X-Files 4/14/02 (1 Viewer)

[Patrick Sun]

For an episode that had heavy-handed stabs at humor (Scully's portion of the episode), it was an okay episode, but nothing really great. It was good to see Leila Harrison show up, and I'm pretty sure it's just to prep the fans for Mulder's reappearance in the coming weeks. Her "wannabe" boyfriend diatribe on Mulder was a bit on the light side (Mulder this, Scully that). Having Harrison try to think like Mulder is always good for a laugh. The actual X-file case was run-of-the-mill, but Reyes did go through the wringer with a semi-homage to "Alien".

 

[Daniel Kikin]

I actually thought this was a decent episode too. It was much more watchable than a lot of other episodes so far this year. The only thing is they never really explained how the kid got the power to make his imagination come alive. I also liked when Harrison told Doggett that his lack of imagination saved their lives! Next week's episode looks great from the preview too.

 

[Patrick Sun]

I think it was the writer telling the audience why Doggett is so not the right guy to be investigating X-Files. But even a blind squirrel ocassionally finds an acorn...

 

[Steven K]

Wow... cant believe that it's happening, but there have been 2 GOOD episodes of the X-Files in a row this season! This episode would have been average for S2 or S3, but after what we've been put through the past 2 years, this wasn't bad at all.

Another original idea that was executed pretty well. I easily overlooked the minor continuity problems.

Compared to episodes like "Daemonicus," "Trust No 1" and "Hellbound," this episode was very good.

 

[Howard Williams]

I watched for 20 minutes and then turned it off. I couldn't take it anymore.

 

[Bill Catherall]

I was rather puzzled at that little jab at the very end...television stifles imagination. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you! I can think of other more effective forms of treatment for the boy. Make him a television writer. That seems to have cured most people of active imaginations. Or better yet, make him a network executive. That has a 100% success rate.

 

[Michael Reuben]

television stifles imagination. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you!

Kinda reminded me of the shots Darin Morgan used to take in his X-Files and Millennium scripts against the state of broadcasting in general. (His swipes at Fox in "Jose Chung's 'From Outer Space'" and "Demons" were among the best bits in those episodes.) I think it's important that the kid wasn't just watching TV but a huge selection of channels simultaneously. That made it less of a comment about television per se than about the short-attention-span mentality that dominates how networks (and many viewers) seem to approach things.

M.

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

Was it just me, or did last night's episode actually seem like a real X-Files episode? The bit about being saved by Doggett's complete lack of imagination was hilarious and reminiscent of the moments where Scully's scepticism would occasionaly prove more valuable than Mulder's "I want to believe" mentality back in the good old days.

Anyway, I liked it.

Regards,

 

[Chad R]

I thought it was a great (for this season at least) episode! Sure, it was derivative of Joe Dante's segment from the 'Twilight Zone' movie, but this isn't the first time they've stolen (think 'Ice' from season 1 and John Carpenter's 'The Thing'), but the payoff was classic.

 

[Rex Bachmann]

Patrick Sun wrote:

sign of creative exhaustion[/I]]Quote:

Yes, the surprise was that all the programming wasn't Fox-only as it usually is in the shameless promotion, year after year in The X-Files. I did notice Scott Bairstow's head on one of the picture screens, presumably from Harsh Realm.
If they wanted to stifle the kid's imagination they should've had 'im watching Greg, the Bunny, both stifling and age-appropriate.
A good enough episode, but the humor didn't make it for me.

 

[Bill Catherall]

Did anybody notice if any of those television screens showed station bugs? :rolleyes
That Leyla Harrison character just looks like a "written in fan." The first time she showed up (that I remember) it almost seemed like she was a surrogate viewer...someone we could identify with. Then in last night's episode her roll almost felt manipulative...manipulating us. "See? Here's a fan that thinks the X-files is in good hands. If she can like it than you should too." Her airheaded behavior comes off even worse. Ugh...

 

[Jason Seaver]

I think it was the writer telling the audience why Doggett is so not the right guy to be investigating X-Files.

Or exactly what they need. I wish they hadn't been so flip about Doggett's "lack of imagination" there; they'd already made the point visually with the slow pan across the "I Want To Believe" poster and, besides, Doggett had saved their collective butts by improvising.
It does, though, serve as a nice counterpoint to Doggett's confession a couple weeks ago, while chasing after the guy he put away, that he wasn't sure he could deal with the job. Doggett is really a fun contradiction of a character - reluctant to believe in the things he investigates, but resourceful and relentless once he gets his teeth into them. It's too bad he never really got a chance to get out from under Mulder's shadow, because Patrick has done great work with the character.

 

[Mike St.Louis]

Self-referentiality is a sign of creative exhaustion.

Too tempting...

 

[Mike Graham]

Damn Rex, you beat me to the Harsh Realm reference It was the only interesting part of the episode.
After last week's "Improbable", I had hope that maybe the last half - dozen episodes would be at least entertaining to a certain extent, but that's sadly not the case.
Last night's installment was truly another example of a Season 9 clunker. Certain developments, like Doggett falling into the black, bottomless room or any "scary" look on the kid's face had me literally laughing out loud. Everything was just terrible! This episode seems like it was imagined by an 8 year old child!
It truly is a shame that the season that centered around Doggett is so terrible, because with the right scripts I think Doggett could have been just as good a character as Mulder; check out "Via Negativa", "The Gift" and to a certain extent "Patience" from Season 8 to see how Robert Patrick's acting fares as one of the strong points of an episode, and not the only strong point of a story.
I believe next week is the episode which features the return of those god awful characters from that atrocious Lone Gunman series, such as Jimmy and Yves. Dear god, when will this once great series put itself out of its misery?