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"I don't know if you noticed, but I never made the world a
happier place."
"Well, I'm fairly happy. That's something."
Thank God for Vince Gilligan. I enjoyed "Je' Souhaite" so much I didn't even really care that it was the third "light" X-Files episode in a row. Not that "Fight Club" succeeded in being remotely funny. Gilligan proves once again that he has a gift for finding the right mix of oddball supporting characters and the intrinsic humor in Mulder and Scully. He just knows how to make watching the X-Files fun. "Je' Souhaite" was a case of everything on the X-Files going right. Something that hasn't happened in a while now. Everything from writing to directing to editing to special effects to makeup to casting to acting to costuming to props was done well and with care. I wish all of season seven had been this good.
I've always enjoyed Gilligan's writing enough to forgive him a few predictable moments. I mean we all knew that the genie would be drinking coffee at some point after she mentioned it, didn't we? With a few exceptions he's consistently put an interesting and fresh spin on the X-Files during his solo efforts. He has a way of making even the absurd seem realistic. I love the image of a yellow beat-up Anson screaming at his brother who is eating off-brand corn flakes out of a Tupperware container. There's always a scary amount of truth in it all. He has such a flair for the ironic, be it Leslie finally making the right wish just before he blows up or Mulder having his sincere wish for world peace turned into something "grotesquely egotistical." I'm delighted that Gilligan seems to have taken to directing as well, adding little touches like the "ow" as the smoking rug falls from the sky or the invisible imprint of a body with flies buzzing around as the icing on the cake. As long as people in the world are cursed with stupidity I suspect Vince Gilligan will be telling us delightful stories about them.
What would Scully be like if she had just a little too much caffeine in her? Well, Gillian Anderson came close to showing us this episode with the lighthearted manner in which she played Scully, almost bouncing into the office at the start of the episode wanting to know what was going on. It's either too much caffeine or Scully's getting laid. You make the choice. Anderson made the most out of the invisible man bit as well. I loved watching the look on her face turn around from irritated as the orderlies wheel in the gurney to shock as she makes her discovery to silly elation as she becomes a medical Picasso. It was just so fun to see the skeptical Scully, with the prospect of actual proof of something paranormal, turn positively giddy to the point she even whispers "bye" to the corpse she is guarding. How amusing to have it all backfire on her in the end so instead of getting her name in a prestigious medical journal she embarrasses herself in front of the folks from Harvard with "oh, uh, he's a ... he's invisible... after all." Duchovny was equally delightful be it singing the theme from "I Dream of Jeannie" to find something Leslie could relate to or trying valiantly to do the right thing with his wishes even if it means typing in "whereas" 20 times on a statement. However, the thing that cracked me up the most was his reaction to Scully reverting to her old ways about the invisible man. I think he should howl in pain that way every time she does that. She certainly got the point. All in all Anderson and Duchovny seemed to be having a great time in this episode and took us along for the ride. One gets the impression that they like Gilligan's scripts as much as the fans do.
t's been rare since the move to Los Angeles that I've been universally impressed with the guest actors in an episode. I'm glad to say this is one of those times. Paula Sorge was perfect as the cynical genie who just longed for a good cup of coffee, but spends her time amusing herself by punishing greedy idiots who aren't specific enough. Kevin Weisman as Anson was at his best while doing his invisible man strip tease and screaming the scream of the dead. However, it was Will Sasso as the Lynyrd Skynyrd loving Leslie Stokes that stole this show. His blustering good natured dimwit routine as he zipped around in that chair with the flag or babbles about boats and taxes and chemicals was a riot.
have to give a big nod to the effects folks all around for this one. The no mouth makeup was spectacular and the "they had to make me a whole new mouth" makeup was so gruesome one can't blame Scully for being so shocked initially. Great job with the yellow floating face as Scully discovers the invisible man. Fabulous explosion, and usually I'm not one who gets excited by things blowing up. The digital enhancement of the Nixon thing was perfect. Heck, I even loved the puddle splashes. Just a superior effort on all fronts making a really classy looking episode.
Before I go I'd like to thank Vince Gilligan for the ending of this episode. Like Anderson and Duchovny he chooses a path not often taken in the seven years of this show and gives us Mulder and Scully happily appreciating each other in the end. Mulder didn't need to use his wish on anything selfish. He's already got everything he needs: popcorn, Shiner Bock, a guy movie and the girl. Yup, I'm all right too.
-I thought the yacht sight gag was perfect. Anson who goofs off at work reading "Big Boats" magazine now has a huge tax burden vessel towering over his trailer and beat up station wagon.
-I have to admit, after listening to that boss scream "Anson" over and over and over in just the short teaser I too wanted him to shut the hell up.
-Just how long was that storage locker unscathed for? I have a hard time believing that someone paid in advance for 22 years before turning deadbeat. Did the owner just decide that 20 years of unpaid bills was enough and he was finally going to put his foot down and get stern after sending "final warning" letters for the past five years?
-Scully has to work on her recovery technique. I know she was trying to be polite and friendly after gasping in the poor man's face, but she really didn't pull it off after a rough start.
-The amazing plastic surgeon of the X-Files division has pulled off another miracle. I remember the days when he only had to repair cat scratches. Now, in addition to removing all those nasty bullet scars off of our heroes, their faces are scar free and good as new after last week's debacle.
-If the whole no mouth thing happened a month ago, it must mean that Anson waited that long to use his third wish. I have a hard time believing that he'd be that patient.
-Long live the Scully Rational Explanation! She was in rare medical form this week trying to justify what had happened to poor Mr. Gilmore with things like small mouth condition or Nasal Aplasia. I liked the way Gillian and David played this scene as if Mulder and Scully were enjoying their usual game.
-I wonder if they just got that same barreling truck from "all things" to run the light in this one and smack naked inviso-letch.
-Frank's Fashion Spot: My, my didn't Scully look good this episode. She only had to wear the season 7 white blouse once, and during that time it was wiped off the face of the planet for an hour. Sadly, it came back when she did. However, that aside, it was a great fashion week for Scully. Her green sweater was yummy, and the white jersey top at the end looked great for a casual evening. Oh, and, I liked her hair too.
-Fun with props: Where in the world did they get that buxom torso remote control? I especially liked the way you had to move the top up in order to reach the, er, buttons.
-Actually the whole set dressing in the trailer was really spot on right down to the tacky curtains and the Budweiser mirror.
-Who says you don't learn anything from television. This week on the X-Files we learned the fancy shmancy got-it-past-the-censors way to say "death by a huge hard on": "extreme priapic condition" or "chronic morbid tumescence."
-Hey, who wouldn't want a magic sack that was always full of turnips and a stout hearted mule? Fine wishes, both of 'em.
-Our Little Sailor:" where the hell did she go?" You know, I started this part in my reviews way back in the dark ages when people were known to comment that Scully never swears. It was to prove a little point. I'm just thankful I don't have to note every time Mulder let's out an expletive or I'd be doing this all day. Though I do have to say that out of all the writers Vince sure does like making them swear the most.
-Nice touch: the subtle noises from the street dropping out completely when Mulder's peace on Earth wish comes true.
-Kudos to the set dressers for even having Mulder run by "The Alexandria Hotel" as he runs down the street. Someone was really paying attention this time out. Well, except when they forgot to put the nameplate back up on Mulder's office door.
-Mulder better go back to practicing his hoops. While Scully scores with her bottle cap in the end Mulder misses causing her to laugh into her beer.
Autumn
"I should just shoot myself. I was so happy. I was so excited.
What was I thinking? An invisible man?"