What went wrong with this show?
Okay. I love this show, but I think I'm starting to spot the problems. I've seen the whole series before and you can feel it de-rail, but I'm watching it again with a better sense of things. Here a few of my OPINIONS on where it went wrong. I would love to see responses on this. I find a lot of the comments on the Millennium boards to be very interesting and insightful. So, my thoughts:
- The whole arc of Frank and Katherine's relationship was way too quick. The yellow house was supposed to symbolize hope, and they started clawing away at it too soon. I think it would've been more interesting to see their relationship work for a few seasons. It seems too obvious to have it break down because "Frank is dark and complex". If anyone could've understood Frank it would have been Katherine, her job required her to see a lot of damaged people too. The yellow house motif broke down too quick.
-Morgan and Wong did a lot of damage to this show. Frank is very bickery with Peter from the get go in S2. Why? He even calls him Pete in this condescending manner from the first episode of season two. The show gets way too conspiracy oriented with the Millennium group who were already pretty vague, becoming even more mysterious. It felt like Frank was a part of the Millennium group in season one (yes, I know he's a 'consultant') so why is he suddenly reduced to a candidate with every one trying to teach him about the group. It felt in season two like the show was about the group and not Frank. In S1 it seemed like Frank had this all knowing quality, but to make the group so mysterious made it seem like they had the upper hand, like they knew things he didn't.
- the world ending at the end of season 2. I don't think I need to say anything else on this one...
- Katherine dying. As I said, Meghan was so great on the show, and could've been so much more utilized. Re-watch Katherine and Frank's bond in the first episodes of S1, it's fascinating, and moving. Frank being kicked out of the house in S2 was a bad and weird move with a rather flimsy motivation.
- The Millennium group is bad. This sort of pulled the rug out from under the audience. Lance has said he didn't like that move either and it frustrated him. Here's why I think it's bad: S1 - Millennium group=Frank Black and Frank=good. To take that away from people means they've been rooting for the wrong side in S1, it also suggests Frank is naive. Frank is supposed to be all seeing in many ways. It undermines his character.
-S3 is not that bad considering. I like it better than S2 BUT...BUT admittedly they had to deal with the mess Wong and Morgan left them in that a) Peter Watts is now bad b) the Millennium group is bad. Sure, some of the story lines were weak but the addition of Emma Hollis was great. The rapport between Klea and Lance was phenomenal. It was a deep friendship/ mentor-student thing. Love where Emma realizes there is not always a Why? to the things people do, and she says that it is pointless to try and doing anything about, but Franks says "no, agent Hollis". Very powerful, speaks to both of the charcters so well.
Okay that's all for now. I'd also like to add that a bad episode of Millennium is still better than most shows. Lance as Frank Black made watching all three seasons worth it. The show wasn't consistent, but he was. Millennium is still one of the darkest shows ever on television, but Frank Black is the closest thing to a modern day saint that we've seen.
Okay. Let's hear some thoughts on this.