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"All new truths begin as heresy and end as superstitions. We fear the unknown so we reduce it to the terms that are most familiar to us - whether that's folklore or a disease or conspiracy."
I've always considered Howard Gordon to be sort of a "meat and potatoes" type of X-Files writer. Though he occasionally pens something great (like last season's "Grotesque"), for the most part his work seems to fall squarely in the vast middle zone of X-Files episodes - not so great, not so bad - just average and missing a real edge. I think that the further we progress in the Mulder & Scully universe the more we expect, and the more clever the storytelling needs to be. We shouldn't be sitting back as the episode progresses thinking to ourselves "been there, done that". Even if the show has "been there", a new zing to the story will allow us to forgive the repetition. I couldn't find the zing.
So instead we all sat there and made the inevitable comparisons to the standard genetic mutant stories - the saga of Eugene Victor Tooms the obvious choice. However, in the Tooms stories we weren't just asked to take for granted that the villain could squeeze into a coffee can with no explanation (as is the case here) we were shown an individual with genetic anomalies that were demonstrated. What the heck crawling up a drainpipe had to do with pituitary glands is a mystery here. The only oddity we bear witness to is a little sword swallowing trick.
This wasn't the only weakness in the story. We're told early on about some big task force working around the clock and yet when the body is found near a construction site it becomes obvious that no thorough search of the area is done when Mulder can randomly pull into the first cone zone he and Scully see and they find it filled with bodies. Also, in the hospital they suddenly need a translator when throughout the episode Mr. Aboah has spoken English.
Mulder's attitude during this episode also was a bit confusing to me. He seemed to be argumentative only for the sake of the writer needing to create some dramatic character conflict - giving Scully dirty looks when she talks about investigating a possible health crisis or slamming her for using medical tests or science to find answers. After all, Scully has been at the office since 5:17AM "slicing and dicing" at the request of the CDC doctor - who shows her more respect than Mulder does - and he waltzes in breakfasting on sunflower seeds and jumps feet first into an international conspiracy with next to no information about the case. Instead of listening to Scully (who despite his jabs about her needing to spend some time "looking up from the microscope for a minute" continues to scientifically discover important information), Mulder gives Scully one of his patented obtuse answers when she asks where he is going and heads off to the UNiBlonder.
Now, why Mulder has suddenly decided that this woman is the key to finding out information about any old X-File? "I'm not sure why, but I thought you might be in a position to help me" - we aren't sure why either. Though I think those among us who seem to be worried about her presence on the show can probably breathe a sigh of relief. It is obvious to me that after she fulfills whatever plot device she has been created to perform she certainly seems doomed. Mulder doesn't have the best record with informants, and while Deep Throat and X were nervous even when meeting in clandestine fashion, Mulder continues to brazenly visit her at her place of work - seemingly sealing her eventual death warrant. Heck, no need to shine light bulbs through the window or tape up an X with this girl - he just stalks her at work.
After fulfilling part of this year's quota for a foreign language teaser I have to admit I was quite stunned at the use of "Deceive Inveigle Obfuscate" as the episode tag line. After all, this is the first non-mythology episode to do such and the second time in three weeks after only one such occurrence last year. If the mere fact that a phrase is prevalent in an episode makes it so worthy why didn't we see "Sure. Fine. Whatever" at the start of "Syzygy"?
Brendan Beiser has finally made the front line credits with his smitten Pendrell, and though the poor boy doesn't get to see the lovely Agent Scully despite waiting in the hall for her, Mulder takes the opportunity to terrorize him. Apparently it is only Scully who doesn't see (or chooses not to see) him pining for her. Too bad Pendrell couldn't have seen her during those shots where she was posing quite fetchingly in her scrubs - I'm sure that he would have enjoyed that.
I do like the fact that the show has continued to attempt to delve into the folklore of different cultures. It seems a pity that these episodes have not been as strong as they could be. Despite the fact that we had our heroes poking around in yet another deserted warehouse with their substandard flashlights, I enjoyed the last act. Maybe it was just seeing Mulder so drugged up he was drooling on himself and calling weakly to Scully so she can do her "Ghost in the Machine' part 2 crawl through the ventilator shafts. I liked the red-eyed cat look of Aboah as he jumped towards Scully (maybe the reason he didn't spit a seed at her is that she is just to pale to help his cause), and it was fun to see her play shoot 'em up in the vent. I think it might be I just enjoyed seeing Scully save Mulder and drag his butt out of the crawl space or Mulder making those pitiful eye movements to warn her.
-Time lines place this case in late August / early September.
-This week's fashion comments. Lose that new autopsy hat for Scully - she looks even dorkier in that than she does in the hair net. Speaking of hair, isn't Mulder sporting quite the GQ "foppish" look this season. Also it does appear that Scully seems to have finally abandoned the high heeled pumps in the field for the clompy-looking high heeled boots she started sporting last season.
-I almost had to laugh during Mulder & Scully's phone call as she had so much blood artfully splattered all over her scrubs.
-Mulder gets a chance to use his transporter beam usually reserved for lightening quick trips back and forth to Boston and the Vineyard to get back and forth to Philly. He manages to get from the hospital corridor at 5:45PM all the way to the Burkina Faso embassy in DC in an hour flat.
Autumn
"It's OK Mulder, I'm here."