Theatre of the Mind ~ Anasazi
(Otherwise known as Rides with Alien Corpses)
By BearBerg1. Before we begin, this ep marks the second collaboration between DD and CC, the first being "Colony/End Game." With all the reported fence-mending between the two over the past few months, here's hoping for more awesome collaborations once DD returns to the scene this season! These two *rock* when they work together imho! (Perhaps for the *long*-awaited MulderReturn ep? oh, and maybe they could get Vince Gilligan to direct as the icing on the cake! heehee...)
2. Looks like there's a whole lotta shakin' goin' on down in New Mexico!
3. Hmmm, reminds me a lot of a radio my parents had when I was a kid, though the speakers are a little different...oh, good, I was beginning to worry our radio had been abducted!
4. Morning, Mom -- oops, I mean Dad! Sorry...(Sorry about that one, folks -- guess I've been watching one too many previews for that new Michael Richards show on NBC! )
5. "Leave the snakes alone today -- they'll be angry and afraid." (Eric's unspoken reaction: Sure, Grandpa, fine, whatever.) Too bad Albert didn't stick around for "Signs and Wonders," ain't it?
6. Isn't it funny that it's * after* the kids leave everyone starts using subtitles? sort of makes you wonder what the heck everyone's up to, doesn't it? hmmmm...
7. "The earth has a secret it needs to tell." Oh, you mean that one about the fact that it's round? sorry, Albert, that one already got out!
8. I believe I saw a special once where CC was talking about how, to shoot the New Mexico exteriors in Vancouver, different rocks and such were appropriately painted, and other odds and ends were filled in with computer-generated scenery and what have you! Amazing what they could do in the days of Vancouver, isn't it?
9. Boy, that was some earthquake! Too bad it didn't reveal any buried treasure while they were at it!
10. I don't know about you, but I'd *hate* to be Eric's mother -- just how long would it take to get all that red dirt out of that blanket, anyway? (Hmmm, maybe *that's* why we never see her in this ep -- she's too darn busy doing the laundry!)
11. Well, I believe we've discovered the long-lost decendent of Dances with Wolves -- meet Eric Hosteen, aka Rides with Alien Corpses!
12. Check out that kid on the far right with the crewcut and glasses! Good Heavens, has Gibson Praise morphed himself into a Native American boy in order to avert capture?!? Shhh...don't worry, Gibson, your secret's safe with us!
13. "What do you think it is?" "I don't know." Okay, for this ep, I'm setting up an I Don't Know Count, aka IDK; this is pretty much IDK#1. Not sure why exactly that little statement crops up so many times, though my personal take on it would have to be that it was more or less the actors' reaction to the million-dollar question, "Just what in the heck is going *on* in this ep, anyway?!?" I *could* be wrong, of course...
14. "*They* will be coming." Okay, who the heck is *they* here? Mulder and Scully? our buddies at the syndicate? aliens? Inquiring minds want to know!
15. Call me a sentimental fool here, but that poor little alien corpse looks as though he was just snuggling up in bed hugging his poor little stuffed green alien when he was killed! (Okay, I think I just scared myself with *that* one...:shudder: )
16. A little note: I read someplace on a review for this ep that this is *not* the common practice of a Native American, to take a corpse of *any* kind back to his or her reservation, as it's pretty much the equivalence of a Rabbi indulging in a raw steak dinner. Just thought I'd throw that in there...
17. Tagline Change Alert: the truth is still out there this week, but this time around it's in Navajo code, specifically "EL 'AANIGOO 'AHOOT'E". This marks the third tagline change for the show. There *will* be a test later...
18. A debut for the show, besides Albert: this marks the first time we see the fourth "Lone Gunman," aka "The Thinker," who was first referred to but not seen in "One Breath." Unfortunately, at the risk of giving anything away, it will also mark the *last* time we see "The Thinker." Makes you wonder what "The Thinker" was *thinking* exactly, doesn't it?
19. Check out the book "The Thinker" is marking in: "50 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time!" Is "The Thinker" settling down with some light reading while doing his DDH (daily dose of hacking), or is he studying for some exam to be given later by, say, Frohicke or Byers? (Funny,*I* never heard of that book -- hmmm, must be some sort of conspiracy in and of itself....)
20. Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Hey, Thinker, your conspiracy's ready!
21. I just *love* the way "The Thinker" just *happens* to have a little built-in DAT drive ready in his computer! Can you actually *get* computers made that way, or did he just have it installed? (Of course, being a Gunman, maybe he installed it himself, I don't know...)
22. Ah, my favorite little nervous Mexican or Italian (haven't decided which, though I'm leaning towards Italian at the moment) Antonio charging down the hallway and making the unfortunate announcement about the M-J Document break-in, all the while wringing his hands in what I assume is panic and worry. Is this guy he's talking to some kind of a hit man, or what?
23. I just *love* the other guy's response to this sudden news: "Who would do such a thing?" Don't ask me why, it just cracks me up...the guy's choice of words, I guess; seems rather uncharictaristically polite under the circumstances.
24. What cracks me up even more, however, is Antonio's (very panicked, I might add) brilliant and fitting response: "I don't know." BTW, if you're keeping track, this is IDK#2.
25. Ah, and then the Japanese and Russian officials on their phones doing their little subtitles scenes -- sort of hearkens a bit back to those old black-and-white movies with all those different radio announcers or what have you doing the same story in different languages, at least for me...very cool moment!
26. Um, considering how rusty my Russian is, on the line "They must take care of it immediately," it almost sounded as though he was saying a certain word that begins with the letter "F!" Maybe I just need to wash my ears out with soap and get my mind out of the gutter...
27. In CSM's phone conversation with the Russian guy, I find it ironic that it's the Russian who gets the one word I can actually recognize: "Goot!"
28. "Gentlemen, that was the phonecall I never wanted to get." Dang, what *is* it with those pesky telemarketers, anyway? (Hey, could have been worse -- it could have been one of the guys from "Foile a Deux!")
29. And here, fellow philes, is the typical protocal of your basic swat team or band of raiders or task force or whatever you call them -- don't bother to knock, just pretty much bust open the door with as much force as you can possibly muster!
30. Dang, check out all the unused computers and monitors -- reminds me a lot of my office at work! (Of course, there's also the case of my old CPU, modem, scanner and printer here at home, but moving right along...)
31. And here we have another apparent "computer identity crisis": while it was very clear that "The Thinker" was using a Mac, the keyboard *these* guys are using (with gloves, I might add -- somehow I keep forgetting to put on gloves when I use *my* computer, but anyway...)is clearly that of a PC! (Must be why CC included all those different shots of computers and monitors, as something of an alibi -- perhaps it was just a different computer? if so, better tell these guys they got the wrong machine!)
32. Mulderist Alert: Here we have our first shot of Mulder in his undershirt (complain? *moi?* :look of innocence and with his hair looking the longest it's looked all season. This easily qualifies as our first "TWC," but our boy *does* look *fabulous* when he doesn't style his hair!
33. Awww, but not tonight, girls -- he's got a headache! Check out the bottle of asperin (or is that Advil? well, it looks like a bottle that can actually be *opened* for a change) along with the glass of water. And yes, that glass of water will be important later!
34. And here come -- drum roll please -- The Lone Gunmen! (Insert "Lone Ranger" theme here) And look, they actually knocked! Apparently they didn't get the memo on "X-Files" protocol, where you pretty much just break and enter without bothering to knock, but hey, we'll let that go for now...
35. "I'm really not in the mood for the Three Stooges." Because as you will see later on, boys and girls, Mulder is a "victim of coicumstance!" Nyuk! Nyuk! Nyuk! (Quick "Three Stooges" parallel, for the heck of it: while Langly may physically resemble Larry, I more or less see Byers as Langly, with Langly as Curley and Frohicke as a natural Moe, despite the Curley-esque bald spot. Maybe you guys have some different ideas there, but that's jmho...)
36. Another quick "Three Stooges" parallel: I know this was in "Tooms," but the actor Paul-Ben Victor in that ep goes on to play one of the Three Stooges in the recent made-for-TV flick based on the lives of the trio. Not 100% sure which one he played, to tell you the truth, though I *think* it could have been Moe...okay, that's enough "Three Stooges" talk, I *don't* want to get my eyes poked out, a la Moe! Nyaa-aa-aaahh!
37. Ah, so "The Thinker" hacked into the Defence Department's computer system. "Why?" *Because*, Mulder, he's a hacker! it's his *job*! Hello!!! (Oh, poor guy's head's still hurting, we'll let it go for now...)
38. "He asked specifically for you." Boy, Mulder certainly *is* well-known among these underground types, isn't he?
39. "The only problem is, he may already be dead." BANG!!! Let's hear it for timing, boys!
40. TWC#2: Oh, but our boy with the uncombed hair and undershirt clad in sneakers with gun in tow is *so* dashing tearing down the halls in alarm, isn't he? :sigh:
41. Geez, that lady *just* shot her husband and the cops are here *already*? that's *got* to be a record!
42. Oh, *nice*, boys! Just leave Mulder in the lurch like that after all heck breaks loose and you more or less indicated that "all was not well in Denmark!"
43. Ah, the meeting in the Botanical Garden with "The Thinker" with yet another of my favorite "Mulderisms": "I don't want you to know my real name -- I just don't think it's not important that you know." "Sounds like a line I used in a bar once." Once you think about it, however, you have to wonder about the bar Mulder was frequenting at the time, but moving right along...
44. BTW, according to "The X-Files Inside Jokes" page, in a scene that ultimately wound up on the cutting-room floor, RW Goodwin made a cameo as a gardener in the Botanical Gardens. Funny how *CC's* cameo stayed in there, isn't it? hmmmmm...
45. Between the long Navajo hairdos, that scruffy "when was the last time I washed it again?" look of "The Thinker" and our own "Boy Wonder's" uncombed locks (sorry, but after "Colony" and "End Game," I'm afraid Mulder's pretty much stuck with *that* name, lol), I think the hairstylists on the set *really* got spared on this one!
46. Okay, let me get this straight -- this guy named "The Thinker" downloads all this classified stuff ironically named "UFO Intelligence Files" (at least according to him), knowing full well these guys are going to be after him, yet doesn't take precautions because he doesn't *think* it will work?!? No offense to you big "Thinker" fans, but just what in the heck *is* the guy thinking, anyway? "Yeah, they'll probably kill me, but what the heck," would be my guess. Sure, fine, whatever...(Oh, well, it's "The X-Files," it's not supposed to make sense, right?)
47. TWC#3: Doesn't Mulder's undershirt look just *too* dashing with the khaki coat? Though admittedly I would have taken the leather jacket, but hey, I'll take what I can get! (Hmmm, the guy didn't bother to change all day -- must have been the weekend!) Okay, that's enough about the undershirt for now, I promise...
48. Back to X-Files headquarters where, if the keyboard is any indication, they've converted back to PC from Mac between this ep and "Colony." (Hey, you didn't think I'd let *that* one slip by, did you?) Also, isn't it just *too* handy that Mulder just *happens* to have an external DAT drive accessible right at his fingertips? (Of course, speaking for myself, around the time that this ep originally aired, I hadn't necessarily *heard* of digital tape, having just barely been exposed to the wonderful world of "Scuzzy-devices" and "Zip-drives!" Too bad poor old Mulder has to make due with all the boring-sounding names, but oh well...)
49. If I'm not mistaken, this is about the only time in the whole ep that Mulder's hair is combed back, but it's growing so nicely in the back I for one am not complaining! What can I say? I like the "Long-Hair Mulder" look! (Though if, upon his return, DD's hair is the length it was in "The Rapture"...well, it'll take a bit of getting used to, but hey, I'll make due...)
50. It's also the only time in this entire ep -- perhaps the whole trilogy, now that I think of it -- that we see Mulder in a suit and tie. Scully, on the other hand, pretty much has to dress up for the majority of the episode, though she *does* allow herself the luxury of slacks on occasion. Just thought I'd throw that in...
51. "Come in and lock the door." Ah, *just* what we've been wanting him to say to her since "One Breath"...oh, wait, guess that's not what he meant! Sorry, folks, brief gutter-moment there...
52. Okay, when Mulder does that whole "Ten Commandments" bit, I find it *very* interesting that he hones in on the Fourth Commandment about "obeying the Sabbath" rather than what I believe is the Ninth Commandment about * lying*! I mean, considering that he's about to present Scully with "The Biggest Lie of All," wouldn't that make for a better fit? Or was he really paying that much attention in Sunday School that day? Just a thought...
53. TWC#4: Not sure if it's Windows or DOS (the absense of a window-bar causes me to suspect the latter), but somehow that DOD logo with the words "Top Secret" *do* look darn snazzy on Mulder's screen, at least IMHO! (Poor old Scully's going to become *very* familiar with that DOD logo by seventh season, when "Fowl One" slips her that key to the facility in "Amor Fati"...)
54. Mulder's idea of "jibberish" *really* cracks me up! Apparently this guy has neither a) tried to open a picture document created on a PC version of Microsoft Word using a Mac version of Microsoft Word, nor has he b) tried to open a zipped Real Media file on a PC using Windows Media Player! At least here you don't have the goofy-looking boxes mingled in with the letters -- just a lot of accents, from the looks of it!
55. Some fun with the encryption: I've never been able to find it myself, but according to the "Inside Jokes" page, apparently one of the "encrypted" lines reads "do-re-mi-fa-so-la-todo", or something to that effect. One I *did* find, however, was the word "hogan." Foreshadowing, perhaps? I could be wrong about this, but I also believe I caught the phrase "ho-boy" in there someplace -- thought you fellow "Bad Blood" fans would get off to this! And speaking of which...
56. Following Mulder's explosive knocking over of the pencil holder, we *hear* him kick his trashcan for I believe the first time. The second "can-kick" will be in "Bad Blood," where we actually see the guy pummelling it for all it's worth. Guess the boys at 10-13 just decided that the guy should save his energy up for the rest of this ep...
57. "I'm so sick of this crap, b-s and double-talk! I don't believe this!" Hmmm, why does this sound like a certain group of philes amidst rumors of a certain recent magazine cover that will remain nameless? (Hey, no "stone-throwing" here, I did my share of "ranting and raving" too! I admit it! Guilty as charged!)
58. Scully, meanwhile, is wondering if a diagnosis of PMS is a bit premature for her man. (Hey, it's possible -- I mean, we all remember "Denise" from "Twin Peaks," right?)
59. "It's a joke, Scully, it's a bad joke!" Once again, our girl has missed a perfect cue -- "Well, hey, Mulder, did you hear the one about the chicken, the nun and the federal agent..." Um, never mind, it's too soon since "Our Town" for chicken-jokes...
60. A "long string of consonants"?!? All *I'm* seeing are a lot of stress-marks! Maybe Scully's just more focused on science than she is on grammar on a regular basis...
61. TWC#5: *Great* shot of Mulder standing briefly against that pic of the moon on his way out the door -- *love* the hair, and his face ain't too bad either!
62. And while we're on the subject of faces, watch Scully's eyes as she asks, "Are you okay?" *Great* bit of sadness and confusion there -- you go, Girl!
63. Uh-oh, Frogdoggie, you better leave the room -- Mulder's dukin' it out with "your man Skinner!" (Though hey, guys, let's be honest here -- who hasn't wanted to do this to even the best boss at one time or another, *especially* on a Monday?)
64. Whoa -- *nice* choke-hold there, Skinner! Note to Mulder: next time you decide to pick a fight with "Le Boss," do *not* pick it with a boss who was once an ex-marine in Vietnam and lived to tell about it! (Note #2 to Mulder: ...and even if you *are* that stupid, do *not* do it right before job reviews!)
65. TWC#6: I just *love* the way that one agent gets the *heck* out of the way when Mulder stalks off! Heeheehee...wouldn't it be *too* cool to see fellow agents in Season 8 act the same way around Scully, especially after the much-rumored "water-splash"?!? heeheehee...
66. Interesting observation: For once, *Skinner's* tie is louder than *Mulder's*! Talk about the realm of extreme possibilities...
67.Ummmmmmm, Mulder and Scully are in trou-blllllle...Skinner just called in the principal, aka CC!!! (Who I *must* admit, for all my recent frustrations over inconsistent interviews and quotes and what have you, is looking *quite* dashing here indeed! )
68. Is it just me, or does that first interrogator (no, not CC) look a bit like the soon-to-be John Doggett? (Ah, good thing we're still doing this on the spoiler page, Amy! )
69. "Does Agent Mulder confide in you, Agent Scully?" "Of course, he's my partner!" Heehee, I just *love* the way she says this -- for one thing, we can tell that she's so close to him that she's covering for him, and is sincerely trying to protect his reputation at the risk of her own! You go, Girl!
70. Isn't it funny the line CC gives himself in this scene -- "Would you *lie* to protect him?" Careful there, CC, you run the risk of sounding like a shipper! heeheehee...
71. Boy, Mulder sure left one *heck* of an impression on Skinner there, didn't he? geez, check out the bruise on the guy's cheek! Rather ironic, considering what his poor mug went through on his behalf in "End Game"...so soon our "Boy Wonder" forgets! Oh, well...
72. (To the tune of "The Flinstones") "Mulders...meet the Mulders...they're the modern dys-func family..." Yeah, I know, that would have worked better for "Colony," since this is just *Daddy* this time around -- hey, better late than never, right? (Oh, and Polly, you are more than welcome to either use that one or elaborate on it for "The Blessing Way" and "Paper Clip" if you so choose -- hey, I gotta repay you for letting me do this somehow, right? )
73. Am I the only one who finds it ironic that Mr. Mulder flies an American flag, after all these years, getting mixed up in all these conspiracies and what have you? (Whoops, getting a bit ahead of myself there...)
74. Whoa, *Cancer Man's* there, and he called him "Bill!" This *can't* be good! After all, aren't there quite a few "Bills" on this show as it is? (Quick Run-Down: Bill Scully, Bill Scully Jr., Billy Miles, etc., etc.)
75. Hmmm, not only are they drinking buddies, but they're smoking buddies as well!
76. "*My* name is in those files!" Hmmm, wonder if that's what "ho-boy" translates into?
77. "As always we maintain plausible denial." Must be an unofficial motto of the crew as well -- I mean, hey, did *anybody* see the end of "Requiem" coming?
78. Okay, a sudden thought here, in light of the events of "Requiem" as well as spoilers for the upcoming season: when CancerMan, referring to Mulder, says, "I've protected him this far, haven't I?" all this time we've thought it was, say, from the Consortium, or from the Truth or whatever -- do you suppose he *actually* meant "protection from the aliens?" Just a thought that imho would be interesting to explore in the upcoming season...
79. "...I strongly encourage you in that event to deny everything." Ah, I detect an important little phrase there!
80. Bill Mulder looks *well*?!? The guy is pretty much wearing the same dang sweater he was wearing in "Colony" and "End Game!" don't tell me he never bothered to change his clothes in, what, two months?!?
81. *Excellent* acting of *extreme* angst from Peter Donat in this scene as CancerMan leaves -- let's give the guy a hand here! Whoo-hoo!
82. TWC#7: Mulder asleep on his trusty black leather couch in a white t-shirt and black slacks, the latter of which I assume he was wearing during the day -- *big* whoo-hoo here! Though I imagine my father would have a little bone to pick with Mulder about the way he's wrinkling his perfectly good slacks in the process, but *anyway*... (Oh, and btw, there's a glass of water on the table -- just thought I'd mention that...)
83. Who knows what evil lurks in the apartment of Agent Mulder? The big black coat knows! (My take on "the shadow knows;" just go with it, Scully...)
84. Ah, Mulder is displaying the same amount of grace and dignity I would in a similar situation as he reaches for his gun on the table -- he's knocking things over all over the place! Is it any wonder I love the guy?
85. Oh, and those of you left in suspense over "the big black coat," it's Scully -- just thought you'd like to know that, as there's *enough* suspense in the air as it is to last us until about February or May!
86. "I couldn't find you at work,I was worried about you." Awww, Scully's worried about her man! She's just put his career on the line for him and is *still* thinking about him, and something tells me she won't *stop* thinking about him, not even after he comes back in Season 8!
87. Yet another classic "Mulderism" (this ep is *fille* with 'em, ain't it?): "I must be running a fever -- maybe it's the threat of being burned at the stake." Cute sarcastic little grin there at the end, heeheehee...and the cough is kinda cute there too!
88. Somehow in between joking about getting burned at the stake and asking Scully what she said at the meeting, Mulder has managed to work up about a gallon's worth of sweat, not to mention a nice little fever-flush! (Not that *I'm* complaining about the sweat part, heehee...) Wonder if that little sip of water helped contribute somehow -- perhaps he's "leaking"? The good news is, at least he appears to have gotten over that "bad case of freezer-burn" that was hounding him at the end of "End Game!"
89. TWC#8: On the line "Okay, I'll say I'm sorry," I *love* how he raises his arms over his head! Check out those bicepts, fellow Mulderists! Whoo-hoo! (Though for Scully's sake, I *certainly* hope he's wearing deoderant!)
90. For some reason, the first time I saw this ep, it was at the moment where Scully asks Mulder if anyone else knows he has the files that I actually *really* noticed for the first time what *has* to be my favorite Mulder-poster: that one advertising the Royal typewriter, which I always found to be rather ironic for such a hip, computer-esque alien-hunting FBI agent such as Mulder! (Oh, and this *will* come up a bit later, for what imho is something of a possibly unintentional but still imho ironic shot, but moving right along...) Admittedly, this was the *one* thing I missed from the movie -- we never got to see it!
91. Note Mulder's uncharictaristic apparent suspicion of Scully as she worries that they might find out about the files -- "How *would* they find out?" Dang, that PMS can be a doozy, can't it? (See #58)
92. "Now just tell me who I can talk to about breaking that code!" Dang,if *I* were Scully about that point, I think I'd be about ready to run -- this guy is *really* starting to freak me out here! (Maybe now would be a *great* time to mention how much I'm *loving* what GA does with the eyes all throughout the scene, how easily they seem to go from steely resolve to sheer heartbreak in a matter of seconds! She's *really* holding her ground here, if not a bit worried about her friend, and it *all* shows in the eyes!)
93. "I just need some kind of assurance that they're not going to let us hang ourselves with this! That I'm doing the right thing!" Hmmm, wonder if DD's lawyers had any similar talks with him last year about this time?
94. TWC#9: I just *love* how Mulder looks as he makes an unsuccessful first attempt to lift the blinds! Note the weary motion the rest of the body seems to make as he jerks the cord toward him, not to mention his clumsy efforts with the masking tape and the way his hand shakes as he turns on and positions the light! *Great* job there, DD! You da man!
95. Okay, watch for "Heartbreak Eyes" here, as both Mulder and Scully are both saddened and confused by Mulder's sudden "mood swings", not *just* for GA, but DD does an *equally* awesome job at the "sad eyes" technique, *particularly* as she's leaving the room! Is it any wonder I'm about to hop up and down with impatience over the reunion, which I'm *still* hoping will occur in February? I'm expecting some *major* things, maybe I'll get some great "eye-acting" as well, heehee...
96. "I've thought about that, Scully. I honestly can't say." Okay, that *just* narrowly missed getting counted in the IDK count (see #13)...
97. Hmmm, interesting -- the woman Scully speaks to at the Offices of the Navajo Nations recognizes two words, "goods, merchandise" (okay, yeah, *that* was two words -- same difference!) and "vaccination." This *will* be important later on, folks!
98. Whoa, poor old Mulder just put *ice* in his water and managed to multiply the sweat a bit since Scully left! Yup, he's *definitely* gotten over his freezer-burn, I'd say...(TWC#10: I just *love* that plaid shirt he's got on -- and the fact that his chest is showing a bit doesn't hurt either! :evil grin
99. Well, look what we have here -- Daddy on one end of the line nursing what appears to be a Scotch or bourbon, Mulder at the other end of the line nursing what will later turn out to be water laced with drugs on the rocks! These two already seem to have so much in common it's almost spooky!
100. "I'm at home -- how soon can you be here?" Somehow Mulder's father expects him to go *all* the way from Alexandria, Virginia to Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts (sorry if that's misspelled) and get back *all in one night*?!? Sheesh, he doesn't expect *much* from his son, does he? (Oh, and hang in there, I'll be getting back to this later on...)
101. Note on what appears to be a paperweight just in front of the window marked with the "x" -- what the heck *is* that, a shoe? (Hmmm, maybe *that's* what became of the shoe Scully burned a hole in in "Colony" -- he had it bronzed!)
102. After coming into Mulder's empty apartment (after "Little Green Men" and "End Game," I'd say this is turning into something of a habit!) and looking over some slips of paper on his desk (must have just been bills or something -- CC doesn't seem terribly interested in drawing our attention to it), we see Scully knocked back on the couch by the force of something, hearing the squeals of tires, grabbing her gun (*after* the fact -- a little late there, Girl!), noticing the bullet-hole in the window *just* above the "X", *then* noticing the bullet hole in the wall (the same one with *my* poster, respectfully, heehee), *then* noticing there's some blood on her forehead. Her possible thoughts at this point? "Hmmm, I think somebody just shot through the window and nicked me in the process!" (Sorry, guys, but that one *always* cracks me up!)
103. Meanwhile, back at the Mulder-House, which Mulder has *apparently* managed to reach in about, what, two hours? (Amy and Agent Noel, maybe you'd know *this* one a little better than I would, being from Washington -- how long would it take a guy to get from Washington to Martha's Vineyard in *one night*?!?)
104. Notice *this* time Mulder's ready for the handshake (guess he's not in the mood for a hug this time, being a bit tired and feverish and what have you) but gets the embrace instead! Must be what they call "reverse psychology" -- doh! (Oh, and look at the look of astonishment on Mulder's face as he receives his father's embrace -- whoa!!! Guess he's thinking, "Uh-oh -- must be bad," even though we won't *hear* him say that until "Brand X" seventh season...)
105. About that embrace -- don't you think Mulder's dad would be a bit loathed to hug his kid when he's all hot and sweaty? just a thought...
106. Just what every father does when his kid visits -- locks the door after they come in. I always thought you were supposed to lock the door after you *leave*!
107. "It's so clear now -- simple. It was so...complicated then." I don't know *who* Mulder's father's trying to kid, it's *still* complicated, even for me! Would you mind elaborating a little bit there, Dad?
108. Apparently he *would* -- every time Mulder asks a question, he gets yet *another* vague answer from Dear Old Dad! Wonder if this is how that old "Birds and the Bees" talk went for these two as well?
109. A note on the Mulder-couch -- either this is a different living room, or it would appear that Mulder's father has traded the blue couch from "Colony" to a British Tan leather couch! Interesting to note that both "Mulder men" seem to have a taste in leather, at least where furniture is concerned...
110. "You're going to hear the words, and they'll come to make sense to you." And when they do, Mulder, could you *please* explain them to us?!? We're more confused than you are at this point!
111. "The merchandise." Whoa -- remember *that* little bit from Scully's discussion from the woman in Washington?
112. I *love* that pleading look in Mulder's eyes as he reaches for his father in what is either an attempt to comfort him, understand him, or both -- *fabulous*! You da man, DD!
113. Ah, typical -- Dad just started a halfway-decent conversation and is *now* bailing for medication! (Either that or he's shying a bit from his son's touch -- you know, the whole "skeletons-in-the-closet,""I'm not worthy" bit...)
114. No, no, Dad, don't go into the bathroom, don't go into the bathroom...if anything bad happens in this show, it will most likely be in the bathroom! (A few examples: "Irresistible", "Squeeze", "Agua Mala", "Orison", etc., etc...) To borrow a page from Polly's book, everyone on this show should just hold it while they can!
115. TWC#11: I just *love* the tilework in Bill Mulder's bathroom; of course, the fact that it's blue doesn't hurt anything, heeheehee...
116. Whoa, the *last* person you'd expect to see in your bathroom mirror -- *Krycek*! (That is, unless of course you just happened to *be* the old "rat boy" himself, lol...)
117. Not only does Mulder seem to be getting increasingly more ill and paranoid, he also keeps hearing gunshots! Sheesh, but that can get annoying after awhile, can't it? Not quite as annoying as the voices he keeps hearing in "BioGenesis", mind you, but moving right along...
118. Darn it, he wasn't hearing things after all! (But gee, isn't it funny how everywhere he goes in this ep, *someone* winds up getting shot? and then everyone wonders why he's so paranoid all the time -- I know that would make *me* paranoid!)
119. *Major* kudos to DD for this *awesome* scene on discovering his murdered father -- *great* "Eye Action" as always, and *great* overall look of devastation!
120. Between the headaches, fevers, seeing his father dying from a gunshot wound in his head, receiving an encrypted file and getting into trouble at work for punching out the boss, I'd say it's a pretty good bet that our poor boy is *not* having a very good couple of days! (I mean, hey, as much as I loved "Monday," you *have* to admit -- *that* bad day pales in comparison to *this* one!)
121. Interesting choice of final words for his son -- "Forgive me." And I don't even think Mulder's really figured out just *what* he's supposed to forgive his father for just yet, though something tells me he'll be finding out soon enough...
122. You know, for someone suffering from a fever, Mulder certainly did a heck of a job hauling his father out of the bathroom and onto the couch, wouldn't you say?
123. Hey there, Scully, just make yourself at home in Mulder's apartment! Hope she doesn't do this *every time* she goes around visiting people! Looks like she started digging through his first-aid kit *and* poured herself a glass of water before seating herself at his table! (Um, *glass of water*? uh-oh...then again, maybe it was just there when she got to the apartment...)
124. "Just tell me where you are." "I'm on the Vineyard." Oh, by the way, Scully, this was the "home" Mulder was referring to when you asked him back during "Colony"; just thought you'd like to know that...
125. TWC#12: Does anybody besides me think that the buttons on Scully's suit are, well, a bit *large*?
126. "Who shot him, Mulder?" "I don't know." Okay, I believe that would make for IDK#3 here...
127. "I didn't do it, Scully -- he was trying to tell me something." Funny that this is the same thing Mulder says to Scully following his mother's suicide in "Sein Und Zeit" -- "She was trying to tell me something," in *that* context serving as something of a denial of sorts.
128. Ah, here we see Scully going to bat for her man again -- she believes him when he says he didn't kill his father, and she's also helping him to get the heck out of dodge before they can pin it on him! You go, Girl! (Too bad Mulder doesn't see it that way at the time, but I'm getting a bit ahead of myself here...)
129. "Damn it, Mulder, you're an FBI agent, you have access to weapons other than your own!" Uh-oh, a little testy there -- maybe she sipped a little bit of that water on the table after all!
130a. Oh, and Scully is also keeping her man at her apartment to keep him from the bad guys! Apparently Mulder's grateful -- he's practically falling into her hug! (Either that or the shock of getting a hug from Dad shortly before his murder just kind of zapped him...)
130b. Okay, show of hands -- how many of us would *kill* to be Scully at that very moment? heeheehee...
130c. Oh, and it's *still* the same night, and Mulder is back in Washington, or at *least* in Georgetown -- it has *got* to be going on at *least* three or four in the morning by now, methinks!
131. "I want you to lie down." Aw, that doesn't mean what I *think* it means, does it? (The good news is, being a MulderTorturist, either way I'd be happy! Heeheehee...)
132. Aw, man, she got rid of that cool blue wallpaper in her bedroom! Also, ever notice that her wooden nightstand clashes a bit with her white bookshelves?
133. TWC#13: Call me sick, but even smeared with blood, that shirt looks *awesome* on Mulder!
134. "Just rest. It's okay, it's okay." Aww, and it's *really* okay for so *many* Mulderists all over the place, as this scene alone feeds about a gazillion fantasies and fanfics all over the world, heeheehee...
135. The morning after: hmmm, looks like Scully got to her personal favorite part of being a doctor: having a "medical reason" to strip Mulder down to his boxers! What *is* it about this girl and underwear, anyway? (Not that *I* for one am complaining...) It *is* interesting that she left on his watch, though...guess with all of the paranoia he's been suffering from lately, she wanted to reassure him that she didn't want to steal it!
136. And while we're on the subject of Mulder in boxers, it would appear he's filled out a bit, or buffed, since his near-skeletal appearance in "Colony" -- needless to say, again, no complaints! ( Hmmm, wonder if this is similar to the "morning after" scene from "all things" we never saw, when Mulder woke up naked to an empty apartment? though something tells me the watch was most likely *off* in *that* scenario...)
137. TWC#14: Ah, but our man looks so cute when doing his "groggy bit", doesn't he? (Oh, and I *did* mention the boxers, right? heeheehee...)
138. Ah, so *that's* why she left her watch -- so she could take his *gun*! Yeah, that makes sense...I think...
139. Nah, she just took his gun so some guy could shoot from it into a tank! This is *Scully* we're talking about, so I *knew* there had to be *some* logical explanation...
140a. Ooh, Mulder's nearly *murderous* accusations of Scully over the phone and his final ultimate rejection of her, after she's fought for so long to gain his trust, and has defended him from the word go in this ep -- "You have my files, and you have my gun -- don't ask me for my trust!" Oh, but poor Scully is *stinging* from that one, and almost looks as though she's on the verge of tears! Great job on the part of GA! (Though I always thought it would have been funny if Scully had said, "Mulder, wait -- can I borrow twenty bucks?...Mulder? hello? Mulder?" And there you have it, folks -- the reason CC chose *DD* to co-write this ep instead of me! ROTFL...)
140b. Listen to how Scully is *still* very much on his side and practically *begging* him to see that -- "You're sick, you're not thinking straight, I'm on your side, you know that!"
140c. You know, it just figures -- in "Colony" they just *kept* missing each other as they tried to warn one another of impending danger, whereas *here* there's *already* a misunderstanding yet there doesn't seem to be any problem in reaching each other! Oh, well...
141. But despite this rejection from Mulder, Scully is *still* sticking to her guns where her man is concerned -- she's pulling the bullet out of Mulder's wall...and giving us a nice glimpse at her nails, which have yet to be professionally manicured at this point...
142. Okay *here's* the ironic shot I mentioned earlier -- as Scully glances suspiciously out the window, there's a great shot of her standing ever so briefly in front of the Royal typewriter poster and behind Mulder'smonitor! A symbolic shot of sorts, perhaps, sort of like being caught between the traditional way of yesteryear and the technical ways of the here and now? or perhaps a visual representation of how past and present are about to merge by the end of the episode? (Hmmm, why does all that look like a teaser voice-over once I read it a second time? It's official, I watch this show *way* too much...:sigh
143. Isn't it amazing how our dynamic duo seem to almost magically produce flashlights whenever necessary? Isn't it also amazing that whenever anything fishy is going on in Mulder's building, chances are very good you'll find the root of the problem in the *basement*? (See also "Milagro".) Guess it's only fitting, that one should go to the foundation of the problem to find the solution, pun intended...
144. Boys and girls, watch what the heck she's taking off those tanks, that'll be important later...
145. From the look on Mulder's face as he's stalking out of that cab, does anyone besides me get the impression it wasn't exactly a very smooth ride?
146. TWC#15: *Great* shot of Mulder as he peeks around the corner to see Krycek coming around, heeheehee...
147. Oh, darn he forgot, Scully took his gun -- though from the looks of the punches he's throwing I'd say that's something of a minor issue for Mulder at the moment...:wince:
148. Geez, "Rat-Boy" is *such* a *wimp* -- he's making an *awful* lot of noise, wouldn't you say?
149. Um...remember when I said earlier that Scully was "sticking to her guns where her man was concerned?" Well, it would appear that she took the phrase quite literally this time around, wouldn't you say?
150. Ah, the first thing everyone expects to wake up to after getting shot in the shoulder by your own partner the night after watching your father get murdered -- some grey-haired, long-haired guy hovering over you. If I were Mulder, I think I'd be a tad nervous by this point! (Hmmm...medicine man, maybe? just a thought...)
151. Well, I see Scully's back to her old "bedside manner," no pun intended -- shirt's off, though apparently she left the jeans on for the sake of company. Don't worry, Scully, you're secret's safe with us!
152. Note that even though Scully hands Mulder the glass of water and tells him to drink it, *he never does*!!!
153. TWC#16: Ah, a woozy, sleepy-eyed Mulder in jeans and bandages and nothing else -- need I say more? :sigh: Also, hasn't he gotten a nice little tan since his crash over at Scully's place?
154. "Why did you shoot me? he was the one!" Oh, you mean *aside* from the fact that you pretty much told her not to expect you to trust her, took her head off at the shoulders every chance you got, started flying off the handle and becoming violent for no apparent reason on a regular basis and all but accused her of betrayal, why would she have a reason to shoot you? Gee, Mulder, I have *no* idea...
155. "I'm sorry about your father, Mulder -- I haven't been able to tell you." Scully is having a nasty sense of deja-vu regarding her own father, methinks...
156. Hmmm, interesting theories Scully has about the specific type of drug was floating through that dyalisis filter -- PCP, amphetamines, or some kind of dopamine. While she was at it, I think she should have thrown in steroids -- would have explained how the heck Mulder was able to pull an ABH and swing Krycek around in the parking lot like a rag doll! (TWC#16: I love Scully's blouse and slacks sans blazer in this scene!)
157. As Scully is explaining to Mulder about his "drug problem", I find the look Albert Hosteen is shooting to be quite interesting for some reason! Still haven't figured out whether it's reproof or awe or what have you, but still interesting enough to mention, nonetheless...
158. Geez, from Virginia to New Mexico via car in just *two days*?!? I'd just *love* to know who the heck plans these travel times in these eps! At the rate we're going, these two could just fly off to England in just two hours time! Ah, the joys of using one major location to create just about any city...(hey, it goes back to the oldest days of moviemaking...)
159. I just *love* this first exchange between Albert: "You're lucky she's a good shot." "Or a bad one." No kidding there, Mulderino!
160. "Last week we had an omen." This line just cracks me up for no particular reason, I suppose because I just *love* how calm and matter-of-fact Albert is throughout all this, especially overhearing how Mulder's enemies tried to systematically turn everyone against him by drugging his water, like *all* his friends seem to have that problem or what have you! (Getting back to that ever so briefly, this would explain the Skinner thing in *this* ep; now how do we explain the Skinner thing in "Colony?")
161. "What about you?" "I'm afraid you're on your own with this." Oh, *nice*, Scully -- first shoot a guy in the shoulder, then drag him off to New Mexico and then just run off and say "Have Fun!" Hmmm, makes you wonder if there was a *reason* we weren't treated to the New Mexico trek, doesn't it? (Okay, okay, minds out of the gutter -- I'm sorry! I'll knock it off...)
162. Oh, okay, never mind, she wound up missing a rather important meeting with Skinner and she's going to have to go home and "face the music", and not necessarily with the Hosteens' radio either! She's still "riskin' it all" for her man! You go Girl!
163. "I was certain they would have killed you, Mulder!" Ack! check out the intense look at her man in that shot! I think I'm absolutely going to *melt* in my *seat*! This girl is *definitely* smitten with this guy, let's face it!
164a. Another great Mulder-line, though not necessarily an "ism" per se: "Thank you. Thank you for taking care of me." After seeing Scully prove all through this ep just how much this guy means to her, we *finally* have him coming out, acknowledging it, and *admitting* it, and showing a few feelings of his own! Too bad it took a bullet in the shoulder to finally get him to come out and say it...well, *almost* too bad! :veg: (Also, on a slightly "less-deep" level, I always translated this particular line as something of a cross between an apology for his bizarre behavior and more or less a thank-you to Scully for not turning her back on him, though she could have many times throughout the ep! If we get something *half* this good during the reunion, I for one will say it's *well* worth this *looooong* wait!)
164b. If the way to this man's heart in "End Game" was by way of a defibilator, I'd say *this* time around the way to Mulder's heart was via a gunshot wound in the shoulder. So much for just handing this guy a packet of sunflower seeds...
165a. Oooh, Scully just found out *her* name was in those files! Perhaps I was wrong about "ho-boy" being Mr. Mulder after all! Heeheehee...
165b. Another narrow miss of the IDK count: "In what context?" "It's not clear, but it has something to do with a test..."
166. "I want you to find out, Mulder -- I need you too!" Check out Mulder's responsive nod -- looks like Scully's faithfulness to Mulder is about to pay off here! Mulder's about to "go to bat" for his girl now! (Apparently he's long since forgiven her for the whole shooting incident...)
167. Okay, everybody, let's hear a big *whoo-hoo* for the lovely red Taurus Mulder is driving Albert to the Navajo reservation in! (Of course, I drive a red car myself, so I'm prejudicely disposed in general, heeheehee...)
168. "In the desert, things find a way to survive. Secrets are like this too." Hmmm, considering we all now know that some scenes from the Season Premiere take place in the desert, you think that may be a clue? just a thought...
169. "Why me?" "You are prepared to accept the truth, aren't you? to sacrifice yourself to it?" Oh, Albert, my boy, you have *no* idea! Too bad you didn't see how willing our boy was to "sacrifice himself" in "Demons" -- ouch!
170. Ah, and here's the history lesson for this ep, folks -- six hundred years ago there was a tribe named Anasazi, whose name meant "ancient aliens!" I'm *assuming* that's what the name really means, but I'm pretty sure it's a real tribe, as I seem to remember Robert Redford doing a special on a particular Anasazi tribe on PBS not too long ago... (Psssst -- don't tell the boys at Fox, or Scully may be switching Doggett for the likes of Robert Redford and forget completely about *her man*! Okay, deep breaths, guys, it's just a joke...)
171. "Nothing disappears without a trace." Ah, a good tip to go into the new season with -- sure, contract negotiations come and go, but none is so bad as to make our favorite characters vanish off the face of the earth! Keep faith, oh fellow Mulderists!
172. Ooh, Mulder may not have Scully's cross this time around, but he *does* have something of a rather painful reminder of her, well, concern -- check out the wince as he's getting out of the car!
173. As "Colony" gave us a side of one part of our dynamic duo we hadn't seen before and likely won't see again (Scully in sweats), "Anasazi" gives us a glimpse of the *other* half of the dynamic duo we haven't seen before and haven't seen since -- Mulder riding on the back of a motorbike! Whoo-hoo! Guess this qualifies as TWC#17, heeheehee...
174. Well, guess the good folks of Farmington haven't had any earthquakes lately -- that darn "buried treasure" thing is *still* showing!
175. If "Colony" was the epitome of poor timing regarding *missed* phonecalls, here we have the opposite: a phone ringing at the *least* opportune time for our "Boy Wonder", as he's struggling down a pile of rocks *and* trying not to hurt his poor shoulder *too* much (thank you *so* much, Scully!).
176. "You're a hard man to reach." "Not hard enough, apparently." Ah, one more thing to keep in mind going into the new season, heeheehee...
177. Ever notice that CancerMan just blew a *major* cloud of smoke into his phone? Wonder what it would be like to be graced with that Morely-scent every time you tried to "reach out and touch someone"? (For those of you to whom I'm showing my age, that's from old AT&T commercials...)
178. "Where are you?" "I'm at the Betty Ford center, where are you?" Oh, man, *this* one has *too* many good Mulderisms to *count*! Is it any wonder I'm already *way* over 100 already?!? Ho-boy indeed!
179. Amazing how CancerMan *always* seems to come across the right people and the right transportation at the right time, isn't it? I mean, hey, a military-manned helicopter in the desert? Perfect! (Though I *do* wonder why they didn't bother to close the door -- don't those things even *come* with doors?
180. Hmmm..."Sierra Pacific Railroad." So much for the Atchison Topeka and the Santa Fe...(Old Judy Garland song for the unfamiliar) Guess that rules out my theory of buried treasure...
181. Okay, who the heck would leave a "refrigeration box car" in the *desert*?!? Some of these conspiracists have a *very* twisted sense of humor...(hmmm...hey, Polly, does that make *us* conspiracists? LOL, just kidding, hon...)
182. How interesting...for all that talk about how Mulder was pretty much on his own, Scully's *still* back at the hotel perusing them files! She just *can't* seem to leave her man alone, now, can she? heeheehee...(Ooops, forgot to mention TWC#18 -- cool Specs!Scully shot!)
183. Interesting note: am I reading too much into this, or does that shot of the light blasting into that dark box car look a bit like light coming into a tomb? (Boy, I'm just the epitome of optimism tonight, aren't I?)
184. As one who's come from a long line of morticians, may I just say that these bodies are *not* looking well at *all*! Also, considering this is supposedly the "fridge car," I'd say it's, well, defective!
185. "Where are you?" "Not where I ever expected." Coming from a guy who's been, among other places, aboard a submarine in Alaska with a vicious alien, aboard a rotting ship where the phrase "growing old together" takes on a whole new meaning, and a small Florida town featuring eccentric sideshow veterans, does this line strike anyone but me as a bit, well...odd?
186. IDK#4: "What happened to them?" "I don't know..."
187. Ah, Scully just found evidence of experiments conducted by Axis scientists here in America! Nice little link of the present to the past there, wouldn't you say? Oooh, and the *humans* are referred to as "merchandise!" Nice to be lumped in the same category as a pair of Levis, isn't it? NOT...
188. Brief observation of a slow pan of the bodies: is it just me, or does it look slightly like a "camcorder shot"? Reminds me of that weird "hospital hallway" scene from "BioGenesis" -- no, not the video surveillance one, the one where she's running after that scientist in New Mexico! Funny how all the "weird shots" end up in Mexico while all the nuts roll down to Florida, isn't it?
189. A slight ROTLF moment, though unintentional: in this scene where Mulder notices a smallpox vaccination scar on one of the bodies, I always thought that the still of this particular moment made Mulder almost look as though he was talking directly to the alien corpse while on the phone, as the alien is actually looking in his direction -- usually I have Mulder conferring with the alien over toppings for a pizza! But I'm sure you guys can come up with some better scenarios and/or captions, heehee...
190. "OMG, Scully, what have they done?" I *love* Mulder's panic face here, as it's only too bad Scully's not physically there to see it -- it's all in the eyes, folks, all in the eyes!
191. Well, guess that's the bad guys' cue -- lock him in there, boys!
192. Oh, geez, Eric, what kind of a wimp *are* you? It's just a few helicopters with a bunch of soldiers with guns and some creepy smoking guy who's going to beat you to a bloody pulp later o...oops, sorry, Polly, got carried away there, heeheehee...
193. I like how Eric takes that little "Sorry, don't speak English" plea when he had to ask his dad for a Navajo translation earlier in this ep, but hey, you gotta give him credit -- he's got guts for standing up to CancerMan!
194. "Nothing vanishes without a trace -- burn it!" Amazing -- not only is CancerMan quoting Albert, he's also solving this problem the same way he seems to solve all of his problems -- with a nice little flame! Interesting approach for a guy who lives by the philosophy "Every problem has a solution," wouldn't you say?
195. And as we leave what may or may not be a flaming "barbecued fox" pit, so to speak, as the ever-annoying words "To Be Continued" fill the screen, may I just remind you of the first of *many* rather aggravating cliffhangers to close a season -- and a *remarkable* season at that, thanks largely to GA's RL pregnancy indirectly contributing -- and *still* quite possibly one of the best, at least IMHO! (Of course, by the time *I* finally saw it, it was through the magic of reruns, so I only had to wait but a few days, heeheehee...)
196. And now, my dear Polly, with *extreme* thanks for allowing me to fill the board with my oftentimes mindless musings and what have you, I now bestow upon you the honor of picking up the start of the third season with "The Blessing Way!" It's been a trip, hon -- thanks! And for the rest of you, thank you *so* much for your patience, and feel free to post away!
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