not occurring are threefold, both of which wrap around Cater.

a) - Time: There has been a significant duration between the end of the series and any new show to wipe clean what has past. Just as Doctor Who started again pretty fresh in format and vision, or even The X-Files movie takes place in far more "contemporary" rather than reflective circumstance, the audience can feel comfortable moving on without revamp. The ills that Carter has left behind present in season two and three (the latter due to the compound nature of having to accept some of season two as lore), that I think any new story would be a "reboot" in style and immediate story, but I don't think he'll start again. Just as season three just pretty much ignored season two so far as details go, I think a new Black story would simply do as is being done to Mulder and Scully, move the characters on and ignore the past complexities.

b) Lance: If there was pressure of Lance's age when doing Millennium originally, any revamp will have financiers and studios looking desperately for a young "cool" actor again, and with even more ammo against Lance's current years. Call reboot and you'll open up a can of demanding worms to change the format "to reflect the noughties" (or whatever media jingoism is being used to describe the 21st Century). I don't think Carter wants that - I think he sees the power Lance has as Frank and the product he has running. As soon as he tries to shift the goalposts, others will interfere - I don't think Carter will risk that.

c) The X-Files 2: X-Files 2 has shown Carter's current ideology - move stories on to a place he wants them to be, and ignore the past. Just bring the characters you enjoy writing for into the sphere you want and simply shrug off the chains of the past. I think this ideology would be reflected in MM as well, given his position with Lance is as strong as his leads for the X-Files.

But either way, yes Eth, I too would not really enjoy a reboot. Partially because I'm not really interested in "retelling" the story, but because I think there was something in Lance's acting which made MM stand out - a vulnerability and hardness wrapped into one which was portrayed in a fascinating way. Given MM went to all ends of the spectrum - chiller, horror, crime, comedy, science fiction... I feel the show itself was a malleable beast bound round one constant - Frank. Frank's the key - a brilliant piece of acting wrapped around an original character that wasn't born out of some need to be "cool" or to get the "girl". A family man fearing the horrors of the world infringing on his own - and that was truly unique to get past the studios. I can't see lightning striking twice on this once!

[Guest peas_and_corn]

"Successful" has two sides. Technically, while there is more money to be made at the box office, success can be defined by longevity.

Well, in order to get the finding it needs to be seen to have the potential to make money. So I was referring to $$$

Hi All,

Here's my thing,

Carter discussed a Millennium Movie some time ago and his concept was of a reboot, a return to the Pilot if you will, and he lamented what the series became and was tantalized by the prospect of having the chance to rebirth the concept.

I believe that if it is a film a reboot would be the best way. If it's straight to DVD a continuation in the vein of the Pretender movies would be the best approach.

[ethsnafu]

Well, in order to get the finding it needs to be seen to have the potential to make money. So I was referring to $$$

I believe that if it is a film a reboot would be the best way. If it's straight to DVD a continuation in the vein of the Pretender movies would be the best approach.

Here's my thing,

Imagine if such a concept had been exmployed with The X-Files? I imagine that Philes would be apopleptic if their show's beloved mythos was 'erased' in order to make Mulder and Scully's return palatable with a wider audience. I don't believe as 'Groupies' (can I thank Erin for this superb moniker) we should be afforded less respect in this instance. Whilst I ackowledge the insatiable desire we have to see Frank return I don't want the show's mythos to be a sacrificial lamb in order to generate box office renenues.

I'm really curious to know what others think about this?

Smiles,

Eth

[Guest Sheree Dawn]

That makes 2 of us, sweetheart....

Wow....if poor Lance ever sees this thread, he'll think us a bunch of deranged stalkers!

Awww, you say that like being a deranged stalker is a bad thing....

I'm tempted to put my other two cent's worth in right now, as no one else seems to have mentioned this, but I'll restrain myself until reading the complete thread of conversation.

[Guest Sheree Dawn]

At one point, as they said somewhere, Bill Paxton stood as the only actor to have been killed by an Alien, a Predator, and a Terminator. But after AVP he now shares that record with Lance (even though you don't see Lance take a bullet in The Terminator).

hehehe, takes more than a bullet to knock off Lance. He's a step up on the ladder from Paxton, despite the cheesy Tales From The Crypt episode he did.

[Guest Sheree Dawn]

I'm almost jumping out of my shoes as I type this. I am surprised no one else has mentioned what is on my mind. But before I go off into my delusions and fantasies, I'll say one thing about the subject of Peter Watts. It should be the old Peter or NO Peter. It would be like casting someone else as Frank Black.

No way. Wouldn't flush with the die hard fans out there.

Now, as to the role of Jordan... This ties in with my long long desire to see Lara Means make a comeback. Yeah, I know she died off and short of a dream sequence thingee (which would throw off the whole series), no way she will come back as a live person. BUT.... Now float with me on this one folks....

IF there is a revival of the show WITHOUT the Millennium Group... Picture college aged Jordan, and remember who ultimately saved Jordan's Life? It was Lara--it WAS her vaccine that saved her. Remember the visions Lara had? Well, Jordan could start having the same visions, but instead of an archangel, she could have visions of a super-angelic Lara Means.

Not much different if there was a Millennium Group re-established in the new show. Lara would still appear through the visions of Jordan, and still work with the group (that never truly appreciated her in the first place. )