The X-Files: Season Three
Pusher (3.17)
Written by Vince Gilligan / Directed by Rob Bowman
This was a fabulous episode...I was incredibly
impressed with it on all counts. From pacing to dialogue to its
ability to draw the viewer into the tension filled action, it hit all
its marks. Breaking the episodes down into alien/government
conspiracy (arc) episodes, MOTW episodes and Darin Morgan episodes
(until he goes that extra yard and does a completely serious/dramatic
episode he gets his own category; CBFR was close and is on my top ten
list), this I believe ranks as one of the best, if not the best, MOTW
episode.
Bob Modell, Pusher, was one of the most interesting and
believable characters this season. He seems like your average guy
giving him that Ted Bundy factor that makes him hard to pick out as a
bad guy. Add to that the fact of his power and the way it is used and
you have a nearly unbeatable villain. It was interesting that his
method of mind control didn't seemed forceful and invasive on most
people but actually seemed soothing and calming. Maybe it was easier
for him to use this approach and allowed him more of a persuasive
affect on a person's will. This tranquil, lulling speech seemed to
work until there was a distraction or if he came up against
resistance as we saw with Holly when Skinner made an appearance and
especially in the case of Mulder (which was exacerbated when Scully's
life was also at stake). It seemed that he didn't always need to use
words to control people since he really didn't say too much to the
judge and yet gave him a push to make a ruling in his favor but in
most cases it was his words that helped to force a person's will. I
figure he could only have an impact on one person at a time when
their attention was focused on him. When he came through security he
only needed to be scrutinized closely at that point and then a
general affect was used as he passed through the building. However,
whenever he had two people to deal with (Holly/Skinner,
Mulder/Scully) it seemed that he could only exert a force on one.
Both times he used one person to control the actions of the other and
hold them off.
The dialogue worked well through the entire episode. Mulder and
Scully got in some good teasing banter but they weren't the only ones
since the subtle humor was spread among the whole cast this time.
Frank Burst, sick of Modell's references to cerulean blue says "Put a
sock in it, Mr. Blackwell." Modell himself had a great sarcastic wit
regardless of his situation...I think he was overconfident despite
the fact that he kept trying to get caught ("Betcha five bucks I get
off."). The exchanges between our dynamic duo were fun...they were
actually working together side-by-side and had some great scenes.
Scully napping in the car (I think you drooled on me), all the shared
phone calls (Let's go G-woman!) and the scene in the surveillance van
(Do you think this gets the Playboy channel? / Smile Scully).
Which brings me to the rapport that has been re-established
between Mulder and Scully. I think that CC's comment about there
being no rift is his impression of it but not necessarily what the
viewers have witnessed. With his longer view to what lays on the
horizon it is probably easier to see no rift...but with what we have
seen in this third season it has become harder and harder to overlook
the strained interactions of M&S. However, over the last three
episodes it has been returning to the M&S relationship that I
think makes these characters special to watch. It seems to be a
return to the mutual respect and profound caring that makes them a
nearly unstoppable pairing. When they are working well together,
regardless of whether they agree with each other on the fine points
of a case, they are great *partners* and when we see how deeply they
care about the other's well being it only adds to that bond. From
Scully's "I'm sure you have a theory" in the file room to the final
scene in the hospital, they were working together and listening to
each other. The "whammy" conversation was great to watch because they
were discussing the case and even arguing about theory but they
weren't biting each other's head off. Mulder in exasperation says,
"Well, what's *your* big theory?" to which Scully admits that she
believes that Modell is responsible but she needs evidence. This is
the relationship I enjoy...where they challenge each other mentally
to prove their theory and find the evidence and then can admit when
the other person is right. In this episode each of them said to the
other "You were right...".
One of the things (so many to choose from) that was outstanding
about this episode was the pacing. The action started right off with
no lagging set-up and then just kept on at a building pace that took
us right up to the stand-off between Mulder and Modell. It never let
up and just kept getting better. But it did what the best art does by
letting us have a short resolution after the climactic scene so that
we got a chance to wind down.....that is before I hit rewind and
watched that final showdown scene again. What a ride!
From the top, I thought the actions of the arresting team in the
beginning were a bit sloppy...they had the cavalry out to get this
guy but they were so obvious. He would have had to have been blind
not to see them but I liked how he took control by deciding when the
fun started. Seeing Flukeman was a crack-up. Some people have
complained about the self-referential aspects but I think it's fun to
look for and find these things. It reminds me of looking for Alfred
Hitchcock in his movies. The bottom line is if you don't notice them
or don't get them then they can't be intruding on your viewing
pleasure. Once they had Pusher in the car I thought it was funny that
they had a whole fleet of cop cars but they were all in the lead with
no one behind the car that Modell was in. Kind of sloppy though I'm
not sure it would have done too much good. The scene at the golf
course with Collins and his self-immolation was well done. Mulder
should have brought up the fact that the guy was crying and begging
them to stop him at the inquest. It might have strengthened their
case. When Scully had dug up information on Modell and related it to
Mulder, the look on his face when she said he had tried to apply to
the FBI was priceless. It's also funny when she's describing what
showed up on Modell's psych screening...extremely suspicious of
governments and authority. Sound like anyone we know?
Modell visits the Hoover building, makes his own pass (Magic
Markers...don't leave home without them) and gets control of Holly. I
liked how Skinner was observant enough to notice the closed blinds
and his scene with Modell was great. He just plows on in to any
situation...and the consequences...well, getting kicked in the
stomach after being shot can't feel too good. As the pace of the
episode reaches breakneck speed we get to the hospital and Mulder
prepares to go in after Modell. The play of emotions on Scully's face
as she watches Mulder suit up is wonderful. She wants to tell him no
but she knows he is going to go anyway. There is such apprehension
and concern and then he reciprocates her level of emotion when he
hands her his gun and they squeeze each other's hands. This is great
stuff...not UST since there is nothing sexual or flirtatious
involved. Just such depth of caring and concern it is almost painful
to see Mulder leave Scully sitting there.
From here the action reaches new heights of tension. When Mulder
goes into the hospital I felt slightly anxious but when he turned
around and his camera caught Modell with the gun leveled at his head
I was beyond impressed. This was really drawing me in. When Scully
dons her vest and heads down the corridor I could feel how nervous
she was. Sometimes these agents seem too cool in the face of the
danger they are pulled into but this time we see Mulder really
sweating it from the time he entered the room with the MRI to the
final showdown. Scully's nervous breathing as she inches down the
hospital corridor was great dramatic effect and it was only just
beginning.
The final showdown between Mulder and Modell was the best TV
viewing I've had in a long time...there have been movies (though for
me they are few and far between) that can really make me experience
the emotions and action playing out on the screen but this is rare.
It is one thing to watch and take in a scene but it is another thing
to have a physical response to one, but this is what I felt during
this final scene. I thought they were going to play Russian Roulette
but you have to spin the chamber between shots so it's always a 1 in
6 chance but with this scenario the chances for survival were reduced
with every empty chamber encountered. The thing that made this scene
work was great writing, great directing, great musical accompaniment
that was non-intrusive yet powerful in the way it punctuated certain
moments and the acting on the part of all three was superb. I don't
know if we have ever had all this come together in such an incredible
combination. I've been wracking my brain to think back over three
seasons of episodes and I still haven't thought of one where Duchovny
and Anderson had this kind of opportunity to impress in the same
scene.
Modell feels he's met his match in the form of Mulder...two
mortal heros of equal skill. But maybe he overestimates his position
on the battlefield. I noticed that when he first gives the gun to
Mulder he feels the need to reiterate...only one pull of the trigger.
I'm not sure if he trusts his hold on Mulder and I think this
*warrior* has overestimated his ability to show no fear for his life.
Following the click of the hammer he can be seen expelling his breath
shakily...piece of cake...yeah, right. Modell thinks he can control
Mulder since he has information on him....he has read his file and
watched him and Scully and thinks he has the advantage. I think he
really doesn't like these two. The dismissive look that Scully gave
him at the courthouse not to mention the "Made you look..." remark
from Mulder seemed to be enough to evince vengeance on Modell's part.
Like Scully says, he's a small man but his psych profile showed he's
acutely egocentered which makes him dislike these partners even more.
Mulder's stake in this is different than Scully's in my opinion.
She wants to bring down Modell because he is responsible for so many
deaths...it's mostly justice. Mulder on the other hand seems to have
been pulled into the game by Modell. He feels he is his adversary and
he doesn't want to let Modell win, doesn't want to be bested. This
dynamic between Mulder and Modell makes this scene really work and
having Scully thrown into the mix only heightens the tension. The
acting in this scene was crucial and everyone performed in top form.
Modell's tense concentration, his tight control over Mulder's actions
egging him on and then the surprise on his face when the tables are
turned. Mulder's riveting lock on Modell's eyes as he fights against
the control being exerted on him, the almost eager pull of the
trigger when Modell's life was at stake, the pained look on his face
when he couldn't prevent his own turn from occuring then the ultimate
plea when he tells Scully to run. I think this is some of the best
work I've seen from Duchovny. He has had some great moments in
Colony/Endgame and in Ascension and One Breath but I thought this
scene really showcased his ability to go beyond the cool
wise-cracking agent. Usually I expound on Anderson's wonderful
emotional range...how expressive she is without even using words,
etc... But this time Duchovny was impressive as well.
Scully's role finished off the triumvirate and Anderson didn't
let us down one bit. Scully's nervousness and anxiety and anger were
all played out to the full. But her pleading with Mulder to just walk
out of there, her support of him, telling him he was stronger than
this was so very believable. No wonder this woman won a SAG award.
Their relationship saved both of them in my opinion. If Mulder didn't
feel as strongly about Scully, he probably couldn't have held out
against Modell as long. In fact, had more strength when it came to
Scully's life than his own. On the other hand, if Scully hadn't made
a mad dash to join the party then try to talk Mulder out of Modell's
control, Mulder may have played out Modell's endgame and eaten a
bullet. But Scully was there and Mulder did hold out long enough for
Scully's distraction and Modell was at the losing end of the barrel.
The final scene was resolution and not a bad one at that. Mulder
pays back the favor and evens the score by telling Scully she was
right in her assumptions about Modell. Scully's gesture toward Mulder
(clasping his hand momentarily) was a nice physical enactment of her
words...I say we don't let him take up another minute of our time.
Overall, this was one incredible episode. I would say "I can't say
enough about it".....but I think I already have.
Back to Menu
Teso Dos Bichos (3.18)
Written by John Shiban / Directed by Kim Manners
I have been frozen in front of my keyboard now for a
good five minutes trying to think of how to summarize my feelings
about this episode and am still hard pressed to find a way. I realize
that not every episode is going to be able to draw me in with a high
level of drama and inspiration; however, I found this episode to be
lacking in too many ways and it was evident from the start. I kept
hoping it would get better but it never did. Just the plot itself was
too predictable if not the details of the outcome. I kept getting
flashes of Indiana Jones and worse yet a two-parter, on location
Brady Bunch episode where an ancient ruin was disturbed and the
spirits ran rampant. I want to curse this show just for conjuring
such a painful memory that was better left buried . Now I
admit this wasn't nearly that bad but I thought the X-Files team
could rise above the well-worn plot to make something a bit more
believable and watchable but I guess this just didn't happen for me.
Despite all my complaints I still try to search for the silver
lining in any episode and this one came through with some nice
atmoshpere and *some* fun moments between our dynamic duo. So with a
rundown from the top followed by a general overview I'll begin... The
teaser was a bit slow for me and I could see the action coming a mile
away but the atmosphere at the excavation site worked well to set the
mood. The arrogance and lack of compassion of Dr. Roosevelt was
extreme and his comment, "We're not disturbing her...we're saving
her," regarding the Amaru set him up as the first victim. I liked the
setting in the camp at night with Roosevelt in his tent listening to
classical music while the rest of the men are out around the fire
with their drums and native music. I thought this music was
compelling and heightened the level of this scene, but no matter how
compelling the music I don't think I would have succumbed to peer
pressure like Bilac and drank the Yage. The stuff looked like a cross
between pudding, glue and some other unspeakable mixture of bodily
fluids. And it was fast-acting too since not two seconds after his
agonized sip he was having the cat's eye view of the campfire. I
liked this cat's eye view since we are used to dealing with cool
lighting in blues and sometimes reds but this gave us some other
colors of the spectrum to visualize the episode through in greens and
yellows. So the jaguar spirit has been invoked and immediately
Roosevelt is the first victim in a not too believable scene portrayed
as shadows thrown on the walls of his brightly lit tent. I'm the
first to agree that a scene can be more powerful when the graphic
nature is not directly approached and is rather left to the
imagination, but this didn't look realistic to me at all.
So despite the death of Roosevelt and the dissension among the
other workers on the dig regarding the removal of the urn, the relic
is moved to Boston for further study. The reasoning behind this is
hazy to me since all remaining parties seemed to agree that it should
stay put but the story trudges on. With the death of Dr. Horning,
Mulder and Scully arrive on the scene and after reading Bilac's
letter of protest and talking with Mona they start formulating a
theory. After interviewing a stoned Bilac they realize the spiritual
implications might outweigh the political problems surrounding this
urn. When they go to talk to Bilac, it is obvious to us and it seems
to Scully at least, that he is under the influence of something and
yet this is never broached at all. Scully says he is their number one
suspect and he's stoned and acting strange but they just walk away.
I'm not sure if any action is appropriate but I couldn't help but
think that surveillance was an option if not taking him into custody.
I liked when Scully asks Bilac about the whereabouts of the missing
Roosevelt and he says, "You say that as if you'll see him alive
again." Scully then goes on to theorize in Mulder-mode and gets her
first "Go with it Scully." I guess the first one was kind of funny
since it was in context but by the second time this left Mulder's
lips it was already stale.
At this point I was hoping this episode could be turned around
but instead I found myself counting the cliches and mourning the
B-grade horror flick aspects. Mona alone in her dark office,
someone's at the door! Oh, it's just Dr. Lewton . But
wait, there's something lurking in the closet....look behind you! Oh
wait...it's just your loving dog . Dr. Lewton goes out to
his car with a sign hanging on him saying "Dead Man Walking". Engine
trouble? Well, what did you expect...it's a Jag. Rats in the
engine...that's a new one. Then the cat's eye view attack which I
have to admit is cool looking although I could do without the heavy
breathing. At least the attack itself is shot with a bit of style
even though we saw it coming a mile away. At the scene of the crime,
Mulder and Scully beat the bushes looking for the missing Jag owner
while something watches from the trees. Mulder gets lucky and stands
just below a tree with the entrails....guess they had them left over
from CBFR so decided to put them to use. I loved the way Mulder
doesn't even *try* to maintain his cool exterior as he wipes the
blood off his face...yuk!
On with the B-grade horror, Mona goes to see Bilac who is
obviously far gone and she heads back to the comfort of a crime scene
to recover. She admits to Scully on the phone that she feels she is
being watched but then when she hears a disturbance out in the hall
she heads right on out to see what the trouble is...anyone who's
watched even one horror flick knows this is a death sentence. Grad
school must be getting her down. Luckily the disturbance is in the
women's room because no matter how brave Mona is to go out to
investigate the disturbance in a dark hall, absolutely no woman is
crazy enough to set foot in a men's public restroom. And the
denoument...she actually is cracked enough to lift the lid on a
vibrating toilet seat. This is actually no big surprise given the
fact that Mona is a PhD candidate and after facing a dissertation
committee, seeing a toilet with rats boiling out isn't much of a big
deal.
Mulder and Scully split up and Scully ends up at Bilac's house
only to find him gone but a bowl full of Yage. If this had been
Mulder he would have tasted it...he knows no caution. This might have
been an interesting twist but since it was Scully, rationality reigns
and we limp along. Mulder has arrived at the museum but no Mona to be
found....but wait...behind you! Oh it's just the
guard.... Will someone turn the damn lights on! Scully
finds Bilac's journal and surmises that Bilac has been praying to the
Amaru and invoking the curse. Mona's blood is found all over the
walls of the bathroom and Bilac is huddled in the corner. He says
Mona is dead but he doesn't know where she is.
Scully has been really taking the lead in this episode. She is
doing the interviewing and theorizing and Mulder gets to do the dirty
work. Bilac tells them that the Amaru would not be appeased and that
he was only trying to protect Mona. This reminds me of the episode
Die Hand Die Verletz where Mulder asks the father if he honestly
thought he could call up the devil and make him behave. So Scully and
Mulder hang a hand painted sign reading "Bait" on Bilac and head to
the bathroom. Mulder wonders out loud about the water on the floor
and Scully tells him there's only one way to find out. She's not
about to take the lead on this one...and Mulder says, "I hate this."
You've got to wonder if he was only referring to the job at hand or
to the path the episode was taking as it rushed to its conclusion.
The body of the dog is found and the exchange of the rat/cat/dog
theory takes place...I kept trying to slo-mo through this part to see
if I could read the vet pathologist's name tag. I'm sure it must have
been Dr. Seuss. But wait! Bilac has mysteriously disappeared. I was
so startled and surprised I nearly jarred myself awake on my second
viewing. It is great to see Scully chewing out a guard two feet
taller than her though. Almost worth the plot device. So it's off to
the steam tunnels..."Ladies first?" Fat chance buddy. Send in the
bigger taller guy to clear out the cobwebs...us short people know the
drill. Follow that rat! They find the bodies with the eyes
missing...it's a party and everyone is there. I realize that upon
scavenging a body animals will eat the nice soft, accessible bits
first. But with the number of animals populating the episode I would
have expected these bodies to have been a bit more picked over. And
if these bodies were dragged down there I would have expected their
clothes to be a bit more disarrayed to say the least. How Dr. Lewton
had his intestines ripped out without disturbing his pants is one for
Mr. Bean.
So we get our final bit of information to throw everything into
total confusion....feral cats. Lots of cats...lots and lots of cats.
The shot of Mulder looking through the grate at all those cats with
their glowing eyes is a keeper. Scully is attacked by some possessed
cat and Mulder decides the party's over. His, "Come on Scully!" bears
mentioning. It smacked of melodrama and yet was delivered so
listlessly with virtually no emotion in his voice that his
fear/panic/anxiety was completely unbelievable. I think the
characters, actors and audience were sharing a moment of lethargic
convergence at this point and just wanted it to be over. I did like
the sound the cat made as Mulder ripped it off Scully's face and
threw it at the wall....sorry cat lovers, but it had such a
satisfying thunk as it hit the wall. So they find Bilac's body in the
duct and figure it's the quickest way out but let's just sit here
instead and watch as the cats claw their way through the door. No
hurry...just drink in the experience...wait for it....okay, I guess
now that you can see the bloody fangs it's as good a time as any to
boost Scully up and get the hell out of Dodge.
So we are at the finish line....the letter of protest has finally
had an impact. The urn will be back at it's original resting place by
the end of the week. I'm not sure exactly what we are supposed to
believe happened but I've formulated my own opinion and that's how
The X-Files is...loose ends that can be interpreted at your leisure
and every phile for themselves. I believe that Bilac drank the Yage
with the men in Ecuador and continued in Boston in order to pray to
the Amaru and help her to get back to what he thought was a just
resting place. What I didn't understand was that if he was trying to
help her by invoking the jaguar spirit, how come he was finally
attacked and killed? The spirit seemed to pick Roosevelt because he
was going to take the urn from its burial land. But some of the other
victims were innocent and in fact trying to turn the tide. I guess
this goes back to my earlier mention of the quote from DHDV...you
can't expect to invoke a spirit and make it do your bidding. Bilac
was dealing with something out of his control.
So Bilac invoked the spirit of the jaguar to protect the Amaru
from further indignitites and I believe that this spirit could be
made manifest since that was what we saw kill Roosevelt and it had to
have killed Lewton as well. It would have to be something big to kill
and drag off all those victims into the tunnels and also to carry the
entrails up into the trees. The feral cats were its minions called to
guard the bodies and keep watch for Mulder and Scully. The rats were
always at the museum, as its inhabitants stated, so they started
becoming more visible and running amok due to the presence of all the
feral cats and the jaguar spirit. I suppose that explains the rats
boiling out of the toilets in a mad dash to escape the jaguar who was
coming to dispatch Mona. Who the heck knows...I mean at the beginning
and at the end we see the shaman in Ecuador standing on the hill and
the final view shows his eyes...cat's eyes? Are we supposed to infer
that he was the one who manifested himself as the jaguar spirit?
I don't know and I don't know if it is possible to figure this
out but the bottom line is I don't really think I'll lose any sleep
over this explanation. I didn't become involved in this episode and
because of that I'm willing to leave the outcome as an unknown
quantity. During Mulder's final voice-over he states that there are
things in the world beyond our own that are unseen but powerful. He
says the real problem is that we fail to understand that there are
powers that should not be disturbed....that some things are better
left buried. I guess I had to wait until these final words to find
any link to the ongoing arc in this series but I wonder if Mulder is
actually listening to his own words. Some things are better left
buried...maybe this is true but I doubt Mulder will listen to his own
counsel. I sure hope not otherwise it would mean the end of the best
TV drama, in my opinion.
Back to Menu
Hell Money (3.19)
Written by Jeffrey Vlaming / Directed by Tucker Gates
Well, I haven't read the newsgroup yet so I don't
know what the consensus will be on this episode but there are two
points that I'm sure will come up along the way. One is that it was
not really an X-File and the other is a discussion about racial and
cultural stereotypes. I guess I'll hit on these two points along the
way but what strikes me about a good episode is one that can rise
above any and all particular complaints to give us the overall
satisfaction of a superior script and production despite any and all
flaws. This episode did not rise to the occasion in my opinion. And
of course if you continue any further that is just what you will be
subjected to....humble or otherwise.
So a rundown from the top including general observations and
unsolicited impressions. The teaser was good, giving the mood and
feel of all the desperate victims in this story and the district they
live and work in. The crowded streets for the festival, the
firecrackers and general press added an exterior dimension to the
internal turmoil experienced by the man on the run. I thought his
fear as he ran through the streets felt real and was a contrast to
the silence of the masked men who were lying in wait for him. So this
running man ends up being cremated alive and when the guard at the
mortuary enters the room he actually sees the masked men. They were
obviously not spirits and they didn't just vanish. The guard was
distracted by the site of the man being cremated alive giving them
ample time to make themselves scarce.
Now this is where I am totally at a loss. Mulder and Scully are
on the scene following the recovery of this latest victim's body.
Mulder mentions that there have been 11 bodies matching this MO but
that's never brought up again. Are we to infer that this same game is
taking place in major cities across the country? Are we also to
assume that this is something that Mulder had flagged as an MO due to
the possibility of some supernatural or spirit involvement? How would
he have known that? He is the one who discovers the "ghost" character
in the cremation chamber so why were M&S brought aboard in the
first place? When Chao identifies the character as "ghost", Mulder
says "Something strange for a man being burned alive to write." And
the typical quotes and scrawls are....what? *Johnny was here*?
Mulder also finds the fragment of hell money. Fortuitous for our
intrepid hero to stumble upon this when it was missed by the locals
but even more interesting that it actually proves fruitful as a lead.
If the festival is being celebrated by the community as a whole, then
even if only a few places produce the hell money I would think it
would be hard to track down one potential buyer. But we determine the
victim is Johnny Lao and find that his apartment has been sanitized.
New carpet has been laid but not the best job and someone forgot to
scrub the floors before the carpet was installed. Blood is found
under the carpet giving us additional evidence. This whole scene in
the sanitized apartment bothered me. If they really wanted to clean
the place up then they should have done a better job...like tacking
down the carpet so it wasn't so obvious and why not clean out the
drawers while they're at it? But my biggest complaint is the way
Mulder and Scully seem to ask Chao about every piece of evidence. It
reminds me of babysitting little kids. What's this? And what's this,
ad nauseum. Usually they seem to have unlimited amounts of
information at their fingertips but this time they didn't have to use
the "I" in FBI since they had Chao in tow. So,we've got some herbs
and a dessicated frog. The frog is supposed to be a charm for good
health, prosperity and protection. Sort of like the hell money
although I don't think it was ever established what the significance
of these were to the case itself.
We catch up with the carpeter, Hsin, as he brings his daughter
tea and prepares to head off to the game. This seemed so cliche. But
it does ring true. If they haven't been in the states for too long
and he is out of work, it stands to reason that he has no money or
insurance. So knowing that his daughter's leukemia is treatable he
might go to any ends to acquire the money to save her. We get our
first view of the game. This would have been compelling once but this
same scene played out so many times in this episode was unnecessary.
The room was crowded and the lighting was dim and hazy. I liked the
feel of this scene and the extreme emotions that they players
experienced was interesting. The trepidation as they threw their name
in the pot then the anxiety of the draw. They want to be picked but
at the same time fear the consequences involved. There's a huge
potential payoff but the loss is costly. I thought it was interesting
to see we the two perspectives when the cataract-man had his heart
removed. He sees the spirits present when the reality is it's Dr.
Exploitation.
At the herb shop the shopkeeper remembers Johnny and says he was
using the herbs as painkillers. She also identifies the symbol from
his door which she says means that his was a haunted house.
Throughout this episode we are given examples of these charms, gifts
and good luck offerings that can be left to appease the ghosts but
they are not part of the killings themselves unless they are decoys
placed by the perpetrators to throw everyone off the track. This does
not explain the frog in the cataract-man's chest, however. This body
was found due to the reappearance of the masked men at the cemetary.
Why did they show themselves again? They seemed to be casually
leaning on the headstones only to disappear when another bumbling
officer turns his back. Mulder jumps into the open grave and finds
the buried body. Two questions. Did they want him to be found? Why
shoot for the two-for-one burial when they could have done the
cremation again? The frog coming out of the chest cavity during
Scully's examination was definitely my favorite shot of the show
(although those wonderful Scully close-ups during the interrogation
at the end were a close second...she films great). But why was the
frog there? What significance does the frog have other than making
for a good shot? Too many questions...
I wasn't the only one wanting an answer to this $64K question
since Scully asks Chao when they next meet. Mulder and Scully suspect
Chao, but I think with good reason. For one thing he is acting
guilty. This is especially apparent when they confront him at his
desk but he's seemed evasive all along. He seemed to be holding back
information and the only way to determine this was to confront him.
They are at a loss without him as a reliable interpretor. I do like
Chao's line when he says "What good is an interpretor when everyone
speaks the language of silence?" As far as the stereotyping or racism
in this episode...I can only speak to a few points knowing next to
nothing about the culture and beliefs. The point I would make is that
the idea of a person protecting their own is not
race/culture/religion based alone but extends to a community. We have
seen this when M&S go to a small town as when they went to the
reservation in Shapes. There was a parallel in this episode in the
character of the sheriff who M&S suspect of covering up to
protect his own. The sheriff himself doesn't necessarily believe in
the old stories, like Chao, but he knows that he has to live and work
in that community. He needs to connect with those people and retain
their trust. Chao sees himself as an outsider to a certain extent,
calling himself ABC, and admits that he doesn't argue with the
beliefs but they don't haunt him like his mortgage.
And his mortgage seems to be his downfall since he is taking
money to keep the game safe. When he tries to prove to M&S that
he is on the case by giving them the info on the carpeter they might
be temporarily appeased but we know that he didn't have to do any
detective work to come by that information. With regard to the
race/culture stereotyping I would suggest that this show does its
best to incorporate lots of cultural/religious/scientific belief
systems into the stories and there is only so much they can do in the
time they have to work with leading to generalities in principles and
ideas. Just as a scientist will nitpick the inaccuracies of the
layman's version of his particular field when it is represented, a
person will also recognize the generalizations and simplifications
with regard to their religion and culture. I applaud the attempt to
incorporate so much into the scripts and am happy that they give us
credit for being interested enough to follow along. I guess when it
is on a more personal level, rather than just your job or field of
expertise, people's feelings are more likely to become involved.
Hsin's conversation with his daughter following the visit from
Chao and M&S was expected but did give us the chance to have Hsin
admit the motivations behind his involvement in the game but we
already knew this. Similarly, the questioning of the daughter by
M&S on their return visit was also a retread. During the
father/daughter conversation Hsin says he is worried and blames
himself and goes so far as to blame her illness on the possible
mistake of moving away from home in the first place. Not much new in
this and the only big event in the conversation with the daughter is
that we find out that the character for wood also represents *eye*. I
did like the scene where the doctor goes to visit Hsin and warns him
about quitting the game. This guy doesn't have to smoke a cigarette
to let us know he's a bad guy...but it doesn't hurt. I don't believe
for a minute that the doc believes in the spirits but he uses them in
his persuasion of Hsin threatening retribution if he leaves the game.
Chao is obviously letting our dynamic duo get too close to the
truth so he is payed a visit by the masked men. They cut him up a bit
but he doesn't wait around after getting stitched up and heads to the
game. Meanwhile, M&S hit the Organ Procurement office and
determine that Hsin and all the other players have had their organs
typed for participation in the game. This is a pretty high-tech
addition to a game couched in ancient beliefs. M&S get additional
info supporting their belief in Chao's involvement by matching his
blood type to the blood found under the carpet so when they see him
enter the restaurant they figure they've got the right place. Chao
tries to intercede on Hsin's behalf but when told to back off,
decides to end the game for good. All hell breaks loose disturbing
M&S's quest for a latenight snack in the kitchen. The episode
reaches its climax as Chao interrupts the doctor with a shot to the
shoulder (Mulder sympathizes) and is apprehended himself leaving Hsin
alive though covered in betadine and one frog under glass. "You
should have killed me" says the doctor which Chao interprets for
Mulder as "The game's not over."
The game ends for Chao when he fails to appear before a grand
jury and instead wakes up in the cremation chamber. But the game
itself will probably still go on since there will probably be no
prosecution due to the players putting up a wall of silence. Scully's
interrogation of the doctor was one of saving scenes and had great
dialogue. It was reminiscent of 2Shy where Scully faces off against
another expoiting soul who she is more than happy to bring to
justice. Another similarity is their description of their crimes as a
gift. Our fat-sucking vampire said he was offering the women a gift
of acceptance and love, no matter how short-lived; whereas, the
doctor in this episode said that hope was his gift to these men. His
reference to "the ghosts of our fathers"... "call[ing] to us from
distant memory, showing us the path" seemed like the sort of X-File
quote that pertains to more than just this episode.
But the good things about this episode were too sparse for my
taste. My overall impression was that it was not well-paced leaving
me hesitant to view it for the second time. The interaction between
Mulder and Scully fell a bit flat for me. They were working together
and the banter was present between them but most of the lines
intended to be funny didn't work too well. There were some and at
least they weren't sniping at each other. As I alluded to before, I
think this case was more important for Scully since she seems to
despise perps who prey on the innocent, hopeless and desperate
victims that she sees too often in her autopsies. She wanted to see
this guy locked up and didn't hesitate to tell him so. I think she
feels the need to confront these people once they are caught seeking
a closure that she seems to require. Unfortunately, as is too often
the case, it seems that justice was not in the cards. As an episode
goes I think this one offered us too much speculation that never
seemed to lend any real significance to the case in the final
analysis. And some things were just hazy enough to leave me anxious
to pop in my new videos from season one to refresh my memory on why I
like this show so much. And I do....I still contend it is the best
thing going even with its unsatisfactory offerings. It's just that
I've come to expect so much since I've been rewarded in that regard
so many times in the past...and I'm sure I will be again.
Back to Menu
Jose Chung's "From Outer Space" (3.20)
Written by Darin Morgan / Directed by Rob Bowman
In a word...I loved it. Okay, so that's three words
but you get the picture. Of course, that isn't the whole story. The
fact is, the entire time I was watching it I laughed myself sick but
once it was over I was disappointed that it had been a funny episode.
I guess the problem is I want it both ways....I want episodes that I
enjoy but I want them on my terms. So I suppose I can't complain
because the thing that makes this show great is that it has been
created, written and directed by people who know quite a bit more
about entertainment than I do. On one hand I feel that artists are at
their best when they are in a constant state of change keeping their
work fresh and their audience slightly off balance. I think the most
boring thing is being able to predict the dialogue in a show or the
outcome of an episode. On the other hand, I think the best of both
worlds is a mix of the type of episodes we have come to appreciate
(MOTW, alien/government conspiracy) with the occasional off-center,
humorous episode; the emphasis being on "occasional". And this is
where my sense of dissatisfaction arises from. This season we have
already had CBFR, WOTC and Syzygy. It just seems like overkill.
Having said that, I wouldn't have missed this for the world. It
had so many good lines and visuals throughout that I simply can't do
a rundown of this episode as part of this review otherwise it would
turn into the largest post known to man or mandroid. Besides, you
were all there...you saw it all...it would be like standing up in a
crowded theater mid-movie and shouting, "DID YOU SEE THAT?" Of course
you did, so no need for me to rehash it. But I have to say that from
the teaser this episode had me hooked. The idea of an alien abducting
the "aliens" was funny but the combination of footage and computer
generated graphics was incredible. When the one alien turned to the
other and said, "Hey Jack..." I knew what kind of episode I was in
for and it was quite a ride.
So for some observations... I noticed that certain lines were
repeated several times throughout by different characters giving us a
thread to keep the stories from unraveling from one another. "How the
hell should I know?" was uttered at least three times and "You're a
dead man" or the variation "I'm a dead man" was delivered five times
total. This sort of thing has been used in XF before, Pusher being
the last example I can think of with both Modell and Mulder saying,
"Let's get the show on the road." JC'sFOS had another example of
continuity with the opening scene being Roky out doing linework and
the final voice-over including a shot of Blane out on the same route.
I was a bit worried when I heard that Charles Nelson Reilly was going
to be a guest star since I associate him with Match Game and the name
Kitty Carlisle and having already had one bad "kitty" incident this
season was worried that a trend had been set in motion. I was
pleasantly surprised with CNR's performance and thought he was a
riot. He had both thought provoking and hilarious dialogue and
delivered both exceptionally well. X-Files seems to be a medium that
allows actors, that at least *I* haven't seen for awhile, to come
back in style and show us why they have been successful...sort of the
opposite of The Loveboat.
CNR answers Scully's request that he present the truth with the
observation that "truth is as subjective as reality" and this becomes
all too clear as this story unfolds. The cuts from perspective to
perspective was a welcome change from the usual storytelling style of
most shows including XF. I for one don't consider it a challenge to
keep up with the POV changes or even the lack of chronological order
in information delivery. This is refreshing and made this episode
more than just a "humorous" XF offering. It was an interesting way to
present the story and allowed us the opportunity to see our dynamic
duo as they are perceived by others.
The acting load was split between so many characters with most
doing a fantastic job. Detective Manners' colorful phraseology was
great ("Well, he didn't actually say bleeped") and he pulled off the
censored version without cracking a smile which is more than most of
us could have done. I actually think GA's dropping her head and
rubbing her temples after his first outburst was a cover for her
attempt not to laugh. The couple who were abducted did a passable job
especially the actor who played Harold. He seemed both scared and
confused and then downright pitiful at the end slouching off under
the burden of his unrequited love. Blane Faulkner was too funny for
words...what a great comic character. The funny thing is, his room
didn't look all that different from Mulder's office and even had the
"I want to believe" poster, although he had committed a bit further
by taping over the "want to" on his version. Blane's, "Hey, I didn't
spend all these years playing Dungeons and Dragons and not learn a
little something about courage," was one of the funniest lines for
me...maybe I just knew too many people who played RPGs in grad school
or something. Never knew I was in the presence of so many courageous
lab nerds. The UFO pilot, Jack Schaeffer, was also very convincing
and spooky with his Richard Dreyfuss impersonation. I loved making
the connection when he grabbed Mulder's lapels and said "This is not
happening," and then seeing him light up in the diner.
I've already mentioned that I thought CNR was superb including
his voice-over at the end with him referring to Mulder as a "ticking
timebomb of insanity". GA and DD also gave performances I
appreciated, especially on the heels of Hell Money where they seemed
to sleepwalk through the script with the minimum of effort. GA's
interaction with CNR was priceless and really helped lend some
cohesiveness to the jumps in perspective throughout. It wasn't so
much the dialogue that either GA or DD delivered as much as the way
the camera captured them in this episode. We saw so many changes of
emotion in them depending upon the perspective and their expressions
mirrored all of this...the Scully looks of disbelief, her attempts to
be patient and of course looking non-non-plussed. Mulder either being
completely deadpan, shades of sadistic MIB behavior, or my personal
favorite, the play of emotion on his face while he read Roky's
manifesto to Scully for a bedtime story.
As for the overall look, I think this episode had its moments but
it's hard not to compare it to some of the most incredible
cinematography from the first season (it helps that I now have good
versions having bought the video tapes). I think the lesson is that
less can be more. It isn't necessary for our enjoyment to use
incredible special effects and computer graphics to draw us into the
story, and quite often I've found that an episode can get too
cluttered with story and dialogue and not leave enough time for the
simple enjoyment of a well lit shot or an interesting camera angle.
The manner in which the interrogation rooms were shot was
interesting. During the successive hypnosis sessions Chrissy goes
from seeing the detectives before her to seeing little grey men to
seeing suits and uniforms but throughout, the layout and positioning
of her interrogators remains the same. My favorite shot was the scene
where Chrissy and Harold are being held captive in the cage and then
each is successively yanked out into the blinding light. This was in
the trailer and I thought it had a very scary feel to it and was
filmed great. One of the most interesting visuals was the view that
Roky had of the couple lying on the ground at the feet of the two
cowering "aliens" with Lord Kinbote standing over them bathed in red
light. Pretty cool...and when Lord Kinbote walked over to Roky's
truck and spoke to him (in English, no less!) did anyone else think
he sounded a heck of alot like Andre the Giant as the flaming, Dread
Pirate Roberts from Princess Bride?
The story overall was interesting and complex and definitely an
X-File. I only wonder how this information will effect Mulder's
perspective of alien abductions in the future. Or Scully's for that
matter. The whole theme of hypnosis and mind control is an
interesting one and the idea of hypnosis, and even just leading
questions in an interrogation, begins to cast doubt on any
individual's recollections or testimony. Even without being subjected
to a mind rinse like Chrissy, two people's versions of one event are
invariably different and sometimes on critical points. And it was
painfully obvious in the case of Chrissy that with a bit of coaching
and planted information her story took on different shades of the
possible truth. From aliens to air force and from the message that it
was for the "good of her planet" to the "good of her country". Very
similar but one wonders how this relates to the actual circumstances
of her missing time. With regard to the MIB, I felt that their
inclusion in this episode made it a bit cluttered and could have been
eliminated. But having said that, I think I would have traded all the
speeches about Venus and kept that knee drop of Blane while he
screamed "Roswell, Roswell!". The funniest MIB in the episode were
Mulder and Scully as seen by Blane. Scully, a man in disguise with a
rather unconvincing shade of red hair and Mulder, the mandroid with a
girlie scream, and both of them being physically and verbally abusive
to Blane and threatening his life. Not the way we usually perceive
our daring duo. The alien autopsy spoof was a definite keeper
especially with the pseudo Mark Snow riff in the background but the
funniest part was actually when Blane, our intrepid videographer,
realizes it's *just* a dead human being and loses his lunch.
Scully tells Jose Chung that her version of events probably
doesn't offer the sense of closure that he was hoping for but that it
has more than some of their cases. This is true because although we
never really find out about the 3rd alien, we do determine that the
first two "aliens" were in fact air force pilots and that the
"abductees" were actually hypnotized at an airbase by the military
and doctors. Of course, this is if you believe the story that Mulder
tells from his supposed encounter with Jack Schaeffer. I for one
believe this story because I have more history with Mulder than these
other characters so I'll take his word for it that he didn't just sit
in that diner eating sweet potato pie. Schaeffer's explanation for
the use of UFOs makes sense and the disappearance of the body from
the hospital and subsequent recovery of it and Schaeffer's at the
crash site are all too convenient, just screaming cover-up. Lord
Kinbote and innerspace (watch out for the Lava Men!)....who knows.
But it was sort of spooky to hear Schaeffer mention Lord Kinbote as
he was escorted from the diner.
Overall, I thought JC'sFOS was a solid episode delivered in a
non-traditional style that I appreciated. Jose Chung's voice-over
ended by saying that "although we may not be alone in the universe,
in our own separate ways on this planet, we are all alone." This sort
of hits a chord with me and I think in a way the whole VO seemed to
imply that people are so busy looking off to the future or up in the
sky that they are missing life in the present with their neighbors on
this planet. I can't end this without mentioning the article that
someone quoted from USA Today about Darin Morgan. As much as I
complained earlier about too many humorous episodes this season, I
have to admit that I look forward to DM episodes as much as the next
DM junky. They are always innovative and so far always funny in my
opinion. I am disappointed to hear that DM might be burnt out enough
to consider not returning next season. This would be a great loss for
the show and the fans. I hope this turns out to be just a rumor or
that if it is true that he changes his mind. If not I guess I'm just
glad I have them on tape and can watch them again when I need a fix.
If you're going to go out then I guess you should go out with a bang
and this episode qualifies in my book. But life will be a little less
bright without the spleen.
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