Sense and Antisense

[Earthnut]

What was it about "A Single Blade of Grass" that you didn't like? I did find it disturbing in parts, but some of it was very interesting. I like it probably because I like anything associated with the past American indian and their beliefs. It could have ended a little different, but off hand not sure how. Oh well.

[Guest cw1925]

The board had a glitch and deleted my post.

@Laurent: So, what we're trying to get at here is using the label "devolved state" I think. I travel from city to city, so I don't get much time to watch the DVDs, and I'm only on Season 2 so far.

Edited March 21, 2009 by cw1925

[IHaveGoodInstincts]

Unlike Luminary, this is a Chip Johanneson episode that seems to have some difficulty fitting into the Millennium world. I'm not saying it's bad. I like it. The conspiracy here, though, seems big enough to devote a season to, not just an episode. However, I like Eth's theory for the filling in of the gaps to link it to marburg viruses and the like. I can see where links can be made here to Millennium Group trying to assert control, which would be quite literal "If the switch gets flipped." Maybe it could have been an episode worthy of some future follow up that just never happened...

This could be the episode with the most dangling plot threads and unresolved issues at the end. As Peter Watts put it in St Sebastian, the (few) answers lead to more questions! It's quite creepy and mysterious at times, which I find captivating. They can't end every episode like this, but a few here and there really gives the impression that sometimes our hero gets stumped like the rest of us! This fits with Frank's temporary loss of his gift. And Frank still gets those creepy telephone calls at the end to drive the point home farther! Not to mention Frank ripping up the paycheck in frustration, after he was talking to Watts earlier about his money problems!

[ethsnafu]

I think the case has been made a number of times for this episode being, at least, a two-parter. Part of the problem for me is that series two establishes a mythology of its own and "Sense and Antisense" deals with a seemingly unconnected mythology of its own making. It's not tight enough to be considered self-contained mythology and not relevant enough for anything it raises to be carried over into the ongoing mythology. It would have been more satisfying if what was happening here seemed to flow seamlessly into the bigger picture of the season which I attempted to do in my own addled imaginings.

Considering Chip wrote some of the finest episode of the series I do wonder if there's any truth to the thinking that this was originally an X-Files episode that was reworked for Millennium. It's certainly very different from anything he wrote before or after.

Eth

[IHaveGoodInstincts]

I looked up Chip on imdb and he only wrote one X-Files episode, season 7's "Orison," which surprised me a bit. It almost seems like a false accusation to call this an X-Files episode, when Chip had no experience with The X-Files prior to the above episode. It looks like Chip did a lot of work with 24 and Beverly Hills 90210. 24 had some conspiracy stuff, but certainly not 90210! Maybe Chip could have been utilized to liven up the last 2 or 3 seasons of the X-Files, but I'm just being whimsical.

[ethsnafu]

Ah I see. Allow me to elucidate a little. It isn't an accusation as such more a case of a fan memory (aka received wisdom). When you're been around a fandom a while you tend to pick up nuggets here and there and I'm always cautious of asserting that these are fact and acknowledge that in many cases they are conspiracies as enticing as any seen on the screen but I am sure this has some origins in an interview Chip gave some time ago. Again my memory is hazy but it goes something like this:

Chip submitted a number of speculative scripts for the X-Files that Chris Carter liked but he felt his style was more suited to the show he was working on which ultimately became Millennium. It was said (can't remember by who) that one of the episodes that Chip wrote was a reworking of an earlier script he had submitted that lent itself well to Millennium.

It's probably a case of Chinese Whispers and certainly no great shakes in the scheme of things but somewhere in the back of my mind I have stored it away that "Sense and Antisense" was the script in question.

Probably a load of old baloney when all is said and done. I don't recall Chip mentioning anything of this kind when I interviewed him last year.

Eth

[Guest evil]

tis episode was just so boring! It's not as bad as single blade of glass which I feel was the worst episode ever, but it's close, and then the one where Frank finally gets to

see his father and his daughter was seeing angels....who cares?

Season one was my favorite season and that darkness just disappeared in season two, although there were some real gems.

season three was a little better although Hollis did nothh

[ethsnafu]

Aren't you thinking of "Midnight Of The Century"? "Sense And Antisense" is the episode in which Frank endeavors to save and protect a John Doe who is exhibiting inexplicable symptoms caused by genetic experimentation. If I'm right and you think that "Midnight Of The Century" is boring then purchase a little body armor my friend and hide beneath the kitchen table and await the stones from the rest of fandom.

Eth

[Guest evil]

Aren't you thinking of "Midnight Of The Century"? "Sense And Antisense" is the episode in which Frank endeavors to save and protect a John Doe who is exhibiting inexplicable symptoms caused by genetic experimentation. If I'm right and you think that "Midnight Of The Century" is boring then purchase a little body armor my friend and hide beneath the kitchen table and await the stones from the rest of fandom.

Eth

LOL! you are right on both accounts, my friend, it's funny, I didn't get to see my post until now and ironically I must of dozed off in mid sentence when I

was talking about hollis. You see I just get so frustrated with her because I always wanted Peter to remain as his sidekick, if not him, Lara Means.

But, anyway, back to the subjects at hand, I just felt "Midnight......" just wasn't necessary. The show was originally suppose to be a dark detective

story and now here we are at Peter's christmas party and hoping that Frank could reconcile with his father, leave that with the soap operas!....

now I will leave and exit quietly ....

[Guest Luki]

Anyone remember the dialogue with the cop when Peter and Watts arrive at the crime scene? When the cop doesn´t believe "Frank Black" is a real name. I think that was one of the funniest exchanges on the show.

Edited July 24, 2010 by Luki