"No one likes a math geek, Scully." X-Files 7.4 "Millenium"

Except, perhaps, a paranormal geek like Fox Mulder :D

I liked it. A little convoluted, but hey, it's X-Files. It was creepy
and moody and interesting. The main guy, the guy that kept quoting Scripture
and raising the dead? Scary. Yeah, he's making zombies and quoting
Jesus but let's face it, a lot of crazy people think they are Jesus. I was
surprised they had him raise the guy after 8 days and not 3, since that
is a number with more Biblical relevance but, whatever. It was kind of
cool, the phone thing, but how did the dead guy know to push the button, and
does your cell phone battery stay on for 8 days? Hmmmm. It's the little things.

I was happy for the fact that Mulder was wishing Scully a Merry Christmas
several days after the fact, implying that unlike last year's horrible
haunted Christmas, Scully was with her family, including her dangerous
and brooding little brother, Charlie (Extensive fictional backstory available
upon request!) I just really liked the way Mulder and Scully interacted
in this one. I didn't recognize the director in this one, and liked the
show for the most part, although I really hate when they cheat fight
scenes on TV by using a dark basement so we can't see what's happening. Hire a
stunt coordinator, for crying out loud!

Liked seeing Mulder and Scully working with other agents. The
conference setting brought back the good ol days. Scully doing the "we're not BOTH
crazy, no siree" dance she does, and Mulder's vague disappointment in
that. Now, again, we have them saying something about Christianity that makes
me go...HUH?? Mulder claims necromancy is practiced by the Christians.
They did that last year with the artifact, right? Magic circles. I'm not
saying that these practices aren't practiced by people who combine these
rituals with Christianity but at that point, it becomes occult. There's
also the possibility that they're referencing the early days of the
Church, where you had folks combining pagan ritual with their new found
Christianity. Or maybe he's referring to Jesus raising Lazarus? or
something? I DON'T know, I just know that Vince and Chris and the whole
10 13 gang don't really give a rats patootie about making any of anything
make any sense, as long as it's COOOOOOL, dude! Whatever, guys. Why
yes, Scully does have that VERY symbol, the Millennium symbol snake thing,
tattooed on HER patootie (ok, so it's on her lower back) and is it
mentioned????? NO. I mean, it's not like I really expected her to say
"Yes sir, I not only recognize it, I have it branded on my ass!" But it
would have been nice for them to reference it in someway, and what we
MIGHT interpret as knowing glances do not count. Mulder's seen Scully naked (
in the movie, for one) so he's seen it. The whole thing of her getting that
tattoo in the 4th season was such an advertisement for Millennium anyway,
it just irritates me that they don't own up to it in this episode.

Another quibble, Mulder refers to "Judeo-Christian" endtime prophesy
regarding the "Coming Millennium". Isn't it like, 5000 something in the
Jewish calendar? See, Jews don't believe that Jesus was the Messiah, so
they never changed their clocks. Sure, they write 1999 on their checks,
but 2000 doesn't mean anything spiritual to them, how could it? I stated
earlier this year that I don't think 2000 means anything
either--Constantine screwed up, right? right. And Scully's a geek, but
she is right: The new millennium starts 2001. But, did the big turn of the
century bash occur in 1900 or 1901? I mean, maybe it's tradition to make
this mistake, we're just slaves to the numbers. And there's the coming
technological apocalypse which, so long as it doesn't actually hurt me or
mine, is kind of poetic and cool in a weird way, and will happen in the
year 2000.

I was gratified that THIS time, unlike the dreadful second season vampire
"Mulder gets laid" episode, the passage from Revelations quoted in this
episode ACTUALLY EXISTS in the exact chapter and verse that our 1013
scholars SAY it does!!!! Jesus says them, in fact, but does NOT, I
assure you, roll them up in paper and put them in the mouth of a dead guy. I
really liked this element of the show because the Bible does speak of
false prophets, of people claiming to be Christ and leading believers astray.
"He believes he's doing God's work, but he's mistaken." Lance Hendriksen
has a cool voice, no doubt about it. I thought they did a good job, in
that I didn't fell you had to be familiar with the show Millennium to get
this episode. I only watched the first half or so of the first season,
but it got to dreary for me. I liked his profiling, profiling is just cool
and I'd like to see our heroes doing more of it.

Those CCD classes Bill and Margaret sent Dana to finally take as Scully
accuses the Millennium group of having "mangled Biblical prophesy beyond
recognition." Nice to see you might care, Scully. And it's official:
Half way into the fourth episode of the season, Mulder ditched Scully. You go
to the morgue, I'm going to Georgia. however, since zombies are lying in
wait in both locations, I suppose it's a mute point.

Imagine a first time viewer flipping through the channels and
encountering a woman scooping stuff out of a dead man's mouth. Just a thought.
Scully should have put silver bullets in her gun! but there's no real cliff
hanger is there? Cuz zombies or no, Scully can't die.:)

Note: "revelation" form the Latin and "apocalypse" from the Greek both
mean: "Disclosure of that which was previously hidden or unknown." I
justthought that was interesting because we sort of use the term apocalypse
to mean destruction or whatever, but that's not what it literally means.
Also, Biblical raising of the dead doesn't refer to flesh eating zombies.
When Jesus raised Lazarus, he was just fine, thank you and resumed his
life, and in Mark 12:25, Jesus says: "When the dead rise...they will be
like the angels in heaven." Now, I don't mean to get all preachy, I know
many of you aren't Christians, but I just feel I need to clarify that
Zombies aren't in the Bible. Ever.

Ever notice how, whenever Scully actually encounters what CAN ONLY BE the
supernatural, i.e. getting attacked by a zombie, she says "I can't even
begin to explain...." !? Aww, get off it Scully, you just don't want to
sound crazy. You know damn well what happened, Mulder was right and your
science can't help you. Just frickin' deal with it. When Skinner asked
"why isn't he answering his cell phone?" I wanted Scully to say, "Well,
he might just be being an a$$*&%#, I mean, he ditches and ignores me all the
time." Mulder, do you have a warrant? Seriously, I've stated before Mulder
makes a lousy witness, and sounds craaaazy on the stand and thus, it's
fortunate that their cases rarely make it to trial, but a second reason for it
being a good thing is Mulder just tromps all over the constitution, poking
through garbage cans, hopping the fence breaking and entering. Serves
you right, being locked in the basement with zombies, Mulder! You shouldn't
have gone in there with out backup! This episode reminds me of those
zombie videogames where you blast zombies to pieces? I find them kind of
scary, I'll admit. Even in a videogame surrounding, getting stalked and
jumped by zombies is too intense for me.

Scully loses her CCD points when she asks Frank Black whether Good would
prevail over evil, if, say, hypothetically, Armageddon should occur.
It's in the Bible, Dana, God wins. I mean, it's pretty basic stuff (In the
first season's "Miracle man" Scully claims God always wins in the
end--time to rent the Exorcist again, Starbuck? ) You live near a fine Catholic
institution, Georgetown University: take a couple classes. I don't get
Revelation either (except the God wins part, which is the only critical
thing, in my opinion). I took classes at BIOLA, the Christian University
I attended, and most people don't really get it. I mean, there are so
many schools of thought, it's no wonder that an episode trying to base itself
on it would be so hard to really "get." I just know that Jesus says in the
Bible that the angels in heaven don't know when the end is coming, and I
just don't see it having anything to do with the little numbers in our
VCR's and checkbooks. ANd what, would it hit Australia first? Everyone
gets judged by timezone? I mean, it's bad enough that we have to watch
cursed New Yorkers celebrate New Years, like that's the only thing that
makes it official? Watching a bunch of degenerates who are in jail or
passed out on some subway by the time I see the stupid ball drop three
hours later in California? After enduring a Christmas season of sleighs
and snowmen and fake snow sprayed on windows and singing White Christmas
yada yada yada even though I have never had nor wanted a white Christmas?

These east coasters just inflict their stuff on us, people! Rise up!
Christmas in California (or wherever you dwell) is legit, sunshine and
all.

Where was I? Ah yes. mulder's in the basement and I couldn't help but
draw a parallel. Since Mulder is now Luke Skywalker circa "The Empire
Strikes Back" :He has gained the knowledge of Cancerman being his father,
but it's unconfirmed, it was so like Luke in Empire to run off to Georgia
based on Frank Black (Yoda)'s vision to try and save the world, but he
fails utterly and must be saved by Scully (Leia in this analogy, but not
his sister--though an argument CAN definitely be made that Scully has
been a surrogate sister to Mulder these last 7 years, and perhaps that's why
he hasn't kissed her until now). And of course, Scully. Scully kills
zombies DEAD.

Quibble: Notice both Mulder and Scully rent full-size cars in Georgia,
on the taxpayers dime; next time, get the Ford Escort, kids.

Scully reunites Black and his daughter, no doubt thinking of her own
daughter Emily, whom she found and lost over Christmas a few years ago.

Mulder was so kissable in his soft grey T-shirt, like the one Duchovny
wore in "Larry Sanders". *sigh* Black advises they take care of themselves:
How bout taking care of each other? The kiss? It was real, it counted,
it wasn't bad lighting: separating it from previous kisses. And it was
great. Sweet and a nice length, I thought. No mistaking the intent, you know?
Some of you may have wanted more, perhaps, but let's save that for the
next movie when we can get that R rating ;) And, the world didn't end. No,
Mulder and Scully, in the words of Obi-Wan Kenobi, "You've just taken
your first step into a larger world."

next week: X-Files answer to "The Lost Boys," the 80's movie that fooled
a generation of non-Northern Californians into thinking there was something
cool and creepy about Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Plus I'll report on
favorite episodes so send them in if you haven't already.

Have a great week! Christine :D