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Season Three Reviews

"I want to believe"

3X01

The Blessing Way

Summary

This episode marks a definite "beginning" for me as an X-Files fan. My first exposure to the show having been the last half of Anasazi — upon which I became totally fascinated — I made it a point to come back for its conclusion. This one is a little bit "hit and miss" (although mostly good) as I revisit it for the purposes of this review. I didn't really mind the Navajo cultural references and resulting religious overtones in this one (surprise, surprise) even though those kinds of elements will always drop the believability level of an episode for me. (Luckily, the scenes of Mulder being healed were just too interesting and easy on the eyes.) As DD himself has said, however, the fact that Mulder didn't really play an active role in this one was a bit disappointing. That said, I liked how Scully's personal and professional dilemmas played out, with her reaching out to her mother and sister. And of course, the "mysterious conspiracy" mytharc elements of this one — as presented by WMM, CSM and Skinner — were still worthy of an "oooh" or two back then.

Best or Worst Moment

A lot happened in this episode, particularly towards the end. From Mulder showing up alive at his mother's house to Melissa's murder to the guns-drawn standoff between Skinner and Scully, we got a wonderful lead-in to the following week's conclusion. But the moment that continues to stand out in my mind about this hour was the confirmation from Bill Mulder to his son (during Mulder's dream sequence) that Samantha wasn't "there" with him. Silly, naive me, but I took that to mean that Samantha was alive.

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3X01

Paper Clip

Summary

Good old fashioned edge-of-your-seat excitement underscores this episode. I thought the symbolism of the white buffalo was well used (and again, it speaks to the history of this show not doing things halfway by including footage that really wasn't necessary to move the plot along). I loved the entire sequence of the "lots and lots of files", along with the first real appearance of "aliens" and their spacecraft. (Of course, this was back when we weren't innundated by forty thousand-odd variations of them.) And while the whole "one and only copy" digital tape plot is lame, I appreciated the difficulty of the decisions that Mulder, Scully and Skinner had to deal with, in terms of personal and professional consequences.... Speaking of consequences, great scene with Krycek as he bolts from certain death. As with The Blessing Way, however, certain things stick out in hindsight that make me wonder about lost opportunities. Ma Mulder said in this one that "I couldn't choose", implying that Mulder's parents had full knowledge of what Samantha's fate was/would be. Didn't sound to me like she would later send out search parties after having visions of her child travelling through space in starlight... or whatever it was that Closure said happened.

Best or Worst Moment

Oh those glorious days of UST. (My first fanfic experience was a post-ep story dealing with the aftermath of Scully's vigil at her sister's bedside.) Anyway, I thought the concluding scene of this hour was wonderful, highlighted by strong dialogue choices. It clearly demonstrated Mulder and Scully's innate strengths as individuals and as partners. Having been involved with TXF fandom, however, I also immediately associate Paper Clip with "that elevator scene". Problem is, even when I go back to rewatch it now, I don't see where all that fanfic interpretation came from...

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3X03

D.P.O.

Summary

I'll admit that Giovanni Ribisi is a good actor, but the guy creeps me out. So while this was a great performance, I don't necessarily like watching this episode. Lightning Boy was just so unequivocally mean — for no real discernible reasons — that I just wanted him to be "offed". Well-developed baddies at least prompt you to feel sorry for them at times. It's been said that this episode had the unfortunate fate of being scheduled after the really BIG run of Anasazi/Blessing Way/Paper Clip, putting it in a bit of a "no win" situation, but I think that's a cop-out. This just simply wasn't that compelling a story when you can't explain why this kid is like he is (all right, so maybe it was just an electrolyte imbalance) and why he feels and acts so unspeakably angry. In the end, I just chalked it up as one of those "normal" portrayals of disturbed and generally unlikable teenagers by The X-Files.

Best or Worst Moment

Here's a bit of trivia for you. This was the original episode that featured Mulder "smoking" (before the awful Travelers). Okay, so it didn't actually involve a cigarette, but in an episode that didn't do much for me, I got a kick out of Darin fooling with our G-Man's cellphone.

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3X04

Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose

Summary

I loved Peter Boyle's portrayal of Clyde Bruckman when I saw this ep and have to add that I think he's a wonderful scene stealer on Everybody Loves Raymond. It was, of course, Mr. Darin Morgan's outstanding writing that allowed the character to be so amusing and memorable, but the actor also had a tremendous chemistry and rapport with the Mulder and Scully characters. In terms of story, this was one of those great X-Files that didn't have to rely on anything other than simple human interaction to deliver a fine hour of entertainment. No aliens, no monsters... just the final days in the life of an old man who no longer wishes to cope with his "gift". It was funny, touching, and filled with so many layers of meaning all at once.

Best or Worst Moment

I have three. First is Mulder's honest, deadpan delivery of "Why are you telling me that?" in response to Bruckman's offhand revelation that there's no more undignified way to go than autoerotic asphyxiation. Second, I loved the opening sequence with the Stupendous Yappi and the "comparison" digs at Mulder, culminating in the latter being banished from the room for his negative energy. Third — "You expect me to believe that's your real name?" Great stuff!

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3X05

The List

Summary

Chris Carter was nominated for a Director's Guild award for this episode, but even though the hour was creepy — not to mention crawly — and mysterious, it didn't leave a lasting impression on me. Could it be that as early as this, I wasn't too thrilled about the "all setup and no resolution" formula? I'm not saying that things in the X-Files world should have clear explanations — after all, lack of clarity is usually their reason for being X-Files. My complaint, if you will, is that stories like this are "easy" to write when they don't require that anything be explained or when they don't provide sufficient evidence to support any particular theory, wild or otherwise. Was Neech actually reincarnated? That final scene may have appeared to show that he was, but heck, if I was the warden, my paranoia would be working overtime by then, too.

Best or Worst Moment

I must admit I've not watched this episode enough times to recall too many moments involving our favourite agents. What stands out was the specific atmosphere of the prison. TXF has done several segments in prisons over the years, and I've always been struck by how Scully seems so vulnerable in that venue. This was no exception, particularly in that sequence where she wanders off by herself and is eventually cornered by Parmelly. Was that stupid or what?

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3X06

2Shy

Summary

As proof of how The X-Files used to be extremely innovative and relevant with its storylines, this episode brought to light the potentially nasty aspects of the internet — at a time (late 1995) when many people were not yet "connected". I thought that the relatively mundane circumstances — i.e., lonely, insecure woman wanting to be swept off her feet, etc., etc. — were very effectively dressed up in '90s fashion with the on-line aspect. I recently read an article about how present-day teenagers (who have grown up with computers and the internet) differ from "the rest of us" in that they are just as comfortable communicating with their friends in chat rooms as on the phone. To that end, those of us who have reservations about on-line "chatting" likely found this episode to be decidedly creepy, even apart from the special effects "gross-ness". And speaking of, the "fat-sucking vampire" story was a marvelous idea... if only we could harness that in a less-destructive manner. All in all, this is not normally held up as one of the great X-Files ever, but it was a well-developed script with excellent supporting characters.

Best or Worst Moment

I gotta highlight one of these moments one of these days, so why not now? Just what is it about Scully and her bathroom tussles with crazed killers?? Not only does she get attacked in her own bathroom on a regular basis, but now she's started her own road show.

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3X07

The Walk

Summary

A story not unlike Unrequited, exploring how the unexplained might be attributed to those who have seen things that the rest of us hope never to see. There will always be questions over how we deal with those who survive the horrors of war, and obviously Rappo has issues. When such a man obtains powers of "astral projection", there'll be problems, no doubt about it. That said, it's actually not very difficult to identify with his concept of "taking away from you what was taken from me". And in fact, the not quite sympathetic portrayal of the military in this case makes us wonder all the more. Rappo the Madman aside, what would any of us do if we suddenly found ourselves capable of affecting other lives like he did?

Best or Worst Moment

I don't have a specific moment, but I'd like to pay tribute to the behind the scenes people for their work on the special effects. From what I've read, the amputee effects in this episode involved mostly physical devices rather than the more common CGI stuff used today (such as on Mulder in season five's Kill Switch) and I thought they did a great job.

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3X08

Oubliette

Summary

This is one of those episodes that grows on me the more I watch it. Great for the insight into Mulder (although as many people have pointed out — bad for the awful portrayal of Dana Scully), highlighting once again his totally empathic nature. The circumstances were disturbing, even if you didn't want to believe in the link between Amy and Lucy. This was one of those rare cases where the X-File didn't have to be solved, so to speak; the facts were there to be interpreted as you wished. And if you're at all like Fox Mulder, you know that Lucy saved more than Amy with her "sacrifice". Overall, this episode was sensitively written and performed, if you ignore a couple of bad Scully moments.

Best or Worst Moment

I'll go along with the crowd and say that I was totally appalled with how the good Doctor Scully urged Mulder to give up on his (i.e., not hers) CPR attempt after a few seconds. I don't quite know what to make of how that was written. Maybe the compressed time of the final act made it appear more unrealistic than it was meant to be. After all, even though Mulder reacted semi-violently to her prompting, he did stop, indicating that maybe he had been trying for longer than we thought? Or am I reaching?

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3X09

Nisei

Summary

Ah, one of those classic "motion picture" two-parters. I remember watching this when it originally aired and thinking (and you have to remember that I was a bit of a neophyte at the time) — "this show is so annoyingly convoluted and addictive at the same time!" The varied yet related plot points had me semi-baffled as the hour wore on, but I was perched on the proverbial edge of my seat the entire time. Just think of what we got here — the laying of the groundwork for Scully's cancer storyline (didn't her meeting with the women of MUFON send shivers up and down your spine?), the "aliens or not aliens" conspiracy, and more Mulder action than you can imagine being packed into a single hour. When it ended with our favourite agent landing hard against the top of that fast-moving train, I was wishing it was next week already.

Best or Worst Moment

I like a man who can take his lumps and come right back. So my pick for best moment in this one occurs near the beginning, during the big chase scene between Mulder and the "man with the bag". Seems we're not the only ones tired of seeing Mulder lose his gun....

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3X10

731

Summary

This was exciting, I have to admit. That stuff aboard the train between the oddly spooky NSA agent and Mulder was The X-Files at its best, threat of a bomb or no. In the midst of all this, there was Scully in the background, finding out everything she is supposed to find out and nothing more — as usual. (And of course, most of it appears far too mundane to be convincing to Mulder.) Is this just a case of "simple" experimentation on lepers using the alien angle as a cover-up, or is the alien connection real? In the end, we revisit the idea — last put forward to us in the season openers — that this conspiracy may be more significant and more familiar than we think. After all, CSM isn't quite to the point of puckering up and kissing Skinner's ass yet, is he?

Best or Worst Moment

"It's for you." In the midst of all that tension, wasn't that a great moment? Made me smile, anyway. Otherwise, the image that stands out for me has to be the one near the end where X carries Mulder out of danger, with the rail car exploding in the background. Did I say this was The X-Files at its best? Make that at its biggest best.

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3X11

Revelations

Summary

I'll admit that I found Kevin the stigmatic more engaging than what's-his-name the healer from season one's Miracle Man, but I still don't like how these episodes portray Scully as a "believe anything religious" fanatic. Not to mention the requisite treatment of her character as the saviour of all things good and innocent. In this one, Scully is repeatedly told to come "full circle to find the truth". (Well, that's clear as mud.) So after going full circle, Scully's sad that perhaps God is speaking but no one is listening? Aside from the fact that in later seasons, we are shown quite often that Dana Scully herself has a direct pipeline to God's thoughts, I tend to think that the problem is somewhat the opposite. The truth is, religious zealots all over the world are interpreting what God is saying all too freely for my comfort.

Best or Worst Moment

I loved Mulder's comment about Homer Simpson's evil twin, but the following exchange stands out for me in this episode... Scully: "How is it that you can go out on a limb whenever you see a light in the sky, but you're unwilling to accept the possibility of a miracle?" Mulder: "I wait for a miracle everyday, but what I've seen here has only tested my patience — not my faith."

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3X12

War of the Coprophages

Summary

This one was just fun from the very beginning. Even a simple phrase like "sittin' and thinkin'" has meaning to Philes because of this episode. Loved the various instances of Mulder calling up Scully and interrupting her thrilling Friday night activities, only to hear all these logical explanations of his supposedly weird phenomena. Does this mean that Scully lives to prove Mulder wrong? Well, like Mulder will say in a few years, she's probably never really proved him wrong, but you can't deny that she's committed to making sure he stays on the straight and narrow. Especially if there's a woman named Bambi involved... Darin Morgan hit all the right spots with this script, creating great scenes for both Mulder and Scully.

Best or Worst Moment

If I had to narrow it down to one, it had to be that moment of the cockroach scrabbling across the TV screen. But as I mentioned about this episode in my top ten list, there were plenty of other ones. Go watch it again and make your own list.

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3X13

Syzygy

Summary

There's much to like about this episode, despite the wrath that apparently bubbled up after its initial release. The "sure, fine, whatever" bit has become a classic phrase among Philes. The so-called tension between Mulder and Scully — while I could definitely see how it would send many an adamant shipper on a rampage — was definitely entertaining, especially the stuff on Mulder's part. Poor Scully — always coming off more bitchy and jealous than funny... even when she was stomping around in her hotel room smoking her lungs out. I found the two girls sort of off-putting, but that's probably just me and my allergy to TXF teenagers. Chris Carter wrote this, but the more times I watch it, the more I appreciate its "Darin Morgan" feel. There are some very clever and truly funny bits here, amidst a somewhat pedestrian x-file.

Best or Worst Moment

More memorable moments than you can shake a stick at in this one. Aside from the one that I mention on my memorable Mulder moments page, how about the whole "horny beast" conspiracy, Mulder's opinion regarding his partner's love of "snapping on the latex", and later, his demonstration of his superior "sniffing" abilities?

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3X14

Grotesque

Summary

I recently watched this again (it may surprise those of you who read these that I don't usually re-watch the eps before I write these reviews) and it really made me feel nostalgic for the way things used to be. The look and feel of the hour — including the background music — was outstanding, from beginning to end. And Kurtwood Smith (who reminds me of his chilling performance in RoboCop every time I see him) was perfectly cast. You can see from both sides that Bill (a name which, along with "Karin", must be of great significance to someone connected with this show) did not have a mere mentor/protege relationship with Mulder; their clash hinted at classic father/son roles. As with Oubliette, this episode gave us great insights into the character of Mulder. As we've been consistently shown, there's no halfway with him. If there's a puzzle to be solved, we know where Fox Mulder will be. (Or at least — speaking in 2002 terms — we used to know where Mulder would be in such circumstances....)

Best or Worst Moment

This episode featured a number of significant moments where nothing was said. The three-sixty shot of Scully admiring Mulder's newly decorated walls was one of them. Mulder's nightmare sequence was another. In terms of actual dialogue, I liked the Mulder/Patterson exchange in the library. Somewhere underneath all that prickliness, there was some semblance of mutual respect.

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3X15

Piper Maru

Summary

This episode marks the first appearance of the black oil "aliens", an item that gets explored again several times in later seasons — and not with the greatest of success. (We're probably destined not to know anything specific about them since they're just another type of alien among the thousands that populate Chris Carter's universe.) Their newness here, however, combined with the appeal of Alex Krycek, made for a fascinating epsiode. We also got an attempt at continuity in terms of Melissa's murder case and its affect on Scully, some great underwater sequences, and the unexpected shooting of Walter Skinner. I loved the final act — from Mulder smacking Krycek with a phone to Krycek's transformation in the airport bathroom courtesy of Joan Gauthier. Again, one of those endings that had me immediately wishing for next week to arrive.

Best or Worst Moment

The Mulder/Krycek interaction is always good — in this case it was a head butt, I think, and some dialogue threatening revenge for his father's murder. But I liked the Mulder/Scully exchange when they're looking at some video and she correctly identifies the B-51 Mustang, to which Mulder muses, "I just got very turned on."

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3X16

Apocrypha

Summary

The pacing of this one was a bit frenetic, but as usual in these mythology eps, our heroes are left empty-handed at the end. Despite crashing cars, jumping through hoops and showing up at the right places with the help of extremely vague information, Mulder and Scully continue to be just a step behind. The ever-elusive tape proves ever so slippery once again (although I enjoyed the scene at the ice rink where the LGM deliver the empty case to Mulder) and while Scully helps nab the murderer of her sister, he ends up dead in his jail cell a short time later. Entertaining and still engaging at this point in the series, but you can begin to see where this will eventually get very frustrating.

Best or Worst Moment

The best moment at the time that I originally saw this episode was seeing Krycek get his just dessert at the end, but in retrospect, this marks one of the first blatent examples of TXF dealing with difficult plot points by ignoring them altogether. In that sense, Krycek being locked up in that silo was the best and worst moment of this ep because while it was certainly a dramatic way to end the story, he does escape and it's like the audience doesn't need to know how.

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3X17

Pusher

Summary

I'll always have a soft spot for this episode. To be honest, it was really a toss of the coin as to whether I would rate this one "good" or "excellent". Maybe it's somewhere in the middle, because on the whole, there's really nothing extraordinary about this hour. In a lot of ways, this was just a typical X-Files exploration of a crazy man with a crazy power and seemingly nothing to lose. On the other hand, Modell is more than just a madman out to destroy as much as he can before he expires. Upon meeting Mulder, his intuition and fondness for mind games tells him that he's met a formidable opponent. As a viewer, it's always interesting to see how one-off characters on the show "admire" and ultimately relate to our favourite G-Man.

Best or Worst Moment

Various moments from this episode have been dissected as evidence of Mulder's and Scully's undying love for one another. (As I'm feeling very "un-shippy" these days, I'll just say that it's a matter of interpretation.) In the end, the best moment for me was the obvious one — the Russian roulette showdown. Tightly directed and convincingly acted, it's one of those classic TXF moments.

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3X18

Teso Dos Bichos

Summary

The famous "killer kitties" episode... one of Mr. Shiban's early attempts has been the subject of ridicule in many fan circles. The problem is, since I don't have strongly negative feelings about this one (as I have with, say, Fight Club), it's difficult to say anything about it. The main premise with the cats could never have been made to work because — as everyone who has seen the show has noted — they simply aren't scary. The other part of the story — about the implications of disturbing or unearthing buried artifacts — could have had potential in another setting, even though it wouldn't have been the most original of ideas.

Best or Worst Moment

What can I say — the absolutely laughable scene where Scully does battle with the stuffed cat is practically the only sequence that I can remember from this episode. Hey, maybe that was one of those defining worst moments in TXF history. I think I remember GA saying something along those same lines.

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3X19

Hell Money

Summary

For as much as this episode is generally considered to be "below grade", I found it interesting that the writer — Jeffrey Vlaming, who also wrote 2Shy — took a chance at exploring cultural myths and institutions. (In particular, the show's Vancouver ties at the time made the San Francisco Chinatown sequences easy to portray.) It may not have been all it could have been — and some opinions have stated that it's not much of an x-file — but it was a fascinating look at something that's not completely inconceivable. In the Chinese culture, most everything can be bought and sold. And hey — did you notice that guest appearance by a pre-glam Lucy Liu??

Best or Worst Moment

Not really an episode known for stand-out moments, although the frog thing gave me a bit of a jolt when I originally saw it. Maybe I'll go back to some famous Mulder/Scully dialogue... when she asks him if he has any idea how much a human body is worth, he retorts that it "depends on the body". So Mulder.

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3X20

Jose Chung's From Outer Space

Summary

Season three was my first regular exposure to TXF. As such, I've always thought that I never really "got" this episode, which so many fans revere and count among their faves, some even elevating this hour to the peak of the show's creative success. That much admiration I find difficult to understand. Because even though I've since become immersed in the culture of the show, this one still doesn't score that highly with me. I do find it amusing, but to me, it's not so entirely laugh-out-loud funny and clever that it would be classified the best of the best. It surely does not define what The X-Files is, by any means. I see where it's meant to be a parody of the show, however, and give full kudos to Darin Morgan — who, in typical fashion, manages to weave together a set of memorable scenes and circumstances to tell a unique story. And maybe that's really what it's all about anyway.

Best or Worst Moment

There are all kinds of interesting moments in this one, perhaps topped by Mulder's pie-eating marathon. On the whole, however, the most enjoyable part of this episode was not any particular sequence, but the dialogue choices. My favourite? "You're a dead man."

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3X21

Avatar

Summary

While the whole incubus/succubus thing didn't hit the mark with me, this was actually somewhat of an intriguing story, notable for the back story on Mulder's and Scully's "hardass" boss. Walter Skinner has always had the potential to be a more meaningful character than he was commonly shown to be. Moments from this episode (as well as from One Breath and season six's S.R. 819) give us some genuine insight into what drives this man. Even without reading too much between the lines, it's clear that Skinner admires Mulder's "free-spirited" methods, but he's caught in the position of having to be administratively responsible. Not being totally fond of the restrictions that he has to impose on others (never mind on himself), I can see why he might want to rebel every now and then. His encounter with the lady of the evening in this episode, for instance, seems to be motivated by a bit more than just anger and remorse over a marriage gone bad.

Best or Worst Moment

I must say that don't remember too many moments in episodes that focus on secondary characters. If I had to name one, however, I guess the revealing instant when Skinner rolls over to see what he's slept with was a shocking bit of film. (On the other hand, maybe it's just the case that seeing any character sleep with someone in this series might seem a bit of a shock.)

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3X22

Quagmire

Summary

Like Mulder, I have a definite fascination for things like Big Blue and Big Foot. So while this theme as an X-File seems rather nondescript, I enjoyed the outing, particularly as we were treated to one of the best Mulder/Scully conversations in TXF history. Plot-wise, the "monster" in this episode seemed to know that Mulder and Scully were on the job, leading to a sudden escalation of activity upon their appearance. It's a common trap for MOTW storylines to fall into — the tendency for the number of incidents to increase as soon our agents show up. As a side note, I also saw some irony here with respect to the "Scully as parent" idea that was presented to us in the latter part of this series. Doesn't this episode show us that these two are not meant for such responsibilities? Look what happens here — Scully doesn't even have room in her life for a dog, requiring it to be "offed" by the creators. (Furthermore, I'm not all too convinced that Mulder was that sorry about Queequeg's fate, given his disdain at the dog's presence in the first place.)

Best or Worst Moment

Gotta go with the obvious and select that whole "conversation on the rock". I'm not sure we were ever treated to as normal a conversation between Mulder and Scully in the show's history. It was very refreshing to see them discuss things so unrelated to work, and yet so revealing about themselves. One of those moments when you could actually see these two as "real people".

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3X23

Wetwired

Summary

There they go turning special effects folks into writers again... I believe this is Matt Beck's one and only contribution on the script side. (Television as mind control? Are you kidding?? Here we sit as living proof that this goes on ALL THE TIME. How else can I describe what happened to me during the years of watching this show?) Anyway... this hour had some noteworthy moments, as well as one hugely disputed piece of "canon". Who didn't feel the power of the confrontation scene between Mulder and an armed Scully at her mother's house? Who didn't wonder "what if" when we saw Mulder sitting in CSM's car? Where this one goes off the rail for me, however, is in its supposed tie-in with the show's so-called mythology. If that's the case, then once again, I'm amazed by the minute ways in which this conspiracy is carried out.

Best or Worst Moment

Worst moment is that "hugely disputed piece of canon" that I referred to above. Unfortunately, that bit about Mulder being red-green colour-blind did not appeal to many (on-line) fans, many of whom have since listed that fact as one that they choose to ignore.

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3X24

Talitha Cumi

Summary

I think this one had huge promise but fell into a "hole of unresolvable complexity", an outcome that befell many mythology efforts in the years following. I liked how this one started; the teaser was tempting, as it should be. I liked the story angle with Mulder's mother (yeah, even the bit leading to the totally improbable discovery of that alien weapon in the lamp). The return of the alien bounty hunter and the multiple Jeremiah Smiths took me back to Colony (where we saw the duplicate doctors), which I thought offered significant continuity. The confrontation sequence between Mulder and CSM, and then later the much more violent one between Mulder and X, were both emotionally intense to watch. But after all that — and perhaps my real problem is with how the second part of this two-parter plays out — we got no real answers and the ones that we did get did not really relate to the questions that were asked.

Best or Worst Moment

Okay, that does it... Scully must have her address listed in red and bold in the yellow pages under "FBI Agents". Yes, it surely isn't impossible for Jeremiah Smith to find out where she lives, but the "strange people finding Scully's apartment" is such an overused plot device that I must take this opportunity to protest.

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Season Three Summary

Overall Rating: 2.79 out of 4

This season represented my personal introduction to the X-Files, and for that fact, these episodes will always retain that "soft focus, first time" feeling for me. When I originally saw them, I was naive enough to be enthralled by their open-endedness and lack of real closure. And while that sounds somewhat facetious today, the fact was, by the end of the third season, I had been converted into a regular, confirmed, "put that on my schedule" kind of viewer. Looking back, I think the season's offerings were worth it.

Worst / Best

If I have to pick a worst ep, I'll have to go with Teso Dos Bichos, but I would qualify that — in the overall X-Files world — it was not that horrible an hour. The thing is, among all the episodes offered in this season, it failed to make an equal impression.

Best in a pretty good year? Since I found it hard to choose from among some very interesting mythology eps, I'm going to go with Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose. Great writing based on a great idea, great guest star, interesting interactions and dialogue for everyone, and no monsters in sight except perhaps for the ones that exist deep within each of us that we have to live with on a daily basis. It was both serious and funny in a very "real life" way.

Most Disappointing / Most Surprising

I can't name a most disappointing episode in this season. No episode during this time period was ever "presented" to me beforehand for me to have had any expectations about it, so I was never in the position to be disappointed. (Unfortunately, this category only becomes applicable in later years when — due to my increased fan participation — I began to have expectations that were doused.)

My vote for "most surprising" goes to War of the Coprophages. (It's a Darin Morgan kind of year for me, I guess.) While I never really "got" his other star contribution (Jose Chung), I could relate to this one right away. It was unconventional, a whole lot of fun, and definitely surprising, even from an X-Files point of view.

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Season Summary

The Blessing Way
Paper Clip
D.P.O.
Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose
The List
2Shy
The Walk
Oubliette
Nisei
731
Revelations
War of the Coprophages
Syzygy
Grotesque
Piper Maru
Apocrypha
Pusher
Teso Dos Bichos
Hell Money
Jose Chung's From Outer Space
Avatar
Quagmire
Wetwired
Talitha Cumi

Other Reviews:

Season 1
Season 2
Season 4
Season 5
Season 6
Season 7
Season 8

Top 10 "Defining" Episodes

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