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"Bad Dog."
"Yeah."
"Alpha" is one of those Monster of the Week episodes that attempts to do all the tricks that usually garner it a biscuit, but instead just rolls over and plays dead. Sometimes formula can kill a show. It did for me in this case. It all seemed so obligatory and predictable with no real surprises. Sort of like everyone was going through the motions starting with the writer and ending with the performances. It all just sort of sat there.
Jeffrey Bell's script was equal parts obvious and illogical. So Detweiler travels to the Far East tracking this mythical beast, somehow gets possessed by it and says to himself "I know, I'll ship myself home in a box." Stupid subtitled teaser fodder crew members then decide to actually open the heavily locked box of the attacking creature with the glowing red eyes because they think shining a flashlight in a little hole "killed it". We then have Doggy Detweiler and his traveling spotlight (to menacingly project his shadow) morphing about killing all the people in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department that ever looked at him crossways and Karin the Creepy Canine Kook getting the tinglies from mouse maneuvers such that she considers giving up Wolves for Fox. Meanwhile, Scully is the real "Alpha" in the story (Look! Subtext!) trying to protect her non-mate mate from the female tricksters of the world and Mulder is clueless to these goings on but still manages to make his usual incredible logic leaps when it comes to extinct Asian weredogs rampaging through the greater Los Angeles area. Plus, there is a lot of non-suspense as we all say ho-hum when Cujo appears in the backseat of the car or flits about the kennels. But wait, there's more. The obligatory "character moment" is fulfilled by Mulder getting to feel bad at the end and Scully digging out her tried and true "it's not your fault that every one around you dies" speech. The X-Files brought to you by paint-by-numbers.
You know I really miss the Mulder who had passion. The one who got excited about a good monster case instead of sort of glumly giving the "facts" to Scully interspersed with bad jokes. If he really is "home" why doesn't Duchovny give us that feeling? About the only time Mulder even looked excited about the case was when he got the chance to name off his cryptozoology hit list. It all seems so halfhearted, and if Mulder can't get excited about it how can we? Heck even Scully fell asleep (though I will admit she has a knack for that). Despite all the subtextual sniffing about, all the performances in this episode were soooooo low key any emotional connection, even to our leads, became difficult. While I will admit I enjoyed the fact they gave Scully the best joke of the episode when she tells us "Yeah, he uh, he doesn't listen and he chews on the furniture" , for an episode that featured them actually investigating together it lacked spark.
I also was less than thrilled by the way Mulder got his poster back. If I'd had my druthers the writing staff would have made that a significant moment between Mulder and Scully. Her giving him something that important rather than having it bestowed as a parting gift by someone we'll never hear a peep about again. There are very few big props in this show, and that is a cornerstone much like Scully's cross. I wish they'd treated it as such. Then again maybe they did. They can just change their minds as to who gave it to him sometime mid season seven if it serves a story. Meow.
And then there were the dog references. Every joke bad and good was trotted out for display ranging from a free plug for Taco Bell to Mulder almost stepping in a pile. By the end I was groaning at the references.
On the plus side I did think that Bill Roe did a really nice job with the atmospheric shots using fog and steam to great effect. Director Peter Markle also tried to liven some things up with that dog-cam like shot sneaking up on Cahn talking on the radio and some cool use of crane shots. However, I couldn't help but wonder if some additional character moments were cut out for the sake of trying desperately to make the attack scenes creepy. I thought the interplay between Detweiler and Berquist could have been further fleshed out. The way it played we had to assume Karin had some sort of wild psychic doggie sense that made her recognize Detweiler for what he was. Plus, if she was trying to protect him as she claims bringing Mulder in makes even less sense beyond wanting to meet him and surely she was not that completely self- delusional. I'd also have to say the editing of the Mulder mouse moment was a bit too heavy handed for my tastes. You'd have thought a bomb went off and Mulder did not notice it the way that scene played. It screeched SIGNIFICANT MOMENT. It wasn't that "Alpha" was terrible, it was just that it was lifeless. This is a script that could have benefited by a few more drafts. On the bright side at least dogs manage to look more menacing than house cats.
-It appears in honor of their prey Mulder and Scully took the red eye from DC to LA to get there bright and early the next day.
-That Detweiler was quite the morpher. None of those pesky clothes ripping from cheesy werewolf movies effects for him, he just morphed his dumpy duds on and off. I especially like the way he managed to morph on a pair of pants before he died.
-Speaking of Detweiler could he at least morph a snappier outfit? He did seem to have a thing for wool making me wonder if they were going for the "wolf in sheep's clothing" effect in costuming him. All this of course leads to...
-Frank's Fashion Spot: It appears that having Lupus also impairs your sense of fashion. By the time Karin showed up in that dorky hat I was laughing at the anti-social/only-communicative-behind-a- keyboard stereotype depicted.
-While I'm talking about this sort of thing what in the hell was the matter with Scully's hair this episode? They actually managed to make it look flat and unflattering the entire time.
-I'm really curious as to how Detweiler got this "blood curse" as it seems this breed of wolfman does not work in the traditional werewolf fashion or Mulder and Scully will be back in LA soon hunting Officer Cahn.
-Someone please explain to me why Scully is carrying an umbrella when it is not raining and no umbrella when it is.
-I don't think we can count this as one of the jealous!Scully episodes, as I was not getting jealous or catty from her at all. Scully has always been a good read of character and to call her calmly seeing through a charade jealousy does her a disservice. Protective yes, jealous no.
-Dr. Berquist certainly had an interesting bookshelf that I am sure was not lost on Scully. Right next to all the wolf love and "Better than Human" tomes was nestled "Nice Girls Do" which is considered by some to be a landmark book on female sexuality.
-In yet another example of everyone and their neighbor's dog calls him Fox except Scully, he had obviously used that name with Karin. Maybe he thought she might relate better to it.
-Someone needs to work on more funding for those Fish and Wildlife guys because it seems like they can only afford one vehicle. Both men who were attacked were driving the same car with the same plates.
-I thought it was funny that in that close up on Scully when she finds Dr. Riley you can just tell she's doing that patented two finger pulse check she's so fond of without even actually seeing it. How odd that it has its own expression.
-Speaking of Riley, if he's dead why call paramedics? If he's not quite dead yet why leave him in a bloody lump and both wander off except to allow for a plot device moment.
-Ever heard of knocking? I love the way Scully just waltzes into Karin's house and up the stairs to confront her about Mulder. One would think someone living in the LA area would lock their doors.
-That Scully is one smart cookie being able to whip out an obscure medical diagnosis on the fly on top of a psychological profile all in a few short meetings. Her time on the X-Files has served her well.
-This was swift. Use a night establishing shot outside the hospital and then have Mulder say "it's not yet dark."
Autumn
"Don't mind him, he'll go on forever."