PIPER MARU

Directed by Rob Bowman. Written by Frank Spotnitz and Chris Carter.

RATING: ***

The agents learn about the Piper Maru, a scavenger ship that has met with an odd situation; Nearly every member of the crew has suffered acute radiation burns, yet the ship is radioactive free. The only one not in this state was a diver by the name of Gauthier who had gone into the wreckage of a WWII fighter plane on the bottom of the ocean. Mulder also notices an oily substance on the Gauthier's diving suit. Gauthier returns to his home, but suddenly starts to act oddly, attacking his wife. Although he later comes back to normal, he recalls nothing since locating the plane at sea. While Scully meets with a retired naval officer for information on the sunken plane, Mulder investigates connections to Gauthier, which leads him to a female smuggler. Mulder follows her to Japan, and suddenly Alex Krycek appears from out of nowhere and murders the woman, who Mulder has just placed in custody. Elsewhere in the states, things turn even nastier when Walter Skinner is shot and rushed to hospital.

With this show, we get the introduction of the mysterious black oil, which would fuel many of the mythology shows over the next six years. What would the show be like in recent times if the oil was just a throw-away plot device used for this two parter? It’s hard to imagine. 'Piper Maru' (named after Anderson’s real life daughter) is an about average show with starts slow and builds to a edge-of-the-seat finale. Actually, the leisurely pace early going is a good thing, as it allows Scully to get some juicy pieces of character exploration. There’s a handful of strong scenes for Anderson to sink her teeth into before the action really begins.

The appearance of Krycek is terrific, as the moment he shows up, you realize our heroes have truly stumbled onto something big. Leas name was actually left off the opening guest credits, although he has considerable screen time. The producers obviously wanted to surprise the viewers with his appearance, which payed off. Duchovny is in fine form too, especially when he comes face to face with Krycek, who he blames for the death of his father. The shooting of Skinner is more than a little telegraphed, but works nevertheless, and adds a thrilling new wrinkle to the story, which had just picked up steam with return of Krycek. The final scene of the episode, including Mulder, Krycek and the black oil is terrific cliffhanger, one that leave you hungry for the second part of the story.

Well plotted, thoughtful and surprising, Piper Maru is strong episode, and a signpost of what direction the conspiracy shows were about to take.

Frank Spotnitz on 'Piper Maru': "I felt that after 'Nisei' and '731', which were really pure actor shows, that I wanted to do a two-parter that was more intimate and had strong emotional current to it. Picking up on the death of Melissa and using that idea about the inability to bury the dead as themes to play through the two-parter really appealed to me. That was where we introduced the idea of the alien oil, which has proved to be important in the mythology of The X-Files."

APOCRYPHA

Directed by Kim Manners. Written by Frank Spotnitz and Chris Carter.

RATING: ***

The story continues, with Skinner in the hospital after the shooting, and Mulder transporting Krycek...and the mysterious black oil inside him. Mulder wants Krycek to take him to where he has hidden the tape, but before they get far, they're run off the road by what appears to be conspiracy operatives. Mulder is injured, and Krycek appears to have made his getaway. Mulder and Scully are reunited at the hospital, and she establishes the man who shot Skinner also killed her sister, Melissa. Mulder tells her he believes the black oil is an alien life form that was inside the downed plane, and the salvage diver has unleashed it. It now exists inside Krycek, and Cigarette Smoking Man and his comrades want to cover up the mess they helped bring about many years ago.

Dynamite conclusion to this two parter starts with a compelling and believable flashback to 1953, featuring young versions of William Mulder and CSM. The show slows down a little after that, with Mulder and the possessed Krycek on the road and Scully doing some scientific investigations, along with seeing to the wounded Skinner. However, the episode suddenly gets a burst of energy following a funny yet crucial appearance of the Lone Gunmen. From there we're treated to some terrific scenes involving the key conspiracy figures, especially the Well Manicured Man, with another fabulously intense John Neville performance. Anderson gets a terrific moment where she pursues Skinner's attacker...and possibly her sister's killer...down a city street. There's a moment where we question whether or not she will murder him. There's a gentle, moving graveyard exchange between Mulder and Scully...before we get the unsettling glimpse of what's become of Krycek.

'Apocrypha' is another terrific installment in the intriguing conspiracy saga.

Frank Spotnitz on 'Apocrypha': "That was really the payoff of 'Piper Maru'. I was especially pleased with the way we continued the story about what happened on board that submarine. It was very hard, with flashbacks, to dramatize things in an interesting way, and I liked that we did it with that teaser where you saw the young Cigarette Smoking Man, young Mulder and, presumably, the young Deep Throat standing around the crewman's bed."

PUSHER

Directed by Rob Bowman. Written by Vince Gilligan.

RATING: ***1/2

Suspected contract killer Robert Modell (Robert Wisden) escapes from custody when the police car he's being transported in is hit by a truck. In the passenger seat was FBI agent Frank Burst (Vic Polizos), the man in charge of the operation, who believes that somehow Modell talked him into pulling into the path of the truck. Mulder has a theory that he has the ability to mentally force his will on others. Mulder and Scully join Burst in tracking Modell and capturing him. However, he beats the rap and his released. Soon after, the smug and cocky arrives at the FBI headquarters looking for info on our heroes, and uses his powers to affect a troubled employee (Julia Arkos). Eventually, Modell's mind games lead to a standoff between he and Mulder...with Scully potentially becoming the victim.

Exciting, gripping yarn benefits greatly from the presence of Wisden as the cold, ruthless yet playful killer. He's one of the best villains the show has ever produced (which is no doubt why they brought him back in season five). What sets Modell apart from many of the other X villains is that unlike the troubled antagonists of '2Shy' or 'Tooms', he doesn't kill to survive...he kills because he thinks it's fun. His background, involving his fascination with the ronin, is very good, and adds character depth. Polizos is also good as the gruff, determined Burst, and Arkos is sympathetic in her few scenes. Skinner is also on hand for a few minutes...always a merit to episode.

Bowman's direction is thrilling, especially in the amazingly suspenseful climax where Modell makes the influenced Mulder turn his gun on Scully. Anderson is brilliant in conveying her fear for her partner and her anger towards Modell. There are several other great, chilling scenes in which Modell uses his mind-bending skills on others also, including one where he forces a cop to set himself ablaze. Despite the tension, the opening sequence actually throws in a funny reference to the past entry 'The Host'. Plus keep an eye open for an odd cameo appearance by Dave Grohl, front man of the brilliant group Foo Fighters, who can be seen with his wife in the background at the FBI HQ in one scene. Grohl and the Fighters would later contribute a song to the soundtrack The X-Files movie.

Taut and tight, 'Pusher' is one of the most exciting files of the season.

Vince Gilligan on 'Pusher': "I stole the idea for the teaser from the ending of an old movie script that I had written the previous summer. At the end of that movie the good guy uses post-hypnotic suggestion on the bad guy to make him pull out in front of a truck in his little sports car. I never wound up actually writing that scene in the movie script because I couldn't figure out how to fit it in. But then I remembered the idea months and months later. We added the supernatural twist of telekinetic mind control, and it became 'Pusher'."

Directed by Kim Manners. Written by John Shiban.

RATING: *

Diggers at an excavation site in Teso Dos Bichos, South America, have come across an Amaru urn that contains what's left of a sacred shaman. Before you can say "horror movie cliche", the locals are claiming that they've unleashed a curse. It sure seems so too, as the American leader of the expedition vanishes from the site, and before long, several others associated with the dig suffer the same fate. One of the workers, Alonzo Bilac (Vic Trevino) is the key suspect in the investigation, but what may be responsible is a deadly jaguar spirit looking to avenge the removal of the urn.

Okay, plain and simple, this is my pick for worst episode of the season, and probably of all three seasons at that point. There’s just so much wrong with this time waster. In fact, the only good thing I come up with is some decent John S. Bartley cinematography. Its not that good, but it’s the only positive comment I can make about this whole affair. The pre-credits sequence is rather flat and lifeless, and it continues in that vein throughout the duration. The whole scenario screams b- (or z-) movie, and Shiban’s script never once tries to add any fresh touches to the material. I hate slamming anything Manners does, because I consider him to be the best director ever to work on The X-Files, but here he’s sleepwalking. And as for the climax…well, at the risk of spoiling it for those who haven’t seen it, it’s laughable. The idea of killer cats just doesn’t have a place on X-Files…unless it was done with wit and imagination, like the cockroaches in 'War Of The Coprophages', but alas, its played straight, and we’re stuck with this piece of drivel. Sorry, Kim and John.

Kim Manners on 'Teso dos Bichos': "The worst thing I ever did. Best three acts of television I ever directed and everything went to hell in a handbasket."

HELL MONEY

Directed by Tucker Gates. Written by Jeffrey Vlaming.

RATING: ***

Mulder and Scully are in San Francisco to investigate a man being burnt alive inside a Chinatown crematorium oven. Also, a Chinese character meaning "ghost" is written on the outside of the oven. The agents work with local police detective Glen Chao (B.D. Wong), who tells them about the Festival of The Hungry Ghosts, which requires currency known as "hell money", which as also found at the scene of the death. Further investigations reveals a conspiracy amongst a number of the community, and a society that trades in human body parts for profit.

When I saw this one first time around, I thought it bland and forgettable. Next time, however, I found it quite interesting. Third time, it’s a damn fine outing. Certain other X shows lose their lustre somewhat with repeat viewings, so this is a pleasant surprise. What makes this one click is the fascinating ethnic setting and flavour, which is extremely well researched and revealing (assuming it is all true, and not just a fabrication of the writer). Set entirely in Chinatown (but, of course, shot in Vancouver), this has a real atmosphere to the proceedings. Score, art direction and cinematography all add character. The script is constantly interesting, and everything is wrapped up logically yet bitterly ironic.

The guest cast is also fine, and almost all Asian; Wong (co-star of Jurassic Park and the brilliant HBO series Oz) is excellent as the detective who finds himself caught between his community and his job, allowing for more character shading than normal for an X guest. Veteran actor James Hong (the villain from Big Trouble In Little China) pops up several times as the ring leader of the body harvesting scheme, and has a gem of a scene with Anderson at the end. Michael Yama is sad and sympathetic as a poor Chinese man who falls into the deadly body lottery to get money for his daughter. And playing that daughter is no less than a pre-Ally McBeal Lucy Liu, who’s looking decidedly less glamorous here, but her beauty comes across in other ways.

This is the rare X-Files episode that's supernatural-free (discounting religious beliefs), but that doesn’t prevent it from being a fine piece of work.