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Written by Glen Morgan & James Wong
Directed by Thomas J. Wright
After spending the last episode doing something completely different with The Curse of Frank Black, it's interesting that for the following episode, Morgan and Wong have decided to write an episode that is for all intents and purposes something that can be labelled back to basics. The crime at the heart of this episode is realistic while Frank, Peter and Lara must use their investigative know how and profiling techniques to investigate the crime. It's a great little tale too.
Whilst this could be looked at as a season one-esque tale, it doesn't rely on dark, gory horror that was the show's trademark in the first season, instead relying on its mystery and characters to further the tale along. The story, involving the kidnapping of a bus full of school children, doesn't rely on the mythology as much as previous episodes have done and is perfect viewing for anybody who may not be as involved with the show at this stage. In fact, I dare say, it's almost a relief to get something as clear cut and simple as this.
Simple may underselling 19:19 a little because I think it's worth more than that, but this is a more traditional episode than we've had this year and quite frankly it makes me love it. The narrative has a intimate, yet epic sweep to it, and it's a joy to see Frank and Peter on a similar footing to the way they were last season, staunch investigators using their instincts and abilities to solve the crime. A particular highlight involves the playing of a Carpenters song on the radio (interestingly, the second time a Carpenters song has been used by Morgan and Wong this season).
The idea at the heart of the episode, that the kidnappers have grabbed these children because one of them is set to play an important role in future events and that the kidnapping is a possible attempt to protect this child is wonderfully handled and leads to a nicely judged twist of irony in it's final moments. If there is any issues to be had I think it might be Christian Hoff as Matthew, the kidnapper. He does oversell it sometimes, his delivery of his dialogue a little overwrought and dramatic, but it doesn't destabilise the episode too much and I think Morgan and Wong's script and Wright's direction carries it along brilliantly.
I just have to consider the beautiful irony that in the space of two episodes, Millennium has found its feet again wonderfully and has done so by delivering two episodes that embrace both its new direction and its previous one. Sometimes the more simpler ideas really can be the best and with 19:19 have shown that can be the case, but by doing both this and The Curse of Frank Black, the writers may have allowed Millennium to become an even more eventful and widely experimental show like its sister series.
Whilst this could be looked at as a season one-esque tale, it doesn't rely on dark, gory horror that was the show's trademark in the first season, instead relying on its mystery and characters to further the tale along. The story, involving the kidnapping of a bus full of school children, doesn't rely on the mythology as much as previous episodes have done and is perfect viewing for anybody who may not be as involved with the show at this stage. In fact, I dare say, it's almost a relief to get something as clear cut and simple as this.
Simple may underselling 19:19 a little because I think it's worth more than that, but this is a more traditional episode than we've had this year and quite frankly it makes me love it. The narrative has a intimate, yet epic sweep to it, and it's a joy to see Frank and Peter on a similar footing to the way they were last season, staunch investigators using their instincts and abilities to solve the crime. A particular highlight involves the playing of a Carpenters song on the radio (interestingly, the second time a Carpenters song has been used by Morgan and Wong this season).
The idea at the heart of the episode, that the kidnappers have grabbed these children because one of them is set to play an important role in future events and that the kidnapping is a possible attempt to protect this child is wonderfully handled and leads to a nicely judged twist of irony in it's final moments. If there is any issues to be had I think it might be Christian Hoff as Matthew, the kidnapper. He does oversell it sometimes, his delivery of his dialogue a little overwrought and dramatic, but it doesn't destabilise the episode too much and I think Morgan and Wong's script and Wright's direction carries it along brilliantly.
I just have to consider the beautiful irony that in the space of two episodes, Millennium has found its feet again wonderfully and has done so by delivering two episodes that embrace both its new direction and its previous one. Sometimes the more simpler ideas really can be the best and with 19:19 have shown that can be the case, but by doing both this and The Curse of Frank Black, the writers may have allowed Millennium to become an even more eventful and widely experimental show like its sister series.
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