8ABX20 - Essence

Summary

The baby is f***ing special. And basically everyone is a f***ing alien. Got it. Man, that's just so depressing that it simply begs better questions than the ones Mulder asked in the teaser. "What do I tell Scully?" I dunno. What can you tell a woman who's been trusting all kinds of people implicitly these days? A woman who likes to keep her own secrets about this special kid from hell but raises a ruckus when others dance around her questions. "What do I tell myself?" What I'd like to know is why these doctors keep their "medical failures" contained in impressive looking vessels in such easily accessible rooms. And why the FBI seems to employ security only during regular office hours at the Hoover building. (With the real FBI making news with its ineptitude lately, maybe this isn't as unrealistic as I think.) I know that Billy Miles was virtually unstoppable (idle question — would he survive having his head sliced off??) but come on, no alarms and such? No evidence that anyone even attempted to stop him? When all is said and done, I sort of enjoyed Billy Miles' technique of "off with his head" — it's something I wish I could symbolically do to the creative brains behind this show as I watch it limp ever so pathetically towards the finish line. It deserved better. And sadly enough, while I couldn't complain about the pacing of this hour, there wasn't anything that put me on the edge of my seat, either. I could virtually count down the seconds to Billy's next appearance and could guess what lame plot device was waiting around the next corner. 'Course, I must admit that the last scene was a surprise to me, but methinks it produced more groans than gasps.

Best or Worst Moment

As usual, Krycek was the best part of this ep. From his wicked smile when they came back up in the elevator to his efficient delivery of Scully to Reyes' vehicle, "that man Krycek" knows his stuff. (Mind you, I won't bother asking why he was entrusted with that task in the first place when there was no guarantee that he wouldn't just push Scully down one of those stairwells. I guess maybe Rachel Anton was onto something regarding a future for Krycek and Scully!) Runner-up for best moment was Doggett's exasperated "I don't believe this crap!" during the Krycek conference. Hey John, at least you get paid to believe it. I, on the other hand, want to believe but that's precisely what TXF has killed — my ability to believe this crap. It looks more and more like the "special baby is taken and Mulder and Scully must track it down" storyline is going to rear its ugly head at season's end and I gotta say — Fox Mulder deserves a better future than hunting down a baby that may or may not be his for the rest of his life.

Original Rating: * *