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"Oh promise me this isn't leading to something really embarrassing."
OK, so I'm a little jaded. I've seen enough two part episodes where one half so greatly overshadows the other that I'm a bit nervous. I enjoyed this episode quite a bit, and I really hope that the follow through is there next week to make it a rewarding journey. The interesting thing is that this episode didn't really have the feel of a mythology episode to it - sure it ended on the requisite "to be continued" and had something to do with conspiracies and aliens, but it really didn't seem to further the central storyline at all. That's fine with me - I've always enjoyed the stand alone episodes in this vein. I just found it surprising that the mysteries here didn't really seem to have anything to do with the greater mysteries that we are always having to puzzle over. Maybe that means part two will tie things together nicely. Just kidding.
The mysteries here were very intriguing though - the return and subsequent death of Max, the odd abduction of his sister, the missing time and watches, and the deadly coverup - not to mention Scuba!Mulder's alien adventure. The Max death took me by surprise, and I am convinced it is him. The body Mulder found had the same strange scars/welts on the cheek and neck that we saw in the teaser sequence so I don't think they pulled the old switcharoo with this one. I'm very eager to find out just what is going on and how the dastardly deeds about to be done on the plane tie into the whole UFO thing.
So, it's Sunday night on your birthday between 9 and 10 o'clock - how do you spend it? Well, if you're FBI Special Agent Dana Scully you've spent your weekend birthday dressed in a work suit (probably because you worked all day - either that or it is Scully's version of a birthday suit) and you're just catching dinner and drinks with the person you're convinced has forgotten the significance of the day. These kids don't have any other friends do they? Well, at least it was nice to see them taking some down time together and having a bit of fun. Heck they were actually kind of enjoying themselves. Smiling even. How odd.
I think what I liked the most about this episode was that it *was* fun. The unfolding tale couldn't have been timed better with the continued focus by the media on TWA 800, and there was a playful familiarity to the Mulder/Scully interaction. I think the birthday sequence was a true classic, with Scully alternately mortified and delighted (so flustered by Mulder's surprise that she actually tries to blow out a sparkler) and Mulder downright giddy to give her the gift that obviously meant a lot to him. The significance of the key chain to Mulder and why it reminds him of Scully I'm sure we will learn later, but Apollo 11 was one of the most important moments in space exploration. Who can blame her for being afraid of the present - after all this was the guy who gave her "Superstars of the Superbowls". It's nice to know they can joke about alien implant earrings after all they've been through. Still, one can't help but wonder what sort of Christmas gifts she has had to endure from him over the years to cause that look of panic when he hands her a gift.
There were certainly other fun elements - I'm usually not one for car chases, but that game of chicken with the jet was something to behold as they are all terrified they aren't going to make it. Then there is that vintage X-Files sequence with Mulder spouting off alien abduction theories to a room full of strangers while Dana "you sure know how to make a girl feel special on her birthday" Scully ducks her head and tries melt into the wall behind her. Only Mulder would say "I'm hesitant to speculate" after all that. How funny. Scully even gets the chance to suck the winds right out of Mulder's sails when she tells him Max's body has been found. I also enjoyed that great UFO sequence that behaved in such a way to give one shades of "Deep Throat", and, of course, Mulder finding the alien body in a craft that looked like it was made from disco glitter ball material. I can't wait to hear him tell Scully that story.
On a production note I can't go without mentioning the amazing work that went into recreating that crash scene. It was huge and for someone who travels a lot truly chilling. This one cost a bit more to produce and it definitely shows on the screen. The effects were very cool and the episode just had a "big" feel to it. It makes me wonder what magic they will be able to pull off in the feature film. That ought to be something.
Until then, I have to say I'm really looking forward to next week for hopefully more good old X-Files fun.
-"Memento Mori" Cancerwatch Day 35. Who needs to mention it? Cancer-shmancer I say. What's a little brain tumor between friends? The audience isn't really paying attention to these teeny little minor plot points anyway, right? Certainly no reason to dwell on a lead character with a fatal disease when you could have running or a car chase on screen - just give the girl a lovely key chain parting gift and no one will mind. Oh, that and keep her up for 36 hours - that's always good for your health.
-Retreads: Bearfield (the guy on the boat with Mulder) was a chicken plant worker in "Our Town" and actress Chilton Crane (Max's sister) made appearances in "Miracle Man" as Margaret Hohman and "F. Emasculata".
-By virtue of the birthday reference we can time stamp this episode as happening in the Feb 23 - 26 time frame.
-So, maybe sensitive Mulder is going to stick around for a while - not only did he remember Scully's birthday for the first time in four years, but he actually asks permission to split up rather than just ditching her. Heck, he even waved goodbye to her plane. The polite ditch. How un-Mulder.
-Poor Pendrell. He finally is loaded enough to work up his nerve to make a move on the girl and he is literally shot down. Did anyone else think that Scully should have at least given Pendrell mouth to mouth so he could die happy?
-So, the "birthday girl" drink is a Coors Light? I would've thought at least a margarita.
-Anyone care to enlighten us on the difference between the red and yellow flags at the crash site?
-I want to fly X-Files Air! Not only does it have flights to where you want to go when you want to go there (and an amazing shuttle between DC and the Vineyard), but it has the widest aisle I've ever seen and so much room between rows - if only the planes didn't seem to always have a murder on board or go down so often I'd have a ton of X-Frequent Flyer miles.
-I'm really confused about the times here - time flies is right - it was flying all over this episode. We are told first that the plane loses radio contact at 1900 (7PM) - then all the other references are about 7:52 to 8:01PM - and then we hear from Frish that he saw the plane on radar at 1900, saw some problems at two minutes past and 10 minutes after that an explosion (making it 7:12PM). Whatever.
-Where is it that Mulder and Scully are staying this time that is so backwards that when he dials her number he actually has to dial. Good luck trying to hook the trusty laptops up to the phones there!
-New writer David Greenwalt certainly did get on the 1013 fast track. The first time we see him mentioned in the credits and he has the title of Co-Executive Producer.
-You're a fashion conscious FBI team. It's 4:02AM. You need to catch a charter flight and be at the scene of the crash by 5:52AM. What do you do? Why change clothes of course! Who wants to wear that old suit when you can put on something fresh to tromp through mud and body parts. You wouldn't be caught dead in those ugly yellow protective suits either. Fashion first!
-Nice reference back to the pilot episode: "Do you remember the last time you were missing nine minutes?" Clearly she does.
-Larold Rebhun got his name from Mark Snow's music mixer.
Autumn
"Dog years... thank you."