"X-COPS"

"I don't think it's live television, Scully. She just said [Bleep]."
Originally Aired 2/20/00

Possibly the most hype I've ever placed on an X-Files episode was given to this Vince Gilligan-penned episode, "X-COPS." It already seemed like the most daring episode the series ever attempted, then combined with it being one that my grandma always seemed to recall when I'd mention X-Files in our conversations. I always watch the series by myself, for the most part, but for this one I'd made it a goal that I wanted to watch this episode with her when it came time to view it. Waiting six years placed a lot of hype on it and created an even greater aura around it than most of my "unseen" episodes. I even waited an extra weekend just to watch it with her, putting last week's "First Person Shooter" on hold, although I usually fall behind around this time of year as it is.

While I used "daring" to describe this episode, I don't feel I can quite use "love" or other adjectives like that to describe "X-COPS" yet. I do understand and appreciate the effort on the part of Vince Gilligan and the entire X-Files crew, even the FOX Network too, for going the extra mile to make it feel like an authentic episode of COPS. While The X-Files theme is present, the typical score from Mark Snow is not; the time stamps are missing and replaced with COPS graphics; the episode began with a disclaimer and the COPS intro; but the best part is that a few faces are blurred throughout the episode. While this episode was being produced on the heels of The Blair With Project, I don't think they (or anyone else for that matter) realized that the found footage gimmick would eventually take off like it did, from movies like Cloverfield and Chronicle to episodes of television series like Supernatural. Now it's a trope that nearly every television series has borrowed from, so it's amazing to think The X-Files was ahead of the pack by almost a decade, and they even used it in the most creative way- through a "crossover" episode.

There's a lot more to love in this episode too, mostly on the part of Gillian Anderson. I love how Scully backs away from the camera crew, hiding behind the door of an ambulance while Mulder questions a deputy, asking if what he saw was a werewolf. I initially thought Scully was hiding because she didn't want to be seen on camera, but instead we find out it's she doesn't want this to embarrass the FBI. Mulder is loving it, since he might actually have proof on video, and his remark about not being on live TV is another highlight. Actually, the best characters in the episode would be an homosexual African American couple- Steve and Edy. I don't know if those two are legit actors or just extras they found on the street. It reminded me of Homicide Life On The Street, where the scenes of the detectives questioning witnesses feels realistic, like they're actually filming real residents rather than extras. Edy is the typical "flamboyant" homosexual, as he wants to look his best on camera after putting on a headband, then starts singing show tunes after asking when he'll get his own TV show.

Another interesting wrinkle to this episode is that while previous seasons used a pattern of having Mulder and Scully encounter hesitant law enforcement officers that didn't want them around, "X-COPS" flips that on it's head. Here, they're welcomed into the investigation and seem to be leading the charge in the search for an "invisible fear entity", though there is still a skeptical deputy, whose "f bomb" is the best moment in the episode. Out of all of the episodes filmed for the series, some 200 episodes, this appears to be the one that was the most fun to film. I believe there was even episode of Kolchak that had an invisible monster too, but I can't recall any details, but I just wanted to add that to the list of similarities between the two series.

Despite appreciating the effort from all parties involved (The X-Files, FOX, and COPS), I just don't love this episode as much as I wanted to. It looks more fun than it actually is, I suppose, and I felt the same way about Shaun of the Dead, too. I really enjoyed the brilliance of a romantic comedy-zombie mash-up but it never brought a belly laugh out of me, only mild chuckles. Only time will tell for X-Files though, because some of my favorites would eventually win me over instead of hooking me instantly. ("One Breath", for example.) The number of "new" episodes also continues to dwindle, as I'm down to "First Person Shooter", "Chimera", "Hollywood A.D.", "all things", and "Fight Club." What was once upwards of 100 is now enough to count on one hand.