Brief summary: On vacation in Washington D.C., Frank is drawn into a murder investigation with disturbing links to the Polaroid Stalker who is shadowing his family.

Rogue's Review: The season-ender opens disturbingly - a towering stalker follows a young woman home from her visit to the grocery store, clad only in briefs as he drives along behind her to the beat of pulsing Goth-rock. Then he gains entry to her seemingly secure home... and snaps her picture with a Polaroid camera.

The ramifications for Frank Black - whose family has been stalked by a Polaroid-wielding figure all season - are self-evident.

The Blacks have come home to Washington D.C. to visit with Catherine's family, including her parents and bitchy older sister Dawn, who heartily disapproves of her kid sister's choice of men. Dawn's dislike for Frank only makes Catherine more defensive about her husband, but her own disquiet is obvious when Frank can't even leave the profiling alone while they're on vacation. At the behest of Catherine's father, Frank looks into an old case long closed and forgotten... and we're off and running.

Mike Starr, always a favorite character actor of mine (STAND BY ME, CASINO, CAT'S EYE) is Henry Deion, a psychopath acting at the behest of a shadowy figure, who seems to pass along potential victims to potential killers - is HE the true Polaroid Stalker that is hunting Frank Black? Or is he another pawn? And is he connected to the Legion demon that has targeted Frank for recruitment? Good questions, all.

But Henry, a.k.a. The Woodsman, is the real focus of this episode, as he plays out the hand his shadowy benefactor - and his upbringing - has dealt him. He is tormented by possibly the most abrasive character in MILLENNIUM history: his mother, an overbearing little French-Canadian harpy whose domination of Henry's life and refusal to allow him to speak or think freely pushes him into murdering women so that he may comfortably converse with them... after they're dead. Sad, and tragic.

Meanwhile, it's so great to see Frank and Catherine bonding, flirting, basking in the warmth of physical intimacy... and it doesn't seem to be any coincidence that just as things are starting to improve between them, resolidifying their relationship in the wake of Bletcher's grisly murder, their world is thrown into terrible upheaval. Again, sad, and tragic.

Written by Walon Green and Ted Mann, the episode fairly crackles with powerful dialogue and portentous events, but the pacing is dreadfully slow for a season finale, and the relationship between Henry and the Polaroid distributor almost seems an afterthought designed to pull Frank more directly into the plot. (Then again, that does seem to imply Legion's involvement, seeing as how we know from episodes like "Powers, Principalities..." that he preys on psychopaths to carry out his crimes. But I was more interested in Henry's relationship with his victims, and with the elderly patient he cares for. Truly inspired writing.

A big complaint about "Paper Dove" is Catherine's sister. Dawn is an utterly annoying character - she can't even be satisfied with Jordan's devotion to Ben the dog. But she plays an interesting role. She treats Catherine so badly, griping about her mothering skills and her marriage... but one wonders if Dawn might in fact be the kind of person who could raise a son like Henry... hen-pecking him into madness.

Worst offending moment: Frank's dunderheaded move at the end - leaving Jordan in the car when he returns to the airport to pick up Catherine and the luggage. That is so completely out of character it's embarrassing. Frank would never leave his child unattended that way. The twist, however... it's not Jordan who disappears, but Catherine, leaving Frank - and us - in shock as the season comes to a close. [Rating: 7/10]

"I'm not playing with you anymore in any way. Understand? I'll annihilate your sleep forever because I'm sure as hell going to let the public know that what's happening to them is because of you--your stupidity... and Frank Black!" -- Henry Dion