Millennium, say wha?
Finding myself in a bit of an eschatological mood in anticipation of the impending Pox-Eclipse I was reminded of one of the oddest yet interesting moments I’ve experienced watching television.
The episode “The Time Is Now” from Fox’s late-90′s pseudo X-Files spin-off series Millennium was a game-changer for a show that had begun to spiral into a black hole of rote plot points and uninspired mediocrity after a promising first season.
This, from the Season 2 finale, along with the big reveal in the final moments of the episode, shook up audience expectations with one healthy dose of mushrooms, acid, and whatever else is your drug of choice.
According to website Millennium-This Is Who We Are, the scene depicts a character, Lara Means, as she “slips into insanity after failing to come to terms with the knowledge revealed to her by the Millennium Group.”
What’s fascinating about the sequence is that they made the choice to play the song (from Patti Smith’s “Horses“) in its entirety, for the entire 10 minute segment of the show. For good or ill, I haven’t seen it done before this nor have I seen it done since. (Donna Lewis’ epic performance of “Without Love” and “I Love You Always Forever” at the Peach Pit After Dark notwithstanding.)
Interesting, risk taking, ground-breaking…it’s certainly all these things. Even so, I just remember thinking “What the hell just happened?”
What do you think? Let us know in the comments.
