My Problems with 'Millennium'

  

As I've gushed in abundance previously on this blog, I'm a huge X-Files fan, and by extension (being the loyal guy that I am) a huge Chris Carter fan. Having decided to conduct a massive X-Files rewatch in the run-up to that show's return next year, I decided it was the perfect time to also watch its 'sister series' Millennium, a show which I have owned on DVD for almost a decade yet never cracked open. I have vague recollections of the The X-Files episode which wrapped up the loose ends from the series after its cancellation, but figured it was about time I watched the series itself and find out everything that led up to that.

 

Now, like I said, I'm a pretty loyal guy and to add to that, pretty damn stubborn as well, so it takes a lot for me to give up on a series that I have started watching (much less one which I have in its entirety on DVD), and whilst we haven't quite reached that stage yet (and if I'm honest, won't ever), I'm seven episodes in and I just haven't quite been sucked in yet. It's not that I dislike the show, or even find it boring, I just haven't been hooked yet to the extent that I look forward to watching more, or even really all that intrigued by the outcome of each episode. In all honesty, at this stage it's almost a chore.

 

However, I have started it and being the completest that I am I will finish it, but there are just a number of things I want to see improve and/or changed over the course of the next three seasons. Or preferably sooner! So this is a list of issues I have with the show at this point and suggestions for how I hope they are changed.

 

1. What actually is the concept of the show?

Perhaps this is partly down to my preconceived expectations of the show, but it seems the show is unclear as to what genre it wants to belong to. When I first started watching I was under the impression it was a paranormal show, perhaps simply because of the X-Files connection, however it's hard to tell if it actually is. Whilst there are no overt paranormal goings on in the show, Frank's visions are clearly paranormal in nature which opens up the ever-present possibility (at least in my mind) that other less grounded happenings could occur. And speaking of Frank's visions...

 

2. What exactly is the nature of Frank's abilities?

Right from the very first episode, Frank's abilities are just presented to the audience as if we're supposed to know exactly what it is he can do, with no explanation or introduction. Does he see into the minds of killers? Does he see the last moments of a victim's life by being in the vicinity of the place where they were killed? Is he just super-intuitive? Other characters in the show don't even seem to give it a second thought when he suddenly plucks detailed information out of thin air that he couldn't possibly know otherwise. I feel like his abilities need to be addressed in a more direct manner. And whilst we're talking about Frank...

 

3. Frank just isn't a likeable lead character.

I know there is a lot of fan love for Lance Henriksen, but I just can't understand his appeal. He is clearly trying to play Frank as the tortured man with the gift that is also a burden, but he overplays it so much that the character just becomes loathsome, brooding and frowning his way through each episode until the eventual conclusion when he inevitably deduces who the killer is/where the victim is etc, based on little-to-no actual information. Frank is just not likeable at all. Whilst supposedly this noble character who sacrifices so much to stop these evil people in this dark world we live in, there is just no light or levity to his character whatsoever to the extent that rather than root for him, I just end up rolling my eyes and that whenever the writers do try to insert him into a light-hearted scene, it comes off as weird and stilted. Which leads me to...

 

4. Enough of the sugary-sweet family scenes!

Frank is a family man. He has a wife and a young daughter. This is established early on in the pilot episode and that's fine. I have no issue with this being part of his character. In fact, it's most definitely a good thing, creating some balance with the darker side of his life. However, I don't need to see these saccharine scenes of him tucking his daughter in, or mooning over how cute she is with his wife, in every episode. It just grates a little too much. He loves his family, they mean everything to him, we get it. I just think there are better (and more subtle) ways of showing this, and more effective uses for the family element in regards to story opportunities. In the last episode I watched (episode 1x07 'Blood Relatives), this was toned down a little, and Catherine's character was utilised better than simply popping in to say something gooey and leaving again, but there's still a long way to go before I actually care about this family unit. Sometimes less is more in this regard. Something which could also be said in regards to....

 

5. The dialogue. Less cheese please, some of us are lactose intolerant!

I get that the show is less about the wham-bam action, and relies a lot on the cerebral side of serial killers and their motives etc, but sometimes the dialogue is just so wordy that it's just plain painful. Frank spouts off reams of psychology jargon and so-called 'insights' into the killer's intent with so little nuance that they may as well have been copied from a textbook entitled 'Why Killers Kill 101'. Not to mention the philosophical crap he comes out with in every single episode, waxing lyrical on what is wrong with the world and trying to live in a world full of such evil, blah blah blah. There is some good stuff somewhere under all those words, and maybe it's more due to the uninspiring delivery, but it just comes across as pretentious and half-baked rather than contemplative and thought-provoking. And don't even get me started on all the lovey-dovey 'I can't lose you' bull that Frank and Catherine spew to each other. This needs fine-tuned and soon! And finally...

 

6. What is The Millennium Group?

The very organisation that the show is named after and we know literally nothing about them, other than that they help investigate violent crimes. What makes them different than the FBI, or the police even? And why are they called Millennium in the first place? I need to know more about this group and Frank's role within it. I've read that their agenda is explored further as the series progresses, but I would've liked to have known at least something about them from the get-go. In the pilot episode, we are simply told that Frank works for The Millennium Group and that's it, not even a scrap of information or a hint of backstory as to why he joined or what they even do. I need more information and soon!

 

I've read the opinion that the Millennium pilot is the best pilot ever made, and quite frankly I find that laughable. It's not a bad pilot, but there's nothing overly good about it either. It's a pretty run-of-the-mill crime procedural and that's not generally a genre of show that I watch. I've considered that I'm being too hard on the series because of the high expectations I had due to the X-Files connection, and perhaps that is part of it. But either way, this show has a way to go before I stop watching with the mantra 'better get this finished' going through my head. Like I said, I'll continue to watch the series out of my loyalty to Carter and my hope (and quiet confidence) that things will improve as the series progresses. But to be absolutely honest, if this weren't a Carter show and I hadn't already bought the entire series on DVD, I might be throwing in the towel right around now.

First Impressions: 'Scream Queens'

 

 

I don't review everything that I watch (that's a lot of stuff!) but whenever something really strikes me, I need to rave about it. Sometimes a show just hits all the right buttons for me and can't contain my excitement towards it. So I've decided to start a series of first impression mini-reviews that I'll call...First Impressions! I know right? Hold your applause. I don't intend these to be long, drawn out raves, and they're not even reviews as such, simply an outpouring of excitement about shows that provoke a strong reaction in me one way or another.

 

To kick things off I simply couldn't not post about Ryan Murphy's latest televisual triumph Scream Queens, a horror-comedy anthology series centering on a slasher killer terrorising a college campus. Whilst there are naturally influences of his past and present works (Glee and American Horror Story respectively) in Scream Queen's DNA, it also takes cues from the Scream franchise, and perhaps even more-so in some ways the Scary Movie films. This is a slasher show, and incidentally I expected there to be some self-aware humour and tongue-in-cheek moments, but let me just say that I never expected to laugh so much. I don't think I've laughed more at a new show in a long time. In fact perhaps unsurprisingly the last time I had such a strong reaction to a pilot in this way was when Glee premiered in 2009.

 

Every character, scene and exchange is so perfectly tuned down to the tiniest background detail that it almost has the feel of a sketch-show, each scene delivering its own self-contained hilarity, yet with each preceding scene building on what came before.

 

There are a lot of characters introduced but each one is so memorable that there is no danger of forgetting who is who. The cast is absolutely fantastic (I mean, of course it is! Have you read the cast list?!), bringing these larger-than-life (and in some cases all too realistic) personalities to life. Standouts are of course Emma Roberts as the deliciously manic Chanel Oberlain, President of sorority Kappa Kappa Tau, and original Scream Queen herself Jamie Lee Curtis as college Dean Cathy Munsch. Also a very un-Rachel Berry-like Lea Michelle as neckbrace-wearing potential psychopath Hester Ulrich. Nick Jonas also delivers a pitch-perfect turn as not-so-closeted fratboy Boone. I have to say, he knows where his fanbase lies and isn't afraid to play up to them, and I for one am grateful!

 

Queen B-itch!

The show also features a plethora of hilarious supporting characters such as sorority house maid Ms. Bean (or White Mammy as Chanel calls her!), inept security guard Denise Hemphill (I defy you not to laugh at least once in every scene she's in) and KKT pledge Deaf Taylor Swift (just too funny).

 

We've been guaranteed by Murphy himself that there'll be at least one death per episode and he more than delivers on that in the two-part premiere. What is interesting however, is that as much as many of the characters are little more than two-dimensional caricatures (at least so far), when they are offed it is actually a painful moment, because each character is so fun in their own way that their exits mean we will be deprived from further hilarity from them. It's pretty ironic that fellow freshman horror series Scream (which I reviewed previously) made this exact phenomena its mission statement, vowing to make us care about its characters so that when they are killed off we really feel it. Whilst that show did eventually succeed in making its characters genuinely likeable (some of them at least) and their deaths pack an emotional punch, becoming a real guilty pleasure of mine in the process, it's a funny quirk that Scream Queens succeeded in this endeavour straight off the bat by making its characters unlikeable and one may argue less developed. Never let it be said that Ryan Murphy and co don't know how to create strong characters that provoke strong reactions one way or another. We may hate some of them, but we love to hate them and that makes all the difference.

 

The two-part premiere was literally a laugh-a-minute joy to watch and I am beyond excited for the next episode. Whilst Murphy's shows do have a tendency to start out very strong and then become less sharp in subsequent episodes (the man sure can make a pilot!) I'm hopeful that Scream Queens can go the distance. If it maintains this strength throughout the next 14 episodes, then this is going to be one hella fun season. Favourite show of the new season right here. I'm calling it already. All you other shows have a lot to live up to.

The X-Files Rewatch: Season 2 (Top 5 Episodes)

After a life-imposed hiatus, I am back and will be posting regularly again. Whilst I took a break from posting, I didn't however take a break from rewatching the paranormal adventures of my favourite pair of FBI agents and selecting my top five episodes from each season. So without further ado, here are my picks from season two...

(Again, these are listed chronologically rather than in order of preference.)


1. One Breath
This was a really hard one to decide on, as it's essentially the third-part of the three-part story started in 'Duane Barry' and 'Ascension', but after considering copping out and counting all three episodes as one, I finally decided that 'One Breath' is the best out of the three. Whilst not as action-packed or exciting as the other two, this episode features a lot of beautiful character moments and despite Scully having barely any lines until the end of the episode, marks a really significant turning point in the relationship between Mulder and Scully. When Scully mysteriously reappears in a coma three months after her abduction, Mulder sets about trying to uncover the truth about what happened to her and who was responsible. This leads to an epic confrontation between Mulder and CSM (another reason why this episode won out), with Mulder finally gaining the upper-hand (albeit briefly) over his nicotine-loving nemesis, with two amazing performances from David Duchovny and William B. Davis respectively. It's a real 'hell yeah' moment, as Mulder's frustration reaches boiling point and it's also really interesting to see CSM in a semi-vulnerable light, something which will continue and deepen as the series goes on and his grip on things slowly deteriorates. This episode is also notable for fleshing out Skinner's character more, giving us an insight into his beliefs in the paranormal and his  military background. It is really Mulder's love for Scully that drives this episode however, and which makes it so memorable. Having never given up on finding Scully, Mulder is more driven than ever to find out what happened to her now that she is back, yet gives up his chance at revenge in order to attend her bedside and ultimately bring her out of her coma. Their eventual reunion upon Scully's awakening is understated but beautifully done, highlighting the deep devotion Mulder has for her with minimal dialogue. There may not be any aliens or explosions in this episode, but give me some good old Mulder and Scully feels and you've got a winner!

And he thought smoking was the biggest hazard to his health!

2. Red Museum
This episode about a series of kidnapped teenagers, a vegetarian cult and cows being injected with alien DNA (it's better than I make it sound!) combines everything I love about The X-Files. Shady government conspiracies, creepy goings-on and just a touch of the absurd. But what I really love about this episode, is that it starts out as another seemingly stand-alone case-of-the-week episode, but over the course of the story it transpires that the events unfolding are actually closely tied to the bigger conspiracy and the show's overarching mythology. Whilst not essential viewing to understand the bigger myth-arc (and let's be honest, it can be difficult to follow at the best of times anyway!), it features many call-backs and references to earlier episodes and plot-threads which really elevate it above another 'government do shady things in small town' story. It also inadvertently introduces a number of elements which will become huge factors in later seasons, such as the concept of 'walk-ins' (a body whose original soul has left and been replaced by another) and the reference to The New Age commencing in December 2012 (the planned date for colonisation revealed in the series finale 7 seasons later). The standout scene from this episode is when Scully recognises the Crew Cut Man as the man who assassinated Deep Throat in the previous season's finale. Hairs-on-the-back-of-the-neck-raising! I also like how this episode is left semi-unresolved. As much as you get a general idea of what was going on in the town, the case isn't definitively solved and no-one is brought to justice, another recurring motif in the series. 

It's a drastic strategy to shame litterers, but effective!

3. Irresistible
'Irresistible' may be one of my favourite episodes of the entire series, let alone season the second season. There are just so many amazing elements to it that I couldn't possibly do it justice. From its genuinely scary opening to the tense and deeply heart-wrenching finale, this episode fires on all cylinders and delivers top-notch X-Files. Centring on death-fetishist and murderer Donnie Pfaster, the episode is notable for containing no paranormal elements whatsoever, a rarity for the series. Throughout, the episode constantly makes us question what we are seeing and keeps us guessing right up until the end as to Pfaster's real nature. The realisation that he is just a twisted, evil human-being and not some kind of mutant or demon is somehow more terrifying and unsettling. Nick Chinlund's performance as Pfaster is one of the series' best, up there with Doug Hutchison as Eugene Victor Tooms. The way he infuses the character with an unassuming sickly-sweet charm, all-the-while barely concealing the bat-shit craziness which lies underneath is wonderfully traumatising to behold. It's no wonder the series revisited the character years later. I also really appreciate how this episode takes the opportunity to further develop Scully's character, showing how her recent abduction by Duane Barry has affected her and the full-blown onset of her PTSD. It's a truly moving and heart-breaking moment in the episode's climax when, upon being saved from Pfaster, Scully finally stops putting on a brave face and breaks down in Mulder's arms. Tears everywhere!

Just look at that creepy face. Look at it!!

4. Colony/End Game
Whilst I restrained from the cop-out with the three Duane Barry episodes, I simply can't decide between these two and have to stretch the rules a little here. Both episodes just have so much good stuff and they really do function as two halves of a whole, making it unfair to judge one without the other. These episodes introduce a number of iconic X-Files elements, not least of all being the shape-shifting Alien Bounty Hunter. ABH is a staple in the show's mythology and this menacing figure will go on to pester Mulder and Scully for the rest of the series. The plot (focussing on cloned scientists, alien retroviruses and the aforementioned bounty hunter) is pretty outlandish and whacky, but is grounded by the lead characters enough that it never strays into the absurd. Not that there's anything wrong with the absurd. Some of the best X-Files episodes are heavy absurd! These episodes are also notable for bringing back Mulder's long-lost sister Samantha (or a clone of her anyway) and kicking off what will be a long and confusing plot related to what happened to her. The first part of this two-parter ('Colony') almost won out for its amazing cliff-hanger alone, however the scales were balanced by the badass takedown Skinner performs on X in 'End Game'. All in all, these episodes kick the show's mythology up a notch and really establish a sense of scale. They also technically feature our very first walking talking alien in ABH.

Look Mulder it's your sister! Oh no, wait...it's not.

5. Humbug
Like 'Irresistible', this episode is one of my all-time favourite episodes of the series, but for very different reasons. While 'Irresistible' goes dark, even by X-Files standards, 'Humbug' lightens the tone and becomes the show's first explicitly comedic episode whilst still telling a rather twisted and creepy story. Following Mulder and Scully's investigation into a series of murders amongst a community of former circus sideshow performers, the episode features countless laugh-out-loud moments, all the whilst maintaining a creepy, unsettling tone naturally. From the opening teaser which toys with the viewer's expectations and flips horror conventions on their head, to the hilariously disgusting conclusion this episode is a hugely enjoyable romp with a fantastically bizarre cast of characters who I would gladly watch in a weekly series of their own. We have Jim Jim the Dogface Boy (that is until he went through hair loss and became the local sheriff), paranoid manager Mr Nutt (played by Twin Peaks' wonderful Michael J. Anderson) and Lanny the alcoholic with a partially-formed conjoined twin. Like I said, bizarre. But the standout character of the episode is without a doubt The Conundrum, a jigsaw-tattooed, mostly mute individual who will eat absolutely anything. And I mean anything! Despite having only one line in the entire episode, he definitely leaves an impression, played to perfection by the appropriately named The Enigma. Much of the humour in this episode comes from the reactions to events by our two leads and watching them try to comprehend the bonkers happenings going on around them. The final look between the pair at the close of the episode is absolutely priceless. This is quite frankly X-Files gold.

'Peekaboo!'

So that's season 2! It really is such a strong season, with so many standout episodes.
Honourable mentions this time go to 'The Host', 'Blood', 'Dod Kalm' (one of the episodes I always remember watching as a kid!) and 'F. Emasculata'. Great episodes all.

Season 3 is also a super-strong season and my list of favourites already numbers much higher than five and I'm not even done yet, so much whittling down is definitely required. But I am confident I am up to the task and will soldier on with this self-imposed burden like the trooper that I am. If Mulder and Scully can tackle alien bounty hunters, twisted serial killers and nicotine-loving sociopaths then I'm sure I can handle this.

My New Obsession: 'Welcome to Night Vale'

So this is something a little different to my usual reviews and recaps. It's basically just an enthusiastic rant over something I've become hooked on lately and I guess (in a way), a recommendation also. A public service if you will.

My latest obsession? The quirky-ass podcast Welcome to Nightvale.

Podcasts are something I don't have a huge amount of experience with in general despite the odd dabble here and there, but last year, with the dawn of Serial, my interest was piqued. Like so many others, I was hooked instantly to the aural crack that was Sarah Koenig's weekly investigation into the 15-year old murder of a high school senior and the possible wrongful incarceration of her ex-boyfriend for the crime. I raved about it to anyone who would listen (which to be honest, wasn't many), and it is a daily struggle waiting for the next season to start later this year. If you haven't already experienced it then stop reading right now and go and check it out. But come back and finish reading after!

In any case, it wasn't just the content of the podcast which I found compelling (and boy is Serial compelling!), but the podcast format itself really appealed to me. I do a lot of walking and I like the idea of being able to consume a narrative whilst on the move (as I did with Serial). I used to often be found walking Belle-like through the city reading a book, which I didn't mind, but that brought with it all sorts of restrictions including the co-operation (or lack thereof) of the weather, having to tear my eyes away from the pages to perform inconvenient tasks such as crossing roads, and simply just having to hold the damned thing. With the podcast (and audio-books which I also listen to regularly on my travels), these problems don't exist (look mum, no hands!). I can avoid being hit by traffic and not be wrenched from the story. In this way, I guess you could say that Serial saved my life. Thank you Sarah Koenig.

These days are over...

So after Serial (which I will for sure be writing more about in the next few months in the run-up to the new season. Daily. Struggle.), I ventured out to see what else I'd been missing out on in the podcast world. As expected there is a LOT of content out there, but the one title that kept popping up again and again in lists of the best podcasts and the like was Welcome to Night Vale. A twice-monthly podcast in production since 2012, the show has racked up more than a few episodes so I was hesitant to start at first, being a stickler for starting at the beginning and all. This past week, I finally got around to listening however, and despite being late to the party, I definitely see what the hype is all about.

Simple in premise, but executed masterfully, the show is presented as a nightly community radio news show broadcast from the desert town of Night Vale. Sounds thrilling huh? But Night Vale isn't just an ordinary desert town. It's a town where all manner of supernatural phenomena takes place, where foreboding glow clouds hover, where hooded figures and five-headed dragons roam, where government conspiracies are a daily occurrence and most importantly, where all of this is as normal as normal can be. It's this mundane approach to the absurd which gives Night Vale it's uniquely macabre-yet-hilarious tone.

This is all channelled through our host Cecil Gershwin Palmer, whose deadpan delivery of the most outlandish scenarios and stories create such a delicious dissonance that you can't help but fall in love with. Taking the form of news bulletins, community announcements and station editorials, the show slowly builds a picture of this complex and mysterious town with subtly developing narrative threads woven into seemingly throwaway comments or announcements.

The show has a very surreal quality to it, equal parts laugh out loud and deeply unsettling, and whilst I mainly listen to it whilst walking from A to B, I have listened to the odd episode in bed in the dark and there's something vaguely chilling about certain elements. Don't get me wrong, you'll find yourself laughing more than anything, but the show definitely has a dark underbelly beneath all that quirk.

In fact it's this juxtaposition of the creepy with the outright bonkers which gives the show its edge. A personal favourite of mine is the regular 'weather update' which simply consists of a song by a different original artist each episode, many humorous in tone, but all worth a listen and all in-keeping with the wonderfully weird tone of the show.

I'll admit it's definitely not a show for everyone. I can see how some people might tune in and just not get it. And that's due in no small part to it's unique type of quirkiness. You'll either love the type of humour the show contains, or you won't. For those that enjoy the humour but find the show a little hard to get into, I can understand that too. I personally was hooked straight away, just by the pure otherness of the whole production, but it's definitely a slow build and it takes its time in constructing the world through small glimpses and random mentions of events and recurring characters. It's not the kind of show that will have you gasping to find out what happens next, there are no cliffhangers here (at least not as far as I've listened), but it leaves you with a peculiar sense of intrigue and wonder over what you've just listened to. And if you're anything like me, it'll also leave you with a giant smile on your face.

As much as I hate to compare things to each other, as I feel it's very limiting and can often portray something inaccurately, if I had to describe Welcome to Night Vale to the non-initiated I'd say it's like an uncanny cross between Eureka, Parks and Recreation, Twin Peaks and 50s sci-fi B-Movies, but all through the lens of under-funded community radio!

So if that sounds like something that you'd enjoy (and even if it doesn't, I haven't nearly done it justice), then give it a go. It's already racked up 71 episodes to date (with each episode ranging from around 20-25 minutes in length), but once you get hooked it's pretty easy to burn through them rather quickly. Or if you're like me, listen to them whilst carrying out a mundane or repetitive task. Like walking and crossing roads!