Frank Black (Lance Henriksen) finds himself unexpectedly partnered with Baldwin (Peter Outerbridge) when Hollis (Klea Scott) elects for some leave in Darwin’s Eye, written by Patrick Harbinson, which first aired on 16 April, 1999. When a homicidal young woman, Cass (Tracy Middendorf) escapes a mental institution, committing a murder to do it, she takes a young police officer, Joe (Peter Simmons) hostage, but slowly seduces him to her way of thinking.

Hollis who is attempting to see over her father, James (John Beasely) , who is suffering from an onset of alzheimers, becomes involved in the case, and thinks there may be a more far reaching conspiracy to it, considering Cass’s upbringinbg and her parents history and murder.

Frank believes that everything that is happening ties directrly to Cass, and Baldwin seems to be floundering as he attempts to run down leads for the case, paling in his work when compared to the efforts of Frank and Hollis.

Eventually Frank learns what is truly going on, but will he be in time to save Joe?

It’s a gentle, almost heart-rending episode that works incredibly well and expands wonderfully on Hollis’ character, and adding to her arc with the introduction of her father and what his deteoriation means. Both story threads tie into fathers and daughters, and the pain that can be caused.

I really liked this one, and I love how just because you want something to be a conspiracy and have a deeper meaning, that’s not how things are neccessarily going to play out.

Bardo Thodol is a bit uneven, written by Virginia Stock and Chip Johannessen, with an airdate of 23 April, 1999. What it does boast, however, is a guest appearance by James Hong.

When a strange discovery on a cargo ship brings Hollis into conflict with the Millennium Group and Peter Watts (Terry O’Quinn), while Frank is investigating the same case from another angle, brought into it by a computer virus that was introduced to his computer by a game disc brought home by Jordan (Brittany Tiplady).

Frank’s path leads him to a Buddhist monastery, overseen by a monk (Hong), who is tending to a very ill member of the Millennium Group, Takashi (Tzi Ma) who has a tie to Hollis’ cargo ship.

It’s an interesting episode, and it’s always great to see Hong in anything, as well as Hiro Kanagawa who makes an appearance in this episode as well.

The series is delivering some solid episodes in its third season, but this one isn’t as strong as it could have been despite the high calibre guest stars.

Next week brings us to the penultimate intallment in the series; only four episodes left before Millennium comes to an end.