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"I always took the rumors with a grain of salt."
I'm one of those people who doesn't believe in judging things before I've seen them. Who doesn't believe in declaring the unknown a failure. Who will wait and see an actor's performance and how a script plays out in the end before making decisions about it. There's no doubt about it, the X-Files is changing, but as someone who's been here for the ride sometimes good, sometimes bad I've decided to stick around and take a look at this new beast one episode at a time. If "Within" is any barometer, I'd say this change, born of necessity, has given the X-Files a big boost to a formula that was, after seven years, wearing quite thin.
Now, before anyone gets their panties in a bunch I'm not saying, "gee I'm glad Duchovny decided to take most of the season off." What I am saying is that if the show must continue I'm glad that they are trying to find an approach that will allow them to expand their universe and introduce new perspectives and challenges. I am glad that after years of misfires that Carter seems to have finally figured out again how to introduce a new character the right way. Frankly, I got more about John Doggett in one episode than I have in all the Marita/Spender/Fowley episodes combined. This is perhaps due in no small part to actor Robert Patrick who embraces the role with gusto. I liked the way that they were not afraid to have us dislike this character for his initial deception of Scully, but chuckle along as he also sees through her own feeding the fish deception at Mulder's apartment.
Those two scenes - the initial meeting and the one in the apartment between Scully and Doggett were the highpoints of "Within." Anderson and Patrick do work well together and the results are performances layered with a multitude of undercurrents. I especially enjoyed Doggett breaking through a pursed-lipped and pissed Scully's defenses with a small act of kindness in a glass of water and then his attempts to see right through her by needling and baiting questions. And see through her he does in both of these meetings. Each time Scully's reactions become increasingly transparent - especially when she is caught, bed head and all, trying to compose herself and justify just why she was sleeping in Mulder's bed. The sparring back and forth here as Scully fumbles to find the fish food where it used to be 6 years ago and Doggett tweaks her by insulting her as a "scientist and a serious person" was fun to watch. However, at the same time he's tweaking her he is also sharing information. He did not need to give her access to the rental receipts or the medical records, and yet he does both. It will be interesting to see how this extremely wary relationship develops. Doggett gives the impression of being a very astute observer of behavior that should be interesting when paired with someone with a lot of secrets to keep. I do like the way they've set up the audience to experience him through her eyes - even discovering his history via Scully's investigation. Little things like Scully letting Doggett know she checked up on him by letting slip that comment about his NYPD experience to Doggett not bringing to light Scully's lie about being in her apartment when she was really at Mulder's place give an interesting tone to their scenes. I suspect that if he proves himself of good character in her eyes he will warm with the audience as well.
Mitch Pileggi had a certain desperation to his performance as Skinner comes firmly down on the side he knows is right and refuses to waffle needing to do all he can. It was enjoyable seeing him have to be reeled in time and again by Scully as he snaps over accusations and blurts things out. Given his overprotective manner with Scully and his new friends in the Lone Gunmen makes for some interesting character growth for this man who has had little to do but look stern for too long.
I'm excited about the character challenges that will lie ahead for Scully. I'm glad to be able to watch Gillian Anderson take us through what are momentous changes for Scully this year. I'm excited at the prospect of seeing a true progression in what Scully has to go through in the quest for Mulder that will permeate this season. It has been a natural progression over the years to see Scully move to saying she will no longer dismiss things because someone thinks they are BS. However, I did laugh when I heard Scully ask "why do people refuse to believe in aliens and UFOs" before giving us, in the true Mulder fashion, a HUGE logical leap to aliens removing evidence and Gibson Praise. Though thankfully Mulder usually didn't look like he was about to toss his cookies before he made them. Pesky nausea.
I loved the way this episode opened with literal self reflection as Scully, for the first time really and truly alone, stares at herself trying to find strength, to put on her game face and marshal her sorrow. While it is obvious that she has allies in Skinner and the Lone Gunmen, the loneliness and loss at Mulder's disappearance is amazingly palpable on Scully's face and in her eyes. The emotion she feels controls her at this time as she sometimes lets in to it as in that heartrending call to her mother and as she sometimes channels it into righteous indignation or anger at the other agents around her. For the amount of time the camera spent on her, Gillian Anderson actually had few lines this episode, and that's just fine for this actress that can speak volumes without opening her mouth.
If I were to take the time to find symbolism in all things, I'd have to wonder about the teaser. The opening, which is set to the beat of what we might hypothesize is the heart of her unborn child, seemed to indicate Scully having an umbilical like tie to Mulder that infused the episode. The umbilical cord was also a keen tie in to the movie, Scully having had a similar experience in slime. Psychic!Scully, it seems, is back in full force being visited, once again, by Mulder in her dreams. Some may shrug off these manifestations as merely nightmares encouraged by her own abduction memories, but I tend to believe they indicate the bond with Mulder that we've witnessed in episodes like "Blessing Way" only this time Mulder merely screams instead of giving a trademark Carter purple prose speech. At least this means it is Mulder in pain instead of the audience. I also find the symbolic ties to "all things" interesting. We start with the beat of the heart and Director Manners makes an interesting choice in focusing on a dripping faucet while Scully barfs in a most demure fashion due to her pregnancy. Interesting because in "all things" a dripping faucet started the episode as Scully dressed in the bathroom after what many fans and Gillian Anderson herself considered the start of a sexual relationship with Mulder. There is also the use of slow motion, which in "all things" highlighted a significant moment and which here highlights a significant loss.
However, to tell you the truth, I sometimes wonder if it is worth the effort to spend anytime trying to analyze this show anymore since 1013 has taken to rewriting X-Files history whenever they want to cover up failures in their own ability to plan ahead. I have a few comments about some choices that Chris Carter has made plot-wise. What I am concerned about is this whole Mulder is dying "there's a clear record of his decline" BS. I sincerely hope this is a red herring and not a serious avenue for the series as I too have a clear record of last season on video and nothing indicates any illness or decline past Mulder's recovery in "Amor Fati". Carter has shown a very disappointing tendency in the past few years to get himself out of corners he paints himself into for the sake of some big cliffhanger via extraordinarily sloppy storytelling. To continue to think he is being clever by retroactively retelling what we have already experienced by saying we just did not see it onscreen when it wasn't ever hinted at or referenced is a serious cheat on the audience. A cheat better writers don't resort to. It is the sign of a writer who just doesn't know an honest way out. The X-Files audience has put up with the "Gethsemane" bait and switch and the ridiculous "Closure" of the Samantha arc already. So now we just didn't see this terrible illness Mulder was suffering from while he spent weekend after weekend sitting on the grave of a mother who he was never very close to and who lied to him his whole life? Gee, that makes sense. Not. If we can no longer trust the plot or the performances in retrospect there's no point left to The X-Files.
Almost as amusing is the way that 1013 plays the game of suddenly remembering key points of the mytharc at convenient times. I had to laugh at just how simple it was to find Gibson Praise when they actually made an effort. All of a sudden Doggett, Scully, and the aliens pinpoint this kid within hours of putting their minds to it. Meanwhile, two years ago, he was just blown off and left in a nuclear plant with a huge scar on his head even though at that time we were told that he was the show's current "one" and that particular moment's "key to everything in the X-Files." I guess on this show being the "one" is more like being queen for the day than anything else.
I've been rather disappointed in Mark Snow the past few seasons. It seemed to me that with a few exceptions he'd lost some of the innovative spark that gave us such great scores as "Grotesque", "Soft Light", and "Jose Chung." Instead, he just seemed to be sampling his movie score. I'm relieved to have the experimental Snow back with a vengeance. The haunting theme that followed Scully was unlike anything we've heard on the show before, and the melancholy female voice set a resonant emotional tone for the loneliness that Scully was feeling. I give it a big thumbs up for effectively enhancing the mood of the episode.
When it comes down too it, despite the irritating things I found in the writing, I enjoyed this episode because of the character nuances and the acting. Director Kim Manners and Editor Lynne Willingham added to its edgy energy, but weren't afraid to let moments play out slowly in order to resonate as well. Frankly, as a new start and a season opener it does quite well. Especially given the fact that it had to introduce a new lead and cover for the absence of another. The real test as to whether this season will succeed or not will come down the line when we see if Carter sells his audience out again with more ridiculous trickery and very little treat.
-Retread Alert: Doesn't happen very often anymore, or in such a weird fashion. In "En Ami" Scully's landlord/apartment manager was played by Tom Bailey. In this episode he was played by Marty Zagon. The weird part is Marty Zagon is a retread. He played the landlord/apartment manager in "Biogenesis" for Sandoz of the trash compactor fame.
-Speaking of Scully's apartment, this one bugged me. When in the hell did she move up a few floors? I know some people think she moved since the days of Duane Barry standing outside her window, but if that is the case why does she have that same stain glass in her kitchen that she has always had? Do all DC area apartments come with that feature?
-I guess the first thing those agents boxing up Mulder's office did was rip the nameplate off the door as it was curiously missing in the opening sequence.
-It's the little things that count department: Scully's derisive dismissal of Skinner's suggestion that she not do anything to "upset her pregnancy." This is a woman who will definitely not let her condition handicap her or let others handicap her because of her condition.
-Personally, I'm glad to see Kersh back as I always enjoyed him as the evil boss from hell. I can only hope that with his return we also get the return of his assistant who was played with such a delightful flair by Laura Leigh Hughes.
-Date Stamp: The only one we got was from the Lariat car rental receipts. If they started on May 6th and went four weeks as implied, it puts the likely timeframe for these events sometime mid-June.
-Well, it's official I guess: Mulder was apparently not wearing Scully's cross in "Requiem" no matter how much it looks like it. I guess he's really, really into zippers now. Too bad, it was a great idea for such an important prop.
-Frank's Fashion Spot: First of all. Let me just say it. Scully might be in mourning, but damn she looked fabulous. Finally, the show's hairdressers used their powers for good instead of evil. (Though they do appear to have dug out the old flowbee for Doggett's 'do.) That suit Scully put on as armor to face work the first day reminded me in length and cut of that wonderful outfit she wore in the movie. Very, very nice. Plus Casual!Scully... and glasses... it was all good... almost. As we all know, Scully had some pretty severe button issues last season. She just could not seem to get those shirts buttoned up. In "Within" I made a startling discovery. As we actually watched Scully button up her blouse over that black bra it became apparent that the problem was not that she was not buttoning up, but the lack of buttons in the first place. The top button on that blouse was barely covering the bra, after that there was nothing left to do. So the problem may be button deficient blouses instead of a sudden lack of buttoning skill on her part. I know Frank will sleep easier knowing that this issue has been fully analyzed.
-When Scully spits out "Kersh's task force leader" did anyone else hear in delivery and tone "Kersh's bitch?" I could have sworn that's what she was really saying to him.
-No wonder Mulder and Scully love Lariat rent cars. They can get those cars dirt-cheap. $35.98 for a two-day rental in DC is a great price.
-Let me get this straight... in "Requiem" Mulder and Scully are being grilled over their rental car receipts and yet with Mulder missing maybe 48 hours the FBI has assembled a huge and extensive task force complete with helicopters to track him down? How come he was never this important every other time he disappeared? Why would an agency that wants so badly to just get rid of him care this much? And why would they have the operation headquartered in DC when he disappeared in Oregon?
-While we're picking at things why in the world would the aliens be stealing computers? I guess Mulder and Scully fooled them but good by never following up on Gibson in two years. I think it's pretty funny that they felt the need to take Mulder's monitor too. I'm sure there is a lot of useful information to be found in that.
-Some things never change. It's an endearing character trait and once again Scully proves that she can fall asleep at the drop of a hat, or in this case the sniff of a shirt. And sleep she does. How late was it when she finally woke up? Doggett had already been in the office and back. Talk about out like a light.
-After seeing all the various alien facelift scenes of Mulder I have to say that in the grand scheme of things at least Scully got a clean white place when they tortured her.
-So when exactly did they dig up Bill Mulder and move him to Raleigh? And is it asking too much for them to just decide how they're going to spell Mrs. Mulder's name and stick with it? In "Dreamland II" they spell it Teena; here they spell it Tena.
-I'm not quite sure what I think about the new choices for the credits. Obviously they needed to be updated, but why pick that picture for Duchovny? I know he's taken much better. And why give an actor who is participating less than half the time top billing? It's obvious they want to have us thinking about the baby and Mulder all season, but the falling Mulder was pretty silly looking. I did like the fact that they used Scully's eye however.
-Since the boys at 1013 were so very, very fixated on telling us over and over just how incredibly manly John Jay Doggett was this summer, I've decided that this aspect of him must somehow be the thing they want us to focus on. So, because I hold the boys in such high esteem, I'm adding a new section a la Frank's Fashion Spot and Our Little Sailor. I'll call it the Manly Man Meter and rank Doggett's Manly Mannish Blue-Collar Guyness on an episode by episode basis. I mean 1013 REALLY needs to know how much we appreciate his manliness on a weekly basis. Right? This week's Manly Man Meter score is.... 6. Doggett gets manly points for taking the water to the face like a guy's guy and not even bothering to wipe it off, for that ultra-butch military/work record, and for almost whipping it out in Kersh's office during that little pissing contest they were having. If only he had scratched himself or hit someone his score would have improved. As is, he loses manly points for letting a little boy with a duck waddle who is being drug along get totally out of his sight in a few short moments and for feeling the need to have that officious little toady around him re-barking out all his orders.
-I was glad to see that Mat Beck has returned to the fold at 1013. He was listed in the end credits as the Visual Effects Producer apparently replacing Bill Millar.
-Speaking of absent friends, why oh why can't we get Sheila Larken in a scene instead of having her literally phone her performance in? They are missing an emotional minefield if the audience is not privy to some family conversations about Scully's pregnancy.
-When Doggett asks, "a year ago Agent Mulder was hospitalized, ring a bell?" all I could think is "Could you be more specific? Mulder's in the hospital like every other week."
-Skinner and Scully need to work on their observation skills if they missed that helicopter not once but twice when it was buzzing around. Why else would she be so surprised to see Doggett at the school? Does she think that the lunch lady commutes by helicopter?
-A final gaffe: it's a law in California to display prominently your restaurant's rating by the health department. Sure enough, right by the front door of the dusty diner Skinner walks into is a big letter A. Problem is they were in Arizona.
Autumn "You think by talking in circles I'm just going to get dizzy and blurt it out?"