Doors of Perception
May 25, 1996
Written by Ray Morrison, Directed by Jim Manzarek
Well after hearing all the discussion on the list about the
Nessie lost episode being remade into Quagmire I was happy to see a
lost episode being aired as a summer replacement to the usual lot of
reruns we are subjected to. I have to admit that some of the
episodes are worth viewing again but since I've been fairly vigilant
in my taping this third season I'd prefer to have reruns of first or
second season episodes I missed the first time around. Or better yet
some lost episodes. These are sort of the "not ready for prime-time"
episodes but are preferrable to watching reruns when I can just pop
in my tape of the ones I have already. And for a summer starter I
was gratified to see an episode that addressed what I've considered
to be the most obvious X-File to present itself to Mulder since I
became aware of it in the second season. And just think...it was
right on his doorstep the whole time.
So to give an overview followed by my own perceptions and
observations of this episode. Somewhere in the middle of the second
season I noticed how strange the hallway of Mulder's building was. I
guess this is what happens when you tape episodes...you have time to
notice these things on the third viewing. Sure, I noticed the
numbers on his own apartment door and how they were missing sometimes
only to show up in another episode or they'd change to a different
style of brass number. The most disturbing thing was that the
hallway and door across from Mulder's was in a constant state of
flux. Talk about dynamic. Sometimes when he opened his door the
hallway went on in either direction while other times there was a
wall just to the right of his door. And then at other times the wall
was present but suddenly there was a window present as well. Then of
course there was the apartment across the hall. The view from
Mulder's door would occasionally show a blank wall and at other times
there would be an apartment directly across from his....and on the
occasions when this door was present it would change from #43 to #45.
Well, you say, this is simply a matter of changing sets or
inconsistencies...but is it? Or is something more bizarre
happening...something that Mulder as an investigator will notice and
pounce on with one of his "out there" theories? In D.O.P., Mulder
decides that it's not simply a crick in his neck from sleeping on his
couch that has him convinced that something strange is going on so he
calls in a paranormal detective and with the aid of Scully tries to
get to the bottom of this phenomenon.
Mulder contacts Dr. Huxley through the Lone Gunmen. Huxley
specializes in psychic phenomenon and paranormal field
investigations. I thought this would turn out to be a cheesy episode
since the outfitting of Mulder's apartment with all the equipment and
paraphenalia for the big sleep-over event reminded me too much of all
the shows like Sightings and its predecessors. They seem to spend so
much time and energy in the set-up and yet never get any data to
speak of...and this turned out to be the case for our dynamic duo's
domestic project. I also had flashbacks to the movie Poltergeist and
was hoping they didn't go into the kitchen so that we wouldn't have
to endure that steak walking across the counter. Not scary...just
gross. But this episode somehow avoided being sucked down that road
and even had some interesting moments of dialogue and connection
between Mulder and Scully as they talked into the night during the
wait. This lost episode appears to be from mid to late second season
so there was no third season rift to contend with per se...but
interestingly enough, Mulder's theory on the phenomenon could explain
what some have seen as a rift this season. Basically, Mulder is
convinced that there is some sort of unstable dimensional rift at or
near his doorstep that allows him to step out into alternate
dimensions on some mornings. He feels this can explain why there are
occasions when Scully seems to be coming around to his views and
beliefs and yet the very next case she is an adamant skeptic. It is a
reasonable explanation for why she could go on deluding herself that
nothing paranormal is involved in the X-Files cases when she herself
has "seen" various incidents of unexplainable phenomenon. If
Mulder's rift had appeared, then he might be walking out into an
alternate reality that differs only slightly from his own and in this
reality, Scully has not witnessed anything that would convince her
that the cases are anything but scientifically explainable. This
would also be an explanation why the two partners appear to have such
rapport and then suddenly be sniping at each other from one case to
the next. It could just be based on incidents that we don't see on
the show or it could fit into Mulder's theory. Huxley believes that
Mulder may be on to something and so sets up his equipment on a
Saturday and he and the agents prepare to spend the weekend
monitoring the doorway for any strange activity.
As I mentioned, the saving aspect of this episode was the
opportunity to throw our characters into close quarters with time on
their hands. Huxley is busy monitoring his equipment and for the
most part is oblivous to their presence with his headphones and
constant Twinkie consumption (yet another X-File in the making). So
with nothing better to do the agents begin by discussing Mulder's
theory but they degenerate into discussions that reflect more
personal aspects. This is the stuff that I live for...sure we might
not really learn all that much more about them but it's appealing to
humanize the characters and learn some background and some quirks
about each of them. I thought this talk might turn ugly when Mulder
begins with his theorizing since it is not the sort of thing that
Scully will subscribe to but she seems to be tolerant of his
ramblings. I'm convinced that she doesn't believe they will discover
any phenomena with Huxley's equipment but came anyway just to support
her partner. And this level of support is apparent as she listens to
his ramblings about the possible rift between them and doesn't
strangle him. I don't think she is willing to admit that their
rapport is an ever changing element. I have to agree with Scully
that overall they are working toward a stronger bond but disagree
when it comes to overlooking the occasions when one or the other
appears to be out of sync from one case to the next. But the
continuing conversation goes off on a tangent and this tangential
meandering is what is most appealing. We learn a bit about the
fashion habits of our daring duo in high school...kind of frightening
to imagine and possibly one of the truly scary moments in the show's
history. What is hard to believe is that Scully actually admitted
to owning toe-socks and wearing them, with sandals no less! But the
most incredible visual is when Mulder tells Scully that he went
through a disco phase and was into highly flammable fashions and
elevated footwear. Hard to believe that he needed the extra height
though maybe he was a late bloomer. But mondo-heels? I shudder at
the image and Scully looked a bit green around the gills but helped
him out by admitting to wearing high heel tennis shoes. These
fashion crimes are better relegated to the past. I liked hearing
their stories of college and post-graduate studies. I guess it's
comforting to see that they had to pay their dues along the way and
didn't just suddenly rise to their positions in the bureau by magic.
Not that I didn't think they worked hard to get there but it's always
been just another line on their resumes. The gory details are much
more fun and the college pranks are definitely worth hearing. They
seemed to be veering to more personal issues around the time that
Huxley's equipment went on the fritz and the Gunmen were called in so
we didn't get to go down that road. That's probably for the best,
though some people would have probably enjoyed hearing them have an
intimate discussion. But having Frohike make the scene and ask if he
and Scully could do each other's hair at the sleep-over more than
made up for it.
Overall, the episode was not stellar which explains its summer
replacement status. Mulder's theory belonged in a science fiction
genre show more than the X-Files so it was doomed from the outset.
Huxley's equipment failure could have been a simple malfunction or
the work of sabotage during his midnight run to the Stop&Rob for
more Twinkies. If Mulder and Scully hadn't been so engrossed in
their discussions they could have monitored the equipment more
closely and we might have been able to decide whether it was an
accident or the work of outside forces. But either way it was
unlikely that they would be lucky enough to catch the phenomenon in
action. So once again we have a case that is left with an ambiguous
ending. Is it midnight apartment complex maintenance or an actual
dimensional rift that is being covered up and protected by some
unseen operatives who don't want our agents to discover the truth?
We'll never know but this episode was worth it just to learn more
about Mulder and Scully's pasts...and the images those conversation
topics provided us will fuel my imagination for at least a week until
the next lost episode.
Spelunk
May 31, 1996
Written by Flo Stone, Directed by Jordan Carlsbad
Well, I've been waiting a long time for this episode. The main
reason is that I really love caves and only wish I could find a way
to rearrange my CV allowing me to write a grant to spend the rest of
my working lifetime exploring them. But aside from this is the fact
that a cave inherently conjures up a spooky atmosphere whether it be
a lava tube or a huge limestone cavern. Even a chilly ice cave can
give you a sense of alienation. Other than the depths of the ocean,
I think inside caves we feel the most out of our element on our own
planet. I suppose this alone was not enough to bring this episode to
our prime-time screens but as a lost episode it gave a passable
X-File experience with loads of atmosphere.
From a first glance, this doesn't seem to be a case suited for
our daring duo and I started to have flash backs picturing Hell
Money. But at least we were given some information to explain why
this file ended up on Mulder's desk in the first place. Apparently,
tour guides have been disappearing from a cavern in Kentucky. Being
experienced spelunkers, or at least familiar with the layout of the
cave, the authorities are hard pressed to explain how the guides
could have become lost in the caverns and they have been unable to
recover any bodies. What we find out when Mulder briefs Scully in
the basement, is that following interviews of those close to the
victims, the authorities have learned that each of the guides had
mentioned strange lights in regions of the caverns where tours are
not conducted and where no person should have been. They also
complained of a creepy feeling when they saw these lights. Each said
they couldn't explain the source of their unease but it must have
been noteworthy to mention as they related the experience to their
friend or loved one. Mulder jumps all over this bit of information
and the two are on a plane to Kentucky.
Upon arrival, the two agents coordinate their case with the local
law in the person of Sheriff Sonora. Sonora introduces them to the
owners of the cavern, the Helectites, who are a bit bizarre but seem
eager to assist in the investigation however they can. I think the
main problem with this episode was the supporting actors. Sonora's
character was believable but the cavern crew as a whole was littered
with bad actors from the Shatner school of overacting. Usually an XF
teleplay doesn't lead so forcefully with the story and acting. The
creators give us the benefit of the doubt in the brains department.
We can figure this stuff out and when they do get heavy handed it's
usually the low point of an episode. But in the case of Spelunk, the
employees of the cavern were so melodramatically characterized that I
felt like I was in midst of a Scooby Doo episode. The main saving
factor was the atmosphere once our dynamic duo donned their gear and
headed down into the rarely explored regions of the cavern. The
darkness, isolation and claustrophobic atmosphere lend enough
spookiness to set most people forward on the edge of their seat. I
actually find caves to be a comforting place to hang out in but I
think many people heave a sigh of relief when they hit the surface,
even if their glasses fog up and they blink like a mole yanked out of
its hiding place.
A major staple of any classic X-Files episode would have to be
the use of the power flashlights. And this was the best excuse they
could ever need to haul them out of mothballs. As the two agents
make their way further and further into the dark recesses of the cave
Scully constantly comments on the huge size and scale of the
formations in the cavern much to the dismay of Mulder. I got the
feeling he was feeling a bit inadequate and not quite up to the
challenge posed by their surroundings. I nearly choked when Scully
noted the similarity between a large stalagmite and the Washington
monument then went on the list enough phallic symbols to make Freud
blush. And Mulder didn't fare much better. As the pair leave the
main trail and go back into the unaccessed regions of the cave they
begin to feel that unsettling feeling that the victims spoke of but
they don't see anything in particular. The big scare comes when a
small group of bats are scared from their perch on the low ceiling
and proceed to tangle themselves in Mulder's hair. It only seemed
fair to me that this cliche should happen to Mulder after Scully had
to fight off the killer kitty in TDB. But this was too predictable
in its attempt to scare only to discover that it was just bats...and
this lead the episode on its rapid descent into the B grade horror
that kept it from making the A list. As they hike further in, Mulder
begins expounding on his theories getting a "Scully look" for his
efforts. She's not out of line though since Mulder doesn't seem to
be able to come up with anything that can't be beaten down with a
Scully Rational Explanation. The cave should have nothing living this
deep in with the exception of an occasional cave cricket so the idea
of a prehistoric animal is as unbelievable as fireflies in this case.
Besides as Scully mentions, how does a prehistoric animal explain
the lights the victims saw? The fact is our daring duo are having
trouble finding any evidence at all in the caves and the whole trip
is turning out to be an exercise in futility. Then to top it off
they decide they are going to come back later and get into a huge
fight over whether they should come back on Friday or Sunday.
Friday...Sunday...Friday...Sunday...ad naseum. I thought they were
going to split up and go in opposite directions at the next fork in
the cave just to get away from each other but right about that time
they see some lights down a nearby passage. Just as they begin to
head off to get a closer look they are startled by the appearance of
the owner, Mr. Helectite. He is acting excessively twitchy and
suggests that they head back topside but Mulder and Scully are not to
be discouraged just as things start to look interesting. Helectite
seems adamant but they just drag him along to check things out. What
they find is a large seemingly bottomless abyss that just appears out
of nowhere without signs marking its existence on the trail. As they
shine their flashlights down the sides they see the bodies of the
missing guides and Helectite is hard pressed to play the innocent in
the face of this new evidence.
That's the main problem with this episode...when we arrive at the
finish line it's such an anticlimactic moment that I didn't even jar
myself awake. The Helectites were obviously aware of the pit and
during a heartfelt apology and explanation before being taken away by
the authorities, Mr. H tells M&S that he had heard about a buried
treasure but didn't want to have to report it to the state or share
the find with his employees so had been doing his excavating in
secret. So the guides weren't dragged off by a prehistoric monster
or a cave dwelling alien species that glows in the dark...they simply
stumbled on the dig site and either fell in to their death or were
helped in by a greedy Mr. H. Scooby Doo where are you? If it weren't
for you meddling agents....yawn. There were a few good moments of
dialogue between M&S and the look of the episode was fantastic
but the story was so weak that these things were not enough to
salvage the episode. Spelunk might have been the toss up with Teso
Dos Bichos with TDB winning hands down. The acting of GA and DD was
hovering just above average and the exchanges before the tiff were
fun. It's always fun to hear the theory swapping that they engage in
when they are just two partners on the case trying to work out a
problem. Mulder was as out there as usual and Scully had a rational
explanation for every curve ball he threw her way. The loose ends in
this episode aren't thought provoking but rather appear to be a case
of lazy writing. For instance, why did the victims and M&S have
that "unsettling feeling" in the caverns? And what exactly were the
lights reported? They might have occasionally been due to one of the
Helectites doing excavations with lanterns and flashlights but if
this was the case then the guides would have stumbled into the abyss
long before they could have reported back to their friends about
"seeing lights". These are just two problems in an episode mired in
oversights but I still enjoyed it for the experience of hanging out
with my two favorite FBI agents in a dark cave. I mean how can you
pass up the opportunity to get a lesson on cave formations from
Scully and to hear Mulder comment on the buried treasure probably
being "the Colonel's secret recipe"? I know I can't pass it up
especially perched over an abyss of reruns.
Zygodactyl
June 8, 1996
Written by Susan Talon, Directed by Robert Storm
For a "not ready for prime time" episode, I thought that
Zygodactyl was a great offering. It gave me the feel of a first
season MOTW episode and I think it actually was written very late in
the first season. Some of the scenes from this episode seemed to be
lifted and rewritten for Fearful Symmetry which makes me wonder why
they didn't just show this one instead since FS wasn't exactly a
stellar episode. The story line is very different from FS but the
inclusion of the invisibility factor harkened back to that episode.
But TPTB decided against this one and I'm just glad I got a chance to
see the lost episode as a summer replacement.
From the teaser I was intrigued by the direction this storyline
could take in terms of visuals. I am a big supporter of the visual
aspect of this show since they do such a wonderful job with the
cinematography and from the pilot have done amazing things with
special effects. Who needs to have a face to face encounter with a
monster of the week when an interesting filming technique can do so
much to suggest and encourage my imagination to fill in the blanks.
The teaser opens with our view from behind the eyes of something that
is stalking its prey. We seem to be in a deserted restaurant and as
we near our quarry we enter a kitchen. I felt like I was in that
great kitchen scene in Jurassic Park and the tension was palpable.
The prey seemed to be the owner who was in the back office doing the
books and he appeared to be completely unaware of the danger
approaching. As the stalker pushes open the final door separating it
from its prey it passes into the office which is lined with
decorative mirrors but no reflection is visible. I thought this
would be where we were allowed to see the visage of the attacker but
instead discovered that no reflection was to be found. At this point
the owner has realized that something has entered his domain and as
he calls out a query to a presence he can feel but not see he is
brutally attacked and our view into the mirrors which should reveal
the attacker is instead streaked and obscured with blood. A pretty
damn effective teaser.
Zygodactyl is a good example of an episode where our daring duo
are really working well as partners. They are discussing the case
and swapping theories from the outset and although they rarely can
agree on a hypothesis they are together on their pursuit of the
investigative angle. The murder we witnessed was in a restaurant
that is part of a shopping mall. There have been a rash of murders
recently and the only thing that Mulder and Scully can come up with
is the fact that some construction has been underway recently on some
of the shops. So far there have been four mysterious deaths with no
witnesses and no leads although there was a security camera that
caught one of the murders on tape. As Scully and Mulder view this
tape they witness a scene similar to what the teaser portrayed. The
murder takes place in a curio/china shop and as the store owner is
locking up for the night she appears to be yanked off her feet from
behind and brutally slashed and ripped to pieces yet there is no
attacker visible to the camera. As the tape plays out the shop is a
flurry of broken china and blood...all that was missing was the bull
running rampant as Mulder points out. Scully does not seem amused.
Following a day of investigation the partners spend the evening
eating pizza and discussing the case in a hotel room suite. I really
enjoyed this scene since we got to see their investigative process
but also because we got to see their downtime. Okay, since they were
working it's not strictly downtime but it is the sort of thing we are
not privy to often and when we are (Deep Throat, Eve, Jose Chung) it
makes for a different look at the two agents other than strictly
basement diplomacy. As they discuss their theories, Scully realizes
the work on the heating system underway in some of the stores
recently correlates to the murders which seem to have been localized
around this area. Mulder suggests that maybe some sort of entity had
been using the old system as a home and the disturbance has it out of
sorts. I think this is close on the heels of Tooms and so Scully
can't completely discount his "out there" theory but she is still
looking for a more rational explanation. She wants to believe that
the images on the security cameras have just been obscured since the
tapes are used over and over. Maybe there was an attacker who just
wasn't visible on the tape. Mulder of course agrees that the
attacker couldn't be seen but he believes that it is because it is a
mutant life form or entity with the characteristic of invisibility.
Scully decides to sleep on it while Mulder stays up for the midnight
movie Harvey, which he claims was his favorite when he was a kid.
The thing I liked about the resolution of this case was that both
of their viewpoints and input were necessary to solve this case. If
either of them had been let loose on their own they probably wouldn't
have been able to stop the murders but since they both have such
diverse inputs, the combination works. I love it when their
differences are their strength. Scully has looked closely at all the
previous murders and has decided that the next logical location for
an attack is at the mall's pet store. Mulder is convinced that if
they don't actually catch the killer this time they will be a step
ahead if they at least have another chance of viewing a break-in or
attack on tape. They decide to stake-out the pet store and in
addition install several security cameras all with high quality tape.
The store owner is cooperative but the mall security feel that the
agents don't have to spend the night in the shop since they are more
than capable of seeing to the task. With no recourse but cooperation
the agents have to sit this one out. The predictable happens and the
security guard is stalked and killed and although this turn was
obvious I still enjoyed the look from behind the attacker's eyes.
It's just an interesting view to the kill from a different
perspective and makes for a spookier feel. When the guard's body is
found by his relief, Mulder and Scully are alerted and arrive on the
scene prepared to view the tapes for any new insights. Once again
they find a graphic portrayal of the security guard's death but no
sign of the murder suspect. It has also been noted that the shop
itself was not broken into and yet somehow the attacker gained
access. After casting a few edgy glances at the small heating
registers they discover that there is a larger entry that the
murderer could have used since some ductwork leading from the old
heating system has yet to be completely sealed up. And in fact a
further questioning of the guards on duty reveals that all of the
shops where attacks have occurred are in the same state of partial
repair. So it is possible that the killer has gained access through
the heating system. But when the additional tapes from the security
cameras are reviewed there is no evidence of a person gaining entry
through the ducts. After conferring with the other detectives and
the security guards it is decided that Mulder and Scully will pull an
all-nighter the following night to try to lure the killer once again.
Instead of going back to the hotel for some rest, Mulder takes
the security tapes back to his room to review. And this is where the
truly spooky evidence is uncovered. There is something about this
that I find very creepy. I think it is because I read a ghost story
like this a long time ago. Mulder is watching the tape of an
interior angle inside the pet store when he notices a response from
the animals in the frame. There is no appearance of anything in the
room but suddenly all the animals seem to turn and look at something
in their line of sight. They appear to track its movement and
although this should bring what they are viewing into the frame of
the camera there is no person or object visible. The noise in the
room is also suddenly absent. The various animal sounds come to an
abrupt halt as they all focus on some invisible object and then in
that silence is the sound of a bird talking. It seems to be focused
on the same spot as the other animals but instead of silence it is
trying to communicate with an entity that cannot be seen. Mulder
calls Scully in to view the tape and at this point she can't find an
explanation to rule out the invisible entity theory that Mulder lays
on the table. It is obvious that the animals are responding to some
presence and the image of the bird talking to the seemingly empty
room is enough to make for an unsettling few hours of sleep before
they head to the mall.
So we're in the homestretch. Our agents get ready for their
watch and settle in the back office so as not to disturb the animals.
As the early hours of the morning arrive their game of war is
disturbed by a sudden silence. The animals have suddenly grown quiet
and they realize it's showtime. Just as they saw on the tape of the
previous night, there is a voice in the pool of silence addressing an
unseen intruder. The animals all seem to be aware of the presence
but the parrot is trying to talk to it. As M&S move slowly into
the front of the store, the sound of the bird's small, low voice
addressing the entity is a real skin crawling moment. Just as they
near the spot where they feel the intruder is located, the animals go
nuts as something seems to move past them toward the back of the
store. Mulder and Scully try to chase the entity but this is a bit
hard when it can't be seen. Under the cacophony of sound they reach
the back room and discover the heating duct's temporary cover torn
free. Mulder starts to climb in but Scully reminds him that he told
her she could get the next mutant and an invisible entity will do
just as good. Scully's search of the vent reveals nothing and so it
seems the fun is over for the night. And maybe for good since the
next day when they come back to talk with the detective in charge
they find the heating restoration has been completed and all the old
system ducts have been covered and plastered over. Mulder's
disappointment is apparent as they leave the scene but it is obvious
that the killings will not continue and that the mystery of what the
entity actually was will remain just that.....a mystery.
So there you have it...a lost episode whose status as a lost
episode I question. I don't see why this was passed over in favor of
some of the other less than thrilling shows we've endured. I really
love the X-Files but I must admit that it doesn't ever really scare
me. There are some scenes that might make me cringe on occasion but
overall I never feel scared and yet this episode gave me a creepy
feeling during the scenes in the pet store. Plus the fear of the
unseen attack and the brutality of that attack has to rank right up
there with other XF death scenes. On top of that, as stated at the
outset, the cinematography and camera work were used to great effect
for most of the scenes making the episode a great visual ride. Of
course, the icing on the cake was some watchable interaction between
M&S doing a great job as partners and investigators making
Zygodactyl a first season discard that would have made some welcome
relief as a third season first run replacement for a few
unmentionables.
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