About the show:
It's ironic that a show that flopped in 1996 for being 'too dark' on FOX would fit in perfectly
and be a huge hit on CBS today if aired after a CSI or on NBC if aired after a Law &
Order. A terrific mix of mysticism and psychology, the show was ahead of its time in terms
of tapping into fears about Y2K as well as a culture that would embrace books such as The
DaVinci Code and conspiracy-meets-mythology series Alias.
As created by X-Files' Chris Carter, Millennium tells the story of
Frank Black, former government profiler, who joins up with an independent group ("Millennium")
to solve crimes, while at the same time endeavoring to protect his family and his sanity. The
show started out with only a slight mythological arc in the first season, turned into full-blown
fantasy/horror in its second season when showrunners Morgan & Wong took over, then tried to
return to its crime-drama roots in its third season when Carter took the reins again. But the
show didn't quite find its footing or audience and was cancelled after its third season.
Personal:
While the WriterGroupie enjoyed The X-Files, she feels that the under-appreciated
Millennium was Chris Carter's greatest creation. Like many people, the WriterGroupie
was turned off by the show's 'too dark' reputation and didn't give the show the chance it
deserved while it was originally on the air. But finding it in syndication, she was hooked from
the first episode she saw: the BRILLIANT Darin Morgan-penned
second season episode "Somehow Satan Got Behind Me" (an incredibly memorable episode, only
lightly featuring the show's regular characters, that instead focused on four devils sitting in
a donut shop commiserating on their recent work experiences - the WriterGroupie thinks this
episode may be the greatest hour of television written since Rod Serling gathered his amazing
core group of writers for the original
Twilight Zone.)
The WriterGroupie enjoys the more fantasy/horror-driven second season with its emphasis on
religion and mythology, but in rewatching the DVDs of the first season she was reminded what a strong
base the show was developed with and believes the first season stands on its own as excellent
crime drama.
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Credits:
Created by Chris Carter
Starring:
Lance Henrikson as Frank Black
Megan Gallagher as Catherine Black
Brittany Tiplady as Jordan Black
Terry O'Quinn as Peter Watts
Staff Writers:
Chris Carter
Ted Mann
Darin Morgan
WriterGroupie's Favorite Episodes:
"The Curse of Frank Black"
"Somehow Satan Got Behind Me"
Related Links:
FOX no longer maintains an official Millennium website.
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