Okay, I must admit that when I heard all the rumors about this ep, my frist thought was, let's just skip this one and review, say, "Irresistible." But after viewing the episode El Mundo Gira, it's not *quite* as bad as I expected, and even superior to eps such as 'Hell Money' IMHO. But... seeing that this is John Shiban writing, it will be necessary to pull out the special UST/'shippyness magnifying glass I know we all have! (And if not I highly recommend getting one; Christmas is only 11 months away!) And in the words of our beloved, "The {UST} is out there!"
M&S seem very comfortable with one another in this story, (notice how close they walk together up to the camp, with neither one behind or ahead--these two are a team!) but they also seem, well... weary. And despite the fact that JS was trying to make a statement about the fact no one really cares about these migrant workers, I can't help getting the feeling that this must have been a *really* slow day at the office.
Mulder does his best to inject some humor into a drab situation: his dreadful Spanish at the site, his Mulderism about Purple Rain ("Great album, deeply flawed movie."), but we get the feeling these moments are exactly that- injecting humor into a drab situation. The fact we notice them at all speaks more for the skills of DD than the script itself! And although they don't really 'charm' Scully, I think that Mulderhumor is always kinda cute, and therefore worthy of possible UST moments (I just know someday Scully's gonna say it was the jokes that won her over!). For her part, Scully seems to feel much like we do when a friend drags us somewhere we really don't want to be; no matter how much you love that friend, you still really don't want to go! The fact that she sticks it out with Mulder shows 'shippyness, since it would have been quite easy to prove they had no validity in being there. I also feel that yes, although we do have another documented case of M ditching S, I think she was more annoyed because this meant she wasn't going to get to go home anytime soon. Mulder's "Maria! Maria!" also seems a little fatigued, as if even he can see this case isn't really going anywhere- still he uses his dry humor and we love him for it (don't we?). And as for the conversation in the car, well, whenever M&S talk in a confined space there are sparks! (Although I admit, calling it the conversation in the car does seem sacrilegious after "Squeeze") We also see a rare Scully-charms-Mulder moment-- after her comment, "Mulder, I know you don't want to hear this, but I think the aliens in this story aren't the villains, they're the victims.", watch his mouth come together in a "Oooh" and the little head nod. I can just see the wheels turning in his head:
"Wow, my partner is one smart cookie- what a woman!" (I just know it!)
As for full-on UST, I can think of only one moment, and that is when M&S are talking via cell phone. After a friendly "Hey Scully", he tells her "You're saying it's a new strain." Now before you cart me off to the looney bin, listen to how he says it--pure, dripping, sensual seductiveness. This is the kind of voice you want to hear right in your ear, very soft and very often (and must be attributed to pure DD charm). I wonder how Scully doesn't just stop sometimes and say, "Whoooa", kind of like those Peppermint Patty commercials- I sure would!! Definitely UST inspiring. And let the record show that Scully bossed Mulder around, and he merely replies, "'Kay." What a man!
In closing, we, the founders of PWNUSTIEEXF, being of sound mind and body, do hereby solemnly swear to lock John Shiban in a closet with every issue of The Hopeful, the episodes 'Pusher', 'Irresistible' and 'Paper Hearts', and promise to not let him out until he vows to write a script worthy of the UST not even *he* can kill!! All agreed, say "Aye"!
by
Rebecca Foster
*wipes a tear from her eyes* I think I have composed myself enough to write the review of this episode. Was it just me or was this one of those great episodes, the ones that will be remembered forever. This episode *sigh*, showed how Mulder and Scully can be when they actually work together. For once Mulder didn't boss Scully around; it was as if they were both equal on this case.
The first signs of UST in this episode (and may I say the UST is a-flowing tonight) appears in the morgue when Mulder and Scully first encounter the missing corpse of Mr. Leonard Betts. Scully asks Mulder, "What are we doing here?" Mulder smiles and says "Did I mention that Mr. Betts had no head?" This is what I love about the show, the banter between the two characters. This whole scene screams UST (personally I think Mulder looks absolutely adorable throughout this scene, but that's just my opinion *grins*). Mulder gives Scully these really sweet looks as she is asking him if he really believes that Leonard Betts, a man who has no head, walked out of the morgue alive.
We then see a very uncomfortable looking Mulder, and Scully getting ready to sort through a Biohazardus waste products storage space. To see if the missing body is in there. Mulder asks her "Are you sure about this Scully, cause if you're not sure I don't think there's a need to disturb all this stuff." He looks scared almost, or at least hoping Scully doesn't ask him to help. Unfortunately for him she does, her excuse being his arms are longer. He then mumbles something, I suspect it's "I don't wanna". Not too much UST here but a cute scene none the less. Was anyone else howling with laughter at the sight of them sorting through the body parts, dressed up in the protective gear looking for Leonard Betts's head? Don't think we have ever seen Mulder dressed up like that. My favorite Mulder line of this episode: "I think I got the Toy Surprise."
Upon examining the head, Scully notices it moving and calls Mulder to tell him. Scully seems really spooked in light of her latest revelation. This phone call is another cute scene, if not just for the facial expressions of Mulder, as Scully is describing the head moving, and that she hasn't cut into it yet.
During the scene where they take the slice of his head to Dr. Charles Burk, the UST is a-flowing once again. As Mulder goes on about chorinallan (sp?) photography, Scully looks at him in disbelief. I always say that UST is at it's highest when they are arguing and this scene is no different. At the end Mulder leans in to Scully, looking at her intently and says "are we happy with the results?"
Again a perfect example of why Mulder and Scully are TV's hottest couple. Again UST levels are high as they discuss the methods of regeneration and if it could happen to a mammal life form.
One of the more 'shippy moments of this episode happens when Mulder and Scully are at the storage locker where Betts is hiding out. As they open the door, a car starts and drives towards them, and Mulder throws himself and Scully down to the ground. As they shoot at the car and it explodes into a ball of fire, watch as Mulder turns his body to shield Scully from the fire. *sigh* Another classic scene of Mulder protecting Scully. Now if he would be like this in every episode. *wishful thinking*
And one of the sweetest scenes, one that ranks up there with the Van scene in Pusher. Maybe I should set the stage-- Scully has just found out that she has cancer or so she thinks. Leonard Betts, who has this uncanny ability to detect cancer in people, has said to her "I'm sorry, but you have what I need." They 'what' being cancerous tissues, or so Scully thinks. We unfortunately won't know that for sure until the episode "Momento Mori", episode 15, the one in which they kiss. We see her in the car, sitting and looking very lost. This, folks, tugged at my heartstrings, and it didn't help when Mulder came up to her and told her that Betts died but his Mom will survive. Scully asks him if she had cancer. He says yes, she looks away obviously very bothered by this. Mulder tells her she did a good job and that she should be proud. He looks very concerned with her but doesn't push it. She tells him "I want to go home." Mulder nods, closes the passenger door and drives her home. This is where I lost it folks- just because of all the history between the two of them, I didn't want episode to end like this. I wanted her to tell him her fears, but this won't happen till two episodes from now. This scene was done so well, it is no wonder they both won Golden Globes. And the music really set the tone. All I know is that I will be locking myself in my room once Momento Mori airs; it will be a tear jerker folks.
**Things to watch for!**
-throughout this whole episode, Mulder and Scully are very close talkers. (Visions of Seinfeld run through her head *grins*) It is kinda sweet to see it, it's like they need to be *that* close to each other. Even when no one is around, they talk, with about two inches between them.
-during the phone conversation, when Mulder is in Leonard Betts's apartment. After Scully says "without his head," watch for the smile on Mulder's face. He finds it so amusing that she has experienced this.
-back at the lab, when the head is finished with the Bio- polymerization.
Scully: "Once it's cured, the specimen can be sliced for examination."
Mulder- "Or you've got yourself a nice paper weight." Watch as Mulder laughs at this, and Scully just gives him a look; it looks like she is trying to hold back her laughter, though.
-at the end of the scene in Leonard's mother's home, Mulder leans in and says "Confused yet?"
by
Laurie Sarnacki