X-Files Rerun "Ascension"

"I'm free you son of a bitches! You can't touch Duane Barry anymore!"
Originally Aired 10/21/94

The best tram-car sequence since Moonraker!

"You're one microscopic cog in his catastrophic plan, designed and directed by his red right hand." Wow, not only does Duane Barry have a catchphrase, he also has his own theme song, which funnily enough is playing on his car's stereo. Also something that's funny which I just noticed (or maybe forgot since last time), is that Skinner orders Krycek to take Mulder home safely. Yup, he's just handing him right over to the enemy. Way to go, Walter!

All kidding aside, this episode is truly one of the all-time greats of the entire run of The X-Files and presently sits at #9 on my personal "Top Ten Episodes" list (if you ignore the fact I still have about 30 "unseen" episodes.) It packs a reall wallop, as it begins with Scully's abduction, follows Mulder's pursuit of Duane Barry, then Mulder is left empty-handed and broken-hearted by the time it concludes. Steve Railsback makes another appearance as Duane Barry, Nick Lea makes his third appearance in a row with Krycek's true colors finally being known to Mulder, William B. Davis is back as the Cigarette Smoking Man, Sheila Larken reprises her role as Scully's mother, Steven Williams delivers cryptic information as X, and of course Mitch Pileggi appears as A.D. Skinner. It packs in as many guest stars as it does memorable moments. I also like the pacing of this episode too, because the Duane Barry mystery is resolved by the half-way point, then it still packs even more plot on top of it. If I hadn't noticed the counter on my dvd player (or known the running time for these episodes), I'd swear this ran longer than the usual 45 minutes.

I have no idea who Paul Brown is since he didn't write many episodes of The X-Files, so its a wonder how he was given the greenlight to write such a crucial episode. I want to say his next episode is a turd, but I can't recall which it is, so maybe he was given some help by Chris Carter. No matter who wrote "Ascension", it was a pretty neat idea to abduct Agent Scully because it served several purposes. Behind the scenes Gillian was pregnant so they needed to briefly write her out. On-screen, we finally get much more of this conspiracy that Mulder is always so worked up over. It raises the stakes by actually putting the main characters in danger and X being a shady informant fits perfectly with this new direction the series is taking. While Mulder may have lost Scully, he did regain his position on The X-Files unit, so that part of the plot is finally wrapped up after being unresolved since the end of the first season. There's a subtle line of dialogue that I noticed this time through. Mulder says someone could have given Scully's address to Duane Barry and Krycek looks like he's about to say something but stops short. Now I've always figured Krycek just killed off Duane Barry because all evidence of alien life is eventually destroyed by the end of each X-Files episode, but this time that takes on a new meaning. He killed Duane Barry so Mulder wouldn't know who really took Scully.

Besides "Ascension" being a milestone for the series, I've noticed my reviews really have come a long way since I started this in the Fall of 2008. I looked back to my original Facebook review of this episode which was posted on February 6, 2010 and I could barely type a full paragraph then. I'm able to write a lot more now, but I think I was funnier back then, because in that review I said, "I really dug the song Duane has on in his car, if it even was his car. Nice sweatshirt too."

X-Files Rerun "Duane Barry"

"Mulder, it's me. I just had something incredibly strange happen."
Originally Aired 10/14/94



"Duane Barry is gonna use you for target practice."

I like this one more as time goes by. I think its because the episode takes a break from the "X-Files formula" and doesn't have an actual investigation; this time it's Mulder alone with a crazy alien abductee. I even heard the words from "Chunk" in the Goonies movie inside my head as I started this episode, "hhh-hostage crisis!" Mulder says he needs information on Duane Barry, the alien abductee, but I think even without it, his background as a criminal profiler should be enough to get him through this situation. I am a bit surprised that wasn't mentioned at all.

The guest of the week is Steve Railsback, who plays the title character of "Duane Barry." I love that he talks in third-person and punches whiny bald guys; its eerily comical. "You callin' Duane Barry a liar!" is a pretty good catchphrase, too. I think he should have been nominated for a Supporting Actor Emmy, not CCH Pounder, though she is alright as the stern SWAT commander. This watch I even noticed "Andy McLaren" from Millennium (Stephen E. Miller) as the guy who fits Mulder for his wire and tells him what to do. Krycek is back too, though he isn't given a whole lot of anything to do. He just serves the SWAT team's coffee boy, which somewhat makes me feel sorry for the guy.

Just like last week's episode, I like how this plays out as a standalone story until the revelations in the closing moments. The ending this time features a brief investigation into one of the implants that Duane Barry said was a way that the aliens could track him. As soon as Scully has the surface of the chip magnified, you instantly know its a bar code, so when she's at a grocery store a few moments later its a pretty cool scene when the store's bar code scanner flips out and buzzes like crazy. That'll show them for doubting Duane Barry! That type of ending, which links a standalone to a greater conspiracy and the story arc, was an area The X-Files had never really went before. There were brief glimpses in the first season when Deep Throat was present in "Fallen Angel" and "E.B.E." This type of storytelling is present in tv shows I watch today like Fringe and Supernatural, where each episode is mostly a separate investigation with moments at the end to link them to the season-long arc.

Chris Carter wrote the script and did a great job for his first time directing an episode. Well, I think he did a great job since Duane Barry could've easily slipped into the territory of being a parody, just like last season's guest star Brad Dourif. Plus, I'm sure its hard to keep an episode interesting that is mostly scenes of talking with little action, so he cut to plenty of footage of the aliens torturing Duane Barry. Its the most we've seen of aliens on the series and even though this was filmed nearly twenty years ago, the giant, over-sized alien heads don't appear corny like most 1990's sci fi aliens. In fact, the drilling in Duane Barry's mouth is still creepy (even though they revealed on the dvd set that it was just water.) I believe after "The Host" was my first real exposure to The X-Files, this was one of the first I can remember watching when Sci Fi Channel had those 7 hour marathons of a different show each weekday. Thank god for the times when the Sci Fi Channel used to be cool!

X-Files Rerun "Sleepless"

"Why else? To build a better soldier. Sustained wakefulness dulls fear, heightens aggression. Science had just put a man on the moon. So now they looked to science to win a losing war."
Originally Aired 10/7/94

Today seems like a good time as any to revisit this series. With Season Five being on a holiday break, and I also get a paid holiday break for the first time ever, I thought I'd jump back to where I left off with my Season Two reviews. "Sleepless" may appear like your typical killer-of-the-week investigation but several big revelations happen throughout the hour, making me feel like this is the time when "shit got real" on The X-Files. While Season One ended with a death, the closing of "The X-Files" unit, and there was also unknown forces working behind the scenes, this time they finally rear their ugly head.

I still feel they should have created more of a dynamic between Mulder and Krycek. Alex is very convincing in his role as the wet-behind-the-ears agent that originally opens the case and then brings Mulder along with him. Holding off on showing Krycek's betrayal til the next episode would have been a better move, that way the knife cuts a little deeper not just to Mulder but to the viewer. Instead we barely get to know Krycek. My only guess is that the producers went for a trademark of Hitchcock movies by building suspense because the viewer knows before the characters do. A unique part of Krycek's role is that he actually *is* sent to spent on Mulder, which he joked about in the Pilot episode when meeting Agent Scully.

Another interesting part of the episode is its guest star, Tony Todd. He always brings a quiet intensity to roles and his appearance on The X-Files is no different. Like Season One's Roland, Todd's character of "Augustus Cole" is a sympathetic villain. Although he does kill two SWAT team members to escape the police, most of his victims are out of revenge. Its like what I've read about many classic villains of movies and television, that the most convincing villains are those who believe they are doing the right thing.

There's even a third guest star this week, one who I have grown to love over my 5 years of reviewing episodes online. His appearance is limited to a brief scene but it has been teased since the start of this season, which is a new informant for Fox Mulder, simply named "X." Now that I've finally watched the movie JFK, I get the reference for naming the character "X", which also perfectly follows "Deep Throat" as another famous informant. X's appearance in this episode is much like Deep Throat's run, which was just to show up and advance the plot, but I like how X actually becomes much more than that in later episodes.

This is the unofficial start of my favorite story arc on The X-Files and years later its still a great episode. I say "unofficial" because they don't count it among the alien conspiracy episodes because the case is your typical "X-File" investigation. I actually really enjoy episodes like this the most from the first several seasons because it gives the series a sense of continuity and that something really evil is going on in the government. Once the series was hitting its peak, they seemed to do away with that and settled into a clear division of standalone and mythology episodes.

With Tony Todd in 2009

"Emily"

"Does F.B.I. stand for Federal Bureau of Imagination?"
Originally Aired 12/14/97



One of the interesting sub-plots of The X-Files series has been the use of clones. They only pop up every so often, like once per season, so maybe X-Files writers have about as much of a clue as to their purpose as I do. They first appeared in Season One's "Eve" as young girls that had an evil urge to kill, though I suppose no one has a "happy" urge to kill. Season Two's "Colony/Endgame" featured the possibility that these clones are more than just a failed, one-off science experiment and that its part of a greater conspiracy, even with clones of Mulder's long disappeared sister. I think Season 3 was relatively clone-free, until Season 4 re-introduced the Samantha clones. The clones always seemed to have defects, maybe birth defects because they're artificial and not the creation of a man and woman. I like that this episode explores more into these clones and ties it into Scully's story that I thought was over in "Redux II."

I have a feeling I am reading too much into the clone in this story, since neither Mulder nor Scully ever act like she is a clone despite all of the evidence that she is. The big tip-off to them should have been the green bulge on Emily's neck and Mulder almost doesn't even realize in time for it to be stabbed, just like the alien stiletto to the back of the neck in past episodes. The scene when the nurse does poke at Emily's neck is almost like something straight out of a horror movie, with Emily sitting up as if nothing has happened. I don't know if the child is a bad actor since she shows no emotion or if they told her to sit up like a zombie, but it works well enough to make for a creepy scene.

It feels to me like they wanted to explain why these clones have short shelf lives so they used Scully's extracted ova to tell it. "Emily: The Life of a Syndicate Clone", which is what you could call this episode, has a radical change of pace from the previous episode but I like it. I think that once they revealed the green blood, it pretty much spelled the end for Emily. You knew she was going to die, but yet like I said before, Mulder and Scully are in a race to save her life. Its similar to those horror movies where teens are being chased by a killer, so they run upstairs and end up being cornered, rather than exit the house. They're dumbed down to further the story, just like Mulder and Scully have been dumbed down to advance the plot of this episode.

The moment I didn't like is when Mulder confronts Emily's doctor and threatens him with his gun. Scenes like that work best in dark parking garages when mysterious gun men are being threatened by X or Mulder, but when it involves Mulder doing it in someone's office, it can only be described as hokey. All of Scully's tests on Emily are pointless too, because its obvious she doesn't have real blood; the girl has that bubbly, green alien blood. That's why her weirdo doctor only said she had "anemia" as a code for those experimental treatments he was doing on her. Though it makes me wonder how nobody noticed the green blood before that. Kids are always running and playing and sometimes they fall down and scrape their knees, so did her parents just ignore the weird goo oozing from her knees? In classic X-Files style, just ignore the minor details like that. Yet, I do have one other complaint with this episode. I think it would have been better if the morphing Alien Bounty Hunters would have just stabbed Emily with their stilettos and killed her themselves. It seems to me their presence in this episode was as a "clean-up crew", just like in Season Two. The clones can do Syndicate work in secret, but once it hits the media, the bounty hunters are alerted and its "bye bye clones." The mom comitted suicide, which brought Scully to the case and also meant Mulder would be appearing eventually, so the aliens were getting rid of the evidence. They killed the father, then her doctor, and should have just killed Emily too. Instead, television shows and movies never kill kids. Its like some untouchable tv taboo; so instead Emily goes into a coma and then disappears. Oh well. Despite some gripes, I really do like this two-part story. It's like an extention of Redux/Redux II because it references several seasons' worth of plots and tries to tie them all together into a single story.

"Christmas Carol"

"There is no right or wrong; life is just a path. You follow your heart and it'll take you where you're supposed to go."
Originally Aired 12/7/97



I figured a post-cancer Scully Christmas get-together with Dana, Bill, and their mother would obviously lead to a discussion where her family blames all of their grief, sadness, and loss on Dana's career choice of the FBI. Ever since she joined the FBI, The X-Files specifically, they've lost a father (indirectly), a daughter, suffered through Scully's abduction, and now her bout with cancer. This episode of The X-Files did not do that; instead they gave us "their" version of the obvious- mysterious men in cars, needle punctures, and mysterious children all wrapped around an unsolved murder. "It's a mystery wrapped in a riddle inside an enigma."

Scully is my favorite character on the series so its a nice change that she gets an episode all to herself, especially one that reminds us that even though the story arcs about her abduction and cancer may be over, she's still dealing with the fall-out. I'm not totally into this story, but I do recognize and appreciate the effort. I actually wish it would have been more of the supernatural tale that appeared to be at the start with ghostly phone calls, then Scully would be visited by "Ghosts of Christmas Past" (and Future) that cause her to reflect on why she chose the FBI and what would have happened if she didn't. I assume Scully's life would be a lot more mundane without The X-Files, probably even bordering on depressing. Mulder would probably have been a victim of the conspiracy without her. This is what I meant when I said The X-Files didn't go for the obvious and present their version of "It's a Wonderful Life."

Scully doesn't believe it's a suicide, so she uses her FBI contacts to order blood tests, an autopsy, and other sciency things, which made me believe that working with Mulder has rubbed off on her more than she may realize. I like how everything she thinks is a possible lead, like the needle punctures, has a rational explanation to it. The episode appears over, then (cue the ominous music)...the mysterious, suited men in the car appear again! All will be revealed next week; same X-Files time, same X-Files channel.

Honestly, while I do enjoy more of the spotlight on Dana Scully, this episode is just okay. Its a necessary episode to follow up on Scully's past stories and possibly resolve any loose ends, but I still think the "It's A Wonderful Life" episode would be a much more memorable one. I guess I'll have to settle for the flashbacks to younger Danas that are relevant to future Dana, such as the scene where Melissa tells her life is a path and her interactions are what's most important.

"The Post-Modern Prometheus"

"Scully, do you think it's too soon to get my own 1-900 number?"
Originally Aired 11/30/97

Well, that was certainly something. I was looking forward to this episode for a long time and so expectations would naturally be high. I can't say it exceeded my expectations, it didn't even meet them, what happened was that teaser just completely derailed any and all thoughts I had about where this episode was headed.

Maybe I was just completely baffled because this hour presented a dark fairy tale that not even the demented mind of Tim Burton could dream up, then it even gave us a happy ending. That concept has never been done on this show before. While Scully was just cured of her cancer at the start of the season, it wasn't a true happy ending because now Mulder's beliefs in aliens are challenged, and there's still the dark cloud of the government conspiracy on the horizon. Though I hate to say it now and take it away, I think the happy ending was just make believe. "The Post-Modern Prometheus" begins and ends with an illustration of a comic book, so this episode takes place as a work of fiction within a work of fiction; or at least the ending.

Mulder and Scully investigate a small town woman's claims that she was impregnated by an unknown force, and their interactions with her are what I can only describe as a "hoot." I believe The X-Files are even trying their hand at social commentary by the line about everybody dreaming about appearing on The Jerry Springer Show. While that may have been true in 1997, its certainly true today if you swap Jerry Springer with one of the many asinine shows on tv networks now like Pawn Stars, Pawn Wars, Storage Wars, Storage Sagas, and Honey Boo Boo Child especially. I thought maybe this episode was going to take that social commentary even further by saying the X-Files' version of a "frankenstein monster" is not created with lightning and re-animated limbs, but it's done through birth defects. That's somewhat where this episode went, but not quite. The mutations in "The Post-Modern Prometheus" are still man-made but this time there is an extra ingredient: love. Everybody wants to be loved whether it's from a parent, a play-mate, or just a mate. When creating this episode, Chris Carter was just as demented as Dr. Frankenstein because I don't know if once again he was a genius or a crack-pot. Actually, it's probably I who is the crack-pot for shouting for joy at a fifteen year old television show that isn't even in syndication anymore. But I digress.

While this episode does take The X-Files further into the territory of fantasy than before, it still has their usual trademark of "break-neck pacing so you won't stop to question it's flaws." That flaw would be using rape for laughs again. While it's not as pronounced as last season's "Small Potatoes", it's still kind of strange that characters get away with it and it's okay. Well, I guess it's okay as long as you're a weirdo with a heart of gold. And like they say on Mystery Science Theater 3000, it's just a tv show and I should I relax.

To sum up the past 45 minutes that I spent with The X-Files today could probably be done with a word I already used, a "hoot." I really got a kick out of the mother and son in this episode, especially her remark when the son says he's 18 and can do what he wants: "but where you gonna live when you get back?" I also love how at this point in the series David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson don't even need to speak, they can say so much with just their facial expressions. I could probably follow along for 3 more years without even turning the sound on. Bravo X-Files!

**I also want to add that you cannot sing a Cher song out loud (even in your head) without doing a mock version of her voice. It cannot be done!!**

"Detour"

"Yeah. How do I say this without using any negative words, Scully. "
Originally Aired 11/23/97

"Sorry, nobody down here but the FBI's most unwanted."

Being a fan of science fiction and supernatural stories means you're willing to go along with a multitude of concepts, from mutated fluke worms to wearing sunglasses to read subliminal messages. Yet there's something about this episode that just didn't sit right with me. I'd rather have no explanation than the one we were given.

Now don't think I totally hated this hour of The X-Files, though it did take a while for it to interest me. Mulder doesn't even let Scully drive the car, so I don't think he'd even consider handing over the keys to someone else, especially that guy! Most episodes involve a case being presented to Mulder and Scully, so I thought it was refreshing how this one actually came to them when they stumbled onto it. Also, I really liked the effects used to create the monsters that stalked their prey in the forest. While the cloaking effect was kind of like the movie Predator or even Season One's "Fallen Angel", I didn't mind it since they still had their own unique look, including their red eyes. There's even a scene that's similar to Season 3's "Quagmire", except I felt like the heartfelt conversation between Mulder and Scully was better suited to this episode. The scene in "Quagmire" felt like it was added to a weak episode to give it something memorable, while in "Detour" they were reflecting on Scully's recent bout with cancer.

Where things get a little silly was the moment when Mulder and Scully team up with the rescue crew to look for the missing people. Despite being silly, this stretch of the episode won me over after the first half was a fairly typical X-Files investigation. This lady with Mulder and Scully literally leaves behind a trail of breadcrumbs and I was thinking about how some animal would probably eat them, and at that moment the monstery hand appears to grab one! It looked more like a jelly bean, but seriously lady, why not leave something a lot less edible like a flag? I was also thinking to myself that with the amount of people that have disappeared, they've probably just fallen into a really deep hole out there in the woods. That's EXACTLY what happened, too! I'm "two for two" in this episode. Well, it's not like they fell into the hole, its more like the invisible baddies live underground and have strung up their victims in a tunnel.

Okay, so here's the moment you've been waiting for...or not. Even though I said I liked the creativity in creating the baddies and I got both of my predictions right, now I'll explain why I wasn't totally satisfied with "Detour." I just didn't like the explanation for the baddies, I'd rather have it be a mystery. I did like the fact that this episode shares a similar plot to Season One's "Darkness Falls", in which nature strikes back. I'd have just left it with that rather than adding some wacky theory about the baddies being ancient Spanish Conquistador spirits. Especially that ending scene where the remaining Spanish spirit has followed Scully to her exact hotel room; how did he know which one was hers? I would rather leave it open to the possibility that more of these baddies are haunting the woods and not stalking an unlucky cleaning lady.

Maybe this episode will win me over with time. Its happened to other episodes like "Syzygy". For now my thoughts are it's a good episode with a bad ending; cut off that motel room epilogue and I'd be a happy camper.

"Unusual Suspects"

"The coolest hack in the world."
Originally Aired 11/16/97

"We don't need no stinkin' badges."

Usually on The X-Files when you get big developments in their conspiracy/alien mythology episodes, it's followed up with one that's right back to the status quo, like hunting for a mutant. This episode doesn't just ignore last week's episode, it doesn't even star anyone who was even it! I don't know if it's a brilliant move or completely bone-headed.

The "Redux" trilogy was an important part of the series as it brought 4 seasons together, closed some stories and created potential stories, yet the follow-up involves the history of secondary characters, the Lone Gunmen. Other episodes have followed Cigarette Smoking Man and Skinner as lead characters for an hour, but featuring John Fitzgerald Byers as a central character works surprisingly as well. At heart, he's as good-natured and nerdy as Fox Mulder, just dialed up to 11, while Langly and Melvin Frohike are just nerds who steal cable. I like how Mulder is weaved into it briefly and it not just shows the start of their friendship, but also the genesis of his work on The X-Files. I guess when you consider that this is the true start of the The X-Files and the other winks to the series this episode makes, it is a good follow-up to "Redux" which had several references too. Why I think it might be bad placement in the season is because it while it was filmed first, it could have been shown at any time and not effected anything.

I actually watched this episode about five years ago and haven't seen it since, so it's a nice stop-gap between 5 episodes I hadn't watched before ("Elegy" to "Redux II") and 5 more I have never watched ("Detour" through "Kitsunegari".) In the meantime I've watched many episodes of Law & Order and Homicide: Life On The Street, which now gives this episode another reason to be memorable. Richard Belzer guest stars as his character Detective John Munch, who was on NBC's Homicide: Life On The Street, making these two shows within the same universe. Not only that, Det. Munch was later on Law & Order, Law & Order Special Victims Unit, The Wire, and even Arrested Development, making him one of the longest running televised characters and also featured on the most amount of tv shows. What's funny is that Munch even mentioned "staying home to watch X-Files" on an episode of Homcide.

I don't think this is writer Vince Gilligan's funniest episode or his most creative, but it did make for an enjoyable hour filled with laughs and intrigue. While Morgan & Wong are my favorite writers on the series, I think this episode proves that Vince may have been the writer most suited for this show. He understands every character on the series and is able to weave them convincingly with humor and heart, like a weird hybrid of the stylings of Morgan, Wong, and the other Morgan, Darin; I think he "got it."

"Welcome to the dark side."

"Redux II"

"Too freakin' amazing."
Originally Aired 11/9/97

One sorry son of a bitch speaking.

This is one of the hardest reviews I've ever written. That's not because I didn't enjoy this hour of The X-Files, it's because I think my expectations were too great to be matched. I think I focused much more on the interesting choices that Fox Mulder was offered than I did on the path that he did choose. I cannot comment on what didn't happen in an episode or on what should have happened, especially not on a fifteen year old television series. I would sound quite silly.

On the surface it may seem like "Gethsemane" and "Redux I" sought to take The X-Files series into a bold new direction, but when you watch "Redux II" and reach the closing moments, you come to realize that what this 3-part story did was take its direction inward. Scully's cancer and seeking its cure has brought Mulder and Scully closer than ever. I really wanted to see Mulder accept the deal offered from the Cigarette Smoking Man, which could have produced some interesting episodes unlike what we've seen before. Even the teaser that the Smoking Man offered to Mulder which was seeing his sister offered up new possibilities. It was clear from the start that this was just a ruse; she was probably one of the clones from Season Two. And what of Michael Kritchsgau? He had a lot of screen time in the first two installments but this time he's reduced to a brief scene as part of the hearing.

I can't review what I didn't see, but there were still a few flaws within the episode. The Elder is seriously the worst regular character I've seen in this show's history. I think they signed this guy to the role more for his presence than for any acting talent that he has. Also, the scene where Mulder visits Scully in her room one last time before testifying at the FBI Panel hearing, ruined any suspense that the climax was supposed to have. The climax with Mulder testifying, Scully and her pastor praying, and the Smoking Man in his apartment is still an excellent piece of editing work, acting from all involved, along with the music from Mark Snow, yet I think Chris Carter blew it...slightly. Mulder was at Scully's bedside in tears and it seemed like he was about to accept the deal. The next morning he tells Scully that he's not and that he believes Skinner is telling the truth. I wish Mulder had said he was unsure, Scully told him that her faith has been restored and hopes his will be, then maybe Mulder decides after seeing Scully at peace; it just seemed reversed to me. One small moment that I did like was when The Elder is first shown he is watching a mini tv set. Later Skinner jots down the name "Roush", then rather than show him investigating Roush, they have him appear on The Elder's tv set. Neat effects and editing work there.

Also, for four years now during these reviews I often question the consequences, if any, that Mulder has for breaking the rules. He's always jeopardizing his job or letting criminals loose in his sleep (like "Paper Hearts"), so to see him actually testify before his superiors about his actions is a nice nod to those episodes. It was also neat to actually have a series of episodes that wasn't related to any type of monster, mutant, or alien. This was solely about Mulder, Scully, and the evils inside the FBI. Kind of a nice distraction, actually, which is funny coming from me since I really only wanted monsters when I first became a fan.

While "Redux II" didn't open any doors to new storylines, what it did act as was a very good closing to the first four years of The X-Files and also Scully's cancer. Mulder and Scully are closer than before, Skinner is clearly their boss and mentor, and all 3 are safe in their positions at the FBI...for now.

Thanks buddy.

"Redux I"

"The line between science and science fiction doesn't exist anymore."
Originally Aired 11/2/97

I’ve finally reached Season Five after 6 long months and it opened with a bang; literally! Well, not really since the bang happened at least 5 minutes into the episode, but that’s just a minor detail. Last season’s cliffhanger ending attempted to top that of Season Two, in which Mulder was “blowed up” in a train car, as this time he took his own life. I like how the teaser still leaves the audience hanging since Mulder confronts the man who was spying on him, there’s a gun shot, then finally a door closes before the opening credits roll.

Season Four’s ending left me feeling a little flat because the episode lacked the normal conspiracy figures that I am used to seeing, while I was also excited to see how they would explain Mulder’s suicide. The answer from Chris Carter was awesome and is one of the best resolutions I’ve seen on any tv show. Mulder and Scully have been played for so long by their superiors in the FBI and others involved in a shadowy conspiracy, in fact it’s even cost them loved ones. So Mulder’s decision to flip the bird to the FBI and create his own lie wasn’t just a stroke of genius, it’s pretty much the only resolution. That may have felt like a cop out to some viewers at the time, but to Mulder and Scully, the last four years of their lives have become a “lie”. They would be fools to just sit back and accept it. Even the Cigarette-Smoking Man was fooled as there’s a scene where he enters Mulder’s apartment and appears nostalgic after spotting a picture of a younger Mulder and his sister Samantha, then it turns to sorrow when he looks down at the blood-stained carpet, before finally looking up and doing one of those cartoonish “big gulps” when he sees the hole in the ceiling used to spy on Mulder.

To me, this episode is everything “Gethsemane” was not. It’s briskly paced from start to finish, the conspiracy members are present like CSM and Skinner, and Carter even threw in the typical conspiracy moments where if you think too much, you’ll get a headache. For example, everybody in the FBI believes Mulder is dead after Scully makes a positive identification, but couldn’t they have just checked the guy’s fingerprints? I suppose you only have fingerprints on file if you have a prior criminal record, which Mulder nor the FBI guy should have one; thank you Law & Order for giving me that knowledge. Though I do like “Redux 1” much more than “Gethsemane”, I understand it was a necessary episode to get to this point. “Redux 1” is not just a good season opener, it also feels like it’s a culmination of nearly everything we’ve seen on this series. We’re about to see the resolution of Scully’s cancer, which actually started when she was abducted nearly 3 years ago in Season Two. Along with CSM and Skinner making appearances, there’s the new character named Michael Kritschgau, as well as Section Chief Blevins from Season One, and even Holly from Season Three’s “Pusher”, to give it an even grander feel. Even Skinner being revealed as the man who ordered them to be spied on is an awesome touch, because as the viewer we know what lengths Skinner has reached to protect his agents, yet Mulder and Scully never saw the deal he made with CSM nor the time Skinner told him to kiss his ass!

Other awesome touches would be the footage shown while Kritschgau and Mulder are walking and talking, which would be ridiculously boring if the scene was just that; cutting to the newsreel footage kept it interesting. Also, Season Five is now in spectacular widescreen and with it we have the definite “looks” for Mulder and Scully; her cropped but vivid red hair and his droopy but parted hair. Even the Indiana Jones’ Raiders of the Lost Ark-like warehouse where CSM deposited evidence is revisited as well as a new set piece which is a massive room of manufactured alien bodies; awesome stuff. The only downside to this episode is the constant narration from both Mulder and Scully. It’s really unnecessary because we can see what’s going on, we don’t need to hear them recite it as well. I think David and Gillian are more than capable of emoting. Perhaps tv viewers in 1997 wouldn’t have been used to an entire 7-minute act of a tv series being without dialogue, so Carter added the narration to keep people tuned in; tv still wasn’t an art form then as it is now.

The bang I mentioned at the beginning of this review wasn’t the “bang” from a gun; it was the entire hour of “Redux 1.” I just hope “Redux 2” can sustain the same level of excitement and intrigue. If it can’t, at least I know there are other great episodes to look forward to, as this is the last season of the show where I haven’t watched a majority of the episodes already. Thumbs way up for “Redux 1”!

X-Files Rerun "Blood"

"She couldn't come. She was afraid of her love for you."

Originally Aired 9/30/94

Larry's finally had enough of Daryl and Daryl.

Surely inspired by the instances of people “going postal” in the early 1990’s, this X-Files episode is a wonderful blend of thrills, humor, and paranoia. It’s a big rebound for Morgan and Wong after their first episode of this season called “Little Green Men.” Maybe the humor has to do with the story coming from Glen Morgan’s brother Darin, though this week’s guest star William Sanderson is deserving of a lot credit, too. He is spectacular as his character succumbs to the subliminal messages that he’s tried to resist throughout the episode.

I think this episode is full of a lot of unintentional humor. It starts right away with Funsch’s boss calling him into his office to fire him, but first he offers a glass of water as some form of sympathy. “Here’s a glass of water, now get the hell out, you’re FIRED!” is pretty much how that scene plays out. Funsch is allowed to finish off the work week and that’s when he sees the first of many subliminal messages on a digital screen at work. More of this humor follows as a lady is at the most dimly-lit mechanic’s shop I’ve ever seen. The mechanic asks the lady to come closer so he can explain all of the repairs he’s going to recommend, but I’m with that lady, I wouldn’t go any closer either! From the sounds of it, she needs more than just a simple repair as the guy says oil is leaking everywhere, it’s not putting out an efficient amount of horsepower, engine mounts need replaced, and on and on. Later is actually an intentionally humorous scene with the Lone Gun Men and Frohike asks Mulder about Scully. I got a bigger kick out of Byers playing old newsreel footage of the government spraying DDT, as if they just have all of this essential footage Mulder needs that’s cued up and waiting for his next visit.

Finally Funch snaps after seeing too many of these messages that are commanding him too kill, though I don’t blame him for getting mad at that frantic door-buzzing from that lady conducting cholesterol tests. The scene where he snaps at the city bus driver is awesome, as he goes from yelling to board the bus to commanding him to stop in a matter of seconds. The finale takes place at a community college, which is also borrowed from a real-life event. I’ve noticed other shows have had characters attempting to pick off innocent bystanders with a shotgun from their perch in a clock tower, from Buffy the Vampire Slayer to King of the Hill. One thing that did slightly disappoint me was earlier in the episode when Mulder lists other killings caused by digital read-outs, with one being at a gas station. That would be cool to see, though maybe it’s too grim for television, as I imagined someone being set on fire; I guess that’s better left to your imagination. After its forty-five minutes have wrapped up, “Blood” is a fun gem that’s full of mad-cap mayhem.  

X-Files Rerun "The Host"

“560,000 people a day call my office on the porcelain telephone.”

Originally Aired 9/23/94

My senior year high school English class was mostly a joke, as we barely did anything resembling typical class work. Each week we had a chapter to complete in our vocabulary workbook, and then on Friday we were treated to a short quiz and an episode of Futurama. On one fateful Friday, the teacher popped in an episode of The X-Files and I was hooked instantly by a mutated worm-like man creature, who I now affectionately call The Flukeman; his action figure is glaring at me from his spot on my shelf as I type this. It did take me a few more years to become a full-fledged fan but I wouldn’t be typing these reviews today if it weren’t for that English class.

In the premiere of Season Two, “Little Green Men”, Mulder was tipped off to alien activity by a senator, and this week he’s given a case that’s similar to his work on The X-Files when an unidentified body is found in the sewer. Mulder takes the case to Scully for her medical expertise, and he also finds out he has an anonymous friend within the FBI. I like how there is more at work here than just a monster of the week, as Mulder continues his rocky relationship with his boss, Assistant Director Skinner; he continues his secret relationship with Scully; and now he finds out about a new relationship, a secret admirer.

There is even something new I’ve picked up on this time, which is the episode has a geographic discrepancy. A Russian ship that had hazardous leftovers from Chernobyl is floating off the Eastern coastline of the United States, yet I thought Sarah Palin said she could see Russia from her backyard in Alaska, which is on the opposite side of the country. Possibly Sarah Palin doesn’t know her geography, Chris Carter doesn’t know his, or perhaps I’m not well-versed on history and don’t know that the Jersey Shore was a historical dumping site for radioactive waste. I guess that explains Snookie and her pals.

I’m such an X-Files nerd and I don’t take this job of reviewing episodes lightly, which is why I’ve discovered another interesting fact about this episode. When the FBI concludes that they must take this Flukeman into custody, I thought it was the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen on any television show, yet a split second later something dawned on me. One of my favorite X-Files lines is from a first season episode, where Mulder says, “that’s one of the luxuries to hunting down aliens and genetic mutants, you rarely get to press charges.” This must be one of those rare occasions he was talking about it!

“The Host” remains one of my favorite episodes, not just because these new facts add an entertaining element. This is a top-notch episode of the series with a creative creature and creepy visuals that the series is known for. The final scene even reminds me of those Friday the 13^th movies that slowly zoom in on Crystal Lake and Jason’s watery grave, and then he suddenly blinks! The most important fact is that Port-a-potties have never been the same again.

X-Files Rerun "Little Green Men"

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X-Files Rerun "The Erlenmeyer Flask"

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X-Files Rerun "Roland"

"I don't think they'll be performing this experiment on Beakman's World."
Originally Aired 5/6/94

I always watch an episode twice before I start writing my review. Usually the first time is to sit back and enjoy it, then the second time I'll pick out phrases and scenes that I can highlight. During the second time watching "Roland", I noticed David Nutter's name was attached as the director. I believe he's partially responsible for the success of this episode. I don't think the plot is all that thrilling, with jet engine experimenting and cryogenics, so it would have to rely on the actors' performances to get anything interesting out of it. Which is exactly what David Nutter did through the casting of guest actor Zeljko Ivanek as the title character. He brings a sweetness and sadness to the role of Roland. This episode also contains one of my favorite pieces of music from the entire run of the series, "Roland's Theme", which is a simple tune on the piano that is both sad and haunting.

Something I've always noticed in movies and television is that when people have dreams or visions, it's always in the 3rd person. You never see them performing an action through their own perspective, so as a director I would strive to be as accurate as possible, deadlines be damned! I know why they reuse footage; I'm just being silly and nitpicky. Another small nitpick is that I would think as the temperature of Roland's popsicle brother increased, he would lose his psychic link. Instead its Scully who asks Roland to turn off the machine. I guess that explains the ending scene where Roland brushes his hair before leaving the half-way house- is Arthur still inside of his head?

X-Files Rerun "Born Again"

The "No Witty Subtitles" Edition
Originally Aired 4/29/94

"I'll say something crazy, you'll shoot me down; rinse and repeat."

This episode might be more enjoyable if it didn't feel just like "Shadows" from earlier in the season. It's a Law & Order-styled plot with revenge from beyond the grave, this time via reincarnation in the form of an 8-year old girl. Years ago several cops were involved in a dirty deal, with one of them being a reluctant participant so he was "offed" by the rest, only now he's getting revenge through young Michelle Bishop. Mulder and Scully are called to the scene when one of those cops dies, leaving Michelle as the only witness. Cue The Twilight Zone theme. While I was never a huge fan of The X-Files theme, it does have that same simplistic hum of The Twilight Zone's, and is a good fit for following these wacky supernatural shenanigans in each episode's teaser.

I do like the way the investigation unfolds though, as Mulder discovers the mutilated dolls match the wounds inflicted on Charlie, while his wife mysteriously receives Origami that Michelle also has a fascination with creating. Another interesting point is that they use hypnosis on Michelle to make her relive her past lives under Mulder's assumption she's Charlie Morris, which reminds me of Mulder's therapy to learn details of his sister's abduction. Since I'm watching this after seeing Season 4's "The Field Where I Died", that episode also used the same hypnosis to relive past life experiences.

"Born Again" isn't among the worst episodes of this first season, though Howard Gordon's name would be attached to better episodes over the next 3 seasons. After writing reviews for these first four seasons and now redoing them, I'm sensing a few patterns in my style of writing and also of the series. An absence of one-liners from Mulder is a clue to the quality of an episode, while an absence of a good caption from me is another.

X-Files Rerun "Tooms"

"You can get the next mutant."

Originally Aired 4/22/94

Best red herring ever?

Following the Pilot and the Season One finale, I believe this is the most important episode of the first season. “Beyond the Sea”, with the introduction of Scully’s family, gives this episode a run at that claim; however “Tooms” is the first sequel in the series’ history. A few earlier episodes this season can be connected as the foundation of the mythology (“Pilot”, “Deep Throat”, “Fallen Angel”, “E.B.E.”), yet the events of those episodes were never followed up, like the disappearance of Max Fenig. Besides featuring the return of one of my favorite villains, Eugene Victor Tooms, this episode also features the return of the mysterious suited smoker, and introduces the X-Files’ superior, Assistant Director Skinner.

I really liked the introduction of Skinner because Scully’s job of debunking Mulder was never really followed up on as much as I think it could have been. While she did type up reports during episodes and she was always challenging Mulder’s theories, she only met with that Section Chief Blevins guy one other time. I bet there might have been the idea to keep Mulder and Scully at odds longer but producers and writers may have noticed the chemistry of Gillian and David, so they changed plans. So I think Skinner was there to add that mysterious element; is he a friend or a foe, even a tool of this smoking man? And adding him actually brought them closer together.

After making this statement, I have another: while I love “Squeeze”, I’ve rarely watched “Tooms.” It’s probably strange but I can’t explain it. I just remember that Tooms is released on parole, and then he tries to frame Mulder, before getting grinded into bits under an escalator. It is a really fun episode with plenty of creepy moments and humor from Mulder. Tooms just acts way creepier here and what I call his “liver vision” is more effective. Though I still wonder if he hibernates 30 years, then wakes up to feed, how did he ever age enough to become a healthy-looking 30 year old man? It could have been cool to follow up on the body they found in concrete and how he was actually linked to Tooms, though the direction they went with the story worked well enough. Another thing I want to mention is that people have said The Cigarette-Smoking Man is the series’ version of Darth Vader, yet after seeing him sitting in the chair with his weathered face, he is more like the Emperor in the Star Wars movies. He’s the puppet-master who’s pulling Skinner’s strings.

I liked the ending as well with Mulder telling Scully that a change is coming. After watching Seasons 3 and 4 and noticing that the final standalone hints at what’s to come in the finale, it seems like “Tooms” could be better suited before “The Erlenmeyer Flask”. Now we'll have two more standalones to ponder what’s on the horizon for Mulder and Scully.

X-Files Rerun "Darkness Falls"

"Come out, come out, wherever you are!"
Originally Aired 4/15/1994

If his X-Files career didn't pan out, Mulder could've always been a catalog model.

I recall this is one of the earliest episodes I watched when I got into the series through Sci Fi Channel reruns some 6 or 7 years ago. It's one I've always liked, though unfortunately the quality of many other Season One episodes has reduced the impact of "Darkness Falls."

Just like the previous episode, "Shapes", this episode also makes use of the forests of Vancouver. The bugs that attack the loggers in the forest don't look like they'd be a threat, but don't let their appearance fool you. The cocoon that they spot high-up in a tree is pretty neat and it makes sense that Scully should spot it since she's not a believer, so her "Oh my God!" face really sells the threat of the bugs.

Time may not have been kind to "Darkness Falls" since it slipped down my list of favorites but this rewatch helped to boost it's standing. It's in the vein of classic horror movies, which isolate a group of people, then force them to team up against ghouls or ghosts. Night of the Living Dead featured a swarm of zombies surrounding a house, The Thing had a crew in Antarctica, and "Darkness Falls" uses glowing insects. The X-Files isn't just a creature show though, as it always used great characterizations, too. They spent the first ten minutes of the episode showing and telling us that the eco-terrorists are a nasty group of people who's actions left Mulder, Scully, and friends stranded in the foods. Then, in X-Files fashion, they add one of those "terrorists" to the group for added tension.

Even though Chris Carter was the series' creator, he didn't seem to have much success in creating weekly monster tales for Mulder and Scully. "Darkness Falls" was a turning point for Chris and proved that he wasn't going to be outdone by his writing staff.

These bugs got nuthin' on The Smoke Monster!