Don't Be So Dark!

[Raven Wolf]

without a doubt....Midnight of the Century, for me, is the most uplifting episode of them all. The seeds of healing sprouting forth from years of misunderstandings and secrecy. The "sit-down" exchange between Frank and his father is one of the most wrenching and heartfelt moments of the entire series, topped only by Catherine looking down on Jordan just prior to walking off into the woods in "The Time is Now"..(that scene STILL gets to me).

Midnight of the Century was a classic mixture of ideas, once shunned or considered crazy (the mother and her angels), that are now looked upon as possibly having some substance or validity...

oh yeah, by the way, hey Lonegungrrly1121, is that a new avatar of Frank? Its a good one if it is....LOL

Till the Last Change..Be Done..

The Fourth Horseman

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes....I'd have to say that, besides Luminary, the other 2 most uplifting episodes would be "Midnight...", & "The Curse of Frank Black". Out of the darkness was such a message of hope.

BTW, I agree on the avatar of Frank! Very nice indeed!

[Guest 1428]

My vote goes (from this list) to "Luminary". One hell of an episode. Amazing to see a man's determination to find someone, while others have long lost hope.

But my favorite uplifting episode(s) are Jose Chung's Doomsday Defence and The curse of Frank Black. Espically in JCDD, the scene where Frank Black is this very positive detective type. Laught my ass off with that one. And The curse of Frank Black was an episode of reflection for me. No killings or "abnormal" mysterious events. Just Frank thinking about himself and his family (and the devil ;)).

[ethsnafu]

I notice Midnight Of The Century is trailing somewhat and I guess that's to be expected against the triumph that is 'Luminary' but I'm adding my vote for the former. There is tendency with Yule-flavoured episodes in all shows to adopt something of a continuity breaking format and provide something twee or relish in an excuse for high camp but 'Midnight' resists this and presents a story that fits snuggly into the continuity without senses-jarring musical numbers or twinkling onscreen graphics. I love it as it sits comfortably with the Englishman in me reminding me of Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'. Of course the story is about redemption. Frank's father here taking the role of Scrooge, a man so lacking in his ability to share in the magic that envelops him that he retreats behind a wall of lonely scepticism to escape a wonder he cannot share. Frank's Mother is the Ghost of Christmas Past, faith and simplicity, knowing the wonder yet unable to share it she is the cornerstone that begins the story, sowing the seeds that lead to the disunion between Father and Son. Frank is the Ghost of Christmas Present, the visionary experience in the here and now who nurtured by his Mother is the pre-cursor to his Father's redemption in offering him a mode of transformation. Jordan is, of course, the The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come, the visionary experience yet made manifest and the person through which Frank's father can achieve redemption, in her he can forge a relationship, nurture and support her and at last accept the role this magic has had in his families existence.

Of course their are much deeper motifs on display here. Lara is the adult Jordan, a stark warning of the need for family and intimacy, the result of one woman enduring the visionary experience without the support of her family who she tentatively indicates she will not be seeing over the festive season. There's a candid moment of intimacy here between Frank and Lara and a subsequent embarrassment which serves to remind us of the core motif of this story, the need for intimacy and the effects a lack thereof can have.

The title takes it name from a writing by Victor Serge in which he describes the conditions of 1930's Europe as being akin to the '.midnight of the century...' a figurative moment when tremendous change is necessary in order to transform chaos into order. Midnight presents a moment in the Black family history in which a repetitive cycle of solitude and misunderstanding is finally brought to an end and a new year begins.

It's a great one to watch with eggnog as well.

[Guest SpooktalkGiGi]

Well i voted for The Wild and the Innocent, the only vote so far. lol Im a sucker for kids and there isn't anything i wouldn't do for mine. :)

Laura :)

[Guest teedub]

I just have to sound off to those dorky critics that I never thought the first season was too dark. I thought it was perfect! I hated the "quirky" humor that was injected into seasons 2 and 3. My lightness came from every scene with the family and the yellow house in season 1. JUST LIKE CHRIS CARTER INTENDED!!! Why did people not get that???

This rant was brought to you by Smooth Time Tea. Now, back to your regularly scheduled program.

[Earthnut]

As much as I wanted to vote for Luminary, Omerta, or all of the above, I had to go with "The Sound of Snow." Healing from the loss of a loved one is essential for your own personal survival, and that's speaking from experience. They all are uplifting in their own way and warm the heart, but healing from a death, with Frank healing from the loss of Catherine, has to be number one. Even though Jordan was healed from the loss of her mother in "Omerta," which brought a smile to my face, "The Sound of Snow" brought tears.

Teedub, I totally agree with what you said, "My lightness came from every scene with the family." Amen.

[model217]

Another pole and another tough choice. I can't let it go as a tie so I will go with.............Midnight of the Century. Sound of Snow is certainly an uplifting episode and one of my favorites,but as Eth so eloquently said in a previous post, Midnight presents a moment in the Black family history in which a repetitive cycle of solitude and misunderstanding is finally brought to an end and a new year begins.

Very well said

[ethsnafu]

Do you know Model I once gave that episode to my parents to watch one Christmas in an effort to tempt them over to our side and both found it thoroughly depressing. We, on the other hand, have exactly the opposite response to the episode. It just goes to show that Millennium was such a unique show, something that was never go to be for everyone but for those who did get it, boy did we take that show to our hearts.

Eth

[Earthnut]

I found Midnight of the Century depressing because it was about Frank's mother and her death, and then also uplifting because of the healing with his father. So, to me, it had an element of both, and what you receive as you watch it possibly depends upon your own needs at the time. Still voting for The Sound of Snow though.