Millennium: Season 2: Episode 6: "The Curse of Frank Black"

Directed by Ralph Hemecker

Written by Glen Morgan and James Wong

Air Date: October 31, 1997

Guest Star: Dean Winters (Mr. Crocell)

Opening Quote: Do you ever find yourself talking to the dead? Since Willie's death, I catch myself every day, involuntary talking to him as if he were with me." 

- Abraham Lincoln

"The Curse of Frank Black" stands as one of the most nuanced and engaging hours in '90s network television. The wonderful harmony of acting, directing, and acting. The episode follows Frank Black through the course of a long Halloween night. Stuck in a limbo state, he ponders the ghosts of his past, present, and future.

The episode's blend of playfulness and seriousness is captures in the first scene as Frank prepares to carve a pumpkin, but his brief moment of revelry is disrupted by a demon appearing. Later he takes Jordan (dressed as Marge Simpson in a fellow show on the Fox network) trick-or-treating, for a moment Frank think believes he sees something bad happening inside a house window, only to realize he's looking at a television set. 

Then Frank being has flashback to a past Halloween and encountering Mr. Crocell, who is dealing with PTSD from his war experiences. In another flashback it's revealed Crocell took his own life years later, as a teenage Frank looks on with his peers who make some ignorant assumptions. Crocell appears again as a ghost to Frank and advises him to repair his family and disassociate from the group. 

Frank also stumbles upon the yellow house and finds teenagers in the basement telling an urban legend (that's true) of Detective Bletcher being murdered inside the house, they speak of Frank the way people spoke about Mr. Crocell. A sort of living legend in his own time, Frank scares the kids and shews them away - and asks for "Bletch" to appear to no avail. 

Meanwhile the numbers 26 and 8 keep appearing, you see more and more after repeated viewings. Frank discovers it's a reference to the Book of Acts, a verse about the possibility of raising the dead. While the supernatural had been often suggested in Millennium up to this point, "The Curse of Frank Black" signals the more fantastical direction of the second season.

Henriksen gives a tour de force performance, almost a one man show as he literally faces demons over a Halloween night. When his car breaks down by the Yellow House, kids are throwing eggs at the house, later in a fit of anger Frank does so as well. In his later encounter with Crocell's ghost, he admits to throwing dog crap at his house and never cleaning it. The episode ends with Frank cleaning the egg of his house, signaling the character's determination to carry on into the darkness and hopefully find the light.

Millennium Season 2: Episode 5: "A Single Blade of Grass"

Directed by Rodman Flender

Written by Kay Reindi and Erin Maher

Airdate: October 24, 1997

Guest Stars: Amy Steel, Michael Greyeyes. 

"A Single Blade of Grass" is set in New York City, featuring Frank being sent to investigate strange happenings around a Native American archeological dig. The episode begins with a young native man being given snake venom to conjure visions, but he's later found dead at the site beside a mummified body. Working with archeologist Dr. Michael (Steel) Frank traces the ritual to hotel basement.

Further investigation reveals the ritual was tied to native traditions of reviving the dead. Frank interprets symbols discovered at the ritual site as referencing a coming apocalypse on the scale of what happened to the indigenous population of North America with the arrival of Europeans. Later Frank is abducted by the Native Americans who believe his visions will foretell the future. As Frank is being forced to induce venom, the police (cavalry?) arrive and save him.

One of the more uneven, even bordering on incoherent, entry in the Millennium canon, "A Single Blade of Grass" explores compelling themes of history with little in the way of payoff. Part of the problem was Frank going solo, there's no Peter Watts, Catherine, or Jordan. Representation of Native culture, while good intentioned, comes off as superficial. The episode was reminiscent of the 1981 film Wolfen, a far more nuanced thriller which explored supernatural phenomena and indigenous culture in a modern urban setting.

Millennium Season 2: Episode 4: "Monster"

Directed by Perry Lang

Written by Glen Morgan and James Wong

Airdate: October 17, 1997

Guest Stars: Kristen Cloke (Lara Means); Mary Gillis (Penny Plott)

Opening Quote: "The first thing we do, kill all the lawyers." from King Henry VI Part II

"Monster" cleverly plays upon Satanic Panic phenomenon of the 1980s which often revolved around allegations of abuse at Day Care Centers. In the episode Frank is sent by The Millennium Group to Arkansas to investigate an alleged case of abuse. The music of Bobby Darin is also features, a recurring motif throughout the second season.

Lara Means is also introduced (Cloke), another consultant the group sent to Arkansas. Like Frank, Lara also has visions, but they are more of a spiritual nature. As they investigate more kids start to experience strange maladies, one boy stops breathing and dies suddenly (later ruled to be an asthma attack.) Meanwhile, back in Seattle, Catherine is unnerved after finding an unexplained mark on Jordan's mouth.

The local District Attorney suspects the manager of the Day Care Center (Penny Plott) may be abusing the children, his suspicions are seemingly confirmed when some kids confess they were abused by her. Yet with no history of abuse on Platt's record, Frank and Lara believe something else is responsible. A hysteria begins to grip the community as angry locals vandalize the day care center.

Frank and Lara's attention turns to a little girl named Danielle Barkabow since they sense a demonic presence surrounding her. I like that Lara asks if she's a Damien because of the obvious parallels to The Omen. She and Frank speculate on how a five-year-old child could be capable of committing acts of evil like murder. Is it a genetic mutation? Frank believes new forces of evil are on the horizon and their investigations are proving it.

Frank and Lara pay a visit to Danielle, as she gleefully watches the end of The Fly! Frank questions Danielle and she screams at him to get out and emerges with cuts on her face. Now accused of abuse, given more credibility by Jordan's unexplained injuries, Frank is taken into custody. Lara returns to the Barkabow household and determines Danielle inflicted the wound on herself, revealing the child as the true "monster."

In a fine display of acting, Henriksen's speaks with a quiet passion to the Barkabows about being forever changed by the birth of Jordan, pleading with them he would never harm her or any child. Frank's emotional appeal moves Danielle's Mom to admit she heard Danielle hit herself, thus clearing Frank of any charges. Catherine and Jordan also arrive in a show of support. The epilogue to the episode reveals Danielle has been adopted by members of the group.

"Monster" is a strong entry in that it allows the entire cast have standout moments that further their characters. Frank ends with a new sense of mission by having found a new ally in Lara Means and at least the possibility his family can be repaired. Lara gives a haunting soliloquy about seeing angels and the connections to The Old Testament. Further questions are also raised about the motives of "the group." 

Millennium: Season 2: Episode 3: "Sense and Anti-Sense"

Directed by Thomas J. Wright

Written by Chip Johannessen

Airdate: October 3, 1997

Guest Stars: Ricky Harris (Gerome Knox); Clarence Williams III (Zero/Kramer)

Opening Quote: "Control of third world populations designated secret national policy" National Security Memo 200 (1971)

It was unfortunate to read "Sense and Anti-Sense" was a compromised episode. Writer Chip Johannessen talked about his script going through many rewrites, watering down the racially themed storyline, a subject Millennium rarely covered. But "Sense and Anti-Sense" does raise many pertinent questions relating to history and institutional racism in America.

In the cold open a screaming man suffering convulsions "Zero" hails a taxi, Gerome Knox (Harris) picks him up and rushes him to the hospital but gets suspicious of how the hospital will treat "Zero" when two government officials show up, so he helps "Zero" escape. Frank is called in to help with the search for "Zero" who may be a carrier for a dangerous virus - or so he's told. After Frank is exposed to Zero's blood, it tests negative for any virus. Meanwhile, homeless men are shown having strong reactions to something they were exposed to, leading Frank to believe a rogue organization could be targeting homeless men.

Working with Peter Watts, Frank connects the recent incidents with the homeless to the Human Genome Project, the ambitious 1990s scientific effort to map human DNA. Frank wonders if the project is also developing biological weapons for behavior modification. Then Knox is found dead who Frank came to trust as an ally in the investigation, he expresses anger when the coroner calls him a John Doe, stealing away his humanity. Led to the source laboratory, "Zero" is revealed to be Dr. William Kramer one of the scientists working on the project. Did his outburst earlier mean he accidentally exposed himself? Inside Dr. Kramer's office Frank notices photographs of him in Rwanda prior to the 1994 genocide.

"Sense and Anti-Sense" is a fascinating but ultimately frustrating episode because so much is suggested with little payoff, despite excellent guest performances from Williams and Harris. The opening quote from a government report about pacification and Third World, hinting nefarious motives of elites. The Tuskegee Experiments done on African Americans without their knowledge is the most infamous example, medical apartheid is a part of American history which is all too apparent during the Pandemic. Could the drug being used in the episode be a means of keeping minorities pacified? While the episode never deals directly with the issues of science and racism, it does cast shade on the Millennium Group for its unclear motives and secrecy. 

The episode ends with Frank and Peter talking about Rwanda, Frank wondering what could suddenly cause people to turn on each other without warning? Peter simply says we all have the switch within us, and it can be switched at any time. Living in a culture now overloaded with conspiracy theories, the questions raised in the episode about science could be the makings of an agent of misinformation on social media, spreading paranoia like a virus. 

I'm not arguing Millennium or The X-Files were simple fodder for the tin foil hat crowd or tools of misinformation, both shows were designed for entertainment and tackling questions of the particular historical moment. Being suspicious of "Big Pharma" doesn't mean refusing vaccines or an anti-biotic that will cure a dangerous infection. It does mean demanding trust between citizens and institutions. When there's a lack of trust and transparency with historical precedents to boot, it leads to dysfunction cascading across generations. 

NPR Article on Medical Apartheid - https://www.npr.org/2020/12/20/948614857/race-and-the-roots-of-vaccine-skepticism

Vox Article on Public Perceptions of Big Pharma in 2021 - https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2021/4/2/22362078/covid-19-vaccines-pfizer-pharma-companies-popularity

Millennium Season Two: Episode 2: "Beware of the Dog"

Directed by Allen Coulter

Written by Glen Morgan and James Wong

Airdate: September 26, 1997

Guest Stars: Randy Stone (Michael Beebe); R.G. Armstrong (The Old Man)

"Beware of the Dog" serves a few functions that suit the template of season two: a comedown episode after the heavy going premiere ending with Frank and Catherine separating yet at the same time includes quirky humor to counter the "end times" motifs the episode explores.

The cold open is especially idiosyncratic. A retired couple are attacked by a pack of dogs in their camper as "Close To You" by The Carpenters plays on the non-diegetic soundtrack. A brief scene with Frank and Catherine pondering their future and that of their house, which Frank refuses to live in because they are separated (Catherine plans to temporarily live with friends with Jordan). Peter Watts calls Frank and insists he go investigate the string of dog attacks.

The town is prototypical 90s television in the vein of Northern Exposure and Picket Fences with the diner serving as town center. Eccentric locals believe Frank is the Sheriff because he looks the part (I can see shades of Gary Cooper there). We're also treated to a scene with Frank listening Bobby Darin, his favorite singer perform "As Long As I'm Singing". Frank also meets Mike Beebe (Stone) who moved to the town to escape the chaos of L.A.

In a menacing sequence Frank is pursued by a pack of dogs. Bitten in the leg and rendered unconscious, Frank overhears the townspeople discuss the reign of terror being enforced by the dogs. Discovering the millennium group symbol while exploring the woods Frank encounters "the old man." Portrayed by R.G. Armstrong, the old man is revealed to be a member of the millennium group, Armstrong's archetypal performance as the mystical old man is cut from American mythology: the frontier philosopher. 

The old man informs Frank the dogs are a manifestation of the evil taking root on the planet. He speaks of good and evil and the importance of balancing the two concepts. The location of Michael's house is revealed to have a strange energy that attracts the dogs. Blind to the threat, the people of the town lack the insight to understand the threat facing them. They hope it will just go away (sound familiar). 

Frank believes he's lost his gift, but the old man predicts it will come back stronger than before. The episode climaxes with Frank impelling Michael to move out just as the dogs surround the house. The old man shows up and burns down the log cabin. They leave the house as it burns with the dogs staring them down reminiscent of The Birds. In the final scene Frank appears to have achieved a renewed hope in reuniting his fractured family.

John Kenneth Muir's essay in Back to Frank Black, a collection of excellent essays on Millennium, explores the animal symbolism in season two. Muir connects the focus on animals in season two:

In Western societies of the Middle Ages, in particular, animals represented specific traits and could therefore be utilized as symbols to convey moral and religious lessons in works of art. Animals can represent victims of technology, industrialization, or war (196).

"Beware of the Dog" inverts the idea of canines being man's best friend - they can also pose a dangerous threat. There's also the comical irony in Michael's failed attempt to find peace in rural America and discovers the small towns carry their own horrors. With strong performances from R.G. Armstrong and Randy Stone, "Beware of Dog" stands as a solid entry for Millennium's second season. 

Work Cited

Back to Frank Black: A Return to Chris Carter's Millennium. Ed. Adam Chamberlain and Brian A. Dixon. Monee: Fourth Horseman Press, 2012.

Millennium: Season Two: Episode 1: "The Beginning and the End"

Directed by Thomas J. Wright

Written by Glen Morgan and James Wong

Airdate: September 19, 1997

Guest Stars: Doug Hutchinson (Polaroid Man)

Millennium's lead off episode for its second season "The Beginning and the End" serves as a frenetic overture for an unforgettable season of television. 

Picking up immediately where the first season finale "Paper Doves" left off with Catherine being abducted at the airport, it's revealed the Polaroid Man approached her posing as a religious fanatic handing out literature and got close enough to drug Catherine with a chemical agent. Frank realizes time is short as he searches for Catherine at the airport, only managing to get a description of her abductor. The Seattle police set up roadblocks (to no avail). Members of the Millennium Group show up, the first time so many members have intervened, indicating the larger role the group will play in season two. 

Peter Watts also arrives to help with the investigation and acts as a confidante to Frank - in a heartfelt conversation they have on sacrifice. New software gets installed into Frank's computer that allows him deeper access to the Millennium Group's files, Watts leaves Frank alone to do his work. Meanwhile, the Polaroid Man torments Catherine at his house, deceiving her to believe Jordan was also kidnapped.

Frank's psychic visions lead him to the first house he and Catherine lived at in Minneapolis that's since been abandoned. A police raid finds nothing, but Frank finds more polaroid pictures leading him to the correct house. He goes in alone and finds Catherine tied up, in a fit of rage Frank stabs the suspect to death after a struggle. Back at the Yellow House, Catherine informs Frank they must separate to sort things out. Frank leaves the house all alone driving into the darkness.

Despite some leaps of logic and plot contrivances, such as Frank's visions allowing him to locate Catherine in record time, Henriksen's performance evokes a character at their darkest hour. It's also suggested the Millennium Group and the Polaroid Man are connected in some way, Watts reveals the man's been targeting Frank's family because of the group's interest in him. Little is revealed of the Polaroid Man except that he's highly educated and eludes most profilers. What else does the Millennium Group know? 

The cosmic prologue featuring animation of an asteroid heading towards Earth also sets a great tone for the apocalyptic themes of the new season, given further impetus by the use of "Life During Wartime" by The Talking Heads. 

Millennium Season One: Episode 22: "Paper Dove"

Directed by Thomas J. Wright

Written by Ted Mann, Walon Green

Airdate: May 16, 1997

Guest Stars: Mike Starr (Henry Dion); Ken Pogue (Tom Miller); Maxine Miller (Justine Miller)

"Paper Dove" brought together the familiar tropes of Millennium's first season in a rather busy finale with a cliffhanger ending to boot.

Frank is vacationing in Virginia visiting Catherine's family, but gets ensnared into two investigations. One involves a family friend of his father-in-law and the other a serial killer terrorizing the region. Meanwhile, the individual sending Frank the polaroid pictures throughout the season makes an appearance, credited here as "the figure."

The subplot involving the falsely convicted man is more of a red herring for the larger threat facing Frank. The killer played by Mike Starr has been described as Lynchian with his domineering mother and his over the top performance which has Blue Velvet/Twin Peaks vibe. Working with the FBI (his former employer), Frank manages to lure Dion into being captured. Unbeknownst to Frank, Dion is a sort of Renfield, doing the bidding of his master, "the figure."

Preparing to depart for Seattle, the figure is still tracking the Black family at the airport and in the final reveal Frank notices Catherine is missing (an eerie echo of what happened to Frank's sister-in-law in "Sacrament"). 

A well constructed finale with some offbeat elements, serving as a gateway into the even more adventurous (and tumultuous) second season.