"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.