"Small Potatoes"

"They don't have trailer parks in outer space."
Originally Aired 4/20/1997

I believe this is an episode I originally watched once before, so I was eagerly waiting for a chance to watch it again. It's worth the wait because it could actually be the perfect episode to sell a new fan on the series. Usually if I mention The X-Files, it seems to have the reputation for being just a television series about aliens, except fans know that's just scratching the surface. It's more than that; there are mutants, insects, psycho killers, parasites, ghosts of senior citizens, and comedies like "Small Potatoes." While I love the Darin Morgan episodes, you have to be a fan to truly appreciate his style, like the "Jose Chung" episode which spoofs the alien abduction episodes. Although Gilligan's humor here is just as subtle and smart. It's really hard to pick a favorite moment; I honestly think I laughed the hardest at the Star Wars comment when she said she has watched it 368 times but might hit 400 by Memorial Day. Scully's eye roll as she walks away seals it. I'm especially a fan of self-deprecating humor and this episode has loads of it.

Knock knock, I'm here to rape you!

I was drawn to The X-Files because of the creative plots but the more I watch, the more I enjoy the performances the most. "Small Potatoes" is especially fun because David Duchovny gets to play someone else playing Mulder. I almost take for granted how good David is because Mulder is relatively the same in most episodes but this really shows his range as an actor. The scene where Eddie Van Blundht (the h is silent) first becomes Mulder actually took me a few seconds to realize that it wasn't Mulder. The picture he had of Eddie was perfectly cheesy. What a goofball expression! I even started to feel sorry for Eddie after the girl he dated for so long knows he's a loser, too. But then I remembered he did technically rape those women.

Another great thing in this episode I noticed was that Vince Gilligan has a knack for referencing past episodes- the moment where Scully and Mulder realize it could be a shape-shifter, they mention that they've seen that type of thing before. Also brief mentions that Mulder doesn't sleep in his bed and he uses phone sex lines. So maybe he really is the true loser and not Van Blundht, though I'd rather think Mulder is just too dedicated to his work.

Finishing "Small Potatoes" means it onto the final disc of Season 4, with just "Zero Sum", Elegy", "Demons", and "Gethsemane" before the summer break. At least 3 of those 4 are episodes I have yet to see. Since I'm into the final stretch, if I had to choose the top episodes of the season so far, I'd definitely put "Small Potatoes" among the best of Season 4 and even the whole series!

I wish there was a better picture of the hat he's wearing.