Isosceles triangle, love triangle, Bermuda Triangle . . . throughout history the word "triangle" has been used in many different ways to evoke many different emotions. It has the power to induce a wide range of feelings, from logic to passion to mystery to fear. Now, it has a File-ish meaning, and "Triangle" is destined to elicit an entirely new reaction in X-Philes everywhere for a long time to come. What reaction is that? A big smile. :)

With "Triangle," The X-Files proved that after all these years it hasn't yet lost its touch. It's still able to come up with fresh, original ideas, it's still able to fascinate and amuse, and it still has two of the most interesting characters on television. In this respect, "Triangle" was in many ways like "Post-Modern Prometheus." Both episodes had a "gimmick," a special cinematographic effect associated with them, whether it was black and white film or letterbox format and split screens. Both were homages to earlier film classics as well. "Post-Modern Prometheus" echoed the early monster movie genre of the 1930's and 40's, while "Triangle" paid tribute to both "The Wizard of Oz" and Alfred Hitchcock's "Rope" in its use of real-time footage. Both were also quite strange, quite funny, and sooooo entertaining. In both episodes it seemed like Mulder and Scully were having fun, and this translated well across the screen. As I said in my "Post-Modern Prometheus" review, "[In this episode] Mulder and Scully honestly looked happy, and when they're happy, I'm a happy viewer.

"I want you to think to yourself, ‘There's no place like home . . . '"

And I thought I was the only X-Files/Wizard of Oz fan! Now I know I'm not alone - Chris Carter must have been reading my mind when he created this episode. Ever since I was a child, I've been drawn to the saga of Oz. I've read most the Oz books, my birth stone is emerald, my middle name is Dorothy (hence Katie "Dot") and I even dressed up as Dorothy for Halloween this year (hey, you can't be Scully every year. :) So logically, I loved all the Oz references in "Triangle," from the name of Mulder's boat (Lady Garland) to "Elmira Gultch and the Lollipop Guild" (an allusion to the Wicked Witch of the West and the trio of Munchkins that welcomed Dorothy to Oz) to the "There's no place like home" speech Mulder made at the end of the episode. I was kind of hoping Nazi Cancerman would say, "And you and your little dog too!" in German, but alas, it was not to be.

These allusions set the perfect backdrop for Mulder's adventures in his own "Oz." Like Dorothy, he kept running into people he knew . . . but in different roles. I guess the question remains whether or not his escapade on the Queen Ann was real. Personally, I believe he was dreaming. He never entered a time warp, and everything that transpired during this episode took place in his head. However, that doesn't mean his dreamland wasn't as real as Oz was to Dorothy. Only in the free world of the unconscious, he was able to act out desires and emotions he could not in reality. This dramatization enabled him to sort out what he felt was important in his life, what his desires and what his frustrations were. He's most likely always known these things, but it just took dip in the Sargasso Sea to figure them out. Hence the concluding line of the episode - "Scully . . . I love you."

A strengthening trend in Mulder and Scully's relationship has been occurring this season. In "The Beginning," their relationship was shaky; in "Drive," it was stronger; and in Triangle . . . well, they couldn't have been closer. "Triangle" was a shipper's dream come true. At long last, David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson have kissed. Unfortunately, Mulder and Scully have yet to go that far. As great as "the kiss" was, it wasn't quite the same without the real Scully. Mulder didn't share the history or the intensity of emotion with 1939Scully as he does with her present counterpart. Their kiss was like Scully kissing Eddie van Blundht. It simply didn't ring true. But I suppose that's the point. After all, we can't break the tension between the dynamic duo for at least another two years, or else one of the most integral components of the show will be lost. Sure, we can tease, and we can skirt the issue, but addressing it would be certain death to a show built upon the unrequited relationship between its two heroes. However, it does beg the question, why was Mulder able to show his emotions to a fake Scully, yet hasn't been able to do so with the real one? Perhaps he simply hadn't figured it out yet. It's a shame that when he did figure it out, he was too delirious looking to be taken seriously. However, even the rejected "I love you" was better than the fake kiss. Actually, the closing hospital scene was magical - the best scene in the whole episode, I'd say. It was funny, it was sweet, and it had an intensity of emotion only rarely brought to the surface. In that moment, Mulder and Scully were closer than any kiss could have brought them.

"Scully, you saved the world."
"In your dreams."

If anyone had any doubts about Scully's devotion to Mulder, or Mulder's commitment to Scully, "Triangle" should have burst that bubble. With the news of Mulder's disappearance, Scully had a mission. ("We have to get help!") Like she always does when presented with a mission, she would not stop until it was completed - in this case, seeing that Mulder was safe and sound. In her frenzied panic, she ended up slamming doors, bumping into people, lying, locking lips with her superior, talking to herself in an elevator, and just generally looking like a mad woman. I doubt she cared though - when Mulder's life is on the line, nothing else much matters to her. Though Scully's dedication was a lot more obvious, not to mention a lot more fun to watch, Mulder also had some moments of true devotion. The killing of random passengers didn't really seem to affect him until Scully's life was on the line. Only then did he step in and try to appease the Germans. Why do these two go to such great lengths to ensure the other's safety? I'll give you three guesses. :)

"Either you do it or I kill you."

If they don't win an Emmy for this episode, I'll be very upset. "Triangle," if not superb in its script, its acting, and its special effects, certainly was one of The X-Files best directorial efforts. As was proclaimed in the previews for this episode, it was a cinematographic "tour de force!" The transitions were beautiful, the camera angles such that no murder was ever directly shown, and the dizzy camera action paralleling well the dizzied, frenzied characters, and the dizzied, frenzied plot. Then, of course, there was the music. I loved it, not only because of my affection for music from that era, but also for the way it was able to heighten the surrealism of an already surreal episode. Of course, some people just might not get it. It takes a few years of loyal X-Files watching to grasp the shows' subtleties, and not to get too confused when the camera starts spinning around. Though, I must admit that even I had to watch it twice to catch everything that was going on. I didn't even notice "Nazi-Skinner" the first time around, and I only saw him the second time because I knew where to look. My head was spinning after the first few scenes, and I didn't stop feeling dizzy ‘til the very end. But I don't mind. For loyal X-Philes, there comes a time when you know the show so well, it's time to have a little fun with it. And that's the kind of Hollywoodization I like.

"This is unbelievable."

"Triangle" may not have been filmed in Vancouver, but I did recognize the filming location. I was on the Queen Mary in the summer of 1992 while on a summer holiday down the west coast, and I must say, it's as beautiful in person as they portrayed it on camera. Sure beats the USS Ardent anyway . . . :) I also enjoyed the fact that there was almost no sunlight shown throughout the entire episode. Wow! I'm so impressed. "Triangle" is the only episode this season that has been adequately able to reproduce the dark, rainy atmosphere of Vancouver.

I hate to say anything detrimental about this episode, but the truth must be told. Thematically, "Triangle" was a bit thin. The topic of time travel/time warps is a bit hokey, a bit cliched . . . a bit 1960's Sci-Fi. And yes, The X-Files has already dealt with this issue in other episodes (anyone remember "Synchrony?" It actually had better material regarding this pseudo-science . . . but no matter.). However, this wasn't really the point of "Triangle." Did anyone wonder how Dorothy got to Oz, or why no one else had ever been there? No. Oz was over the rainbow in the land of dreams, not a real place. This is how I choose to interpret "Triangle." It had nothing to do with time warps, the Bermuda Triangle, paranormal occurrences, or science. It concerned the fantasy of one man, traveling in the make-believe world of dreams as he floated unconscious in the Atlantic, and the woman who tried to save him.

Up to this point I've talked mainly about the two characters - Mulder and Scully. Yet without all the other minor characters, this episode couldn't have gotten off the ground. They added life to this episode, not to mention a bit of humour. Spender, the man everyone loves to hate, was at his best playing the role of scum in "Triangle." The vehemence between Mulder, Scully, and Spendy boy was more evident than ever. It was a riot to see Mulder beat him up, and interesting to notice how both 1939Scully and the real Scully both vocalized their, um, love for him ("That rat bastard!" "Listen to me you little weasel!") It was great to see the Lone Gunmen again too, and I absolutely loved their Scooby mobile . . . er, Volkswagen bus. Skinner was there as well, and it's obvious he's still Mulder and Scully's bud (*really* obvious in the latter case ;). However, seeing him all buddy -buddy with our two intrepid agents almost makes me glad he's not their boss anymore. They seem just a little *too* chummy. How are Mulder and Scully's supposed to rebel without a meanie for a boss? Speaking of meanies, Cancerman got to reenact his role as the Gestapo agent (maybe "The Field Where I Died" wasn't wrong after all . . . ), and bless his Canadian soul, speak with one of the worst German accents I've ever heard. Though Gillian Anderson did no better with her brief attempt at a British accent, and she even lived in London for nine years! Well, at least it was funny. (I know, I know, I'm so mean. ;)

In case you haven't noticed, I loved "Triangle." It was an episode made for X-Philes, an entertaining, amusing award for loyal viewers. The conspiracy and monster shows provide a backbone for the series, but shows such as "Triangle" give it life. It was an intimate, intricate journey through the fantasy world of the show - Chris Carter's version of Oz. And I must say, there's no place like home.

"Trust no one, mon!"