X-Files 8.8 "Surekill"

"I hate twins."

Yeah Dog? We don't like you either!

So, this episode was...X-Files meets Of Mice and Men meets Silk Stalkings.
Ugh. And TOTALLY BORING on top of being icky and pointless.

Hard to lose yourself in the "we're in Massachusetts" moment when they not
only use the NYPD Blue Precinct exterior but even one of those cops in the
station was a recurring "Blue" character. The gross exploding head falls
into the shock-instead-of-spook mentality of the show this season. It's
gross, but scary? there was no sense of terror or even creepiness except
for the sex part which was just unnecessary. I mean, they didn't show
anything, but I thought all the stuff with Tammy--how she's 'coerced" to
sleep with Chase and we see her about to have sex with Dwight in his office
and X-Ray specs is going to watch. Ick. And did anyone care? About any
of this?

The writing was courtesy of Greg Walker, who co-wrote the weak "Brand X"
last season, about the bugs that lived in the cigarettes? I thought this
script was utterly dreadful on all levels. First, the X-File. It was nice
to see our two leads working a case together, but their banter stiff falls
flat to me. Broken record time, but we've yet to see a scene between them
where they open up a little up their pasts. They are still, as far as we
know, complete strangers. Of course, the way Chris Carter's playing
things, they could be married by now--all off camera, none of our business.
Did Scully miscarry last week? Who's baby is/was it? Still not for us to
know. Carter is still trying to manufacture "suspense" by withholding
information and character development necessary for us to give a crap. By
this time in X-Files First season (which they should be trying to emulate)
mulder and Scully knew some details about one another's pasts and had
established an affection for the other. We also used to see them on the
way to the case, in the motel room, in diners, etc. We saw that they spent
A LOT of time together and that came across on-screen.

ANYWAY, we get one conversation, where Scully (in a nice Gillian scene)
sort of beats around the bush about her theory, "I'm not believing in
anything, don't get me wrong. just...throwing it out there, if our eyes
were made different...maybe we could see through walls..." I liked how
embarrassed she was. She looked great, too. And she remains VERY
UNPREGNANT LOOKING. But that's it, kids. The episode is designed so that,
after this exchange, the agents can solve the case without actually ever
finding out how he did it or even ever discussing it again. Who Cares,
right? Why bother having that conversation again. Instead of spending the
bulk of time with our leads, watching them figure out the X-file, the how
and why, change theories ( I remember when the writers on the show could
actually come up with more than one per show) we spend all our time with
the three guest actors who are all playing skanky losers.

Scully as believer doesn't work, they know it, so let's avoid it all
together? But then...why is this called "The X-Files"? I keep reading how
they think they have a NINTH season in them after this (they've even hired
another new cast member, Annabeth Gish) and ARE THEY NUTS!!??

Dog's on-again off-again New YAWK accent is really starting to bug "guess I
can't argue wi' dat."

The whole tone and look of this episode (director was Terrence O'Hara?
never heard of him) was very USA Network/Sci Fi Channel bad. The move to
LA was bad,bad, bad and I was one of the people who thought they could make
it work. But those who feared the show would suffer without all that moody
Vancouver gloom turned out to be right.

That damned piano music continues to overwhelm.

Dog calls Scully "agent." This is what drives me nuts. they gut the whole
emotional core of the show but they pay so much attention to the stupid
stuff. They don't want Dog calling her Scully cuz that's Mulder's name for
her and they've somehow decided his calling her Dana would imply something
too so he just calls her 'agent." Is it really that big a deal to call a
co-worker by THEIR NAME?

HORRIFYING DIALOGUE ALERT: Bad Guy One: "Chris Rock is funny. You're just
dead"

Bad Guy Two: "Cap his ass!"

Cuz, yo, that's how gangstas talk, know what I'm sayin?

IF Dwight is legally blind and can "only see shapes" and has to look at the
figures with a magnifying glass...how could he see that the light on the
answering machine from 12 feet away?

Did Dwight's being blind serve any purpose AT ALL? Not that I could see
(heh heh). I'm sure the writer thought there was something "cool" about
the one twin being almost blind while the other had Super sight. Was there
any point at all to the brothers being twins? Nope. unless we're supposed
to make the leap that the one brother got all the seeing genes or
something? Laaaaaame!

Is "Dark Angel" a guy thing? I tried to watch it the other night and that
girl is just...too bambi to a badass in my opinion.

liked Scully turning on the compassion for XRAY brother. She's the only
truly likable character on the show. ALL three guest stars were creeps and
Dog remains "Tough Cop #1" Again, I feel Carter and the writers are
mistaking chats around the craft service table with that great guy Robert
Patrick with scenes they've actually written for John Doggett. They like
him sooo much and they are totally clueless to the fact that they've given
us no reason too.

If Tostitos wanted to pick two quarterbacks to pitch chips and contests for
Superbowl 35, why choose four time loser Jim Kelly and three time loser (
and two time winner, yeah yeah) John Elway. I'm surprised they weren't
joined by Fran Tarkenton.

Scully to Dog "Who are you calling?" and they he reveals one of his Tough
New York cop tricks--hitting redial? Like she's never hit redial on a
phone to find out the last call that was placed by a victim or perp?
Puh-leeze!

Scully seemed kinda emotional at the end about XRAY brother being able to
"see something in [Tammy] that she couldn't see in herself." is she sad
because she lost Mulder's baby? Oh, sorry, I forgot. That's on a "need
to know basis,' and as a mere fan who's TRYING REALLY HARD TO STAY
INTERESTED IN THEIR STUPID TV SHOW, I don't rate. Crummy bastards!

Real life X-File: Middle aged men all over television (particular news and
sportscasters and soap opera actors) seem to be under the impression that
if they dye their hair RED instead of Black, we won't notice and they won't
look PATHETIC and VAIN. Go bald, Go gray, have some frickin dignity and be
men.

SUPERBOWL PREDICTION: I can't imagine the Ravens will have anything in
their tank by the time they get to THUNDERDOME, er, the Oakland coliseum
(they don't wave rally flags, they swing severed heads). And the Giants
looked pretty mediocre to me against Philly. I mean, their offense did
nothing and Philly handed them the game. I don't see the Vikings having as
much trouble--they have wide receivers and a running back (sorry Jim). So,
I predict The Oakland Raiders will beat the Minnesota Vikings in a
flashback to 1977. Have a great week! Christine :D