The Sound Of Snow

[Guest A Stranger]

The scene were Alice watches the man smoking to me was meant to suggest she has a unique ablility concerning sound. She hears the sounds amplified and later states that "we don't hear well, do we?" with heavy implications that we, mankind, are missing something that she can see, or more accuratly, hear. There are many allusions to this like when Frank talks with Doug about white noise. White noise is techinically everything but when we hear it we think it's nothing.

I don't think she is evil at all or necessarily angelic but somewhere in between.St. Peter isn't a Devil or an Angel. She simply forces people to deal with their pasts and some people, the ones who killed themselves, weren't strong enough to make it through it. Most of the people didn't die, only the two shown did. I didn't find this episdoe to be too confusing at all. Alice is working independatly and the Group know about her and as Frank says will destroy her or force her to join them, as she has a great power. Why he was sent the tape or by who is the only thing left unresolved but as many speculated, it was probably Watts. Not that Peter was trying to kill Frank but the whole ordeal was really meant to help get over it.

[4th Horseman]

The scene were Alice watches the man smoking to me was meant to suggest she has a unique ablility concerning sound. She hears the sounds amplified and later states that "we don't hear well, do we?" with heavy implications that we, mankind, are missing something that she can see, or more accuratly, hear. There are many allusions to this like when Frank talks with Doug about white noise. White noise is techinically everything but when we hear it we think it's nothing.

I don't think she is evil at all or necessarily angelic but somewhere in between.St. Peter isn't a Devil or an Angel. She simply forces people to deal with their pasts and some people, the ones who killed themselves, weren't strong enough to make it through it. Most of the people didn't die, only the two shown did. I didn't find this episdoe to be too confusing at all. Alice is working independatly and the Group know about her and as Frank says will destroy her or force her to join them, as she has a great power. Why he was sent the tape or by who is the only thing left unresolved but as many speculated, it was probably Watts. Not that Peter was trying to kill Frank but the whole ordeal was really meant to help get over it.

Nice, nice response as usual from A Stranger...The Chyren reference from a particular century and quatrain of Nostradamus was how Frank linked the tape to the Group. I as well believe that it was most likely Peter who was responsible for Frank receiving the tape. Perhaps it was out of guilt that Catherine had passed while Peter's entire family had survived the viral outbreak. I felt throughout the latter part of S3 that Peter was trying to make things right with Frank, the tape, the packet left in Frank's car, giving Frank a "heads up" that it was now no longer safe for anyone..As for Alice, she had to either be part of the group, or was illiciting intrest from the group, because as you have stated, Frank did tell Emma that the her gift would either be appropriated or destroyed by the group...

good catch on only two people dying, because Frank also says that Giebelhouse checked out the others on the list and there we no other deaths, so perhaps, as you say, these were two of the weaker individuals, perhaps not as hardened to feeling of remorse or guilt as the others...

p.s. - the ending of the particular episode still has a very profound effect on me, one of sadness that Catherine is now forever gone. In the past, i had issued posts reflecting just how obstructive her character had become by S2, incendiary, irritable, almost arrogant at times. I have come recently to believe that her absence, after a great deal of reflection, left the show with a gaping wound that never healed...

4th Horseman

[Guest A Stranger]

p.s. - the ending of the particular episode still has a very profound effect on me, one of sadness that Catherine is now forever gone. In the past, i had issued posts reflecting just how obstructive her character had become by S2, incendiary, irritable, almost arrogant at times. I have come recently to believe that her absence, after a great deal of reflection, left the show with a gaping wound that never healed...

4th Horseman

I think what made season three that much more emotional and traumatic was that Catherine in season two was right and Frank realizes this. She died without the two of them ever resoving what drove them apart. The Group and Frank's misguided attempts of protecting his family were actaully driving them further apart. Catherine was a bitch in year two I agree, but when you look at it eveything she said was right. Frank is partly misguided in blaming the Group in the beginning of year three becuause deep down he feels they are what drove them apart in their seperation. It's almost as if her death was end result of the Group's involvment with Frank. I think that "The Innocents/Exegesis" has some problems making the Group directly responsible for Catherine's death but I do think it deals with Frank's attitudes toward them correctly.

Catherine was Frank's center as is stated by Geilblehouse. And it's easy to see how Frank would blame himself for her death as it indirectly connects to their seperation, which I believe Frank was directly responsible for. By the end of "The Sound of Snow" I think Frank is able to resolve and really connect with Catherine the way he was unable to do before she died. To say "I love you and I'm sorry I f***ed up." The thing he never said in year two. "The Sound of Snow" remains one of my all time favorite MLM episodes and adds to why MLM is one of the most affecting stories I've seen/read/heard. period.

[Guest MrCox]

Your interpretations may be correct of course, but somehow they don't work for me.

The smoking scene not only enhances the sound of the cigarette but it also SHOWS the ashes and the smoke in a extreme close-up shot. Even if you say these pictures are some kind of equivalent to Alice hearing more than others, the question remains why she focuses on the CIGARETTE. I don't think it's a coincidence that Alice shows up shortly before Lucy Butler tries to pull Frank to the side of evil.

Alice Severin's "attack" on Frank always reminds me of Tamara Lee in "Siren" in some way. I will not give up my theory because it works for me. This is a problem in season 3 in general as a lot of things remain unspoken and unexplained. (Of course it can be seen as a stimulating thing as well! If episodes like "The Sound Of Snow" were more straight-forward there would have been nothing left to discuss. )

[4th Horseman]

Your interpretations may be correct of course, but somehow they don't work for me.

The smoking scene not only enhances the sound of the cigarette but it also SHOWS the ashes and the smoke in a extreme close-up shot. Even if you say these pictures are some kind of equivalent to Alice hearing more than others, the question remains why she focuses on the CIGARETTE. I don't think it's a coincidence that Alice shows up shortly before Lucy Butler tries to pull Frank to the side of evil.

Alice Severin's "attack" on Frank always reminds me of Tamara Lee in "Siren" in some way. I will not give up my theory because it works for me. This is a problem in season 3 in general as a lot of things remain unspoken and unexplained. (Of course it can be seen as a stimulating thing as well! If episodes like "The Sound Of Snow" were more straight-forward there would have been nothing left to discuss. )

Mr. Snow...noone is asking or telling you to change your theory. Thats not what TIWWA is about. I can not begin to tell you just how many times i have put forth an opinion that was disagreed with. MDM and i just recently had a lengthy and protracted discussion on Legion. We finally agreed to disagree, but that does not mean that one of us is wrong. I respect MDM completely, and in his voicing his differences, it opened up a few avenues that i had either intentionally or accidentally ignored or forgotten about. Having similar viewpoints on the "obvious" does nothing but breed complacency. Its the garden of the unanswerable that bring forth the fruits of discussion. Thats what MillenniM is about and thats what TIWWA is about..The cigarette is most likely used to show that as a whole we tend to overlook the most mundane of lifes events. Alice has a "gift" of focusing in on those oversights and that is why the group is either going to use her ability or destroy it. Your postulations are just as respected and important as mine or anyone elses. I just happen to side w/ A Stranger on this, thats all. Its WHAT I SEE based on my being who i am...right or wrong, unless the writers are present on the board and can be asked directly what the significance of the cigarette was INTENDED to be, then its only fodder for the masses...

I personally am very happy that many of MillenniuM's episodes are "double-edge swords" and not just straight-forward stories...that is what makes TIWWA a true garden of earthly delights....

4th Horseman..

[Guest ___ L@the_of_Heaven___]

Dear Fourth, I can only speak for myself, of course, but besides being desperately busy lately I feel somewhat crippled trying to express my thoughts on a language which is not my mother tongue. That's why I often skip answering even though I might actually have something to say. We'll see if I'll be able to post a reply to the topic you mentioned some sunny day.

That's quite all right; I've heard that The Fourth Horseman speaks in tongues anyway...

(sorry, REALLY couldn't help it..., must be a compulsive disorder... My humble apologies... )

Besides, even if you do speak in tongues, it doesn't necessarily mean that you start what you Finnish...

There I go again..., GEEZ, will someone PLEASE shoot me!!!?

[Viivi]

Besides, even if you do speak in tongues, it doesn't necessarily mean that you start what you Finnish...

Thanks for the laughs, LoH!

[Guest Jim McLean]

Zombie time again. Sorry MrCox for dissecting your post over a year since it was written, but it was a perfect opportunity to get my thoughts into perspective. Loved this episode. Brought much needed closure to season two, respecting what Wong and Morgan had done (giving Frank a very season two "gift" moment and of course, closing the strands that series two had culminated on) without moving away for season three's less mythological vision. Great to see Catherine back for one more time.

Your interpretations may be correct of course, but somehow they don't work for me.

The smoking scene not only enhances the sound of the cigarette but it also SHOWS the ashes and the smoke in a extreme close-up shot. Even if you say these pictures are some kind of equivalent to Alice hearing more than others, the question remains why she focuses on the CIGARETTE. I don't think it's a coincidence that Alice shows up shortly before Lucy Butler tries to pull Frank to the side of evil.

I totally disagree. Alice - like many of the unearthly forces in Millennium - doesn't fall into "good" meaning "nice" and "bad" meaning "nasty. She's a force whose tapes test the subject and those who are weak in spirit fail. It's a hard device, but many such are in mythology. As has been said, those who were sent the tape were largely okay. Those who failed were unable to reconcile their pain and it overwhelmed them.

The focus on the cigarette was textual. Smoking a cigarette is considered a soundless act, but she picks up on every nuance of the act.

Alice Severin's "attack" on Frank always reminds me of Tamara Lee in "Siren" in some way. I will not give up my theory because it works for me. This is a problem in season 3 in general as a lot of things remain unspoken and unexplained. (Of course it can be seen as a stimulating thing as well! If episodes like "The Sound Of Snow" were more straight-forward there would have been nothing left to discuss. )

I don't totally agree so far as this episode goes. While it doesn't spoon feed, it isn't overly ambiguous. The ambiguity comes from the fact we're dealing with a higher power. "God moves in mysterious ways" is proof in the pudding, there are some reasons we won't unbind from powers beyond us. So far as the story is concerned she forces the subject to confront their demons and either become stronger or succumb to their power.

As for why the MG sent it to Frank. I assumed it was Peter, and I thought - with no knowledge of future events - that this was his "gift" for Franks help in "Collateral Damage", but I would agree this is one ambiguity which I think is there to make the Millennium Group more mysterious.

Edited November 9, 2007 by Jim McLean

[Guest Haunted]

I am referring to the song in the Six Floors Down scene, when Jerry Origo receives the cassette in his mail. Does anyone know the name of the song or the artist in this scene?

[BillQS]

As for why the MG sent it to Frank. I assumed it was Peter, and I thought - with no knowledge of future events - that this was his "gift" for Franks help in "Collateral Damage", but I would agree this is one ambiguity which I think is there to make the Millennium Group more mysterious.

I just finished The Sound of Snow and I will have to update my favorites because it was definitely one of the best!

As someone else suggested, I thought that Alice might be a Season 3 manifestation of the Judge in the way she behaved, but after the episode was over I know longer think that. I do think she uses sound to get people to judge themselves and the strong survive while the weak falter.

Going through Season 3 for the first time, it does seem a lot as though Peter Watts sent the tape as a gift to Frank for his help in Collateral Damage. There are direct allusions in Frank's talk to Emma at the end of the episode about Peter's whole family being able to sit at the dinner table which was the last shot of Collateral Damage.

I also think there was a good bit of embracing Season 2. The images Frank saw were the same as parts of the "screaming monkey" dream that Jordan had and that Lara saw when she was checking out of sanity in TTIN.