This ’90s Cult-Classic Fantasy Thriller Deserves a Revival More Than ‘The X-Files’

On the high of his success with Sinners, Ryan Coogler‘s The X-Files reboot continues full-steam ahead a decade after Chris Carter revived the original Fox series. However you feel about Coogler taking the property over, it’s yet another reminder that Hollywood always seems to learn the wrong lessons about recycling re-existing IP, especially since David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson are no longer involved. Frankly, rather than another round at the FBI’s spookiest basement-born unit, there’s one Carter-created Fox drama that really does deserve new life. After all these years, fans still want more Millennium.

We’re Long Overdue for a ‘Millennium’ Revival

Those already intimately familiar with Millennium will be overjoyed to see the short-lived, three-season thriller highlighted again here, while X-Philes may recall a certain X-Files episode of the same name. Whichever camp you fall into, Millennium is one of those shows that, once you get hooked, you’ll wish it went on for several more years. The Fox series followed Lance Henriksen as former FBI profiler Frank Black, who moves to Seattle with his wife, Catherine (Megan Gallagher), and their daughter Jordan (Brittany Tiplady). Hoping to start a new life away from the horrors he saw at the Bureau, Frank has retired from law enforcement to become a criminal consultant with a band of former federal agents and investigative personnel called the “Millennium Group.” But after tracking down several serial killers and investigating strange cases involving apocalyptic literature and language, Frank discovers that there are members of the Group who wish to usher in the biblical “End of Days” at the turn of the century. Hence, the name.

Now, 30 years later — and after much fan clamor through books like Back to Frank Black, podcasts such as The Time Is Now, and the After the Millennium (previously Millennium After the Millennium) documentary — there’s no better time to revisit this series with a limited event run. The show’s dark, thematic tone pairs well with many of the twisted thrillers and elevated horror flicks released over the years. (Longlegs, for instance, could easily have been a Millennium episode.) Even if some parts of the ’90s drama are a bit dated now, Millennium holds up quite well, and it’s certainly a show that could find an audience in the modern day. The fact that IDW published a five-issue continuation that tied directly to their X-Files comic series a decade ago proves that there’s some sort of contemporary interest, right?

Unlike The X-Files (which effectively wrapped up its plot back in its ninth season), Millennium never got a proper ending. Last we saw Frank Black and his daughter Jordan, he had foiled the Group’s latest plans for world domination (as seen in The X-Files crossover episode “Millennium”), only to walk into the new millennium with his daughter. But considering all the loose threads that Millennium Season 3 never had the chance to tie up — the true fate of Peter Watts (Terry O’Quinn), Emma Hollis’ (Klea Scott) decision to join the Group, and the relationship between the physical threats presented by the Group and the demonic forces Frank is privy to — time is running out before Henriksen won’t be able to do it.

The Time Is Now For ‘Millennium’s Return — Or It May Never Happen

With Lance Henriksen pushing 90, it’s becoming less and less likely that any network or streamer will be interested in revisiting such a cult series. The fact that Millennium is still not available on Blu-ray, nor in any digital format, is another indicator of Fox’s lack of interest. Indeed, it’s a travesty that ought to be rectified. Millennium may be lesser-known, but that doesn’t mean that it’s of any lesser quality than The X-Files — in fact, some might argue that it’s even better. At least some episodes, like the Halloween-themed “The Curse of Frank Black,” truly outshine many television productions today, and Henriksen himself more than delivered the TV performance of a lifetime. Across 67 episodes of television, the best episodes of Millennium remind us that there is still so much more to explore through Frank’s weary eyes.

So, how could Millennium return? There are plenty of ways you could bring back Frank and his supporting cast. For one thing, the apparent defeat of the Millennium Group does not mean that they’ve simply vanished into thin air. They may even still have plans for Peter Watts after his “murder.” Likewise, the show has hinted on several occasions (and confirmed through the 2015 comic book, whose canonicity is admittedly debatable) that Jordan has inherited her father’s psychic ability to see into the hearts of criminals — and possibly into the unseen spiritual realm as well. This could tie back to recurring antagonist Lucy Butler (Sarah-Jane Redmond), a demon who haunted Frank throughout all three seasons and has also set eyes on his daughter.

Perhaps a revival could primarily follow Jordan as she deals with the fallout of the original series, with Frank helping her to hone her abilities to keep her from going insane. Even if Millennium were to be revived in a small capacity, it’s clear that there is still plenty of narrative potential. Here’s hoping we can get a six-episode event run in the near future. Although at this point, I’d settle for a made-for-streaming movie.