"Whatever tape you found in that V.C.R. isn't mine."
"Good, because I put it back in that drawer with all those other videos that aren't yours."
Originally Aired 12/16/94
It's really odd how a writer can create one of the series' finest episodes, then in a radical move, write one of the worst of the series. The former episode was "Ascension", which is one of my favorites from these early episodes. Not only was Scully gagged and stuffed into the trunk of a car by Duane Barry, but she was also abducted by aliens (according to Duane), Mulder realized his new partner was a traitor, and the once-closed X-Files division was re-opened by Assistant Director Skinner. "Excelsis Dei" is not "Ascension"; it's possibly even duller than Season One's "Space." I feel like uttering the same noise that Sideshow Bob made on
The Simpsons when he was smacked in the face over and over by rakes.
Although this could possibly the scariest episode of the series. I say that because not many people are scared of things like mutant sewer worms, yet many are scared of getting old. I know when I am a senior citizen I don't want to be so disabled that I need care around the clock; I'd prefer not to be a burden to anyone. I'm not even sure what's worse- losing my sight so I wouldn't be able watch my precious
X-Files episodes or losing the ability to hear the music I love. Many things could happen to me by the time I get old. Watching this episode with elderly people who are disrespected and mistreated sure isn't making those fears subside.
There isn't very much to say that's positive about this episode with exception to a few scenes near the beginning. The first is when Scully and Mulder make reference to Mulder's pornography collection that is a humorous running gag in the series; then later when an elderly man flashes his "plumbing" to Mulder and Scully. To his credit, at least the writer, Paul Brown, was able to get the character traits correctly.
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