The Rogue's Eye View
http://www.mmreviews.cjb.net



M I L L E N N I U M
110. THE WILD AND THE INNOCENT

Written by Jorge Zamacona
Directed by Thomas J. Wright
Original Air Date: January 10, 1997


Brief summary: Following the murder of a state trooper, Frank and Peter travel to Missouri to apprehend the killer and his girlfriend, who are desperately searching for someone named Angel.

Rogue's Review: Undeniably one of the most heartwrenching episodes to date, "The Wild and the Innocent" showcases a tour-de-force performance by actress Heather McComb (CRACKER, XF's "Der Hand Die Verletzt") as Maddie Haskell, a young woman haunted by someone or something she calls "Angel." If McComb doesn't garner a serious career based on her work here, there's something seriously wrong in Hollywood.

Written by Jorge Zamacona, "Wild" contains the finest voiceover element used in the series until the episode "Luminary," and is wonderfully paced and logically concluded. Maddie's verbal letter to Angel, augmented by McComb's Emmy-worthy performance, is some of the most emotionally raw, lyrically composed dialogue this critic has ever heard on television.

It isn't hard to realize who Angel is to Maddie as the story unfolds, despite one or two red herrings - but that isn't as crucial as the engaging search by Frank and Peter for the culprits behind the shooting of a state trooper, which causes them to stumble onto Maddie's trail. But where IS she going? What does she seek? Is Angel alive or dead? And what does Maddie expect to gain/learn from finding him? The answers are staggering, the moral and emotional depths of this episode unmatched among other standalones.

Blessedly, the tragic cycle of sexual abuse and cruelty that Maddie suffers at the hands of every man in her life is broken at the conclusion. Maddie is redeemed because she sets Angel free, because she accepts responsibility for her actions and stops her maniac boyfriend from continuing his killing spree. I've written of other episodes that stories like this one don't normally measure up because Frank seems to be merely an observer, rather than a participant.

But "The Wild and the Innocent" is the best Season One example of how an episode containing fully fleshed-out characters and a compelling story - emphasizing relevant themes of our dark but hopeful modern age - can rise above mediocrity and achieve a level of excellence rarely seen on television. [Rating: 8/10]

"If you are indeed lost to me, it is my Lord's prayer that you are not lost to Him, dear Angel. That you'll walk in the light, that you'll forgive, and that you'll never have to know the truth." -- Maddie Haskel


reviews by Rick Smith (1996 - present) and website by Matt Asendorf (2004)
all material property of Paper Street Productions ~ http://www.paperstreetprod.com