[.ca] Millennium: Season 1

From Amazon.com:
Millennium marked the second major television series created by Chris Carter, who'd already made his name as the brains behind The X-Files. And, like its predecessor, it shares a lot of the same themes--it's a crime thriller that gradually unfolds into a grand conspiracy involving the government and the fate of the entire world. Agent Frank Black (Lance Henriksen) is a former FBI agent who has transplanted his family from Washington, D.C. to Seattle, after suffering something of a breakdown. He's an expert criminal profiler--arguably the best, thanks to his ability to "see" into the minds of killers--and he fears for the safety of his wife and young daughter. In Seattle, he joins the mysterious Millennium Group, an agency of freelance crime-busters who investigate particularly brutal crimes. As a result, Millennium is downright bleak viewing, as Black jumps from horrific slaying to horrific slaying. Moreover, there's a growing sense of unease about the workings of the Millennium Group, so that in typical Chris Carter fashion, you don't know who to trust. With its pre-Y2K angst and overwhelming darkness, as well as its general humorlessness, Millennium hasn't dated as well as The X-Files. Still, thanks to Carter's vision and Henriksen's compelling take on the tortured Black, it's difficult not to get hooked. --Ted Kord

Millenium:Season 1:
This is the series that spawned all these CSI knock-offs. If you're interested in the real deal without the nauseating ninutea of forensic sciences this is the DVD for you. The acting is superb and the suspense is on par with Hitchcock.

Happiness is a Big Yellow House:
Created by Chris Carter, "Millennium" first appeared on television in 1996. It stars Lance Henriksen as Frank Black, a former FBI Agent who specialised in profiling serial killers. Frank retired from the Bureau after suffering a breakdown and moved from Washington to Seattle. His wife, Catherine, is a clinical social worker and the couple have a daughter called Jordan. Although no longer an agent, Frank hasn't completely severed his ties with the world in which he once worked. He has joined a team of ex-law enforcement agents known as the "Millennium Group". Little of the Group's history or structure is given away during the first season, though it does appear to be well connected and has access to a great deal of information. However, only very few members other than Frank are introduced - his main contact is Peter Watts, played by Terry O'Quinn. Nevertheless, those who work for the group appear to be happy to lend their expertise to whatever investigation requires their help. A cop in Seattle before he joined the Bureau, Frank occasionally works with Bob Bletcher - a friend and former colleague at the Seattle PD's homicide department. Given Frank's experience, the bulk of his work continues to focus on suspected serial killers. He also has a very useful gift that helps with investigations. When, for example, he visits a crime scene or views a body, Frank can see what the killer saw - something he describes as both a gift and a curse. However, he is not supposed to be a psychic, nor is his ability supposed to be a form of telepathy : he was simply a very gifted individual who could 'put himself' in the killer's head. In addition to the pilot and the twenty-one episodes of season one, there are some special features on the sixth disc. It's always nice when the extras aren't just out-takes, and the team behind Millennium have clearly put some effort in. There are commentaries on the pilot and another episode ("Gehenna"), though two of the documentaries (one on the making of season one and another on the creating the logo and the title sequence) were what I found most interesting. Given that Chris Carter also created "The X-Files", it's perhaps a little unusual that - for this season at least - there isn't anything unusual about the show ! Carter wanted to create a murder-mystery show with a cohesive idea, but without a paranormal thread. Unlike its more famous sibling, "Millennium" didn't feature alien autopsies, werewolves, liver-eating mutants or 'black oil' : with only occasional exceptions, the villains are human serial killers. (Although there simply isn't a bad episode, one of the strongest and saddest - "The Well-Worn Lock" is one of these exceptions. It sees the action largely driven by Catherine and features a criminal who isn't a killer). Carter has created a show that is dark, can be disturbing and has a real sense of evil. Highly recommended for fans of murders, mysteries and thrillers who aren't squeamish.

Crime que c'est bon...:
Une série que j'écoutais quand je travaillais de soir et que j'ai délaissée quand j'ai commencé de jour. C'est amusant de la retrouver. Full macabre.

Awesome:
Chris Carter is a genius and proves it with the Millenium series. Previous reviews that talk about how all the CSI series currently on TV are knock offs are absolutely correct. Millenium can be quite graphic and downright horrifying so I do not reccomend this series for anyone with a weak heart or stomach. If you can handle dark, suspenseful and sometimes downright scary TV this series is for you.

Amazing! Now please put out Seasons 2 and 3!:
How I love this show! I used to look forward to my weekly dose of Millenium and was so sad when it ended. The subject matter, the atmosphere, the acting all enthralled me. I'm very happy with Season 1 on dvd. I just hope that the next two seasons are released soon. I've heard that they will be out in Britain this fall, so we should get lucky.