Revisiting The X Files: S05 E04

S05E04: Detour

Surely we are hitting tough times when we are basically lifting a plot from a movie, but there we are. It's Fox and Dana versus Predator in this episode, where the FBI agents stumble across a scene with three missing men and no explanation as to where they've gone. They soon discover an invisible, or camouflaged, duo, who not only seem to be able to slip away undetected but keep kidnapping more people. We move away from the Predator theme by suggesting they are 'Mothmen', who may well be adapted men from 450 years ago.
Apart from all of this... well... nonsense... there is actually an excellent scene with Mulder and Scully in the forest, just in conversation as Scully tries to light a fire. It's the ebst part of this episode.  3.5/5

Revisiting The X Files: S05 E03

S05E03: Unusual Suspects

The necessity of another episode without the main protagonists (who were away filming 'The X Files Movie') brought an episode on The Lone Gunmen, and a tale of their origins and how they ended up being tied in with Mulder. In many ways you either love or hate these guys and their place in the X Files universe. That won't change with this episode, nor will the fact that another would-be whistle-blower in Susanne Modeski ends up being dragged away at the end of the episode. Or that Fox gets drugged up and believes aliens are going to take him away. What annoyed me the most about this episode was how the three of them went from being so "innocent" to suddenly such believers within 24 hours. And that they then had to try and convince Fox of the "conspiracy". Well, you have to start somewhere I guess...  3.5/5

Revisiting The X Files: S05 E02

S05E02: Redux II

Fox immediately blows his cover to visit Scully in hospital, which is really a rookie maneuver. After meeting with Blevins to determine why he has faked his death and implicated Scully as well, he and Skinner exchange information.

The play off between Mulder and The Smoking Man here is terrific, with each man's certainty of their own convictions tested. The information that could cure Scully's cancer, as well as the introduction of Samantha, or someone who is being played as Samantha, tips the scales in the direction of 'evil', but Mulder's determined refusal to join his side is still refreshing even given we all knew he would say no. The episode is also significant for Scully's return to her religious faith, and it cleverly makes it ambiguous as to whether it was faith, alien technology or plain science that enables her cancer to go into remission by the episode's end. 

The announcement of The Smoking Man's death does seem plainly ridiculous from Skinner, given no body is found, and only going on the amount of blood lost. Surely even he by now should know better than to pronounce someone dead without such evidence as a body. 4.5/5

Revisiting The X Files: S05 E01

S05E01: Redux

After we immediately get past the relapse into the cliffhanger from Season 4, and have it confirmed that Mulder is indeed not dead, we can concentrate on the two halves of the episode. Scully has to cover for Mulder, making everyone believe that he is dead at the hearing. Our friend The Smoking Man doesn't believe Mulder is dead, and breaks into his apartment in search of information. 

Meanwhile, Mulder breaks into the Department of Defense, where one of the finest monologues of the whole show takes place, as Michael Kritschgau (John Finn) escorts Mulder around and explains to him the theory behind the whole hoax and why it has taken place. It is tremendous, and brilliantly delivered. It is one of the scenes of the entire The X Files series.

Mulder delves into secret locations and finds what he believes is a cure for Scully's cancer in a box within, but having taken it to the Lone Gunmen discovers it is only water. The episode ends with Scully collapsing at the hearing with blood again coming from her nose, signalling the worst. perhaps. 4.5/5

Revisiting The X Files: S04 E24

S04E24: Gethsemane

Here we go again. "We've found an alien corpse!". "Oh, almost everyone who knows about it is dead". "Mulder is here! He sees the alien corpse, it must be real!". "More people who know about it die!". "Scully probably has proof, but chooses not to believe, but believes a stranger who says it's a conspiracy!". "Mulder doesn't believe it!".

We've seen most of this before in one way shape or form. And we will again. Trying to spin this into a story to cover up government stories by making Mulder believe in alien lifeforms and technology is done well, as well as going back and forth in the hearing being held that Scully is speaking at. The cliffhanger ending is a bit of a cop out, because we all know Mulder will not be dead. Even at the time it wasn't convincing nor did it invoke the same emotion as the end of Season 2.  3.5/5

Revisiting The X Files: S04 E23

S04E23: Demons

Though it does have much to do with the overreaching story of Samantha Mulder, and the actual details of her abduction/disappearance in the past, this episode does tend to bore me, and not really hold my attention. There are lots of details here in Mulder's flashbacks that are pieces of the story that is still to be told over future series, but the interwoven plot along with that tends to get bogged down in details that aren't as interesting. 3.5/5

Revisiting The X Files: S04 E22

S04E22: Elegy

The return of Scully here is expanded by a more integral role for her in this episode, where she actually experiences the unexplained, and has to wrap her head around it rather than have Mulder spelling it out for her. It was nice for a change to again have Scully being an active participant in the believing side of the episode, and not just constantly debunking Mulder's theories. This really did have a One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest feel to it, which was apparently what the writers wanted.

The ending may not be the cleanest or cleverest but it was still a fun episode to watch. 4/5

Revisiting The X Files: S04 E21

S04E21: Zero Sum

A second Skinner-based episode, and it's another beauty. The Smoking Man is making him run around in circles, and he doesn't like it one little bit. With Scully not in the picture at all, being in hospital for her cancer, there is some great interaction between Skinner and Cancer Man, and Skinner and Mulder, as the episode winds its way through the twists and turns, and the return of the bees first introduced by the Syndicate back in "Herrenvolk".

Skinner's character continue to improve the more he is given to show his wares. This episode gives a different perspective on both his and Mulder's characters and works well within the framework of the series.  4.5/5

Revisiting The X Files: S04 E20

S04E20: Small Potatoes

This is a beauty written by Vince Gilligan, where the story starts with Mulder and Scully investigating a town where babies have been born with tails, but the case turns on its head when they discover that the babies all have the same father... which would appear impossible.

Enter Eddie Van Bundht, who is a much more intriguing character than it initially appears when he is confirmed as the father of all five children. A bit corny in places, but this is an enjoyable X File all the same. 4.5/5

Revisiting The X Files: S04 E19

S04E19: Synchrony

Now here's something you can get your teeth into, though of course its full of holes and the timelines and counter-timelines have absolutely no chance of ever marrying up. But finally there is some time travel in the X Files, as an old man seems to be disposing of scientists who are on the verge of a great discovery. But why? And how?

Of course Fox eventually realises (too late) that the old man is here to do exactly that, but he's come to stop himself! Well, it mightn't be perfect, but when it comes to time travel stories I am very anally retentive about it all, so sit back and enjoy and don't worry about my droning. 4.5/5

Revisiting The X Files: S04 E18

S04E18: Max

Well Max made it back to us, but not in this episode. Mulder is, of course, caught as he swims to shore after witnessing the crashed UFO and pilot. Scully's efforts to save the one person who seems to know what actually happened are, of course, countermanded by those higher up the chain. Then we learn that Max was transporting alien technology but - surprise surprise - there is ANOTHER bag with part of the puzzle, which Mulder duly is able to snaffle.

Of course, this all comes to a screaming halt on yet another plane journey, where bad guy and object disappear, Mulder survives, but has no proof of anything that happened. Jumpin' jiminies, will nothing ever go right for these guys? Carry a damn camera! 4/5.

Revisiting The X Files: S04 E17

S04E17: Tempus Fugit

Max is back! All the way from 'Fallen Angel' in Season 1, he doesn't last to see much more action, after the plane he was on crashes, killing almost everyone on board. Still there are aliens afoot in many places as Mulder and Scully try to work out exactly what happened in the air above Northville in New York.

Was there one aircraft? Was there two? Was there an alien craft? Even Joe Spano's character Mike Millar comes to see the light (literally) in the UFO conspiracy theory taking place. Mulder even stumbles across yet another alien space ship crashed under water (why doesn't this man carry a camera with him?!?!) as the episode ends, leading us to a week long cliffhanger...    4/5

Revisiting The X Files: S04 E16: Unrequited

S04E16: Unrequited

More soldiers killing superiors in this episode, which seems to have been a semi-regular occurrence throughout the X Files. Here though we have old mate Teager who seems to have the ability to disappear in plain view, which makes it quite difficult for him to be caught. Having disposed of a couple of victims, Mulder eventually comes to the conclusion that he has gained the ability to make himself a blind spot, which is not as good as invisibility, but pretty damn handy when you want to slip away virtually unnoticed.

The part of the story regarding POWs in Vietnam still being alive but ignored by the government seems to be casually swept under the carpet at the important parts of the episode.  3.5/5

Revisiting The X Files: S04 E15: Kaddish

S04E15: Kaddish

Rising from the dead for revenge, or not dead at all? Looks like neither could be the answer here, after Isaac Luria is murdered by teenagers before his wedding day, but once buried the teenagers begin to drop one by one in mysterious circumstances. Looks as though no one was prepared for a Jewish family to set loose a mystical Jewish monster called a Golem to take control of the situation.

That's all fine, but really, the villains here are very cartoonish. I guess it is possible there are such outlandish and obvious racists out there but these guys are really over the top. Fortunately Mulder is there to believe and to save the day. Kind of.  3.5/5

Revisiting The X Files: S04 E14: Memento Mori

S04E14: Memento Mori

Scully's cancer leads she and Fox back to the site of the Mutual UFO Network, only to find almost all of the other abductees have already fallen victim to the same phenomenon. of course Scully refuses to believe this to be a government conspiracy, because that's what she does!

When Fox tries and fails to convince Skinner to let him make a deal with the Smoking Man, he turns to those bastions of geekery The Lone Gunmen to help him. Let's just say that Byers is not a field agent. Alien hybrids abound in this episode again, all protecting Scully's ova.

Skinner and Smoking Man apparently do a deal at the end over Scully's life, but at this point you can't be sure who or what will be affected in the long run.  3/5

Revisiting The X Files: S04 E13: Never Again

S04E13: Never Again

Wow. A Scully centred episode, which is fine. Can't argue with that. But really, she seems so out of character throughout the whole thing that it doesn't really work for me at all. Perhaps not accurate, maybe rather just a side of Scully that hadn't been seen. And a talking tattoo? Well, a drug-induced belief that the tattoo was talking. Not even Jodie Foster can save that. Bored. Boring! 

1.5/5

Revisiting The X Files: S04 E12: Leonard Betts

S04E12: Leonard Betts

OK, now we have a chance to get back into the swing of things. A person being decapitated in an accident, and then the body not only escaping from the morgue, but regenerating a new head? Yep, there's something here for everyone.

A guy who subsists on cancerous growths - that's great. But does he have to kill people for that? Well, it would be less fun if he didn't I guess. The fact that he loses limbs and then regrows them is cool - when he regenerates a whole new body, that's impressive. The conclusion of the episode, where the revelation is revealed that forms part of the story arc for the next one and a half seasons also puts an exclamation mark on the episode. 4.5/5

Revisiting The X Files: S04 E11: El Mundo Gira

S04E11: El Mundo Gira

This is a strange episode, because the scientific side of the story as pursued by Scully appears to explain everything that is occurring, which renders Mulder's side of the story superfluous. It also hardly makes it what one would call an X File case either. The start of the story, with the yellow rain and the dead girl doesn't necessarily adhere to that, but this really just comes to a search and arrest type of story, which again goes unresolved given the two brothers fleeing across the border. 

Does anyone else think we're beginning to get bogged down here? 2.5/5

Revisiting The X Files: S04 E10: Paper Hearts

S04E10: Paper Hearts

I like this episode if only for the fact that it explores the possibility that Samantha Mulder may not in fact have been kidnapped by aliens, but had in fact been murdered by a serial killer. It falls down a little bit given that we have seen glimpses of Samantha clones in previous episodes, so where did they come from if not from alien technology? 

Still, the story works well, apart from Mulder then taking Roche back to his home and then letting him escape, and of course having to kill him before he would answer in the affirmative or negative to whether he was lying. Yeah the plot was a reasonable one, but the way it was executed made it feel as though there were holes. 3/5

Revisiting The X Files: S04 E09: Terma

S04E09: Terma

What?! Krycek is a double agent?! I don't believe it. He wouldn't do so more than seven times! 

So when Mulder finds out, he somehow manages to hijack a ute and escape the gulag (something no one else appears to be able to do) with Krycek, who then manages to escape from Mulder anyway. So, Mulder finds a group of Russian peasants, who somehow are able to smuggle him back to the US! Amazing! Of course, the last pieces of the black oil puzzle slip away from the agents each time as they almost close in on its location. What a surprise. 

Poor old Krycek has the toughest time, having his arm forcibly sawn off by crazies in the Russian forest to "save" him from having black oil experiments performed on him. Poor old Krycek... 3/5