"I think the dead are speaking to us Mulder, demanding justice. 
Maybe that man was right, maybe we bury the dead alive."

I commented in my "Piper Maru" review that I thought that episode 
was missing something - that it didn't have the drive or intensity 
that I had come to expect from the mythology episodes. I think of 
it now as a lengthy preamble to this show - necessary exposition 
that allows "Apocrypha" to move at a harrowing breakneck pace. 
Anytime I actually need to get up and pace during the commercial 
breaks I know the show is succeeding on all levels. This episode 
gave us a lot, and in a somewhat uncharacteristic fashion, gave 
the audience bits of resolution on some nagging issues. Of course, 
there is much more that we need to know, but I was quite satisfied 
with where things stood at the close of this chapter.

The theme of this two-parter seems to be the effect of the dead 
on our lives, and it echoes throughout both "Piper Maru" and 
"Apocrypha". Of lesser import this time around is the whole quest 
for Samantha. These shows are about justice or revenge for the 
dead. The two-parter starts with Scully frustrated by the complete 
lack of investigation into her sister's death and ends with her 
mourning her in the cemetery. The shows are full of references to 
the dead being our conscience, speaking to us, and seeking closure 
that can't be found. 

The teaser gives us our first secret, as we see a young Bill 
Mulder and (this was scary) a young and even attractive CancerMan 
(which just goes to show you what 40 years of smoking will do to 
a guy's looks). It seems that it is Mulder's legacy to atone for 
the sins of the father who wasn't willing or able to "make sure 
the truth gets out" as the sailor requested. Nice touch to loop 
William B. Davis' voice in as the young CancerMan with the eerie 
"you can trust all of us." 

I have often wondered if it is maybe just the hospital setting 
that puts Scully into her major bossy overdrive mode. I love it 
when she orders other agents around. Actually, I'm surprised that 
she even lets other doctors look at her friends. One senses that 
she's got what it takes to make a heck of an A.D. herself one day. 
Her whole interplay withthe other agents was quite interesting. 
She took the investigation and ran with it uncovering all of, if 
not most of the major clues while the others consistently offered 
excuses "we've pretty much exhausted our avenues". What an 
interesting parallel to her comments about Mulder from "Piper 
Maru" dealing with his relentlessness - I'm sure the willingness 
of others to give up so easily gives her a further appreciation 
for Mulder's tenacity. 

Another X-Files staple: it's an old familiar scene and they know 
it, as Mulder awakes in a hospital to find Scully patiently waiting 
at his bedside. Their slight smiles betray the all too familiar 
aspect of this scene as Mulder mentions "I guess I'm not dead" and 
Scully gives him her "not this time" look. I could feel those of us 
concerned with the interplay between Mulder and Scully draw a sigh 
of relief during "Apocrypha" as it appears the cold front has 
apparently moved on for a while. I especially liked the scene where 
Mulder explains his theory of the oil based medium to her and Scully 
struggles to maintain a straight face and ask pertinent questions 
until they both just have to laugh over it. 

That said, I still believe the best character interplay we are 
seeing these days is between Scully and Skinner - not Scully and 
Mulder. From her hand holding concern at the hospital to their 
scene in his hospital room, Anderson and Pileggi are getting the 
most out of these moments. Scully may not believe in aliens, but 
she has come to recognize a large scale conspiracy through her 
experience. The slow burn she does, as Skinner warns her "anger 
is not a luxury that you can afford right now" plays great. For 
a second I found it interesting to see Skinner lecturing Scully 
about keeping her head and warning her about making mistakes, but 
then I remembered that he has seen her lose it big time - and 
making the mistake of distraction that allowed him to pull his 
gun on her back in "Blessing Way". 

Skinner may say he is "not advancing any conspiracy", but his 
actions speak highly of his character and both Mulder and Scully 
realize it this time around. It’s quite a switch to see Mulder 
with a new found respect for Skinner - shaking his hand, helping 
him, and even thanking him. Even though Skinner claims he just 
did his job and that it isn’t "his crusade" he did, as Mulder 
points out, put his job and life on the line for Scully. I never 
thought I’d say this, being a bit of a Mulder/Scully purist, but 
I’m actually looking forward to the upcoming Skinner episode now. 

The consortium also had a few interesting twists for us. It was 
nice to see John Neville back, and even nicer to see that they 
seem to be getting real impatient with CancerMan’s shoot ‘em 
now - get answers later style. What a sad life old CM lives - 
every time we see him at home he's drinking, smoking, and 
watching old WWII movies in black and white while someone breaks 
into his house. I think that he's got a bit to worry about now 
that Well Manicured Man has found out via Mulder that not only 
is Krycek alive, but the tape is still out there. 

What a pleasant surprise to get a visit from Action Scully - we 
really don't see her enough. Kicking doors open gun drawn and 
giving chas ethrough the streets - all leading to one of those 
amazing moments when that always present Scully snap factor kicks 
in big time. That scene with her screaming "You shot my sister!" 
while the fugitive begged for his lifegave me goose bumps. You 
could see such a wonderful war of emotions in her eyes culminating 
with the fact that she really really wanted to shoot him. 

The last act was fast paced and fun as we move to North Dakota 
and our poor unlucky heroes are caught by the cavalry a mere few 
feet from the UFO behind door 1013 - you just have to laugh 
sometimes. The cemetery scene was well-played with a quiet 
introspective nature - it was nice to know that Mulder was able 
to find her - and he brought flowers. Though anyone who actually 
thinks that Krycek was buried alive - think again.

Random Musings
---------------

-The alien evacuation scenes were wonderful - the ooze "bleeding" 
out of the felled captain, and even better Krycek expelling the 
alien back into the ship. (Remind me never to have whatever he was 
drinking).

-What Mulder really said to Scully on the phone: "Meet me at the 
airport for a trip to North Dakota - and - uh - pack the good 
flashlights."

-The Lone Gunmen Icecapades scene was fun, but a throw away. Only 
Byers would skate in that silly suit - and they were just too 
pleased with themselves on their "G-men" activities. Too bad they 
didn't know about the old pencil trick.

-Retread alert - Agent Fuller from "Squeeze".

-M "It looked great on me in the store".

-Why in the world does Mr. Italian Consortium guy pronounce UFO 
as you-fo?

-I've decided I really like Agent Pendrell - the poor guy is 
just pining away, doing his best to do all that he can to help 
and impress Scully just so she'll stop long enough to notice 
and perhaps touch his arm again.

-Great moment: CancerMan lighting up right after the line "massive 
and malignant cancers".

-Scully psychic moment: Isn't it amazing that she just *happened* 
to be wearing slacks and ... low heeled shoes ... on the night 
she had to chase Hispanic Man through the streets. Coincidence? 
I think not.

-Scully's comment of "1 down, 199 silos to go" could lead to a 
new X-Files rendition of "100 bottles of beer on the wall" - Hmm, 
maybe *that* was Krycek's problem.

-Do you ever think they start a new X-Files script with one line: 
"Mulder, it's me. Where are you?" and just work from there?

-I never knew one could get such a nice luxury rent car in Black 
Crow, North Dakota.

Autumn
"I’ve seen stranger things - believe me"