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



M I L L E N N I U M
116. COVENANT

Written by Robert Moresco
Directed by Roderick J. Pridy
Original Air Date: March 21, 1997


Brief summary: Frank races against the clock to convince an innocent man to recant his murder confession, and to save him from a town ready to enforce the death penalty.

Rogue's Review: This troubling episode is based on real-life events, and unfortunately, like real life, it's not the most exciting of storylines in terms of big suspenseful moments and shock-value twists. But it's a wrenching human character study, and noteworthy for that reason.

Frank is called upon to investigate the murders of a whole family - apparently at the hands of the husband and father. The title is extremely apt; the central theme of writer Robert Moresco's excellent teleplay is the covenant of marriage and the extremes to which it can lead ordinary people...

It's interesting too how this episode calls into question the concepts of proof and guilt. None of the cops have any doubt of his guilt. And why should they? Here is a man who admitted his guilt right away - from the very beginning, there is no reason to suspect anything but a disturbed man run amuck. But it is that very acceptance of the crime that makes William Garry of interest to Frank Black (plus the odd way Garry recounts the crimes) and before long, Frank finds himself fighting the community that demands justice, as he strives to understand just what happened that night.

Nice supporting work in this ep. Jay Underwood surprised me as attorney Michael Slattery - who knew that "Bug" from the movie UNCLE BUCK would grow into such a fine young television actor? I was further surprised to realize Sarah Koskoff is even more beautiful than her stint in the X-FILES pilot hinted at (she was Theresa Nemmen, the nosebleed victim who knew the truth was out there) and she's a better actress to boot. She has a chance here to really shine as assistant pathologist Didi Higgins, particularly in the sequence where she demonstrates the use of the knife. Chilling, and heartwrenching.

Is this in fact the last time we ever see Jack Meredith, Frank's overly curious neighbor? A shame... Jack was exactly the kind of strange diversion into the mundane qualities of real life that kept MILLENNIUM so firmly grounded in the real world... a world where neighbors pry, and not all parents live up to the responsibility of their station in life. [Rating: 7/10]

"We have made a covenant with death. We have made lies our refuge and under falsehood we have hid ourselves. I know what the lies were. You're not the person that committed these crimes." -- Frank Black


reviews by Rick Smith (1996 - present) and website by Matt Asendorf (2004)
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