"Nothing Important Happened Today II"

"She's the key to everything in this case, right to the FBI."
Originally Aired 11/18/01

Typically the season finales and season premieres of The X-Files feature all of the big players returning to the series for their two-part, and even three-part, story arcs. This is the lightest it's ever been since the first season ended. All of the Syndicate was burnt to a crisp, the Smoking Man took a spill down a flight of stairs, while the remaining men in black have taken a bullet to the head, leaving us with the bare bones "agents vs evil FBI" story which was the central arc for the series in its earliest episodes. That, in theory, should be a good storyline to center this 9th season around, with Doggett and Reyes trying to see just how deep the Super Soldiers have infiltrated the government.

Instead, this episode muddies up the weird plot from last week, involving a conspiracy to tamper with the water supply, and it now somehow involves a big boat. Before I viewed this episode again, I used to think the boat should've been linked to the alien oil which resurfaced in last season's "Vienen." Perhaps the infected oil workers managed to stow away and spread the virus on land, which I think would have made more sense than what we got. "Nothing Important Happened Today II" tries to link the dead water treatment workers to this boat, which is then connected to the Super Soldiers' plot, and somehow that all ties to Scully's baby. Scully's son William also might be part alien, and it's odd to me how she never refers to him by his name; she only says "my baby." Nothing happened is a fairly accurate title.

Shannon (played by Lucy Lawless, by way of whispy Marita Covarrubius) is a Super Soldier that confesses her story to Team Mulder, yet she could be playing them just like everyone else who ever told Mulder anything government conspiracy-related. We've seen this before countless times. Brad Follmer returns from last week too, still trying unsuccessfully to keep Reyes from working with Doggett so her reputation won't be tarnished. Knowle Rohrer was assumed dead after an explosion at the end of Season 8, and now he's back as well, lending some truth to Shannon's tale of the "unstoppable" Super Soldiers. Most times these season premiere story arcs end up being fairly weak anyway, but I can't help but feel like this is all just "Alien Bounty Hunter-lite", and replace the bees with water. Their little neck protrusion just doesn't match the visual effect of the bubbling alien blood either.

The best part of this episode is John Doggett, who's slipped into Mulder's Nikes so well that he's even borrowing his lines, when he tells Scully and Reyes that "she is the key to everything." Later Doggett nearly gets his head popped like a pimple by Knowle, before he has a scene with Kersh that is the highlight of this entire two-parter. It's so good that it nearly redeems the previous 80 minutes of TV; except that it's a condensed version of an even better scene! Kersh and Doggett get their dialogue chopped in half, likely by the same cutting crew that lifted a scene with Krycek and CSM from "One Son" that gave reason for Alex attempting to dupe the Smoking Man again. Robert Patrick and James Pickens, Jr. seem to have a real chemistry together that makes these scenes with Doggett and Kersh so fun to watch. It's a shame the rest of these episodes just aren't as good.

"Nothing Important Happened Today"

"So what I'm hearing, if I don't drop it, I'm alone on this."
Originally Aired 11/11/01

It's weird, usually in the 'off-season' I'll still watch the series, or even re-write reviews of the early seasons for my blog. My earliest reviews were Facebook Notes, which are likely now lost in the abyss. I think that feature is long deceased. The weird part is that I can count the amount of episodes that I've watched since May on one hand, which were a couple from the recent X-Files "Event Series" when it hit Blu Ray, and a few other comedy episodes when I was in the mood for a laugh. I can't lay blame for my lack of enthusiasm on that "Event Series", since it had already aired and wrapped long before I finished viewing all of Season 8. Not even (briefly) meeting David Duchovny over the summer could give me a boost of the necessary excitement. I feel it's not even that Season 9 is as terrible as it's made out to be by the legions of "X-Phile" fans. Personally, it's that my quest that I started in 2008 is nearing its end. I started this lengthy process of writing and reviewing the entire 9 season run in the fall of 2008; which coincidentally was the first time I moved out of my parents' house. Now, here I sit at a computer, struggling to write a review, while also weighing the pros and cons of moving back into my parents' house. Is this a vicious cycle? 

It's been said before that The X-Files was unable to figure out it's place in the world, post-9/11. After finally viewing this episode within the context of the series, I think The X-Files was just unable to recover from the loss of it's star, David Duchovny. My inability to completely leave my parents' house must be exactly what was happening for Chris Carter, mirroring his inability to let go of Fox Mulder. Carter "lost" Mulder once before in the previous season, with Duchovny appearing only in the second half of the season, and again was never given a proper exit from the series at the season's conclusion. This episode, "Nothing Important Happened Today", picks up within a day or two following last season's finale, "Existence", when Scully had given birth to her baby boy and Doggett hand-selected Agent Reyes as his new partner. He launched an investigation against his boss, FBI Deputy Director Kersh, who appears to be linked with the series' new villains, the alien replacements known as "Super Soldiers." Except Dogget and Reyes realized their only evidence, which was on a security camera, has been erased. I guess that means Krycek is forgotten as well, because apparently someone has scraped his body off the pavement. Poor guy, after all these years he ended up with the same fate as Agent Spender. At the time when I first watched this episode years ago, I always wondered why Skinner wasn't in as much hot water as Doggett over the whole parking garage shooting.

In fact, Skinner is pretty much a non-factor in this episode. Team Mulder, or now rather Team Doggett, has too many people on that side so the writing staff decided to add another character to the mix to balance it out. Team Kersh, for lack of a better term at the moment, adds Assistant Director Brad Follmer (reference to a real-life member of the production crew) played by Cary Elwes. I noticed his real-life English accent slipped through right away when he pronounced Hoover Building as "Hoo-vah." His portrayal of Follmer is much better than I had previously given him credit for, although the characterization is still fuzzy at best.

I did notice something as well that I hadn't realized before, which is precisely the reason why I wanted to watch these episodes in order and stretch them out like I've been doing. Having not watched this episode since mid-2008, it now feels "fresh" and slightly new, so mission accomplished. That realization I had is actually that this season premiere mirrors last season's premiere- Mulder is "missing"; there's an investigation within the ranks of the FBI, which is now led by Kersh's appointed stooge Brad Follmer, rather than Doggett; the vague presence of those Super Soldiers, who no doubt cleaned up the evidence from the parking garage, mirrors the Bounty Hunter(s) cleaning up evidence of alien abductions; and the biggest of all is that Doggett has actually morphed into Fox Mulder. He's Chicken Little, yelling that the sky is falling, yet no one believes him. It's crazy that they've taken an old X-Files script and basically played a game of "Mad Libs", just inserting new characters into the roles of previous ones. Even the set pieces are just swapped around, trading a nuclear power plant (think "The Beginning") for a water treatment facility. At least The Lone Gunmen are here to add some much needed humor. Thank God they've managed to dodge a bullet all this time.

"Writing out" an important character is never easy, and I wouldn't even have a clue where to begin to explain Mulder's absence if I were a script writer. Another favorite series of mine is Homicide: Life On The Street, which debuted in 1993 and had even worse luck when it came to several of its lead characters. A few times they lost a lead actor between seasons, so the writers never had a chance to properly explain that character's disappearance. However, when they did get around to finally crafting an episode to tie up those loose ends later along in the season, it was always a worthy conclusion. Chris Carter should've taken notes. I do have to hand it to Chris and co. for their casting of Robert Patrick as Agent Doggett. He plays the role well as this Clint Eastwood-styled gunslinger, which is the best description that I have for him since he appeared last season. His quick scene with Kersh in the elevator at the "Hoo-vah" Building is the true highlight in this episode. Maybe the best course of action would have been to continue on with Doggett and Scully as partners, or even Doggett solo, rather than tip the scale by adding Reyes as a full-time member of "Team Doggett." I guess that'll be continued next time in "Nothing Important Happened Today, Part 2."

"Existence"

"I'm the one who kept you alive, praying you'd win somehow."
Originally Aired 5/20/01

The previous episode, "Essence", had me once again pumped up for The X-Files. It showed there were still mysteries left to be unraveled in this series, such as the Syndicate's work continuing without them and how it related to Scully. The re-emergence of Krycek was also exciting, which is actually what served as my introduction to the character way back in 2008. Here in "Existence", Krycek is clearly out for himself only, as he avoids the rampaging Billy Miles, then holds Mulder at gunpoint in another tense parking garage scene. I feel like every crucial moment in the history of the series has taken place in a darkened, empty parking garage, and if it didn't take place in one, then it's not worth mentioning.

On one hand I feel sorry that the character of Krycek was practically killed in cold-blood by Skinner. It seems more like he should have died as a result of one of his betrayals, possibly even back in Season 6 when the Faceless Aliens were lighting Syndicate members on fire with their caddle prod sticks. Yet, with David Duchovny leaving the series following this episode, it's fitting that his nemesis should exit with him. It seemed like they never fully committed to making him a true formidable foe for Mulder anyways, since Season 6 shifted to gears to make him more of an enemy of Skinner instead, after he had gained some form of upper-hand over the Assistant FBI Director through the use of the nanobot device. Perhaps leaving Krycek for dead with a bullet in his head is just payback for Krycek leading Mulder to his possible death in the woods in last season's finale.

Yet there are other characters in this final hour of Season 8, such as Agent Reyes, whose "whale song" is even worse in hindsight. I just feel like they weren't even trying with this character at all. She's basically the 'Phoebe Buffay' of The X-Files, if she were played by one of the least interesting actresses they could find. Maybe this 'new age' character made more sense from the 1990's state-of-mind, but in the 21st century, it hasn't aged well at all.

Doggett is once again the most interesting aspect of the episode. He knows from the get-go he's being played by his former buddy Knowle Rohrer and doesn't budge at all in giving out the secret location of Scully's hiding spot. He even gets a cool parking garage scene of his own, when his former FBI Agent buddy-turned Super Soldier hangs onto the side of his SUV and is taken for a wild ride. Following the episode's climax, Doggett even calls out his boss and tells Kersh that he's under investigation, which left me mega pumped for Season 9 back when I first saw this scene. While I am fully aware now how Season 9 ended, Doggett and Kersh on-screen together is always a great moment. Even Doggett and Rohrer, played by Adam Baldwin, have a great scene together that is full of necessary exposition. They lay out the entire conspiracy behind this current season for anyone who was still slightly confused as to what's really going on- Scully's abduction in Season 2 was a military operation to install a chip, which has now become active, triggering her pregnancy. She was part of the Syndicate's experiments, while Billy Miles is part of the alien colonists' experiments, which they see Scully's baby as a threat because he would be immune to them as a true human-alien hybrid. What I still don't get 8 years later is why the Soldiers just suddenly back away and let the baby live?

The best sequence of the entire episode for me as a viewer and also a fan of Doggett, is the scene with his 'heart to heart' with Mulder, coincidentally is also in a parking garage. I think Fox may have saved a lot of money by using the same parking garage over and over again this season. Over the years so many characters have asked "HOW FAR WOULD MULDER GO?", which is practically the same exact quote from 4 or 5 different characters. Even Scully asked Mulder why he's still searching for answers two years ago in the Season 6 finale. This time, it's actually Doggett who turns the tables and asks Mulder when his search will end. For this entire season, Agent Doggett has been on the receiving end of Scully's advice, and this moment with Mulder seems to be a defining moment for the guy I once called "Dick Doggett." He asks, "How long until the next Billy Miles rears his head? The next threat? The next phantom? When will it end?" Mulder, the selfish jerk that he is, just smirks and says "maybe it doesn't." Maybe he really should have been abducted for good so he wasn't ruining more lives and getting even more people killed. As one of my good friends always says, "Mulder is the worst." Now *I* believe.

While this is a somewhat weak ending for Season 8, I really enjoyed the second half of this season's episodes as they were all given a sense of purpose. Everything was driven toward the birth of Scully's baby, which brought back Krycek, introduced new enemies in the form of alien replicants, and also closed the door on the Syndicate's mysterious experiments. Nearly all of my favorite episodes are found in the second half of the season, though the first half did offer plenty of scares and a greater focus on eerie cases of the week.

Top 5 of Season 8
1. Via Negativa
2. Vienen
3. Three Words
4. Essence
5. Empedocles

"Essence"

"Hey, look who's back."
Originally Aired 5/13/01

I had recently been exchanging messages with a friend about nearing the end of The X-Files, that I couldn't believe I only had one season left, and he laughed that I should quit before the series finale. "Can't do it anymore, too burned out" were his exact words, which actually seemed to be true now as I'm not even finished with the 8th season! I was already losing interest during the opening moments of this episode as Scully was finally having her baby shower, following her never-ending pregnancy. I'm not nearly as annoyed with stretching out the pregnancy for the length of the entire season as I am with creating the illusion that Scully has friends. I had thought it had long been established that neither Mulder nor Scully had much of a life outside of their work on the X-Files.

Throughout this entire season there has been two separate stories, one with Scully's pregnancy and the second being the coming invasion of "super soldiers." Cult leader Absalom attempted to use Doggett to thwart the efforts of the soldiers, which later ended with Doggett's mysterious friend being revealed as one of them. Billy Miles was also returned from his abduction and transformed into one of these soldiers. "Essence" is an attempt to merge both of these stories into one and Chris Carter actually does an impressive job of tying these two threads together, in a blending of present storylines with past conspiracies. It became apparent when Billy Miles showed up and whacked one of the doctors who was trying to create alien babies.

In a scene that gave me a momentary feeling of deja vu, Mulder showed up at Doggett's house and instructed him into flip the television to a newscast. It reminded me a lot of Season 1's finale, "The Erlenmeyer Flask", when Deep Throat gave Mulder a late night tip to watch the local news. I like Mulder in this pseudo role of Deep Throat to Agent Doggett. The lab filled with these little aliens in jars is kind of like "The Erlenmeyer Flask" too, when Scully recovered the fetus, only this is multiplied for extra creepy effect. It's hard to fully compare this to past mythology installments where Mulder was battling the clock to find a cure for Scully's cancer or racing against an actual ticking timebomb aboard a train, because Billy Miles attacking doctors almost feels like a low-grade version of the alien bounty hunter. However, the bromance of Mulder and Doggett continues to grow and it's refreshing to see Mulder have an ally for more than a single episode. If you recall, Krycek appeared to be an ally but was revealed as a spy of the Smoking Man by the end of that very episode. Then Jeffrey Spender was quickly killed off the moment he joined Team Mulder.

During the course of these 8 years of watching The X-Files in order, I'd often wondered what happened to all of these men and women working for the Syndicate. We know they employed "men in black" like Krycek and even X to carry out the dirty work of assassinations and sneaky things like that, but what about all of the doctors and scientists? There were experiments on bees, cloning, hybrids, and creating a vaccine to the black oil. I feel like while the Smoking Man was in charge of the men in black, perhaps the Well-Manicured Man was possibly in charge of overseeing several experiments. And now that the Syndicate has been burnt to a crisp going on two years, did the doctors keep working? Did the checks stop coming? Finally, I get my answers! While I did remember Billy Miles' rampage in this episode, I guess in the 8 years since I last watched "Essence" I apparently forgot one key scene. The nurse who was going to assist Scully at home as a nanny was actually revealed as an undercover agent of the project doctors. She shares vital information with Team Mulder that though the men in charge had been long deceased, the doctors continued their work in creating alien baby hybrids. BOOM. My mind was completely blown away that Carter actually came through on a two-year long story and connected everything, although I should be fully aware by now that's his m.o.

Before that revelation by Scully's nurse named Lizzy, I was even thinking that this episode was starting to feel a little like a retread of "One Son." Billy Miles was essentially wiping out the remaining traces of the doctors' experiments, much like the Faceless Aliens were destroying the Syndicate members and ending their union with the colonists. Now it makes even more sense why it appeared to be a retread. It wasn't a retread, it was more that Carter was finally closing the book on the entire Syndicate storyline for good. Compared to past mythology two-part bonanzas that brought back members of the Mulder family, Syndicate baddies, and aliens, "Essence" was lighter on characters but made up for it with an emphasis on action and surprises. "Essence" stands as a satisfying latter-day X-Files episode. Bring on the season finale, which is odd to say, given my stance on this episode during the lame baby shower.

"Alone"

"You re-gifted."
Originally Aired 5/6/01

As Season 8 nears its finale, "Alone" holds the distinction of being the final standalone episode starring David Duchovny. That is until this year, when FOX re-launched The X-Files as a 6-episode "event" series. Even if that fact is now erased, "Alone" is also known for being the first episode directed by long-time series writer, Frank Spotnitz. He's also contributed a few other spooky scripts this season, including "The Gift" and "Via Negativa", but this marks his first attempt at a comedic episode. While I think he did a great job in some aspects, it didn't provide enough humor or enough scares to call it a "classic."

I've only watched this episode once before, back in 2008, and I recall having a strong dislike for it's attempts at being funny. However, 8 years later, that "light-hearted" tone would be the reason why I enjoyed it. What seemed "nerdy" before, now feels endearing. Much of the comedic moments come from Doggett's new partner, Leyla Harrison, who isn't really an FBI agent; she's an accountant. It reminded me a little of the Dirty Harry sequel, The Enforcer, when grizzled detective Callahan is paired with a young cop. I felt that this "gimmick" could have continued longer with Doggett getting a new partner every week in the same way that Spinal Tap goes through drummers. My other idea was that Season 9 should have been Doggett going solo on his X-Files investigations, with Scully aiding him and performing autopsies, much like Mulder in the early portion of Season One. As I was typing this, I dreamt up another scenario for Season 9 where Doggett is actually partnered with Agent Emma Hollis from X-Files' sister series, Millennium. Hollis would be able to bring similar expertise to the cases as Reyes, yet she'd already have a built in character that they could expand on. That concludes my fan-fic portion of this review; moving on.

"Alone" doesn't offer many "classic" X-Files scares, but there is a bit of an atmosphere that is unique to this episode. I liked the use of music and camera angles when Doggett is investigating a creepy old house and the grounds surrounding it. They even added a reference to last season with a book titled The Sixth Extinction, which fits well with all of the dialogue referencing past X-Files investigations. Doggett's repeated descent down a well was fun, too. The poor guy has spent all season being vomited up by a creature, sent on a mission into a humid subway tunnel, held hostage by Absalom, and now he's knocked down a well. He's now The X-Files' personal pin cushion.

However, the ending felt a little abrupt, when Mulder came to Doggett's rescue. The bad guy just lets Mulder into the tunnel where he's been keeping Doggett and his partner, with Mulder just strolling in, while the door appears to lock behind him. D'oh! You'd think Mulder would be smarter than that since he was the one who deduced the creepy homeowner was hiding something in the first place. The wacky ending aside, I still enjoyed this episode of The X-Files, and it feels like the writer Frank Spotnitz is as much of a fan of the series as its viewers. Leyla Harrison's references to past cases is what I find myself doing while watching many episodes of not just The X-Files, but other movies and television shows. It definitely is not the worst episode of the season as I had previously believed and I'm glad I was able to view it with this new perspective. Only two episodes remain in Season 8, the two-part finale, "Essence" and "Existence", which I'm sad is coming to an end.

"Vienen"

"And you'd love to help but you left your lightsaber at home."
(Originally Aired 4/29/01)

In this week's episode we have more of the Doggett-Mulder duo, "As The X-Files Turns", or in this case, Die Hard on a oil rig. Doggett is sent by Kersh to quickly investigate the death of a worker on an oil rig, which was a case that Mulder was looking into, so naturally he shows up and beats Doggett to the punch. Meanwhile, Scully and Skinner remain on land to perform an autopsy on that oil worker.

Scully told Mulder that this isn't like old times, except it is, with the two of them investigating the same case from different locations. It also feels like the old days, when the agents face resistance from an oil company executive, much like when Mulder and Scully encountered a local police officer who resented their investigation. To give it even more of that old feeling of nostalgia, the episode's villain is the black oil, last seen in the movie Fight The Future. Season 5 would be it's last series appearance, when the Syndicate attempted to create a vaccine in "The Red and The Black." This was actually the first episode I had watched with the oil, so I wasn't aware of how differently it acts in each appearance. The version in "Vienen" is more like it's original incarnation, which was also found under the sea, and would take over a person's body and irradiate anyone who got in it's way.

 
Revisiting this for the first time in 8 years, it feels slightly less exciting than I remembered. Possibly it's because Mulder has done so much in the past to skate on thin ice at the FBI, that this can't be what gets him dismissed for good by Kersh. On the other hand, Kersh now has another guy in the X-Files that he can manipulate to take the fall, making Mulder expendable. This also feels slightly less exciting because most scenes feature Doggett and Mulder walking around the oil rig; I guess they had to make the most of the oil rig they had rented. The set piece of the oil rig also gives it an old school X-Files environment, too. I was reminded of the early years where they created paranoia by isolating Mulder and Scully in a remote location in episodes like "Ice" and "Darkness Falls."

I love how Season 8 appears to be the "Year of the B-Players", with the best episodes of this season coming from unlikely writers. First was David Amann's "Invocation", which attempted to provide a backstory for Agent Doggett and the mystery surrounding his son. Frequent mythology co-conspirator Frank Spotnitz provided the script for "Via Negativa", which featured Doggett's descent into madness when investigating a creepy cult leader. Last week's was Greg Walker's "Empedocles", again centering the episode's mystery around Doggett's past, and now this episode's Doggett-Mulder bromance aboard an oil rig was written by Steven Maeda. "Vienen" is also noteworthy among the series' mythology because it's one of the very few to have not been written by either Carter, Spotnitz, nor the duos of Morgan-Wong and Gordon-Gansa. I feel like these writers were given the spotlight this season because Vince Gilligan and John Shiban were tied up with the Lone Gunmen spin-off, though their absence adds to the unique atmosphere that is Season 8.

Only one standalone episode remains before the season ending two-parter, with "Alone" being another script from Frank Spotnitz. I'm curious how well it has aged since I recall hating it the first time around. "Vienen" remains strong, still among the best that Season 8 had to offer.

"Empedocles"

"I saw Elvis in a potato chip once."
Originally Aired 4/22/01

There is a lot going on in this hour of The X-Files, much more character development than your average case-of-the-week episode, especially with "Empedocles" featuring four FBI agents. Technically Mulder is no longer allowed to investigate X-Files cases, so I'm not sure how he still has access to the basement office, let alone free to roam the hallways of the J. Edgar Hoover Building. Maybe he had a spare key made for such occasions, though I really wonder about the security at the FBI. Krycek always seems to have access, too.

Scully has a lighter load as she appears to be on maternity leave, though her role in this episode was not any less essential. Throughout this season she has offered advice to Doggett on their cases together, since she was once in his shoes as the "skeptic." This time Doggett actually comes to her, as the episode's case could have a link back to the mystery surrounding his son's abduction. Their brief moment together is the highlight of this episode as Doggett shows some cracks in his crusty exterior, asking Scully how she became a believer. It segues into a beautifully eerie scene with Doggett appearing in a field, as everyone else around him is in slow motion, which appears throughout the episode and finally reveals the moment when he discovered his son. Doggett later explains to Monica Reyes that he tried to do everything he could to find his son, and if a paranormal link is actually true, that means he didn't explore every possibility in his search. Some fans have said Doggett was merely a replacement character, either replacing Mulder as the person with a mysterious abduction that still haunts him or as a replacement for Scully's skeptic character. This episode strongly disproves either critique of the John Doggett character, as he is neither. While he is strongly skeptical of the paranormal, he approaches it from a different angle than our other characters; he's more like the previous non-believer, Agent Jeffrey Spender.

So with Scully on leave, and Mulder's position at the FBI in limbo, that leaves only two agents- Doggett and Reyes, who brings a case she is consulting on to Mulder's attention. I really like this dynamic with Mulder assuming the role of "mentor", almost sliding into Deep Throat's shoes. Mulder is still able to throw in his classic wisecracks and the tension between Doggett and Mulder is carried over from the previous episode. I feel like they should have done everything within their power to keep Duchovny from leaving the series so the Mulder-Doggett dynamic could continue as regular partners. It's kind of like a tv drama version of the old WWF wrinkle of "tag team partners who hate each other". Monica Reyes still does nothing for me as a character on this series. She feels like a really awkward version of Mulder, maybe even like Phoebe Buffay from Friends. The opening scene where she is asked if a case has a Satanic link because of Marilyn Manson CDs is awkward dialogue and doesn't do the character any favors either.

While I actually like the mysterious X-File case this week, which appears to be a thread of evil that is passed on from person to person at their most vulnerable moments, it seems a little under-developed. Maybe that's because I can't take "Bug" from Uncle Buck seriously as a "villain." I keep picturing him as the guy who's afraid of John Candy's character in that movie. Although the X-Files crew did excellent make-up effects when "Bug" tears skin from his face and reveals lava underneath; pretty creepy. It doesn't matter if that part of the plot isn't given enough time though, because it was mainly there to get Doggett to question his disbelief in the paranormal. This is exactly what the writers should have been doing sooner in the season, because now we only have 4 episodes remaining but there is so much more that could have been done with Doggett-Mulder. I recall this being one of the stronger episodes from Season 8 from when I first watched it, and after viewing it again, it is among the strongest of the entire run of episodes filmed in California. Not only is Doggett's background explored, but they also remembered Mulder's background as a criminal profiler. Bravo to writer Greg Walker!

Actually, excuse me, the best part of this episode was actually a few recurring moments with a sassy black nurse at the hospital. She tells Mulder and Doggett that it's "immediate family only", then later she scolds Doggett while he's visiting Scully. She appears a third time even, telling the agents again that it's family only. Such sass! Give that lady a raise.

"Three Words"

"For a guy who was in a coffin not too long ago, I think I'm doing pretty damn good."
Originally Aired 4/8/01

For the 8th season of The X-Files, David Duchovny was contracted to appear in 12 of the 21 episodes. So far we've seen Mulder in a flashback or two, in his alien fetish chair, as a disguise of the Alien Bounty Hunter, and he's also played dead. In "Three Words", David finally gets to play Fox Mulder alive and well, which marks his 7th appearance overall this season. Halfway through his contracted amount and he's finally able to play Mulder in the way we all know and love seems like it might not be the best use of that contract.

Whether it was the best use of Duchovny or not, I really enjoyed everything about this episode, from the performances to the action. Mulder tells Scully he's not sure where he fits in and this show could've been pretty crowded with three lead actors and guest stars galore, along with the amount of stories it's trying to weave together. The first is the continuation of the mystery surrounding the returned abductees, and it seems a database has gathered information on all of these people, including Mulder and Billy Miles. Mulder investigates and brings along the Gunmen, giving that trio some action in the field in a scene reminiscent of the Mission Impossible films.

Doggett has an investigation of his own though its not of his own freewill. The creepy Absalom from the previous episodes has broken out of jail and he abducts Doggett because he wants to expose the government database too. I'm not sure his plan to break into that government facility would have been very successful, since the computer password was not revealed until much later in the episode. I'm really going to miss Absalom as he was a whole different kind of creepy compared to the Syndicate. He wasn't really a typical villain since he was actually trying to expose the secrets behind the experiments on the abductees, he just had a flair for the dramatic that ended in his death, like the guy who jumped over the White House fence in the episode's opening.

We also learn that not only is Doggett being used as as a fall guy at the FBI, he's also being used by his own friend Knowle Rohrer, played by Adam Baldwin. When we first saw Doggett, he was a golden boy at the FBI and was chummy with his fellows agents, but now all he has is that lonely basement office. He should have listened to Scully's warning and got out before it was too late. I'm not sure what's a worse punishment- being exiled to work in the basement office or being the boss of those who work in that basement? It's also interesting to note how Mulder was given an informant character named Deep Throat (and later X) and his rival was a former FBI agent. Now Doggett has an informant who is also being set up to be his rival. Even more people are shunning Doggett. Poor guy. Although with Rohrer as a new wave of villains with these bumpy neck spikes, and Absalom knowing how to detect them, it would have been a better use of the characters had they been able to come face to face. Perhaps Rohrer was one of the people at Absalom's UFO cult camp, so Rohrer kills him after he informs Mulder of their neck spikes.

The most interesting aspect of this episode is that Mulder is actually on the outside looking in, so he was right when he said he didn't know how he fit in. For 7 seasons the show was through Mulder's eyes and we saw every wrinkle in the conspiracy unfold as he discovered them. In this 8th season, til now it has been mostly Scully's journey as she searched for Mulder and was forced to work with a new partner. However this episode seems to be slowly passing the torch off to Robert Patrick's John Doggett. I used an example before that Doggett is like taking a character like Snake Plissken and placing him into a horror movie, but after viewing the conspiracies in "Three Words", I see Doggett closer to Roger Thornhill in North By Northwest. He's a regular guy that gets mixed up in a conspiracy in classic Hitchcock-style. Scully informed Mulder that Doggett was above reproach, which we know is true since he returned to government facility to save Mulder in the episode's climax, after he realized he unknowingly set up Mulder with the classified information.

Five episodes remain in Season 8, which isn't nearly enough screen time for the "friendship" between Doggett and Mulder to grow. I really enjoy their anti-bromance and it's nice to see Mulder interact with someone he clearly doesn't like, much like those scenes with Agent Spender in Seasons 5 and 6. I'm putting "Three Words" near the top of Season 8's collection of episodes.

"Deadalive"

"All aboard."
Originally Aired 4/1/01

While many fans of The X-Files were losing interest in the series during this time, Season 8 seems to have more of a focus on storytelling through it's mythology arc than previous seasons, with the intertwining of Scully's mysterious pregnancy and the disappearance of Mulder. One of those storylines appeared to meet it's end in the last episode, "This Is Not Happening", when Agent Mulder was returned following his abduction. The opening moments of "Deadalive" revealed several cracks in the direction this arc with Mulder has taken, as he's been dead and buried for three months, with the funeral being the worst scene I've ever watched in this series. Chris Carter has always lacked in trying to create tender moments between his characters and that cemetery scene between Scully and Skinner was truly laughably bad.

I was ready to declare this series as dead as Fox Mulder. However the episode seemed to have steered the ship away from crashing when it focused more on the drama surrounding Agent Doggett. With the investigation into Mulder's disappearance ending in his apparent death, Director Kersh moves for Doggett to be re-assigned off the X-Files division. That's what Doggett has wanted since the season premiere, "Within", yet he's seemingly had a change of heart. If he's reassigned and Scully takes maternity leave, Doggett comes to the realization that the X-Files office will be closed for good. Shaking his "Dick Doggett" image as the season has progressed, Doggett has firmly placed himself on "Team Mulder" with his decision to stay, scoring another one for the good guys.

Doggett has been introduced to the Lone Gunmen, and also worked closely with his superior, AD Skinner, and in "Deadalive" he's introduced to another character, the shady Alex Krycek. Doggett's introduction to Krycek was also my own introduction to him too, as Season 8 was the first season I had watched in order following several standalones seen in reruns. I liked his mysterious appearance as he seemingly holds Mulder's fate in his hands, giving Skinner a life or death choice to make. The parking lot scene between Krycek and Doggett is the best parking garage scene since X called Mulder his "tool" back in "One Breath." Although I can't recall many parking garage scenes in the years since then. If Doggett hadn't already chosen sides, then his attempt at standing up to Krycek firmly places him on Team Mulder.

Speaking of "One Breath", this episode feels a lot like that one, only flipping the scenario so that now Doggett, Scully, and even Skinner are working to save Mulder's life. Not only do these episodes share a lot of hospital scenes, but Doggett's decision on whether to be reassigned echoes Mulder's own decision to resign from the X-Files. Just like Mulder confronted the mysterious Smoking Man for answers on Scully, Doggett even questions another cryptic character, Absalom. Judson Scott has portrayed villains before but here he's excellently creepy and I wish he was being set up as more of a conspirator this season, than just a vessel for the Doggett character. 

The best scene of all in "Deadalive" isn't the conversation between Doggett and Absalom, nor is it the return of Krycek, it was a scene with Billy Miles, who also returned following Season 7's "Requiem." Billy is returned under likely 100 pounds of make-up and prosthetics, which looked super gruesome as he laid in a hospital bed on life support. Back when I first watched this episode as part of a weekend-long binge of Season 8, I was really impressed with the scene of Billy shedding his skin in the shower. It still holds up as a creepy effect, with his "flesh" dropping off and oozing into the shower drain. Just as Billy and Mulder were both resurrected in this hour of television, there still appears to be life left in The X-Files.

"This Is Not Happening"

"You ever hear of an alien in Nikes?"
Originally Aired 2/25/01

In previous mythology installments, they'd always bring back the role call of guest stars and make these two-parters jam-packed with characters. By mid-Season 8 a great many of these characters are long since deceased, so now the guest star credits is left with only supporting characters from last year's "Requiem" episode. It's really slim pickens at this point. It is a nice way to return to the events of "Requiem" though, with abductees being mysteriously returned, giving Scully hope that Mulder may be next.

The idea of a "UFO cult" being introduced is a bit silly. What I recall from the late 90's around the time of this episode being written is that people would join these cults, and then everyone would kill themselves in order to join a "mothership" that would take them to the after-life. Instead, what happens in "This Is Not Happening" is the opposite. Dead bodies are discovered, then taken to a compound where they are restored to full health, and after that they just kinda hang around with each other in the woods. Seems like while they're brought back life, they're left mute because none of them speak when questioned by Scully. This is also a way to re-introduce a character from Season 3, the shape-shifting Jeremiah Smith. Scully recognized his face from a video tape and explains that he has the power to heal, yet I can't recall her sharing any scenes with him prior to this. I guess her becoming a full-fledged believer this season means she is now fully embracing her role as Mulder, so she too makes quick leaps in beliefs.

Along with the returning Jeremiah Smith, two new characters are introduced as well, cult leader Absalom and FBI Agent Monica Reyes. I believe Absalom hangs around briefly, while Reyes will stick around for the rest of the series' run. It's now apparent that both are introduced to serve Doggett's character and further his beliefs. This really doesn't do the character of Monica Reyes any favors though. She is instantly presented as a "fruitcake" and even Scully quips that it feels like a therapy session, with Skinner rolling his eyes in the background. The scene she shared with Doggett at a hospital is the opposite; she comforts him when the case reminds him of what happened when he discovered his abducted son. Here she seems to stand on her own as a character and not just a "Mulder-wannabe" when she's on-screen with Scully. However I quickly realized she's not a "wannabe." Mulder's character echoed the sentiments and conspiracies stemming from the events of JFK's assassination, Watergate, and Vietnam, with Carter tapping into those feelings. Now, Reyes seems to be closer to the feelings from the 90's, such as the new-agey trend of Americans adopting Buddhism and being "spiritual"; kind of like Gillian Anderson and how she created her own episode, "All Things." I'll bet Reyes even wears a mood ring, were they ever to show a close-up on her hands.

Robert Patrick is the best part of this episode and the majority of this season thus far. Here, his character of Doggett is a bit more subdued than previous episodes, less dickish than normal. I feel like that's why Reyes was introduced this way, as Doggett gets to play one way with Scully and another with Reyes. Isn't that how Mulder was originally? He appeared "spooky" around everyone else, while Scully was able to see who he really is. Doggett isn't a believer but I like how he does buy into the alien stories enough to suit his real-world theory- its's like he'll only dip his toes in the water but if you mention that Alien Bounty Hunter again, he's outta here.

"This Is Not Happening" doesn't do much for me, and I much preferred the way The X-Files returned to the conspiracy in last week's "Per Manum". Although it seems that previous seasons only had one conspiracy involving the Syndicate, Season 8 has two mysteries being woven- the mysterious pregnancy of Scully and the abduction of Mulder. Never did I think I would ever enjoy the baby subplot more than Mulder's arc.

"My Struggle II"

Aired 2/22/16

When this X-Files "6-episode" mini-series was announced in the spring of 2015, I thought it was just that, a mini-series to wrap up the conspiracy. As the time counted down closer and closer to the re-launch, I possibly read too much. At first I wanted to avoid spoilers, except after it was announced the Smoking Man was returning, I had to know how that could be! His character was engulfed in flames by a missile when last seen in Season 9, so I assumed it had to be through flashbacks. Then I discovered who was returning on the production side, as well as more familiar on-screen faces. I even learned this was ending on a cliffhanger at the end of the 6th episode. My grandma likened it to being prepared a feast, then having it taken away from you just after it's served. For a perfect example of how to end a science fiction show on a cliffhanger, I look to Fringe, especially Season 3. Those guys weren't sure if they would be returning for another season, so they closed the door on the current storyline, only leaving a hint of what's to come. Carter did the opposite, perhaps to stir up the fans so they'd demand a swift return?

I feel like ending it the way this mini-series did, now properly titled Season 10, is a risk that Chris Carter shouldn't have taken. When the series wrapped for the first time back in 2002, they had hoped to launch a series of movies, which never happened until the lone sequel in 2008. Nothing was in the works until 2015, almost 7 years later. I just wonder how many chances Chris Carter will receive? I'd have just thrown all of my eggs into one basket, went full-tilt, and delivered a conspiracy-heavy string of episodes. It certainly seemed like Chris Carter had enough threads of the mythology for a full 6 episodes, only it was condensed to 2. This make room for other writers to return and add their own personal touches, which is actually something that was lacking in the previous movie, I Want To Believe. So if this does get a Season 11 sooner rather than later, I hope the supporting writers are shuffled around, giving all of the alumni a chance to return.

I've only talked about the conclusion. As for the actual 40-some odd minutes that preceded it, there was much that I did enjoy, including the Smoking Man's return. While he was briefly teased in "My Struggle", here he receives plenty of screen time in both the past and the present. My question of how he survived yet another "death" was answered, through an injection of alien DNA that was a major focal point in this episode. Former X-Files investigator Monica Reyes is summoned by Smoking Man's minions and she is offered a chance to join him, so she too will receive this alien DNA in return for lighting his smokes. Seems like a fair trade. It's actually the best use of Monica in the entire season (and some odd episodes) she appeared in, since I cannot recall other "evil" agents aligned with him having any sort of motivation for doing so. Krycek, Marita, and Diana Fowley were already under his thumb in secret when they first appeared. Both Krycek and Marita were responsible for one of his "deaths" and Fowley turned on him, only to be killed off-screen. So I can assume that Monica will suffer a similar fate now that she's spilled the beans to Scully about his plot to wipe out humanity like a Bond villain.

The Smoking Man's make-up effects are pretty cool too, as he still has his neck hole, but now he has a detachable nose piece. Maybe he should be renamed Mr. Potato Head, and next time he'll attach a bright clown nose onto his face. The best of all was the close-up on his two fingers, motioning for a cigarette, all while confined to a hospital bed. That finger rubbing scene oozed creepiness.

Like many installments of the mythology, Mulder and Scully are separated. Mulder is searching for answers from the Smoking Man, while Scully teams up with the new kids on the block, spending most of that time with Einstein. What a lousy name. I really liked how this episode ramped up the suspense as the victims of a plague begin to line up at Scully's hospital, with Tad O'Malley popping in for reports that this incident is NOT confined to the Washington D.C. area. His pop-in reports reminded me a lot of Orson Welles' War Of The Worlds broadcast, and I like how O'Malley is increasingly becoming infected until he likely keeled over too. I'm not sure if O'Malley is a modern version of Mulder's informant character or his new tech friend to replace the deceased Lone Gunmen character. Either way, I like Joel McHale as O'Malley, since he brings a modern feel to this 1990's show that seems desperate to be relevant throughout Season 10.

It was stated before that this alien DNA wrinkle in the mythology may be a way to clean the slate and "reboot" the mythology but I still believe it has it's roots in the old conspiracy tales. The Smoking Man and his Syndicate pals were revealed to have an "alliance" of sorts with alien colonists that were going to reclaim planet Earth. It was never stated how they were going to survive an apocalypse, just that one day they would be spared as part of the plan, though the Syndicate worked against them in secret. I feel like these alien DNA injections were their way of surviving, leaving the Smoking Man to inject whomever he saw fit to continue the human race with him. The episode ends with a UFO overhead and I feel like it's the alien colonists returning to finish the job. If this UFO was zooming to the rescue of the FBI agents on the bridge, then why would it blow up Svetta in the premiere? I guess we will find out in 5 years. See ya then.

"Per Manum"

"I'm in the dark pretty much my entire time on The X-Files."
Originally Aired 2/18/01

Scully has been mysteriously pregnant since the conclusion of last season and this is the first episode to make it the focus of an entire hour. "Per Manum" opens with a freaky sequence of a woman giving birth to an alien baby. It's really intense because the doctors seem to know what's going on yet the pregnant woman was clearly in the dark about what has been growing inside of her for 9 months. I'd compare it to the scene in The Fly, where Gena Davis gave birth to a mutant maggot baby. I also like the use of the woman's point of view being out of focus, so we don't know what she gave birth to either until it's finally revealed, yet we hear an alien shriek. Even the baby alien creature is a cool prop since it's mouth is clearly moving as it cries. The little snot plunger thing makes me laugh, though.

The husband of the lady who gave birth to the alien shares his story with a skeptical Scully, while Doggett actually believes it in an interesting twist. Apparently he's still been reading every X-Files investigation case file, as was stated back in the episode "Patience", and tells Scully that the man named Duffy shared a story that sounds similar to her's- abduction, being diagnosed with cancer, and a miraculous recovery. On past seasons of The X-Files, Mulder and Scully would quite frequently split up into two separate investigations, mostly in these mythology tales. This time it is clear that Scully is filling the role of Mulder and she conducts a secret investigation unknown to her partner. Meanwhile Doggett looks into the background of this shady Duffy character. There's even a third thread woven into this episode, which features a returning David Duchovny in flashback sequences with Scully remembering past conversations with Mulder that callback to Season 4's "Memento Mori." With having three separate stories within one episode you'd think it would be a mess, yet "Per Manum" has allows each story to have equal time and never feels rushed.

I've always been intrigued by the happenings of the Syndicate, since as viewers we only saw the meetings held in the creepy boardroom with the Smoking Man and the Elders, but there had to be so many levels of this conspiracy. There were the Elders at the top, the men in black underneath them like X who worked for the Smoking Man, also cloning doctors that we saw in "Memento Mori", then later the doctors working on the hybrid project in "Two Fathers", but I'm sure it had to go deeper than that. And what happened after the Syndicate was burned alive by the aliens, did these doctors just stop working on their evil experiments? I feel like this episode finally gets us up to speed on what's been happening since Season 6, that several of these doctors have possibly continued their work on alien-human hybrids. The grey-haired doctor from the alien baby birth sequence has always looked eerily like Donnie Pfaster to me. And revisiting this episode after so many years away, I still recall laughing at Doggett's pronunciation of the doctor's name as "Paren-TAY", while Scully says "Paren-TEE." It's the small things that make me laugh.

Speaking of Doggett, he's seemingly dropped the "dickish" side of his character, now transforming into 'Concerned Citizen Doggett.' He's been left out of the loop on this whole pregnancy, so I understand his frustration and I like the development of his character in this episode. I watched Season 8 way back in 2007 across a single weekend, Memorial Day in fact, and I believe this was a watershed moment for Doggett and when I began to really like the character. I also recall this not only being a turning point for Doggett, but for the entire season, because until now it was almost entirely standalone episodes. From here it becomes a string of mythology episodes as it builds into the series finale. A new character is also introduced, as Doggett turns to a friend for help, who would be special guest star Adam Baldwin in the role of Knowle Rohrer. I met Adam in 2013 and I was surprised he correctly spelled that name on my X-Files poster.

I think "Per Manum" is a fantastic episode that improved through a rewatch or two, though it's not without a gripe or two. My main gripe with this episode, or actually the season as a whole, is that Scully's pregnancy was written out of thin air. It was briefly hinted at that Scully and Mulder were much closer than partners and friends, but nothing of her wanting a baby seemed to be clear either. Now through these flashbacks they've attempted to rewrite this pregnancy in reverse, as we learn Mulder told her she was left barren, so Scully sought fertilization treatments to become pregnant. I don't mind it so much, because "Per Manum" has injected the paranoia into the series that's been long gone since Scully's cancer arc was wrapped up in early Season 5.

"Babylon"

"Is this what you want Agent Mulder, your 'woo woo paranormal'?"
Aired 2/15/16

 

My fandom isn't the same as most X-Files fans, or in some circles are referred to as, "X-Philes." I came late to the party, after the series had already ended its run back in 2002. Its been fun experiencing new episodes on TV, and now I have a new wrinkle to add to my own fandom, which is "Babylon." I just happened to be surfing the web as this episode was leaked days before it's airdate, whether intentional or accidental. Myself and thousands of other fans were treated to a sneak preview before it vanished from Hulu within the hour. I even signed up for a free trial of Hulu just to watch this episode!

However, out of ten seasons of television and two feature films, this was the most bizarre installment of them all. "Babylon" began with a terrorist bombing of an art gallery, almost like one of those "ripped from the headlines" episodes of Law & Order. Mulder and Scully then meet their doppelgangers (unlike the doppelgangers in "Fight Club"), who inform them that one of the bombers is still alive, although unconscious. They pair off in wacky, unlikely duos, with Mulder and Not-Scully trying to communicate with the bomber through a wild and wacky mushroom-induced hallucination. Did I already say how wacky that is? Well, it is. David Duchovny definitely excels in comedic roles, much like he did in the middle years of the series when they fully embraced comedy; "Dreamland" always springs to mind. I liked that Mulder's hallucination was a way to work in the deceased Lone Gunmen characters, especially after seeing a behind the scenes clip where the trio were wearing ten-gallon hats. The hallucination also featured Skinner and the Cigarette-Smoking Man, although his appearance was slightly disturbing to me. I believe David would be fantastic on Dancing With The Stars but this was not X-Files.

Once Mulder's bad trip wore off, the episode was right back to it's serious tone dealing with an act of terrorism. "Babylon" was giving me whiplash with that back and forth shifting. I think perhaps this episode was just chock full of country songs and current pop songs that it was hard to look beyond that and enjoy the episode for what it was trying to accomplish. The X-Files rarely used contemporary music outside of its score created by Mark Snow, except for a few examples such as Cher and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. Perhaps Chris Carter didn't know what he was trying to accomplish though, which can make for a bad viewing experience.

The X-Files never touched on social events either, unlike what it did here in "Babylon". While I do enjoy those moments when the series would link WWII planes with UFOs, those are radically different from trying to make your episode into an "After School Special." During the opening moments, I thought maybe I was supposed to relate to the Muslim kid, because I too like to check out females and eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. But then he turned out to be a suicide bomber, which I can't relate to that at all. The investigation is wrapped up when his mom shows up and says she never raised a son to be a killer. The Dawson's Creek-styled ending was out of character, too, with all of the characters reflecting on the episode's events over a pop song playing in the background; just a real mish-mashing of ideas. I think Chris Carter is like I am at times- I have a lot of ideas swirling in my head, but the end result isn't quite what I intended to say.

Mitch Pileggi is looking an awful lot like Sean Connery in The Last Crusade.

I will say this about "Babylon", that what it does get right are those moments between the central characters of Mulder and Scully, which has returned to the series after that initial premiere episode. Mulder's quick wit and David Duchovny's comedic timing are in top form here and throughout these "standalone" cases. I suppose that's been the journey of Mulder throughout this mini-series, as he became depressed and drove a wedge between himself and Scully in his years away from the FBI, but now he's regained that old Mulder spirit. But if I hear more of "Honky Tonk Ba-Donk-A-Donk" during The X-Files, that space ship better beam me up too, cause I'm out.

"Medusa"

"I'm a good shot."
Originally Aired 2/11/01

At this point in the season, at the 10th "monster of the week" in a row and 12th episode overall, I was ready for a break from this type of story-telling. Give me Mulder, give me aliens, give me anything to sink my teeth into. I couldn't recall much from "Medusa" before I sat down to watch it, except that I have a doll of Agent John Doggett, who's decked out in tactical gear from this episode. Moments into "Medusa", I recalled the plot right away, and felt like it was a strong episode among Season 8's crop of stories.

Apparently some chemical or ooze is causing human flesh to disintegrate in the tunnels of the Boston Subway, so Doggett and Scully are called in as consultants because of their knowledge of weird happenings like that. I like how Doggett basically knows his role and shuts his mouth, saying "I'm with her", and lets Scully take charge. After ten cases together, Doggett is finally getting the hang of his role in The X-Files. I really like the scene where Doggett "suits up" with his crew, which is when we're introduced to several faces from television and film. Penny Johnson (from The Larry Sanders Show, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Castle) is a doctor with the CDC, except she mostly just looks at things in the subway and then yells to Agent Doggett. There's also a guy by the name of Brent Sexton, whom I can't recall from any specific roles, yet I know I've seen his face. He's usually in roles like this, where he's a sidekick or "heavy" and then gets killed. Another member of the group is actor Vyto Ruginis, playing the stereotypical tough guy Lieutenant who may or may not be Italian, and I know I've seen him in roles like that before, too. All four of them suit up in tactical gear and bring a lot of fire power into the subway, yet we sadly don't get to see any of that in use.

Meanwhile, Scully stays above ground in an elaborately decorated control center and also yells to Agent Doggett a lot. She's really annoyed by another familiar face, actor Ken Jenkins, who was a doctor on Scrubs. I usually confuse him with actor Philip Baker Hall for some reason. His character in "Medusa" is that of Chief Karras, who keeps reminding Scully that he's releasing the trains on time for the 5 o'clock commute, whether Doggett is out of the subway or not. Now I've said before that Doggett's hard boiled character in this world of the paranormal is like putting Snake Plissken into a horror movie, and "Medusa" is coincidentally the best example of that. Karras has placed a deadline on Doggett and Scully, much like Snake's 24 hour mission into New York City. He's also decked out in tactical gear, somewhat like Snake's leather and camo appearance. This episode also makes use of an incredibly elaborate subway that I assume is a set built just for this episode, heightening the action movie-like quality of the episode.

When the mystery is revealed, it's not quite as impressive as the build to that mystery, though I still enjoyed this episode quite a lot. Several X-Files tropes are present- local law enforcement standing in their way, giant flashlights in dark passageways, and also "annoyed Scully" makes an appearance. I love "annoyed Scully" so much and she always raises the bar for every episode she appears in. I assume "Medusa" won't be many X-Files fans' cup of tea, but I'm an action movie fan, and I enjoy this 40-minute attempt at being a blockbuster action movie of the 90's. It feels a little like that Daylight movie with Stallone (granted I only watched that once on tv over a decade ago) and that one movie with Penelope Ann Miller in the sewers (which I saw once on HBO even further back.) Doggett is on the clock and racing against time, Scully is barking orders and rushing around to find answers while watching on closed-circuit monitors, and I was entertained, so there. Bravo X-Files.

"Home Again"

"Back in the day Mulder I used to do stairs and in 3 inch heels."
Aired 2/8/16

This episode was definitely a mixed bag. I understand the writers' need to mix so many mythology elements in with these standalone cases due to the shortened length of the season, but this one didn't click, unlike "Founder's Mutation". That episode was a standalone case about genetically modified children which caused Mulder and Scully to each reflect on their own child, William, with both having their dreams becoming nightmares. This episode causes Mulder and Scully to again reflect on their grief over William, but it's on top of so much other drama, along with a shift in tone. I was left feeling like this episode didn't know what it wanted to be.

First, I'll start with the actual "X-File" itself. A large, spooky guy who rides around inside of a garbage truck is ripping various city officials in half. People refer to him as the "Band Aid Nose Man" which is a serious downgrade from past names like Crew Cut Man, Toothpick Man, Black-Haired Man, and even Red-Haired Man. I suppose a character like an Eye-Patch-Wearing Man isn't creepy enough for this series. This episode does have another "Man" character, known as Trash Man, and he's a pop artist that graffitis art around town and speaks for the homeless people of the downtown area. When I first saw homeless people on the street at the beginning of this episode, my first thought was, "I wonder if Mulder spends the night with them like he did in 'Jersey Devil'?"

The second part of this episode sees the brief return of Sheila Larken as Maggie Scully, mother of Dana Scully, who was last featured briefly in Season 9. Maggie has suffered a fatal heart attack, but before she dies, she mentions both Scully's younger brother Charlie as well as Scully's son William. The thread of William has been woven nicely into this mini-series and while I was never of fan of baby William, I am enjoying the way Mulder and Scully are reflecting on their son. Some portions of the fan community seem to chastise the decision to give William up for adoption, even to the point that the writers said it was in poor taste and apologized for it. The way I look at it is that Mulder and Scully live in constant danger of the Syndicate, a group that's had Scully abducted, killed Mulder's father and his mentors, and almost blew up Mulder in a train car. That's a rough life for a baby when your grandfather wants your own parents dead. Even Papa Mulder gave up his own daughter for what he thought was the greater good, I suppose it's the circle of life in the Mulder clan. I think Scully needs a reason to return to The X-Files more than just investigating spooky cases again, and finding William is that reason. Just like Mulder originally wanted to use The X-Files to find his missing sister, Scully is now using them to find her son. But the drama of William seems to overshadow the drama of losing Maggie Scully. It may have been best to leave the monster out of this episode.

I felt like "Home Again" wanted to have serious character drama, while having a spooky monster, and also include campy moments. The black homeless guy saying "Band Aid Nose Man" and pointing to a several stories high mural was about the campiest moment of unintentional comedy I've seen on the show in ages. Perhaps that name sounded better on paper than it did being spoken by the actors. The use of music over impending doom (and later death) felt a little wedged in here, too. My favorite scene was a neat editing trick where the garbage truck drives past the "Fox Presents" text, as if the text is within the episode, as opposed to the text being over the episode like typical credits. I guess I shouldn't fault director/writer Glen Morgan so much for including many X-Files tropes since he really is 'home again' and it's not too often in life that you get a second chance, or even a third.