MILLENNIUM Virtual Season Four Episode review by 4Q2 Submitted 3/09/00 "Revelation" #422 Original "Air" date: 12/24/99 Writers: Dan Owen and Matt Asendorf In Brief: The malevolent force that has been driving the Millenium Group to commit its atrocities is revealed, and Frank, Ryan and Emma have only hours to stop him from triggering Armageddon. Overall Impression: Blown away. The final chapter of Millennium is presented in just the way I had hoped, and even surpassing my expectations. Not since Star Trek: TNG has any actual TV show ended on this high a note. Details: And so it ends... The Y2K bug may as well have been called the Why?-2K bug for reasons we all know now, and at least one other thing happened that we all hoped for. The VS ended with a bang (no pun intended) and with all the stops pulled out, all the explanations and answers we needed, and a story worthy of the long-lost show itself. I can't think of many threads that were left dangling here (although I am sure someone will post one or two to the message board when they think of one), save for the disappearing blondes in "Force Majeure." This was a satisfying, imaginative, and highly dramatic end to the show that should have lived to see 2000. As I said in my last review for "Swords of Armageddon," Herr Carter would be doing himself a service to read just these two chapters. Characters that were poorly used last time (Season Three) around are given new life, and new purpose. Story ideas that were merely intriguing at the outset (Again, Season Three) are fleshed out and made to fly high. And what's more important, we get closure... Absolute, just, and deserved. I dunno about you folks, but after the Crossover (yes I will bitch about it again) I considered the VS more canon than anything that was happening on TV. No, Frank Black did *not* check himself into a looney bin to watch the Fightin' Irish while Catherine's parents took Jordan away. No, there was *no* 'disappearance' of the Group just months shy of 2000. No, there weren't any friggin' zombies in a basement picking on Mulder until Frank shot one of them in the head, and no, I don't care about 'The Kiss'. Meanwhile... in cyberspace. Frank is pursuing ("For the third time in my life") the most heinous serial killer ever to stalk the Internet, Emma is struggling to understand the enigmatic organization that can cure Alzheimer's, but seems to not want to reveal how, or why they want her to join, and Lucy Butler is scheming once again to corrupt the innocent and lure Frank to the other team. Real stories of substance, suspense, and battles for control of the human race are being told here, and it all culminates to "Revelation," the last collaboration of the new keepers of the flame, Owen and Asendorf. The sense of respect to the mytharc and the plot threads left by Season Three (and even a bit before) is amazing, and the ends are tied up better than I could have imagined. The white noise tapes ("Sound of Snow"), the stem-cell research ("Bardo Thodol"), the palm-trees ("Darwin's Eye"), the DOD files James Hollis obsessed on ("Via Dolorosa")... hell, even the *dogs* are explained ("Beware of the Dog"). It all comes together, and comes together well. While borrowing a great deal from the conspiracy dominated atmosphere of the X-Files, "Revelation" takes it all to the highest level, and the story is nothing short of amazing. Yes, we had the possible apocalypse coming, but it was so much more than just The Four Horsemen, or the resurgence of the Anti-Christ. It was detailed scheming, cold-blooded executions under cover of darkness in the Russian wilderness, industrial assassination, terrifying technology, and, most important of all, a human heart at the center of it all. One thing that was never neglected, amidst all the chaos and plot machinations, was the human story told between Frank and Jordan (And even Ryan and Cindy - amazingly!). It was never forgotten, and in the end, it was all that mattered. The soul of Millennium has always been that little yellow house that Frank wanted to use as a shield, and now a new one protects himself and the miracle daughter he and Catherine had. You gotta respect that. In fact, one of the totally amazing things about this two-part finale was the *lack* of neglect. Truly, every character was given his/her fair share of the story, even the ones that only showed up for the VS. I can't praise this sense of balance and completeness enough. Every person - Ryan, Le Saux, Finley, Emma, hell... even Tom and Helen Black - was given their shining moment without seeming like they were rushed on-camera for the sake of "okay, let's get your last scene in here." The characters were developed lovingly and not treated so much like peripheral players, but real working cogs to a greater machine. Emma now has a greater responsibilty and a new sense of the world. Finley finally sees the Group for what it has become, and redeemed herself along with it. Ryan, in kind of a sad turn, is seeing now what can happen to his relationship with Cindy (as it did Frank and Catherine) if he contiues to let his work rule him. Le Saux, always the die-hard guardian of humanity, now leads the Group back to its noble purposes. And Frank Black can now rest, after battling the darkness for much of his life, and paying dearly for his decisions. He and Jordan can see the sun rise and fall in quiet peace at last in front of their new Yellow House. Like the Ouroboros, it all comes full circle... In closing, I'd like to thanks Dan and Matt for addressing the REAL start of the Millennium, on Dec 31, 2000... I got kinda sick of reminding people of this chronogical error. =) 4Q2's Nitpick Corner: Nielsen and the stolen Project Blueflame CD: Well, I'm glad we now know the possible fate of the CD that turned up missing at the beginning of "Tribulation," but we may just have a naming convention problem here. 'BF#101' was the name of the CD Nielsen had in the van, presumably stolen from Dr. Hilton at the Society of Theosophical Science. The CD that was missing from Hilton's office however seemed to be 'B1001'. I thought for a second that these things may not have been related at all, but then again I couldn't imagine what 'BF' could stand for except "Blueflame." Frank's been through a lot, but he better pay more attention to his daughter. He gives her age to Dr. Lunder as 11. Based on the number of candles on Jordan's cake in last season's "Seven and One," she can't be older than nine at present. I didn't know a Land Rover had a "trunk" on which a dog could just jump onto and bark menacingly through the rear window at the Old Man inside. Did The Opening Quote Seem Relevant To The Story? (Did 4Q2 get it?): Are you kidding? I actually felt a tear in me ol' eye as I read it. Simple, and moving... knowing what was to come, and what was to end. TV Episode(s) that it most reminded me of: "Maranatha," "Beware of the Dog," "The Time is Now," "The Sound of Snow," "Goodbye to All That" Score: 10 (out of 10) The Virtual Season goes out (literally) with a bang. Frank and Jordan are given the send-off they so richly deserved... with dignity and proper closure. They will be missed. NEXT IN THE PIPELINE: 4Q2's final work (possibly) for the VS. I will do a season recap in which the high and low points of the Virtual Season will be touched on, as well as some 'awards' handed out and how the VS fits into the entire Millennium scheme o' things. Onward! -4Q2, and the E-Street Band =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= MILLENNIUM Virtual Season Four Episode recap (with natural fruit flavors) by 4Q2 Submitted 3/15/00 The cancellation of Chris Carter's Millennium in 1999 drove it home for me. There was no intelligence left alive in the world of FOX Television. None. I couldn't fathom, for the life of me, why such an unconventional, original, and intellectual television series was chosen for the scrap heap. In the same breath, I had to ask myself what dark forces allowed phenomena such as "Melrose Place" and "Ally McBeal" to thrive for as long as they did. Unfortunately I also had to wonder what was causing Carter's other brainchild, The X-Files, to become almost as vapid and agonizingly annoying as the two offenders I just mentioned. Now, I know and appreciate the value of the rating, which translates to the almighty dollar forked over by advertisers. But, I am not going to lay blame for the death of Millennium on neither the ratings nor the advertisers... because it was FOX that lost faith and gave up the fight. It was FOX that basically took away a show that gave us insight into the horrors of genetic tampering, apocalyptic prophecy, horrific crimes stemming from twisted perceptions of religion, and supernatural forces at play as the most important of ages loomed over us. It was also FOX that decided that it was time to show us pretty, whiny lawyers sharing the same restroom for the first time on TV, and also decided to jump on the resurrected Prime-Time game show bandwagon. Ugh, shoot me. Sadly however, FOX is not the only one to blame. More on that later. Well, when my shock over the death of Millennium subsided, I took to the net to see if others were grieving as much as I was. I scanned every Millennium fan site I could dig up, amazed at how many there were, but disappointed to find that much of these sites consisted of rather dull "fan fiction." As admirable as the attempts are to keep Frank Black alive, many simply fell too short to keep my interest... and I felt that this proposed "Virtual Season" I had found would do just the same. So convinced I was of eminent failure, that I wasn't even bothering to check it out when "Genesis" aired on Friday June 2, 1999. No, it wasn't until June 16 that I found myself wandering back to the site again. The third Virtual episode had been posted, entitled "Gestalt." "Genesis" and "Blood and Water" had been up for a couple weeks now. Apparently there was a boat I was missing. And so, my curiosity getting the better of me on this Friday night that saw me without cash for partying abroad and no more Millennium as I knew it, I decided to crack open "Genesis." I prepared myself for another dose of fanfic. This thing knocked me on my ass. I read some of the most coherent, intelligent, and believable dialog I had seen in quite some time. The atmosphere came across like the voice of a hypnotist, not really noticing it happening, but having an *experience* nonetheless. I heard the voice of Lance Henriksen as Frank Black, the voice of Klea Scott as Emma. And I heard the double-beat heralding Mark Snow's Millennium theme as I read the words 'Fade Out' when the teaser was done. I was hooked by the end of the thing, and a big smile broke over my face... because I still had two more stories right there, ready to read. I was up all night, reading new Millennium scripts. *Good* ones! The rest is history. The Virtual Season went on to outperform the actual TV show in damn near every way. It picked up the multitude of shrapnel left in the wake of Millennium's cancellation and began to form something meaningful out of it; something extremely enjoyable. The stories told here were leading up to something very large and hard to ignore. And if you want my honest opinion, I'm beginning to think the canning of the show may not have been the worst thing to happen. After all, the whole idea was to see what would happen to all of us as 2000 fell from the skies. Very few shows have their finale fall in the middle of the traditional TV season. Would have looked pretty odd to see Millennium's last original episode on Friday December 31, 1999, followed in the coming months by "World's Wildest Policemen's' Balls" or something. With the VS starting when it did, and ending (appropriately) when it did, it allowed us the readers and fans, to watch the clock tick, and to watch Frank race with time to the moment when he would look evil in the face... for the sake off all humanity. It allowed us to see stories brought to their final conclusions, find closure, and watch the sun of a new century rise with Frank and Jordan. The VS enthralled and mystified us, and did it without leaving us wondering about too many loose ends. Unlike... Anyone remember last season on the X-Files, when we were promised "full disclosure" for weeks? Anyone also remember reading the synopsis for the XF/MM crossover, when Chris Carter himself said words to the effect of "this will wrap up the Frank Black story"? I sure hope he meant what he said in that online chat when he claimed he would check out the VS episodes to "nitpick them." Then he'd know what "full disclosure" and "wrapping up the Frank story" really entailed. This is not to say that I don't appreciate the work of Mr. Carter. Without him there would have been no X-Files, to say nothing of Millennium. But when you present an idea with enormous potential, then back away from it, letting less-qualified others take the reins with hopes for fruition, build a fan base for it, then insult the fans with half-baked efforts and lackluster gimmicks, then you deserve a bit of a verbal stomping. The lashing is equally deserved if someone comes along, cradles your idea, nurses it back to health, and turns it into something of a powerhouse, and then you have the nerve to claim you're gonna pick it apart. I know the comment was probably meant to be light-hearted, but Carter has by saying that, almost a year later of green-lighting hour after hour of X-Flatulence, made himself look a bit like the Dan Quayle of television writers. He should be thanking Matt Asendorf and Dan Owen for happening along, otherwise all that is Millennium would have floated away like smoke in the wind, and no one would have continued to treat this creation with the reverence it deserved. What this basically means, FOX, is that your varied and desperate answers to your Friday programming ("Harsh Realm," "World's Wildest Whatever," "Greed") have been ignored in favor of an obscure website out there turning what you have chosen to abandon into nothing short of gold. Sleep tight. The Episodes: Grab some Jujubes, because this is where we take a fond look back at what was good, not so good, and the stuff that made us do a double take at our PC screens since last summer. I have kept a list of the initial ratings given to the VS episodes, and this retrospective will also reflect how well the episodes have 'aged' since their posting. In short, some 9's became 10's, and some... well, didn't. "Genesis" Writers: Dan Owen, Kevin Patterson, and Matt Asendorf In Brief: Frank and Jordan have escaped to Baltimore, but the intentions of the Millennium Group remain a mystery as Frank investigates the apparent murder of some Group Members, and his direct involvement with them. Original Rating: 10 Looking back...: Still a 10. Great way to start. The one thing that stuck out like a sore thumb was the gold rings apparently worn by Group members. The rings were never removed from the executed members, nor were the rings ever seen before this... nor were they mentioned ever again. "Blood and Water" Writer: Dan Owen In Brief: Frank and Ryan investigate bizarre murders in the Cascade Mountains that seem to be connected to a group of "stigmatics" and an impending global "baptism." Original Rating: 10 Looking back...: Also still a 10. Can't think of much to complain about here. The intricate motives of the killer are what make these things so damn good. "Gestalt" Writer: Andrew Wyatt In Brief: The assassination of a US congressman sparks an investigation into the existence of an organization sworn to defeating the Millennium Group. Original Rating: 9 Looking back...: Upgraded to 10. I recently re-read this and had a new appreciation for the interplay between Frank, Emma, and new kid on the block Ryan Frost. Also, I have a new understanding of The Board and its motives after reading "Revelation." "Sala' Del La Morto" Writer: Gavin Hunter In Brief: The sudden disappearances of clergymen prompt a frightened priest to enlist Frank's help. He finds that the men did not in fact disappear, but suffered the fate dating back to the Old Testament. Original Rating: 8 Looking back...: Upgraded to 9. The general 'fire and brimstone' feel of this tale made this age well enough to earn it an extra point. Still don't think much of Hagerdy as a character; my only real complaint. "Shophetim" Writers: Anne Andrews with Bunny S. Williams and with assistance of MJ. Wardale R.T. (R.) B.A. In Brief: An auto accident leaves Frank and Jordan hospitalized, and vulnerable to the evils that operate against them. However, all is not that it seems in this particular hospital. Original Rating: 8.5 Looking back...: We're staying at 8.5 here. Quite a creepy story that fit in well with the tone set previously by "Sala Del La Morto," but Frank wasn't quite the Frank I was used to. The appearances of Finley and the Homicidal Ambulance Guy seemed gratuitous. Very well researched. "Hostile Elements" Writer: Kevin Patterson In Brief: The sabotage of several flood levees in Iowa reunites Frank and Emma as they investigate one deranged man's obsession to bring about another Great Flood... which also attracts the eye of the Group. Original Rating: 9 Looking back...: Upgraded to 9.5 for the "epic" feel of the final scene. Still too reminiscent of "Blood and Water." "The First Prophet" Writer: Dan Owen In Brief: The unearthing of a cave in France, containing what appear to be prophetic stone-age pictographs, brings Frank into an alliance with a mysterious character out to disrupt a Group quest to gain possible knowledge of the future. Original Rating: 10 Looking back...: 10. Very much deserving of its initial rating. Introduces us to one of the more intriguing characters created specifically for the Virtual Season. Incredible story. "Twilight Years" Writers: Marcus Dixon and Andrew Denst In Brief: A pair of murder victims found at Frank's cabin leads to an investigation of a bizarre plot by the Millennium Group to impregnate elderly women for the purpose of creating a Messiah. Original Rating: 1 Looking back...: My initial rating may have been too cruel. I'll say a 3, but the overabundance of typos, an incredibly obvious Bad Guy, and a lot of "out of character" moments make it hard to place it any higher than that. "Our Own Flesh and Blood" Writer: David Klein In Brief: The investigation of a pair of murdered suburban parents lead Frank and Ryan down two separate paths, and two different opinions on the most likely suspect. Original Rating: 9.5 Looking back...: Another upgrade to a perfect 10. The high drama of this thing excuses the lack of danger and suspense enough to crank her up a notch. David Klein makes his mark with this one. Great dialog moments with Frank and Ryan. "Akuma Odori" Writer: Eric Davis In Brief: Scientists employed by the Millennium Group during WWII are tormented by the souls of those who suffered from their experiments. Original Rating: 7.5 Looking back...: Upgrade to an 8. Planted the seeds of the intriguing Project Aounabara plot thread but unfortunately ignored other nagging details began in "Bardo Thodol," which is referenced here. "Rapture" Writer: Dan Owen In Brief: The disappearance of a planeload of passengers and babies from a maternity ward prompt Frank and Ryan to investigate signs of the prophesized "rapture." Original Rating: 10 Looking back...: Still a 10. One of the most imaginative plots to come along in quite a damn while. Excellent all around. "Tribulation" Writer: Dan Owen In Brief: The investigation of "Project Blueflame" continues, revealing to Frank and Ryan the existence of The Board and their plans for the Millennium Group... and the world. Original Rating: 9.5 Looking back...: Also still a 9.5. Superior story all around, but the beginning and ending of "Rapture" were hard to top in degrees of dramatic content. "Iso Bet Din" Writers: Anne Andrews and Bunny Williams In Brief: Jordan's blossoming "gift" comes into focus amidst a series of mysterious deaths in Ohio, and a disturbingly enigmatic box bought at an auction. Original Rating: 7.5 Looking back...: Clocking in at a 7. Still one of the harder stories to make sense of, and even harder to tell using the TV script format. "Hollow Scars" Writer: Gavin Hunter In Brief: It's Devil's Night in Maryland. Frank is haunted by visions of evil. Ryan is... well, haunted by visions of, er, evil. And Helen Black is, well... ya see a trend formin' here? It's a spooky Halloween episode for the VS (and no guest appearance by KISS, sorry). Original Rating: 7.5 Looking back...: Still a 7.5. All in fun for Halloween, but the approach to Ryan's back-story was a bit of a letdown and Helen Black's hysterics were sort of an annoyance. "Anthropophagi" Writer: Dan Owen In Brief: While investigating a cannibalistic murder, Frank pursues his nemesis Lucy Butler as she masterminds the abduction of a doctor to assist in the birth of her child. Original Rating: 10 Looking back...: 10. Frank and Lucy Butler face-off one final time, and Dan Owen captures her persona brilliantly. Not a complaint to be found here. "The Dawn of Nothing" Writers: Andrew Wyatt and Dan Owen In Brief: In New York, a seemingly unstoppable killer who specializes in "snuff films" taunts Frank and Ryan to catch him before his final work is completed. Original Rating: 10 Looking back...: 10. This story was every bit as electrifying as the TV episode that inspired it. Almost a crime that it has never been immortalized on film. Perfectly written! "Where Shadows Fall" Writers: Matt Asendorf and David Klein In Brief: A young woman, institutionalized for murdering her parents as a child, faces a parole hearing as Frank tries desperately to understand her reasoning behind the killings, and her lack of remorse. Original Rating: 8.5 Looking back...: Upgrade to 9. The emotional and dramatic overtones of the televised "Through a Glass, Darkly" are the flavor of this story as well, giving it a very involved and haunting atmosphere. A heartbreaking ending. "The Third Eye" Writer: Kevin Patterson In Brief: As the Millennium Group tightens its grip of influence over the Quantico CIRT, Emma investigates a series of murders designed to defy an ancient prophecy. Original Rating: 9 Looking back...: Upgrade to 9.5. Frank came into a fantastic story a bit too late. The first exceptional "Emma Episode" ever. "In Adventu Dominae" Writers: Jason Walsh with thanks to Bunny Williams In Brief: The murder of a family friend puts Assistant Director Emma Hollis on the case and forces her to re-team with her old partner: Frank Black. Meanwhile, the Millennium Group prepares to bring Emma deeper into their ranks, much to the agony of her father. Original Rating: 10 Looking back...: Still a 10. The threads begin to come together nicely. The Aounabara mystery and the symbolic 'palm trees' are explained here, and Emma is now a real player on the field. Very well done. "Diabolus Ex Machina" Writer: David Klein In Brief: Frank returns to Seattle to investigate a murder perpetrated by what appears to be a child-abuse survivor, but all is not what it appears to be as Frank is made a tempting offer to return home permanently. Original Rating: 10 Looking back...: Also still a 10. A dark and evil tale of temptation and failing resolve. Some of Frank's finest moments are found here. "The Swords of Armageddon" Writers: Dan Owen and Matt Asendorf In Brief: As the dawn of 2000 approaches, the Anti-Christ moves to secure Armageddon in Russia, and while Frank and Ryan investigate the execution of a Group associate that may be linked to the apocalyptic plans, Emma is finally offered full Group membership. Original Rating: 10 Looking back...: Again... still a 10. Fast-paced, foreboding story that builds a full head of steam for the finale. "Revelation" Writers: Dan Owen and Matt Asendorf In Brief: The malevolent force that has been driving the Millennium Group to commit its atrocities is revealed, and Frank, Ryan and Emma have only hours to stop him from triggering Armageddon. Original Rating: 10 Looking back...: Final Rating of 10. The saga is brought to a highly charged, and deserved conclusion. The surrounding story is an intricately woven web. Bravo! 4Q2's Virtual Awards: Well then, while we await the results of the 'Millennium Oscars', I have put together my own (albeit abbreviated) little awards shindig. Instead of a multitude of categories however, I decided to concentrate on just the aspects that I felt made each of the episodes named below as special and as entertaining as they were. Best Quote... The opening quotes were a quality that always made Millennium episodes so distinctive, and very much helped to set the tone of the story to follow, and established a dramatic scope unparalleled in other TV ventures. When the quotes were discontinued, I really felt that this was doing the show a disservice. It was as if the shiny hubcaps were taken off of an otherwise nice car. Sure, it continued to drive around, but it didn't look quite as good. The quotes were resurrected for the VS, and many were truly moving passages. Others started things off in appropriately creepy style, but the one I have chosen as Best Quote below truly symbolized the spirit of the Millennium saga. So with that the award goes to: "To make an End, is to make a Beginning." -- T.S. Elliot (from "Revelation") Best Usage Of Regular/Recurring Character(s)... This is one of those cases where you can't quite decide on one particular instance where a character that was previously established was able to grow beyond the limitations of the TV show. The VS took two familiar presences and made them much more than what they were, and probably more than they were meant to be. The first choice was the one man who seemed to be wielding a frightening amount of pull within the Group. The second came into the game as a major player only after "The Third Eye" set into motion the growing importance of a long too-neglected character. This award goes to: Mabius in "Rapture/Tribulation" - Writer: Dan Owen, and Emma Hollis in "The Third Eye" - Writer: Kevin Patterson Best Original Character(s) Created for the Virtual Season... One of the biggest strengths of the VS for me was the ability to create a new life, a living, breathing character, and inject him or her into the already established canon of Millennium. Doing this couldn't have been easy, and in the unfortunate case of some of the episodes, it proved unsuccessful. Taking a new creation, with no known face or voice, and hoping that the exchanges between an original character and Frank Black or Emma Hollis become believable is quite the brave undertaking. Fortunately, these undertakings brought forth two noteworthy examples that complimented the stories they inhabited. My choices for Best Original Characters Created for the Virtual Season are: Ryan Frost (Created by Dan Owen), and Alexander Le Saux (Created by Dan Owen) Best Writer... This was easily the easiest award for me to decide on. Since its premiere, one name seems to just keep resurfacing with each mind-bending, incredible chapter of the VS. Whether it be a collaboration with the other talented writers or a spellbinding solo effort, this dude has shown that he's a literary force to be reckoned with, and I look forward one day to seeing his work on both the small and big screens. My choice for Best Writer: Dan Owen Best Virtual Season Episode... Here it is... the Big Cahuna. The entire Virtual Season did the mytharc set up in the Third Season a world of good, and delivered some spellbinding episodes along the way. However, one story shone through as an example that the stand-alone tales can pack just as powerful a punch as any Group mythology episode. It was a tightly written thriller from start to finish that incorporated some of the best elements from the TV show and married them to the some of the best elements from the VS. My choice for Best Virtual Season episode goes to: "The Dawn of Nothing" by Andrew Wyatt and Dan Owen The Virtual Season Top Ten: This wasn't that easy a list to compile, seeing as how I gave a whopping 12 VS episodes a final perfect score of 10. Imagine having to ask yourself which two *perfect* episodes you enjoyed reading the *least*! Oy Vay! 1. The Dawn of Nothing (Andrew Wyatt, Dan Owen) 2. Rapture (Dan Owen) 3. Revelation (Dan Owen, Matt Asendorf) 4. The First Prophet (Dan Owen) 5. The Swords of Armageddon (Dan Owen, Matt Asendorf) 6. Diabolus Ex Machina (David Klein) 7. Genesis (Dan Owen, Kevin Patterson, Matt Asendorf) 8. Gestalt (Andrew Wyatt) 9. Blood and Water (Dan Owen) 10. Our Own Flesh and Blood (David Klein) The Millennium Television/Virtual Series Top Ten: This was an even harder list to do, but I felt it only appropriate to bring the Virtual and Television canons together. I'm glad I decided to limit it to ten, though. NOTE: Some two-part episodes are being counted as one due to the closely-knit stories. 1. The Fourth Horseman/The Time is Now (Glen Morgan, James Wong) 2. The Dawn of Nothing (Andrew Wyatt, Dan Owen) 3. The Mikado (Michael Perry) 4. Owls/Roosters (Glen Morgan, James Wong) 5. Rapture/Tribulation (Dan Owen) 6. Pilot aka 'The Frenchman' (Chris Carter) 7. Powers, Principalities, Thrones, and Dominions (Ted Mann, Harold Rosenthal) 8. Swords of Armageddon/Revelation (Dan Owen, Matt Asendorf) 9. The First Prophet (Dan Owen) 10. Antipas (Chris Carter, Frank Spotnitz) Season Ranking: And as long as we are mixing it up... 1. Season One - Executive Producer: Chris Carter 2. Virtual Season Four - Executive Producers: Matt Asendorf and Dan Owen 3. Season Two - Executive Producers: Chris Carter, Glen Morgan, and James Wong 4. Season Three - Executive Producers: Chris Carter, Chip Johannesen, Michael Duggan And there ya have it. My .02 (which actually translates to about 20 bucks worth of opinions). Getting my Millennium fix again on Friday nights since the ratings axe fell on the best show television has seen in quite a while was a pleasure, and I hope you all got the same rush out of it that I did. I pressed Matt and Co. for a VS5, but I suppose the poor souls need a break, considering that they don't even get paid for this. Sad, isn't it? They outdid 1013 Productions, handsomely paid writers and producers, and never saw a dime for it. Hopefully the support of the fans and readers of the VS will count for something in the long run. Best of luck you guys. NEXT IN THE PIPELINE: The VS may be a fond memory, but 4Q2's work is not quite done. I will be reviewing Brian A. Dixon's netnovel "To Paint with Blood and Fire," as well as Red Kettle's 'Alternative Season Three' episodes (which should prove to be interesting concept). The reviews should be posted on their respective sites if they don't show up here. Anything new that shows up here at The Millennium Compendium, you can bet I'll scrutinize that puppy. Thanks to everyone for reading my little review nuggets, the kind comments, and thanks to Dan Owen, Matt Asendorf, David Klein, Kevin Patterson, and all of the writing staff of the VS for giving us one *hell* of a good batch of stories. They were truly worthy of the Millennium name. I'd also like to pay thanks to Tim Lynch (http://www.psiphi.org/DS9/ep/reviews.html) and Jamahl "Jammer" Epsicokhan (http://www.st-hypertext.com) whose Star Trek review pages inspired me to do these for the VS and to Kevin Patterson, whose Unofficial 1013 Productions page inspired me as well. Take care all, because This Is Who We Are... -4Q2