"SKumm’s Thoughts"
X-FILES - WEEK VI
“The X Files” (FOX, 1993, 9 Seasons)
Hopefully, you’ve watched the first X-Files movie, THE X
FILES (aka, FIGHT THE FUTURE). Season
six picks up shortly after where the film ended, riding high on the film’s
momentum and success. And on its big
budgeted coattails, the sixth season is bigger, bolder, and louder than all the
previous seasons. The influence the
film makes is obvious in the cinematography, the stories, and the musical
score. This is the season that will
re-inspire your binging of The X-Files, just in case you were starting to get
burned out…
SEASON 6
Episode 1: The Beginning
The X-Files have been reinstated, but guess who isn’t
running them anymore? Mulder and Scully
don’t let that stop them, however, as they track one of the belly-aliens to the
West, where it is killing people. The
psychic chess champion is back, as are all of the major players. This episode looks like a movie, plays out
like a movie, and ends as you fully expect it would.
Episode 2: Drive (The One With Bryan Cranston)
Before he was making meth in a camper, he lived in a
trailer. Cranston guest stars as “You
Call Me Mister” Crump who has a condition that will kill him if he isn’t moving
over seventy miles per hour. And he’s
got Mulder for a chauffeur. Which is
good, because we all know how Scully drives… (Digital Drawback: The Mullet)
Episode 3: Triangle
Mulder winds up on a British luxury liner which disappeared
in the Bermuda Triangle in 1939... and there are a bunch of Nazi’s on
board. Swell. But the real story here is the breakneck “action” scene which has
Scully going from office to office trying to obtain info that could help
pinpoint Mulder’s last location. Shot
in a way that leaves little room for error, this “long-take” incorporates a few
tricks to make it stretch the entire length of a segment between commercial
breaks. Anderson does a hell of a job
keeping the pace, and even though you might be able to discern where the actual
breaks in filming were, the choreography of the scene is a wonder to
behold. Oh, and: The Lone Gunmen.
Episodes 4 & 5: Dreamland/Dreamland II (The Ones With
Lenny)
Mulder switches bodies with Michael McKean, a guy that works
in Area 51. Wasted opportunity, in that
Mulder uncharacteristically doesn’t try to delve deeper into the mysteries
there. But totally awesome to see
McKean and Duchovny act like other people.
Also important - McKean is reprising his role of Morris Fletcher for the
revival airing next year. (Digital Drawback: while the opposing reflections
dance is kinda cool, they don’t quite match…)
Episode 6: How the Ghosts Stole Christmas (The One with Ed
Asner and Lilly Tomlin)
Fun episode in which two ghosts screw with Mulder and Scully
on Christmas Eve. Not required viewing,
but oh my stars and garters, how I want that study!
Episode 7: Terms of Endearment (The One with Bruce “Ash”
Campbell)
Ash stars as a guy with two wives, trying to have the
perfect babies. Only he may not be an
actual guy. Good performances with a
classic twist that totally leaves the ending wide open for future
shenanigans. Required viewing because
HEY! It’s Bruce "Freaking"
Campbell.
Episodes 11 & 12: Two Fathers/One Son
Veronica Cartwright (from Season 5, episodes 13 & 14) is
back after her abduction, and she isn’t quite the woman she used to be. This arc includes The Mystery Train and the
Eyes-Sewn-Shut Alien Brigade. (Digital
Drawback: Wait…when did the window on the van break in the opening scene?...) (D.D.
#2: That is, quite possibly, the hairiest ear hole on the planet. Seriously.)
Episode 13: Agua Mala
Arthur Dales, the guy that started the X-Files way back when
is back, and living in Florida. A
hurricane stirs up a deep-sea nasty and he calls in the agents to
investigate. A fun MOTW episode, and
the production value is reminiscent of earlier improved quality.
Episode 14: Monday
A woman keeps reliving the same day over and over again—the
day her boyfriend robs a bank and kills everyone inside, including Mulder and
Scully. Another well-written MOTW,
which seemed predominant this season.
Has nothing at all to do with the alien conspiracy but it is an
edge-of-your-seat ride.
Episode 18: Milagro (The One With John Hawkes)
Hawkes guest stars as a writer living next to Mulder whose
written creation comes to life (wish I knew how he did it—if I can figure it
out, my room is going to be jam-packed with dirty bikini models and several
loofas). As has been hinted at since
season five, we get more hints as to Mulder and Scully’s true feelings for each
other.
Episode 19: The Unnatural
This time it’s Arthur Dales’ less famous brother telling
Mulder a story of days gone by. Mainly,
about a baseball playing alien. And
racism. And the alien bounty hunter is
back.
Episode 21: Field Trip
MOTW, yes, but an excellent tale that again belies the
humble beginnings of this show. Makes
you appreciate the influence the film had on this season. The agents are investigating the sudden
decomposition of a husband and wife on a mountainside. And there are mushrooms. Yummy.
Episode 22: Biogenesis
This is the episode that rocks Scully’s world and sees
Mulder institutionalized. If you’ve
felt a sort of disconnect from Mulder lately, this one kind of seals the
deal. That feeling bleeds over into
Season Seven—but hey, I’m getting ahead of myself. This season finale deals with ancient Indian writings, a big-ass
space ship, and religion. (Digital Drawback: why does the space ship keep
disappearing? And is that the same rock
in the background?...)
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