By The Numbers: 4

[4th Horseman]

Three great episodes, but "Monster" stands out as my favorite for many reasons. First, if I am not mistaken, it introduces us to Lara Means, who is not only my second favorite character on the show, but one of the most beautiful, interesting, intelligent, and overall yummy actresses (and characters) to grace the television screen. As for the episode, it was one of my favorites, and one of the best from that season. I can't wait to see it again, but due to the fact that none of the cable stations seem interested in picking up this show, I will have to wait until season 2 comes out on DVD. The little blonde girl was definitely one of the creepiest characters the show has had. Of the three, "Closure" would have to be my second favorite. That was one of the more exciting and adrenaline pumping episodes. There was a lot of action, but not at the expense of quality writing, as seems to be the case with a lot of the action flicks you see at the movies these days. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ditto my friend....4 reasons i picked "Monster" was..

1. it was a nice intro to Laura

2. it also shows the nefarious side of the Group by pitting both of them against each other without prior knowledge...

3. it shows the beginning of the chemistry that Frank and Laura had throughout the 2nd season...

4. The following line from Frank...

Here's my thing, Lara. Recently I've seen, I've experienced

evil. It feels like a force, like gravity, like the wind. It has blown

across Cambodia, been a cyclone in Nazi Germany, it gusts throughout

Los Angeles. Danielle Barbakow is a pre-storm, a breeze, of an

approaching hurricane.

just love that line....

you also knew there was something wrong with a 5 year old that enjoys watching "The Fly"

i have question though, was she turned over to a member of the group at the end? I only ask because of the orobouros on the computer screen...

[Guest arcanamundi]

i have question though, was she turned over to a member of the group at the end? I only ask because of the orobouros on the computer screen...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, I think the Group had her placed in some kind of Millennium Group home or orphanage, probably to study her and to control her and possibly to use her, as I believe they did with the Polaroid Stalker, who may have been 'raised' by the Group.

[Guest canadian girl]

And they did a fine job with the polaroid man, didn't they?????

[Guest lonegungrrly1121]

I will definately have to vote Monster- the introduction to the character of Lara Means, about 1000 x files extras ( spender, Emily Sim, etc etc) ...

those close and special first scenes between lara and frank were amazing.

Closure comes a close second that is also an amazing episode

[ethsnafu]

I believe the children.

I did consider 'Kingdom Come', and it fair near won, and I did consider Closure but it had no hope in hell of wining so I'm gonna go for, guess you all know what and why but, Monster is my choice. Any show that uses Henny Penny as a metaphorical apocalypse is inspired, the falling sky, the descent, the lone voice of a believer, a deserted playground and a doll amongst the briar : poetic and very very skillful.

No matter how many views I have given this gem I never fail to feel the real aching sense of pain in Penny Plott that is disguised by the ease with which the actress just bleeds into the role..."It's all I have, all I ever had. I love those kids. I am good, I'm a good person. Why would you do this to a good person?"...melancholy, painful but very beautifully delivered. "Why would you do this to a good person?" - who hasn't thought that at some point of the journey? Of course we are treated, and I do mean treated, to the complex enigma of Dani Barbakow. Moving dramatically away from the established face of evil (often potrayed as adult men) and into new and vibrant territory: the pre-hurricane demonism of a young girl who, if she isn't really an evil little child, is a actress beyond her years. As Fourth Horseman notes, Frank's dialogue with regard to her infernal nature is excellent.

Naturally I'm going to have mention Lara, anyone shocked, who intrigued me from the off and kept me white-knuckled for the rest of the Season. I loved Season Three very much and her absence left no indelible stain but Season Two is great because of her...."He should be a comfort but his appearance always frightens me. Not as a symptom of insanity because I believe in him, but when he appears it's always a portent of evil."....compare this with Midnight of the Century and many other similar examples and you get a crystal picture of what she was really all about. Sublime..all of it.

I'm actually quite miffed that 'Kingdom Come' and Monster came in the same vote, I can't recall very much about Closure even though I have seen it umpteen times which may be as good an indication as any, as I love both of them nearly as much but when push comes to shove it's always going to be about the girl who watches 'The Fly' for a bit of a giggle.

Till then,

eth.snafu.

[Guest 1428]

My pick: Monster.

Creepy little girl The other two episodes were also good, but this one really stuck.

[Guest MrCox]

For the first time a 2nd season episode wins for me. It had everything, a great story, the introduction of Lara Means, another unexpected return of Legion in Danielle Barbakow. And Jordan for once is not the nice little girl, but she gets on Frank's nerves. This is an interesting twist in itself. The only thing I didn't like in "Monster" was the ending and Frank preaching his way out of prison. It was a bit much and he nearly looked like a maniac in this scene.

"Kingdom Come" is very close second. I liked the idea of a killer who tried to kill his faith in god but couldn't. I never understood why Ardis Cohen never returned as she was fantastic in her cynical humour. In retrospect "Kingdom Come" suffers a bit from this "group member of the week" formula and I can't understand why they had not Peter or Mike investigating alongside Frank, but it's not really a massive problem. The finale is stellar and one of Lance's best acting moments of the whole series.

"Closure" - I really don't know how to rate that one. I don't really hate it for there are some great ideas in it, the portrait of a spree killer or the background to Emma. But too much in "Closure" doesn't work: Bulletproof wests make you Superman? This mysterious man killed Melissa but left Emma alive, what was his motive?? Frank complains all the time and violates Emma's privacy by reading confidential files??? The most annoying thing of this episode is Frank insisting the killers have no motive. But of course they have! They kill for fun, because they rob a supermarket and they want to free Joni from prison. "Closure" is a problematic episode and sometimes painful to watch. (But I liked Emma crashing her car at the end, it's a bit over the top but fun.)

[Guest ___ L@the_of_Heaven___]

For the first time a 2nd season episode wins for me. It had everything, a great story, the introduction of Lara Means, another unexpected return of Legion in Danielle Barbakow. And Jordan for once is not the nice little girl, but she gets on Frank's nerves. This is an interesting twist in itself. The only thing I didn't like in "Monster" was the ending and Frank preaching his way out of prison. It was a bit much and he nearly looked like a maniac in this scene.

"Kingdom Come" is very close second. I liked the idea of a killer who tried to kill his faith in god but couldn't. I never understood why Ardis Cohen never returned as she was fantastic in her cynical humour. In retrospect "Kingdom Come" suffers a bit from this "group member of the week" formula and I can't understand why they had not Peter or Mike investigating alongside Frank, but it's not really a massive problem. The finale is stellar and one of Lance's best acting moments of the whole series.

"Closure" - I really don't know how to rate that one. I don't really hate it for there are some great ideas in it, the portrait of a spree killer or the background to Emma. But too much in "Closure" doesn't work: Bulletproof wests make you Superman? This mysterious man killed Melissa but left Emma alive, what was his motive?? Frank complains all the time and violates Emma's privacy by reading confidential files??? The most annoying thing of this episode is Frank insisting the killers have no motive. But of course they have! They kill for fun, because they rob a supermarket and they want to free Joni from prison. "Closure" is a problematic episode and sometimes painful to watch. (But I liked Emma crashing her car at the end, it's a bit over the top but fun.)

Pretty much agree here; in 'Monster' the little girl's performance was quite chilling indeed!

'Kingdom Come' I do not remember very well; but I seem to recall that it was put together decently.

'Closure' never really did much for me; the episode is done perfectly well, nothing wrong with it's development or execution whatsoever, but again: DRAMA, DRAMA, DRAMA... That's not really why I love the show. Hey, at least the episode featured the beautiful Emma! Also too, I personally have NEVER cared for films or episodes of any show where the story makes a point of how random things are or that there's no real reason or motive involved. If you examine almost ALL of the killers in the series, how often was a killer portrayed as completely random without some twisted reason for doing it? And here in this episode they make a BIG point of how Emma just has to come to terms that the guy who killed her sister had absolutely no rhyme or reason for doing it, JUST like this guy she happens to run into in this episode. Sorry..., I don't buy it...

[Earthnut]

Yes, Monster is a very disturbing episode, and an injustice that happens more often then it should. But Kingdom Come is more then just disturbing, it's frightening.

[Guest Luke]

Has to be Monster for me, the little girl creeps me out.