The Mikado (episode)

:For the operetta of the same name, see The Mikado.
"The Mikado" is the thirteenth episode of the second season of Millennium.
==Synopsis==
With the help of computer expert Brian Roedecker, Frank Black and Peter Watts try to stop an extremely elusive killer who is broadcasting the deaths of his victims on the internet and may be a sadistic murderer that Frank has tracked before.
==Summary==
A group of friends browse the internet for pornography, finding a live stream of a woman bound to a chair. Behind her a number is painted on the wall; when the feed's web counter reaches the painted number, a masked man appears and cuts the girl's throat. The boys quickly print an image of the feed as proof of what they have seen, just before the website disappears.
Millennium Group member Frank Black (Lance Henriksen) finds that police across the United States have received calls from witnesses to the killing. The police believe it to be a hoax but Black is convinced of its authenticity. He and fellow Group members Brian Roedecker (Allan Zinyk) and Peter Watts (Terry O'Quinn) identify the victim as Rebecca Damsen. Damsen's email correspondence leads them to a San Jose address; Watts finds the bodies of both the owner and Damsen in a nearby graveyard. By the bodies is another number, which they determine to be an IP address.
The IP address leads to another live feed similar in nature to the first one. However, the chair is empty this time. There is another number painted on the wall, which Black recognizes as a case file number from his time in the FBI—the case concerned Avatar, a serial killer who was able to evade all attempts at capture. Avatar sends Black a coded message twice, and places a woman in the chair on the feed, keeping her face hidden. Roedecker realizes that, through image differencing, the two messages contain additional information—a sound clip from The Mikado, known to be Avatar's favourite operetta.
Black determines that another set of numbers visible on the feed are latitude and longitude co-ordinates for San Francisco. The San Francisco Police Department are uncooperative, however. After Black, Roedecker and Watts attempt to keep the feed counter from rising by recreating the live feed and substituting it, the second girl is murdered before the feed's counter reaches the allotted number. Avatar leaves another clue after the killing, which leads to two further video feeds—one shows a third set like the others, again with an empty chair, while the other shows the exterior of a mobile home. Police are able to locate the mobile home, but an officer is killed by a shotgun rigged to the front door, before the trailer is obliterated by a series of explosions. Black travels to San Francisco, finding an abandoned theater whose marquee is displaying The Mikado. He is shot at by a masked gunman and give chase; however, he soon sees that the attacker is another kidnap victim, a gun tied to her arm in an attempt to trick Black into shooting her. Watts tells Black that they found a charred body in the remains of the trailer, but Black tells him it is just another victim, and Avatar will most likely fall silent again - for a while.
==Background Information==
===Production===
*The Avatar Killer is based on the real life Zodiac Killer, whom also wore black robes with a symbol on them, attacked couples, often in parked cars, and set elaborate ciphers to law enforcement. Like Avatar, Zodiac was never caught and his identity remains unknown.
===Cast and Characters===
*Greg Michaels (Captain Bachman) previously played Scott Garrett in episode "Tempus Fugit" and "Max".
*Gillian Carfra (The Web Girl) previously played Christine Ranford in episode "Tooms" and Mary Ann in the Millennium episode "Broken World".
*Tony Sampson (Anthony) previously played Brad in episode "Red Museum".
*Harrison Coe (S.F. Officer) previously played Government Man #2 in episode "Apocrypha" and Isaac Luria in "Kaddish".
*Eileen Pedde ('Pain' Victim) previously played Angie in episode "Terma".
*Bobby L. Stewart (Sergeant Collier) previously played Deputy in episode "Ascension" and Resident #2 in "".
==Cast==
Main Cast
*Lance Henriksen as Frank Black
*Megan Gallagher as Catherine Black
Also Staring
*Terry O'Quinn as Peter Watts
Guest Starring
*Allan Zinyk as Brian Roedecker
*Greg Michaels as Captain Bachman
Featuring
*Gillian Carfra as The Web Girl
*Micah Gardener as Brandon
*Tony Sampson as Anthony
*Justin Wong as Danny
*Rachel Hayward as Angela
*Jonathan Bruce as Haverford Man
*Aaron Fry as Columbus Man
*Dawn Murphy as Tully
*Harrison Coe as S.F. Officer
*Patrick Phillips as Detective Brusky
*Eileen Pedde as 'Pain' Victim
Uncredited
*Bob Kursar as Avatar
*Rachel Griffin as Makeup Artist
*Bobby L. Stewart as Sergeant Collier
===References===
SEMICOLON-SEPARATED LIST OF ITEMS/LOCATIONS REFERENCED IN EPISODE (BUT NOT LINKED TO IF ALREADY LINKED IN SUMMARY OR GUEST STARS SECTIONS)
Mikado, The