2x10 Midnight of the Century
Millennium (1996)
2x10 Midnight of the Century, written by Erin Maher, Kay Reindl and Michael R. Perry, directed by Dwight H. Little.
The Christmas episode and -- finally! -- we have Catherine and Jordan again.
Frank is not seeing devils this time but angels are a continuing theme, meaning we call in Lara Means for assistance.
We go back to young Frank on December 24, 1946, just two months after his trick-or-treat encounter in an earlier episode. His mother is helping him draw an angel. We later find she was surrounded by angels and this was the night she killed herself.
In the present day Jordan produces the same drawing and says her grandmother helped her.
Frank is estranged from his father and Lara helps him understand that something is pushing him toward a reconciliation. We come to understand the force is the spirit of his mother.
Frank thinks Jordan's gift is similar to Lara's and he asks her for advice:
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Lara: I don't know how you can prepare her, Frank. You're right: they won't just go away. And for me, it only gets more intense as I get older. He only appears to warn me of imminent danger, or to point me into the direction of evil's presence.
When he appears, all my senses are heightened: everything is clear and uncluttered in my mind, and my heart – I feel like nothing can stand in my way. But I would've done anything, anything, not to have this in my life.
Look, Frank, look: at least she's got a father that understands, and that – that will really help her.
At church Frank has an encounter with a mysterious -- angelic? -- character who tells him about "fetches":
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...souls of those destined to die in the coming year – making their way to church in search of those who will soon be their companions. Of course, it usually happens at midnight.
At the end of the episode Frank sees that is true.
Frank's father is played by Darren McGavin who Chris Carter revered for his character "Carl Kolchak" in The Night Stalker (1972), The Night Strangler (1973) and the TV series Kolchak- The Night Stalker (1974).
Notes:
Peter invites Frank and Lara over for the family Christmas. I'm a little surprised.
We learn the names of Peter's daughters: Chelsea (who is getting a bike), Taylor (who has outgrown bikes and is thinking of a car) and Erin who is off to college in two years.
We see Peter in serious conversation with some strange men at his party. He is sombre afterwards.
Roedecker the hacker is wearing a Fantastic Voyage (1966) t-shirt.
Finally, Roedecker gives Frank the gift of videos:
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Frank: "Black Christmas" and "Silent Night, Deadly Night". Whatever happened to "Miracle on 34th Street"?
Roedecker: Well, it ain't your father's Christmas! Nothing will put you more in the mood for the holidays than a serial-killing Santa!
Frank: This is not a serial killer. This is a spree killer.
Roedecker: The sexual repression and signature make him an organized serial killer.
Frank: The triggering stressor would have be that they forced him to wear that Santa outfit – that's ludicrous.
Roedecker: It says "Serial Killer" on the box.
So: Frank knows his slasher films but does not appreciate them the way others do, as we will see again in season three.
