"He's lied to me from the beginning. He never trusted me."
"Scully, you are the *only* one I trust."
"You're in on it. You're one of them. You're one of the people
who abducted me. You put that thing in my neck! You killed my
sister!"

One word: YOWZA! The showdown at Mrs. Scully's is going to have
to go down in X-Files history as one of the show's best dramatic
moments. I sense that I am going to gush about this episode so
I'm warning you all here. I absolutely loved it. I've mentioned
before that the best episodes are where our characters are
emotionally involved. Most times we get one or the other (as in
"Oubliette" or "Revelations" for example), but when they both
are effected - when it has something to do with their partnership
or trust - it makes for the best possible X-File. Usually we only
get this sort of charge from the mythology episodes, and technically
one would I guess have to classify this as an odd blend of a monster
of the week and conspiracy - where the monster (as we have seen
before upon occasion) is in the mind. 

Kudos from the top to the multi-talented Mat Beck (who shines in
this episode with his spectacular story and consistently top-notch 
effects - I really liked that glitchy visual) and, of course, to 
Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny. Gillian gives yet another 
brilliant tour-de-force performance as Scully finally snaps. 
What other actress can so effectively say so much without uttering 
a single line. We've seen Scully on the edge before, but the old 
snap-o-meter went off the chart on this one. Duchovny doesn't often 
allow us to see Mulder looking at his partner with such unguarded 
affection and honesty, but it worked to a very compelling degree 
here. Mulder the picture of calm kindness with a wild-eyed Scully, 
sweat beaded on her forehead, seeing her life crumble. I'm applauding 
at my keyboard. 

Before I move on, congratulations also to Sheila Larkin, Mark Snow, 
Rob Bowman, and editor Heather MacDougall. Sheila Larkin is nothing 
if not consistently wonderful. What an under used treasure she is 
to this show. Snow's throbbing score effectively intensified the 
tension and paranoia throughout. Bowman and MacDougall construct 
that wonderfully choreographed sequence of Scully, eyes darting,
systematically trashing her hotel room in an odd parallel to a 
similar Mulder incident in "E.B.E.". The team was firing on all 
cylinders for this one folks. 

This script really tapped into one of the "big" themes of the X-
Files - trust. As the years have passed and the conspiracy against 
our heroes has heightened they have become entrenched, despite 
their differences, in a tightly wound symbiotic relationship. 
What is Scully's worst nightmare now? Thinking Mulder would betray 
her. Pretty powerful stuff. Poor Scully. Who can blame her the 
paranoia after thinking she heard a whispered phone conversation 
about tapes and herself - and then the ultimate betrayal - Mulder 
and CancerMan smiling and tape swapping. The tension in that 
shocking scene was almost unbearable. The depth that Mulder cares 
about Scully was also obvious. He cares enough to tape the first 
X on his window since "Anasazi" despite how much X repulses him. 
The moment he has in his car, head bowed as if in prayer, before 
going to identify the body was also very telling.

The role reversal between Mulder and Scully was very interesting 
and much more believable than the believer/skeptic switch we've 
seen before. It was funny to hear Mulder seemingly echo all 
Scully's "It's science fiction" lines with "What you're talking 
about is pseudo-science". I hope that it wasn't lost on people 
that despite her mental state this was the an example of an X-File 
where Scully was right, and right from the start. She becomes the 
obsessed one, staying up late to piece things together while Mulder 
goes to sleep. 

More great scenes: Scully compulsively checking ashtrays and acting 
odd as Mulder begins to sense something is wrong - you can see the 
puzzled looks on his face as he starts missing the unspoken 
communication link. Scully in the dark like a betrayed wife dropping 
even the standard "Mulder it's me" and launching directly into the 
accusing "where are you" before crouching to the ground like a 
cornered animal when he arrives. The hospital sequence with an 
ashamed Scully and understanding Mulder. Cute the way he lifted his 
hands and smiled as he entered. I also like her last look in this 
scene as she senses Mulder is off to do something alone that he 
shouldn't and she can't help him. 

A few notes on Mrs. Scully. Apparently Mulder is always the bearer 
of bad news as she immediately asks him what is the matter. I've 
always liked the way she refuses to call him Mulder. Fox just sounds 
right coming from her. It is interesting to note that in his 
conversations with her mother he always calls Scully "Dana" as 
well. We also learn in this episode why Scully is such a terrible 
liar - she got it from her mother. No one would believe that "she 
isn't here" story she was trying to feed Mulder.

The pieces are also falling together for the story of X. Frankly, 
I was not surprised at the little revelation at the end. We've 
always known X was not the most above board guy - "One Breath" and 
especially the end of "Soft Light" told us that. After all, Deep 
Throat was a consortium member as well. Despite his appearance as 
some sort of double agent, his motivations and loyalties continue 
to remain unclear. Is he really helping Mulder? Definitely not to 
be trusted by anyone. Mulder pegs him dead on: "You make me risk my 
life, you risk my partner's life, and you never risk your own." 

I told you I was going to gush. This one was a 10.

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

-First the retread report. Two from Colony/EndGame - and both of 
whom were impersonated by the Mighty Morphin Bounty Hunter. Mulder's 
new informant (Tim Henry) played the marshall Scully handed the 
Gregors over to, and Dr. Stroman (Colin Cunningham) was the whiny 
Lieutenant in the sub.

-I always knew cable guys were evil.

-Ooo. Pendrell is becoming a player - you go techno-nerd! Scully 
has gotten to the point where she immediately suggests him: "Maybe 
it's a job for Special Agent Pendrell and the sci-crime lab. 
"Not quite the same as "a job for SuperMan", but I'm sure Scully 
saying this would have the same effect on him. What a special phone 
call that must have been for him with a "wiggy" Scully calling to 
check up on Mulder.

-I think the Lone Gunmen were actually proud of the fact that they 
were all officers in the high school AV club.

-You know it's funny. We can go episodes without any semblance of 
a time or date stamp to give us a reference, but by God if there 
wasn't a reference to date and time on almost every scene here - 
and it was *never* 10:13 or 11:21. We should have known something 
was really wrong from the top.

-Scully may go through her whiny "Quagmireish" moments about the 
X-Files, but she always seems to be concerned that they are working 
on one. Her "so what's the X-File" reminded me of a similar question 
in "Our Town". She has also always been very protective of them 
not being used - hints of the paranoia that has become a part of her 
life before she watches the first tape.

-Mulder and Scully drawing their guns on a big screen TV showing. 
LOL! They were right and didn't know it.

-A few fun videotape moments - the look Mulder got when he asked 
her if there was "anything good", and the new X-Files repeating in 
joke - one of the tapes Scully sees in the chest is marked "Jeopardy".

-I always find it funny to hear our little scientist who can say so 
many words I can't even spell come out with descriptions like wiggy 
and freaky.

-So what was with that hotel they were staying at? Was it rooms to 
fit your personality or what? Mulder looking scruffy in his T-shirt 
is staying in a scary little single bed without a headboard hovel 
with sunflower seeds and tapes strewn about. Meanwhile, it appears 
Scully (who hasn't even bothered to remove her heels) got the luxury 
suite - complete with couch and fireplace. Her tapes are so neatly 
piled one wonders if they are alphabetized.

-I, for one, enjoyed the fact that the "evil TV" that sent Scully 
careening over the edge involved Pat Buchanan and Bob Dole.

-So, Mrs. Scully's bed table has cute pictures of Dana and Melissa, 
but NO BROTHERS. Furthering my theory that they don't really exist.

-Yet another scary vest for Frohike. This one was kind of a rug 
with fringe. Yikes.

-I'm not sure about this whole color blind thing - though it does 
partially explain the ties. I would have to assume that Mulder is 
only mildly color blind as it varies greatly in degree. I'd hate 
to think he's been going around all this time thinking Scully has 
green hair.

-The TV in Scully's hospital room was on a news station discussing 
a plane crash. Hmm. I wonder why planes go down...

NetPick
-----------

-One continuity error I spotted. Scully knocks a bunch of tapes to 
the floor when she searches behind the TV, but in the next shot they 
are again neatly stacked.

-We are told in dialogue that Scully fired four rounds. We heard six.

Autumn
"Everybody was out to get me."