(Season 3, Episodes 13-16)
The energy and excitement in the middle of season three is definitely there. We’re kind of treading water as far as the bigger story goes, but I think The X-Files has found its groove as a monster-of-the-week show. Right now, those episodes are almost more enjoyable than the “MythArc” installments.
I do enjoy getting deeper into the mystery, but that material is so dense and heavy that it’s almost a relief when it’s just some random demon possession, or planetary alignment wackiness.
3.13 – “Syzygy”
(Original Air Date: January 26, 1996) “Sure. Fine. Whatever.”
What an odd little episode this was. Planetary alignment caused odd behavior from everyone in the small town, including Scully and Mulder. Most odd were a couple of girls whose birthday was the most aligned … or something.
Overall, this episode didn’t really come together in a wholly satisfying way. It’s always fun seeing a little more personality out of our favorite agents, but these changes were so abrupt and barely explained by the cosmic events, that the whole thing felt kind of thrown together.
The only person who knew anything had to run Mulder’s government credit card before she revealed her secrets. About the only redeeming quality was the exaggerations of Scully’s skepticism and Mulder’s sexuality — two of the driving forces of their characters.
Even the case itself just kind of went away when the clock struck midnight, and the girls reverted back to regular girls instead of possessed whatever-they-weres. Was it possession? Do they remember what happened? Does Mulder always drive? Why did Scully run that stop sign?
3.14 – “Grotesque”
(Original Air Date: February 2, 1996) It’s nice to see that after the ’70s, Red Foreman established a successful career in law enforcement, where his anger could be best utilized. Kurtwood Smith plays pissed off better than anyone.
Here he got to play crazed, over-obsessed killer, too. Well, maybe the killer. Or was it Mulder? The Russian? On the surface it seems fairly straightforward; maybe the Russian started the killings, but then Patterson (Smith) lost it and continued.
The “x-file” explanation is that it was a demonic/gargoyle entity that possessed the Russian, and then possessed Patterson. Perhaps it was tapping into Mulder as well. I didn’t see any connections between this and the Disney Gargoyles show, though.
The gargoyle masks over the victims were appropriately creepy. There were a lot of good visuals in this episode, as well as tension. There was also a lot of confusion. Maybe I wasn’t paying close enough attention to it.
3.15 – “Piper Maru (Part 1 of 2)” [MythArc]
(Original Air Date: February 9, 1996) If Johanson had the black oil in his eyes after his encounter during World War II, where did it go? The same place Krycek deposited his toward the end of this two-parter?
In the modern era, the black oil that came up from the sunken plane within a French diver — how did it get through his suit? — winds its way through his wife, and ultimately into Krycek. It also gives the power of radiating a bright light that knocks people out. Handy, that.
Seemingly unrelated, but really everything is related, the case against Scully’s sister has been made inactive by the powers-that-be, because that’s the way they want it. A.D. Skinner doesn’t like it (I love how characters actually call him A.D. Skinner), and vows to try and push to re-open the case, and look over the evidence himself. That kind of attitude will get you shot, Skinner … oh.
Strong visual with the live pilot still on the sunken plane at the bottom of the sea. I guess the sea pressure wasn’t that bad. The radiation poison related to the oil, and everything else, was suitably creepy and dangerous. But Mulder and Oil-Krycek together? Even better!
3.16 – “Apocrypha (Part 2 of 2)” [MythArc]
(Original Air Date: February 16, 1996) I think the Syndicate is losing patience with Cigarette-Smoking Man’s inability to keep things contained on his end. Too many loose ends, including Krycek and Luis Cardinal (the man who murdered Scully’s sister).
By the end, Cardinal is dead, Krycek has ejected the black oil into some sort of ship (maybe), and is detained deep beneath those 100 silos that aren’t filled with concrete.
So in the end, we didn’t get any closer to the truth about everything that’s really going on, but we did get to see some nasty oil. What is it? Why’s Krycek trapped down there? What’s CSM up to? Yeah, it’s mostly the same questions we had before, but it was a fun ride not learning much else.
Clacked by Jason Hughes 
on Sep 10, 2009 @ 17:34 EST5EDT
