"I'm not apologizing for this."

Thankfully, there's no need to. After falling victim to a quite 
a few plotholes last week, things are now moving full speed ahead 
in "Drive". It seems, as the most consistently reliable writer on 
the show's staff, we can always trust Vince Gilligan to put things 
in the right gear. I think what I liked the most about this episode 
was that it was so fresh. It's not some corny rip-off of "Speed" 
(and Gilligan is even smart enough to reference that film to nip 
those comparisons in the bud), but a unique, well paced, and 
compelling X-Files tale. This week the X-Files worked like the well-
oiled machine we know it can be.

I had a very good feeling about this one from the teaser. I love it 
when the show experiments with new twists because, as this episode 
pointed out, "if you stop moving you die." Having to wait through a 
few seconds of dead air before going into a video-taped "SPECIAL 
REPORT" was a very clever idea (even if they were still paranoid 
enough to feel they had to put that little stealth "X" in the corner 
just so we'd know for sure). I'm positive more than a few folks 
watching even had a momentary fear that some bulletin on the situation 
in Iraq was about to cut into the show. I knew this ruse had worked 
when the person I was watching with said "damn it" when the warning 
came up.

One way that I can really tell an episode works is when I don't 
even care that Mulder and Scully spend the majority of the episode 
separated. Not only were they working towards a common goal when 
they were apart, but they were firmly a team when they were together. 
Apparently hell bent on breaking their spirits the Bureau quite 
literally has Mulder and Scully doing "shit work". However, like 
the little mystery magnets that they are, these two can't even 
investigate manure without stumbling onto something good.

"Drive" was a prime indicator of the real effect of the last five 
years on Dana Scully. Sure, she puts up a few cursory "no" replies 
when she first spies Mulder telling someone "We'd be happy to help" 
and knows immediately what is going on. However, as the woman just 
has no willpower once Mulder starts laying out his little plans 
she's in Elko Nevada quicker than you can say "bye, bye Buhlie". 
What an absolute treat to get to have Dr. Scully put all the pieces 
together on this one and use her science to solve the mystery 
complete with a rather wild theory (thank you Vince we could use a 
lot more of this on the show). It's fun to see her tentatively and 
then firmly making the leaps usually reserved for Mulder. Plus, as 
a special bonus, we even got Bossy!Scully quarantining the exam 
room and nervously worrying about Mulder's safety while avoiding 
telling him she thinks she may have been exposed herself.

On the guest star front Bryan Cranston does a fine job as that 
"peanut picking bastard" *Mr.* Crump. He and Duchovny do good work 
in portraying this uneasy alliance in one of those bonding via 
adversity kind of ways. I liked Mulder working purely out of the 
good in his heart to save a man that so obviously repulsed him.

Now I'm about to spout off with what I'm sure will be an unpopular 
opinion (much like the fact that I like Bill Scully for the conflict 
he causes): I like Kersh. A lot. I think James Pickens Jr. did a 
great job with that part. I like the malice and the conflict this 
new wildcard brings to the table. Frankly, with Skinner having 
proven himself more an ally to the two of them we needed some new 
internal obstacle, a threat from within for Mulder and Scully to 
join against. Someone to yank their chains. I like the way he makes 
them stand in his office like truants before the principal. And, I 
even like the fact that Kersh seems to have taken to picking on 
Scully (finally someone sees where the power is). Mostly because 
we get to see that little attitude thing she gets when she feels 
authority figures are being unjust. She winces when he calls because 
she hates those treating her like a child phone conversations
("think carefully") and Gillian Anderson has Scully saying a whole 
hell of a lot more than "right" when she answers Kersh in the final 
scene. I can't wait to see how this relationship plays out in the 
weeks ahead.

Random Musings
--------------
-The date stamp (seen in Crump's mug shot) starts the events of 
this episode on the day it aired 11/15/98.

-What I learned from Dr. Scully this episode: poking around in a 
dead person's ear is not a good idea. Blech. I bet she was relieved 
when someone else got to be ground zero for the dog brains.

-Like "Kaddish" the answer to the question of Mulder's heritage 
is carefully skirted in this episode. While we have plenty of 
insinuations from Crump, I mean Mr. Crump, that Mulder might be 
Jewish what we got from Mulder in return was indignation and 
sarcasm but no verification either way.

-Well, the new set dressing team was just a little excited this 
episode in filling the homes with knick-knacks and the like. We 
had everything from plate collections, to framed trout, making 
each home look like a cluttered mess just waiting for the right 
flea market.

-While I'm on set dressing, just how many lawn mowers does someone 
who lives in a trailer in the middle of nowhere with a dirt yard 
need? I counted at least six. Is this some sort of backwoods "days 
of the week" thing like the underwear that I just don't know about?

-In a really cool trick Mulder's rent car odometer actually runs 
backwards. He starts out around 2092 then drives and drives and 
drives and runs out of gas around 2043. 

-I think it was really helpful of that CDC person to walk behind 
a deaf woman and verbally warn her to watch her step. That was 
thinking.

-In the it's the little things that count category I loved the 
way the annoyed slap of Scully's cell phone number on the glass 
contributed to the edgy energy. Her new number is (202) 555-0166 
in case you need to reach her about something.

-Speaking of, you gotta love Scully's new cell phone. Especially 
since it allows her to do that one handed whip it out trick that 
makes her look oh so cool.

-While Mulder claimed in "Home" that he could live without it, I 
think this episode was more of a true indicator about just where 
his cell phone ranks in his life. I thought he was going to cry 
when the thing got tossed out the window. I loved the way Duchovny 
reacted here. Luckily Scully manages to get him back a lifeline to 
get him over the "terminal cell phone withdrawal."

-We can bitch all we want about that glaring L.A. sun, but you must 
admit they did manage some very cool fog effects for the visit to 
the Crump's trailer, and, more importantly, those monster sized 
flashlights were back after being gone far, far too long. Here's 
hoping new Director of Photography Bill Roe is able to block out 
the actors whining about how heavy they are.

-Frank's Fashion Spot: There's not many women that can look fetching 
even in a bio-hazard suit. Nuff said.

-It's a good thing Mr. Project Seafarer obviously doesn't play 
poker since even though she tries, God bless her, our Scully still 
needs to work on her bluff.

-Someone PLEASE tell me that shot from behind as Scully ran to the 
car was Gillian's body double because I refuse to believe my Scully 
would ever prance that badly. 

-For a guy that had to go to the bathroom I don't think staring 
sadly out into the crashing waves was going to help the situation 
unless that's what he was really doing.

Autumn Tysko
"Big piles of manure."