"Biogenesis"

"Scully, you packing any latex?"
Originally Aired 5/16/99

When I watched the Season Two finale, "Anasazi", I felt that episode was a melting pot of ideas and it launched the series into new territory. The conspiracy which was seemingly lead by the Smoking Man was now linked to Mulder's family, Krycek killed his father before he could divulge any secrets, there was an appearance by the Lone Gunmen, Mulder threatened Skinner and almost lost his job, and not only that, Mulder was left for dead in a train car. It was intense. However, four years later, Season Six's finale "Biogenesis" feels like the opposite. It's a hodge-podge of half-baked ideas.

Actually, it isn't that terrible, because it starts off with an intriguing mystery surrounding an artifact found on the coast in Africa. Mulder and Scully don't even appear until well into the episode, around the ten-minute mark. Before they arrive, Dr. Merkmallen arrives in America with the artifact, which is now fused with a similar artifact. He intends to present it to a fellow Biology professor, Dr. Sandoz, who also has an artifact, however he's killed by a man posing as the doctor. The two doctors believe that life originated outside of our planet, which as we know could be true, since the alien oil seems to be a source of life for the Colonists. I like that the series is trying to tackle something as large as the "ancient astronaut" theory, since Season Six has a running theme of stretching the series in new and interesting directions. Where it became a "hodge-podge" is because they seem to use the Cigarette Smoking Man and the Syndicate as a crutch; while we know the Smoking Man is still lurking in the shadows, his presence seemingly serves no purpose here. Krycek should be "the man" now and assume the role as the series' top villain, he's earned it, I just feel like even a hint of the Smoking Man lurking in this episode has kept him from achieving his rightful spot.

I haven't used enough pictures of Scully this season.

Aside from that nitpick, "Biogenesis" actually feels like a subject that should have been tackled in the fifth season. During a conversation in an elevator between Mulder and Scully, she questions their role in this investigation with Mulder adding that he's a "hired gun." That scene feels like it was plucked out of the fifth season when Mulder was refusing to believe in aliens after realizing his quest for the truth was the cause of Scully's cancer. Not only that, he mentions wanting to find his sister, whom he last saw in "Redux II." The questions of God and aliens were also raised in Season 4's finale, "Gethsemane", when Mulder asked Scully if she would prove God existed if she had the means to do so. I get the feeling that this is indeed where the fifth season would have went if they weren't building to the movie, and would have been a more believable way for Mulder to become a believer in extraterrestrial life again.Instead, Season Five introduced Agent Spender, Diana Fowley, Cassandra Spender, and the Alien Rebels; perhaps Chris Carter kept this story idea on the back burner for a year.

Not only does the alien artifact levitate and cause monkeys to freak out, it is seemingly causing Mulder to have a migraine and read minds. Is he becoming just like Gibson Praise? Mulder's headaches increase, causing him to pass out, and somehow becomes under the care of Diana Fowley. She has him committed, which was a rumored plot thread that Morgan & Wong presented in Season Four, yet that was actually Scully having Mulder committed in a season-ending cliffhanger. Was Carter using an idea he had on the back burner or just recycling previous plots? I guess that will be answered in Season 7.

Contrary to my previous belief when I was a young X-Files fan, I love this season's collection of episodes. I love it so much that I am having a hard time narrowing down my list of favorites to only five episodes. Previous seasons had clear favorites and duds, while this season was the most consistent from start to finish, which is a shame that it ended on such an uneven episode like "Biogenesis." I created a list of favorites but I'm sure that'll change even before Season Seven rolls around in November.

Season 6 Top Five
1. Dreamland II
2. The Unnatural
3. Two Fathers
4. Drive
5. Triangle

Honorable Mention
S.R. 819