Sleepless

Sleepless is right. Because that's what M & S clearly are, having been separated for too long, and missing each other like crazy.



I think everyone loves this episode. It has nothing to do with the case, and everything to do with the introduction of Krycek and Scully's serious jealousy over it. It's actually too bad, because the case is very interesting- sort of like a proto-Pusher, but it does seriously get overshadowed by the human drama going on. There is a ton of longing in this one.

Krycek, right off the bat, is such a great character. He's green, he's squeaky, and you already want to punch him in the face, don't you? Mulder clearly does.



His first scene is so perfect. Mulder has pushed for this particular investigation, but shiny-new Krycek has beat him to the punch. The solution is to pair them up.



...This has to be a be a mistake...

M: Listen, I appreciate the show and tell, and I don’t want you to take this personally, but I work alone.

His face says it all.



Mulder proceeds to be a total asshole to Krycek for the rest of the show, blowing him off, etc. So good. Obviously Krycek is a threat to the M & S partnership. If they had any hope of getting back together and reopening the X-files, a new partner really complicates things.

As usual, Mulder requests that Scully do the autopsy on his case. Mulder's phone call interrupts her class, and he uses the pseudonym 'George Hale' again; very sneaky :P I have to say, they aren't doing a great job of keeping these two apart. That might be part of the point of bringing Krycek in (other than his spying on them, and being a double agent, etc).



M: How do you feel about joining me in the ‘Big Apple’ for an autopsy?

They way he says it, it sounds like he's asking her on a date. Mmmm autopsies are hot, right?

Scully is actually a bit reluctant at first, because of her classes, but Mulder won't take no for an answer; not when they are making a more serious attempt to split them. He has to make sure they don't succeed. Scully relents, of course, because when does she ever actually say 'no' to Mulder? Really, she just can't.

Krycek is pretty pissed after his first Mulder-ditch, but he's determined not to take his shit. He won't back down from a case that he says is rightfully his, and pushes to be included.



K: Where are we going?

They both meet up with Scully, who is extremely happy to see a sort of jokey, flirtatious, smiley Mulder at first, Until she sees he's brought another agent along. Realizing the role of the guy following him around, Scully gives Krycek the least sincere 'Hello' in history, and brushes right past him.

Hey, no woman likes being replaced. Check this out, you can actually see her heart break:





M & S do their best to demonstrate that they are purposefully excluding Krycek. They just couldn't be less impressed with him, especially after he makes uncomfortable noises at the corpse. He's so green! And they are so mortified by him!



I should have just run a page of screen caps, really any commentary I add would just ruin the flawlessness of their facial expressions.



I love that the crazy theory kind of comes from Scully this time.

S: Some how, this man suffered all of the secondary, but none of the primary physiological signs of being in a fire... It’s almost as if his body believed that it was burning.



We also meet Black Throat for the first time (can I please just call him Black Throat instead of X? He's just so badass). X wants the X-Files to be reopened, but wants to make sure Mulder knows he is not Deep Throat, and is not willing to put his life on the line.



M: Who are you?
X: Who I am is irrelevant.
M: Why are you trying to help me?
X: You think I want to be here, Agent Mulder? I don’t want to be here.

So there he is, ladies and gents, the most ass-kicking super-informant of all time. Yay!

The hospital phone call scene is so loaded, it's almost hard to watch. Mulder calls Scully to discuss their findings, and the conversation ends this way:




S: (jealously) Sounds like your new partner’s working out.
M: He’s all right. He could use a little more seasoning and some wardrobe advice But he’s a lot more open to extreme possibilities than. . .
S: (interrupts, clearly a bit threatened) Than I was?
M: . . .then I assumed he would be.



S: Must be nice not having someone question your every move, poking holes in all your theories.
M: (stammering) Oh yeah, it’s---it’s great. I’m surprised I put up with you so long.
(long, loaded, longing pause. Scully licks her lips. Mulder... probably is picturing her licking her lips...)





S: You’d better go. I’ll read over this report again and see what else I can come up with.
M: ...Okay.

Um, God. Classic case of absence making the heart grow fonder. This may be the most intensely USTy phone call of the entire series (that's saying a lot), and for the first time, as a viewer, I think "hey, I'm really not making this up! I think they do want to jump in bed together!", and maybe if Scully wasn't about to get abducted, they might have. Well, maybe not in the show, but in real life they would :P

Final scene, Krycek is revealed to be spy working for CSM.



CSM: What about Scully?
K: Reassigning them to other areas seems to have only strengthened their determination. Scully’s a problem. A much larger problem than you described.
CSM: Every problem has a solution. (extinguishes cigarette)

In related news, I'm Sleepless waiting for the abduction arc. Sweet! Season Two is the best!