X-Files 6.13 "Aqua Mala"

Well....that was...OK. There were parts of it I really liked, but there
were elements I really didn't like, and they're pretty much the same
OVERDUE that the two agents remined together through the bulk of the
episode, it reminded me of...THE X-FILES! The interplay between the two
of them was great as usual, and I liked that the deck wasn''t stacked
against Scully. She had legitimate reasons to doubt the monster stories
(at least at first), and then had pressing concerns, like a hurricane and
a pregnant woman to occupy her thoughts. I really liked that element, that
Mulder (and we've seen this before) will just wander off looking for
monsters and ghosts and the unknown, while scully deals with reality. I
will also confess, and some of you know this about me, that I am a SUCKER
FOR DISASTERS of any kind. I love all the Airport movies, I love it when
people get stuck in quakes, storms, etc. I love the whole construct, a
bunch of people have nothing in common blah blah, but then they have to
pull together to survive, or whatever. I love it. Call it a
contrivence, so? I mean, it's fake, people, it's make believe, so why not make up
cool stuff like that if it drives story!?

Sadly, the X-files chose, once again, to play too much of this episode
for laughs, and i can't firgure why. In case you don't remember, a lot of
people died horrible deaths in this episode, but I never felt like anyone
(besides Scully) gave a dang. You've got this bumbling sheriff (Car
54??? Are you serious???) and this bickering couple and these comic losers, but
no real sense of originality in terms of the monster (which felt like a
hodge podge of things we've seen before a dozen times) and no real
insight into the characters.The moments between Mulder and Scully
highlighted some of my favorite things about them: the "Laurel and Hardy'
"this is another fine mess you've gotten me into" thing that Scully does
with Mulder, and his barelyrestrained glee at irritating the crap out of her.
But in the past, Little light moments like that have been seemlessly worked
into some really intense creepy episodes (Die hand der verletz, for example,
the scariest episode ever, in my opinion, with Satan as substitute Biology teacher).
But this episode lacked any real creepyness, as it ripped off "the Host"
and "Tooms"--we've seen terror from the toilet already!

I loved Scully's quick emergency traceotomy and absolutley loved her "I
don't need my mettle tested," line to Mulder: she'd got nothing to prove
to him or anyone else and she knows it. Gillian was the only one acting in a
drama series in this episode and I really appreciate her touches, as she
reacted to the strain of performing emergency surgery.Loved her giving
orders to everyone, as she is prone to do, and love the fact that
everyone does what she says for the most part--but her letting some survivalist
kook point a gun at her seemed pretty far-fetched to me.

The single worst part was framing the whole thing with Darren McGavin.
For those of you who don't know, McGavin was the star of a 1970's show
called "Kolchak: the night Stalker" about a reporter who chases down
paranormal phenonoma. Chris Carter credits Mcgavin and the show with
influencing the X-Files (viewed today, it is Quite dull, if ya ask me).
Last season, he was in the worst X-Files EVER, that "dark SKies" rip off,
set a few years in the past, with a "married (whatever, David)" Mulder
talking to the guy that started the X-Files in the 50's, and then we're
treated to 40 minutes of a different conspriacy, and an INFERIOR take-off
of the Dark Skies piolt, that was ripping them off in the first place.
After that episode aired I logged on to http://www.variety.com/ to see if the WGA
had gone on strike. So anyway, it didn't work and here's take two. It's
much better, but again, carter---and I know it was written by David Amamn
or something, but Chris is the guru, and he's got to be held responsible,
ultimately, for the finished product we see on screen--ANYWAY Carter
seemed to cater the episode for McGavin and by that he, made this episode into
an episode from a 70's TV show: complete with the cringe-worthy last moment
where Mulder and Scully, emphatically and in unison, shout "NO!" when
Kolchak (Dales, Dells, whatever) offers them a glass of water. I don't
know if I've ever been more embarrased by the X-Files than at that
moment, straight outta "Chips" or what have you---there may as well have been a
freeze-frame at the end with them laughing. Just Bad.

Better luck next time, X-Files: doesn't look funny, that's a good sign.
There's a really cool episode of "Star Trek, the Next Generation" that
plays on that theme, of reliving the same moment over and over and trying
to avert a deadly fate. It's one of my all-time favorites ("cause and
Effect" wr. by Brannon Braga, dir. by Jonatahn Frakes 5th season, if
you're interested in renting it --or you can borrow it from me:) ) so X-Files
had better be up to the challenge. On the positive side, Next week's show
has"Northern Exposure's" Ed as a bad guy and "Fame's" Carrie Hamilton (Carol
Burnett's daughter) so I'm stoked about that.

Have a great week folks!!
:D

X-Files 6.12 "One Son"

Well, I was a bit underwhelmed, which is to be expected, i suppose,
although I thought I was "hype-proof." Maybe I knew more than I thought
I did in the first place.. nice Valentine's Day episode, huh? You've got Cancerman,
who gave his wife to some aliens so they could experiment on her, you've got Mulder
and "that woman," as Scully calls her--she's working to betray him and he's
blinded by...I shudder to call it love, but it's something. Mulder has
lousy taste in women, let's face it. then you've got Loverboy Krycek,
colder than liquid nitrogen, he ditches poor mutated Marita without so
much as a "We'll always have Tunguska!" Love, Conspiracy style.
Don't quite know what was going on in that shower scene. Mulder seemd
to be taking advantage of his height and location to take a peek at Scully
(he didn't have a lot of time when he pulled her out of that alien arctic
cocoon). Scully's seen Mulder naked at least once before (demons) and
undressed him down to his skivies twice ("Fire," "Anazazi,") so, she's
seen what there is to see.

I love Scully's open contempt for Diana, and love the lone gunmen
helping her try to prove her case to the Idiot. They both looked so cool in
their black outfits. If you recall Samantha's abduction scene from "little
Green Men," you'll recall the Watergate hearings were on TV, so it's nice to
see that Diana lives there (along with Bob Dole, and, formerly, Monica
Lewinsky), and it's fun to have Mulder breaking in. (one of the original
watergate conspirators, John Ehrlichman, died yesterday--odd coincidence!
I felt mulder was too quick to believe cancerman's side of the story,
and too quick to QUIT. He's ready to go to the airfield, woe is Mulder, and
Scully has to drag him too the railroad to try and actually DO something
constructive! Spender's so pathetic, "I've got her under guard!"
SIGH..Glad too see they cleared out the conspirators. LOVED Cancerman
and Diana's beating a hasty retreat and leaving everyone to die. That leaves
Krycek and Marita unaccounted for (what the hell DID happen to Marita?
Spender got out so...) i was glad that Spender looks to be dead, but,
I'm soap fan, and I didn't see a body, so I'm not getting my hopes up too
high.

I thought the episode looked great, it moved great, and I liked the
Mulder and Scully interplay, but they weren't actually in the episode that much,
and it felt as though the show was being presented as OUR quest for the
truth, and not Mulder and Scully's. ALso, I don't get why Samantha has
never been returned, and I would have liked Mulder to at least ask the
question. Cassandra was a multiple abductee, as were the others. What's
up with that? I like what this episode did, which is shake things up.

Next week looks HIGHLY derivitve of Season One's "ICE,"
but i'll reserve judgement until Sunday.

Have a great week! Christine :D

X-Files 6.11 "Two Fathers"

"You pale to Fox Mulder"

SIGH. I've been saying that all along, but seeing pencil-necked Spender
get insulted and b*%@#-slapped by Cancerman was a joy to behold. Thanks,
X-Files. Say, I thought that was pretty danged great! They had me worried with
that long "previously on" segment, because, They did that on NYPD BLUE
and Jimmy Smits died. But so far, no MAJOR deaths. My fingers are crossed,
and would love to see Mulder and Scully take over the X-Files from the
deceased Spender and Frowley, but who knows. I don't, and if you
ACTUALLY know? Please don't tell me.

Loved how the doctor said they were gonna grab a bite to eat, so casual,
the way those of us who DON'T turn people into human-alien-hybrid's might
go out with our colleagues after work. I'm excited that Chris Carter has
essentially set an end date, they are writing the show with an end in
sight (after next season), and I hope they stick to it. It would be nice for
them to go out strong, and on their own terms, and keeping with their
vision. David and Gilllian are clearly ready to leave (as david will
tell you ad nauseum if you ever read any of his interviews. David, I saw
"Playing God,"...don't quit the TV job just yet.

I liked the construct of Cancerman walking us through both past and
future (we know SPender will help Mulder and scully, hasn't happened yet),
and I liked guessing who would turn out to be his listener (i was pulling for
Samantha, but was more than happy to see Dirty Diana is indeed in league
with Satan). Just me? or was that the first time in a long while Nick
Lea was in the opening credits? Usually, he shows up unexpetedly, so they
don't put his name in until the end. Love skinner's open disgust for
Spender, and LOVED the adorable basketball exchange, as Scully has to
pull mulder away from his buddies to go do FBI stuff. That scene seemed VERY
flirty to me. Scully's so great, so amused but unimpressed by mulder THE
GUY. She grew up in a man's world, the Navy, with two brothers: She
doesn't faze easily. I'll bet Scully kicks his a$$ one-on-one. Nuthin'
but net for my girl Scully. Later, Mulder gets in Spender's face.
Love Mulder's contempt for Spender--Spender's so far out of
Mulder's league, and mulder knows it. Mulder almost pities him.
Mulder looked very "Men in Black" with his black
tie. Mulder goes back to his jerky-boy ways when Scully has to drag the
details out of him re: HER ABDUCTION. Mulder REALLY, TRULY BELIEVES that
it's all about him. By "it" I mean life, in general. That shot of the
jello was inspired. Loved scully's concern for Mulder when cassandra
mentions Samantha, and Mulder's visible pain (sigh). Loved Mulder and
Scully's "whatthehell?" confusion about Cassandra's crazy new info. ANd
Love the way gillian conveys the depth of Scully's rage, fear and disgust
at being "used" as a lab rat, without having to utter a word of dialogue.
Loved Krycek's getting in trouble with Cancerman by mouthing off in
front of the infiltrator, and nice homage to the Borg of Star Trek: "resistance
is futile." Love how scully is now beyond caring about her career--she's
too decent and moral and good (ala Steve Young) to play their stupid
games anymore. Fire her, fine, she'll go be a (great) doctor. Whatever.
Mulder, as usual, is playing Basketball, quitting. Scully is the one who
has to (again) drag him into following through with this. Liked the way
david played Mulder's sense of being overwhelmed. He has been thisclose
to his sister before, and now, he's afraid of the rug getting pulled out
from under him yet again. Now that they are off the X-Files, they meet at
>mulder's apartment like it's their love nest, er, I'm sorry, I meant to
say clubhouse. Mulder's casual...Scully's wearing her JACKET, what's up with
that? maybe she knew skinner was coming over and she didn't want him to
get the wrong impression. Love how Skinner turns to Scully--"do you believe
this crap?" He seems to say, and mulder speaks for her, sensing her
reluctance to go on record about believing in anything.

Krycek, in spilling the beans about CancerDad to Spendy, reminded me of
the scene in "East of Eden" when James Dean gleefully destroy's his
brother's life with the truth about their mother. Krycek wants to be
CancerDad's favorite, and loves throwing a wrench in the works. It's
been too long since I felt this excited about an upcoming episode, but I'm
really stoked for next week. It's Valentine's Day next Sunday, and,
sensing I don't have a boyfriend, X-Files is giving me Mulder in Leather
Jacket: Thanks X-Files!

Have a great week everyone :D Christine