The Time Is Now (Millennium): Difference between revisions
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==Plot== |
==Plot== |
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Continuing from "[[The Fourth Horseman (Millennium)|The Fourth Horseman]]", several [[Millennium Group]] members in biohazard suits clear out a house |
Continuing from "[[The Fourth Horseman (Millennium)|The Fourth Horseman]]", several [[Millennium Group]] members in biohazard suits sanitize and clear out a house in [[El Cajon, California]], where a family succumbed to the viral outbreak; outside, dozens of bird corpses litter the ground. |
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Group member [[Frank Black (character)|Frank Black]] ([[Lance Henriksen]]) returns |
Group member [[Frank Black (character)|Frank Black]] ([[Lance Henriksen]]) returns to the yellow house with his wife Catherine ([[Megan Gallagher]]) and daughter Jordan ([[Brittany Tiplady]]). Black realizes the family home holds painful memories and decides to move away; the mail contains a deed from his late father, who had left him a cabin in the woods. However, he has decided to remain with the Group, as despite his belief they are dangerous he feels a responsibility to utilize their resources and ability to predict future events for good; Catherine, though understanding, is upset. Later, Black meets with Richard Gilbert ([[Glenn Morshower]]), who is trying to convince Black to join his private security firm. Despite accepting his offer previously, Black now reaffirms his commitment to the Group. Gilbert warns him that their lives may be threatened by the Group's activities. After he leaves, several Group members confront and subtly threaten Black, telling him they are focused more on humanity as a collective than saving the lives of individual people. The next day, Black learns that Gilbert died in a car accident; he believes the vehicle may have been tampered with, although there is no evidence. |
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Peter Watts ([[Terry O'Quinn]]) tells Black that he has uncovered computer files from the Group, indicating that a virus discovered by bio-weapons scientists in the former [[Soviet Union]] has been living dormant in bird species since the end of the [[Cold War]], and may now be making a resurgence in the United States after a previous outbreak in 1986. Watts reveals that a vaccine has been developed by the Group, but only in sufficient quantities for its members; Watts and Black were inoculated without their knowledge while quarantined after coming in contact with an infected corpse. Black tells Watts to locate Lara Means ([[Kristen Cloke]]), another Group member, as he hopes to keep them safe in the cabin until the crisis resolves. |
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Watts arrives at Means |
Watts arrives at a motel where Means is sequestered, but is confronted by other Group members and attacked, barely managing to escape. Inside, Means is experiencing a prolonged hallucination that is driving her insane. She considers suicide, instead sealing something in an envelope. Black manages to track her down, but when he enters she hallucinates that he is a demon and tries to shoot him. He manages to wrestle the gun away and paramedics who accompanied him sedate her. Black discovers the envelope has his name on it and, visiting her in an asylum, thanks her for being the only one who could truly understand his psychic powers and sympathize with him. |
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Black takes his family to |
Black takes his family to his late father's woodland cabin, where he and Catherine discuss how they would handle infection; Catherine asks to be euthanized, while Black states he would wander off to die alone so his family would not have to see. He reveals that Means's envelope contains a syringe loaded with the vaccine; Catherine immediately insists it be given to Jordan. That night, Catherine wakes up, experiencing symptoms of the disease. She quietly leaves the cabin and walks into the forest. The next morning, Black wakes up and, finding blood on Catherine's pillow, realizes what has happened. When Jordan wakes up she finds her father comatose, his hair turned pure white. He cradles her listlessly as the screen flashes images of the collapse of society, interspersed with [[Noise (video)|video noise]]. |
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==Production== |
==Production== |
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Revision as of 04:48, 19 October 2022
| "The Time Is Now" | |
|---|---|
| Millennium episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 23 |
| Directed by | Thomas J. Wright |
| Written by | |
| Production code | 5C23 |
| Original air date | May 15, 1998 |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"'The Time Is Now" is the twenty-third episode of the second season of the American crime-thriller television series Millennium. It premiered on the Fox network on May 15, 1998. The episode was written by Glen Morgan and James Wong, and directed by Thomas J. Wright. "The Time Is Now" featured guest appearances by Kristen Cloke and Glenn Morshower.
In this episode, Millennium Group profiler Frank Black (Lance Henriksen) confronts the onset of an apocalyptic viral outbreak, dealing with the duplicity of the Group's foreknowledge of, and preparation for, such an event.
The episode's script went through several variations, taking shape after series creator Chris Carter suggested killing off the character of Catherine Black (Megan Gallagher). The episode has earned positive responses from critics, and was seen by approximately 4.8 million households during its initial broadcast.
Plot
Continuing from "The Fourth Horseman", several Millennium Group members in biohazard suits sanitize and clear out a house in El Cajon, California, where a family succumbed to the viral outbreak; outside, dozens of bird corpses litter the ground.
Group member Frank Black (Lance Henriksen) returns to the yellow house with his wife Catherine (Megan Gallagher) and daughter Jordan (Brittany Tiplady). Black realizes the family home holds painful memories and decides to move away; the mail contains a deed from his late father, who had left him a cabin in the woods. However, he has decided to remain with the Group, as despite his belief they are dangerous he feels a responsibility to utilize their resources and ability to predict future events for good; Catherine, though understanding, is upset. Later, Black meets with Richard Gilbert (Glenn Morshower), who is trying to convince Black to join his private security firm. Despite accepting his offer previously, Black now reaffirms his commitment to the Group. Gilbert warns him that their lives may be threatened by the Group's activities. After he leaves, several Group members confront and subtly threaten Black, telling him they are focused more on humanity as a collective than saving the lives of individual people. The next day, Black learns that Gilbert died in a car accident; he believes the vehicle may have been tampered with, although there is no evidence.
Peter Watts (Terry O'Quinn) tells Black that he has uncovered computer files from the Group, indicating that a virus discovered by bio-weapons scientists in the former Soviet Union has been living dormant in bird species since the end of the Cold War, and may now be making a resurgence in the United States after a previous outbreak in 1986. Watts reveals that a vaccine has been developed by the Group, but only in sufficient quantities for its members; Watts and Black were inoculated without their knowledge while quarantined after coming in contact with an infected corpse. Black tells Watts to locate Lara Means (Kristen Cloke), another Group member, as he hopes to keep them safe in the cabin until the crisis resolves.
Watts arrives at a motel where Means is sequestered, but is confronted by other Group members and attacked, barely managing to escape. Inside, Means is experiencing a prolonged hallucination that is driving her insane. She considers suicide, instead sealing something in an envelope. Black manages to track her down, but when he enters she hallucinates that he is a demon and tries to shoot him. He manages to wrestle the gun away and paramedics who accompanied him sedate her. Black discovers the envelope has his name on it and, visiting her in an asylum, thanks her for being the only one who could truly understand his psychic powers and sympathize with him.
Black takes his family to his late father's woodland cabin, where he and Catherine discuss how they would handle infection; Catherine asks to be euthanized, while Black states he would wander off to die alone so his family would not have to see. He reveals that Means's envelope contains a syringe loaded with the vaccine; Catherine immediately insists it be given to Jordan. That night, Catherine wakes up, experiencing symptoms of the disease. She quietly leaves the cabin and walks into the forest. The next morning, Black wakes up and, finding blood on Catherine's pillow, realizes what has happened. When Jordan wakes up she finds her father comatose, his hair turned pure white. He cradles her listlessly as the screen flashes images of the collapse of society, interspersed with video noise.
Production
"The Time Is Now" was written by frequent collaborators Glen Morgan and James Wong. The duo would pen a total of fifteen episodes throughout the series' run.[1][2] The pair had also taken the roles of co-executive producers for the season.[3] "The Time Is Now" was directed by Thomas J. Wright, who helmed a total of twenty-six episodes across all three seasons.[1][2][4] Wright would also go on to direct "Millennium", the series' crossover episode with its sister show The X-Files.[5]
The episode's script went through several different versions before a final plot was decided upon, as Morgan and Wong believed the series would not be renewed for a third season and wished to write a suitable ending. The decision to kill off the character of Catherine Black was based on a suggestion by Chris Carter, the series' creator. Morgan and Wong discussed the idea with actress Megan Gallagher, who felt that it was an interesting decision to have Catherine give her life after seeing Frank Black sacrifice so much for their family throughout the previous episodes. The idea of depicting an apocalyptic scenario as being the result of a virus came from Morgan's research into possible end-of-the-world scenarios, and was influenced by the outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in the United Kingdom.[6]
Broadcast and reception
"The Time Is Now" was first broadcast on the Fox network on May 15, 1998.[7] The episode earned a Nielsen rating of 4.9 during its original broadcast, meaning that 4.9 percent of households in the United States viewed the episode. This represented approximately 4.8 million households, and left the episode the seventy-second most-viewed broadcast that week.[8][nb 1]
"The Time Is Now" received positive reviews from critics. The A.V. Club's Emily VanDerWerff rated the episode—along with the preceding episode "The Fourth Horseman—an "A". VanDerWerff felt that it "may be one of the four or five best cinematic depictions of the end of the world ever filmed", praising the uncommon approach of depicting the world ending, rather than just showing the aftermath.[9] Bill Gibron, writing for DVD Talk, rated the episode 5 out of 5. Gibron felt that the two-part episodes were "a one-two punch that many dramatic series would die for", finding the conclusion to have been effectively hinted at throughout the season.[10] Robert Shearman and Lars Pearson, in their book Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen, rated "The Time Is Now" five stars out of five. Shearman felt that the episode would have been "the best end to the show imaginable", had the series not produced a third season.[11] He considered the episode's writing and conclusion to have been a brave decision, potentially alienating its viewers but producing "a thrilling and unforgettable piece of television"; he also considered the season as a whole to be less consistent but more daring than the first season.[12]
Notes
Footnotes
- ^ a b Millennium: The Complete First Season (booklet). David Nutter, et al. Fox.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b Millennium: The Complete Second Season (booklet). Thomas J. Wright, et al. Fox.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Soloman, Harvey (September 18, 1997). "Fall Watch; 'Millennium' takes new turn". The Boston Herald. Archived from the original on November 11, 2013. Retrieved October 21, 2012. (subscription required)
- ^ Millennium: The Complete Third Season (booklet). Thomas J. Wright, et al. Fox.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Thomas J. Wright (director); Vince Gilligan & Frank Spotnitz (writers) (November 28, 1999). "Millennium". The X-Files. Season 7. Episode 4. Fox.
- ^ Vitaris, Paula (October 1998). "TV's Best Kept Secret Improves in Its Sophomore Season". Cinefantastique. 30 (7 & 8): 125.
- ^ Shearman & Pearson 2009, p. 162.
- ^ a b "Prime-rime Nielsen ratings". Associated Press. May 19, 1998. Archived from the original on June 11, 2014. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
- ^ VanDerWerff, Emily (August 27, 2011). ""The Fourth Horseman"/"The Time Is Now" | The X-Files/Millennium | TV Club". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
- ^ Gibron, Bill (January 3, 2005). "Millennium: Season 2: DVD Talk Review of the DVD Video". DVD Talk. Internet Brands. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
- ^ Shearman & Pearson 2009, pp. 162–163.
- ^ Shearman & Pearson 2009, p. 163.
References
- Shearman, Robert; Pearson, Lars (2009). Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen. Mad Norwegian Press. ISBN 978-0975944691.
