Summary
In a way, I can't wait for this show to stand on its own two feet in terms of going on without Mulder, because as far as I was concerned, this definitely wasn't an ep that I needed to watch. And yet, I'm sure the publicity machine churned the "Mulder returns" bit as much as it could when this aired. As in Within/Without, Mulder was the focus of the show, but after this long a wait, I have no patience for so-called drama that seems to serve no purpose other than to make this a two-hour ordeal. "Cut to the chase and be done with it" was something that I muttered under my breath several times. Anyway... I found Agent Reyes (and here I had been thinking the name was pronounced "Reez") to be a strange bird. Maybe it's the history of seriousness on the X-Files, but she smiled way too much for my liking. (It just didn't seem appropriate at times is all I'm saying.) But hell, you can't argue that the woman has eyes like a hawk. She managed to make out the face of that cult leader (not to mention the license number of the truck) as she came running down the side of an embankment in the inky blackness of night. Wow. I'm beyond impressed. Question: just what are these aliens up to with their evil experimentation? Are they just supremely angry (as we are) that CC has screwed over their history so badly? Think about what we've been given recently and it just boggles the mind. These guys are just flying around willy-nilly, not caring who sees them, snatching up huge groups of people right in front of other huge groups of people. What's the deal here? The aliens throw out "dead" specimens, hope Jeremiah Smith does or doesn't (?) revive them so that they can be taken again to start the whole vicious cycle all over? For what possible purpose? Take over the world already! And finally — are the creators ever going to get the Scully characterization right again? I mean, for months (she said "months", I don't know how many) she's supposedly been the "Ice Queen Supreme" (a depiction that many of us have had a problem with). Here, however, we're given a version of a Dana Scully who basically falls apart on the job. I for one can't decide which version is worse.
Best or Worst Moment
Two quotes stood out for me in this episode. (I should note for the record that I've been recording my thoughts based on one single viewing of all episodes thus far.) Doggett said something about "mumbo jumbo" that I heartily agreed with; good one, and quite apropos. Then there's the title of this piece. Not many weeks have gone by since last May that I haven't thought some version of that same sentiment about this very show. Unlike how it's going to turn out for Scully, however, I don't dare expect that things are going to turn around for us this season.
Original Rating: * *
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