Season 3: Episode 22: "Goodbye to All That"

Written by Ken Horton & Chip Johannessen

Directed by Thomas J. Wright

Airdate: May 21, 1999

Guest Star: Jade Malle (Cheryl Kellough)

"Goodbye to All That" was the final episode of Millennium, although Frank Black would later appear on the X-Files episode "Millennium" as a coda of sorts. 

Unlike shows of the "prestige TV era" like The Sopranos, Breaking Bad, Lost, or Mad Men, Millennium was canceled before it could tie up all the loose ends. But we do get a sense of closure and even a glimmer of hope. 

The episode picks up after the explosion of the previous episode "Via Dolorosa." Agent Baldwin survived the blast but is later killed in the ambulance by a paramedic. frank continues to pursue Lucas Barr, who is leaving clues behind connected to the stations of the cross. Later Frank is shown video footage Barr took of Jordan sleeping, putting him into a rage. He breaks into Watt's house as he's having a family dinner, demanding to know the connections between Barr and the Group. Watts pleads ignorance but later confides to Frank that Barr took part in brain enhancing experiments for the group.

Meanwhile, Watts convinces Hollis to join the group, so they help her father, who later regrets the procedure for mysterious reasons. Frank tracks Barr down, he's living with a blind woman named Jade as he plans more killings. Frank captures him, then Barr takes a drill to his own head but spares Jade. 

Frustrated with the FBI and Hollis's betrayal, Frank leaves the FBI. He drives off with Jordan, as they look towards an uncertain future. Jordan says, "We are All Shepherds," and Frank agrees.

Frank's place in the FBI was always tenuous, and pressures from the group compelled him to go into self-imposed exile. Hollis leaving Frank for the group was unfortunate, shattering the bond they built over the season. We see a dead body in Watt's home office, assuming he was killed by the Group, possibly for failing to win back Frank.

The third season brought Millennium back to its roots in another season of quality television.

This blog was written as an appreciation of Millennium, a retrospective look at an influential show that's now been off the air for 25 years. I hope whoever finds this blog finds value in these posts. I'd like to think Frank Black is still out there somewhere fighting the good fight. 

Sept 16, 2019 - Sept. 10, 2025

Season 3: Episode 21: "Via Dolorosa"

Written by Marjorie David & Patrick Harbinson

Directed by Paul Shapiro

Airdate: May 14, 1999

Guest Star: Jeff Parise (Lucas Francis Barr)

The first episode of a two-parter to bring the series to a close, "Via Dolorosa" (the way of pain) features Frank and the FBI on the trail of a copycat killer, while Peter Watts offers to find a cure Hollis's father suffering from Altheimer's. 

Frank attends the execution of serial killer Edward Cuffle who stares him down. Later, Frank calls the execution process "barbaric" just as crimes mimicking Cuffle's begin to occur. Affluent couples are being targeted at night during intimate moments by the killer. The killer holds resentment at wealthy men who used his mom who worked as a maid for sex. Footage of the execution reveals the killer was present. 

Meanwhile, Watts wants to Hollis to help him get Frank back in the group, he offers to help her father by utilizing medical technology being developed by the Group. After Hollis is physically attacked by her father, she considers taking up Peter's offer. 

The FBI connects the killer by going through military records and Agent Baldwin arranges a raid at his hideaway. Frank caution Baldwin to cancel, but once they storm the building a bomb ignites, ending the episode. 

The episode is well paced and suspenseful, allowing Frank to utilize his superior detective skills. I wish the season had served Watts better, who in the episode is reduced to a cagey lurker still obsessed with Frank. Everyone's fate hangs in the balance as we move on to the second part . . . 

Season 3: Episode 20: "Nostalgia"

Written by Michael R. Perry

Directed by Thomas J. Wright

Airdate: May 7, 1999

Guest Stars: David Barerra (Sheriff Tommy Briggs); Ted Marcoux (Jerry Neilson)

On the surface, "Nostalgia" seems like serial killer of the week episode Millennium became known for during its first season. But Michael R. Perry's script experimented with the conventional formula in some compelling ways. The killer is revealed early in the episode, and the focus is more on the cultural climate of the community that allowed a killer to hide in plain sight.

Agent Hollis is nostalgic about returning to South Mill, a town she recalls fondly from her childhood. She and Frank are investigating the murder of a young woman Jan McCall and discover connections to deaths of other young women from the area. The concept of the idyllic Norman Rockwell small town masking an awful darkness is a recurring trope throughout the series, but here it's fleshed out without the usual irony. Agent Hollis and Frank quickly amass evidence pointing to the local park ranger Jerry, but Frank must get a confession.

We learn about the toxic culture among the police officers who seem more interested in bedding all the young women who come their way, especially those women who hang out at the local dive and have a "reputation." These women mean nothing to them, or to people in the community, who attribute the murders to drugs or their immoral lifestyles. But as Jerry confesses to Frank, these women are easy marks for predators like himself. No one misses them. 

As Emma interrogates cops, including a childhood friend, she learns her old hometown was not as wholesome as she remembered. Meanwhile, Frank, through subtle methods, becomes Jerry's confessor, even leading him to the location of one of the murders. By the end, Emma and Frank lament the darkness that seems to follow them but nevertheless accept their lot. 

As a throwback episode, "Nostalgia" allowed Henriksen and Scott to deliver compelling performance and even allow for some charming banter, with subtle and timely social commentary on toxic male culture before the term widely entered the parlance. 

Season 3: Episode 19: "Seven and One"

Written by Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz

Directed by Peter Markle

Airdate: April 30, 1999

Guest Stars: Dean Norris (Del Boxer)

One would not expect a Millennium episode to begin with a Backstreets Boys song, but here we are (it was for Jordan's birthday party). And that's the lightest moment in another heavy episode with Frank once again enduring an agonizing spiritual journey. 

During the party, Frank is delivered a package with Polaroid photos of himself, recalling the times he was stalked in Seattle that led to Catherine being kidnapped. At the FBI, Frank and other agents consider the evidence, Agent Boxer (pre-Breaking Bad) senses Frank is hiding something and develops suspicions about Frank. Later, Frank confesses a childhood memory to Hollis about a drowning he witnessed. He visits a Priest and talks about his disturbing visions. 

A shapeshifter named Mavius appears to be manipulating the strange phenomena, even attempting to frame Frank for the murder of his therapist. There's an attempt to bury Hollis alive? Later she encounters the demon in the guise of herself. Frank hallucinates drowning inside his bathroom - talk about some bad plumbing. 

'Seven and One" is about coming to terms with childhood trauma and guilt over losing Catherine. He's put through a lot, with multiple dreams of his own death by stabbing and drowning. Hollis is also starting to have visions. There's a lot happening in the episode, not all of which makes perfect sense. Why is the demon pursuing Frank? Why is the FBI suspicious of him? The bureau's been antagonistic all season. 

Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz wrote an ambitious script, solely focused on Frank's character arc and where he might be going. There's a gesture towards spiritual renewal, but what does that even mean in this ever-darkening world? Frank is out through a lot throughout the season, but here we're given a faint glimmer of hope. Hasn't this man been through enough? 

Season 3: Episode 18: "Bardo Thodol"

Written by Virginia Stock and Chip Johannessen

Directed by Thomas J. Wright

Airdate: April 23, 1999

Guest Stars: James Hong (Monk); Tzi Ma (Dr. Takashi)

"Bardo Thodol" continues to explore the nefarious nature of the Millennium Group, while also marking a turning point in Frank's spiritual journey. 

The story follows Japanese scientist Dr. Takashi who worked for the group and is now undergoing a deadly disease decaying his body. On the run, he takes refuge in a Buddhist temple where he's slowly dying. James Hong guest stars as monk seeing to his care. Meanwhile Hollis leads a raid on a merchant ship where they discover frozen hands aboard. Watts also takes an interest in the case, offering guidance to Hollis, while FBI Director McClaren prefers Frank be left out of the loop. 

Frank tracks down Takashi to the temple, while Hollis connects his work to a health care company. While it's never explicitly spelled out, Takashi's work appears to deal with regenerating human tissue. A henchman for the group also finds the temple, but Takashi die before he can be killed. Frank and Hollis attend his burial on a snowy mountain. 

The narrative of the episode is elliptical, almost to a fault. We learn that the group is deeply involved in fringe science, but their motives remain ambiguous. Are they trying to bring on the apocalypse? Survive it? Prevent it? Frank is weary enough to longer care, while Hollis seems both intrigued and frightened at their ultimate goals. 

John Kenneth Muir, scholar of Millennium, sees "Bardo Thodol" as key moment in Frank's character arc through three seasons. During the first season he observed and encountered so much death, suffered many personal losses in the second season, while in the third he continues to seek purpose despite the darkness:

In this episode, Frank's journey finally shifts from one of "seeing" to one, essentially, of "starting over." The lead monk (James Hong) speaks of "listening without distraction" and "setting aside perceptions." He suggests everything you experience is a but a projection of the mind." (411)

Healing and rebirth are major themes in the third season; Frank's weariness has given him a seasoned purpose. He's no longer thinking in terms of good and evil and saving the world from demonic darkness, he's been through it and survived. His purpose is to be there for Jordan, the struggle against evil continues but it's more internal. 

Work Cited:

John Kenneth Muir. "Bardo Thodol: The Third Season and a Unified Theory of Millennium." From Back to Frank Black: A Return to Chris Carter's Millennium. Edited by Adam Chamberlain and Brian A. Dixon. 

Season 3: Episode 17: "Darwin's Eye"

Written by Patrick Harbinson 

Directed by Ken Fink

Airdate: April 16, 1999

Guest Stars: Tracy Middendorf (Cass Doyle); John Beasley (James Hollis): Peter Simmons (Joe Doherty)

Frank Black and Emma Hollis investigate a young woman, Cass Doyle, who escaped from an asylum and then persuaded a cop to help her go on the run. The episode also introduces Hollis's father, James, who is struggling with Altheimer's Disease. 

Cass was institutionalized for killing her parents and murdered and beheaded an orderly at the asylum. She convinces Deputy Doherty of her innocence and muses on the machinations of Darwin's natural selection, specifically the mysteries of the human eye.

Hollis seems especially intrigued with the case, noticing images of wild palms in Cass's cell, noting they are symbols used by special forces in the military. Hollis's father worked for the defense industry and often creates haunting images connected to his time in the service, specifically palm trees enveloped by mushroom clouds. Evidence leads Frank to conclude Cass was sexually assaulted by father and the orderly at the asylum, who also served in the military. They track Cass down to a motel where she has apparently killed Doherty, found caressing his severed head.

In what appears as a standard case of tracking down a fugitive becomes a story about violence against women by men entrusted with being guardians of national security. Cass took revenge on the men who abused her and suffered for it, her own life was destroyed by the very men she was supposed to trust. The theme of national security and gender and the trauma passed down from generations is powerful one, which the script might've developed just a bit more.

"Darwin's Eye" tells a suspenseful and fast paced story Millennium did so well. Yet I sense a weariness creeping into the series as the third season entered its final stretch, the storylines are starting to feel stale, the series seemed to be struggling to find its identity after two seasons of powerful stories. Should the series simply focus on crime stories each week? Does the mythology of the Millennium group need more backstory? Or is the group now mostly irrelevant? Humor also seems to be lacking, which despite all the dark places Millennium went, seems mostly absent in the third season, the episode featuring Kiss being an exception. 

The streaming era allows TV shows to plot out their seasons and develop mythology. Millennium did not have that luxury, the late 90s was still ruled by the dictates of network television. One wonders if Millennium arrived too soon and whether such an ambitious series was better suited for a streaming format. We'll never know. 

Season 3: Episode 16: "Saturn Dreaming of Mercury"

Written by Chip Johannessen and Jordan Hawley

Directed by Paul Shapiro

Airdate: April 9, 1999

Guest Star: Michael Bofshever (Will Sanderson); Dillon Moen (Lucas Sanderson)

Demons, both literal and metaphorical, continue to haunt Frank Black despite everything he's been through. Throughout Millennium's third season Frank struggles with being a single father, realizing Jordan is not only getting older but also shares his gift. "Saturn Dreaming of Mercury" effectively plays upon those anxieties and features some truly frightening moments. 

The episode begins with Frank training Jordan how to ride her bicycle, a childhood rite of passage. When new neighbors move in next door, Jordan seems fixated on the boy Lucas. She has frightening visions of the new house and speaks of her imaginary friend Simon. At school. Jordan is accused of attacking Lucas. at one point biting him. While Frank is upset about Jordan acting out of character, he also discovers strange things about the new neighbors that may account for her behavior. 

Frank discovers Lucas was adopted by the Sandersons, as Jordan begins to see demonic faces. A connection is also made to the murder of a pregnant woman in Phoenix, the city the Sandersons moved from. When the Sandersons are visited by a Welcome committee, we discover a collection of eyes in their home. Upon leaving, the mother and son in the welcoming committee are in a car accident. Jordan is led to the Sanderson's basement and finds a terrifying boiler, shades of Nightmare on Elm Street, and supposedly attacks Will with scissors. Frank visits the basement and has a dreamlike vision of a demonic attack; he wakes up and escapes the house as its burning. As Frank and Jordan watch the engulfed house, they witness Lucas transform into Lucy Butler - she was manipulating everything. 

Johannessen and Hawley leaned into horror in their fever dream of a script - topped off with a terrifying basement! At the end of 'Antipas" Lucy threatened Jordan and this episode - and threat was not empty. The story also tapped into the loneliness Frank feels and the absence of Catherine, leaving him and Jordan more vulnerable than ever. Hollis plays a peripheral role in the plot, her frustration with Frank's mysterious methods boils over in the final scene. There's a melancholy atmosphere to the episode, even overriding all the horror elements, Frank's been trying to find refuge from his past and despite all his best efforts he cannot escape it. But they survive another day.

Season 3: Episode 15: "Forcing the End"

Written by Marjorie David

Directed by Thomas J. Wright

Airdate: March 19, 1999

Guest Star: Andreas Katsulas (Moses Gourevitch)

"Forcing the End" deals with a Jewish fundamentalist group abducting a child to fulfill an end times prophecy. Once again, Peter Watts proves a vexing presence to Frank after stepping in to help with the investigation. 

Affluent couple, Daniel and Jeannie Borenstine are enjoying a quiet evening until intruders break into their house and take Jeannie away, as she's close to giving birth. Jeannie's taken to a temple, given sedatives, and immersed in water for a "pure" birth. Frank and Agent Hollis find a connection with Daniel's secretary and connect her to the fringe group who believes the child will be a messiah. Peter Watts also gets involved in the investigation, offering knowledge to Hollis that helps the FBI track down Jeannie and the child.

With its focus on apocalyptic cults and end times prophecy, "Forcing the End" feels like a return to the first season. There's a bit of tired routine with the yet more strange rituals and charismatic leaders, in this case Katsulas (one-armed man from The Fugitive) filling the role, a former officer in the Israeli army turned religious leader. 

The real intrigue in the episode is Peter obviously attempting to groom Hollis for possible membership in the group, he seems more focused on her than Frank. Yet as a character, Watts is getting increasingly cagey with his motives and secrets. We never learn much about the status of the Group either, or what they were even up to as the Millennium was nearing. Watts seems a bit lost and obsessed with Frank this season, making for a muddled arc for the character. "Forcing the End" is a competent episode but contrived and routine in execution. 

Season 3: Episode 14: "Matryoshka"

Written by Erin Maher & Kay Reindl

Directed by Arthur Forney

Airdate: February 19, 1999

Guest Star: Barbara Bain (Lily Unser)

"Matryoshka" continues to explore the history of the Millennium Group, connecting them to the Manhattan Project and the birth of the military-industrial complex. 

A complicated historical mystery is at the center of the episode, starting with the suicide of retired FBI agent Lanyard who witnessed odd happenings at Los Alamos when the atomic bomb was being built. While investigating a scientist (Dr. Alexander) suspected of crimes, Lanyard learns that Alexander was experimenting with plutonium, and his own self was split, a Jekyll and Hyde situation. 

Frank and Agent Hollis follow a lead involving Peter Watts, who, as usual, knows more than he leads on about the case that caused Lanyard to shoot himself. They speak to the family's nanny Lily Unser who witnessed the strange events. In flashbacks, we J. Edgar Hoover and his Lieutenant Clyde Tolson discussing the Millennium Group, with Hoover drawing up the ouroboros symbol. 

There's a germ of a great idea in the script, once again tying the group to the Cold War and its implications, to quote one character, "they stole the apocalypse." Developing nuclear weapons gave humanity powers attributed to Gods, and the episode makes a gesture at the spiritual implications. But the idea feels too ambitious for the episode, at best a meditation on the legacy of the Manhattan Project, predating Oppenheimer by many years. 'Matryoshka" is more about the personal side of legacy, we learn the daughter of Dr. Alexander works on genetic engineering experiments, speaking to the anxiety about tech at the end of the 1990s.

There's an amusing line when Watts says, "Frank says everything is tied to the Millennium Group." Which, despite Peter's sarcasm, appears to be true! As for the episode, the structure seemed oddly opaque although it was never boring. especially the moments with Peter and Frank. TV veteran Barbara Bain brought poignancy to her scenes as well. But we're not left with much to ponder by the end, other than the Group was involved with the Manhattan Project and some scientists involved in dangerous side projects. 

Season 3: Episode 13: "Antipas"

Written by Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz

Directed by Thomas J. Wright

Airdate: February 12, 1999

Guest Stars: Art Hindle (John Saxum); Sarah-Jane Redmond (Lucy Butler); Rachel Victoria (Divina Saxum)

"Antipas" featured the return of possibly Frank Black's most dangerous enemy - Lucy Butler. A demonic shapeshifter with evil powers; Lucy's infiltrated a wealthy family under the guise of being a nanny. Written by series show runners Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz, "Antipas" captures the tone and style of the first season.

The episode begins with John and Una Saxum contemplating a run for Governor. Their daughter Divina appears to have behavioral issues, and she runs off into the woods and gets swallowed by a python but then appears beside her nanny. Lucy begins to bond with Divina and suggests she's her actual mother while trying to seduce her father. Wild dogs and mysterious strangers wander around the property in a visual callback to The Omen.

Meanwhile Hollis is investigating a series of brutal murders that appear unconnected. Frank takes over the case and comes upon the phrase "Antipas" which has connections to Satan and the Book of Revelation. He connects the term to a murder that happened near the Saxum's property (Antipas Gardens). Frank rightly suspects Lucy and advises the Saxum's to stay away from her, but John angrily sends Frank away.

Things get stranger when Frank dreams of Lucy having sex with him and then transforms into a demon, he then wakes up with marks on his wrist. Frank learns Una was murdered, and that Lucy might be shapeshifting as him. Lucy is detained for questioning, but her lawyer gets her freed along with odd accusations of Frank assaulting her. Freed after taking paternity tests, Frank goes back to the Saxum manor to help Hollis, and we discover John is dead from hanging and shapeshifters are chasing Hollis, one of whom takes the guise of Frank. In their escape Lucy gets hit by a car but survives, Frank visits her at the hospital where she threatens Jordan. 

A fast-paced episode, "Antipas" adds to the mythos of Lucy Butler. Did Frank's dream happen? Is she trying to convert Frank to evil? Evil likes to distort the truth, and that's her Lucy's line of attack here, to confuse and get inside Frank's head. Although she fails, the threat against Jordan is not to be taken lightly. As a story the episode works as Frank once again facing pure evil, and coming out with mixed results, a spiritual thriller in the best sense of the term. 

Season 3: Episode 12: "The Sound of Snow"

Written by Patrick Harbinson

Directed by Paul Shapiro

Airdate: February 5, 1999

Guest Stars: Jessica Tuck (Alice Severin); Trevor White (Doug Scaife)

"The Sound of Snow" provides some closure to the end of Season 2, which ended with the apocalyptic Marburg virus taking the life of Catherine Black. The story centers on cassette tapes containing white noise that causes listeners to die suddenly. Of added interest, the episode is a reunion of sorts with Megan Gallagher reprising her role as Catherine and Stephen James Land returns Det. Bob Geibelhouse of the Seattle PD.

A young woman is driving and listens to her tape player playing white noise and has visions of a drowning boy in the ice and then gets hit by a car. A designer listens to a tape as his apartment catches fire spontaneously. Frank also receives tapes and has visions of Catherine. He's eventually led back to his old house in Seattle, now painted blue. Including "Dark End of the Street" performed by James Carr was a nice touch. The current owner has a tape that was sent to Frank, which lead him back into the place where Catherine died.

We learn from Geibelhouse the Marburg outbreak only killed 80 people and there was a media induced panic as it began to spread. Frank still carries survivor's guilt. In the woods he "reunites" with Catherine in a dream state induced by the White Noise, where they confess their love for each other. Frank is found in the woods and revived. The tapes are traced to a recording studio that's connected with the Millennium Group, prompting to Frank to wonder if they sent the tapes to him. 

Themes of healing and hope in the aftermath of trauma punctuate season three Millennium, a throughline in "Omerta" and "Borrowed Time." "The Sound of Snow" allows Frank - and the audience - some belated solace in the aftermath of the previous season. The acting, direction, and pacing are as usual first-rate. 

Season 3: Episode 11: "Collateral Damage"

Written by Michael R. Perry

Directed by Thomas J. Wright

Airdate: January 22, 1999

Guest Stars: Art Bell (himself); Jacinda Barrett (Taylor Watts) James Marsters (Eric Swan)

Millennium revisits the riff between Frank Black and Peter Watts, when Frank is pulled into a frantic investigation to locate Peter's kidnapped daughter Taylor (Jacinda Barrett). The episode continues to reveal the Millennium Group as secretive and nefarious, tying them to the Gulf War syndrome and use of biological agents on American personnel. 

College students hanging out at the bowling alley are accosted by a group of men and Taylor is taken hostage. She awakes in a terrifying examination room and is put through psychological torment by her abductor Eric Swan (James Marsters). Meanwhile the FBI rushes to investigate the kidnapping, which is given special attention since Watts once worked for the bureau. At the same time, the Group is also doing a parallel investigation of their own. Frank reluctantly agrees to help Peter despite their frayed friendship. 

They connect the abductor to frequent calls he made to Coast to Coast AM then hosted by Art Bell about the government cover-up after the Gulf War. Bell appears as himself, prompting Swan to call in, allowing the call to be traced. Taylor is rescued, just before she broke her restraints and killed Swan with a deadly neck blow. Watts admits the Group was behind the use of biological weapons on American troops. In the final scene, Taylor questions her father at family dinner on whether Swan was correct and gets no answer.

"Collateral Damage" is a fast-paced and suspenseful episode. All the characters are under a time crunch, and bring the right intensity to the performances, especially Barrett and Masters who both went on to long careers in acting. Featuring Art Bell and his late-night radio show suggested the government paid close attention to Coast to Coast, or at least the show was influencing the fringes of pop culture. Bell confesses to Frank his audience will see him as the enemy since he works for the government. There's an irony there since the radio show under Bell's successor George Noory became a MAGA propaganda outlet. 

Which leads to deeper questions about the legacy of TV shows like Millennium and The X-Files. Did they foster a conspiratorial worldview on its audience? Granted, the "paranoid style" has always been a part of the American parlance. Pop Culture of the 1990s leaned into the kitschy side of pop culture with TV Specials like Alien Autopsy, yet the mythos of Millennium suggested secret societies were manipulating history.   

The notion makes for great fiction with world weary protagonists (Frank Black) trying to unravel the mystery. Developing critical thinking skills is a must for unraveling mysteries (and fostering democracy) and making sense of the unknown, a mass populace lacking in these skills will unknowingly fall prey to bad conspiracy thinking. In that sense, Millennium was a smart TV series that never talked down to its audience. It raised great questions and it was never afraid of ambiguity. We need smarter shows like Millennium today! 

Season 3: Episode 10: "Borrowed Time"

Written by Chip Johannessen

Directed by Dwight Little

Airdate: January 15, 1999

Guest Star: Eric Mabius (Samiel)

"Borrowed Time" has a strong emotional core at the center of its story, namely, the bond between Frank and Jordan, but struggles with clarity. The two plot threads involve a young man named Samiel who appears to be an angel of death, tracking down people who survived near death experiences. 

The cold open suggests a link to a train wreck and near-death survivors. Frank and Agent Hollis discover two strange deaths where the victim appeared to drown despite being on dryland. Meanwhile, Jordan becomes seriously ill with a fever similar to one she had before. Frank becomes aware of Samiel's proximity to the recent deaths and spots him spying on Jordan's hospital room. When Samiel's taken in for questioning, Frank reacts violently towards him, certain Samiel is trying to harm Jordan. In a twist of fate, as Jordan is crashing, we go back to the train wreck and witness Samiel drown. Then Jordan is miraculously saved. She tells Frank she spoke to Catherine, and they were happy. 

Henricksen provides some of his most emotional acting in the series to date, pleading with God to save Jordan and the lengths he will go to protect her. As a spiritual thriller, the episode hints at intriguing ideas that simply needed more development, specifically the concepts of cheating death and living on borrowed time. 

These ideas of fate are a major part of Western literature, starting with the Bible all the way to the age of existentialism. Dostoyevsky famously was hours away from execution until his sentence was commuted, how does going from a state of certain death to a future of limitless potential change us? In Star Trek II, to paraphrase Captain Kirk, the way approach death is just as important as how we approach life. Shatner even wrote a song on the theme "You'll Have Time." It's even a throughline in Millennium, expressed through Frank's admiration for Bobby Darin, who lived his life with a heart ailment knowing he would die young. 

If only the episode had tapped more into the existential edges of the script. Placing Jordan in peril made for high drama but also muddled the themes. Taking Jordan away from Frank would be an awful act of cruelty, and that's where the episode directs the audience. More focus on the idea of "borrowed time" would raise even more profound philosophical issues with an emotional core, minus putting Frank through an emotional ringer. 

Season 3: Episode 9: "Omerta"

 

Written by Michael R. Perry

Directed by Paul Shapiro

Airdate: December 18, 1998

Guest Star: Jon Polito (Eddie Scarpino Giannini)

"Omerta" stands as one of the strangest episodes of the series (in a good way). It's like a hybrid of Miller's Crossing and a Hallmark Christmas movie. You read me right.

The episode begins with Mafioso Eddie (Polito) about to be executed by his buddies in the woods playing out like a scene from The Sopranos. There's a hint of mysticism in the scene, which will come into play later. 

Meanwhile, Frank and Jordan are Christmas shopping. Frank notices Jordan eyeing other Moms with their kids and they have a talk about the loss of Catherine - something the season's spent little time addressing. They decide to spend the holiday in Vermont for a change of scenery. As expected, strange things are already afoot when a half-naked man is wandering around muttering to himself. The local authorities reach out to Frank for help. Even on Xmas vacation he cannot escape from work!

The man relates a story of being attacked by a wolf in the woods, believing his wounds to be mortal. Then he woke up in a cave with two beautiful women are nursing him back to health through "feminine energy." Hollis joins Frank to investigate the strange case. In their investigation of the woods, they find Eddie alive despite the fact he was shot several times. Eddie is brought in and confesses to his crimes as a contract killer, but his whereabout for the past nine years are a mystery. 

Two women are also discovered living in the woods, Rose and Lhasa. They cannot speak and appear to have healing powers. Eddie confesses Rose and Lhasa saved his life and he's apparently been living in the cave with them. The women also bond with Jordan and comfort her about losing Catherine. The FBI hopes to use Eddie as a witness, but his old cronies come back to town and end up shooting Lhasa. She survives and the doctors arrange to have her moved to a specialist for surgery. As they are leaving in the ambulance, Eddie is driving and there's an explosion. The episode ends with three of them reunited at a cabin.

There are many urban legends of women with special powers who live apart from society in the forest. The episode never spells out the mystery of Rose and Lhasa, but I suppose it's unnecessary since our collective unconscious will grasp it. I like how the episode focused on Frank and Jordan, adding a theme of healing and understanding the season desperately needed. Polito brought a humanistic dimension to the episode in a memorable guest shot. Also, the Pagan themes intertwined with this Christmas tale gave the episode something unique for television - then and now.  

Season 3: Episode 8: "Human Essence"

Written by Michael Duggan

Directed by Thomas J. Wright

Airdate: December 11, 1998

"Human Essence" begins with Hollis being asked to clear her desk after testing positive for a drug test. Frank supports her and objects to the bureau not giving her a chance to explain, but he's taken aback when the drug test was for heroin. 

The cold open revealed a flop house hotel in Vancouver where addicts are becoming something inhuman with deformed faces and glowing eyes. Hollis learns her half-sister Tamara, a struggling addict, was at the den and sent her a sample of the tainted drug, accounting for the positive test. Hollis travels to Vancouver to help her sister and find the truth the behind the dangerous drug on the streets. She confronts dealers who physically attack her. 

Frank soon arrives and discovers links pointing to the Asian drug trade. The heroin has been poisoned and Frank finds connections linking the US Army to the experiments. He confronts his supervisor McClaren (Stephen E. Miller) about complicity between drug experimentation and the U.S. government. 

Although subject matter feels more like the X-Files, the pacing and action scenes are all well executed. 

Season 3: Episode 7: "Through a Glass Darkly"

Written by Patrick Harbinson

Directed by Thomas J. Wright

Airdate: November 13, 1998

Guest Star: Tom McCleister (Max Brunelli)

"Through a Glass Darkly" returns to familiar territory for Millennium, a modern variation of a Grimm's Fairy Tale. The story deals with a man being released on parole 20 years after being convicted of murdering a child. When Brunelli, a born again Christian, returns to his hometown outside of Portland it brings fear and confusion. When he's spotted in the woods interacting with a young girl who disappeared, he's once again the prime suspect. 

Frank Black and Agent Hollis begin investigating and question whether Brunelli is responsible. To avoid a direct spoiler, it turns out there's a hidden evil in the town living in plain sight. Like a fairy tale, most of the key action in the episode takes places in the woods or in houses. It's also a tale of how those of status can take advantage of those who lack it, the privileged passing on their sins to low status people. 

As a self contained episode, "Through a Glass Darkly" brings suspense and even hope in the face of bleak subject matter. At the same time, it does feel like an outtake from the first season. Nothing in the episode, except a scene with Jordan having a nightmare, does much to advance the mythos of the series or to develop the characters. But the twist is clever and believable. 

Season 3: Episode 6: "Skull and Bones"

Written by Chip Johannessen and Ken Horton

Directed by Paul Shapiro

Airdate: November 6, 1998

"Skull and Bones" resolves as a tale of the Millennium Group's sinister machinations. Ironically, the episode inverts a claim made by the Group in the "Pilot" episode that there might be connections between all crimes, as if some dark force is pulling the strings.

After six bodies are found beneath a highway overpass in Maine, Baldwin and Hollis are sent to investigate the grisly discovery. Meanwhile, Peter Watts shows up representing the Group's interest in the site. Meanwhile, Frank learns about a series of murders that are connected by letters received by the FBI, one of the letters mentioned the town in Maine where the overpass discovery was made. Forensic investigation of the skulls also reveals evidence of bizarre surgery being performed. Meanwhile, a man named "Ed" who introduced in the prologue has been keeping detailed records and making connections of many murders over the past 15 years. 

The crux of the episode comes to down to the Millennium Group's role in all these murders, many of them scientists and other researchers who've made troubling discoveries. In the big reveal, Peter reveals the group is behind the killings to protect the stability of society. The Group is killing people considered dangerous so there is indeed a pattern to the crimes, and Watts justifies them! Watts is trying to drive a wedge between her and Frank, grooming her for a possible future position with the Group. In the most memorable scene, Hollis discovers the house where some of the murders took place as "Love Hurts" by Nazareth plays on the diegetic soundtrack (a message?).

"Skull and Bones" is an elliptical episode that's both intriguing and frustrating. It's quite a jarring shift to learn the Group is revealed to be an organization fearful of knowledge and is willing to kill innocent people. CCH Pounder (Cheryl Andrews) returns in flashbacks, as we learn of her fate. Frank is mostly on the periphery to the story, setting up a showdown between him and Watts.