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Well, with one big exception - Chuckie was at least a little scary. I expected to be scared by "Chinga". I'll admit it up front, I've always been scared of doll horror tales ever since I saw Karen Black and that evil little monster thing in "Trilogy of Terror" at too young an age. Since then, the evil doll theme has had the power to consistently frighten me. Until tonight. As much as I enjoyed "Chinga" - and I did enjoy it - I felt in a way it was for all the wrong reasons. Oh well, I can live with that. I'm here to be entertained, and like "Detour", the character diversions saved this episode from obscurity. Writers Stephen King and Chris Carter finally managed to cure me of my dollyphobia. Oooo look, you can see the shadow of a lace sleeve. Now that is scary. Not. I don't care how scary Mark Snow tried to make the music every time that doll's eyes snapped open - I was more frightened by that sour faced day care woman.
Sure there were some frightening visuals, like *the first* time Melissa sees a premonition of someone about to die. However, I just kept wishing that somebody would take some action. How incompetent was the local law enforcement? Do they need to call in vacationing FBI agents for all their cases? Why doesn't the mother take the damn doll and destroy it when she knows what is happening instead of nervously pounding nails, rushing out of stores and making Jiffy Pop? Why does Scully ask the girl to give her the doll instead of ripping it out of her arms earlier? Why is Scully the only person who figures this out? Really. The mother has lived like this for a year? How much "Hokey Pokey" (emphasis on the pokey) can one woman take? I know if I had to hear "You put your right foot in, you gouge your right eye out" one more time I was likely to snap.
Thankfully, all was not lost because this was one of the funniest episodes of the X-Files I've seen in a long long time thanks to the delightful comic conversations played up by Duchovny and Anderson. I was laughing every time the phone rang. While director Kim Manners is unable to generate much tension during the investigation, he does prove, once again, his flair for handling the comic moments. Like "War of the Coprophages" we see just how pitiful these two are on off hours. They have to actually make an agreement to take the weekend off and then Scully calls it a vacation. Gee, I always call the weekend a, um, weekend. Like the doll, Scully just wants to play. She rents a mustang convertible (paying winter in Maine no mind) and plots a getaway involving bubble baths, classical music and room service. While Scully is looking to get "out of her head" all the terminally bored Mulder wants to do is get into it.
The running joke quickly becomes her inability to escape either Mulder's "incessant meddling or questioning" or her own drive despite reminding everyone she talks to that she is on vacation. After five years of partnership we see now that Mulder is adrift without Scully. It makes one wonder what their normal weekends are like. Mulder gets dressed for the office but spends his time munching seeds, watching "Alien Probe" pornos, sharpening pencils, and batting a basketball when he should be grocery shopping. So desperate is he for Scully's attention that he continually tracks her down via cell phone, motel, and police force and baits her with everything he can. When talk of a "classic X-Files, classic" doesn't make her bite he tries to win her over by floating scientific or medical explanations. (I think this may be the first episode where Mulder provides all the SRE's). He even tries cajoling her ("Morning Sunshine"), but still is unable to resist petulant pokes at her not wanting to be disturbed, talk of decapitations or pull strings on dolls. It gets him hung up on. Repeatedly. Not now, Mulder.
So what is it that makes Scully start talking about "extreme possibilities"? Does she think she's allowed because she's on vacation and Mulder is not around to hear it? Does she secretly agree with him more than she lets on or have her past experiences with the occult led her to be a little more lenient on this particular type of case? We never find out. I guess we are supposed to chalk that up to her enigmatic nature.
The last scene between Mulder and Scully was the best of the episode with them trying desperately to assert their independence from each other when all we've seen is how futile that is. Scully pretends she had a restful vacation with some guy named Jack and Mulder talks about how much he got done without her. Both our heroes are laughably transparent. The episode should have ended when that last pencil fell. The trademark X-Files tag on ending I could have done without. It ceases to be interesting or surprising when it becomes expected. And this was expected.
The supporting performances were pretty uninspired. The little girl was just annoying - there was no wrestling with demons there that I could see. Larry Musser's Jack Bonsaint left me wondering how in the heck this guy ever got to be a police chief. Susannah Hoffman wasn't given any help from the script to escape beyond a character that was pretty much one note. Only Carolyn Tweedle seemed to be having any fun with her part as she ranted on about witches.
Lastly, I guess I am just thankful to Carter & King for not using a Scullycentric episode as an excuse to emotionally torture Scully yet again. Instead she competently works on a case. Now that wasn't all that hard, was it? Next time make the case a good one too. It would be nice to see the show fire on all cylinders again.
-Retreads a plenty: The old fisherman was the detective in "Squeeze" and "Tooms". Jack was also seen bleeping in "Jose Chung" as well as "Unrequited" and "Die Hand". Officer "Buddy" has been in "Unruhe", "Fallen Angel" and "The Host". We've also seen the store's assistant manager a few times but he was most memorable in the "Young at Heart" wheelchair and the "Humbug" Tabernacle of Terror. Even Dave the butcher (who I wish had remained a fishmonger like the press release said) was the mudman of "Kaddish" and the fish-hooked hubby drove the tow truck in "Oubliette".
-The bonehead obvious dialogue award goes to this groaner: "Maybe she wasn't afraid of something getting in. Maybe she was afraid of something getting out". Please, spare us.
-What was that with the "World's Deadliest Swarms" actually being seen on the TV? A copout to the censors? I would have rather they cut that out. We heard what we heard.
-Say what you want about Scully not being a believer, but don't dare suggest she doesn't do her paranormal homework. That list of witchcraft signs she rattled off did more to excite Mulder than the video he was watching.
-What a great shot of Scully's idea of vacation reading "Affirmations For Women Who Do Too Much" right next to the phone blinking away with yet another Mulder message.
-I was a bit disappointed in the makeup this episode - especially as it is usually so good. The store scene was the worst. Despite the fact these people had blood streaks on their faces there were no accompanying cuts making it look pretty phony.
-This week's bad acting cameo - the Tastee Queen girl. I was glad to see the hair blizzard.
-They blame the girl for putting "Wee Lassies and Laddies Day Care" out of business? I'd say it is more likely the old woman scared the kids off. New England hospitality indeed.
-Frank's Fashion Spot: Well, I have an obvious weakness for Casual!Scully. She looked quite fetching in her weekend wear and thankfully left that damn green sweater at home. They had a very hip look going for her with the 501's, T-shirt and shades but ruined it with the dorky tourist print on the T-Shirt. What? She got to Maine and stopped at a Stuckey's right away to buy a shirt to mark the moment? Well, I guess we should be glad she didn't have "vacationland" tattooed on her thigh.
-It's winter. It's Maine. It's obviously been raining. Who wouldn't drive around with the top down in just a T-shirt when you can see your breath. The things a gal needs to do to look cool.
-Looks like that Ammas Beach gas station has Canadian owners because it was charging by the litre, not gallon.
-So, you dig a doll out of a lobster trap and give the piece of trash to your daughter as a birthday present? Next time try a beanie baby and you won't get a hook in the head.
-This was quite the episode for gratuitous Scully watching. Between the too tight T and the contended bath tub sigh and leg action there was a lot more Scully on screen than usual. Though my favorite moment was that annoyed look complete with the eyebrow action she gives to Mulder's interrupting call.
-"Dolly"? Please tell me Scully did not say dolly.
-"Fast Flame" matches? Could have fooled me. Then again that whole "I know I'll burn us all alive" ending was a bit much. I felt pretty sorry for the actress playing the mother as she was forced to be a nincompoop throughout.
-Did Scully not realize she was standing in a pool of propane while she was thoughtfully watching the doll burn in the microwave?
Autumn
"Marry me."
"I was hoping for something a little more helpful."