X-Files 8.7 "Via Negativa"

"We've seen this kind of thing before...Jonestown, Heaven's Gate..."

Several episodes of the X-Files. Now, I'm not
saying they can't do cults again, but we've done psychic assassins before.
Diana and I think second season's "Sleepless" covered this material
before--killing in your dreams? Of course, Mulder and Krycek worked that
case. Also, what's the one where the guy in the wheelchair can kill with
his mind? And even "Pusher" to an extent. There's an episode where
Scully's doing an autopsy on someone who appears to have died by burning,
but their skin isn't burned? Like they believed they were being burned and
their body reacted as such, but it doesn't seem possible? I don't know
which one that was off hand, and the point is, really, this is all very
familiar territory.

This episode was especially grizzly. Liked the scary bloody footprints,
but the axed heads was, heh heh...overkill. We get another look at Dog's
weird giant house in the suburbs. Scully's in the
hospital--presumably...well, et's get to that later. She's not around.

Greeeeaat. No Scully. that's just what this show needs. We've lost one
lead, let's lose the other and focus on the guy we still don't know.
Skinner (and Scully, for that matter) seem to be actually LOSING ground as
characters. I don't recognize them anymore. Like, what was with Skinner
being all "believer-guy" in the third eye--like Scully, we are supposed to
believe that just because he thinks he saw a UFO, he's open to psychic
assassination and third eyes and whatnot. And when your STORY EDITOR,
Frank Spotnitz is as inept at writing plausible dialogue and maintaining
character continuity as your show's creator Chris Carter is, boy are you in
trouble.

I'm not going to go into the X-File to much--as I've said, nothing new
really. Only, we never do get a sense of why this is happening. Cult guy
is mad at drug guy, drug guy is scared of cult guy--who claims he doesn't
want to kill. Sooooo....why are all these people being killed? IS it a
malevolent force? Is it that once you start down the dark path, forever
will it dominate your destiny? Oh right, we don't really care. We don't
need to come up with theories and answers now that we don't have to worry
about conversations between our leads.

In the first season, despite lots of flirting (Yes, anti-relationshippers,
review the tapes!) light banter, humor etc., Scully wasn't REALLY fleshed
out until "Beyond the Sea" and Dog really needs that episode where we can
get a grasp on him. It'd be nice for Scully to get to know him too. I'm
not actually pining for Morgan and Wong to rejoin the writing staff...am I?

Kersh hates the X-Files and Scully--why? WHY ARE THE X-FILES EVEN OPEN IF
HE HATES THEM SO? He can reassign Scully and close the X-Files if he
wants, sheesh. Again, with no cancerman, no John Neville, why are we doing
all this?

That whole bit with the ax where Dog finds an ax in a book that fits the
wounds and Skinner's like "is that our weapon?" and Dog's says "It's in a
museum in.." Eurpoe? Whatever. WHATEVER!! So, no one could make this
ax? Prop houses make them! Recreationists make them. Weapon-geeks make
them. Skinner says it's another dead end. Right, cuz no one could just
forge an ax--not in this day and age. WHATEVER!!!!

Liked Skinner's protectivenes, but it's muted by the fact that they're
being all coy. It seems likely that she had a miscarriage at this point,
right? "acute abdominal pain"? (the conveniently available sign in sheet
everyone can read, whatever!) I maintain she's not actually going to have
a baby, it makes no sense. But they don't want us to REALLY KNOW (hee hee
it's a secret!). So we don't get to see Scully talking about any of this
to anyone. Carter is insane. He's cutting the heart out of the show--all
the humanity is happening off camera so he can "surprise" us with the
baby's paternity or conception or SOMETHING. Just stupid. We have no
sense of Skinner and Scully's friendship except this flash of
overprotectiveness.

Drinking game time, Dog goes off on a "I don't believe this crap, GIVE ME
THE FACTS! I'm just a simple ex-marine New York cop" Rant.

Not only have Dog and Dana not had a real conversation--they really haven't
worked all that much together.

All the 'severings" were icky, as were the rats--didn't' we do that in
third season's atrocious "teso dos bichos".

the interlude with the lone gunmen was diverting--if only because it was
amusing and the show is so relentlessly dreary. Scully and Dog are soooo
sad (and that doesn't seem likely to change), so it's fun to see the lone
gunmen (though I doubt they can maintain their own show). I've always
loved the noble Byers. I liked how no nonsense Dog was, but that he
accepted their information and didn't dismiss them as I (and they) thought
he would. Didn't buy their "blessing" though, when Frohike said "Not bad
for a rookie." or whatever. I think one of the problems is the cast and
crew and Powers that Be at X-Files love Robert Patrick and he's a great guy
and they don't realize they haven't given us enough of Doggett for us to
agree.

Horrible research moment: "Altamont was in the 70's" Uhhhh, actually, The
tragic Rolling Stones concert at Altamont Speedway (near Livermore, CA not
very far at all from my hometown of Concord) occurred in late 1969.

Skinner is called "Agent Skinner." Isn't he still a Deputy Director?
Let's have some protocol for the love of pete!

Why is kersh the big bad. does he work for someone? If so, do they think
they're being clever? I mean, it can only be Cancerman, right? If it is
anyone? Watch it be krycek. that's so stupid, it's almost possible.

Why would the third eye want Scully dead? Or is this Just some sort of
Freudian thing where Dog wants to kill Scully or have sex with her
or...something?

that whole "Twin Peaks" thing with the backwards-then forwards dialogue,
DOg's dream-kill was laughable to me. Just bad.

OKAY. then there's the inexplicable end. Now, Dog BELIEVES! He thinks he
was going to kill Scully in his sleep...or her sleep? How does that work?
Who needed to be asleep? What? Don't bother trying to get this one
folks. But, of course, since they CANNOT AGREE YET ON ANYTHING, she talks
him out of it, just a dream.

Why was Scully even at his house? Not only do we have no reason to believe
she knows where he lives, But even if she did, why would she go there? I
mean, he thinks she saved his life but she's just there to gently shake him
awake and tell him the cult guy is dead? She can't do this on the phone?
Why would she come over unannounced, enter his home uninvited and come into
his bedroom to tell him about tipit's death??????? No reason that makes a
lick of sense. Her mildly weepy "I'm back at work now (read: "I'm FINE")
seemed to suggest she lost her baby but of course, that's none of our
business.

Those of you who watched the Sound of Music instead were lucky indeed. The
Sound of music is probably my favorite movie (Star Wars is right up there
too) of all time. It's so awesome. It's all about courage and honor and
family and love and truth, right? Standing up to the Nazis. I used to say
"I've never met a musical I didn't like, but I have to say I really hate
"The Music Man" the Music man is the antithesis to the SOund of Music.
Music Man is about this guy who come to town to con them. He cons them
into making them think they can be a marching band, then when he's caught,
they thank him because they REALLY DO FEEL LIKE they are a marching band
(all part of his scheme) and he gets away with his con and he even gets the
girl. THE END. Amoral piece of crap plus the music is very annoying.

Well, I'm going home and it looks like next week will be a rerun. I can't
imagine there would be new episodes on Christmas and New Years Eves.
Football will be GREAT! Everything's still up in the air, anyone can do
it, the playoffs are going to be exciting, even without the Niners. So,
have a wonderful holiday, safe journey, great New year, and, to all you
Math geeks out there, have a kickass Millennium! Christine :)