"Arcadia"

"Woman, get back in here and make me a sandwich."
Originally Aired 3/7/99

As I thought back to how long ago it's been since I had watched this episode, I counted on my fingers like a goofball, and came to the realization that I've been a fan of this series for 8 years. Wow. A wave of nostalgia rushed over me and it nearly brought a tear to my eye. I'm sure it's even more so for the multitude of fans who watched this episode on their televisions in 1999. I didn't like this episode the first time, but time has been kinder to it, or perhaps it's because I'm more of fond of the series now.

Many episodes this season have brought a lighter tone to the series as it stretched outside the boundaries of the typical "case of the week" format. "Triangle" pitted Mulder against Nazis on a boat in the midst of World War II, while another was a romantic comedy about a weatherman whose unrequited love caused severe weather to occur. This episode, much like "Terms of Endearment", is a blend of the new-found comedic tone that series has taken this season with the familiar darkness we've come to expect on The X-Files. It also puts a new spin on the Mulder-Scully partnership as they must assume the roles of a married couple who have just moved in to a gated community to investigate the disappearance of the previous homeowners. The gated community appears Stepford-like, as everyone must comply with a multitude of rules and regulations, including a maximum of 16 pounds allowed for a pet. Sounds like you can't even fatten up Scruffy with a Milk Bone or two. However it is a real "treat" to watch David Duchovny in another comedic opportunity as he tries his damndest to break the rules with a yard flamingo and a portable basketball hoop. He also relishes the moments he can tease Scully about being a housewife, even jokingly commanding her to make him a sandwich. Gillian Anderson happily throws it right back at him.

As for the darkness within "Arcadia", there is something sinister lurking after dark for those who happen to break the rules. When the monster's true form is finally revealed, the goofiness of it almost ruins an otherwise fun hour of The X-Files, though I've come to realize that's likely the point. Another example of the campiness in this episode is when Mulder stirs the pot with his neighbors by having a backhoe dig a "reflecting pool" in his front yard, while the head of the community remarks that he's digging his own grave. "Arcadia" is straddling the edge of being over the top, and it would have totally passed that mark had the community leader twirled a handbar muscle while uttering the grave-digging line. However, a Snidely Whiplash mustache may have been too long under the facial hair guidelines in the community's rulebook.

Following "Monday", this has been two episodes in a row that have put Season 6 back on track and continued the unique spin on storytelling that was slightly derailed with "Agua Mala." With all of the creative juices that have been flowing behind the camera, and also the fun performances seen on screen, one sub-par episode can easily be overlooked; especially with a gem like "Arcadia." I'm glad I've come around on this one.

"Monday"

"Scully, did you ever have one of those days you wish you could just rewind and start all over again from the beginning?"
"Yes. Frequently."
Originally Aired 2/28/99

There is a reason singers choose to write songs about disliking Mondays, from the Mamas and the Papas to The Bangles, with songs such as "Manic Monday", "Monday Monday", "I Don't Like Mondays", and "Rainy Days and Mondays." Other bands, such as Stone Temple Pilots, have sang about other days of the week, but nothing rings true quite like being down on the first day of the "work" week. Mulder is just like us, as this episode shows he has bad days too, with mundane problems like potentially bouncing a check and oversleeping when the alarm doesn't go off. Except Mulder's "Mundane Monday" turns out to be a fatal one, in what is one of the better teasers in the series. In fact, Season Six has had a wave of exceptionally entertaining and thrilling teasers, from a chest-bursting alien in "The Beginning", Michael McKean's guest narration in "Dreamland II", to Skinner's throbbing, veiny face in "S.R. 819." As "Monday" begins, Skinner arrives on the scene of a bank robbery and is informed that shots have been fired, which cuts to inside the bank revealing that Mulder is the victim of a fatal gunshot wound. That's not all, as the robber is also armed with explosives that he detonates before the opening credits roll. Intense!!

However, the next time we see Mulder he has woken up to find his water bed sprung a leak and has caused him to oversleep when the alarm clock shorted out. I love the reference to the pair of "Dreamland" episodes from earlier this season, which is when Mulder "acquired" his waterbed. David Duchovny plays it straight, as he sighs off the annoyance, which I'd prefer than if he'd played it over the top and comical. It's actually the same way he acted in "Dreamland" to his newfound situation of being a "dad" when in the body of Morris Fletcher. But I'm getting ahead of myself, as this is about "Monday" and I already gushed over "Dreamland"earlier in this review and earlier still when I reviewed those two episodes.

This is The X-Files' take on Groundhog Day as well as an episode of the classic Twilight Zone series called "Shadow Play", in which a man is fated to relive the day of his execution on a seemingly endless loop. This episode runs through several "Mondays" in the cycle, which could become repetitive, yet The X-Files staff keeps it fresh. Many instances Mulder makes it to the bank, only to become the victim of a gunshot; another time Scully takes his check stub to the bank for him. What I found humorous is how Mulder is depositing his paycheck on a Monday as I don't know of any job that passes out payroll checks on the first day of the week. This even dates the episode as being clearly before the advent of online banking and direct deposit. I'm not knocking this episode for being "dated", since not only does The X-Files rarely have an episode that feels dated, but it also doesn't affect the story in any way.

Another way the writers kept "Monday" feeling fresh, and also gave it the typical X-Files spin, is through Mulder and Scully's conversation about "fate" vs "free will." I believe in a similar stance, that things aren't "meant to happen", it's just random events that occur. It's kind of like those storybooks for kids, where if you wanted to choose between option A or option B, you turned to either page 45 or 67 according to your choice. I used to believe that the course of events were preordained, though I'd rather believe in free will. As for the episode, "Monday" is a blast (pun not intended), as I loved the slight wink to earlier in the season, as well as the performances by Anderson and Duchovny, and also the fact that the writers are continuing to play with the format of the show despite Mulder and Scully being back to solving X-Files cases again. I'm loving Season Six because of the willingness to take risks.