Chris Carter and Omega watches

[Guest Wellington]

Hi

I am not sure this has already been discussed. It seems there is something between Carter's shows and Omega watches. In the second half of MillenniuM, Frank is wearing a splendid Speedmaster Chronograph instead of his big ugly quartz watch. I think it suits him perfectly... Probably a nice gift from Catherine, lucky man  

Another Omega appears in the ep where Frank is going for a missing teenager. This teenager left behind a Seamaster Chronograph, if I am not mistaken. I am not sure I would leave such a jewel behind me, essentialy if it is an automatic one!

I have made the connection with the X-Files, where we sometimes have the same close-ups on wrists. I think Mulder has a DeVille and Scully a Constellation. Is there any marketing in this? There has never been any ads for Omega involving neither series. Maybe Carter enjoyed the brand...

I would sell my parents for an automatic Seamaster. Anyone interested?  

Regards

[Guest &one]

All I can say to that is.............. A boy and his toys  

Lucy  

[Guest Wellington]

Hi

Now I should begin to understand the Lucy in you...

Regards

[Guest &one]

This is just the begining for you Wellington   Lucy as just started to come out of the computer closet  

Lucy  

[Raven Wolf]

Wellington...You have been warned!!!    

~Raven Wolf

[Guest Jabina]

Hi,

as far as I know Lance Henriksen got the watch to wear it on Millennium. I believe it was this special watch that was made for the 30th anniversary of the moon landing. Lance talked about the watch story in an interview, as far as I remember.

Janina

[Guest Dixon]

It is true that the stars of both The X-Files and Millennium wore Omega watches throughout the run of those shows.  In the case of the latter, Lance Henriksen was connected to Omega through an edorsement contract.  I'm fairly certain the contract was between Henriksen himself and Omega, not between Millennium and Omega.  Whether this contract was brought about as a result of his work with Ten-Thirteen Productions, a purely personal arrangement, or through the involvement of 20th Century Fox I cannot say.  I don't have any specific facts concerning who initiated the connection.  Henriksen simply wore his Omega while on screen week after week and, occassionally, we even get to see a close-up of the timepiece. This endorsement agreement did, however, lead to at least one noteworthy creative limitation.

Fans know the terrifying villain of the thrilling second season episode "The Mikado" as Avatar, one of Frank Black's greatest foes.  Avatar was, in fact, only writer Michael R. Perry's third choice for the serial killer's name, however.  

In the first draft of the script for "The Mikado" the killer, who still bears an uncanny resemblance to the real life Zodiac killer in modus operandi and historical background, was written as the real life Zodiac killer.  Perry was interested in blurring the line between reality and fiction and, to that end, intended to pit Frank Black against one of American history's most infamous serial killers.  The Fox network, however, would have none of that.  Producer Ken Horton battled with determination against Fox on this creative difference, striving to preserve the character as written.  Creative battles between the staff of the series and those running the Fox network were certainly the norm during three years of Millennium.  The network, however, won this particular battle.  The character's name had to be changed.

Thus, Perry chose to name his faceless foe Omega.  The name Zodiac throughout the script was simply changed to Omega and the episode's development moved on.  That is, until it was realized that this second name was also not an option.  This time, however, it wasn't the Fox network that might have objected to the villain's name but the watch manufacturer we speak of in this thread.  Because of Lance Henriksen's contract with the Omega watch corporation, Perry could not be permitted to call his despicable villain by the same name.

Thus, Avatar obtained the name we all know him by today.  Zodiac became Omega became, at last, Avatar.

Television production is filled with all sorts of unseen creative complications that range from the monumental to the absurd.  Countless contracts, agreements, regulations, and associations influence every episode's production.  Henriksen's contract with Omega watches, in this particular case, proved to be a very minute creative influence on the show's weekly story itself.

[Bardo Thodol]

The devil is in the details!  (pardon the pun)  Thank you all for pointing this stuff out.  I hadn't been observant enough of the watches in the show!  Silly me! LOL!

Seriously.  I love to learn things like this about the show.  And thanks for the info, Dix.

And I thought the name was chosen on purpose and specifically for the part and episode.  I mean, it is the perfect name for the character.  First, like "Zodiac", the name Avatar conjures up cosmological and supernatural images.  It is a powerful and elusive mythological being of Asiatic origin, I believe.  It really goes along with the chilling silent terrifying MO of Avatar.  Plus, it fits perfectly with his use of the internet as his current tool of terror and death.  I would have thought this the first choice!

Even though the double corporate influence over any episode is annoying and absurd at times, I have to say I am actual glad it worked out this way this time.  I truly think the Avatar name and character are great as they are.

Scott

[Raven Wolf]

I, too, appreacite the little behind-the-seans lesson!  Up untill now, I thought that the name Avatar was just a recurring favorite name... sense there was an episode of The X Files by the name of Avater in its early years.

Thanks for the info.!

Erin (Raven Wolf)

[Guest Wellington]

Hi

Brian, how glad I am!!!! I was secretly hoping that you would  put the record straight about the question, and I thank you for the bonus story about Avatar. Do you ever intend to write all these behind-the-scene stories and put them on the Abyss? I mean, in case of a new Marburg virus spread, it would be great to have them stored somewhere. One never knows...  

Thanks a lot for your reply!

Regards