Millennium 5C04: “Monster”
The Millennial Abyss | Episodes | Season Two
“Monster” (5C04)
Written by Glen Morgan & James Wong
Directed by Perry Lang
Edited by Chris Willingham, A.C.E.
Aired October 17, 1997
Summary
In rural Arkansas, Frank Black and forensic psychologist Lara Means investigate a young boy’s mysterious death, which they alarmingly link to a five-year-old girl.
Epigraph
“The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers.”
Synopsis
Peter Watts arranges for Frank to meet with District Attorney Gordon Roberts, who is investigating Miss Penny Plott—the longtime owner of a daycare center in Probity, Arkansas—on charges of child abuse. Before Frank embarks on his journey, he goes shopping with Jordan at a department store. As children often do, Jordan grows fidgety and demands attention. Frank loses his cool and chastises his daughter for her behavior.
Police deputy Bill Sherman, who sends his son Bill Jr. to Plott's daycare center, discovers a bite mark on his son's back. When Bill Jr. speaks of retribution (should he reveal the source of the injury), it only adds credence to rumors surrounding Plott.
Pretending to be a parent, Frank pays a visit to the daycare center. His investigation is cut short when he is interrupted by Lara Means, who was hired to represent Plott's interests. The pair put aside their differences when one of the children, Jason Wells, stops breathing. Despite Frank and Lara's best efforts, the boy succumbs. Meanwhile, Catherine takes Jordan to see a dentist after her daughter spits out blood while brushing her teeth. The dentist suggests Jordan may have received a cut lip from being aggressively disciplined. Catherine dismisses the notion that Frank may be responsible, but later, Jordan reveals that Frank lost his temper at the department store.
A coroner attributes Jason's death to an acute asthma attack. Despite a lack of evidence, District Attorney Roberts remains convinced that Plott must somehow be at fault. The investigation seemingly hits a dead end until Frank, Lara and Roberts interview Danielle Barbakow, one of the children under Plott's supervision. Danielle describes overhearing an incident in which Plott physically abused Jason. Shortly thereafter, Plott is placed under arrest. Inside an interrogation room, an outraged Plott reminds Bill Sherman that he was under her supervision as a child--and that in thirty-six years of running the center she has never been accused of any wrongdoing. When Plott wins release on bail, a guilt-ridden Bill Sherman announces that, even though his own son has a mark on his body, he refuses to believe Plott is capable of child abuse.
Frank and Lara both conclude that Danielle is responsible for Jason's death. They also realize they were both sent by the Millennium Group to investigate the case... possibly as some sort of test. The pair travel to the Barbakow residence, where they meet Danielle's mother, Virginia. As Lara and Virginia talk, Frank interviews Danielle inside her bedroom. Suddenly, Danielle begins screaming—and accuses Frank of touching her. Virginia comforts her daughter, who suffers from a split lip. A short time later, Frank is arrested for assaulting a minor.
Roberts also reveals that Frank is under investigation for possibly assaulting his own daughter. Frank demands that Roberts examine an alternate light imaging photograph of Danielle's injuries, confident it will prove his innocence. Lara returns to the Barbakow residence and compares the special photograph with the wings of an angel on Danielle's dresser. Lara realizes the patterns are identical, and later, Virginia Barbakow admits she heard her daughter inflict the injuries upon herself. Catherine and Jordan meet Frank at the police station upon his release. Catherine apologizes for the investigation into Jordan's injuries.
Starring
Lance Henriksen as Frank Black
Megan Gallagher as Catherine Black
Terry O’Quinn as Peter Watts
Stephen James Lang as Det. Geibelhouse
Guest Starring
Kristen Cloke as Lara Means
Mary Gillis as Miss Penny
Robert Wisden as D. A. Gordon Roberts
Lauren Diewold as Danielle Barbakow
Chris Owens as Deputy Bill Sherman
Gillian Barber as Mrs. Barbakow
Fred Keating as Mr. Barbakow
Ken Roberts as Police Chief Jenkins
Judy Norton as the Coroner
J. Douglas Stewart as the Dentist
Kevin Blatch as the Shoe Salesman
Thomas Miller as Billy Sherman Jr.
Production Credits
Production #5C04
Music by Mark Snow
Production Designer Mark Freeborn
Director of Photography Robert McLachlan
Associate Producer Jon-Michael Preece
Consulting Producer Chip Johannessen
Consulting Producers Darin Morgan
Co-Producer Robert Moresco
Co-Producer Paul Rabwin
Producer Thomas J. Wright
Co-Executive Producer Ken Horton
Co-Executive Producer John Peter Kousakis
Executive Producer Glen Morgan
Executive Producer James Wong
Executive Producer Chris Carter
Soundtrack
“Goodbye Charlie” (1958) by Bobby Darin
AWARDS
Young Artist Award: Lauren Diewold, Best Performance in a Television Drama Series: Guest Starring Young Actress (Nominee)
Location
Book Excerpt
“The incremental view also informs the nature versus nurture debate as to the origins of evil. The episode that perhaps best explores this subject matter is ‘Monster,’ in which Frank is sent to investigate claims of child abuse... and [learns] about Danielle Barbakow, a young girl with violent impulses... Millennium does not seek to answer such a fundamental question as to what might give rise to evil behavior in one so young but, whatever the cause, Frank senses that much worse is to come.”
—Adam Chamberlain
Back to Frank Black
REVIEWS
“Frank and a new recurring partner, Lara Means, meet for the first time, somewhat adversarially, as they investigate the assault, and later death, of children in a local day care center. As the town vilifies the operator both the viewer and Frank and Lara come to the same more insidious conclusion. We then squirm over the confluence of events that pull Frank into the role of accused. Truly engaging.”
—Michael Patrick Sullivan
Underground Online
“Monster” print ad.