Season Five: "resistance is possible"

Overall Rating: 2.65 out of 4 (circa 2003)

Season five was accused of being weak due to the fact that the creators and actors had been working through the previous summer on the long-anticipated (?) X-Files movie. It nevertheless opened strongly, I thought, with the Redux two-parter and the surprisingly tightly-woven tale of Susanne Modeski. (Upon recently re-watching Three of a Kind from season six, I've wondered if they can't convince Signy Coleman to join the cast somehow. She'd make a wonderful new Scully.... Hell, they talk about new Mulders so why not new Scullys??) Overall, while one of the worst episodes of all time made the cut in season five, we were also treated to one of the best episodes of all time, not to mention the very effective mythology arc of Mulder's disintegrating belief system. For a shortened production schedule, there were more winners than losers here.

Worst / Best

No question about it, it had to be Travelers. While not as appalling as season seven's Fight Club (which had the advantage of Mulder & Scully's involvement), it's an example of a conspiracy-heavy story without the chemistry of the characters that viewers have come to love. In other words, no matter what the creators may think, this isn't why we watch The X-Files. Nothing else this season even comes close to how I feel about this episode.

Those that have "so-so" repeat viewing potential for me include Christmas Carol and Schizogeny. I must admit that even though I don't especially care for Chinga and Kill Switch, I don't necessarily avoid them when they come around in repeats. (Maybe I'm still looking for that lost potential...)

Blurb from 2013... I liked Chinga less and Kill Switch more this time around. On the latter, I didn't like it enough to raise its rating because I still think that the overall premise is weak/unoriginal (and reminds me too much of Star Trek: The Motion Picture), but I was able to appreciate the performances. And the episode was stylishly done.

Just like the worst was a no-brainer, I think the best is also a no-brainer: Bad Blood for me, definitely. And I think I've spoken enough about it all over the place here to need no further justification for picking it. The really amazing thing is, even though sometimes the great episodes are not that great for repeat viewing, I can sit and watch this one over and over again.

Most Disappointing / Most Surprising

Kitsunegari comes to mind for most disappointing, because despite the great next-to-final scene, it really didn't deliver the goods based on its predecessor. I must say however, that it was unfortunately overhyped in the on-line community, leading us to expect more than even a good sequel would have been able to provide. Runners-up for this honour must also include the scripts from Stephen King and William Gibson, as well as the one that I just don't get, Post Modern Prometheus (hey, I'll keep trying...).

Most surprising is an easy one — Pine Bluff Variant. I'm tagging it with this honour because of the person who wrote it. With apologies to Mr. Shiban, he just hasn't been exceptionally strong in the past to come up with a story on his own that didn't make you cringe for all the wrong reasons. This one, despite the fact that it could only have ended one way (i.e., with Mulder alive), was an interesting journey into a new place. As I said in my review above, had it been just a bit less foggy in terms of what was really happening behind the scenes, I would have given it an "excellent" rating. Nothing deep about the ep otherwise, just a wonderful showcase for DD's dramatic talents.

5X20 - The End [REVISITED]

Summary

As seems usual, these season finales are always sort of hit and miss. Burn down the office? Sure, why not. Like CSM couldn't have done something more imaginative than that. Otherwise, I loved Gibson; tried not to hate Diana. (Didn't much succeed.) Spender is irritating. Scully is hurting and Mulder is basically clueless. I watched this recently and paid particular attention to the part where Diana first speaks up and reveals herself to Mulder. That and the scene where they exchange looks in the rear-view mirror of the car. Knowing her eventual end, I like to think that Diana didn't come back for the expressed purpose of causing Mulder more mayhem. I want to believe that both Mulder and CC had good reasons to have higher hopes for her. It's just that when you obstinately keep two characters apart — yet relish the idea of inserting rivals between them — you're going to incur the wrath of the fans. And fan reaction definitely led to Diana Fowley's downfall, no doubt about it. Sadly enough, she could have been so much more, but only if Mulder and Scully had been allowed to have "had" more in the first place.

What a nasty ending

There's always a bittersweet feeling as I watch this teaser, knowing that it was a goodbye to Vancouver and seeing how the "atmosphere" of the series changed afterwards. I'm not one to debate the move or why it was made (since I totally understand); I'm just pointing out that the show lost some of its vibe as a result.

As a season finale and especially as a "...and here we go into the movie" intro, this episode fell extremely flat for me. We have an interesting Gibson Praise character (Frohike's "Mini Me") with powers that are definitely intriguing. But when they are revealed to be "the key to everything in the X-Files", I thought, "Huh, how so?" Did I miss a scene — or five — somewhere where I could also have drawn this fanciful conclusion or are Mulder and Scully really that much smarter than me?

And it's not like me to side with Jeffy, but when he said to Mulder that "you led him" (the sniper that they have in custody), he was absolutely right. The gunman only said that the kid is "a missing link". Everything after that was spouted by Mulder... genetic proof, dormant genes, alien astronauts. Way to dig yourself into a professional grave, Fox.

Now, that said, for the request to the Attorney General for immunity for this man to be so controversial that — when the guy is subsequently killed in his jail cell — the X-Files, not to mention Mulder's and Scully's jobs, are in jeopardy...? What is that about? Was it their fault that the prisoner wasn't adequately guarded? Yeah, I know that Gibson was kidnapped and Fowley was shot while guarding him, but all of this is blamed on the X-Files? (But I guess it works as a foreshadowing to the movie, when just you wait 'til you see what else they can blame on Mulder, Scully and the X-Files!)

Oh, and of course, CSM ("I am your father") returns from the undead to orchestrate all of this. The Force is still strong in him, apparently.

Best or Worst Moment

Is this a best or a worst moment? I can't tell. However you categorize it though, it's definitely the moment of Scully sitting in her car after seeing Diana with Mulder. If I never knew it before, that moment told me in no uncertain terms that Scully had it bad for him. It made me hurt for her, as that was definitely a feeling that most females can identify with at one time or another. (That said, I would never be as peevish as she is sometimes to the man she loves as much as she shows here.)

Original Rating: * * *
Revised Rating: * *

5X19 - Folie a Deux

Summary

I found this one to be an effective MOTW episode, with a lot of powerful moments. The two partners are still sort of snarky with one another, still being driven apart by something not quite identifiable (although I took my own guess in my fanfic, of course). This is one of those monster eps where you think, well that's highly unlikely, but at the same time, it doesn't take a whole lot of convincing to decide to go with the flow and be frightened. I mean, how many of us weren't terrified by that scene in the hospital after that treacherous nurse opened up the window?? (By the same token, I was highly petrified by the mere thought of a telemarketing career.) That scrabbling insect-like thing — while never clearly visible — was definitely something that I wouldn't want to encounter. Above all, this episode offered a well-paced story with interesting secondary characters. Lambert and Pincus were sympathetic and fascinating in their own ways. Oh, and even though this was another of those eps where M&S were more apart than together, tension-ridden scenes like that of the hostage taking were very effective at making us overlook their separation.

Best or Worst Moment

I try to avoid the obvious moment, but I can't stop myself with this one. The moment that stands out for me is Mulder's bedside proclamation of "You're my one in five billion". It's something significant regardless of how he means it. When Mulder has his moments, he has them in a big way. (And he seems to have them while lying in bed!)

Original Rating: * * *

5X18 - The Pine Bluff Variant

Summary

I would have rated this one excellent if only the plot had been a little less obscure. But for the fact that the viewer knows that the tension is being manipulated, Mr. Shiban did a bang-up job on this script. It resulted in a great dramatic opportunity for DD, who was exceedingly effective at playing off a whole new set of actors. And speaking of the other actors, weren't they something else? "The Gimp"... how appropriate. Loved how Mulder recoiled when he saw him in the hotel room after he had done the finger-breaking thing. It wasn't until I rewatched this one again recently that I noticed how little screen time Mulder and Scully actually shared. Mulder's interactions with all of the secondary characters in this one were so interesting that I never had a chance to pine for more M&S scenes. DD did a commendable job, making me feel every emotion that he was feeling, right down to the quiet acceptance and fear at the thought of impending death.

Best or Worst Moment

Hard to watch, but DD was wonderful in the finger-breaking scene. He played Mulder smart-alecky, frightened, hurt, and strong at all the right times during that sequence. Needless to say, every time I watch this, I just cringe at the thought of the pain! Favourite line? "Touch me again and you better kill me!"

Original Rating: * * *

5X17 - All Souls [REVISITED]

Summary

Time for religious ScullyAngst again, which means that — in some people's eyes at least — it marks the return of insensitive Mulder. I thought I might find this one interesting from the teaser, but no, it didn't succeed at selling me a believable story. And it ended very abruptly, never mind quite unsatisfyingly. Somehow the concept of the "fight for all souls", the "Emily" thing, and the "four girls as fallen angels" just didn't mesh together very well. Despite the fact that Gillian did a wonderful job conjuring up all that angst, it didn't stir anything in me. If anything, it made me wonder once again how Scully can be so close-minded to the real paranormal things that she's seen in her job when she automatically buys into everything that smacks of religion. I mean, didn't even Father McCue imply that what she said she saw was a figment of her imagination from childhood memories? (Yes, I admit to being biased here by stuff that I've seen in later seasons, particularly in all things.)

"I think you should step away..."

I didn't dislike this one as much this time, so it gets an uptick in rating. I still stand by most of my previous observations, but I am now in a "calmer" place as I rewatch these, so I appreciated the story as a story while letting go of the irritations. (And make no mistake, those irritations are still many.) When Mulder says to Scully, "religion has masqueraded as the paranormal since the dawn of time to justify some of the most horrible acts in history" I couldn't help but "amen" to that. Open up any newspaper and it still goes on on a daily basis. Amen also to Mulder's subsequent comment that God may have His reasons, but "He seems to use a lot of psychotics to carry out His job orders."

What I found interesting in this episode was the idea that we all believe what we want to believe. That may sound overly simple, but what I mean is that we all have tendencies and leanings that predetermine what we ultimately believe when something occurs. Scully essentially ignores the opinions of two spiritual experts (for lack of a better term) — the priest that she confesses to and Father McCue — when they say that she is seeing things because she is still emotionally vulnerable. Scully instead believes, and not via any supporting evidence or any past precedent, that she was meant to have these visions for the purpose of "saving" the girls. Doing God's work, huh?

I must admit to being confused when Father McCue says to Scully towards the end of the episode that he understands that she has found the man responsible for the death of the girls... who is this man? Not Father Gregory? And not "Starkey as the Devil" apparently, since he was still wandering around free after this scene.

Best or Worst Moment

I'm going with the M&S moment at the police station when Scully finally confesses to Mulder that she saw Emily and therefore might be too close to the situation. Not often that she'll do that, and in this part of the fifth season (where I was one of the ones who felt that something was amiss between the two of them), it's all the more telling that she chooses to disclose this to him, particularly in light of how he's basically brushed off all her concerns throughout this episode.

Original Rating: * *
Revised Rating: * * *

5X16 - Mind's Eye [REVISITED]

Summary

Despite the almost prickly and definitely lukewarm interaction between our heroes in this one — brought on by Mulder's very characteristic interest in the underdog female (who really isn't in this case) — I find this one interesting and a good one to watch every now and again. Lili Taylor did a great job with her part, totally convincing me that Marty could exist with such hard and soft edges all at once. She's perfectly realistic that way. This one was very reminiscent of Oubliette, with the same steadfast belief coming from Mulder that "she's innocent" and the same lack of interest from Scully. Interestingly enough, there was also that same idea of an unwanted connection between the hard luck female characters and the ultimate "bad guys". Despite the similarities, from an x-file standpoint, I liked it.

What the hell does Mulder have
against the Ice Capades??

I don't have a whole lot to add to the analysis of this ep; I really just wanted to see it again. When the credits rolled, my only thought was, I hope she didn't get a long sentence. While a case can be made that Marty intended to kill Gotts, it doesn't take away the fact that Gotts had the same intention towards her — and he's the one with the recent murder record.

My other half and I recently had a discussion regarding what sense we would prefer to be deprived of if given a choice. Neither one of us wanted to be without sight; that's definitely a hard one. However, for someone who never had sight to begin with, I suppose it's a different consideration and we should not be surprised that Marty is so independent. I wonder... in the scene where she sees someone (herself) being escorted through the police station parking lot, what was she thinking? Did she know immediately that she was seeing herself? And if so, how did she know, considering that she's never seen herself before?

[By the way, compare Marty to Karen from Schizogeny and you get a good idea of what is required to draw sympathy and interest from the viewing audience. Marty was dealt a subpar hand from birth, but we get the feeling that she at least tries to prevail, survive, and be a good person.]

It's been said that Mulder made some pretty impressive leaps in this one. I suppose, in the context of the series, there is precedent for him doing so every now and again.

Best or Worst Moment

Face it, we like her spunkiness, but sometimes all those hard edges are sharp and cutting. So therefore, the end scene where Mulder comes to visit Marty in her cell is my choice for best moment, simply because she is a lot more pleasant here. I like that I'm able to understand what she feels — that the simple pleasures in life (such as seeing the ocean) do a lot to make up for the bad stuff.

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

5X15 - Travelers

Summary

The stinker of the fifth season...not a whole lot more to say on that one. If you ever want to know that TXF can succeed without M&S, don't watch this episode. By the way, at the time, I really thought that DD's antics with his wedding ring made it even worse. (At this stage of the game as we await an abbreviated Season Eight — abbreviated for DD, anyway — does anyone think that the significance of the wedding ring and smoking thing will ever be addressed?) For the second time this season, I waited through an episode wondering if Mulder was going to show up for more than ten minutes. While he appeared in this one more than in Christmas Carol, it didn't make for a much more satisfying experience for this viewer. Not a whole lot to say about this one, all told.

Didja catch it? Huh? Didja??

In the context of a one-off stand-alone story, if The X-Files had been an anthology series like Night Gallery, this could have been a darn good yarn if you didn't examine it up close. Although the alien aspects are too reminiscent of “Alien”, well drawn characters — I really like Arthur Dales and the actor who portrays him (Fredric Lane) — and that familiar x-files vibe created something that I did not expect to enjoy, at least a little, on this re-viewing. Now, I have to say for the record that a TXF episode should never go this route: no Scully and an oddly behaving Mulder (the hesitating speech, the distracting habit of wiping his hair to one side to show his wedding band and — yes — the smoking thing; all the more weird when you consider that the time frame wasn’t even that far ahead of the series’ start).

We had already had a “what happened back when” episode in Unusual Suspects earlier this season, the events of which took place in May 1989. The “real time” portion of this episode occurs in November 1990. So we are told — in typical “we’ll screw with you any way we can” X-Files fashion — that sometime between those two dates, Mulder went from being single to wearing a wedding ring. Notice I didn't say, went from being single to being married.

That’s because I still am of the opinion that the events of my story, Truths Revealed, also happened and explains why he was running around with a wedding ring. The smoking thing? Meh... considering that they ultimately went down the “[Luke], I am your father” path, this was an unnecessarily heavy-handed suggestion.

To get back to the story, what brings Travelers down a notch or three for me is the odd combination of a communist threat and the unusual lengths to which supposed “powers that be” decided to tackle the problem. That whole era being before my time and my not being an American probably affects my appreciation of the threat, but some of the dialogue here about how dangerous the USSR was becoming went right over my head. Even more incredible was the idea that someone (J Edgar himself?) thought the best way to attack this growing problem was to go the xenotransplantation route. Really?? Talk about a totally inappropriate solution.

As the story goes, seems Papa Mulder was at least peripherally involved in this initiative via the US State Department. Eventually succumbing to conscience, he was the one who ultimately let the central perpetrator/victim in this episode (Edward Skur) go free.

In the end, this story is ultimately unsatisfying — not because of the various Mulder machinations — but because of everything else. A supposedly huge threat to the freedom and identity of the great US of A was addressed by a stupid plan. Not only that, but no one knows what happened to that plan after about, what? Three iterations?

Picayune Peculiarities

Exactly what was transplanted or grafted into these poor fellas? A thousand eggs waiting to hatch? It appears to me that the creature is expelled during an attack and enters the victim to kill him/her. I would assume that it doesn’t find its way back home, so to speak, so does Mr. Skur keep burping up these things to support his killing spree? If so, wow... thirty-eight years is a long time to keep that up!

Best or Worst Moment

You know what? I DON'T KNOW. Maybe the teaser sequence? Was that where there was some hint of a big spider or whatnot? Hell, what was this show about anyway? Communism or something? Have I ever watched it again in its entirety? No.

Well, now I have and I still don't know what the best/worst moment was. But I don't hate it as much as I did.

Original Rating: *
Revised 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: * * * *

5X13 - Patient X [REVISITED]

Summary

I found this mythology two-parter confusing and irksome and compelling all at once, but what I do like about it is the personal journey that Mulder begins from this point forth. "Am I a believer or aren't I? Has my life been a sham or hasn't it?" While some of us in fandom saw something in the latter part of season five that caused a bit of a rift between M&S, some of us didn't. I interpreted it as a personal crisis from Mulder's side that resulted in him being less "in tune" with Scully and her needs, to the point of causing her considerable pain at times. For the fact that TXF does so poorly at keeping continuity, I always pinpoint this two-parter as the catalyst for Mulder's introspection into his life and what it's become.

Agent Scully meets Dweeby Spender

Okay, so how the hell do you see where you are walking and how do you breathe? Or eat, or drink, or hear? Come on, having all of your orifices (truly, is it all of them?) closed makes for an eerie looking being, but how can you possibly function? I know you're an alien, but still... And what about when Krycek poured water on the poor boy's (who is not an alien) stitched-up face? I was asking out loud, "How does that help him?"

Otherwise, I was a little less confused this time around. (I think the marathon viewing process is helping to provide some clarity, given that I am intentionally trying to hit all of the mythology eps.) Not that I don't still have questions, such as why Krycek is so well informed and why the Russians are so much more advanced in their "research" when they seem to work in such primitive conditions. (The reappearance of the chicken wire, for instance, made me wonder why they didn't have a better way to "test".) But then, the alien resistance guys seem a little primitive too, what with their "solution" to avoiding the black oil. At least they have their fancy matchsticks that appear to act as both accelerant and incendiary device.

Going into part two, I must say that I liked Scully's inner battle here as she is overcome by memories that she doesn't have. Not only that, Mulder is not providing any support for her as he steadfastly resists the alien abduction theory.

Best or Worst Moment

I disliked the Jeffrey Spender character from the beginning, and here is the beginning. I never saw him as integral to the plot of this or any other episode that he ever appeared in; I only saw him as an attempt by CC to create potential secondary characters to carry the show post-DD. For as badly as Spender turned out, is there any hope for Mr. John Doggett in Season Eight??

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: * * * *

5X11 - Kill Switch

Summary

Been there and done that too many times. As a Star Trek fan, I've been to the end of the universe and back on AI-as-God themes, so this one just didn't do it for me. Plus, at first glimpse of those buxom nurses, I knew we were inside Mulder's weird fantasy so there were no surprises there either. I enjoy speculation about how true, independent "intelligence" might be created and how it could affect our day to day lives, but this type of science fiction where everything that happens has to go bad — and I'm talking really bad — is really not interesting to me. Maybe it goes back to that suspension of disbelief thing. Sometimes you try and it just doesn't work and therefore what should have been edge-of-the-seat excitement becomes ho-hum. Great effects work with the double-amputated Mulder, though, and I did like the well-rounded character of Esther, in spite of her attitude.

Best or Worst Moment

Although I knew all along that it was a "holodeck" experience, it was interesting to watch the Mulder dream sequence play out, especially where the geriatric doctor is about to perform heinous deeds on him and he's begging them to call for "Dr. Scully". Also liked the subsequent visit by "Scully" that Mulder is instantly "on to" as being fake.

Original Rating: * *

5X10 - Chinga [REVISITED]

Summary

I almost wanted to give this one a higher rating but I think it "feels" best at this one. The lack of originality probably does it in, and I found the M&S characterizations to be slightly off, despite some memorable moments. I like Stephen King, but this one was very cliched, seemingly lumping in everything that's hackneyed about his genre. The whole doll thing (and I recall saying "Chucky" at exactly the same moment as Mulder) wasn't the most imaginative idea to come down the pike. (By the way, did anyone else want to slap that little girl and break her record player, regardless of the consequences from her dolly??) I liked the idea that Scully would take time off for herself, though, as well as her wish that she could actually do so, as evidenced by the look on her face when she peers outside her window that morning and sees the good sheriff waiting for her. (Like why is that? Is he not capable of running his own investigation? Was he smitten??)

Trust me: this is one of the best
parts of the episode!

Wow... I hated this upon rewatching. Didn't expect that at all, but there you go: a downgrade to one star.

The so-called funny stuff with Mulder's phone calls and even that final scene with the pencils seemed a little too hokey for me (and I'm not talking hokey-pokey) on a subsequent viewing. I truly believe he would have better things to do with his time — including watching porn, believe it or not — than sharpening and throwing pencils into his office ceiling tiles. After all, didn't he say to Scully at the beginning of this episode that he had come across a classic x-file? (This is one of those instances where I really find it hard to reconcile "mythology Mulder and Scully" with "everyday Mulder and Scully".)

But mainly, it was the utter stupidity of the characters that ticked me off. The sheriff seemed too dumb for words ("I'm not sure I understand") and let's not even talk about Mommy Melissa, who can't grab her autistic daughter's damn dolly and throw it wherever. (By the way, just who on the X-Files is the name "Melissa" connected to? I know of no Melissas in my RL but I can ID three characters with that name on TXF.) Even Scully was starting to develop a case of the "stupids" at the end when she kept asking the child for the doll rather than just snatching it away from her already, perhaps sparing Melissa a few extra jags on the head with the hammer.

Oh and of course, the original stupid one in this story was the father of this poor child, who nabs a dirty, stinky doll out of the ocean and immediately thinks of giving it to his daughter. (I actually didn't quite get how that gifting process worked. Father died three days after he "caught" the doll, when he heard that voice on the boat and was subsequently "hooked". Had the doll not been given to his daughter yet or was it meant to be a disembodied voice?)

As I said, I like Stephen King. But for him to have been a fan of the show and yet not really know how to write either the characters or a good case file makes me wonder what the whole point of this was. (And of course, shockingly still, the script was apparently majorly revised by CC himself.)

One more thing: the title of this effort caused a bit of a stir since it is actually a slang vulgarity in Spanish. (And apparently it was meant to be the doll's name! That was never uttered on the show!) I heard that the ep was renamed overseas to be the less offensive (?) "Bunghoney"! If this was meant to be in the same vein as Chucky, let's remember that even that movie was not named after the doll. They should have gone whole hog with the homage process and called the ep Let's Play.

One last thought: Mulder's famous poster came from a head shop, huh? Wonder what was behind that tidbit of information? I suppose with the right amount of drugs, you'll want to believe anything...

Picayune Peculiarities

Scully had very few hours to call her own during this weekend "vacation" and yet she didn't seem to make good use of her time. One minute she's watching the good sheriff tear into a famous Maine lobster while he points out the boat that Polly's father used to work on; and by coincidence, the old man she originally encountered at the supermarket is on that boat. It is daylight at this time. In the next scene where they are actually speaking to that old man, it is night time. I guess he was too busy to speak to them until later that evening or did it take all day for the sheriff to consume his lobster?

Best or Worst Moment

Best moment for me was the Mulder phone sequence at his apartment. The orange juice moment — while a bit much in making him out to be a total incompetent at taking care of basic life necessities — was priceless to watch.

Original Rating: * *
Revised Rating: *

5X09 - Schizogeny [REVISITED]

Summary

Seems almost harsh, but this one did nothing for me. Can't identify with the teen angst, when, as Mulder put it, "He's a hard kid to love." I read somewhere where someone said that the X-Files hasn't been very good at portraying teenagers; I'd have to agree with that. The whole "father as tree" thing was x-file-ish, I suppose, but it didn't intrigue me in the midst of all these people that I really didn't care about. In the end, it's always going to be the characters that hold you to any type of show, be it TV or film. This is proven by our fascination with Mulder and Scully. If I don't like the characters, I lose interest in what happens to them. It's like the fact that I should have felt sympathy for Karin because she was a "victim", but I didn't. I suppose I don't necessarily subscribe to the theory that victims should be excused for everything that they do based on the fact that they are victims. It does a great disservice to those who overcome and survive.

Isn't this a lovely shot?

Why did I rewatch this one? Because I really had no clear memory of it and it seemed like it was time to revisit a single star ep. (Schizogeny is lumped into my list of "X-Files episodes with strange single word titles starting with 'S'": you know, Synchrony, Syzygy, Sanguinarium. One could say that all — except the one that delivered the "Sure, fine, whatever" line — were sort of unmemorable.)

So along those lines (and to highlight the so-called high points of this one, since I came away still feeling nothing for these people), may I present to you some snippets of memorable dialogue that I had forgotten:

1) S: They said it rained 400 inches in a day. M: Now that sounds like an exaggeration, don't you think? (The nod to the difficulties that DD had re: a joke about Vancouver's rainy tendencies.)

2) S: You asked me for answers... those are the best ones that I've got. (A good explanation for most things on TXF, I guess.)

3) M: Hey Scully, is this boyish demonstration of agility turning you on at all? (Mulder climbing a tree in a suit and trench coat.)

Otherwise, I was struck by the beauty of the overhanging trees in that orchard, which I have since found out is called Hazelgrove Farms, near Ft. Langley. There is a sequence where M&S are walking underneath the canopy created by the trees that would have made a good screensaver back in the day.

Best or Worst Moment

For an ep that I didn't find very much redeeming matter in, there was a significant and poignant quote/moment that I caught on a subsequent viewing recently. Mulder says of Bobby's psych diagnosis, "That could be me." It's one of the rare times that the show has had Mulder make a concrete comment about what sort of childhood he may have had. (However, just as in the case with Bobby, I don't happen to believe that Mulder was physically abused by his father. It would have been an undeniably difficult period of growing up with Bill Mulder's apparent propensity to drink himself out of his problems, but I don't belong to that "Mulder was abused by his dad" camp.)

Original Rating: *
Revised Rating: *

5X08 - Kitsunegari

Summary

I couldn't give this one a higher rating than its predecessor, so there's the logic behind it. To me, it didn't have the same impact as Pusher and I thought the plot suffered from having to be a sequel to it, making it sort of contrived. I found myself wishing that they'd found some other way to connect the two stories rather than to use the not-entirely-convincing "long-lost twin" angle. Linda Bowman just seemed too vengeful given the fact that this brother had been a stranger all her life, not to mention the fact that he really was a baddie and deserved to be put away after all the havoc that he'd wreaked. Overall, while Pusher kept us guessing all the way through, this one seemed lacking in true mystery. One mystery, however, had to do with how Mulder figured it out so quickly (because he's Mulder?). I loved the dynamics that arose among him, Scully and Skinner because of his suspicions, but I couldn't figure how he came to be so sure about Linda right from the start.

Best or Worst Moment

Going with the obvious here, even though we saw this one coming from a mile away. The scene with Mulder in the warehouse confronting Linda was very well done, with the possible exception of Diana Scarwid's delivery. She wasn't quite convincing as Scully because she wasn't able to capture GA's style or inflections. But DD was remarkable in displaying his barely contained grief and subsequent anger. I think I liked it especially for the fact that it wasn't overdone.

Original Rating: * *

5X07 - Emily [REVISITED]

Summary

At least we got Mulder back for this one, along with some action outside of calls from beyond the grave. There were some dramatic moments in this one that highlight very personal aspects of the relationship between Mulder and Scully, primarily their need to shelter the other from unnecessary pain. We learn that Mulder has withheld the infertility evidence from Scully all this time (speaking of, what did he do with that sample from Memento Mori??) to protect her from a reality that he didn't feel she needed to know, while Scully really didn't want to involve Mulder on the case ("Why didn't you call me sooner?") at all.

Did Mulder know what Scully would find in the casket?

The setup from Christmas Carol (where I got the feeling that folks in San Diego are way beyond devoted to their jobs even though it's Christmas Eve and then Christmas Day) leads into this one, on the surprising revelation that Emily Sim is actually Scully's daughter. (By the way, the "calls from beyond the grave" that set this story arc into motion didn't work for me, especially as this story ended up being tied to the TXF mythology.) In revisiting this two-parter, I am going with my gut and giving the whole thing just two stars.

It's been said elsewhere but I can't help but add my own two cents to the whole "sloppy continuity" thing. I can accept mistakes that are minor because over the course of many years, things are sometimes just remembered wrong. But on the matter of Scully's necklace — which played such a key role in One Breath (and even 3) — we deserve to have someone care enough to go back and check the facts. But the bigger faux pas turned out to be Mulder's statement that "she was missing for four weeks" when he related the facts of Scully's S2 abduction. I have a suspicion that whoever wrote that line simply "decided" that four weeks was sufficient. (I don't know, did the creators behind TXF ever have a "concordance" like Star Trek did?) That blunder affected my enjoyment of an otherwise great scene.

On the other hand, a not-so-great scene was Mulder's bitch-slapping and roughing up of Dr. Calderon. Yes, Mulder has his moments, but this one was over the top and not at all consistent with the character. I hope it wasn't all for the sake of a lame "I'll be back" joke.

Finally, been there, done that: everything magically gets cleaned up by the super efficient alien conspiracy guys. From clearing out any evidence of pregnant old ladies to stealing Emily's body, it's all gone, once again. Back to square one. A whole lot of angst over the holidays for not much return.

Picayune Peculiarities

I have a question. All of this wasn't FBI sanctioned, as far as I could tell. Scully fell into the case and it turned out to have a personal connection. So who on earth was paying for all of the MRIs and such that were being done on Emily? Especially when it appeared as though no one even had a clear idea on who had the right to make any decisions on her behalf. Not going to happen in real life...

Best or Worst Moment

I liked the interaction between M&S in the chapel after Emily's service. It was touching how Mulder came in after the fact to drop off the flowers and pay his own respects, allowing the family their privacy. And I liked how Scully chose to return with him, despite how she might still feel the need to pull away from him during such times.

Original Rating: * * *
Revised Rating: * *

5X05 - Christmas Carol

Summary

There's a certain part of me that wants to rate this one "poor" for the fact that I object to this whole storyline, but I guess I shouldn't be so judgmental. If CC and Co. wants to invoke ScullyAngst over her inability to have a kid, so be it. Quite frankly, to paraphrase Mulder from Home, I still don't see Scully as a mother. Moreover, when I first saw this one, I spent the whole time waiting for Mulder to make an appearance beyond the "Hello? Hello?" scene, which means that I basically got more and more annoyed as the hour wore on. I did like the return of Melissa in flashback, however, although I groaned at the continuity error regarding the necklace. All in all, this one ranks up there as one of those TXF eps that I'd just as soon pretend never happened.

Best or Worst Moment

I feel so indifferent towards this ep that I almost thought that I had nothing to offer for best or worst, but on second and third thought, I'll pick the conversation with Melissa. Most notably the part where she tells Scully that she doesn't know who she might eventually meet at the FBI who could end up changing her life, so to speak. Nice touch to an otherwise blah ep.

Original Rating: * *

5X06 - Post Modern Prometheus

Summary

I don't know — this one was quite off-putting to me when I first saw it and it surprised me later to find out that others have it in their top ten list! I don't begrudge CC's experimentation, but there was really nothing about this story that made me think, oh, that was great. I suppose the theme was admirable in a way (and of course, I have heard a certain segment of fandom complain about the cavalier treatment of what is, in fact, rape), although it was hardly original. But then, of course, you're saying, it was his homage to "whatever". Anyway. Didn't do it for me and I've since rewatched it a few times to see if my opinion's changed. Nope.

Best or Worst Moment

The best moment was the obvious one that wasn't even a real moment, technically speaking (as it was just a Mulder fantasy).The ending scene of Mulder and Scully dancing to Cher's "Walking in Memphis" is a TV image for the ages — too bad they didn't include as much footage as they actually shot. DD recently picked that scene as being his defining TXF moment, a potential image to mark the series' end. If only I could believe that CC will eventually do something similar...

Original Rating: * *

5X04 - Detour

Summary

As so many people have already opined, the MOTW elements of this episode were not the best. But you know what? I never sat back and complained about them like I may have with several other episodes, because there were so many other things to enjoy about this one. This was a Mulder/Scully story all in all; some lovely series-defining moments here. (If I hadn't been of the opinion that there was something between the two of them all the way through to the end of the fourth season, four episodes into season five would have changed my mind.) On the other hand, the juxtapositioning of the two sets of agents — while of course providing comic relief — revealed a lot about why we care about Mulder and Scully and what makes them successful in their partnership. Some things are just there... and can't be learned at any conference costing any amount of money.

Best or Worst Moment

An obvious choice, I know, but I watch this episode repeatedly for this scene, so I gotta go with the night sequence in the woods as my best moment. There are so many layered interpretations of what was actually said during that exchange, that lo and behold, it was one of the significant focal points of my first TXF fanfic, Crossing Lines.

Original Rating: * * *

5X01 - Unusual Suspects

Summary

Although I'm never a fan of the Mulder-lite eps, this one actually managed to achieve what a lot of episodes fail to deliver on... repeat viewing value. I actually like this one more the more I watch it and I think that's a solid reflection on how Vince Gilligan put together this script. His characterization of Susanne Modeski is wonderfully well-rounded and realistic. Signy Coleman does a great job of portraying her with the just the right mix of vulnerability and gut-wrenching strength. And while I've never watched Homicide, I thought that what Richard Belzer did with his role was quite entertaining and effective also. Overall, I can't say that I had ever wondered too much about how the Lone Gunmen came to be, but it was interesting to see some background and note their not-too-particularly-friendly beginnings, which to me were totally expected given their obvious differences.

Best or Worst Moment

That whole warehouse scene was riveting. Loved the appearance of X, the "jabbering" version of Mulder ripping off his clothes, the heart-stopping fright shown by the boys, and the guts displayed by Modeski.

Original 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: * * * *