Detour – Season 5, Ep 4

MULDER: It’s open. (SCULLY enters with tray of cheese and mini bottle of wine.) Who cut the cheese?

SCULLY: Since you won’t be making it to the conference ….

MULDER: Partaaayyy!

SCULLY: However, I must remind you this goes against the Bureau’s policy of male and female agents consorting in the same motel room while on assignment. (opens wine)

You know – that policy we violated on our very first case together.

 

 

Season 5, Episode 4: “Detour”

I’ve made no secret of my love for Star Trek on this blog, and I have a certain fondness for episodes I’ve come to call “Star Trek” episodes – ones in which Mulder and Scully face a strange phenomenon in an unfamiliar environment. These episodes mostly crop up in early seasons – think “Ice,” “Darkness Falls,” “Firewalker,” etc.

Some of these episodes are more successful than others, and this “Star Trek” formula was certainly an early season thing, almost dying out completely after Season 2. “Detour” is a welcome return to this formula, and is probably the best of this type of episode the series has to offer.

If you like “Darkness Falls,” you’ll go nuts over “Detour.” It’s got everything we like to see in a Mulder-and-Scully-go-to-the-woods kind of episode, on steroids: because this time, instead of casually mentioning the recent disasters that have occurred (such as the weak handling of Scully’s abduction in “Firewalker”), the struggle for survival becomes an integral part of the episode’s theme.

“Detour” also brings back something we haven’t seen in an unbearably long time: humor. (I’m not counting “Unusual Suspects.”) In “Detour” Mulder and Scully actually smile. They make jokes. They flirt. There’s cuddling. At the same time, there’s an intriguing mystery here and lots of running, chasing, shooting, and suspense. I can’t ask for more.

Like “Pusher,” “Detour” is another one of those episodes that’s almost difficult to discuss because its enjoyability really can’t be put into words and I’d much rather be watching it than talking about it. Still, what kind of reviewer would I be if I used that excuse to get out of discussing such a beloved, wonderful piece of television? A lame one, for sure.

One of the first things I noticed about “Detour” on my most recent rewatch is simply how comfortable the episode is. We’re at a point in The X-Files where everyone involved is secure in the writing, tone, and feel of the series. The days of finding its footing are long gone. This is unquestionably an episode of The X-Files and nothing else. I know that might sound strange to say seeing as we’re on the fifth season, but for a show with such a varied amount of topics and stories, tone is essential. There are probably dozens of television episodes in which people go investigate mysterious, red-eyed creatures in the woods, but only one is going to have two characters bond over “Joy to the World.”

Speaking of which,”Detour” gets a plethora of points for this exchange:

SCULLY: Mulder, you need to keep warm. Your body’s still in shock.

MULDER: I was told once that the best way to regenerate body heat was to crawl naked into a sleeping bag with some body else who’s already naked. (Snuggles closer.)

SCULLY: Well, maybe if it rains sleeping bags, you’ll get lucky.

(MULDER looks up at her.)

SCULLY: Have you thought seriously about dying?

MULDER: Yeah, once, when I was at the Ice Capades.

SCULLY: When I was fighting my cancer, I was angry at the injustice of it and its meaninglessness. And then I realized that that was the struggle – to give it meaning.
To make sense of it. It’s like life.

MULDER: I think Nature is supremely indifferent to whether we live or die. I mean, if you’re lucky you get 75 years. If you’re really lucky you get 80 years. And if you’re extraordinarily lucky, you get to have 50 of those years with a decent head of hair.

SCULLY: (chuckle) I guess it’s like Las Vegas. The house always wins. (She breaks the bullet open.) Oh! Ta-da.

MULDER: Go, girl.

I only realized it on this rewatch, but that’s actually a very nice continuation of the characters’ struggles from “Redux II.”  Scully’s still struggling with the meaning of life through spirituality. Mulder’s spiritual crisis has left him with a shaken sense of purpose. He’s become a bit nihilist since the events of “Redux II.” Mulder’s comment about Nature’s indifference is in my opinion not really reflective of Mulder’s general attitude throughout most of the series, except for this chunk of Season 5 where he’s a bit disillusioned. It’s very, very subtle, but it makes sense, don’t you think?

This whole scene, the famous “conversation on the log,” is just…well, to put it mildly, it’s perfect. From the writing to the delivery to the beautiful cinematography, you can put this on your list of favorite X-Files moments any day. It’s certainly on mine.

I especially love how the camera switches to a zoomed-out version of the same shot at the very end of the scene, putting Mulder and Scully in this almost larger, cosmic context. Okay, I’m probably reading too much into that. But it looks beautiful, doesn’t it?

This is honestly one of those episodes I can’t think of a single flaw, problem, or nitpick. I mean, maybe I could if I thought really, really hard about it, but I don’t want to. Why would I? There’s no question: “Detour” is just a gem.

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Final Score

Final score for “Detour” is 10/10. Joy to the world.

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Notable Nuggets

• Like many before it, this entire episode is a notable nugget. I’m not even sure where to begin.
• Scully looks so disappointed when Mulder pulls yet another ditch on her wine and cheese partay. I can’t pretend I’m not a little mad at Mulder for that. Imagine the flirting!
• The amount of “Scullaaaaaay!” in this episode could warm even the staunchest Noromo’s heart.
• When Scully says “I’m not going to get tired,” you believe her.
• “I wouldn’t go far!” “Mulder, you never left my sight.”
• Although I do have to question Dr. Scientist Scully immediately consuming the first wild berry she sees. Hope she wasn’t sick on the car ride back.

 

Unusual Suspects – Season 5, Ep 3

MULDER: Yeah I am, thank you, I just … mmm … I have these weird ideas in my head that I can’t seem to shake.

FROHIKE: What kind of ideas?

MULDER: Weird ones.

Some things never change. Like Mulder qualifying his statements with other cryptic, unhelpful statements.

 

 

Season 5, Episode 3: “Unusual Suspects”

How is everyone feeling after the cancer arc? Like your insides have become a decimated wasteland? Good. Because apparently, the writers felt that way too. This episode, we’re turning our attention from Mulder and Scully to focus on everyone’s favorite Nerd Trio, the Lone Gunmen.

If you want my opinion, it’s high time the Gunmen got an episode of their own. For one thing, they’re immensely enjoyable and entertaining characters, and they’re probably more like you and I than we’d like to admit. For another, we don’t know much about them. Where did they come from? How did they get into the business of government conspiracies? How does Mulder know them?

The result is…well, it’s kind of what you’d expect from a Lone Gunmen-centered episode. It’s funny. It’s charming. It’s awkward. Like the Lone Gunmen themselves.

It’s also a tad bit clumsy, especially with the jokes. They’re funny, but a lot of them are clearly thrown in for fan service and are repeated a few too many times (such as the Kung Fu joke). There’s a bit of did she/didn’t she with the character Susanne Modeski, but for some reason she acts just insane enough that I can’t take her paranoia seriously like I do with someone like Mulder. In a way, I guess that makes Susanne a perfect romantic match for one of the Gunmen.

All of these are minor complaints, though. I love this episode’s storylike quality. We hear Byers recount it instead of seeing it happen in real time. Byers as the innocent dragged into the mess works perfectly, especially since Byers is already the human personification of a huggable teddy bear. The banter between Langly and Frohike is great. I love seeing Mr. X.

Another thing I love? Innocent 1989 Mulder. Oh, give me more of that awful early 90’s hairdo.

“Unusual Suspects” is way campier than a normal X-Files episode is. But it’s the Lone Gunmen, what did you expect? In a way, this is the perfect respite after the cancer arc. It gives Mulder and Scully a much needed break and the fans will be rewarded for their patience with the next episode, “Detour.”

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Final Score

Final score for “Unusual Suspects” is 8/10. It’s not perfect, and honestly in the grand scheme of things you’ll probably forget about it half a season from now, but it’s the Lone Gunmen. You gotta love it, and you gotta love them.

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Notable Nuggets (and Nitpicks)

• So…how do the Lone Gunmen make their income? Do that many people read their magazine?
• Mulder ripping his shirt off in a crazed, drug-induced frenzy is something I could stand to watch again.
• Why weren’t the Lone Gunmen killed by Mr. X? They saw everything. Was he secretly amused by them?
• The “I heard it was a lone gunmen” moment is gold. GOLD. So perfect.

 

Redux – Season 5, Ep 1

SKINNER: Why don’t you tell me something, Agent Scully. Why don’t you tell me what you’re doing here.

SCULLY: I want an answer from you.

SKINNER: I want an answer from you!

SCULLY: This isn’t your job!

Um…no offense, Scully, but I believe it is his job. He is, after all, your boss.

 
 
 
Season 5, Episode 1: “Redux”

You all have no idea how excited I’ve been to start reviewing Season 5. Season 5 is the season The X-Files is clearly excellent television, not just a really good show. It’s the season that earns all its praise. And to start it off, we have one of the very best episodes the show ever did, and one of the very best television episodes I’ve personally ever seen, “Redux II.” Words cannot describe how good this episode is. It’s everything television is supposed to be: engaging, developmental, suspenseful, exciting, meaningful, well-acted, well-directed.

There’s just one little problem: I have to review “Redux” first.

What is one supposed to do after finishing up reviews on a season, poised and ready to write a beautiful glowing review on one of their favorite episodes of TV, when they have to first review its less exciting predecessor? It’s not that “Redux” isn’t good; far from it. It’s just that Chris Carter, for whatever reason, decided to save all the emotional moments, the moments when the characters actually sit down with themselves and face everything they’ve been going through, for the last half.

I suppose the main purpose of “Redux” is to un-hang us from that cliff they tried to drop us from at the end of “Gethsemane.” I admit that “Redux” bothers me a little because it almost puts the character development on standstill in order to further the plot. I realize that there was really no way to get around that, but I had a hard time watching that first scene where Mulder hides out in Scully’s apartment, especially since it’s so emotionally distant from Mulder crying on the couch the episode before. The whole point of turning Mulder into an emotional wreck was to make the idea of his suicide more believable. At the beginning of “Redux,” however, Mulder’s back to action and the audience (well, at least this audience member) is left scratching their heads and saying, “Was that it? Was that the culmination of Mulder’s spiritual crisis that shook the very foundations of his belief system leaving him grief-stricken and possibly depressed at the notion of losing his partner?”

And, well, no. This isn’t it. But that’s why “Redux” is deceptive. It puts off that culmination for an episode to explain how all of what we just saw went down and where it’s going. It’s like the scrolling text at the beginning of Star Wars, except it’s in the middle.

Don’t believe me? Try counting the monologues. This episode has so many monologues that it’s almost humorous. And they’re all very distinctively Chris Carter.

MULDER: Let the truth be known though the heavens fall. The web of lies entangling us can now be connected back to the very institution which brought us together. The facts supported by a byzantine plot, executed by someone inside the FBI who, if named could be tied to the hoax meant to destroy me.  And to the terminal disease inflicted on Scully. In four years, I have shared my partner’s passionate search for the truth. And if my part has been a deception, I have never seen her integrity waver or her honor compromised. But now, I ask her to lie, to the people that lied to us. A dangerous lie to find the truth. To find the men who would be revealed as its enemy…as OUR enemy. As the enemy within.

MULDER: The military connection to the conspiracy we had pierced was now undeniable. The man who lay dead in my apartment worked for the Department of Defense at its Advanced Research facility. What I might find here, I was uncertain of. But my crime had provided me access. As long as they believed Scully’s lie, that it was me lying on my floor, I might learn truths here. But, if our lies were discovered, both Scully and I would be discovered with them. 

MULDER: I had come here looking for answers hoping not only to lay bare this conspiracy against the country and the men behind it but to finally learn the truth about the possibility of intelligent extraterrestrial life.  Now with what I’ve heard my beliefs seem more and more improbable. The possibility of a cure for Scully somewhere inside these walls is my only hope but if I might find it and somehow save her the very existence of such a cure would mean with certainty that I had believed in a lie from the start. 

SCULLY: I had no way to reach Agent Mulder to tell him what I had discovered – an unidentified microscopic life form whose very existence held the possibility of revelation. Was this organism extracted from the ice which had entombed the alien corpse, the germ cell that might give proof of extraterrestrial life, or was it just the opposite? The scientifically engineered creation of a chimera, an unclassified biological product designed to set up a hoax manufactured to create a false set of beliefs that have long driven Agent Mulder? I now begin to realize that the answer to this question might exist within the life form itself, biological proof of this connection to the cancer invading my body to a virus living inside this organism to which I had been exposed during my abduction three years ago.

SCULLY: The cruelest ironies are those consecrated by the passage of time, chanced and occasioned by shocking discovery. I had joined Agent Mulder because of my background in the medical sciences. My assignment was to question his work, to debunk his investigations, and rein him back into the FBI mainstream. Now, as fate would have it, I am calling on these very same skills to prove that he has been the target of a scheme orchestrated by someone close to us in the FBI. Someone we have trusted above all others. Involved in a highly organized plot to keep a dangerous secret from the light of day. I could only guess at what Agent Mulder may have uncovered on his own, what he may have found to confirm or deny what he has long held to be a conspiracy to control the public inquiry into government’s knowledge and contact with an alien race or races. If he had hoped, as I do, to learn the identity of those who sought to destroy us, I had, with the discovery of this unidentified microorganism, what could amount to forensic evidence. Hard and undeniable genetic evidence of the connection between the conspirators and the cancer which has now metastasized in my bloodstream. I have few short hours to conduct these tests before I must appear before an FBI panel to explain myself. And as I am ready to lie to them about Agent Mulder, I am also ready to confront them with proof.  Proof extracted from this tiny organism that could blow open a conspiracy of global consequence.

MULDER: If Agent Scully and I had been led to believe that the conspiracy meant to destroy us has its roots in the Department of Defense, that fact seems all but irrefutable now. I have gained access to a large storage facility by a hallway connecting underground to the Pentagon. On hundreds of rows of shelves are materials that reveal nothing to me of a cure for Scully’s cancer. And now, as I have reached the terminus of this space, what appears to be an old and antiquated filing system seems my only hope of finding what this man Kritschgau has assured me exists. If his own desperate hope for his son’s cure has eluded him, I now share his desperation. That among these drawers is a sign, a glimmer, some small confirmation that the journey which has brought me here has not been in vain.

SCULLY: If my work with Agent Mulder has tested the foundation of my beliefs, science has been and continues to be my guiding light. Now I’m again relying on its familiar and systematic methods to arrive at a truth, a fact that might explain the fate that has befallen me. An investigation that began without, now turning within. Taking cellular material from the unidentified life form and isolating a virus contained within it, then matching the DNA from this virus with that which I believe has caused my cancer. I hope a picture will develop. A picture that might confirm my darkest suspicions about the source of this disease invading my body in hope of obtaining evidence that its cause is not without blame, even though its cure remains unknown. If science serves me to these ends… it is not lost on me that the tool which I’ve come to depend on absolutely cannot save or protect me… but only bring into focus the darkness that lies ahead.

Riveting, huh?

It’s not that these monologues don’t contain valuable material. They do. If nothing else, they provide us a decent glimpse into Mulder and Scully’s separate tasks but unified goal. However, it gets annoying really fast, and it certainly doesn’t help when Chris Carter throws in phrases like “byzantine plot,” and my personal favorite, “terminus of this space.” I feel like I’m hearing Mulder and Scully’s diaries. Show, Chris, don’t tell.

One thing I don’t like about this episode is Scully’s hostility towards Skinner. Skinner has put his life on the line way too many times to warrant that kind of reaction from her. The audience doesn’t think it’s Skinner; why does Scully?

One thing I do like about “Redux” is how Scully focused Mulder is. He makes it very clear that the thing he wants most in the world is a cure for her cancer, not to find Samantha. It’s a good reminder of the message from “Paper Hearts,” that Mulder has to take care of the people in his life first. And it’s certainly squeal-worthy for any shipper.

So. That’s “Redux.” Let’s move on. 😉

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Final Score

Final score for “Redux” is 7/10. Plot, plot, plot, and more plot. If you like plot, this one’s for you. And it’s a necessary episode, I suppose. But I’d rather move on to the heart of the matter.

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Notable Nuggets (and nitpicks)

• The science parts of this episode remind me of Season 1’s “The Erlenmeyer Flask.” Also, if you’re a scientist and you’re approached by Scully for help with something – run. You’re probably due for a convenient car crash or visit from an assassin soon.
• Why is Scully’s only cancer symptom the Inconveniently Timed Nosebleed of Doom?
• Kudos to John Finn, who plays Kritschgau, for remembering all of that dialogue.
• That part where Mulder enters the Pentagon room from the “Pilot” is so well done. It’s shot in a way that makes you remember that exact closing scene from “Pilot,” even though it’s been four seasons.

Redux II – Season 5, Ep 2

SENIOR AGENT: You can and you will!

MULDER: I can’t do that sir, because the Section Chief is the man I’m about to name!

Mic. DROP.

 
 
 
Season 5, Episode 2: “Redux II”

“Redux II” is just about as perfect an episode of television as it’s possible to be. Whenever I hear complaints about The X-Files, worried rumors about the upcoming revival, whenever I ruminate on mistakes made in later seasons and mourn the loss of scenes and ideas that could have been, I turn on this episode and my doubts vanish. Or, perhaps better put, I am able to feel good about the future of my show because I know that somewhere, the thoughts and ideas that produced this masterpiece are still swirling around in Chris Carter’s head.

Remember from my “Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose” review when I said that if someone tied me to a burning stake and threatened to kill everyone I loved if I didn’t name a favorite episode, I’d probably say “Clyde Bruckman”? “Redux II” is an example of an episode that makes that a probably. The flames might reach my ankles before I’d be able to choose.

But enough gushing. Let’s get down to business.

If “Gethsemane” was setting up this spiritual crisis for Mulder and “Redux” was explaining the nitty-gritty plot details behind this crisis, “Redux II” is the episode everything hits home. Mulder’s crisis of belief and doubt isn’t resolved, but he realizes there’s something far more important to him, something he’s about to lose.

As we’ve already seen in the past, Mulder is willing to trade almost anything if it means saving Scully. You might remember similar behavior in “One Breath,” during which Mulder worked tirelessly to save a dying Scully but was forced to face his own feelings regarding the matter.

“Redux II” is similar, but it’s different in several ways. First of all, Mulder’s very clear on his feelings regarding Scully, and he says so in the opening scene.

SKINNER: You’re looking pretty good for a dead man.

MULDER: I’m only half dead.

Mulder’s been down this road before. When Scully dies, half of himself goes too. Simple as that.

Secondly, where “One Breath” was about Scully but still very much Mulder’s story, in “Redux II” Scully faces her own spiritual crisis as well. Literally. There is apparently more controversy than I thought surrounding Scully’s religious background among fans, something I was surprised and rather disappointed to see. I suppose that’s a problem in our society as well – it’s hard to imagine how someone so scientific could also be religious. Scully, too, seems to have a difficult time reconciling the two. While we never really see any specifics concerning Scully’s religious beliefs like we do her scientific ones, we do see her driven to a point where logical, scientific thought can’t be her “guiding light” anymore, as she monologued in “Redux.”

It’s not clear in what way Scully relies on her Catholic faith beyond prayer, but I don’t think the episode is trying to relay some grand Christian message. Rather, Scully’s journey here is all about finding another source of strength that may not follow your natural instincts. Even more so, it’s about reevaluating the entire concept of “faith.” Scully has faith; she just expresses it through science, not in spite of it.

SCULLY: I’m so sorry… I fight and I fight and I fight… But I’m so stupid.

MRS SCULLY: What? What is it?

SCULLY: I’ve come so far in my life on simple faith, and now when I need it the most I just push it away. I mean, why … why do I wear this? (Scully holds up the cross necklace) Why do I wear this, Mom? I put something that I don’t even know or understand under the skin of my neck. I will subject myself to these crazy treatments, and I keep telling myself that I’m doing everything I can, but it’s a lie!

MRS SCULLY: You have not lost your faith, Dana.

I personally love this exchange. Scully recognizes that she’s “come so far on simple faith,” and I choose to interpret this as not merely meaning her religious convictions but also her faith in Mulder and her willingness to join him on his relentless search for the truth. This faith in him has brought her far in life.

Not everyone feels the same way, however. Enter Bill Scully, Scully’s older brother, who is famous for appearing in 4-5ish episodes and yet somehow leaving a scar on the collective mind of the fandom. Seriously – does anybody like this guy?

Sigh. Call me an outsider, but I just don’t get the hatred launched at Bill Scully. True, he’s mean to Mulder, but that’s more of an excuse to hate him, not a reason. Truthfully, I think Bill’s anger with Mulder is very warranted. He doesn’t understand everything the two of them have been through, he doesn’t realize how deep their relationship goes, and from his perspective he’s already lost a sister to Mulder’s quest and now he’s about to lose another one. Wouldn’t you be a little pissed off?

I think Bill is there as a foil to Mulder because while both of them obviously love Scully very much, one has given up on her and one hasn’t. Bill seems to think that Scully is doomed, while Mulder, despite feeling depressed and down on himself, can’t give up on Scully. It almost seems like that’s a literal, physical impossibility for him.

Poor Mulder’s having a rotten day. His belief system has been shaken, Scully is dying, the FBI is on his tail, and CSM once again comes out of the shadows to dangle Samantha in front of Mulder like a ball on a string. And this time, CSM wants to make a deal with Mulder: join me, and I’ll save Scully.

(Side note: That sounds a lot like Star Wars, doesn’t it?)

I think we can safely say it isn’t CSM who saves Scully. I’m not really even sure it’s Mulder who saves Scully. What saves Scully is a miracle. Chris Carter is a big fan of miracles, sometimes for better or for worse, but I like their application here, especially because it’s not necessarily religiously charged. It may be for Scully, but it’s very clear it’s a miracle for Mulder, too, and we all know Mulder’s no altar boy.

The interactions between Mulder and Scully in this episode are both wonderful and heartbreaking. Wonderful because they show a display of intimacy that will warm the cockles of even the most stoic Shipper’s heart, and heartbreaking because Scully’s literally on her deathbed, just like in “One Breath.” Except this time, she can talk.

The dying Scully is only concerned for Mulder and his upcoming hearing. She’s worried that they’ll prosecute him because of the dead man in his apartment, and even as she’s lying there dying, even as she is going through both physical and spiritual torment, she tells him this: 

The world doesn’t deserve Dana Scully.

Mulder, of course, can’t let her do this. But he actually doesn’t tell her this right away. He has to come to a realization of his own first – about his own life, his belief, and his agency. And about how far he’s willing to go for both of them.

MULDER: Scully, I can’t let you take the blame. Because of your brother, because of your mother, and because I couldn’t live with it. To live the lie, you have to believe it. Like these men who deceive us, who gave you this disease. We all have our faith, and mine is in the truth.

SCULLY: Then why’d you come here if you’d already made up your mind?

MULDER: Because I knew you’d talk me out of it if I was making a mistake.

Or, better put, he came there because he knows they’re in this together. Because he’s doing this for himself and for her. Because they are each other’s capital T Truth.

This show.

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FInal Score

Final score for “Redux II” is 10/10. I think this is the point in the show where the viewer starts to realize that you’re not really watching a show about aliens, you’re watching a love story. It’s not even a romantic one yet, but it is about love. “Redux II” captures everything that gives this show its heart. It’s not the aliens, it’s not the conspiracies. It’s Mulder and Scully and the love they have for one another.

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Notable Nuggets

Oh, there are too many.

• The hearing scene at the end is one of my favorite moments in the entire show. It’s perfectly paced, perfectly acted, and I just love how the music builds and builds, heightening the suspense. And when Mulder drops Blevins’s name, I always jump up from wherever I’m sitting and give an emphatic fist pump (usually accompanied by an aggressive “HELL YEAH!”).
• “Tobasco sauce. Cures anything.” This, my friends, is not true.
• I used to not like the Samantha scene, but now I actually think it serves the story well. Samantha is increasingly becoming a distraction rather than a goal for Mulder and it’s nice to see Scully remain his main focus.
• That last scene where Mulder breaks down crying is very touching and well performed.
• Gillian Anderson is a goddess sent down from above to kill us with her facial expressions.
• And at long last, we are FREE of the cancer arc. Break out the champagne.

Final Thoughts on Season 4

I’m going to do something a bit different for this “Final Thoughts.” You guys have been hearing me blab about Season 4 for months. You don’t need to hear from me anymore. Instead, I want to hear from YOU.

So this time, there’s going to be no final score, no episode awards, nothing like that. I am curious, however, to see what everyone’s favorite episode is. So here’s what we’re going to do. Cast your vote in this poll for the best episode of the season. Then leave a comment saying what you voted for and why (of course, you don’t have to do this last part, but I’d love hearing from you). Let’s see what you guys make of Season 4.

And if anybody votes for “The Field Where I Died” I’m kicking you off the site. Just kidding…maybe.

Cast Thy Vote. What is your favorite episode of Season 4?

Note: If you leave a comment, please comment on the blog post, NOT the poll itself. Thanks!

Gethsemane – Season 4, Ep 24

BILL: Sorry I’m late. My ship got stuck in traffic. (Everyone laughs.) You get my birthday card?

SCULLY: Yes, I did. Thanks for remembering this year.

BILL: Well, once a decade..

Does everyone forget Scully’s birthday? Mulder only remembers it every four years (see “Tempus Fugit”) and apparently Bill Scully forgets too. Is it that hard to remember? February 23. February 23. February…

 

 

Season 4, Episode 24: “Gethsemane”

I don’t have many regrets where The X-Files is concerned, but boy oh boy does this episode make me wish I wasn’t a Baby Phile. This has got to be one of the greatest cliffhangers ever made, and yet I can’t be sure because I never got to experience it as one. I’ve spoken to many Philes who say that the months between Seasons 4 and 5 were absolute torture, and I believe them.

It’s funny, because in a lot of ways “Gethsemane” doesn’t deal with a whole lot we haven’t seen before, at least on the surface. We’ve seen the Mulder-is-possibly-dead thing before, even as a season finale (“Anasazi”). We’ve seen alien corpses, frozen wastelands, and angst all before.

What makes “Gethsemane” and its two follow ups “Redux” and “Redux II” different, however, is two things: Scully’s cancer and Mulder’s spiritual crisis. Not to sound dramatic, but both of our agents are dying. One is dying physically, and the other is dying mentally/spiritually.

I’ll address Scully’s cancer in our upcoming two episodes, but here I want to focus on Mulder for a minute. This isn’t the first time I’ve detected signs of depression in Mulder, and it won’t be the last. Now, I want to be clear that I am by no means an expert on mental illness, and diagnosing fictional characters with real-life illnesses is in many ways a silly and unnecessary task. But every time I watch this arc, I always think the same thing: Mulder is depressed. He’s entered in a gray haze of existence where everything around him seems to be dying – his best friend and partner, his work, everything he’s believed in. It’s knocked Mulder off his center and he can’t get back up. Life is pointless.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s back up. Mulder calls Scully away from a family gathering to investigate the supposed discovery of an alien corpse. Mulder seems to expect Scully to be as gung-ho about it at he is. Instead, he gets nothing but indifference.

MULDER: You think it’s foolish?
SCULLY: I have no opinion, actually.
MULDER: You have no opinion?
SCULLY: This is your holy grail, Mulder. Not mine.
MULDER: What’s that supposed to mean?
SCULLY: It just means proving to the world the existence of alien life is not my last dying wish.
MULDER: What about Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny? This is not some selfish pet project of mine, Scully. I’m as skeptical of that man as you are, but proof… definitive proof of sentient beings sharing the same time and existence with us, that would change everything. Every truth we live my would be shaken to the ground. There’s no greater revelation imaginable, no greater scientific discovery.
SCULLY: You already believe, Mulder. What difference would it make? I mean, what would proof change for you?
MULDER: If someone could prove to you the existence of God, would it change you?
SCULLY: Only if it were disproven.
MULDER: Then you accept the possibility the belief in God is a lie?
SCULLY: I don’t think about it, actually, and I don’t think it can be proven.
MULDER: But what if it could be? Wouldn’t that knowledge be worth seeking? Or is it just easier to go on believing the lie?
SCULLY: I can’t go with you, Mulder.
MULDER: Can you at least take a look at those core samples? Tell me if they’re a lie? That’s all I’m asking.

There is so much to talk about in this exchange, and it really helps to actually watch it, to see the facial expressions and whatnot (for instance, watch Mulder’s face after Scully says “dying wish”). It also brings up an interesting point about Mulder’s views on God, which we haven’t really addressed since Season 3’s “Revelations.” Here, Mulder seems to equate God, Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, with aliens. The interesting thing about this is how much Mulder seems to be trying to justify his search for aliens as something impersonal, when we know as well as Scully does that it’s not. Because of “Demons” just before this episode, we know how truly, deeply personal it really is.

You’re going to be seeing that word a lot in the next few reviews – personal. Personal is a scary, scary thing, especially for Mulder and Scully. Even leaving out the most personal thing they both have (their relationship), Mulder’s connection to aliens isn’t so much about scientific revelations or great truths. It’s the manifestation of his personal pain and suffering. It’s the reason he searches for the truth, but it’s also the reason he suffers.

Now, imagine if something you’ve suffered and worked for years to prove is suddenly disproven. Wouldn’t you go a little crazy?

I don’t want to make it sound like Michael Kritschgau is the most convincing character ever, because I sure as hell wasn’t convinced by him, and I’m not so sure Mulder was, either. But everyone has their breaking point, and Mulder’s had enough. He’s had enough and he’s heard enough. He’s been on this merry-go-round of lies, deception, and suffering too many times to handle, and something in him just breaks.

And then, of course, there’s the final straw: Scully is dying. If there’s one thing that matters to Mulder more than his ongoing quest for the truth, it’s Scully, and his guilt over her condition is higher than ever. Add that to his already unstable mental state, and you’ve got to wonder if maybe Jose Chung wasn’t exaggerating when he called Mulder a “ticking time bomb of insanity.”

I’m exaggerating to make a point, of course, but to me Kritschgau isn’t convincing enough to warrant this spiritual crisis in Mulder. This is a gray cloud that’s been brewing in Mulder’s head for a long time. One wonders if Mulder would have even continued his investigations into the paranormal for very long if not for Scully. How long could he have gone on alone?

It’s at points like these I wonder if the Syndicate really knew what it was doing by pairing Scully with Mulder, or if they stumbled across a golden opportunity to destroy his life by accident. It’s hard to say which, especially since it’s clear the writers weren’t sure themselves. Did they really expect Scully to debunk Mulder’s theories, or did they realize she would be a beacon upon which Mulder would attach himself, a steady, guiding force that, if taken away, would reduce Mulder to a depressed, empty shell?

It’s hard to say, but I certainly don’t think the Syndicate could ever have predicted the bond between Mulder and Scully, how deep it would run. In a way, it doesn’t matter much, because, when it’s all said and done, it’s that bond – or the threat of it being broken – the series keeps returning to.

Nothing Michael Kritschgau says convinces Mulder that everything he’s believed in has been a lie. It’s Scully who does that. Once Scully tells Mulder that her disease was given to her because of him, that’s when he goes over the edge. That’s what he can’t handle.

Or, sort of. We’ll see in the next two episodes where this spiritual crisis goes. But, as we bid farewell to Season 4, know this: sh*t’s definitely getting real.

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Final Score 

Final score for “Gethsemane” is 9/10. It’s a fantastic Season closer. Even the technical stuff, which I didn’t really talk about, goes above and beyond. The music, cinematography, acting – it’s all great. It’s exciting and suspenseful, and that cliffhanger. THAT. CLIFFHANGER. It must have been hell to wait for Season 5.

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Notable Nuggets (and Nitpicks)

• So, let’s get this straight. Michael Kritschgau knows Scully has cancer, yet he still tosses her around like a ragdoll? What an asshole.
• Scully is probably the best liar in the world. Dying of cancer and able to put on a performance like that. Kudos.
• The score for this episode is so epic. Also the cinematography is beautiful.
• Poor crying puppy dog Mulder.
• Everyone take your hats off to Season 4 – it’s been a fun ride. Season 5, here we come!

Demons – Season 4, Ep 23

MULDER: N-no, but I, uh… I woke up on the floor with a pounding headache.

As we will all do when the revival comes in January. It’s getting closer, my friends.

 
 
 
Season 4, Episode 23: “Demons”

“Elegy” gave us a very emotional episode for Scully as we head towards the end of the season. Now, it’s Mulder’s turn. “Demons” follows in the footsteps of “Paper Hearts,” which was a Samantha episode that had little to do with the mythology. In “Demons” the mythology sort of comes back, but it’s all within Mulder’s mind.

“Demons” is a super important episode, and its placement is crucial. We’re heading into a three episode arc that puts our agents through the runner, both physically and emotionally, and the most devastating storyline thus far – the cancer storyline – is hitting us full force.  I think it’s very tempting to look at this as Scully’s journey and Scully’s struggles. But it’s Mulder’s too, and “Demons” reminds us just what is at stake for Mulder here.

Watching this episode for the first time is an experience. It’s almost a classic “whodunnit” story, except that both Scully and the viewers are fairly certain it wasn’t Mulder. The trouble is, of course, that Mulder’s brain may not be functioning normally. Who’s to say what somebody would do if that’s the case? How can we control our actions if we don’t have control over our own mind?

“Demons” continues a common theme for penultimate episodes of the seasons – not believing what you see with your own eyes, due to some sort of brain malady or other outside force which affects your perception. Since The X-Files is all about trust, this kind of psychological trauma is very emotionally charged. Think Season 3’s “Wetwired,” and for you X-Files veterans, Season 5’s “Folie a Deux” and Season 6’s “Field Trip.” Even Season 7’s “Je Souhaite” deals with tricks and illusions. All of these episodes happen right before the finale, and most of them deal with one or both of the agents seeing something they think is real, something that undermines their perception of the world.

In “Demons,” Mulder has flashbacks from his childhood, all involving his sister Samantha. He sees a man with a cigarette talking to his father, he sees his parents and this cigarette dude arguing, he sees his sister. As he has these flashbacks, however, he unknowingly travels to places he’s supposedly never been and, most disturbingly, wakes up in a strange motel room covered in blood.

Scully, of course, is in protective mode. What I love about Scully in this episode is how certain she is that Mulder didn’t kill anyone, even though the evidence seems to point in his direction. She knows him too well by now and she has full faith in him. Her compassion for Mulder in this episode should be a lesson to us all. Although let’s face it, it would have been much easier for Mulder if he had just gone to the hospital right away, like she suggested.

Like many great episodes, the best part comes at the very end. This scene is one of my all time favorites from Season 4. Scully runs into the house to confront Mulder. He points a gun at her – a parallel to when she pointed a gun at him in “Wetwired.” We hear gunshots. We see Mulder’s face as he fires the last bullets. The camera pans outward to show Scully, standing right behind him. Then she does this.

It’s friendship. It’s love. It’s what these two hold onto when the world around them is going to pieces. Samantha’s disappearance is the source of so much pain and anguish for Mulder – which, because of all the plotty mythology stuff surrounding the event, it’s easy to forget. But his sister’s disappearance is a tragedy, a wound, Mulder’s been suffering for years alone. Now he doesn’t have to.

It’s like Scully said in “Max” – “No one gets there alone.” I like to think that “Demons” amends that statement slightly by saying “No one suffers alone.” At the very least, Mulder and Scully don’t.

Bring the tissues.

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FInal Score

Final score for “Demons” is 9/10. I docked a point because the whole thing about Mulder seeing a doctor for treatment isn’t quite as well developed as I would have liked, and it seems rather pulled out of thin air and not too well resolved. But overall, this is a wonderful, underrated episode and holy hell does Mulder look hot in this one.

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Notable Nuggets

• I mean, seriously. SERIOUSLY. LOOK AT THAT WHITE T-SHIRT. This is about as good as it gets, folks.
• Also, can we talk about how Scully walks in on Mulder in the shower?
• We have another appearance from the very underappreciated Chris Owens as CSM.
• Mulder’s flashbacks are a bit trippy, don’t you think? I guess it makes sense, but put that in a music video.

Elegy – Season 4, Ep 22

CHUCK: No. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it. I … I lied. I lied but I’m just a human being.

Aren’t we all, Chuck. Aren’t we all.

 
 
 
Season 4, Episode 22: “Elegy”

With the exception of “Leonard Betts,” we have yet to see a standalone episode that has much to do with Scully’s cancer. Her cancer mostly shows up in the mythology, and it goes almost forgotten in the standalones. Which is why I thank the X-Files gods or spirits or whatever that “Elegy” exists. Without it, the cancer storyline wouldn’t hit so close to home, I think.

Because of the absolute monster of a three-part mytharc we have coming up, it’s very easy to forget the episodes in between the famous “Small Potatoes” and the season finale, “Gethsemane.” Our previous episode, “Zero Sum,” was good, but the next two episodes, “Elegy” and “Demons,” are in my opinion two of the most underrated episodes of the series. “Elegy” in particular is just a hauntingly gorgeous episode of television. The painfully tragic story of Harold Spuller and the girls he can’t save is a quiet meditation on death and loss – something Mulder and Scully are very close to facing.

I don’t remember liking “Elegy” quite so much the first time I saw it as I did when I watched it most recently. I certainly wasn’t planning on giving it as high a score as I’m about to give it. Whatever flaws it does have – and it has a few – it gives us the most emotional exploration of Scully’s cancer since “Memento Mori,” and takes a rather dark turn from the sad yet hopeful message that “Memento Mori” brought us.

Namely, Scully is dying, and right now there’s nothing that she, Mulder, or anyone else can do about it. This episode doesn’t scream this at you. No one comes out and says, “Scully, you’re dying.” But, if we are to believe what Mulder says about seeing ghostly apparitions – and I think it’s a safe bet to say that Scully does believe him, at least a part of her does – then what Scully sees in the bathroom is a painful and quiet reminder that time is running out, and the seemingly inevitable is approaching.

Mulder doesn’t hold her hand in this one, either. We don’t get the gentle Mulder at the end of “Memento Mori,” holding a sick and exhausted Scully in a warm, hopeful embrace. Instead, we get an angry – maybe frustrated is the better word – Mulder who is facing the same situation: Scully’s dying, and there’s nothing he can do about it. Although Mulder probably suspects it long before Scully tells him about the apparition, when she gets another Nosebleed of Doom. He just chooses to tread lightly, at least until the end.

Mulder and Scully, as I’m sure you’ve realized by now, don’t talk much. You’ve heard it a million times – their relationship is largely unspoken and can’t really be put into words. But this time, Mulder thinks, is the exception. Scully needs to talk to him about this. Even if she doubts what she sees, doubts seeing the ghosts, she can’t doubt what it means and Mulder knows that. Scully seeing (and not believing) the apparition is not, as you might initially think, the most important detail for Mulder. Rather, it’s the fact that she didn’t tell him about it that frustrates him.

MULDER: You can believe what you want to believe, Scully, but you can’t hide the truth from me because if you do, then you’re working against me … and yourself. (his voice softens) I know what you’re afraid of. I’m afraid of the same thing.

Mulder doesn’t care about what Scully believes. He cares about Scully. And Scully, though she momentarily expresses doubt towards Mulder’s reasons for wanting her honesty, knows this. The truth Mulder wants from Scully has nothing to do with science, or aliens, or believing this or that. It’s the truth that’s locked in the meaning behind all of those things, or rather, the truth Scully hides within herself. What she can’t bring herself to face.

Perhaps somewhat strangely, this ending conversation between them – which is admittedly one of my favorite scenes of the season – makes me think of the ending of Season 2’s “Irresistible” and the famous hug. Mulder lifts Scully’s head up, helps her cry. Here, Mulder is essentially doing the same thing. He’s just doing it from a place of greater pain and frustration because he knows he’s about to lose someone he loves so much.

We’ve got some jolly times ahead of us, haven’t we?

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Final Score

Final score for “Elegy” is 9/10. Yes, I realize there’s a whole other part of this episode I didn’t talk about – the actual case. I think it’s good, and would have made a fine episode on its own, but it’s really the Mulder/Scully dynamic in this episode that warrants its high score. I’m not wild about the crazy nurse plot twist, either. It erupts too quickly and isn’t resolved very well.

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Notable Nuggets

• The look on Mulder’s face when the Nosebleed of Doom appears is heartbreaking.
• Puppy bowls a strike. Go Mulder!
• Let’s just appreciate the fact that Scully is able to overtake an attacker whilst dying of cancer. That’s my girl.

Small Potatoes – Season 4, Ep 20

MULDER: Birds do it, bees do it, even educated MD’s do it.

*Scully’s thinking* Why, Mulder, is that an invitation?

 
 
 
Season 4, Episode 20: “Small Potatoes”

Vince Gilligan, among other things, is known for two funny episodes on The X-Files: “Small Potatoes” and Season 5’s “Bad Blood.” There are more, but these two are the most famous. Now, “Bad Blood” remains one of the most popular episodes ever. Even Gillian Anderson admitted it was her favorite. And I don’t think I’ve ever seen fans get so violently passionate about a comedic X-Files episode as they do for “Bad Blood.”

But for my money, “Small Potatoes” is the better comedic script and it’s not just because Darin Morgan plays Eddie Van Blundht (okay, that has something to do with it, but there’s more). Vince Gilligan’s knack for writing near-perfect scripts shines in this one, both with the humor and the heart. Even if Darin Morgan isn’t the writer, his presence seems to indicate that Gilligan has his hat tipped to Morgan’s style of comedy. It’s still Gilligan’s own brand of humor, of course, but the influence is obvious.

Perhaps the biggest indicator of Darin Morgan (well, besides Darin Morgan himself), is that, like all good comedy, there’s an underlying message. But what puts “Small Potatoes” on an entirely different plane than a Darin Morgan script is not really the writing, but the execution. This is where David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson really get to show off their comedic talents, in a way they haven’t really done since Season 3. Not only because the script is funny, but because Gilligan allows the funnier aspects of the characters’ personalities to surface. We get to see relaxed Scully, clumsy Mulder, and – best of all – banter. Not just any banter, flirty banter. It’s wonderful.

I need to interrupt this review for a moment to squeal. I’m sorry, I can’t help it. It’s just that every time I think of something I love about this episode, I almost immediately think of something else. Almost every moment is golden. To list them all would be pointless and yet I don’t want to leave any out.

The comedy here is subtle, but that’s what makes it shine. I think that’s why I’ve always put “Small Potatoes” just slightly above “Bad Blood” when it comes to the comedic episodes. “Bad Blood” is hilarious, but it’s in-your-face hilarious. You almost have no choice but to laugh. “Small Potatoes,” however, forces you to catch all the facial expressions, in-jokes, and witty lines. Sometimes you laugh and you’re not sure what you just laughed at. I love that.

“Small Potatoes” doesn’t have as large an underlying theme as a Darin Morgan episode, but there is this idea Eddie Van Blundht shares with Mulder about being a loser. “I was born a loser, but you’re one by choice.” To Eddie, Mulder has enormous advantages – good looks, brains, a badass job, a beautiful partner – and he’s wasting his time with geeks and aliens. Not that we’re supposed to take Eddie too seriously – he is, after all, a rapist – but he’s got a point. I think Gilligan uses Eddie Van Blundht to raise some questions about Mulder and Scully that, though they’re placed in this comedic context, are very genuine: why haven’t Mulder and Scully “really talked”? Why does Mulder, who has been blessed with many enviable traits, waste his life away on a seemingly impossible quest (and for that matter, why does Scully?)? Why does Mulder sleep on a couch?

We’re not supposed to analyze the hell out of this episode, but I think there’s a message here that can’t be ignored. Take advantage of your advantages, folks. Don’t be Eddie Van Blundht, who indulges in small, meaningless pleasures through manipulation and deception. Live a little. Treat yourself.

Or at the very least, have a glass of wine with the Scully in your life every once in a while.

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Final Score

Final score for “Small Potatoes” is 10/10. Of course it is. What else did you think it was going to be?

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Notable Nuggets

This is going to be the longest “Notable Nuggets” I’ve ever done. No regrets.

• First, these facial expressions from our dear Dana Scully:

  

  

  

• David Duchovny’s performance as Eddie Van Blundht is an entire notable nugget. David, God forbid if you ever read this – fantastic job.
• Also, David Duchovny pulled Darin Morgan’s pants down. Think about that. (There’s a Season 4 blooper that makes this even funnier.)
• Favorite lines:

“On behalf of all the women in the world, I seriously doubt this is anything to do with consensual sex.” (Scully talking about women’s rights? Automatic turn on.)

“Hey, Scully, should we be picking out china patterns or what?”

“All right, then. Eleanor Roosevelt.”

“You spelled Federal Bureau of Investigation wrong.”

“Fox? Brother.”

“I like it.”

• I wonder if it was awkward for David Duchovny to call himself a “damn good looking man.”
• How did Mulder get out of the janitor’s closet? Also, did anyone notice that Eddie Van Blundht left food for him? Cracks me up.
• Amanda the Star Wars nut is hi-larious and is an absolute gem in this episode. Also, RIP Christine Cavanaugh.
• Scully didn’t do much protesting when “Mulder” leaned in to kiss her. Maybe it was the wine?
• She has that “oh, sh*t” look on her face, though, when he leans in. We’ll see it again in Fight the Future. 

Synchrony – Season 4, Ep 19

MULDER: Jason Nichols. Although common sense may rule out the possibility of time travel, the laws of quantum physics certainly do not. In case you forgot, that’s from your graduate thesis. (smiling at her) You were a lot more open-minded when you were a youngster.

Mulder read and memorized Scully’s thesis.

Help.

 

 
 
 
Season 4, Episode 19: “Synchrony”

“Synchrony” might be the most nonchalant take on a time travel story that exists. Maybe “nonchalant” isn’t quite the right word, but for whatever reason, this episode is very, very underwhelming. Remembering it even exists is a task for me sometimes. It doesn’t help that it comes in the last half of Season 4, where emotions are already running high.

That’s not to say the episode is bad, but it might be a good example of a topic that maybe The X-Files isn’t quite equipped to handle. Don’t get me wrong, The X-Files is an extremely versatile show that can be about almost anything, but it still has to exist within the context of the world the show is set in. This isn’t Star Trek, and we aren’t on the Enterprise. Time travel is an enormous topic, and even if you want to approach it scientifically, as this episode does, it’s still, well, enormous.

The biggest problem with “Synchrony” is that it’s so self-contained the huge implications of the events that take place feel underwhelmingly small. The episode is actually quite enjoyable (which surprised the hell out of me when I rewatched it), but it’s so…well, little that, try as I might, I’ll probably forget about it once the end of the season rolls around. For an episode so self-contained, we’re facing big problems here like people freezing to death, burning to death, time travel, and oh yeah, the impending doom of the planet. There’s just an awkward mismatch there. It’s like if the state of Delaware started screaming that the world was going to end in the next five days. Big message, little voice.

Time travel stories are always extra susceptible to flaws in logic, and this episode is no exception. For example: if the creation of this rapid freezing agent is what enabled people to be able to travel back in time, then why on earth would Old Jason use that very agent to kill? Why not use arsenic or bleach or even a gun? We are also given about .5% details concerning the world Old Jason has come from, except that it’s chaotic, without history, etc. Wouldn’t Jason be the very worst person to send back in time, since he has personal feelings for Lisa and all that? Also, how does Old Jason know it wasn’t his intervention that actually caused the future?

I could actually go on with questions like these for another paragraph, but to do so would be unnecessary and, I admit, unfair. I don’t want to give the impression that I dislike this episode – because I don’t, not at all. It’s nothing special, but I’d watch it over “Teliko” or “The Field Where I Died” any day. Mulder and Scully play pretty typical roles here – Mulder is way ahead of everyone else, as usual, and Doctor Scully does doctor stuff. They’re not really the focus of the story at all in this episode (you’ll notice that Scully’s cancer is nowhere to be seen).

There’s no reason to dismiss this episode as bad or even mediocre. But it is almost aggressively underwhelming, which I realize is oxymoronic. But so, too, is the episode itself. Such a wee little episode about such an enormous topic.

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Final Score

Final score for “Synchrony” is 6/10. Probably deserves a 6.5, but 6 is an underwhelming score for an underwhelming episode. Plus, I’m too lazy to make 6.5 stars.

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Notable Nuggets

• Mulder quotes Scully’s thesis from memory not once, but twice. He just needs to propose already.
• Mark Snow’s score for this episode is hauntingly beautiful. Too much so.
• Apparently, Scully thinks that phrases like “frozen fudgecicle” (from “Roland”) and “icicle” are appropriate medical terms.