Sure,
Lance Henriksen’s a terrific actor and his Frank Black is quite a
compelling character, but there’s just something about the Mulder
and Scully union that entices someone back for the next episode with
far less wiles. Maybe it was the fact that Frank Black was a pretty
melancholic, solemn fella and at least Mulder and Scully seemed to have
an array of emotions? I dunno. Whatever it is, Millennium ain't quite as good, and the proof lies in the pudding that was its early demise. Millennium
centred on a bright FBI criminal profiler who’s recently
recovered from a bit of a nervous breakdown. He and his family move
towns for a fresh start, which is just what Frank Black (Henriksen -
best known, for better or wose, as 'Bishop' from Aliens)
thinks they needed. Unfortunately it’s not the case – the
job Black gets, working for a top-secret team named the Millennium
Group, a group of retired law enforcement officers who carry on the
fight against malevolence, ends up causing more sleepless nights than
ever before. Unlike The X Files which did have its lighter moments – usually in the form of goofball trio, The Lone Gunmen – Millennium
is pretty much darker from go to woe. It’s quite a disconcerting
show, and from the pilot episode it’s evident that this
isn’t something to watch before bed. It’s eerie; it’s
rather freakish and touches on quite a few ugly subjects as the series
progresses. BUT, with Henriksen in tow though, it’s a much easier
watch than it sounds. Still, would've better if they'd injected some
lighter moments into the show, it's too black for its own good.
Unlikely to have the same demand as an X Files box set, but still- this is a welcome recompense for stringent fans. EXTRAS
The DVD is quite a treat. There are a couple of commentaries. Chris
Carter is his usual informative but flat-sounding self (hmmm...makes
you wonder whether he based the character of Fox Mulder on himself?),
whilst writer David Nutter is slightly more enthused and for the most
part, more entertaining. There’s a couple of entertaining featurettes –
one on the show itself, which runs for about 50 minutes, and another on
the real-life group that inspired the series – a spot on how the credit
sequence and logo was created and the obligatory batch of TV Spots.
Conclusion:
Movie 60% Extras: 55%
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