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Millennium
S3.E8
All episodesAll
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
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IMDbPro

Human Essence

  • Episode aired Dec 11, 1998
  • TV-14
  • 1h
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
279
YOUR RATING
Klea Scott in Millennium (1996)
CrimeDramaHorrorMysterySci-FiThriller

Emma is investigated by the Internal Affairs when she tries to help her junkie sister who claims that a new designer drug is turning addicts into monsters - literally. She and Frank find evi... Read allEmma is investigated by the Internal Affairs when she tries to help her junkie sister who claims that a new designer drug is turning addicts into monsters - literally. She and Frank find evidence of a conspiracy.Emma is investigated by the Internal Affairs when she tries to help her junkie sister who claims that a new designer drug is turning addicts into monsters - literally. She and Frank find evidence of a conspiracy.

  • Director
    • Thomas J. Wright
  • Writers
    • Chris Carter
    • Michael Duggan
    • Erin Maher
  • Stars
    • Lance Henriksen
    • Klea Scott
    • Peter Outerbridge
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.3/10
    279
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Thomas J. Wright
    • Writers
      • Chris Carter
      • Michael Duggan
      • Erin Maher
    • Stars
      • Lance Henriksen
      • Klea Scott
      • Peter Outerbridge
    • 3User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    Top cast16

    Edit
    Lance Henriksen
    Lance Henriksen
    • Frank Black
    Klea Scott
    Klea Scott
    • Agent Emma Hollis
    Peter Outerbridge
    Peter Outerbridge
    • Special Agent Barry Baldwin
    Stephen E. Miller
    Stephen E. Miller
    • Assistant Director Andy McClaren
    Samaria Graham
    Samaria Graham
    • Tamra Caffrey
    Darryl Quon
    Darryl Quon
    • Pulga
    Rick Dobran
    • Johnny
    Hiro Kanagawa
    Hiro Kanagawa
    • Detective Rondell
    Winston Brown
    • House Staffer
    Stephen Chang
    Stephen Chang
    • Mr. Ho
    Mikela Jay
    Mikela Jay
    • Elissa
    • (as Mikéla J. Mikael)
    Jorge Vargas
    Jorge Vargas
    • Young Dealer
    • (as Jorgito D. Vargas)
    Donald Fong
    • Kai Lam
    David MacKay
    David MacKay
    • Medical Examiner
    Judi Closkey
    • Vancouver Trustee
    Karin Konoval
    Karin Konoval
    • Dr. Angela Horvath
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Thomas J. Wright
    • Writers
      • Chris Carter
      • Michael Duggan
      • Erin Maher
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The footage shown on the television (the cartoon cats and following news segment) is the same footage used in Eve (1993).
    • Goofs
      When McLaren Pages Frank and Frank calls him, he answers the phone McKlenna.
    • Quotes

      Agent Emma Hollis: Every day of that girl's life is a gamble.

      Frank Black: And now your life is becoming part of the stakes.

    • Connections
      Features Eek! The Cat (1992)

    User reviews3

    Featured review
    10/10

    Riding the Monster

    This episode is a play on the phrase "chasing the dragon", which was/is a way for people to ingest heroin without injecting it- It is simply a method of smoking the drug on a piece of tinfoil that requires a certain amount of finesse, otherwise money is wasted.

    But here, there is a batch of dope floating around Vancouver that is literally turning people into a dragons... at least temporarily.

    We are given a fairly accurate look into the lives of people who use this. With the typical Millennium twist of horror.

    Meanwhile, at Quantico, agent Hollis is sitting there doing her business. Until her SAIC approaches with an entourage, basically accusing her of using, without even asking her about it. She is censured and told "not to leave town", which of course she does immediately.

    After this we get to see an accurate look into the lives of addicts, what they to for the next fix, the scumbags they have to interact with, and the horrible places where they have to live in order to get clean.

    But behind all of this there is some kind of insidious activity... what is causing addicts to physically change into monsters? And some of them actually want to be changed. However, the triad in charge of supplying the drug to their users does not like what is happening, and of course tries to make evidence, and bodies, disappear.

    Which is where Hollis, aided by Frank Black enter in. At first Frank is skeptical when talking to Hollis's half sister, he doesn't believe her. Until of course, a body is found. A body that has evidence of having ridden a monster.

    The person who wrote this definitely must have had some experience with the subculture of drug use. Everything is accurate.

    More of a cautionary tale than anything else, The interesting part is what has been causing people to turn into monsters... and the person who was responsible. Of course, Hollis is reinstated with no apologies from her SAIC.
    • XweAponX
    • Apr 10, 2022
    • Permalink

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 11, 1998 (United States)
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    • Production companies
      • Ten Thirteen Productions
      • 20th Century Fox Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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