Product Description

Retired serial-profiler Frank Black has moved his family to Seattle to escape the violence and horror he dealt with while working for the FBI in Washington, D.C. Although his uncanny and often unsettling ability to see into the twisted minds of serial killers has caused him much inner torment, Black knows his "gift" can still be used to help protect and save others. For that reason he has joined the mysterious Millennium Group, a team of underground ex-law enforcement experts dedicated to fighting against the ever-growing forces of evil and darkness in the world.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6320 in DVD
• Brand: Twentieth Century Fox
• Released on: 2004-07-20
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
• Original language: English, Spanish
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish
• Dubbed in: French
• Number of discs: 6
• Running time: 946 minutes

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

Customer Reviews

Why TV was invented.
I'm a professor of English, focusing on mass media and popular culture, so I watch a lot of TV. Having said that, this is the best show I've ever had the pleasure of viewing. The directing, acting, music, tone, writing, and quality of the show is astounding.

I used to watch the show religiously when it was on, and I'd slowly watch my friends and family get turned off by it. The first season was too slow for some, the second too gory, the third, well, you'll have to wait and see. But people couldn't keep up with the harsh reality of Chris Carter's world. They all regret abandoning the show now that it's on DVD, and they've begun watching it again.

Yes, they quit watching because the show was hard. And yes, the show is hard. It makes you think. It makes you feel. It sets up characters, often to kill them off, and make you miss them. Why watch, then, you may ask? Well, when's the last time a show made you feel? Made you sad or angry or worried or made you simply get up and lock your door?

If you want more sappy crappy TV to slide down your throat like everything else in our fast food world, walk away and hit some sitcoms on the big three networks. If you can take a rather hardcore look at crime, demonogoly, and the end of the world, and if you can take actually feeling--emoting in our flood of apathetic televised garbage--then buy this DVD set right away.

Unique in television history, and one of best shows made.
"Millennium" was the brainchild of Chris Carter - formerly famous for creating "The X-Files" but not notable for anything else. When it began airing in 1996, it used its X-files link (at the height of that show's fame) to receive some of the highest ratings for a show on debut.

Unfortunately, "Silence of the Lambs" every week didn't sell, and ratings dropped. When the show ended after three seasons, it died with barely a whisper of protest.

But those brave souls who stayed with the show witnessed some of the best drama, some of the best storylines, and some of the best acting on Television. While the show was not above criticism, Millennium produced some of the most eerie and complex episodes that made its progenitor - the X Files - look like Scooby Doo.

Lance Henriksen is perfect as Frank Black - the tortured forensic criminal profiler who has a psychic-like ability to see into the mind of evil. Henriksen's gravelly voice and gravelly face are perfectly linked with the compassion and commitment of the character he plays. Carter apparently "made" the role for him, and no other movie or TV show can show the range of Henriksen's talent.

Terry O'Quinn plays Frank's "mentor" Peter Watts. Originally an associate, as the series continues Watts becomes Frank's link to the ever mysterious "Millennium Group". Episodes that feature Peter Watts in a central role are high on the list of favourites for Millennium fans. O'Quinn plays Watts beautifully - the family man committed to making the world a better place, but racked with doubts over the direction the Millennium Group is taking. O'Quinn and Henriksen play off one another exceptionally well, and the character of Peter Watts is never better explored than when he and Frank Black are in conflict, and work to resolve it together.

Millennium screened for 3 seasons and each season is unique. The common thread between each season is that the early episodes are quite patchy, but each series ends with a bang. Each season has its own legion of fans, with many declaring "I prefer season two", and so on.

Critics of the show have been quick to attack the violence that is depicted. Fortunately, Millennium's message is not glorifying violence, but that its effect is devastating. Moreover, much of the violence that happens is implicit - the viewer is given enough information to work it out for themselves without having to resort to schlocky special effects. This does not mean that the show is not disturbing, and some scenes should be avoided by the weak of heart.

At this stage, no one is sure what extra features the DVDs would have. Most fans would be content with deleted scenes, interviews with actors and even some bloopers. Hidden features with Lance Henriksen singing are probably not likely.

All Millennium fans are hoping and waiting for these DVDs to come out - nothing would give us more pleasure than to have the entire series sitting on our shelves with the quality and durability that DVDs have to offer. One thing could be better than that - a return of the series to television that is faithful to the original. Given that this is about as likely as a well-written Star Wars film, having the DVDs is enough.

Given the cost of mass producing DVDs, this is a no-brainer
Millenium was by far the darkest show on network television. I believe that successful "made for cable" shows like Six Feet Under borrow heavily from the grim mood developed so effectively by Lance Henrickson (Frank Black) and Chris Carter. Bad guys often get away, questions go unanswered, and the innocent die: there was actually suspense on network TV! If anyone has the chance to catch this show on syndication or a friend's VCR, try to see the following episodes: 1) the Pilot, 2) serial killer picks victims by going to realty open houses, 3) orphaned teen attends funerals of people he doesn't know, 4) and the episode where the devil shows up in Frank's house (super creepy). If this series hits DVD, buy it. Revolutionary TV that will surely not be replicated by "reality crazy" network TV stations.