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Oh, what more could I ask for: an alien/conspiracy episode, tons of Scullyangst, the amazing stunt-boy action-Mulder, and in-jokes galore.A wonderful holiday X-Files treat. Now if they really do give us "Beyond the Sea" as a Christmas present it will be a successful X-Mas season.
The Mulder/Scully opener was sublime with the interplay that we love from the "That's not your usual brand of entertainment" to the cracksat FOX's much repeated (but for the final time tomorrow... really.. yeah right) "Alien Autopsy". But the really funny part is that, despitethe jokes, we learn Scully watched it (don't tell me the X-Files hasn't got to her ).
Finally, we are getting a real glimpse into what really happened to Scully during her abduction, and as we suspected it isn't pretty. For a change, we get more answers than questions. Once again Gillian Anderson doesn't disappoint. We see Dana Scully trying her best to remain professional as things began to crumble around her. She is unable to find her badge under the initial scrutiny of the women, and you can see how "freaked out" she becomes as her little MUFON investigation quickly turns into what someone else has cleverly dubbed the "little surprise tupperware party from hell". Despite the overly supportive group Scully retreats repeatedly. She shows us a reaction to her regression hypnosis experience, and continually scampers back into denial when faced with the truth. She is finally holding on to the only strength she has left by latching on to her job at the end only to be faced with further horror when she asks what has happened to the woman she initially came to visit. The Scully snap potential is now very high. When faced with the "we're all dying because of what they do to us" reference I remembered Clyde Bruckman's "you don't" and hoped for the best (after all she has only been taken once as they pointed out).
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the amazing action-stunt-Mulder has found a solution to his gun losing ways in a hilarious aside (while also learning a little about the receiving end of martial arts and I'm sure some new really nasty Japanese swear words). Skinner, that "beacon in the night" proves to be oddly supportive yet not supportive yet ambivalent (that little line walker) about Mulder & Scully's .. uh.. "video piracy" investigation. Mulder makes a leap (mentally this time) that I didn't follow to find the ship and later UFO, and manages to once again avoid those super-trained black ops who actually must be kinda stupid or Mulder is really really sneaky.
Now, all you folks who were so super critical of Scully after last week's episode I want you to remember that when our pair do reunite and Scully REALLY wants to talk to Mulder about her experience - when she needs a friend because she is afraid of dying - Mulder is rather flip, distracted, and kinda blows her off. I'm sure she found him telling her not to be "freaked out" very comforting. At least during this scene I am vindicated in that we learn *yes* Mulder & Scully DO talk offscreen and tell each other what has happened to them. (I have a suspicion that they eat when we aren't looking too).
This same scene does give us another nice glimpse into the Mulder/ Scully dynamic with the "after all you've seen..." "I need more than you. I need proof" discussion. As an example of Scully's growth we see her ask in her next scene "So you're saying this is man made?" somewhat surprised and being chided with "what else would it be?"
-Once again it is apparent that EVERYONE calls him Fox but Scully - and he doesn't flinch when the senator does it.
-What was that outfit that Frohike was wearing? The vest REALLY scared me.
-I think we have a new guy to hate. I'm not sure who he is, but I like to think of him as "Crewcut Man Wannabe". I'm not sure why he kills the guy in the train station towards the end - any guesses?
-I think this is the third time Mulder or Scully has pulled their gun on their boss. Jeez, I'd just like to flip mine off and get away with it..
-Scully watches the autopsy tape the same way I watch the X-files: stop. rew. play. stop. slow. rew. play. etc. I love the way she answers thephone after this scene - so rattled she says "Scully" as if she's not sure.
-Does the fact that all the MUFON support group was women mean anything? Though I find the "Scully's alien child" theories foolish, I have never discounted that they may be choosing women to harvest eggs.
Autumn
"Let it go"