EBE

Great episode. Well done, all around; great story that for once, feels fully realized. So many episodes up to this point feel like good ideas, and they don't always get off the ground, or come to a natural end, or get fleshed out entirely without feeling rushed. If EBE were a movie, you wouldn't walk out of the theatre disappointed.

Do you know what makes this episode really excellent?
It's loaded with great M & S interactions, we are introduced to the Lone Gunmen, Mulder finally speaks to Scully about Deep Throat, and it is established that DT has not only seen aliens with his own eyes, but he is one of three people on the planet who have actually exterminated them.



Plus, this is the episode where the X-files start to really fuck with their personal lives. Up to this point, TXF has just been a job to Mulder and Scully, albeit a very interesting one. But now they are being bugged, set up, misled, and their lives are starting to get a little more complicated.




It opens with this excellent exchange as M & S are investigating a UFO sighting. Mulder is gathering evidence and only half listening to Scully's ideas:

S: From the trucker’s description, the shape he fired on could conceivably have been a mountain lion.
M: Conceivably.

S: The National Weather Service last night reported atmospheric conditions in this area that were possibly conducive to lightning.
M: Possibly.

S: It is feasible that the truck was struck by lightning, creating the electrical failure.
M: It’s feasible.

S: And you know, there’s a marsh over there. The lights the driver saw may have been swamp gas.
M: Swamp gas?

I love them taking the bus after returning their rental car. I don't know why, but I think this detail is great.



The entire first part of this episode is very... playful. The intro to the Gunmen is killer:

LANGLY: Is this your skeptical partner?
FROHIKE: She’s hot.



To be fair, Frohike is right; this is easily the best Scully has looked in the whole season so far. I'm not the only one to think so!



S: Those were the most paranoid people I have ever met. I don’t know how you could think that what they say is even remotely plausible.
M: I think it’s remotely plausible that someone might think you’re hot.

...Scully has no response, just this priceless look....



Then, I don't think I have to tell you, I enjoy any time they spend at eachother's apartments. Even if they are fighting about the authenticity of UFO photos.



S:I have never met anyone so passionate and dedicated to a belief as you. It’s so intense that sometimes it’s blinding. But there are others who are watching you, who know what I know and whereas I can respect and admire your passion, they will use it against you. Mulder, the truth is out there but so are lies.

Scully is right, of course. The photos are fake, and DT is trying to throw them off track. They realize that they are totally alone one this, and they can't trust anyone else anymore. And amazingly, Scully seems to be willing to roll with the alien theories this time, she really does. It's like the ultimate trust; she doesn't really believe in this stuff, but she does believe Mulder. When Scully asks (a couple of times in this ep) if they are looking at the work of aliens, she isn't being sarcastic; she really does want to know!




Now they need to outsmart those who are playing them. They known they are being monitored, and must be evasive. Scully is shown buying a plane ticket with her credit card, then another ticket and a stopover, with cash.

An alien "rescue mission" is faked in order to throw them off. The acts of deception in this episode from both ends are complex.

They manage to find the wreckage and the EBE anyway, after stumbling upon a UFO party. It leads them to a power plant of all places, where the aliens is being held. And killed. By the time Mulder finally gets to it, it's gone. DT confesses everything- his guilt for being one of three who have killed the aliens is his motivation for helping Mulder find the truth. What DT tries so hard to hide, he also hopes one day Mulder can expose.

Oh, on an USTy note? Hotel rooms, stakeouts, both apartments. All the right ingredients. Just saying.

Young At Heart

Oh! This is a surprisingly good episode! I always forget how great the villain is in this one; really intense and very creepy, especially in the scenes when he's talking to Mulder on the phone. That doesn't seem to stop me from procrastinating in writing my entry though...

In the first season we really do see a lot of people from M & S's pasts, in this case an old partner of Mulder's. Also, a criminal that Mulder has already put in jail, and has supposedly died.



What actually happened was this John Barnett character has been experimented on, and is actually getting younger. He never gets a chance to go all Benjamin Button on us though because Mulder sets a trap in the end, using Scully as bait. Barnett is shot in a scenario similar to the one before his original capture.

A hostage who is Scully's friend is being used as a human shield. In the original case, the hostage and an agent are both killed and Mulder- having had a clear shot, but one that would endanger the hostage- must live with the fact that he could have, but didn't, save their lives.



To make this episode even more interesting, the doctor who experimented on Barnett comes to visit the agents, and explains the science behind the whole thing. He is trying to find a cure for progeria; or at least using as an excuse (or "a wonderful opportunity") to reverse aging. Barnett is the only survivor of the experiments, and the doctor has had success in regenerating limbs after using salamander cells.

Of course, that leaves Barnett with a salamander hand.

This whole thing has Scully entranced, which is SO much more interesting than her shooting down theories and disbelieving everything that is actually going on in every episode. She is fascinated by the science behind the strange events that are happening, and she wants to learn more. I love that.



See, look's she's taking notes for crying out loud! I just love it!

To add a dimension, the villain is being wooed by the government. Obviously this is the kind of scientific advancement they would love to get a hold of, and they are trying to get a deal. Here you have your excuse for having Deep Throat show up, but more than that, it seems... realistic, in the X-files universe.



Mulder is so disgusted with the conversation, he leaves Deep Throat to pick up the tab. At least Deep Throat can finish Mulder's beer...

Do you see what just happened? I was so interested in the X-file itself, I haven't event talked about any UST or anything! That's how good it is!

Not that this episode is full of great UST or anything, although Scully shows a lot of compassion for Mulder when Reggie Purdue recounts the whole stand-off/shoot-out thing, and has a chance to express that later, to Mulder's slight embarrassment.

Can I just quickly say that... Agent Henderson, while physically very unattractive.. they way she purrs when she describes the cursive writing for her analysis... even I think she's kind of hot. So if there is some UST there between her and Mulder, it's totally forgiven.




H: "Well, this fellow... and I'm assuming from the cursive figures here that it is a male suspect... he has a fairly nice, fluid style. Judging from the pressure variations in the connectors, this person would need good finger dexterity. You're not going to get that with a prosthesis. "

Now let's see...




Barnett threatens to kill all of Mulder's friends; he's already killed Purdue, and now is stalking Scully at her friend's concert. He tapped into her answering machine- I love this:

M: "What does Barnett know about your phone messages?"
S: "Uh, that my mother called for no reason and I'm meeting a friend before her cello recital."

I dunno, I just think Scully's Mom is cute, that's all. I think she reminds me of my Mom in some way.

And actually, Mulder winking at Scully when she is acting as bait for Barnett is kind of cute.



Scully responds with this:



I guess now is just not the time. I don't think Scully likes being bait.

I think when Scully finally is shot, Mulder could have done better than kind of running near her, instructing someone else to check her, then running off to catch Barnett. Yeah, he knows she's wearing a bullet proof vest, and this perp is kind of a big deal, I get it. Doesn't stop it from being a bit disappointing.

That's OK, this look at the end makes it better.



It says "it's OK, I still care. I knew you would be OK. I know you are a totally capable woman, and more than that, you are a fucking kick-ass superhuman being."

.....No it doesn't. OK, it was me saying those last things...

Whatever.

Lazarus

It's interesting how in this first season, M & S are often called on by other agents; like the rest of the bureau hasn't given up on them yet. In this case, Scully's ex boyfriend/professor asks for some help wrapping up a case that has been consuming him.

I am pretty sure this is the first time we see Scully shoot-to-kill somebody, during a bank robbery that almost costs Jack Willis his life.

They are able to revive Jack after Scully's insistence in the ER- but the bank robber Dupre comes back to life in Jack's body.



Not that Scully believes that. A tense M & S scene:

M: Can you at least accept the possibility that during his near-death experience some kind of psychic transference occurred?
S: Can’t you accept the possibility that this isn’t an X-File?



Unfortunately, Mulder is always right, and Scully ends up getting kidnapped by the man.

This is by far, the most interesting part of the episode. Poor Scully is pleading with this man to remember is real identity. He allows a quick phone call with Mulder to confirm she is still alive; and he calls her Dana again, demonstrating he reserves the use of her first name for when he is particularly worried about her.



Meanwhile Dupre's girlfriend Lula is revealed as a double-crosser. Jack Willis is diabetic, so whether he has been possessed, or simply believes that he's become the man he's tried to apprehend for years, he requires an insulin shot.

Lula goes to the trouble of stealing the insulin and needles, but then smashes them all in front of his face, revealing her intent to kill him and keep all of the money for herself.




Poor Mulder is really stressed about Scully's kidnapping, and does whatever he can to find clues to her whereabouts. He assembles a team, but not all of them are totally behind him:

AGENT BRUSKIN: All right, people, settle down and grab a seat. Mulder says he’s got something.
AGENT WESTIN: What? An alien virus or new information on the Kennedy assassination?
AGENT BRUSKIN: Hey, Mulder’s all right. You should pay attention. You might learn something from the man.

Well if he can't get them to respect him enough to take him seriously, at least he can guilt them into it with his sad, shaky plea:

M: And for those of you ---who don’t know already this one’s important to me. So, uh, let’s do it right. Thanks.



They canvas the area, with fake Bible salesmen; the kind of people you open your door for, but never actually let inside. Once Lula has been identified, they swoop in for the save, but poor Scully has just watched her friend die.

The episode wraps up with a really great exchange. Mulder hands over Jack's watch for Scully to hang onto: it's engraved "Happy 35th, Love D."

SCULLY: It’s not working. It stopped. At 6:47.
MULDER: The exact time that Jack went into cardiac arrest at the hospital.
SCULLY: What does that mean?
MULDER: It means (long pause, then both tender and exasperated) It means whatever you want it to mean. (gently) Good night.




It means A) he doesn't want to try and convince her of his crazy idea, B) she never believes him anyway, and C) there really isn't a useful thing for a person to say when an ex-boyfriend dies.

Gender Bender

This is one of those episodes that never really takes off for me; they never actually explain anything about the X-File; not how they seduce, kill, or why they are suddenly aliens. And if they are aliens, why did they choose to disguise themselves as... the Kindred (Amish)?

Despite this frustration, the episode is entertaining, and I love the way it's shot. It's a great looking episode, even if it's a bit weak. It keeps you interested too, even if it doesn't go anywhere.

So a renegade Kindred guy- Marty- who can change into a girl, is picking up at a techno nightclub. Then I guess the sex is so good that it kills. Hot.

But Marty is not hot. Not a very attractive guy or girl, so he uses some kind of Vulcan nerve pinch or something, by taking someone's hand and rubbing between their thumb and forefinger.

No word on how he kills, but when the victims die, they regurgitate some kind of bloody frothy foam... and clay?



There is kind of a cute scene where Scully has no idea why they were called in, and the guy at the crime scene is like "Really? Somebody at the Bureau put out a memo requesting any case involving this exact COD" to which Mulder says "Thanks for the call".

I know Scully loves being undermined by Mulder. Loves it :)

The investigation leads them to a sleepy, kind of boring little town. Hey, at least they've got a feed store. Mulder checks it out, while Scully comes on a little strong trying to ask this other Kindred guy (Andrew) some questions about his horse. He's a little scared of her.

M & S decide the Kindred are worth looking into as suspects, so they grab a map and proceed to get completely lost in the woods.



I actually love this scene. I love when Mulder tries to find West by pointing kind of.. up. Then gets frustrated and crumples the map, delivering a quick punt, only to have Scully catch it in one hand. Super funny.

Eventually M & S manage to score dinner with the Kindred, where they watch the group to seemingly allow some guy to choke to death. They are not impressed. They are kicked out, but sneak back in to watch a secret rejuvenating ceremony being performed in the barn. Mulder follows them into a creepy hole in the ground where the guy is buried, and is slowing transforming into a woman.

Meanwhile, Scully is getting Marty's back story from Andrew, who then tries to demonstrate how Marty's seduce-and-kill works. Lucky for everyone, Mulder busts down the door before anything bad can happen. Like someone nailing her before he can (oh just kidding).



I think one of the cutest things ever is one of the most subtle and easy to miss. As they are leaving the house, Mulder keeps trying to close her blouse and her jacket, trying to cover her up. I don't know, I just think it's so adorable, and actually very thoughtful. Scully is the picture of modesty in the first season, with her little crucifix and blouses buttoned all the way to the top.



And he wraps his arm around her so protectively.




And is very kind to her when she pukes. He buys her coffee and doesn't try to embarrass her any more than she already is. Even if he's pretty embarrassed himself.



M: *clears throat/coughs*


So, blahblahblah, nothing gets really resolved, and the Kindred get away in their spacecraft.

Oh. (?)

That was an unnecessary twist that came out of nowhere.



I guess that's why they can shape shift.

Biggest highlight of the episode:




Nick Lea's first appearance!