WRITTEN BY
Glen Morgan
&
James Wong
DIRECTED BY
AIRED ON
September 19, 1997
RUNTIME
0 minute
STARRING
VIEWS
391
LAST UPDATE
2024-08-28 11:48:54
PAGE VERSION
Version 4
LIKES
0
DISLIKES
0
SUMMARY
Following the abduction of his wife, Catherine, by the Polaroid Man, Frank races against time to save her. The intense rescue mission forces Frank to confront the deepening influence of the Millennium Group and the darkness that continues to encroach on his life, setting the tone for a more personal and supernatural season.
STORY
"The Beginning and the End" is a pivotal episode of MillenniuM that delves into themes of human cruelty, the search for justice, and the supernatural. The episode is notable for its intense narrative and psychological depth, as Frank Black faces a chilling case that tests his abilities and confronts his deepest fears.
1. **Opening Scene:**
- The episode opens with a chilling sequence showing the murder of a young woman named Samantha, who is found in a ritualistic position. The scene is disturbing and marked by disturbing symbols that suggest a connection to occult practices.
2. **Investigation Begins:**
- Frank Black is called in to investigate the murder. He arrives at the crime scene and begins examining the evidence, noting the ritualistic nature of the killing. He is joined by police officers and FBI agents who are investigating the case.
3. **Profile Analysis:**
- Frank begins to construct a profile of the killer based on the crime scene evidence. He determines that the murder is part of a larger pattern and suspects that the killer is driven by a twisted sense of religious or supernatural belief.
4. **Suspect Identification:**
- The investigation leads Frank to a suspect, a man named Theodore, who is a known occultist with a history of mental instability. Theodore has been involved in several occult rituals and is believed to have a connection to the murder.
5. **Theodore's Background:**
- Frank interviews Theodore and learns about his background and beliefs. Theodore claims to have been chosen by a higher power to carry out the murders as part of a divine plan. His erratic behavior and delusional statements make him a prime suspect.
6. **Family Dynamics:**
- The episode also explores Frank’s personal life, focusing on his family dynamics. His wife, Catherine, is shown to be struggling with the emotional toll of Frank’s work and the impact it has on their family life. Their interactions highlight the personal sacrifices Frank has made in his pursuit of justice.
7. **Further Murders:**
- As Frank continues his investigation, additional murders occur, each with similar ritualistic elements. The case becomes more urgent as the killer's pattern emerges, and the pressure mounts to prevent further violence.
8. **Supernatural Elements:**
- Frank begins to experience unsettling visions and encounters that blur the line between reality and the supernatural. These experiences add a layer of psychological horror to the investigation and heighten the sense of dread.
9. **Climactic Confrontation:**
- The investigation leads Frank to a dramatic confrontation with Theodore, who has gone into hiding. Frank tracks him down to a secluded location where Theodore is preparing for another ritualistic murder. The confrontation is intense and fraught with danger, as Frank must navigate Theodore’s unstable mindset and stop him from carrying out his plans.
10. **Resolution:**
- The episode concludes with Theodore’s arrest and the resolution of the immediate threat. However, the psychological and emotional impact of the case lingers, and Frank is left to reflect on the nature of evil and the challenges of his work.
11. **Final Reflection:**
- In the closing scenes, Frank reflects on the case and the personal toll it has taken on him and his family. The episode ends on a somber note, highlighting the ongoing struggle to balance his professional responsibilities with his personal life.
"The Beginning and the End" is a powerful and intense episode that explores the darker aspects of human nature and the supernatural. Through its suspenseful narrative and psychological depth, the episode provides a gripping and thought-provoking look at the nature of evil and the impact of Frank Black’s work on his life and relationships.
BEHIND THE SCENES
No trivia yet.
QUOTES
I will kill your wife, I will kill your son, I will kill your infant daughter.
— Gustavo Fring
FILMING LOCATIONS
TOPICS
No topics yet.
REVIEWS
A new, ethereal formula for a series on the move
Written by
Pike on 2018-02-23
★
★
★
★
After a dark first season, Millennium returns for a second season in which everything changes, for better or worse. John Peter Kousakis (co-executive producer): “The seasons have changed dramatically over the three years of the series. In the first season, Chris Carter was very involved in the project, and the series followed his ideas. The emphasis was on crime and solving it through the eyes of Frank Black, through his investigations and profiling methods. We also talked about his life with his family and at home because he was getting back into crime investigation after trying to quit.” Series creator Chris Carter is currently producing Millennium, season 5 of X-Files, as well as the big-budget movie based on the series (dubbed “Fight the Future”). He can therefore no longer decently continue to produce Millennium, leaving the reins to the duo of Glen Morgan and James Wong, the two writing partners who already have a good number of X-Files episodes to their credit.
TABULA RASA
The friendly duo with the diabolical ideas are going to wipe the slate clean and change the lines. In doing so, they'll depart from the spirit of the pilot and give the series a whole new dimension.
Ken Horton (co-executive producer): “For season 2, Jim and Glen wanted to... They felt that the serial killers had monopolized season 1. They wanted to dig deeper into the idea of the Millennium group. So they created a mythology and it became a kind of knightly sect with a past.”
From the very first episode, it's clear that Morgan & Wong have grasped what Millennium could be, giving it a stronger scope, and aren't afraid to change things up. In the same episode, Frank Black and his wife Catherine will separate, an element that both does justice to the story - Frank has killed in a very violent way, which his wife can't accept - but plunges our hero into even more tortured turmoil. As a viewer, I found myself missing the yellow house, which is pretty crazy, considering we're only in the second season. Most series often follow the same structure in the second season. But let's remember that, a few years earlier, X-Files also saw a major shake-up in its second season: Mulder's informant, the notorious Deep Throat, was murdered, the Office of Cold Case was shut down, Agent Dana Scully was kidnapped.
The difference was that X-Files was able to return to its original structure fairly quickly, while Millennium continued to search for itself without ever finding itself. We won't find the little family in the yellow house again, which I think is a mistake, even if history undoubtedly vindicates the duo. Because Millennium is about the end.
THE END IS NEAR
We no longer fear the end of the millennium, but we can all get closer to the end of the end. Our own, that of our loved ones, our children, our parents, grandparents and friends. That of our bodies, each day drawing closer to a miserable end in an immutable and continuous decrepitude.
Frank Black knows he has no right to happiness, yet he tries to hold on to it, helped by the unconditional love of his wife and daughter, his only refuge in the yellow house that contains happiness.
But here, too, the yellow house's paint is peeling, revealing the stains of weathered, crumbling wood.
First, Frank sees the disappearance of Bob Fletcher, his old friend and colleague, who will die in the basement of this yellow house, which will never be the same after this tragedy.
S02E01 - THE BEGINNING AND THE END
In the very first episode, Frank Black comes face to face with the person who has been sending him and his family polaroids. Unlike the previous episode, the cast is better chosen here, with Doug Hutchinson in the role of the token villain, previously seen in “X-Files” (“Squeeze” and “Tooms”) as well as “The Green Mile”, Frank Darabont's adaptation of Stephen King's short story.
Frank leaves home, and nothing will ever be the same again - or so we're told.
TRANSCRIPT
No transcript yet.
2024-08-28 11:48:54 -
Pike:
Added the story.
