117 EBE

"When you're hot, you're hot.
And when you're not, you're not."
Jerry Reed

SYNOPSIS

37^th PARALLEL
TURKEY
REAGAN, TN
WASHINGTON, DC
After a UFO is shot down over Turkey, a trucker carrying the alien found in that UFO encounters another in Tennessee, Mulder and Scully are called in to investigate. Mulder's informant, Deep Throat, lies to him to steer him away from getting too close to the truth.

SCULLYVISION

It's good to see Scully at her skeptical best. She offers mountain lions, lightening, hallucinations, even swamp gas as explanations to the strange happenings at the beginning of this episode. And Mulder has apparently described her as skeptical to the Lone Gunmen as that's what Langly calls her when they first meet. What a rich scene when skeptical Scully goes on about how paranoid the LGM are only to uncover a bug in her pen. That effectively silences her for the time being. Later, however, she leans heavily toward the skeptical side again regarding Deep Throat despite Mulder's protests. And she turns out to be right.

Frohike probably believes that he is countering Langly's "skeptical" comment when he calls Scully "hot" to which she does not respond. She also doesn't respond to Mulder's adolescent joke about gas. Scully, a master at subtle facial expressions, uses the unblinking non-expression non-reaction to perfection.

A pattern once again seems to be emerging here. While Mulder muses and takes lucky leaps to solve cases, it's Scully that does the bulk of the detective work. This time she uncovers that the truck is bogus, leading them to the truth. Whatever that is. And detective Scully spots the fake photo despite the fact that it was forged by "the best" and the fact that Mulder is certain it is authentic.

Despite all of Scully's skepticism she does believe in Mulder and lets him know that he is the only one that she trusts. This loyalty is impressive and really becomes significant when Mulder finally acknowledges that Deep Throat deceived them and says to Scully that they are in this alone.

CARTERVISION

The aliens are abducting folks and implanting metal in their bodies. Abductees have two warts on their back. There is Missing Time whenever the aliens are around, and electronics go wacky. There's that mysterious smoker that seems to have access to the Pentagon storage room. There's suspicion of Roswell, Ellen's Air Force base. Samantha's abduction may not be a one time event. Young girls and woman are taken all the time but the aliens are choosy about who they take. Family members of Abductees can channel Voyager information, so the aliens must have intercepted it. Downed UFOs are so prevalent that's there's a code name for it's cleanup, Operation Falcon, where all traces are gone within 48 hours. This alien emits 200,000 megahertz of radiation and zaps whoever is near. It's also invisible to the human eye. Along with implanting, they also brand their victims. Abductees can start experiencing seizures when returned. There are aliens that can get inside a host. Also has super-human strength. Deep Throat has the power to countermand FBI decisions.

EBE

Aliens that have crashed on the planet are taken to the US, driven across country by unmarked trucks. The Roswell Incident is true according to Deep Throat. A world-wide agreement was made just after Roswell that a country who found an EBE would have to exterminate it. Whereas the Smoking Man is trying to make Mulder a fool by going public, Deep Throat lies to Mulder, keeping him silent when the proof isn't there because the trucker killed the alien. There is a Consortium of men who are dealing with the aliens for some reason.

SFX

Pretty cheesy effects of the UFO in the beginning teaser. Really fake.

RECURRING CHARACTERS

Deep Throat!

WRITER
Glenn Morgan/James Wong

Excellent entry by those two gifted writers. Anyone who can come up with the Lone Gunmen is aces in our book. They were the first to have Scully and Mulder solidify the fact that they can't trust anyone but each other. They also introduced more tidbits about Deep Throat, that he had been watching Mulder in his work for years and that every time they meet he could be killed.

DIRECTOR
William Graham

Hokey special effects, but he did a marvelous job of keeping up suspense. Since his only other outing was Space... let's just say he redeemed himself here.

RUNNING TALLIES
Guns
Sunflower Seeds
Mulder Breaks a Law
Necklace
Scully Drives!

Side note: Here we get to meet the Lone Gunmen.SAVES EACH OTHER'S ASS

Scully 4 - Mulder 4
He would have been shot by the security guard if she hadn't grabbed at his gun

POINT/COUNTERPOINT

To: Fmulder@fbi.gov
From: noneofyourbusiness@denyeverything.org

Mulder,

Oh come on! You gotta admit she's hot. What's wrong with you? Afraid to admit it? You have tunnel vision my boy, you see only skeptical. There's more here than skeptical. Face it. Anyway, I'm thinking of asking her out on a date. What do you think? Maybe I could borrow one of your ties? Think she'd go out with me? Got any dating advice for me?

Later,
Frohike

Mulder hit the reply key to write:

Frohike,

Rein in the horses, buddy. I respect Scully too much to set her up with you. Think of it this way, you're too much man for her to handle...

Mulder

NOT NAUGHTY MULDER

Settle down gentle readers. We can no longer ignore these sleazy rumors that keep circulating regarding Agent Mulder and his, shall we say, alleged perversions. In Jersey Devil Scully walks into the office to find Mulder staring intently at the centerfold of a magazine called "Hanky Panky." "Working hard?" she asks. The only reason Mulder was looking at that woman was because she claimed that she had been abducted by aliens. I mean, how many times has Mulder been caught leering at non-abductee centerfolds? Never. And so we did not respond to any of you doubting Thomases who thought Mulder was looking at that magazine for more clandestine reasons. And then in Beyond the Sea, the flutter started up again when Scully says to Mulder "last time I saw you that engrossed you were reading Adult Video News." We can clearly see that all of these accusations are coming from Scully. She's just trying to be funny. Such a card, that Scully. But she doesn't yet really know her partner. She still thinks he is just a normal male.

Some of you have become alarmed at spotting a telescope in Mulder's apartment at the window in this episode. We can hear the buzzing from here. Just calm down. We are here to stamp out these ugly rumors that keep popping up. Here are some logical explanations: Mulder just wants to be prepared in case of a sudden outbreak of UFO sightings in his neighborhood. Or would you believe that he nightly searches the skies in search of a sign from his sister Samantha. Or how about he's rehearsing for the Jimmy Stewart part in a local theater production of Rear Window and he doesn't have a camera with a zoom lens.

ATHENAEUM

Mulder has been summoned back down to the basement of the old abandoned warehouse that seemed to be home for a musty and mysterious library. He was summoned there apparently by Deep Throat. His Deep Throat, not Nixon's. Mulder couldn't believe that Deep Throat would have anything to do with this place but when Mulder entered there was Deep Throat sitting stiffly behind the counter.

"Mr. Mulder, you brought up the Tuskegee Experiment so I've brought you here to tell you something you probably already know. But I want to give you some of the details and show you the proof as shown in these documents right here before me," he gestured to the piles of what looked like medical records on the counter.

"It was the fall of 1932, handbills were posted and circulated at several church gatherings in the poverty ridden Macon County in Alabama. The ads, posted by the United States Health Service promised treatment for men with "bad blood," which meant anything from VD to anemia to indigestion but was generally regarded as a euphemism for Syphilis. Free medical care along with other incentives such as transportation, meals even financial help with burials caused men to sign up in droves.

"After blood tests of the volunteers, 399 men with syphilis and a control group of 201 men without the disease were chosen. But the 399, all African Americans, were not told by government physicians and nurses that they had syphilis, or that they were now part of a medical experiment. The Tuskegee Experiment.

"The experiment was to study the spontaneous evolution of Syphilis. Physicians made sure that these men did not receive treatment. In 1947, a miracle drug--penicillin--was found effective in curing syphilis, but the doctors also withheld it from the men in their study.

"Finally in 1972 the story was leaked to the Associated Press and eventually a law suit was filed resulting in an out-of-court settlement totaling $10 million. Also in that year the government was ordered to provide lifetime health care for participants, as well as some of their family members. You see, the government was guilty on three counts: ethical misconduct in human research, government abuse of people who are vulnerable and racism in medicine.

"And finally in 1997 President Clinton issued a formal apology," Deep Throat concluded.

"Better to ask forgiveness than permission?" Mulder said.

"Perhaps. And if you want more information read this excellent book." He handed Mulder a copy of the 1993 revised edition of "Bad Blood; Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment" by James Howard Jones. "Nevertheless that is the end of the story. This story anyway. There are lots of stories out there Mr. Mulder."

"Current stories?"

"Present and future stories. In fact the Tuskegee story would be going on today if the whistle hadn't been blown on the government. And the number of whistle blowers these days seem to be diminishing. Well good day Mr. Mulder, you just might hear from me again soon."

QUOTES

SCULLY It's a natural phenomenon in which phosphine and methane rising from decaying organic matter ignite, creating globes of blue flame.
MULDER Happens to me when I eat Dodger Dogs.

WOMAN Excuse me, can I use your pen?

SCULLY What are you suggesting, that Gulf War Syndrome is caused by UFOs?

MULDER These guys are like an extreme government watchdog group. They publish a magazine called "The Lone Gunman." Some of their information is first-rate; covert actions, classified weapons. Some of their ideas are downright spooky.

LANGLEY So, check it out, Mulder, today I had breakfast with the guy who shot John F. Kennedy.

BYERS And, Mulder, listen to this. Vladimir Zhirinovsky, the leader of the Russian Social Democrats? He's being put into power by the most heinous and evil force of the 20th century.
MULDER Barney?

FROHIKE She's hot.
MULDER Settle down, Frohike.

MULDER Hey, Byers, it is a federal crime to deface money.

LANGLEY Yeah, UFOs caused the Gulf War Syndrome, that's a good one.
BYERS That's why we like you, Mulder, your ideas are weirder than ours.

SCULLY Those were the most paranoid people I have ever met. I don't know how you could think that what they say is even remotely plausible.
MULDER I think it's remotely plausible that someone might think you're hot.

DEEP THROAT In our line, nothing is just what it seems.

MULDER What am I onto?
DEEP THROAT A dangerous path.

SCULLY The truck is bogus.

MULDER I'm beginning to sound like those guys at "The Lone Gunman," right?

SCULLY Mulder, you're the only one I trust.

SCULLY Mulder, this photograph is a fake.

MULDER Why don't you just admit it, Scully? You're determined not to believe him.
SCULLY Well, maybe you're too determined to believe him.
MULDER I am determined to follow a lead that may result in proof of the existence of extraterrestrial biological entities. I need to go.

SCULLY I have never met anyone so passionate and dedicated to a belief as you. It's so intense that sometimes it's blinding. But there are others who are watching you, who know what I know and whereas I can respect and admire your passion, they will use it against you. Mulder, the truth is out there but so are lies.

MULDER You were right, Scully. It's a fake. He tried to deceive us. Now we're alone on this. There's no one we can trust. They went to a lot of trouble to put us on the wrong track. There's something here that no one's supposed to find.

DEEP THROAT Mr. Mulder, I place my life in great jeopardy every time we speak.

DEEP THROAT I've been a participant in some of the most insidious lies and witness to deeds that no crazed man could imagine. I spent years watching you from my, uh, lofty position to know that you were the one I could trust.

DEEP THROAT I needed to divert you. You and Scully are excellent investigators and your motives are just. However, there are still some secrets that should remain secret - some truths that people are just not ready to know.
MULDER Who are you to decide that for me?

DEEP THROAT When a shark stops swimming, it will die. Don't stop swimming. I'm not responsible for the electronic surveillance but I do know they can still hear you.

MULDER It was an extraterrestrial biological entity, alive.
SCULLY Where'd it go?
MULDER I think we were just witness to a rescue mission.

MAN Ahh-doo-nay-va-so barahghas. That's an intergalactic space greeting. That means, "Hello, Space Brothers."

MULDER Braidwood and Stepoff.

DEEP THROAT Let him go.

DEEP THROAT I know how badly, how very badly you want to look through that window... But it would be pointless. It's dead. After the Roswell incident in 1947, even at the brink of the Cold War, there was an ultra-secret conference attended by the United States, the Soviet Union, the People's Republic of China, Britain, both Germanies, France and it was agreed that should any extraterrestrial biological entity survive a crash, the country that held that being would be responsible for it's extermination. I, uh, have the distinction of being one of three men to have exterminated such a creature.

DEEP THROAT That's why I come to you, Mr. Mulder, and will continue to come to you to atone for what I've done. And maybe sometime, through you, the truth will be known.

MULDER I'm wondering which lie to believe.