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"Whose to say that if you did rewind it and start over again that it wouldn't end up exactly the same way."
"Monday" was a great episode the first time. It was a big ball of angst at the start. Both the teaser and act one featured Mulder dying and Scully struggling with emotion and control. It doesn't get much better than that. Too bad it all happened in the first fifteen minutes. I enjoyed the episode, but when forced to watch the same series of events over and over I kept thinking that if writers Gilligan and Shiban were to rewind, keep the concept, and start over again we might see a different, perhaps better episode.
The key to this type of concept episode is not only to make the sequence of repeated event compelling, but to make each run through different enough to hold the audience's attention rather than boring them. For the most part "Monday" succeeded. Instead of the season theme of resetting at the end of the episode we reset repeatedly during the episode. (At this rate I wonder if, at the end of the season, we are going to find out that *nothing* really happened.) While Director Manners and Duchovny tried to break up the waterbed fun with different camera angles and antics it still began to drag. The office conversations between Mulder and Scully, while true to character, were not particularly enlightening. As so much time was spent on these events, greater or more interesting variation would have helped.
I think that either a different series of repeated events (a more interesting puzzle to solve) or a different character focus might have elevated this episode further. Unfortunately, the character we are asked to identify with, no matter how much she cried, was basically unsympathetic. Carrie Hamilton does her best in what is a rather unflattering role. We just don't know enough about her or Bernard (except he appears to be a guy that likes to breath really hard and has job troubles) to invest in them. The angst factor could have been spiked by someone we know repeating the day. Scully would think she was going mad, Skinner would have grown even more clenched, heck, we even have more invested in Kersh's secretary.
You can't say our leads were not working this episode. Duchovny was doing his best to try to make our visits to the bedroom amusing, and captured the feel of an annoying day perfectly. I especially liked the moment when he realized he'd endorsed his check stub. Anderson did what she does so amazingly well in those scenes where Scully cradles a dying Mulder - never actually breaking, but warring with tears just wanting "everybody to live".
All in all it was a solid offering giving us a peek at Mulder and Scully in both mundane and extraordinary situations. I only wish they could have gotten more mileage out of it.
-Two words Mulder: Direct Deposit.
-Speaking of, it looks like a big Mulder myth has been shattered. Here we always thought he must have lots of money from his background, clothes, and personal travel habits, but apparently he's worried about bouncing checks.
-How typical to see now that they have the office back they still have one desk with a nameplate for Mulder and only his name on the door again. I guess Scully's area is still "back there". I suppose this is Chris Carter's version of continuity. Chris, on behalf of all the Scullyists in the world, I'd like to say: Ppppfffffffttttttt. Actually, I'd like to say something else, but that will do for now.
-Of all the various ways Mulder has lost cell phones over the years, this was definitely the most pathetic.
-I have to admit I found the banner hanging in the bank amusing "Banking with Peace of Mind" when, with the number of times the thing blew up, they should have changed it to "Piece of Mind".
-The office, which is apparently now clean of Spudner blood, was like a Bizzaro!Office version of what we had before. The same but different. Those same wood drawers turned on their sides, but no "I Want to Believe" poster. Familiar knickknacks, but combination lock file cabinets. And what is with all the plaques and trophies? At least those chattering teeth gave Scully something to play with and they got rid of the plant.
-Person I felt most sorry for this episode: Scully. If this really happened over 50 times she had to sit through that staff meeting from hell over and over and over. At least Agent Crime Projection's little poster changed from time to time, bar chart, line chart, etc. Still, is there no PowerPoint in the FBI?
-I'm usually not one to condone violence, but I wanted to shoot that screaming bank woman. I'm amazed given Bernard's state of mind that she did not end up the one shot every time.
-Pop Quiz: Time is of the essence. You've got a wounded suspect about to blow everyone to kingdom come. Do you mumble repeatedly to yourself about a bomb or simply shoot the guy again to prevent him from tripping it?
-For an episode that took place in a repeated fixed time there were some discrepancies. We see that it is 9:55 AM in the car, but minutes later in the bank the clock reads 11:50.
-Steve? You have to wonder if there's some story behind that one for Scully to have such an apparent fondness for the name.
-Well, we got to spend a lot of time in Mulder's apartment this time round. I'm looking forward to Scully's apartment finally making its way down from Canada as well. One thing I did find interesting was the fact he has three TV's: a big number in the bedroom, that kitchen one we saw last week, and another in his living room. Man must love his television. Does he have one in the bathroom as well? It also appears he has taken to that bed. Too bad it sprung a leak. Maybe that's where his darts got to...
-Looks like Mulder's apartment is back where it belongs after that unfortunate movie Arlington incident. We can only hope that if we ever get to see Scully's digs again her fridge is back in the kitchen.
-The most amusing thing about the repeated Mulder/Scully office scene was no matter what Mulder told her or what banter conversation they had, the thing that Scully really fixated on was Mulder's waterbed. Perhaps her amusement with it in "Dreamland 2" was not all an act.
-Alternative reality episode *I* want to see: The one where, as Mulder suggests, Scully might have stayed in medicine and they don't meet. It would be interesting to see what their worlds would be like in an "It's a Wonderful Life" sort of way. Well, at the rate we're going through these "homage" episodes that one can't be far off.
-Frank's Fashion Spot: What an odd costuming choice for Scully this episode. Usually about the only time we can count on seeing her in a skirt is office days. However, on this meeting Monday morning she chooses a too short sheer blouse and camisole combination with her pants suit. At one point her camisole is hanging out below the shirt and when she takes the phone in Skinner's office it does not even cover her stomach.
-Well, ties may pose a minor problem, but is seems Scully certainly knows how to rip a man's shirt off quickly. Too bad we never get to see that in pleasant circumstances.
-I guess all that doctoring last week just plain tuckered Scully out. Here shemakes a weak attempt at taking Pam's pulse (for what purpose? We know she'salive she's breathing so damn hard) and then wanders off to make a phone call.I guess all that direct pressure to the wound stuff is just for Mulder. Either that or we needed her out of the picture so we could have the dramatic Mulder/Pam bonding before death scene...
-Frank's Fashion Spot #2: Mulder, stick with the plaid pjs. Trust me.
Autumn
"Did you do a lot of drinking in college?"