"Hellbound"

"I always said there's three kinds of people in the world- them who make things happen, them who watch things happen, and them who wonder what happened."
Originally Aired 1/27/02

The X-Files has encountered cases of reincarnation and past lives before, in Season 1's "Born Again" and Season 4's "The Field Where I Died." In this instance, the reincarnation plays out in a cycle, with everyone living and dying in the same loop. It's a pretty grim tale, continuing the recent trend of darker stories, which began with the eighth season.

When I had previously watched these Season 9 episodes, which is going on ten years now, as much as I liked the Doggett character, I hated his partnership with Reyes. It seemed unnecessary having 3 leads on the show, with Scully being their unofficial partner, and even worse is it seemed to shove Skinner further to the sidelines. What I appreciate now with a different perspective is that it has made a few of these episodes a little more intriguing. Doggett and Reyes actually put in solid investigating work, whereas Mulder would often leap to the source of the paranormal activity upon arriving on the crime. Adding more suspense to this story is that it appears that ex-cons attending a focus group are killing each other, so anyone could be the murderer. The skinned alive victims bump up the creep factor just a little bit further, putting this one in "classic" X-Files territory, as it does feel like a return to the early days of the series with their special effects and make-up work being outstanding.

The presence of law enforcement is a callback to the early days as well. Scully paying a visit to the retired detective from a similar series of murders, evokes the feeling from the Tooms murders in "Squeeze." They also twist the concept of Mulder and Scully's typical interactions with law enforcement by making this guy, Detective Van Allen, the actual murderer. Usually for Mulder and Scully, they'd just end up being an ignorant bumpkin for who hates their presence in the investigation.

I can't say this makes me like the character of Reyes more than I previously did, but I do like the use of her in these Season 9 episodes. I have the same feelings toward this week's episode, as "Hellbound" is a little better than my memory had led me to believe. It's not among the best episodes the series has to offer, but it is good enough for Season 9, and I'm ok with that.  

"John Doe"

"Because its mine."
Originally Aired 1/13/02

Before I sat down to view this episode, I was told by a new friend that The X-Files is a very serious show. Ten years of being a fan may have caused me to forget just how much the show asks of its viewers during the Pilot and the initial episodes- Mulder is a kooky FBI agent who works out of the basement and investigates freaky occurrences; Scully has been assigned to work with him, and her beliefs clash with her new partner; there are aliens hovering overhead and possibly abducting kids from the woods in the Pacific Northwest; shadowy government agents are lurking around every corner to steal evidence; and Mulder has been searching for answers about the disappearance of his younger sister, and hoping his work on The X-Files will give him answers. That's "heavy", in the words of Doc Brown from Back To The Future. The series eventually embraced it's comedic side, which was always bubbling beneath the surface, thanks to many one-liners from David Duchovny. Perhaps I also stayed closer to the comedic and light-hearted episodes, with many of my favorites coming from the minds of Vince Gilligan, Darin Morgan, and even David himself.

"John Doe" is a dark and deeply personal episode for Agent John Doggett, as he finds himself stranded in Mexico, unaware of how he arrived there and even who he is. The episode itself is also dark because of how it's filmed, with some tinkering done to the exposure so it appears its filmed in a sweltering desert. Many scenes are either super dark when indoors, or appear washed-out with white light when outside. The close-ups are also a bit jarring, since I can see every pore on the face of Robert Patrick.

Although Doggett seems to be suffering from amnesia, he does have brief flashes to memories of his young son. Doggett keeps fighting to find out who he is, while his partners back home are doing the same. Reyes is a lot less annoying this time around than previous episodes, especially when she stands her ground with a shady business man and his lawyer, reminding me of one of her better scenes in "4-D." Maybe this is a sign on things to come for the Reyes character.

When Reyes finally connects the dots and traces a phone that may have been made by her partner, it leads to an action sequence and shoot-out down in Mexico, which is straight out of a Clint Eastwood movie. There's even a bus that gets used as a battering ram when Doggett and Reyes bust out of some building after coming under fire from the Cartel. Perhaps I'm making a leap here like Mulder would do, but I feel like the setting and filming of this episode could have played a hand in the creation of Vince Gilligan's series Breaking Bad, since he admittied he used the portrayal of Bryan Cranston in Season 6 to influence his casting of Walter White. Connection to that series or not, I enjoyed "John Doe" and it features some of the best work that Robert Patrick did during his run on The X-Files.

"Trust No. 1"

"Your staring over my shoulder doesn't make me go faster."
Originally Aired 1/6/02

These conspiracy episodes usually give me a lot of material to write about, whether it's good or bad, and "Trust No. 1" is definitely not lacking. I used to like this episode when I originally watched it on DVD ages ago, yet I made excuses for why I enjoyed it. Even the writers and director had mixed reactions, too. I recently read that series writer Chris Carter wrote this episode to include Mulder's disappearance because it was never properly dealt with during David Duchovny's time off last season, yet, that was last season. This season David Duchovny is no longer even a member of the cast, so referencing the character makes it seem like cheating the viewers. Even the director Kim Manners stated that, "The only thing I thought we didn't do right during seasons eight and nine was that a lot of the shows were about Mulder, and I thought it was a mistake to make a series about a man that wasn't standing in front of the camera." He's right, they should have written Mulder off properly in the season opener, rather than this "bait and switch" move, which teased his appearance when they knew they couldn't deliver.

Despite the awful taste in my mouth regarding Mulder, there still is quite a bit to enjoy in this episode. While the episode is all about advancing the sinister nature of the villainous Super Soldiers, there's an undertone that relates to the episode's title of "Trust No. 1." It was always Mulder's "mantra", and here it's eerily relevant following 9/11 regarding national security. There's a "watch dog" division of the government that spies on everyone, tracking the moves of every citizen. Unfortunately it isn't followed up beyond that, because it's just a way for the bad guy to contact Scully, although they could've mined this subplot for a few more episodes.

In fact, that bad guy is another highlight as Terry O'Quinn (or here, Terrance Quinn) makes an appearance as the character of "Shadow Man." I loved Terry on Millennium as Peter Watts, as Locke on Lost, and as Santiago on the very, very short-lived Harsh Realm. Maybe it's just his cool mustache as the reason why I like him. Even a character's dying words on Millennium were, "don't you just love that mustache?"

Once again, Robert Patrick is the standout of the three leads, as he tried to convince Scully to trust him and even discovered crucial evidence on the "Shadow Man." Although it seemed in the season premiere that the writers' intent was to insert Doggett into the role of Mulder, here Scully finds herself in Mulder's shoes. She's the one who is willing to trust any one against her better judgment, with Doggett now playing Scully's role as the one seeking hard proof. It's a bit of whiplash with the role reversals, especially with Doggett even telling Scully the same things she used to tell Mulder. I guess she's just really lost without her partner and trusted confidant of 8 years. Which leads me to one major gripe I had with the episode, that Scully is such a terrible mom in this episode. She invited a stranger into her house with an infant, then fell asleep in another room. Later, she leaves for what looks like an entire day to follow the instructions of the "Shadow Man", as it's daylight when she hits the road and it's night time when she finally meets the bad guy in some deserted field. Luckily for her, Agent Reyes is a better babysitter than she is an FBI agent.

I feel like "Trust No 1" is far from a classic episode, even further from being a considered a good episode, so it's a telling sign that this is one of the better episodes that Season 9 has to offer. 

"Lord Of The Flies"

"This guy's the Horse Whisperer, only for bugs?"
Originally Aired 12/16/01

"Lord Of The Flies" marks The X-Files' return to quirky, comedic episodes for the first time since the end of Season 7. Also notable is that two of this episode's guest stars would become recognizable household names on television shows that premiered towards the end of the decade, Jane Lynch and Aaron Paul. In fact, Aaron Paul's role as "Jesse" was on Breaking Bad, created by longtime X-Files writer, Vince Gilligan.

The episode's villain is a literal lord of flies, as his changing teenage body is producing hormones that allow him to control swarms of killer bugs. It's a metaphor for going through puberty, as the kid's mom later warns that he's changing, only the end result won't be that he'll become a man. Maybe the director should've went with David Bowie's "Changes", instead of the Syd Barrett references, just to add extra emphasis to the changes within the teenager. It's a much better teen angst episode than previous attempts, with Season 7's "Rush", and even earlier with Season 5's "Schizogeny." Those were darker tales, whereas this relies on quirky performances, and even a timely spoof of MTV's Jackass. A doctor even gets to throw out some lines about wacky, excessive lawsuits filed by the parent of a teen that died in one of the Jackass-inspired stunts, dating this as an episode definitely made in the 21st century. I just realized we've had X-Files episodes produced in three decades- the 1990's, 2000's, and recently in 2015. Crazy.

While episodes this season have either hinted at Doggett's feelings for Scully or feelings between Doggett and Reyes, this time around there's an Entomologist who's all hot and bothered for Agent Scully. His name is Dr. Rocky Bronzino, and while the doctor's performance is rather over the top, I liked Scully's efforts to thwart his "romantic" attempts. Annoyed Scully is the best Scully.

Another positive about "Lord Of The Flies" is the return of the closing monologue from Agent Scully, which I can't recall hearing at the end of an episode in at least a season and a half. Except, due to Scully being called in as consultant of Doggett and Reyes, shouldn't it be one of them whose narration acts as closing their case file? Nit picking aside, much like last week's "4-D", I enjoyed this a lot more than I had expected. With "Lord Of The Flies" being credited to first-time writer Thomas Schnauz, it seems as if these second-tier writers are doing a much better job at crafting compelling stories than the big guys in charge, Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz.

"4-D"

"Plates? For crying out loud, who eats polish sausage with plates?"
Originally Aired 12/9/01

Revisiting this episode was a 180 degree experience from the previous episode, "Daemonicus." "Daemonicus" was somewhat of a bore and full of mindless gore, which is a rhyme I didn't intend on making, but sums up that episode quite nicely. "4-D" is one I could barely remember, except that it featured Doggett confined to a hospital bed following a nearly fatal gunshot, and had too much of Agent Reyes for my liking. It turned out that "4-D" was just as experimental and out-there as episodes in Season 6, with their wacky time loops, body swapping, and holiday ghosts, only this episode took a much darker turn.

The villain of the week is a creepy murderer in the same vein as Norman Bates, with an overbearing mother who watches his every move, except she doesn't realize he can also move into a parallel universe. This villain, Erwin Lukesh, slips to the other side and commits grisly murders, then slides back unnoticed. The X-Files never gets into the how and why, which is always the way the series works; I've learned you just have to go with it and not ask questions. This actor playing Lukesh, Dylan Haggerty, was also a similarly creepy guy on X-Files' sister series Millennium, so it's nice to see him being recast as another bad guy.

Agent Reyes takes center stage for this episode, with Skinner, Scully, and Follmer assisting in various roles for the investigation into Lukesh. Doggett is on the sidelines as he's confined to a hospital bed, communicating only by clicking with one finger to type up messages for Reyes. It reminded me a lot of the Star Trek episode where Captain Pike's only way to communicate was through blinking lights. They even make a Star Trek reference too, with Doggett mocking Reyes' mirror universe theory. Actually, episode writer Steven Maeda, drew inspiration from a real-life journalist who was paralyzed.

Playing Doggett in a hospital bed for a majority of the episode seems like it would be a pain for Robert Patrick, though he was actually really damn good at emoting through facial expressions, and I can't imagine the episode would be as good if the roles were reversed with Reyes. Although the only slight gripe I have with "4-D" stems from last week's episode, where they tried to insinuate Doggett harbored feelings for Scully. This time, Reyes appears to have feelings for Doggett as she wipes away mustard from his lips, then shaves his face while he's in the hospital. Typically the measuring stick for quality of these latter seasons is if I can't find a decent quote to feature in these reviews, then it's kind of poor episode. For once, "4-D" is a good episode, with little to no funny lines... likely due to Doggett's inability to speak.

"Daemonicus"

"You know, Monica, a room here just came open."
Originally Aired 12/2/01

"Daemonicus" acts as almost a reset, as Doggett and Reyes are on their first case together, while Scully is moved to a teaching position at the FBI Academy in Quantico. She still offers medical assistance through autopsies and such, so the series now has essentially three leads. Years ago, when I began watching The X-Files through reruns and DVDs, that was one of the bigger issues I had with this season because it seemed too crowded with three agents on the case. It's the opposite now, revisiting it years later, as I dislike everything I used to enjoy in "Daemonicus."

It's a creepy case involving supposedly demonic possession, with creepy whispers, grotesque masked men, and the gore dialed up to 11. I just find all of it a rehash and "over the top" in it's attempts to be disturbing. A good analogy would be that it's trying to be unsettling like Season 4's "Home", which is a "classic" among series' fans, but it ends up being more like "Sanguinarium" from the same season. Not only does this episode feature gallons of puke, a lady also gets stabbed with a dozen hypodermic needles in her face, so maybe that's why I made the connection to from that episode from Season 4. The puke really is quite excessive and deserves another mention because there is actually so much puke, that the actor whose puking actually slips and falls into it. I don't know if that was unintentional or the actor was really getting into his character's vomitting. Frank Spotniz, who wrote this episode, must have a vomit festish because he even had a monster who literally vomitted Doggett back to life in an episode last season.

The demonic possession being investigated is figured out very early in the case, much like the instances when Mulder would be clued into what's really going on, except it's actually Doggett who figures everything out rather quickly. Doggett figures it out, we as the audience figure it out, yet Scully and Reyes fail to see the truth, which makes the episode drag on too long as it limps to it's conclusion.

Another annoying wrinkle in "Daemonicus" is that Frank Spotnitz also tries to shoe-horn in that Doggett is actually in love with Scully. Never once did I pick up on that while watching Season 8 for the first time through in 2008, nor again this past year. The only way I knew about it was because Frank Spotnitz mentioned it in part of his commentary for Season 8's "Deadalive." I think this is just a subplot he was trying to get across in his own episodes. In this episode, the villain tries to get under Doggett's skin by insinuating that harbors deep feelings for Scully, so I'll leave it at that- just more of his mind games.

Three episodes into Season 9 and it's off to a sluggish start, so it's no wonder there was a mass exodus of the fanbase following David Duchovny's departure. Not to take away from Robert Patrick, Gillian Anderson, and the rest of the crew, who are still in top form. I feel like Spotnitz and creator Chris Carter needed to take a rest from the series for awhile because the fatigue in writing 180-odd episodes is apparent.

"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.