ROLAND Episode 23 Season 1 of The X-Files

Roland’s revenge

Synopsis: The deaths of two scientists linked by their work prompt Mulder and Scully to investigate.

The penultimate episode of the X-Files season one sees a repetitive, candid pattern turn full circle. Roland is another story of revenge from beyond the grave by controlling the will of an unsuspecting person, see similar season one episodes; Shadows, Space, Lazarus, Born Again. The decision for Roland to follow Born Again was myopic and if it were not for Roland’s saving graces this review would be just another scathe-fest. As a fan with many re-watches under my belt I find myself looking beyond the story. I feel as an X-Phile that it is my job to see what some may not and sing high praises to episodes found wanting by others and mainly I would just feel plain guilty trouncing this one straight after trouncing Born Again.

Always look on the bright side of life.

The performance of steady actor Zeljko Ivanek is convincing, his character, the autistic Roland lends inspiration and a numerical gift from the similarly named autistic Raymond from late 80’s hit Rain Man. It is one thing to curl up your hands, speak in a laborious monotone voice and role your head slowly back and forth, it’s another to pull it off. His efforts are matched by co-star Kerry Sandomerski playing Tracy. I knew she wasn’t disabled because I saw her on Fringe the same night I began this write up acting as a perfectly ably mannered nun. Nailed it!

I can’t help but feel a nerve tingling unease when watching their scenes inside the politically correctly named half way house, partly due to the direction and the other part possibly guilt. The dull ache in the pit of my stomach is more than evident, an emotion David Lynch himself would be proud of generating. I find myself relieved when they are over and yet somehow disappointed they are not longer. The finale scene in which Roland must leave Tracy is especially sad when you factor in the autistic persons slight understanding on love and the pairs inevitable loneliness. The dream sequences that use vivid colours contrasting black and white also resonates well.

Mulder shows his compassionate side once more in the way he interacts with Roland. The understanding and identification he shares with societies victims is always direct, just and sincere and in complete distinction from his contempt for the villains. He has displayed this tact with children, i.e. Born Again and numerous adults, i.e. Fallen Angel with a warm trusting manor. Perhaps this empathy comes from Mulders own feeling of loneliness and confusion. Sometimes however his directness allows his mouth to run ahead of him leaving Scully to cut him short to avoid either embarrassment or ill feeling as she did when Mulder attempts to explain the events leading to Roland’s departure from the half way house to Mrs Stodie.

The inspiration for Roland’s character may have been Rain Man but surely the idea of the cryogenic chambers has to be accredited to the film Demolition Man. They are a massive sci-fi shout out and although they have no place in the labs of jet propulsion scientists, they are a fun inclusion. As are the manor of the scientist deaths. The noise Dr. Surnow creates when hitting the fan can only be described as a squelch and the chalk line of Dr. Keats fragmented head draws a wry smile.

The story may boast a fuzzy back story and inconsistency in plot, but there is occasion to laugh and cry. 18 years later and blessed with hindsight we know where all the effort went so it’s forgivable 7/10

Musings:

• The computer software used in early X-Files to render e-fits of criminals and alter their age and appearance is nothing short of other worldly.
• In the word of Kirk Lazuras ‘Everybody knows you never go full retard.’ 

DARKNESS FALLS Episode 20 Season 1 of The X-Files

Great Buzz 8/10

Synopsis: Mulder and Scully turn prey to ancient carnivorous insect when an investigation into the disappearance of 30 loggers in Olympic National Forest turns into a fight for survival.

The success of The X-Files in its fledgling season was no fluke. The majority of episodes were made up from a recipe of inspired casting, creative paranormal focused plot lines, subtle comedic undertones, solid production values and of course scares and it was this cocktail that established the shows core fan base that it still prevalent today. There are of course exceptions to the rule, flops if you will and guilty pleasures if you won’t. Inconsistency in value from one episode to another is a possibility for the first season of any show as they test the waters, but for a show which very essences is built upon the paranormal I would say it becomes an occupational hazard.

Darkness Falls is a great exhibit of the strength season one had to offer, an unassuming episode that keeps our interest from start to finish. The opening teaser sets the tone, 30 brawny plaid shirted lumber jacks scared witless, scream as they flee hopelessly through the dense boundless woodlands of the Olympic National Forest, Washington State. This vast forest is an ideal setting for this X-File. It is natural and wonderful to behold and at the same time mysterious and dangerous, the peaceful solitude turns into remote isolation and with the threat of darkness comes a sensation of helplessness and intense claustrophobia similar to that of Ice. Man versus nature is obviously the theme and Carter warns us there can only be one winner although ultimately it is the U.S Government.

There is understated comic relief in place throughout the episode, not meant as detraction from the moody ambience but rather a ploy to loll us into a sense of security. The relaxed opening scene between Mulder and Scully in the familiar warmth of the X-Files office acts to divert our attentions away from the horrors that lay in wait. This shroud of blissful ignorance soon disperses as the agents make their way deeper into the woods and we learn that this field trip is going to be no picnic.

The supporting cast all give solid believable performances which helps amalgamate the episode. The agents enlist the help of park ranger Larry Moore as chaperone to the logging site and are accompanied by Steve Humphreys, head of security for the logging company responsible for the missing men. All round good guy Moore is played by Duchovnys’ close friend and scientologist defector Jason Beghe who pulls of the strong outdoorsman man’s man role very convincingly. Humphrey although seemingly pleasant shows overzealous contempt for the eco warriors in an attempt to deflect attention away from his companies’ reckless and illegal logging methods. Doug Spinney plays the logger’s antagonist whose magnanimous nature directly opposes that of Humphreys’ which entertains malevolent undertones.

Spinney in affect sacrifices himself to save agents Mulders and Scully and park ranger Moore and in doing so vindicates Mulders actions of allowing him to leave their base camp along with the car battery, a decision that perplexed Scully, Moore and everyone who has ever watched Darkness Falls it even had Mulder doubting his own decision making. Who are we though to question Mulders choices? Admit it you felt a little guilty.

There are so many factors that make Darkness Falls’ re-watchable and it is always a pleasure to revisit this strong MoW. 8/10

Musings:

• What do you call a camel with three humps?
• Apparently Chris Carters inspiration for this episode came from a tree-ring dating course he took back in his college days. I suppose Darkness Falls justifies his omission from simply dating girls back in his college days.
• The awful microscope affect used is completely allowable because the episode pulls its weight with the aspects that really matter.
• As a foursome of three guys’ one girl, our agents, park ranger and logger man stumble across a cocoon half way up a tree. They decided to send ‘the women’ up in the harness to retrieve the icky insect webbed corpse, very brave guys and very funny. 
• This is one of the few MoW that isn't left open-ended  

SHAPES Episode 19 Season 1 of The X-Files

Sit, Stay, Play Dead 4/10

Synopsis: Mulder and Scully’s investigation into a shooting over a land dispute turns out to be more than just an open and shut case when a savage animal is introduced into the mix.

The episode is by no means an attention grabber let alone attention retainer. It is a werewolf yarn and we all know what a werewolf is and how they work; man gets scratched/bit, man turns into werewolf. Although it seems we are taking our prevailing knowledge for granted as it appears that The X-Files universe is unaccustomed to such myth. So as I watch Mulder and Scully investigate and learn about this nameless phenomenon I find myself reaching for my laptop.

Today I was off on a Native American Google search tangent that started with The Wounded Knee Incident mentioned by Ish during his first exchange with Mulder. I went on to learn more on the Native Americans’ plight against the U.S government , their battles to preserve the lands, their culture, their weapons, their farming methods, their hunting methods, their religion, their casinos. All the while Shapes listlessly stumbles from scene to scene offering little more than soft background stimuli.

This emphatically predictable story was in no way buoyed by the script and direction, which in places was downright awkward, the pinnacle of which has to be Mulders chucking in of the line ‘I want to believe’. When used without the class and the coherent context found at the end of Conduit this epic X-Files tag line is reduced to nothing but a cheap catch phrase.

Scully fairs little better. Her most poignant character trace is the ability to dismiss incomprehensible occurrences with logic and it is a trait we all appreciate, after all its part of what makes The X-Files so great. Although her ability to dismiss the ‘shape shifting’ Kyle Parker as a mountain lion is blind to the point of denial and not the ‘I saw it but I won’t admit it’ denial but the ‘repressed memory that may one day give me a brain tumour’ type of denial. The latter even played out on film to a certain extent when Kyle Parker gave off several loud roars as he was ‘shape shifting’ in the bathroom, the shot of Scully attempting to gain entry to the bathroom is silent. See no evil, hear no evil.

I think that the transformation scene of Kyle Parker into a werewolf still looks great today and finally my Google search tangent had a challenger to my attention. Alas it was a short lived battle of which Google prevailed.

There were other moments in which my curiosity peaks along the way. The castings of Duchovnys’ Twin Peaks co-star Michael Horse for example. As Sheriff Charles Tskany he practically reprises his role of Deputy Tommy Hill in a nod to the early 90’s supernatural drama to which X-Files owes for some of its inspiration.

There was also the backstory to these ‘shape shifting’ events which are attributed as the first ever X-Files. Apparently Edgar J. Hover himself initiated the investigation in 1946. The case, seeming unsolvable was swept under the carpet by Hoover(pun intended), which is a conspiracy in itself I suppose.

I find this episode unintentionally funny which is some sort of bonus I guess but this and its other entertaining facets are too few and far between in an episode guilty of sticking to closely to the myth ultimately causing it to be too banal. I did however get more out of watching this episode than expected, an education into the plight of Native American Man. 4/10

Musings:

• Or rather musing; Mulder breaches the gap left from a history of bloodshed between the U.S. Government and Native Americans. He offers an olive branch which is accepted. Is karma now at work? Is this act of philanthropy what helps the Navajo Indians bring Mulder back to life in ‘The Blessing Way’ Not trying to put too fine a point on it put Karma does play a large part in the Native American belief system. 

Miracle Man Episode 18 Season 1 of The X-Files

Beware false prophets 7/10 

Synopsis: Samuel a supposed miracle healer is tried for murder, Mulder believes in more than just the boy’s innocence.

With the paranormal, evolution and/or aliens the ever present subject matter of The X-Files, it is inevitable conflict and amity with religion developed on a regular basis. Miracle Man represents season ones first and only head on foray into religion. That is if you are wiling to except that ‘The Kindred’ from episode Gender Bender are not a religious sect.

Christianity is first in the firing line, or maybe more the false prophets that exploit the faith instilled in people who are made vulnerable by their lame limbs, old age or prevalent mourning. There are religious television channels that run all day that film these false prophets placing their hands on members of their congregations and ‘heal’ them of their physical and mental burdens using the power given to them by God. If you can’t tell I’m sceptical, although this boy Samuel, he has me believing.

I watched with my very own eyes this young boy put his hands upon a dead man, a man burned alive minutes before in a fiery car crash, I watched as he asked this man to rise, rise up and heal using the power of faith and the power of God. I saw that man rise from the ashes as if he were Lazarus himself.

Make no bones about it this boy is the real deal, and if we are to believe the blatant New Testament imagery he is also the second coming of Jesus. While running the risk of patronising you I shall lazily list these metaphors:

• He performed Miracles.
• He was arrested and wrongly accused.
• He was beaten to death whilst in the ‘crucifixion’ pose.
• He forgave the man that had him killed.
• He rose from the dead and disappeared.
• He drank beer and got into fights.

The writers cleverly used Samuel divine powers to reignite the interest in the story line surrounding Mulders abducted sister. First Samuel envisages Samantha’s abduction he then shows visions of Samantha to Mulder. This not only gave Mulder reason to belief in Samuels’s powers and thus find the real suspect but also re-opened the book on Fox’s hunt for his sister for the first time since episode Conduit.

With Miracle Man following E.B.E, an episode that really kicked started the alien conspiracy mythology, there was a lot to get excited about and it was no coincidence that household ratings went in to ascendency following them.

With the exception of the first episode Pilot, this is the first episode that leaves you guessing on the suspect. I’m not saying that it is or is not difficult to figure out (I didn’t have a clue), what I am saying is that we normally know who the perpetrator is before we are treated to Mark Snow’s eerie score. This will become a more established template for future MoW episodes as we watch The X-Files evolve.

An enjoyable episode that offers up a surprise killer and small amount of early Samanthology. 7/10

Musings;

• Mulder already knows of the Reverend Calvin Hartley and of his son Samuel’s healing powers before Scully show him the case. He doesn’t explain why, perhaps he read about it in The Lone Gunman or maybe he previously looked into seeing Samuel about his sister. Or maybe he just saw him on the GOD Channel.
• Scully refers to her catholic faith saying that ‘God never lets the Devil still the show’ Reference to Sully’s faith is few and far between in the first season but are later established frequently.
• I found the trail of food left on the roof to the ventilation shaft for the locus is hilarious. They are insects not Hansel and Gretel.
• Vance went a little far with the Locus thing as it left a paper trail back to him, not that it mattered in the end.
• Best quote undoubtedly goes to Mulder ‘Remember, the boy did rise from the dead. That kind of thing happens only once or twice every two thousand years or so.’
• Sheriff Daniels wrongly persecuted Samuels and had him beaten to death in his cell. He then got arrested and most probably imprisoned, leaving his paralysed wife to a life of solitude and himself to a life behind bars with criminals he would of helped to send there. What was this guy’s motivation or am I missing out on some New Testament imagery????

E.B.E Episode 17 Season 1 of The X-Files

The Foundations of a Phenomenon  10/10

Synopsis: A secret government agency transports a downed U.F.O and Alien across America, can agents Mulder and Scully track it down and what ‘truths’ are they to believe along the way?

E.B.E represents a leap in The X-Files universe. It plots a course for the truth that will map out an entire franchise. This is where it all begins. Of course we have been offered glimpses of the government’s seemingly reckless actions and the callous way in which it covers the truth, however  E.B.E looks closer, exposes more and for the first time offers us answers that maybe we never thought were coming. Fuelled by snippets of conspiracy laid down in earlier episode, E.B.E rises up as the maiden episode of nine seasons of mythology.

E.B.E offers us an up close and personal look at Deep Throat and the reasons for his role as informant.  Deep Throat has been a concrete source of Mulder, showing him where to look and assisting him in solving cases. There seems to be a mutual respect between the two men, I would even go as far as to say Mulder admired the man. The events of E.B.E. cast doubts over the validity of this trust. With Mulder confronting Deep Throat for the first time and then launching a tirade aimed at the ethical practise of his work, a tirade that Deep Throat can defend himself against.

Deep Throat reads like a book in this episode we learn what makes him tick. The information he offers has always been concrete, yet we find him also deceiving Mulder. Like a tactician he plans his truths and lies like a chess game, a distinct characteristic of the government conspirators seen throughout the X-Files. During the meeting at the shark tank he defends his deceit by saying ‘a lie Mr Mulder, is most convincingly hidden between to truths’ One of the most iconic lines in X-Files history.

Most importantly we learn of Deep Throats intentions. He explains to Mulder that after watching him for years, with enthuses put on years, he choose Mulder as the one to trust. Deep Throat needed someone to expose certain government conspiracy. In his role he has carried out heinous and brutal acts against man, nature and biological entities (We discover that Deep Throat implemented the act of exterminating biological entities) and is of the thinking that Mulder can expose the government for what it really is.

E.B.E is the first episode in which we see direct attempts by government agencies to interfere with the X-Files. Firstly with the bug found in Scully’s pen and the bug found in Mulders apartment. Then two men that follow the agents on route to the airport, in a brilliant sequence in which Mulder and Scully evade the cronies. And lastly the feigned alien rescue mission that depicts the lengths in which the conspirators would go to halt Mulders hunt for the truth.

E.B.E offers us more than the beginning of a conspiracy trail that will lead on for 10 years. It reunites Agents Mulder and Scully. Not since ‘Space’ has David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson shared this much screen time and it shows, big time, for their ability to act with one another has metamorphosed into something quite wonderful and it hits home in one magnificent episode. The only way I can think of describing it is seeing a child for the second time after a three year interlude. The screen presence they share has simply grown.

They bounce of one another so effortlessly; the opening scene that they share investigating the report of the U.F.O sighting from the previous nights is one of my favourites from the whole program. Scully offers up her most rationale theories as Mulder humours her, brilliant.

Of course the duo have to share a moment of truth and that comes with Scully telling Mulder that he is too determined to believe Deep Throat, and that there are people out there willing to use his blinding beliefs as a way of deceiving him. Which is fair after all, how far would Mulder get if he never had Scully there to rein him in once in a while?

We also have our first instalment of everybody’s favourite conspiracy theorists The Lone Gunman. The trio are introduced to us in their very clean well lit office, is it there dealings with agent Mulder that drives them to a more underground feel later on?

They share information on anything with Mulder freely so they obviously trust him and he can complicity trust them in return, a stark contrast to any shady government agents Mulder is used to dealing with.

Langley and Byres spout off conspiracies on the JFK assassination and the leader of the Russian Social Democrats to Mulder and all he can muster is a shrug or funny remark.

They trio don’t take up much screen time in E.B.E but do have a significant part to play in this episode, and of course grow in stature as The X-Files grow. They not only offer assistance to Mulder and Scullys campaign for the truth they also offer banter that is worth its weight in entertainment value. Love these guys.

E.B.E, The foundations of a phenomenon 10/10

Musing;

• If I have learnt anything from Sci-Fi it is don’t randomly shoot at spaceships.

• Frohike’s love affair with Scully begins here, calling her ‘hot’. When Scully later remarks that the Lone Gunman’s beliefs are implausible Mulder says ‘I think it’s plausible that you’re hot’ Oh so he has noticed.

• How do Mulder and Deep Throat know where to meet, have I missed something?

• I hope there was some spaceship on board that truck or that’s one obese alien 2000ibs!

• Names of the U.F.olygist agencies Mulder lists include NICAP, Max Fenigs group.

• Five and a half minutes in Mulder mentions our favorite lake for the second time this Season 'Lake Okobogee'' 

LAZARUS Episode 15 Season 1 of The X-Files

And stay dead 2/10

Synopsis: An FBI agent and a bank robber are gunned down at the scene. The robber dies while the FBI agent is revived however Mulder suspects the agent of not being who he appears to be.

Raising of Lazarus is a biblical story of a miracle performed by Jesus in which he raises Lazarus of Bethany from the dead. Unfortunately the story on offer here is less than divine and plainly insipid.

If you were a bank robber shot whilst on the job and in death you were given a second chance what would do? Would you catalogue your mistakes and misgivings in your first life and act upon them in a way of redemption in your second learning to appreciate that the error of your ways may be related directly to your untimely demise and perhaps learn to change them?

Or would you clumsily hunt down your ex-husband murdering, FBI fugitive, double crossing wife and once finding her abduct a federal agent?

My point being that at the very least you would keenly prevent attention being draw to yourself. This is not for bank robber Warren Dupree, who spends no time what so ever on considering his options. I am not going to pretend that The X-Files is always believable, after all it is Science Fiction, but it is when palpable human behaviour is so blatantly disregarded that I find myself rolling my eyes.  I see little reason to look further into this MOW impractical behaviour. Well maybe I could say he was driven by passion which is the only argument but really? Yawn. It seems like lazy storytelling to me.

The lack in character depth does bother me somewhat although it is not all bad and as you know I am not one to kick an episode whilst it is down. It’s a fun story, having the mind of a criminal jump to that of FBI agent Jack Willis a man whom he’d been hunted by for two years. Dupree recklessly gets up close and personal with the FBI. A little more focus on his interactions around other FBI agents and inside the FBI headquarters could have added a touch of sophistication to this episode. Regrettably it wasn’t to be as I believe this would have made for a more invested storyline.  Mulder was the only one within the FBI suspicious enough of Willis’ new behaviour to show enough concern. Which is odd really given the common knowledge that Willis inexplicably cut the finger off a corpse in a scene that makes me wince, and yet still manages to pass a physical and perhaps more surprisingly a psychological exam.

Believe me I am not intentionally ripping holes in this episode it is just inescapable.

I will move on. Another small portion of Dana Scully’s past was offered up to us. Her relationship with FBI Jack Willis was confirmed to be more than just friendship when Scully revealed to Mulder that the two had dated for almost a year. It seems Scully has a habit of mixing work and pleasure and this time with a man she appears very incompatible with. We also learn of her birthday, February 23^rd, but not the year.

I’m sorry if my take on this episode conflicts greatly with your views on it. There just aren’t enough redeeming features on show.  As much as I dislike low scoring I have to be realistic. A lowly 2/10 and a big look forward to the next episode Young at Heart.

Musings;

The biblical story of Lazarus will again be the source of inspiration in season 7 episode HOLLYWOOD A.D.

Scully has the inconvenient habit of being abducted which begins and certainly does not end with this episode.

We know Mulder has at least one colleague within the bureau apart from Scully that defends him, agent Bruskin.

GENDER BENDER Episode 14 Season 1 of The X-Files

GENDER BENDER Episode 14 Season 1 of The X-Files

Remember Gender Bender? 5/10

Synopsis: Several deaths that occur after sexual intercourse lead Mulder and Scully to investigate an Amish like community known as the Kindred.

I have a strange affiliation to Gender Bender and no it is not what you’re thinking. 18 years ago I remember sitting round my Grandma’s house watching GB with my dad, mum, Nan and sister. I remember where I was sat where they were sat, I remember it like I remember yesterday. The reason I remember that night so vividly is because we sat and enjoyed the show together, The X-Files brought us all together. It was a show we all could enjoy watching.

One thing that drew me to GB when I was younger was the Amish influence. I had no idea that there were groups that had wilfully detached themselves from modern society for hundreds of years. I could remember thinking to myself that I would not be able to live without my Super Nintendo or Power Rangers for one week let alone a lifetime.

You must realise I was eight years old but even so, many adults of the time knew next to little about these sects. Today it’s a different story; we have films, documentaries and even reality television show based on their way of living. They no longer seem alien to us.

1994 however was a different time; their existence was alien to the general population. Here the writers play on that but maybe missed a trick. I found the back story missing and in place it found sex scenes, they may have tied into the story but really were unnecessary. Don’t get me wrong I like a sex scene as much as the next red blooded male but if the producers ideas of sexing up the show where having a women that was really a man or vice-versa, changing sexes right after the doing wild thing then they are clearly mistaken. Unless it is me who is mistaken?

If only they substituted the sex story line parts of this episode with more mystery surrounding the ‘Kindred’ and the farm on which they lived. The farm was a marvellously atmospheric setting and could have played host to a real spooky episode.

I see that maybe the writers were looking to show the contrast between the two different worlds but it was hardly done in an imaginative or thought provoking way.

All we were left with were horny transsexual chick and dude magnet aliens that for some reason travelled across time and space just to settle down into an Amish way of life and ban themselves from the fruits of the forbidden tree without any explanation what so ever. Somehow I don’t think this is the ‘truth’ Mulder had been expecting to find.

I do like to draw some of my own conclusions from each episode but come on not all of them!

Other noteworthy episode points include:

Scully’s disbelief that a person would have sex with perfect stranger, such a prude. Scully’s Profile of the killer: indeterminate height, weight, sex, unarmed but extremely attractive. A funny prude no less.

Enter player Nicholas Lea. Before his appearance in the next season as Alex Krycek he had a role in this episode having, sex with brother Martin.

The pathetic attempt at a crop circle at the end. They didn't have to call in experts but jeez guys that was rubbish!

When questioned on the possibility that the show might be met with disapproval from Amish communities Chris Carter simply stated that he was not worried as the Amish do not watch television. Hahaha

This episode is flawed and feels incomplete but it is a fun ride and bring back fond memories for me, I could never say I dislike it or skip it during a Season watching marathon. 5/10 for me. 

FIRE Episode 12 Season 1 of The X-Files

This episode is hot 7/10

Synopsis: An old flame of Mulders asks for his assistance in apprehending a psychopathic pyro-maniac

Another Strong MOW (monster of the week) offering that offers a little more. On top of the Pyro maniac with a demonic ability that is matched only by his demonic view on the world, we have the first exaggerated nod towards Dana’s secret affection towards Fox and Mulders clumsy affection towards Dana. A term X-Philes coined as ‘ship’, Short for relationship. The shippers had X-Philes around the world speculating heavily on forums, blogs and chat rooms and caused a phenomenon in itself possibly the biggest, away from any story arch the series had to offer. It is safe to say that this subject remains the strongest of all topics of conversations on any thing X-Files. Kept stronger by stars David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson real life will they won’t they relationship. Well, let the shipping continues.

Scully’s instant distain for Mulder’s college year love interest Phoebe Green is instantly recognisable. Phoebe whispers in Mulders ear ‘She hates me’ somewhat blatantly to show of her dominance over Scully for Mulders instant affection. Mulder seems aware of this and immediately deflects the unwanted tension by questioning Phoebe of the reason to her visit.

Phoebe asks Mulder to help in catching a narcissistic pyro maniac who kills members of the upper classes by burning his victims alive. The only lead is a potential target of the attacker, Sir Malcolm. Mulder agrees to assist, upon leaving his office Phoebe turns to Scully rather nonchalantly and says ‘Oh, good bye’ as if she forgot of her presence in the room.

Scully is wary of Phoebes control and possible manipulation over Mulder. She remarks to Mulder how she had just witnessed him drop everything to help Mulder who defends himself by stating ‘I was merely extending her a professional courtesy’ to which Scully quips ‘Oh was that what you were extending?’ A funny line that is rife with jealous undertones. Scully displays further acquisitive emotion as, against Mulders wishes she goes to the hotel to where he and Phoebe are staying.

The role of Phoebe was originally designed to be a recurring role with a view to replacing the enigmatic Dana Scully. Luckily for us this wasn’t the case. I found her simply irritating and I would just like to say we don’t all talk like that!

Our MOW Cecil L’lvely’s awaits the visit of Sir Malcome Marsden and family to the vacation home. He poses as the grounds man for the estate having killed and buried the real one in a shallow grave. Cecil kicks the Marsden’s family dog and threatens to skin it alive. Cecil is not joking he would skin the dog alive he feels no remorse for his actions he is a loaner cold and callous. He is intelligent and has a confident demeanour; he is a psychopath in every sense. He is a psychopath with the penchant for murdering aristocrats, not for political or financial gain. He kills these powerful men to validate his own beliefs that he is all powerful. Cecil is a man that really is geared towards world domination.

He is also a voyeur that spies on the wife of his targets. He watches Mrs Marsden through a window his attention drawn primarily to her body. His affection towards these women is most probably perverse although it is not explored in too finer detail.

His malevolent behaviour is explored brilliantly in one scene where he befriends the two young Marsden boys with magic using cigarettes which he then uses to tempt the boys to smoke as if he were the Devil himself. He also tricks the Marsden’s driver into drinking rocket fuel and sets him alight, so he could assist the Marsden’s more closely. Personally I think this MOW is far too easily overlooked he holds many of the cards over some better established MoW in terms of his evilness, maliciousness, intelligence and all over anti-hero vibe over .

Other noteworthy points to take from this episode are Mulder admitting to having a photographic memory and pyro-phobia. The pyrotechnics used I find impressive to this day. The X-File case number Scully retorts at the end of the show, 11214893 includes the number 1121 the birthday of X-Files creator Chris Carters wife. This number along with 1013, Carters birthday and name of his production company are used with regularity throughout the show. The original script of this episode includes a conversation near the end in which Scully comments, ‘Well, never let it be said that you wouldn't walk through fire for a woman, Mulder’, to which he answers, ‘And never let it be said that I wouldn't do it for you again, Scully’.

I think this episode is overlooked by some and for me I think 7/10 does it justice.

EVE Episode 11 Season 1 of The X-Files

EVEil Genius 10/10

Synopsis: Mulder and Scully investigate two identical murders that happened at the exact same time only miles apart.

EVE is an amazing episode full of red herrings and twist. From start to finish the unfolding plot keeps Mulder and Scully guessing on the potential suspects. The likelihood that a sophisticated Murder could be carried out by an eight year old girl was beyond the realms of thinking even for Mulder. As a viewer it was nice to see a tightly woven story unravel in front of my eyes.

There is no denying that twins in horror works as for some reason they are able to possess a certain unnerving quality much like a china doll. The younger EVE twins are murders are evil and genius, a scary group of attributes to hold. They are capable of killing without feeling regret but instead share jubilation in their methods homicide, gleefully watching as their self-cultivated poison terminates the closes thing the girls could ever come to calling a mother. This gives much reason behind the elaborate ways in which the fathers of the two girls met their demise. Exsanguination is a word I had to look up not a method of murder, least that is what I thought. The creativity involved in the murders inevitably contributed to the girls undoing as it was quickly passed down as an X-File due to its oddness in nature and without Fox Mulders intuitive observance the girls break for freedom would have been successful.

Harriet Harris turns in some credible performances playing Dr Sally Kendrick, EVE 6 and EVE 8. As the psychotic EVE 6 she was very convincing, chattering her teeth whilst telling stories of biting a guard eyeball and I really wouldn’t like to be locked in a cell with her. She had an air of unpredictability about her and played unhinged very well. Another of her scenes is also rather thrilling. Cindy Reardon lies in bed when her wardrobe doors begin to open, we then see from Mulder and Scully’s view point that she is then quickly snatched. Scully runs to Cindy’s aid entering the house she doesn’t know what she will find and neither do we. Whoever or whatever it was that snatched Cindy had to have been waiting in that wardrobe for two days as the house was under surveillance. The music adds to potential scare we’re about to receive. Scully makes her way up the stairs and is knocked down by EVE 7 who then bursts through a patio window and escapes the waiting Mulder by holding a gun to Cindy’s head. A top sequence in the episode of which there are so many highlights. My favourite sequence of the lot has to be the rest stop scene. The girls poison the agents drink only to be thwarted by Mulders intuition. I thought it was filmed really well and showed Mulders at his think ‘outside the box’ best.  Not many agents would evaluate the evidence in such a way as to suspect little girls.

Deep Throat makes an appearance here, divulging the project that created the EVEs called the Lichfield experiments. These experiments were designed to rival that of the Russians attempt of creating a super race at the height of the cold war. They created a group of genetically modified children, the boys were called Adam and the girls were called Eve. We know from meeting Eve 6 that the experiments still continue and that these children grew to be psychotic. We learn from EVE 7 that the young EVEs; Cindy and Teena have developed at a greatly accelerated speed, meaning they’re very dangerous. On their capture they are returned to the Lichfield experiment.

Quotes I have picked out for this episode are:

Mulder’s unwitty quip to Scully whilst she reads from the autopsy report.

Scully: Death by hypovolaemia. 75% blood loss. That's over 4 liters of blood.

Mulder: I'd say the man was running on empty.

Mulder’s and Scullys banter. He also points to the sky and says that maybe their looking in the wrong place.

Mulder: One girl was just abducted.

Scully: Kidnapped.

Mulder: Potato, potahto.

Two psychopathic girls that have never met murder their fathers in exactly the same bizarre manner at exactly the same time on different sides of the country. Psychotic clones run amok. Exsanguination, poisoning and biting eyeballs. A supposedly expired highly classified experiment continues. Creepy twins that may in-fact be cloned to create more of the little murderers. This episode had a lot I think I enjoy it more than any other in this series and as I realise I can be stingy with my scoring I feel it is only right to slap a 10/10 on this one.

Join me once more for the next episode ‘FIRE’ coming in the next couple of days. Thank you for reading.

FALLEN ANGEL Episode 10 Season 1 of The X-Files

Max Power 8/10

Synopsis: Mulders attempt to infiltrate a U.F.O crash landing cover up is thwarted by the military leading to a chance meeting with an eccentric UFO fanatic with a history of past abductions.

Townsend, Wisconsin. A spaceship crashed in the woods, or as UFO reclamations expert Colonel Calvin Henderson puts it ‘confirmed Fallen Angel in sector 87’. Operation Falcon is put into action. An operation not only intent in the salvage and cover-up of the downed spacecraft, but also in the extermination of any and all extra-terrestrial life found at the wreckage site.

Mulder is loosely informed by Deep Throat that the quarantined area of a reported train crash in Townsend, Wisconsin was in fact a UFO crash site and that he had only 24hrnbefore all evidence was removed. That is all the information Mulder needs. Begin the defiant agents’ one man quest to uncover the truth. I love episodes where our two heroes go behind enemy lines as they normally always uncover something and this episode is no different. Mulder’s endeavour pays of and he is confronted by one hell of a spaceship and for the first time he remembers to bring a camera to collect photographic evidence. This preparation proves futile as he is soon caught by military personnel and dispossessed of is camera. He is brought in front of Colonel Henderson where his work on the X-Files is severely threatened, more on that later.

After the encounter with the Colonel, Mulder is placed in a holding cell which leads to his meeting with fellow detainee Max Fenig played by unknown Scott Bellis. I think this guy played the role superbly and I am not surprised he was given the opportunity to redeem his role in future episodes. He nailed the traits that one may expect of an obsessive loner. He had the equipment and knowledge to track U.F.O phenomena and mainly acted alone having little face to face contact with others and none with persons from outside the U.F.O fanatic circle. I could imagine that the investigative group he claims to be a part of N.I.C.A.P. consist of only a handful of awkward individuals. I think it is safe to say we have Scott Bellis to thank for the concept of the Lone Gunman. He demonstrated to the writers that informants to Mulder didn’t have to be shady two faced G-Men but could also be allies fighting for the same side. Mulder himself realises this. When he asks Max ‘What makes you so sure there is something out there’ Max replies ‘the same thing that makes you so sure’ Indicating that they both have encountered U.F.O phenomena and thus both want to get to the truth.

Scully’s comes to release Mulder from the holding pen not knowing the reasons for his actions. She rejects Mulder idea of a crashed U.F.O in belief of a highly classified story of a downed Libyan Fighter Jet carrying a nuclear pay load. A story Mulder dismisses as ‘a highly classified lie’. Scully has the attitude of a mother telling off her son, this may be due to the impending closure of the X-File brought about by Mulder’s exploits. Is she growing attached to department she works in or the partner she works with?

Scully regularly denounces Mulders theories throughout the episode I think in attempt by the writers to revert her back to her original purpose in the show. After all she may have been too willing to entertain Mulders wild notions of the paranormal in recent episodes and there is a need to re-establish her strong independent stance.

Meanwhile it is not enough that Colonel Henderson has to deal with an insubordinate FBI agent, he also has to track down and kill an extra-terrestrial capable of cloaking itself to its surroundings and destroying its adversaries using potent amounts of radiation. A task that it is fair to say he has no grasp on.

This alien creature is only interested in one thing, finding Max Fenig. It was recurring abductee Max that drew the craft to Townsend. He wasn’t aware of this or his previous abductions, He was only aware of blacking out and reawaking in strange places. It was Mulder noticing a scar behind Fenig’s ear that lead him to the conclusion that Fenig was an abductee, as that same scar came up in X-Files cases involving other abductees.  Another spaceship came down to Townsend to retrieve their fellow alien and Max Fenig disappears with them, for now.

Later back at FBI headquarters, agent Scully’s attempts to support Mulders actions appear to be in vein. The Office of Professional Responsibility Hearing run by Section Chief McGrath is not going well. Mulders turn defends his actions, but his evidence and field report are suppressed by conflicting reports from Colonel Henderson to which Mulder proclaims ‘How can I disprove lies that are stamped with an official
seal?.... You can deny all the things I've seen. All the things I've discovered, but not for much longer. Because too many others know what's happening out there. And no one, no government agency has jurisdiction over the truth.’

Although Mcgrath has Mulder banged to rights and makes the decision to disband the X-Files and probably remove Mulder from the bureau. The decision is overturned by Deep Throat. In a secret meeting between the two men Deep Throat explains his actions as keeping his friend close and enemies’ closer. This is the first time we see Deep Throat’s involvement away from Fox Mulder and he comes across as sinister and scheming and maybe more powerful then we previously thought.

Before I wrap this post up I just want to add a couple of my favourite bits from the episode.

·        Mulders reconnaissance mission, hanging on to the bottom of that truck.

·        The downed UFO and the fact that Mulder brought a camera.

·        That intrepid soul in search of a closer encounter that is Max Fenig

·        Scully: ‘we have a plane to catch in under an hour’ (It takes longer than an hour to get through security nowadays)

·        This little back and forth at the US Space Surveillance Centre;

CAPTAIN KORETZ: Sir I have flash traffic at 24-18. Repeated calls for ID go unanswered. And it’s not in the orbital or suborbital inventory.

MILITARY OFFICER: 24-18. Isn't that where...

CAPTAIN KORETZ: Same exact spot sir. Although I am reading a much larger craft his time.

MILITARY OFFICER: Meteor, Ms. Koretz.

CAPTAIN KORETZ: A much larger Meteor, sir. Hold on a second.(Putting hand to earpeice) We have a confirm. Whitmarsh Air Force Base is tracking...

MILITARY OFFICER: Where is it?

CAPTAIN KORETZ: Well, sir. The meteor, seems to be hovering over a small town in Eastern Wisconsin.

·        Various Mulder quotes; ‘a highly classifies lie.’ ‘Enigmatic Dr Scully.’ ‘You don’t seem to understand Scully, Max doesn’t believe he was abducted by aliens I believe he was.’  ‘no government agency has jurisdiction over the truth.’

I like this episode and could go on but maybe you can fill in the gaps or add your take, feel free to use the comment box below. For now I will leave you with my score 8/10

Thanks for reading.

ICE Episode 8 Season 1 of The X-Files

A Ice episode that doesn't quite reach its Peak 9/10

This episode sits proudly atop many X-Philes’ favourite episode lists, not mine though. Don’t get me wrong it is not far off, for me there is just one subtle tweak that could have catapulted this episode to the top of the pile.

It is not hard to understand why this episode is so popular amongst the X-File community. The successful method of the story for one thing is a tried and tested platform. Most recent inspirations to the broadcast of this 1993 episode were from John Carpenters 1982 Horror/Sci-Fi classic The Thing. Of course there are other inspirations but The Thing is the one I’m most familiar with. Ice borrows some of the finest fragments from the film and successfully repackages and delivers them back to us in a 43 minute slot.

The very opening scene of the Arctic Ice Core Project shows us a shot of just how isolated the facility is. A Snow storm blows in; the whistle of the swirling winds is all that can be heard. Inside the facility seems no more hospitable the outside. Its dark a, thermometer hangs on the wall measuring -34 degrees Celsius. A dog forages for scraps the camera follows; we see body on the floor and then a lifeless arm hanging from a desk.  A man armed with a hand gun interrupts the scene he looks exhausted and is shirtless and bloodied. He turns on the ham radio equipment and then a lamp and the video camera below it. He slouches down on a chair placed in front of the camera and breathing heavily utters ‘we are not who we are….we are not who we are….it goes no further than this….it stops right here right now…’ with that another man grabs him and pulls him from his chair. They fight as if their lives depended on it. They both end up pulling a pistol. They stare into one another eyes as the stand-off. Slowly they lower their weapons only to draw them again only this time it is to their own temples. The filming of the scene switches to outside the facility. The winds that are still whistling are accompanied by two loud gun shots.

This post is not a novella of the episode but I feel as if I have to give this remarkable opening sequence it due. It builds up a tense atmosphere full of dread and solitude that carries on throughout the episode.

The episode is set almost entirely inside the facility. When a show or film is shot in such away I believe it is called bottling. When done in the correct manner it can evoke strong emotions in the viewer and considering there is only a 43min run time, I think they have done well to see that we the viewer share the intense suspicion and claustrophobia of the characters. Here we are not left outside in the cold looking in, we are stuck inside hoping to get out. We are not merely roped into casting aspersions over each character but forced. This is not comfortable, as this is the first time in the series that we are obliged to make that choice. You ask yourself who is being deceitful and who is telling the truth? And then it hits you, without Mulders help we would never know. Trust no one.

Agents Mulder, Scully, physician Dr. Hodge (Xander Berkeley from ‘24’ fame); toxicologist Dr. DaSilva (Felicity Huffman from ‘Desperate Housewifes’ fame); Pilot Bear (Jeff Kober from ‘China Beach’ fame) and geologist Dr. Murphy (Steve Hytner from The X-Files episode ‘Ice’ fame) all full into the same traps we do. There is only one worm controlling one host at any one time during their time at the facility. Yet the reaction of the team and their hostility towards each other appear to become magnified under the claustrophobic conditions the facility places them in. Even Scully suspects Mulder of murder to some degree. When she finds Mulder with the body of Dr. Muphy throat slit, Scully accusingly asks her partner what he is doing.  Pulling a gun on him shortly afterwards and forcing him into solitary confinement, although this I suspect is just as much for his own good as for hers. Dr Hodge’s narcissistic, malevolent and somewhat misogynistic attitude makes him prime suspect through most of the second half of the episode. Looking back he was an obvious red hearing as he had been unpleasant from the very beginning of the show. And as it turns out timid Dr. DaSilva is the one with the little beastie in her. She goes into a state of hysteric anger but Dr Hodge and Scully are on hand to save her from the extra-terrestrial parasite using X-File science.

In addition did anybody else notice the substance secreted by the worm after being pulled from the pilot’s skin. Possibly a tie in with the alien Black Oil that plays a large part in future episodes. It does have similar characteristics. It enters a host through an orifice in the head and makes them act differently then usual. It is found in ice estimated to be 250,000 years old. There are large reservoirs of Black Oil under the earth that have been there for millions of years. Personally I think the Black Oil is an evolved state of the parasitic worm or some kind of mutation from it. What are your thoughts?

This episode demonstrates what can be achieved when using inspiration from the very best that the Sci-Fi genre has to offer. I’m going to give this episode a 9/10. It could have so easily been a ten but for one minor issue I have. I would have liked to have found Mulder with the corpse of Dr Murphy just as Scully had rather then watch Mulder discover the body. I feel this subtle difference would have had a dramatic impact adding an extra psychological edge. Oh well you can't have it all I suppose.

Thanks for reading. Next post SPACE coming soon.