This is the wittiest episode of the brooding, unrelentingly dark and gloomy series 'Millennium.' It's a stand-alone in the tradition of the funny "X-Files" shows written by Darin Morgan, and can be enjoyed without knowing the mythology of the series. Four earth-bound demons (disguised as normal middle-aged men) discuss the human condition and their latest adventures in finding souls to damn to Hell for Satan. There are 4 stories, and all are fine examples of very dark humor. One demon tells of his escapades with a stereotypical serial killer's efforts to "be Number One in US history"; another works to drive a TV-network censor towards an insane, murderous rampage; a third uses subtlety in showing a man the tedious boredom of his mundane, hopeless life (whereupon he commits suicide); and the fourth expresses regret in igniting, then extinguishing, the love-life of an aging stripper. In true Morgan fashion, the writing has biting social commentary, cultural satire, observant insight into the human psyche, and a lot of funny lines. This is the only "MilleniuM" episode I saw fit to record on VCR and keep after 10 years. It's now been transferred to DVD - a real keeper.
5 Reviews
Somehow, a song by Black Flag ended up in a TV Show
XweAponX16 February 2014
And THAT should have driven the poor Network TV Censor (Who may or may not have been Dan Zukovic who was in "Jose Chug's Doomsday Defense") even more insane than seeing a little Red Devil singing with Henry Rollins' Voice.
This episode clearly shows the Genius of Darren Morgan, Producer Glen Morgan's brother, who with partner James Wong turned the 2nd season of MillenniuM on it's ear. This was after the demise of their show "Space: Above and Beyond", so the wealth of actors used in that show find their way into MillenniuM, including the great Doug Hutchison. In fact, one of the devils (In his "natural" state) looks a bit like Doug.
As four devils converge on a lone Doughnut shop at the Witching Hour of the night, they swap war/horror stories with each other on the best ways to get Humans to damn themselves. As one Daemon puts it, "You don't have to do anything, the Humans will do it to themselves, all you need do is plant a little seed into their miserable minds" - As each Devil tells their story there is always a point where their feats converge with Frank Black's Investigations.
And these daemons have a point, the best way to get people to fall is to convince them that 1) It's their own idea, 2) Their lives are miserable anyway, so may as well jump 3) Attack them when they are Lonely, or 4) get them to use the very things they tirade about (ie, Commies, Affordable Care, Gun laws, and even Network Censorship boundaries) to destroy themselves with.
Morgan is doing more than just making us laugh at these ridiculous people, he is showing us a cross section of how some people really are. At what point does a person who is obsessed with Serial Killers decide to become one? How often does a person who in in charge of making people kowtow to the rules start trying to enforce every little rule onto people who are outside of their sphere of influence? And he hits co- dependency square on the head as well with the story of the aged stripper (Gabrielle Rose) and the Daemon- So that when she sees him as he actually is, she does not care? It's the relationship she is addicted to, and as the devil finds out, so is he. So he does a cruel thing, thinks about it, tries to undo it, but is too late.
It's in fact too late when the cruel deed is done or the cruel words spoken.
If I were a Daemon this is exactly how I would operate, just let the people mangle themselves thoroughly. And that is pretty much what happens anyway.
This episode clearly shows the Genius of Darren Morgan, Producer Glen Morgan's brother, who with partner James Wong turned the 2nd season of MillenniuM on it's ear. This was after the demise of their show "Space: Above and Beyond", so the wealth of actors used in that show find their way into MillenniuM, including the great Doug Hutchison. In fact, one of the devils (In his "natural" state) looks a bit like Doug.
As four devils converge on a lone Doughnut shop at the Witching Hour of the night, they swap war/horror stories with each other on the best ways to get Humans to damn themselves. As one Daemon puts it, "You don't have to do anything, the Humans will do it to themselves, all you need do is plant a little seed into their miserable minds" - As each Devil tells their story there is always a point where their feats converge with Frank Black's Investigations.
And these daemons have a point, the best way to get people to fall is to convince them that 1) It's their own idea, 2) Their lives are miserable anyway, so may as well jump 3) Attack them when they are Lonely, or 4) get them to use the very things they tirade about (ie, Commies, Affordable Care, Gun laws, and even Network Censorship boundaries) to destroy themselves with.
Morgan is doing more than just making us laugh at these ridiculous people, he is showing us a cross section of how some people really are. At what point does a person who is obsessed with Serial Killers decide to become one? How often does a person who in in charge of making people kowtow to the rules start trying to enforce every little rule onto people who are outside of their sphere of influence? And he hits co- dependency square on the head as well with the story of the aged stripper (Gabrielle Rose) and the Daemon- So that when she sees him as he actually is, she does not care? It's the relationship she is addicted to, and as the devil finds out, so is he. So he does a cruel thing, thinks about it, tries to undo it, but is too late.
It's in fact too late when the cruel deed is done or the cruel words spoken.
If I were a Daemon this is exactly how I would operate, just let the people mangle themselves thoroughly. And that is pretty much what happens anyway.
Interesting episode.
CursedChico1 February 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Interesting episode.
Maybe best episode so far for season 2.
It has own fun. It shows how humans are weak.
4 different demons, 4 different stories but in common , frank black :) It was nice to see him.
But could not understand how frank is ok to see such devils around world. How can he accept that?
Maybe best episode so far for season 2.
It has own fun. It shows how humans are weak.
4 different demons, 4 different stories but in common , frank black :) It was nice to see him.
But could not understand how frank is ok to see such devils around world. How can he accept that?
Horrible
DrMonster24 April 2009
Warning: Spoilers
I have been watching the series again on Chiller and this is clearly the worst episode of the 1st two seasons. I almost erased it without even finishing it after the little dancing demon came out. The story line with the TV censor was terrible. And how many times do we need to be reminded that these are the same guys that make the X-Files? I seem to remember Duchovny being upset when Scully got an Ouroborus tattoo because he didn't like the cross references. The alien autopsy scene here is also to jokey. If there has to be a funny Millennium show I will take the Jose Chung episode over this one any day. I like this show because of the character of Frank Black and this episode was too Frank-lite.
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