Straightforward story this episode. But a compelling and gripping one that exposes the true horror of a rotten family unit. Sometimes the most effective horror is the one that is so believable and banal. The imagery of the father in the bedroom is simple yet shocking.
I struggled between giving this episode a 9 or 10. It feels crazy to give my first Millennium 10 to an episode that relegates Frank Black to merely a side character, but I was incredibly caught up by this episode. I can't believe how effectively Catherine was able to take the mantle and run with it. She dominates as the lead and heart of this story.
Great performances are what elevate this episode to top notch status. It could easily have flopped if Connie Bangs was Miscast. She gives such an incredibly heartfelt and heartbreaking performance as the victimised daughter, I was completely enthralled. The other characters hold their own; the mother in denial who wants to uphold the status quo and cannot face the truth; the father who covers his misdeeds with bluster and a prominent public face.
This doesn't even feel like an episode of Millennium. The subject matter is completely off from what the show normally presents. Yet somehow it works and I feel this episode is the first perfect one of the series I have seen. Never expected it to be this good.
