Year two of The X-Files was the break out season; it went from being a minor, little seen series to critical darling. The Golden Globe for best drama was a huge boost, and this season also snagged a trio of major Emmy nominations, including best drama. Although in some ways I prefer season three for it's imagination and originality, this twenty five episode run stands as the strongest year for the show.
In fact, the sheer amount of hall-of-fame episodes is quiet amazing, considering the show was thrown in turmoil when Gillian Anderson became pregnant and understandably had to change her working schedule. This situation actually provided The X-Files with real dramatics as she Scully was abducted by aliens, leaving Mulder frantic and desperate. Of course, the scenario was reversed in the eighth season.
The season delivered a ton of kick-ass installments, most notably 'The Host', 'Blood', the Emmy-nominated 'Duane Barry', 'One Breath', 'Die Hand Die Verletzt' and 'Irresistible'. 'Humbug' was the years most pleasant surprise: a deliciously outrageous stand-alone which gave us more laughs than most sitcoms on the air.
Sure, they weren’t all great...'3' and 'Firewalker' crashed and burned, for example...but the good easily outweighed the bad. The X-Files had clicked gloriously, discovered it’s voice and found it’s place it TV history.
LITTLE GREEN MENDirected by David Nutter. Written by Glen Morgan and James Wong.
EPISODE RATING (1 to 4 stars): ***
Following the events of 'The Erlenmeyer Flask', the X-Files has been shut down by the FBI, and Mulder and Scully have been reassigned. Scully is now teaching trainees at the Quantico HQ, while Mulder is working mundane wire and phone tap cases. Disillusioned, Mulder seems ready to give up his cause, but then he's summoned before his high-powered ally, Senator Richard Matheson (Raymond J. Barry, reprising his role from the first season). Matheson gives him a tip to trek to an abandoned SETI facility in Purto Rico, where evidence of alien life has been compiled. However, Mulder gets more than he bargains for, and then has to deal with an approaching crew of government operatives who have authorization to use terminal force.
Good, solid episode to kick off the second season is never really exciting until the last third, but works well throughout. The script is intelligent, and allows both agents to work aggressively on their own. The best thing this one does is get inside Mulder's head, and examines his beliefs. There's a compelling flashback sequence in which see young Mulder witnessing his sister Samantha's abduction. Duchovny's scene with Barry is great, and there's a great moment near the end involving Mulder, Cigarette Smoking Man (William B. Davis) and Assistant Director Skinner (Mitch Pileggi), which gives us hint on which side Skinner wants to stand. On the downside, it is perhaps a little lowkey...certainly compared to the season openers that were to come. Although the files are shut down, there's no cliffhanger scenario to jump back into; we have to build suspense from scratch.
Nevertheless, 'Little Green Men' is an entertaining way to kick off the break-out season of The X-Files
THE HOSTDirected by Daniel Sackheim. Written by Chris Carter.
RATING: ***1/2
Mulder is taken away from his bland phone tap assignment when Skinner assigns him to investigate a body that's surfaced in a New Jersey sewer. Mulder believes he's being jerked around by the assistant director, and admits to Scully that he's even considered quitting the bureau. Scully examines the corpse as a favor, and comes across a small, worm-like creature inside the body. Scully tells Mulder it's a type of flatworm, or fluke, and informs her a sewer worker suffered a large bite, and if just a creature could be responsible. Scully says if a fluke was the biter, it would have to be huge. And sure enough, Mulder comes across it. And who is the mystery man calling Mulder and sliding a newspaper under Scully's door?
'The Host' is a episode that really clicked with audiences, and remains a favorite today. In fact, this case was even referred to twice in later episodes ('The Field Where I Died' and 'Pusher'). And it surely is a great installment. The creature is wonderfully creepy, and stands as one of the show's most memorable creations. It's hard to believe that beneath the rubbery fluke suit it's Darin Morgan, arguably the show's best (future) writer! The scientific elements of the script are informative and intriguing, and Mulder and Scully come off very well. Director Sackheim (best known for his award-winning work on stuff like NYPD Blue) provides a number of tense and eerie segments of the flukeman beneath the water. There's a great ending too, with Scully's final revelation about the flukeman totally logical. The semi- introduction of Mr. X(Steven Williams) is involving, and very soon the character would become a crucial part of the X saga.
Although much of 'The Host' takes place a great deal in the sewers, it certainly doesn't stink.
BLOODDirected by David Nutter. Written by Glen Morgan and James Wong; Based on a story by Darin Morgan
RATING: ***1/2
A small, peaceful town has suddenly had seven murder sprees in an alarmingly short period of time, each time the killer is an apparently normal individual with no history of violence. Mulder is on the case, called in by the bewildered sheriff (John Cygan), and discovers each time there's a piece of damaged electronic devices nearby. As Mulder investigates, several other such deaths occur, and Mulder himself nearly becomes another victim. Scully performs a medical examination and discovers a strange chemical which may be responsible for the rash of mayhem. Meanwhile, a recently fired man (William Sanderson) is being haunted by a disturbing images and messages whenever he comes across a digital display.
Right from the intense pre credits sequence, 'Blood' is a real thrill ride. There's a hell of a lot of good stuff packed into this stand alone. Throughout we see ordinary people get doses of the mysterious messages that provoke violence, and it is works all the way. One scene in which a frightened woman as a confrontation with a creepy mechanic is powerful, and so successful because it's not what you expect. That's what this story does so well...it's constantly surprising and unpredictable. This is the only episode co-written by James Wong, Glen Morgan and his brother Darin (his first for the series), so it's got a lot going for it. Another merit is the fine performances of guest performers Cygan and Sanderson. The former (who co-starred on the series The Commish) brings a surprisingly depth to is potentially limited part of the small town law enforcer; he's not a hick cop but an honest, concerned man trying to understand what's happening to his beloved community. Sanderson (best known for Blade Runner) is on target as the loser slowly losing his mind and boarding on the descent into violence. We feel sorry for him while fear what he's going to do.
Throw in a creepy ending, a funny cameo by the Lone Gunmen (Bruce Harwood, Tom Braidwood and Dean Haglund) and a few satirical barbs and you've got one of the season's best episodes.
Glen Morgan on 'Blood': "As we wrote it, we were thinking, what do you have in your house that you're going to deal with every day that scares you? 'Blood' is very visual. Jim and I used the least amount of dialogue possible, because the episode deals with people receiving messages and looking at things. The fourth act is really intense, and William Sanderson, who plays Funsch, did a great job."
SLEEPLESSDirected by Rob Bowman. Written by Howard Gordon.
RATING: ***
In Manhattan, an expert in sleep deprivation sees his apartment go up in smoke so he phones the 911. When the fight fighters arrive, they find no fire, yet an autopsy reveals that his body suffered the effects without actually being burned. Mulder finds this fascinating, and requests Skinner to take a look into it. He gets his wish, and gets a new partner in the process: young Alex Krycek (Nicholas Lea). Together working the case, they discover the dead man was involved in a top secret government project during the Vietnam war, and one of those involved, Augustus Cole (Tony Todd, the menacing lead of the Candy Man flicks) is walking around and eliminating those involved with powers of suggestion.
Although not full-on exciting as either 'The Host' or 'Blood', 'Sleepless' is a subtly-creepy installment that has a compelling scenario and some effective visuals. The story does tend to drag a little in the third quarter, but picks up for a dramatic conclusion. Like a number of other X villains, Preacher (Todd) is a rather tragic figure, brutal in his actions, yet not without sympathy for his suffering and history. Todd is very good, and this episode does more for the actor's creditability than a good number of his film work. Although essentially a stand alone episode, 'Sleepless' has some huge conspiracy overtones. Of course, the biggest element is the introduction of Lea as Krycek. Introduced as Mulder's likable new sidekick, it doesn't take long before he reveals himself to be one of the best, and seemingly unkillable, villains in TV history. Lea is great in pre-nasty mode here. After his brief, shadowy appearance in 'The Host', Steven Williams shows himself as Mr. X, Mulder's mysterious post-Deep Throat contact. He's a great addition to the show, and would go on to have a few dynamite moments later in the season. On top of these aspects, Cigarette Smoking Man makes a crucial cameo appearance. In terms of X-Files mythology, this is a cornerstone episode.
Nominated for Single Picture Production Editing Emmy.
Rob Bowman on 'Sleepless': "It was an excellent script. Everybody has a nice role. The idea that the bad guy [Cole] was more sympathetic, that you actually rooted for him, was great. You could see why he was killing his friend; it was more like mercy killing. The guy hasn't slept for 24 years and he's in hell, and his friend has come to exorcise him of his demons. It wasn't just a good guy / bad guy scenario. It was a tough script to write, and well done. There was something warming about that one. I just have a good feeling about it."
THE TRUTH IS DOWN HERE