7ABX18 - Hollywood A.D.

Summary

In a season where change is a good thing, it was a relief to get something like this, a throwback to Darin Morgan's off-beat treatments with a satirical bent and snappy writing. DD even knows how to write bad stuff "well"! I know that this one isn't going to get the mass approval that The Unnatural may have gotten, but I'm glad that I was able to enjoy this. (I read a comment from someone who stated that DD must have had a lot of "help" in writing TU because this one was so far off the mark. Well, I don't see how one can miss the same sharp dialogue that pervades both episodes. Whether or not one likes both is, of course, determined by personal taste, but to me, the consistency of the writing behind them is indisputable.) As in TU, I love how distinctly the other characters are fleshed out — when they speak, you know what individual inflections to expect; the dialogue is not interchangeable the way it is sometimes in a lesser writer's hands. By the way, I think it's funny how some fans are so expert at knowing M&S and Skinner that they claim they were "out of character" in the hilarious bathtub scene. None of these three would ever be able to enjoy a simple human pleasure like taking a bubble bath in a ritzy hotel, right? They're professional and business-like ALL THE TIME, right? I think it's safe to say that we have not ever received a lot of background into what these people do off-duty to make any sort of assumptions as to what is or is not in character for them. Oh well. I've already read some vitriolic comments regarding "worst ep ever". This was so intentionally tongue-in-cheek, that for anyone to take it so seriously that they seem to be frothing at the mouth about it makes me want to laugh even more... and I'm already laughed out.

Best or Worst Moment

Before I forget, thank you, David, for restoring my faith in the Mulder/Scully relationship. I thought it was dead in the water a few weeks ago, but now I think that I can go back to considering that she might just love the guy after all. Best moment? The Shandling/Mulder exchange regarding which side he dresses on, because I was so engrossed in their conversation that I completely missed the "Scully running" demonstration in the background! A close second would have to be Mulder's follow-up to Skinner's "It's still me, Mulder" when he couldn't get the phone line to switch properly. Rather than being the least bit embarrassed or horrified or whatever, he merely reconnected to Scully properly and repeated his original line.

Original Rating: * * * *

7ABX02 - The Goldberg Variation

Summary

The ridiculous and the sublime... Mr. Jeffrey Bell redeems himself in a big way with an X-File that is my first keeper of the season. (Not to fool anyone — least of all myself — but even though I will likely keep a couple of the eps to this point, this was the first one that occurred to me as I was watching it that it was a "keeper".) Almost everything that went wrong with The Rain King went right here. We got characters that we could care about, we got a marvellously original story idea, and we got a Mulder and Scully who are comfortable with each other and not playing mind games with themselves. What more can you ask for? This late in the series, it's not easy to score on all three counts. I especially liked the idea of luck being a double-edged sword that really can't be controlled, much like the idea of fate ("everything happens for a reason") in Monday. I came into this episode knowing just the title and the concept of a "lucky man". I didn't even know that it was Mr. Bell's script. All things considered, it was a wonderful surprise.

Best or Worst Moment

Lots of choice pieces to choose from here... in much the same way as The Rain King gave us some memorable impressions, this ep was abound with bits that'll live long in our memories. Everything from those lovely smiles that they kept giving one another to Dana Scully's flirtatious promise of what might happen back in DC to Mulder's hilarious Bruce Lee impersonation. Loved it all.

Original Rating: * * * *

6X21 - Field Trip

Summary

I found this surprisingly powerful — not to mention deep — for a standard MOTW offering. And the really wonderful thing about it is the fact that I've found it more and more watchable every time I come back to it, which is actually not something I can say about many episodes. I particularly liked the underlying tension between M&S at the beginning that set up the eventual sequences of "rediscovery". What a classic case of "I wish I had taken the time to tell you..." GA and DD also did a great job in giving us just the right amount of differentiation between reality and non-reality.

Best or Worst Moment

There are a lot of good dramatic moments that can be scooped from this one, particularly with respect to GA's reaction work during the "Mulder's dead" sequences. But the thing that struck me about this one when I first saw it was that memorable line from Mulder: "It sounds like crap when you say it." That seems to sum up quite a bit about our Scully sometimes — and I mean that in both a light-hearted and serious way!

Original Rating: * * * *

6X20 - The Unnatural

Summary

I went into this telling myself that I mustn't be predisposed to like it just because it was DD's effort, but I gotta say that it didn't take long for me to lose myself in this heart-warming story. I think I like it best for the fact that it could be interpreted as simply that: a story. I didn't even have time to miss Mulder and Scully given the wonderful portrayal of the extremely lovable Exley and his pal Dales. Great dialogue abounds. DD's managed to create what I thought would be improbable if not impossible: a "feel good" X-Files ep!

Best or Worst Moment

Should I go for the obvious??? No, I'll leave the M&S scenes out of it and instead select one of DD's "messages" to the viewing audience. I loved it when Dales says that he doesn't have many opinions about [blah, blah, blah] "or even Canadians and vegetarians for that matter". As a resident of the Great White North (and I don't mean Minnesota), I had to laugh at that one. Poor David and the unfortunate fallout over his supposed insult to a certain segment of rain-soaked — and sensitive — Vancouverites... (who really can't accept the fact that by most people's standards, it does rain too much there)!

Original Rating: * * * *

6X18 - Milagro [REVISITED]

Summary

"Disturbing" and "powerful" were the words I had in mind when I finished viewing this ep the first time. Great character study by the TXF veteran writers here with realistically emotional interactions between our two. Excellent performances from all. Both DD and GA played their roles perfectly. There just wasn't a whole lot wrong with this one, and it gave me considerable inspiration for the Dana Scully characterization study that became a significant part of Soul on Soul.

Padgett about to reveal that Agent Scully
is "already" in love

"Agent Scully is already in love."

Who didn't find that statement surprising and definitely revealing as we work towards the final season (in my mind) of the X-Files?

[Before I forget, though, there were also a couple of lines from this episode that I loved from a writer's standpoint: "If I sit long enough, it just comes to me" and "It almost writes itself." I can identify!]

Now, the X-File part of this episode is just a tad out of my realm of believability. I mean, it actually helped that we didn't see Mulder and Scully really investigating this case and presenting the findings to AD Skinner. That would really have taken it over the edge for me, because I'm willing to bet that there are no documented cases of deaths where the hearts of the victims were found outside of their bodies with no visible sign of entry. Most of the x-file-ish stuff that we see on TXF I can give the benefit of the doubt to, but as to what we saw here, it was just an entertaining hour of TV.

But what redeems an episode like this is the insight that it provides about the enigmatic Dr. Scully. Let's examine this line: "That never happens to me. We're alike that way." What never happens to Dana Scully? Someone being taken with her, based merely on the idea that she's a beautiful woman.

Interestingly enough, when Padgett has his conversation with Naciamento, he says somewhat cryptically, "She's only trying to get his attention but doesn't know it." I wondered what he meant by that until I rewound and heard his previous comment again, which was that "I misjudged her character, her interest in me". So I surmise that what Padgett meant was that Dana Scully was only interested in him (Padgett) to get to the bottom of a case that would win her points with Mulder. (And while I get that, I also think that Scully had another reason for being interested in Padgett, which I explored further in Soul on Soul.)

Picayune Peculiarities

I'm not going to go on and on about this one, but we have seen the front of Mulder's apartment and it faces a street. No way that Padgett's bedroom would have a view "only a writer can appreciate", aka, a brick wall.

I was amused by how Mulder went all "100 yard dash" on the cemetery worker dude. I know that the viewer has seen a hooded individual do the crimes, but how did Mulder have any idea what he was looking for? He really just "imagined it"??

Best or Worst Moment

I don't like the "hit me over the head" editing that accompanies the significant touches these days, but the one in the jail cell that Padgett catches full on — which subsequently reveals to him that Scully's heart is elsewhere — is very telling in terms of the relationship growth between M&S. Mulder has a habit of having his way with prisoners and in the past, he's never paid much mind to any sort of protest from Scully, but here he restrains himself at her light touch and call of his name. Nice.

Original Rating: * * * *
Revised Rating: * * * *

6X15 - Monday

Summary

For once, I don't mind the Star Trek rehash! I was really looking forward to this episode when I first heard it described and it definitely lived up to my expectations. (Definitely one for inclusion on my Top Ten List.) To me, everything about this episode works: the understated interactions between M&S, the metaphysical stuff about reality and the idea of fate and how some things might just have to be, the great and convincing performances by all concerned... everything except that screaming woman in the bank. :)

Best or Worst Moment

The obvious best moments were the ones of Scully hovering over the critically wounded Mulder, I suppose, but there were also a lot of nice little moments that stood out simply for their "ordinary-ness", in that the exchanges between M&S were not overly serious or intentionally comical. But maybe the best and worst moment to me was every time that she asked him about that waterbed... answer her, dammit!

Original Rating: * * * *

5X14 - The Red and the Black [REVISITED]

Summary

Still left me kinda puzzled at the end, but this one had enough emotion to carry me through the confusing moments. I commented to a fellow fan during this past year (season seven) that the show has lost those panoramic, "feature film" style episodes with great locations and thrilling effects that we used to see once or twice a year, particularly in the guise of these mytharc two-parters. While this one was not quite as ambitious as Mulder hopping onto a moving train, I still think it's a good throwback to that genre. The opening credits sequence where Mulder is walking among the bodies looking for Scully was chilling. His subsequent conversation with her in the hospital was almost painful to watch as the two of them struggle against one another's changing yet still opposing belief systems.

"Oh my God" indeed

No wonder CiggyButtFace wanted to write a novel..."twin war gods come to their father, seeking magic and weapons to eliminate the monsters of the world"? (Really, CC??) Even if Jeffy wants to read letters sent from somewhere in Quebec (oh, and that postal code really does belong to North Hatley, wow!), I think he'd be appalled at the content. Speaking of, why does he send the letter back? Is he aware of his father hiding out in Canada?

Yes, it is time to thank your lucky stars, Dana, because you probably should have been fried, given where you were. (Seemed to me like she was right in the thick of the action, not on the fringes where she could have easily run off.) Despite that, Scully lives to see another day to dispute the truth about aliens with Mulder. Powerful conversation during Mulder's second visit, when he tells her, "If I could prove that I was right and that what I believed for so long was wrong" and she responds with, "Is that what you really want?" The truth is, Mulder doesn't know what he really wants right now; he is at the apex of his confliction. After her subsequent "Oh, my God" regression hypnosis session, a pained Mulder tells Skinner, "Then I suggest you put that in your report" when the AD tells him that — despite what Mulder now believes — extraterrestrial phenomena seems the more plausible explanation in this case.

By the end of the episode, I suppose Mulder is a bit more clarified himself on the matter. After Krycek's visit (wasn't that a doozie?), Mulder takes the clue Krycek left him and goes to Wiekamp Airforce Base just in time to catch a ride on the truck that's carrying the alien resistance dude (having been turned over to the colonists by the Syndicate). ABH is driving and subsequently stops to kill the rebel but — apparently — a successful rescue attempt occurs? Mulder is witness to this event, but it is all bright lights and confusion as usual so when he finally reunites with Scully, he doesn't know what has really transpired.

A bit about the alien storyline at this point. I felt clarified during this revisitation in that I understood that there was one captured alien rebel (maybe the one with the original bright idea that "oh, we shall 'mutilate' ourselves to make us immune to the powerful black oil substance"), taken from a group who are leading a resistance, AKA an "attack on the alien colonists" which, unfortunately, seems to have no regard for collateral damage... rather than have all these human beings be taken for testing, let's just burn them instead? (By the way, I think I mentioned a long time ago that CC's many variations of aliens ultimately made me lose interest and snapped that suspension of disbelief thing.) As an aside, I suppose this clearly indicates that the black oil substance is capable of controlling even the aliens themselves in terms of how they act and think? Is this black oil the TXF version of Star Trek's Borg?

Best or Worst Moment

Not so much a specific moment as a pervasive "feeling" throughout the episode that even though our heroes are each suffering his or her own pain — and feeling justifiably perturbed by the other's refusal to see things in the same way — they don't "lose" one another. I liked that. The little touches that they shared in this one were comforting.

Among all those painful moments, it was refreshing to hear a typical Mulder quip: "If those are my last words, I can do better." I'd kiss him too, just for being that clever in the face of death.

Original Rating: * * * *
Revised Rating: * * * *

5X12 - Bad Blood [REVISITED]

Summary

I knew that this one would wind up in my top three TXF eps of all time when I first saw it. Something about the teaser alone told me that this one would rock and it did in more ways than one! What an enjoyable hour. I'm sure that this is the case with many fans, but when I re-watch an ep on tape, there are invariably parts that I fast forward through just to get to the next good part. Not the case here. The excellent bit of casting and characterization involving Luke Wilson kept me invested and interested throughout. Tremendous job by both DD and GA in giving us alternating versions of Mulder and Scully that we all know and recognize, albeit in less cartoonish fashion. Great dialogue and choice of situational comedy. (Okay, so Vince Gilligan basically rules! By the way, I highly recommend his Home Fries movie as a quirky and humorous way to spend ninety minutes or so.)

Mulder's reaction to the "buck-toothed" Sheriff

Bad Blood is still tied at the top of my top ten defining TXF episodes list. As I conduct this 20th anniversary rewatch, I've had some changing thoughts about some of the episodes on that list (although nothing so serious that I would revise it), but the top two? Nothing's changed there.

The unique thing about this episode is how memorable it is for what it is. Just think: it wasn't related to the show's ponderous mythology nor was it one of its more successful MotW eps. (After all, it was about vampires — long before vampires were considered sexy/cool/trendy.) Despite that, I think every TXF fan who has ever seen the episode can describe what happens during this hour and manage to highlight his/her most memorable scene.

And when you talk about those memorable scenes, well, where do you start when it's a case of one memorable scene after another? Here are a few I haven't yet mentioned:

1) Mulder doing the "Dance of Death" on his garbage can near the beginning of the episode.

2) "Dana".

3) Mulder giggling away while vibrating on Scully's "magic fingers" bed (in her version of the story).

4) Scully's touching sense of horror when she realizes that the pizza contains the chloral hydrate and that Mulder is going to be the next victim.

5) Scully virtually screeching at Mulder that "I do it all for you, Mulder" (in his version of the story).

6) Ronnie telling Mulder, "You are in big trouble" after Mulder tosses sunflower seeds at him.

7) Scully inexplicably trying to straighten Mulder's tie as they wait to be confronted by Skinner.

8) Ronnie trying to attack the coroner and realizing that he's missing his vampire teeth.

9) Mulder telling Scully in his best southern drawl, "Don't say I never did anythin' fer ya", after he suggests to Sheriff Hartwell that he stay with Scully. [I found this to be very generous of Mulder; after all, I don't think that Scully would do the same if the tables were turned.]

10) Mulder's last line: "Except for the part about the buck teeth."

Best or Worst Moment

All right, the best moment out of many great ones in this episode — for me — is the look on Mulder's face when the Sheriff first enters the room (in his version of the story) and utters his first words, "Y'all must be the gov'mint people." I don't think I've ever laughed so hard during an X-Files episode.

Original Rating: * * * *
Revised Rating: * * * *

5X03 - Redux II [REVISITED]

Summary

Powerful close to a somewhat confusing cliff-hanging mytharc. Great performances all around, with a tight script that moved along intensely and effectively. What I remember most about first watching this episode was that total "blow me away" feeling that I got from seeing all that "touchy-feely" stuff, though. (Whoa — CC actually allowed all that to get expressed??) Overall, this was a wonderful story about love and sacrifice and the price that we'll pay to get what we want. Nothing exactly X-File-ish in that sense, but a long overdue look at how far Mulder and Scully have travelled and their unwavering commitment to each other. CC and the boys should be required to take a closer look at this ep every time they spout that "plot-driven not character-driven" refrain. We got both here.

Some of that "touchy feely" stuff

"As a friend..." So why do so many people want to be Mulder's friend this week? I mean, he could sure use one, what with his partner at death's door and his long-lost sister rebuking him.

I didn't draw this connection before, but this episode opens with a scene reminiscent of an early scene from One Breath: Mulder being held back after losing control at the sight of Dana Scully in a hospital bed. Very effectively played.

And I've sung my praises of this episode here and on my top ten list, so perhaps I will take this opportunity to ask some questions after this revisitation. Because didn't the final half hour of this story arc leave you virtually gasping for answers? And weren't you among the many who still had question marks hanging over your heads as we were then led into Unusual Suspects and (especially) Detour?

1) So Blevins was just a baddie planted in the FBI by Roush Technologies? And his major contribution was to send a green agent like Dana Scully to "spy" on Fox Mulder? And we don't need to know any more about him or Roush since he was so quickly disposed of?

2) So what is the point of a sniper getting a target in the crosshairs — and this happens on other shows too, so it's not just a TXF vexation — and then not pulling the trigger? Why was the Syndicate even trying to kill CSM? (And then being so sloppy as to not confirm him as being dead? Just a way for CC to play with us viewers again, huh?)

3) Uh, didn't Mulder still murder the DoD guy? Just because Blevins runs away from the Red Room (didn't the lighting in that place drive you crazy??) and gets himself killed, all charges are dropped?

4) Come on, CC... what was this Samantha all about? She had quite the story to tell and for all intents and purposes, this incident could have halfway resolved the Samantha story arc. Instead, you seem to change your mind a year later by having Cassandra Spender declare, "Nah, that wasn't her". (Never mind what transpired yet another year after that.)

Best or Worst Moment

You can't go wrong in choosing any of the M&S moments in this total showcase of great M&S moments. But my personal favourite is the final few seconds of the show when Mulder is considering the photo of himself and his sister, splattered with what would appear to be CSM's blood. It hurts even to imagine the pain of what he might be feeling, having just met the "sister" who wants nothing to do with him.

Original Rating: * * * *
Revised Rating: * * * *

4X22 - Elegy [REVISITED]

Summary

I've gained appreciation for this episode as time goes on. The "I see dead people" angle is not my favourite part (because it merely adds to Scully's "list of paranormal experiences I've lived that I'll totally ignore") but I will admit that it made a lot of sense within the context of this show. We're gradually leading up to the immediacy and seriousness of Scully's illness and the fact that she's had this "inner window" opened to death is significant. Loved the entire overlay of tension that blankets our heroes as the story progresses. I liked the character of Harold and most of the supporting players at the psychiatric center — they seemed both funny and real. If anything, it was the climax of this one that was lacking. While the attack on Scully was unexpected, it was textbook cliche to have the culprit be no better than a "scorned woman". Okay, scorned woman on drugs...

Scully, after seeing the ghost of Harold Spuller

If it weren't for the "scorned woman on drugs" ending, I would say that this one really, really deserved a four star rating. But, as a salute to all the rest of the good stuff that's in this episode, I will give it a four anyway. As we approach the end of the season, it's very realistic to have Scully be reminded of her illness and for her to acknowledge that she's dealing with it on a weekly basis. I know for a fact that no one who has cancer can ever get it totally out of his/her mind. I especially liked seeing the session that Scully has with Karen Kosseff, where they touched on some very important points about how Scully views Mulder. Let's just say that if I received a terminal cancer diagnosis, I would choose to surround myself with the people who mean the most to me for as long as I can. And in Scully's case, that means continuing to work with Mulder, not because she owes him, not because she fears failing him, but because she receives comfort and validation from being with him. (Yes, I know it's usual to say that Mulder gets that from Scully, but I think it bears pointing out that it works both ways.)

And of course, you have to appreciate the conversation that M&S have at the end, when Scully reveals to Mulder that she had seen something that she didn't want to believe. Mulder's answer was quite appropriate: "You can believe what you want to believe, Scully, but you can't hide the truth from me..." When he says that he's afraid of the same thing that she is, she tells him that the doctor said she was fine. It wasn't until this viewing that I truly understood what Mulder meant when he replied, "I hope that's the truth." He hopes that Scully is telling him the truth, not the doctor.

Best or Worst Moment

Gotta say that Mr. Shiban created some very poignant moments between Mulder and Scully in this episode. (The actors gave it their all, in my humble opinion.) There are several good ones (including the "confrontation" scene near the end) but the one I want to highlight happens just prior to Scully entering the bathroom and having her "vision". A drop of red blood drips onto a white page as she leans over it. The fear, sadness, and anxiety expressed by Mulder/DD as he whispers, "Oh, Scully..." said it all.

Original Rating: * * *
Revised Rating: * * * *

4X20 - Small Potatoes [REVISITED]

Summary

This has just got to be on everyone's top ten list, as it is on mine. While the case itself was not original (as Mulder had occasion to say during the episode itself, we've "seen this before"), the presentation was brilliant. The acting was top-notch and the humour just came naturally. And you had to love Eddie "the loser", even though the thought of someone impersonating your husband or significant other during such intimacy is horrifying to say the least. I guess you could say that his heart was in the right place. I like how Vince Gilligan is able to give our little Scully a realistic sense of humour in his scripts. ("On behalf of all the women in the world, I seriously doubt that this has anything to do with consensual sex.") This one rolled along so fabulously that the plot holes were rendered inconsequential. Now that's good story-telling!

It's not Jeremiah Smith!

"I was just here — where did I go?"

AWKWARD with capital letters! There are certain episodes or events from episodes that I would just as soon omit from TXF canon, and yes — perhaps surprisingly — the whole Eddie Van Blundht encounter qualifies. I mean, how on earth do these two get past this?? (By not talking about it, hence my exclamation of "AWKWARD".) A month later, Mulder acquiesces to a request from Eddie to see him — and he even brings Scully along (!) — only to spend no more than two minutes getting an assessment of his life handed over to him in the psychological equivalent of a sad paper sack. And he's also obviously disturbed by what Eddie said to him as he walks out with Scully, leaving her with those immortal words, "But I'm no Eddie Van Blundht, either, am I?" Poor Mulder! See what I mean about wanting to erase this whole thing out of canon?

The thing is, I don't buy that "we don't talk" nonsense. This is season four and year five (although the series' writers apparently lost track of that latter fact) of their partnership. They have been through the Scully abduction arc and even the cancer arc. I don't think that during all of those plane rides, stakeouts and overnight stays in strange motels that it was all business, all the time. I'm not saying they were involved, but they surely enjoyed downtime as much as any other two colleagues who got along well together and truly liked one another. And while Eddie had to have had some smarts to fool that many women, I really, really don't think he had an innate understanding of Mulder and what his relationship to Scully might or might not have been, from just exchanging a few words with him.

So what do you think Mulder's first words were, after Eddie returned to being Eddie on Scully's couch? I suspect there is probably oodles of fanfic devoted to it even though I have never been tempted myself. How about something as simple and basic as, "You goddamn son of a bitch, I'll teach you to lock me up in cage! What the hell is going on here, Scully?"

Picayune Peculiarities

I'm not going to downgrade this from a 4-star ep, but indulge me as I point out some really strange things (those afore-mentioned plot holes that grow bigger with subsequent viewing) that are a challenge to accept in this one.

1) How did Fred and Baboo get Mulder's cell phone number?

2) Why didn't they get someone approximating DD's height to play Fred, so as to make the "suit borrowing" thing a little more believable? (EddieAsMulder should have appeared like Mulder in Fight the Future after he borrowed Byers' clothes.)

3) And the really big question — how easy is it to fool Dana Scully? I mean, she is aware of the special ability that's at play in this case and yet she saw nothing peculiar to suspect Mulder on the whole trip back to D.C. and into their evening? (I mean, it was funny and entertaining as all hell, but come on!)

4) Why didn't Mulder call Scully after he escaped? (Yes, I know; kicking in her door to possibly find her in a compromising position with EddieAsMulder was more dramatic.)

Best or Worst Moment

What can I say — I loved the "Eddie as Mulder" moments. In particular, my favourite sequence was his "introduction" to the basement office and the realization of what this G-Man does for a living. (Of course, the "Eddie as Mulder" and Scully encounter was quite memorable, but to pick that "moment" would be too obvious.)

Original Rating: * * * *
Revised Rating: * * * *

4X17 - Tempus Fugit

Summary

Was this the last of the true X-Files "motion pictures" that we used to get once or twice a season? All of a sudden I find it amazing that we got both this two-parter and Tunguska/Terma in the same season. Nice to see the return of Max Fenig, even though the return ends in his almost immediate demise. He somehow made being a nerd seem somewhat cool. At the very least, he struck a chord with Mulder. I must admit that this episode continues to be a bit baffling to me — in a good way, though — but I'm always carried away by the plot and the "what if's" every time I watch it. It's full of intrigue and excitement, the way an X-Files episode should be. Throw in some tremendous production values and nothing much more needs to be said. Except maybe, "Poor Pendrell."

Best or Worst Moment

What can I say? "Back in the day" (to coin a phrase from a so-so season seven episode), I liked those classic Mulder and Scully moments just as much as the next person. The opening sequence at the pub was cute and sweet and more along the lines of how I'd like to remember M&S than anything that I've seen in season eight.

Original Rating: * * * *

4X15 - Memento Mori

Summary

Once again, at a distance of three, almost four years later, it's somewhat bittersweet to reminisce on TXF's better days. Definitely one of the series' major successes, this episode let us in on some interesting moments and created some indelible memories. And it was supported by outstanding performances all around, from the guest spots to the semi-regulars to David and Gillian. At times, it hurt to watch, but I think that's always been one of the X-Files' strong points: its ability to wring true emotion out of viewers without being manipulative about it. This wasn't a sob-fest, but the seeming futility of Scully's condition was always just close enough to the surface to make us acutely aware of Mulder's barely-controlled frustration as well as her tightly controlled fear. Observations post-airing? Well, I wonder if CC and the boys remember that Mulder took samples of Scully's ova. He could have ensured that they remained viable. Might this be how the awful pregnancy from hell started?

Best or Worst Moment

I'll go with one of the defining M&S moments of the series: the next to final scene in the hallway of the hospital. One complaint though — having seen the first or alternate version of this, I wish someone had taken the time to write the scene so that it didn't have the overly mushy tone of the original, but also not the sterile impersonal tone of the final (which I say doesn't match well with what Scully wrote in her journal). True, this woman is repressed without bound, but this was actually a very open moment between the two of them and knowing that Mulder had read some of what she wrote, she should have been able to speak in kind.

Original Rating: * * * *

4X08 - Paper Hearts [REVISITED]

Summary

Vince Gilligan sets out to pose a more down to earth explanation for Samantha's disappearance and definitely succeeds. This episode is one of the series' most outstanding examples of a self-contained story that allowed both characters to shine. As I write this in "present day" (during the airing of a season eight that is destined to live in infamy), just thinking about this episode is enough to make me ache for times gone by. Has Gilligan even written anything comparable since? (Outside of the apples to oranges comparison to Bad Blood?) His antagonist was perfectly created, slimy yet convincingly "nice". Every single one of Mulder's actions — even the questionable ones — is consistent with what we know of his character. Moreover, every single Scully reaction is supportive, even as she attempts to pull him back at every turn. She succeeds in doing this without being harsh or insensitive. I found it amazing that I was able to feel what every character was feeling, from Mulder's need for a conclusion to his extended nightmare, to Scully's wish that he might find it, to Skinner's concern that he'd risk too much in his search, and finally, to Roche's desperate need for release from his imprisonment, both physical and mental.

The only end there could be,
given the circumstances

There's not much to add that hasn't already been said in various other quarters, but I did want to point out that when I decided to conduct a re-watch of TXF, this was the first episode that I pulled out. It's not a secret that I suffered a nasty "break" with the show and avoided it totally after season eight, to the inclusion of the series finale and the 2008 movie. So when I decided to step back into the world, I wanted to land somewhere safe, and I knew it would be with Paper Hearts. (Oh, and to answer my own question — about what Vince Gilligan has written that's comparable since — I hear he's done okay with a little series called Breaking Bad...)

To address the only real criticisms of this episode, I would have to say that in all fairness to what evidence Mulder may or may not have dismissed about the various "Samantha sightings" to this point in the series, none of them have proven out that she is indeed alive. (Despite ABH saying so in End Game and the Ghost of Papa Mulder saying "she's not here" in The Blessing Way.) Various clones are not her and the so-called original in End Game may or may not have been her. If cloning is so perfectly possible in the TXF world, it could have been accomplished with tissue taken from Samantha before she was abducted by aliens, The Project, or a vacuum cleaner salesman.

I have more to say about Paper Hearts in my Top Ten list.

Best or Worst Moment

The scene that consistently comes to mind when I think of this episode is the one of Mulder in the morgue with the remains of the young girl that he and Scully have just discovered. He's somewhat relieved that it's not Samantha but in the next moment, he realizes with barely contained emotion that it's still someone who likely has family waiting for her. Just another fine display of Mulder's innate empathy towards others. And in the end, he still doesn't know what happened to his sister.

Original Rating: * * * *
Revised Rating: * * * *

4X09 - Tunguska [REVISITED]

Summary

Accused of being one of those testosterone-fueled episodes made "for the boys", this girl happened to like it. And because of my personal fascination with dinosaurs and outer space prior to becoming a TXF fan, I even knew about the significance of Tunguska before this ep. In any case, what's not to like here? There's intrigue — even foreign intrigue. There's Mulder and Scully taking part in a dramatic military-style takedown. Krycek's back in town and unwittingly serving as Mulder's punching bag. There's confirmation that Mulder did not sleep with Marita. (A silly, cute, and unnecessary detail if you ask me.) Then there's all that running around in the dirt and mud of Russia with a little bit of MulderTorture thrown in for good measure. Just a great example of the type of large-scale movie-like episodes that TXF used to do that — quite frankly — I've missed in recent years. There was true excitement here in this fast-paced episode and I must admit, I had a high hopes for some real answers in part two. (What can I say? At the time that I originally saw this, I was still somewhat naive about getting answers.)

Not exactly what you would call
"state of the art" testing technology, huh?

All I have to add here are the questions that I had after viewing the episode, both now and "back then"...

1) Exactly how intelligent is this black oil? It seems like awfully complex stuff for its appearance. Not only will it completely take over a host and add enormous strength and powers to him/her, it seems to know when a host may be useful and when it may not. I'm specifically speaking of how Dr. Sacks was generally just immobilized by it; not killed, not taken over in any significant way, and not used to any advantage. Why not?

2) Why is it so hard for the Syndicate to "handle" Fox Mulder and his various sources? They seem to know his every move, and yet they consistently throw a fit whenever he's onto any small thing. Which leads to question 2a: How does Alex Krycek stay alive between sweeps periods? I mean, I love seeing these big episodes with the two boys, but come on — this all-powerful consortium can't take out a simple rat that keeps leaking information all over the place?

3) Why does every baddie on TXF fear "exposure"? With all that's going on, people would just be confused if any of this stuff were to be exposed...

Picayune Peculiarities

Gotta love those inappropriately timed expository moments meant for the viewing audience. I'm referring to that initial exchange between Mulder and Scully when he explains to her that he's received receipts... yep, he has not told her about those until this very moment when they are all dressed up in riot gear waiting to make a move.

Those border guards in Honolulu are sure hard-core... don't forget your suitcase combo or they'll do a strip and cavity search on you! (They've also got slippery fingers when it comes to handling materials that have been identified to be bio-hazards.)

Best or Worst Moment

Mulder had some great lines in this one that are quite memorable. To Krycek when he originally encounters him after the takedown: "You're an invertebrate scum-sucker whose moral dipstick is about two drops short of bone-dry." Then, again to Krycek after he (Mulder) and Scully discover the contents of the diplomatic pouch: "What did you get for Halloween, Charlie Brown?"

Original Rating: * * * *
Revised Rating: * * * *

4X03 - Home [REVISITED]

Summary

I remember my husband and I turning to one another during a commercial break and saying, "Well, that was twisted!" (This remains his personal favourite episode.) I never knew at the time the sort of commotion that this one would ultimately create, despite having said that. While it was indeed violent, sick, and perverse, it still remained true to the X-Files in both story and characterization. I mean, if you ask anyone about this ep, they'll likely tell you that — beyond the "ickiness" — it was a very well done episode from the standpoint of Mulder and Scully. It was one of those "hidden gem" sort of shows that left viewers with a lot of background character stuff.

Who would have guessed that the first
"Uber Scully" would end up being given away?

"Goodnight, Mom."

Morals of this story: 1) always lock your doors, 2) always turn on your lights when you investigate a noise at night, and 3) if you're law enforcement and you're going for the gun, don't opt for the bat.

I liked that Mulder was disturbed enough by the events of this story to want to secure his hotel room door and to have more backup the next day before they storm the Peacocks' house (great line: "that was just a little bit too Chuck Bronson for me"). He's not usually one to look before he leaps.

I decided to rewatch this one because I actually haven't seen it all that many times. I had it on tape back in the day, but it wasn't something that I took out to view with any regularity, like I would other episodes. It is not an episode that I find scary, but the violence of it is unsettling. In any case, I think that today — i.e., circa 2013 — I find the content less shocking because there are actually so many strange and weird things happening in real life right under our noses. Would three brothers necessarily be that depraved and violent? Well, with a mother like that, who knows? And I can't say with any certainty what might be considered acceptable or unacceptable behaviour in the back woods of wherever.

By the way, wandering through that house would have been freaky enough without it being booby-trapped in such gruesome ways. To pull off a story device like that, you need to depend on unrealistic luck (i.e., Mulder and Scully not falling prey) and sacrifice a redshirt (the deputy), and in this case, it really wasn't needed.

This may have been the only X-Files episode where I was thankful for the dark lighting. Didn't need to see much more than what we saw. Cinematically speaking, Home was a great achievement for weekly episodic television. It wasn't an x-file, but in terms of raw story telling, it deserves an uptick in rating.

Picayune Peculiarities

Do M&S travel with those earpiece thingamajigs? (Because you don't mean to tell me that the quaint little place of Home actually has such technology. I had a hard enough time believing that they had bullet proof vests.) Anyway, how fortuitous that they packed more than two.

You would think that all that inbreeding would make it more difficult to conceive, but how old is Ma Peacock and she's still pumping them out like that?? The oldest son was said to be 42! (Maybe that's the x-file.) And why ever did Scully jump to the conclusion that the younger sons must have been fathered by the oldest? (Dad didn't die until the car accident about ten years ago, right?) Big brother would only have been about 12 at the time of the birth of son #2.

Best or Worst Moment

Yes, it was an interesting conversation on the bench, full of that lovely flirtatious stuff that used to thrill, prior to the onset of darkness caused by the cancer diagnosis. And I've said it before, but I'll say it again: Christmas Carol/Emily and Requiem notwithstanding, I still don't see Scully as a mother.

Original Rating: * * *
Revised Rating: * * * *

3X12 - War of the Coprophages

Summary

This one was just fun from the very beginning. Even a simple phrase like "sittin' and thinkin'" has meaning to Philes because of this episode. Loved the various instances of Mulder calling up Scully and interrupting her thrilling Friday night activities, only to hear all these logical explanations of his supposedly weird phenomena. Does this mean that Scully lives to prove Mulder wrong? Well, like Mulder will say in a few years, she's probably never really proved him wrong, but you can't deny that she's committed to making sure he stays on the straight and narrow. Especially if there's a woman named Bambi involved... Darin Morgan hit all the right spots with this script, creating great scenes for both Mulder and Scully.

Best or Worst Moment

If I had to narrow it down to one, it had to be that moment of the cockroach scrabbling across the TV screen. But as I mentioned about this episode in my top ten list, there were plenty of other ones. Go watch it again and make your own list.

Original Rating: * * * *

3X08 - Oubliette [REVISITED]

Summary

This is one of those episodes that grows on me the more I watch it. Great for the insight into Mulder (although as many people have pointed out — bad for the awful portrayal of Dana Scully), highlighting once again his totally empathic nature. The circumstances were disturbing, even if you didn't want to believe in the link between Amy and Lucy. This was one of those rare cases where the X-File didn't have to be solved, so to speak; the facts were there to be interpreted as you wished. And if you're at all like Fox Mulder, you know that Lucy saved more than Amy with her "sacrifice". Overall, this episode was sensitively written and performed, if you ignore a couple of bad Scully moments.

"Mulder, stop!" - Really, Dr. Scully??

"I’m sorry, but how could you really know how I feel?" Oh, but I do... in spades.

This one made me cry in a way that I don't think I did when I originally saw it, leading to the elevated rating. And I assume it must be because in the intervening years, we have heard so much about real life cases like this, where unspeakable things happen right under people's noses and perpetrators get away with it for decades. But adding to the sadness is the part where it is revealed that Wade is bipolar. We are experiencing a mental health crisis in our society where people who are mentally ill are still not getting the help that they need. I don't imagine that Wade's character was meant to garner any sympathy, but in the real world, he is also a victim.

Otherwise, it was DD's performance and Mulder's empathy that struck a chord with me in this one. I could imagine being Lucy and being hard as nails even as this strange thing was happening to me... and then I meet this person who, despite all the "evidence" and my attitude, keeps reaching out to me. And it didn't happen all at once, of course. The progression of Lucy learning to open up to Mulder was realistic and extremely well written. This is a person who distrusts the world and has been "spoiled" by a kidnapper over seventeen years ago. She owes no one anything. And yet, I think she took Mulder's statement to heart ("she has to make it and you have to help her") when she realized at the end that she could save Amy and — in the process — herself.

I liked how this episode brought out the very human side of both Mulder and Scully. As Mulder says, "not everything I do, say, think, and feel goes back to my sister" but one would have to admit that that experience probably gave him a leg up on this case. And Scully — in true human fashion — may sometimes be too quick to pin the "sister thing" on Mulder when he gets obsessive about a damsel in distress. But she should also know that Mulder's background in psychology probably provides him with at least a little bit of self-awareness.

Writer Charles Grant Craig, who apparently only worked on TXF for a short time during season three, deserves high praise for having put together this hour.

Best or Worst Moment

I'll go along with the crowd and say that I was totally appalled with how the good Doctor Scully urged Mulder to give up on his (i.e., not her) CPR attempt after a few seconds. I don't quite know what to make of how that was written. Maybe the compressed time of the final act made it appear more unrealistic than it was meant to be. After all, even though Mulder reacted semi-violently to her prompting, he did stop, indicating that maybe he had been trying for longer than we thought? Or am I reaching?

Original Rating: * * *
Revised Rating: * * * *

3X04 - Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose [REVISITED]

Summary

I loved Peter Boyle's portrayal of Clyde Bruckman when I saw this ep and have to add that I think he's a wonderful scene stealer on Everybody Loves Raymond. It was, of course, Mr. Darin Morgan's outstanding writing that allowed the character to be so amusing and memorable, but the actor also had a tremendous chemistry and rapport with the Mulder and Scully characters. In terms of story, this was one of those great X-Files that didn't have to rely on anything other than simple human interaction to deliver a fine hour of entertainment. No aliens, no monsters... just the final days in the life of an old man who no longer wishes to cope with his "gift". It was funny, touching, and filled with so many layers of meaning all at once.

"Why are you telling me that?"

"Oh, it's you." Too funny!

The way in which the ultimately sad theme of this episode is wrapped up and presented to us is a true gift. I actually believe that our lives are more or less mapped out for us in terms of how we live and when we die, but I think that the nuances of our journey are constantly being changed by choices that we make. So I totally agreed with Mulder when he told Bruckman that "I believe in your ability but not in your attitude". I may be fated to die on a specific day, but the choices I make in my life will affect how I die and under what circumstances... in the same way that I think Bruckman's choice to help out our agents actually led to Scully being at his bedside when he expired.

And wouldn't this have made a great X-Files movie? Whenever the question arises about another film, CC talks about wanting to tie up the mythology. That animal has so many spidery loose ends that it can never be adequately resolved, and I would seriously question the rationale of attempting to do it in a two hour time frame. (Frank Spotnitz: "...us trying to design this mythology as we went along, it made it virtually impossible to give it some kind of organic, novelistic conclusion...") If anyone connected to TXF were to ask me — which no one ever does — I'd say that if you would have made a few of these types of episodes into feature length adventures (and cut short the number of seasons the show ran), they would have been winners at the box office.

I believe that CC himself once said that as time goes on, TXF's lasting appeal will be via the stand-alone episodes. And this one — from the extremely capable hands of Darin Morgan — is a magnificent example. Excellent writing will always elevate any absurd plot to greater heights and Mr. Morgan demonstrated this in (sadly) only four scripts for the show.

Best or Worst Moment

I have three. First is Mulder's honest, deadpan delivery of "Why are you telling me that?" in response to Bruckman's offhand revelation that there's no more undignified way to go than autoerotic asphyxiation. Second, I loved the opening sequence with the Stupendous Yappi and the "comparison" digs at Mulder, culminating in the latter being banished from the room for his negative energy. Third — "I'm supposed to believe that's a real name?" Great stuff!

Original Rating: * * * *
Revised Rating: * * * *

3X02 - Paper Clip [REVISITED]

Summary

Good old fashioned edge-of-your-seat excitement underscores this episode. I thought the symbolism of the white buffalo was well used (and again, it speaks to the history of this show not doing things halfway by including footage that really wasn't necessary to move the plot along). I loved the entire sequence of the "lots and lots of files", along with the first real appearance of "aliens" and their spacecraft. (Of course, this was back when we weren't innundated by forty thousand-odd variations of them.) And while the whole "one and only copy" digital tape plot is lame, I appreciated the difficulty of the decisions that Mulder, Scully and Skinner had to deal with, in terms of personal and professional consequences.... Speaking of consequences, great scene with Krycek as he bolts from certain death. As with The Blessing Way, however, certain things stick out in hindsight that make me wonder about lost opportunities. Ma Mulder said in this one that "I couldn't choose", implying that Mulder's parents had full knowledge of what Samantha's fate was/would be. Didn't sound to me like she would later send out search parties after having visions of her child travelling through space in starlight... or whatever it was that Closure said happened.

A Mexican Standoff of the most intriguing kind

"Welcome to the wonderful world of high technology."

Isn't it interesting that the ancient tradition of the Navajo accomplishes pretty much the same result as our social media does in the 21st century? Hard to keep a secret these days... Nice bluff by Skinner. Not a great choice, on the other hand, to keep the tape on his person so that he can be assaulted for it.

But I have to say that watching Paper Clip this time made me sad. Why? Because it set up such a wide range of possibilities that could have culminated in some great future resolutions. Instead, as I revisit the episode with full knowledge of what came afterwards, I was left to lament the fact that so much of that potential ended up being lost, misplaced, whatever.

I remember being quite thrilled by the whole saucer sequence and the "little beings" who scurried past Scully in the dark. It seemed like a bit of a payoff for those who had watched a couple of seasons expecting to see some aliens. But those scenes turned out not to have any meaning whatsoever. Like Scully says at the end of the episode, I want answers! Was Mulder just lucky to have seen that saucer take off or was this a daily/weekly ritual at the Strughold Mining Facility in rural West Virginia?? Regularly scheduled take-offs for the mother world every Wednesday at 6:00 pm... be there or be square. Why was this facility never looked at again? You would think that if data and actual tissue samples were stored there and "little beings" were on site, it would merit a return visit. Surely CSM didn't say, "Burn it!" to this too, did he?

On a serious note, I found the discussion that Mulder, Scully and Skinner have at the diner very realistic. Scully says, "Those answers mean nothing if we're going to be hunted down like animals... we've turned ourselves into outsiders." I'm pretty sure that 99.9% of us — apart from hardened criminals who really are trying to get away from the law — would feel the same way. Because in truth, there is no thrill in being on the run, having no place to call home, constantly looking over your shoulder. And it doesn't matter if you're sharing this situation with the greatest love of your life. That's the part of the X-File canon that I have tremendous difficulty coming to terms with, the fact that this is precisely where Mulder and Scully are at the end of the series. (I have no knowledge of how that may have changed by the end of the second movie; it probably didn't.) Nothing — except bad writing — should have led them to that point.

Y'see, I appreciated the story that we were given at the time of Paper Clip. I liked the explanation given by the Well Manicured Man; he was a great character who made sense in a way that the rest of the conspirators didn't. I liked that he saved Scully in The Blessing Way and was honest enough with her to admit that he was doing so for his own purposes. [An aside here: I decided to include the WMM in my story The Sum of My Tomorrows based on what happened in Fight the Future. In coming back to this episode and its predecessor, I feel very confident that I chose the right route to resolving the conspiracy as far as Samantha's "abduction" was concerned, as well as the planned colonization. Oddly enough, in my story — which I wrote in 2000 — the colonization effort ends up being abandoned in 2021, which is a reversal of the number that CC came up with in going with the now elapsed 2012. Curious, huh? If Fox and 1013 want to make that third movie based on my story, feel free to contact me. ;-)]

Picayune Peculiarities

Okay, apparently M&S spent a lot, a lot, of time inside that "vault" that we weren't privy to. When they pulled up to the mine, it was daylight and by the time Mulder bolted outside just in time to see the saucer lift off, it was dark. (The "small army" of MIB operatives wasn't very effective, it seemed.) Did our duo then spend the night out in the bushes? When they meet up with Skinner the next morning, he says that "this place" isn't even on the map, so how many services might be available in the area? Maybe Charlotte's Diner is a 24-hour joint. They obviously didn't go back to their vehicle for safety reasons.

There seemed to me no logical reason why were there so many electronic doors leading into what seemed like one large interconnected storage facility. Even if each entrance led to a different floor (in which case, Klemper knew exactly what floor our heroes needed to access to get the info that pertained to them), having multiple access doors lined up in a row like that is just odd. However, it was probably useful in allowing Mulder and Scully to get away from the MIBs who obviously became lost once they got inside.

Can't copy the file, can't print the file. Can you take a photograph or video of what appears on the computer screen? Hey, I know it would be time consuming, but that's one way.

Best or Worst Moment

Oh those glorious days of UST. (My first fanfic experience was a post-ep story dealing with the aftermath of Scully's vigil at her sister's bedside.) Anyway, I thought the concluding scene of this hour was wonderful, highlighted by strong dialogue choices. It clearly demonstrated Mulder and Scully's innate strengths as individuals and as partners. Having been involved with TXF fandom, however, I also immediately associate Paper Clip with "that elevator scene". Problem is, even when I go back to rewatch it now, I don't see where all that fanfic interpretation came from...

Original Rating: * * * *
Revised Rating: * * * *