::huff puff:: Okay, guys, *major* apologies, and again, *major* thanks to Polly, but without further ado (fingers crossed), here's…
Theatre of the Mind ~ Colony
By BearBerg1. When last we left our "Boy Wonder," he had been left to die in the midst of Alaska at the mercy of…wait a minute…umm, did I miss something here?
2. Oh, no, silly me, of course not! this is simply one of the best teasers in the history of "The X-Files" (and one of the first, if I recall correctly, with "Demons," "Monday" and, of course, my personal fave, "Bad Blood" among others, to be patterned in this fashion), where the ep starts more or less "in progress" and the viewer has to watch the whole ep to figure out what happened!
3. This is also the first episode, if I recall correctly, that was co-written by DD and CC. You da men!
4. But in any event, I think it's safe to say that DD and Mulder are clearly the "Boy Wonders" of *this* hour. (To the tune of the old "Batman" TV Show Themesong) "Da-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na--MUL-DERRRR!!!" (And yes, you *will* be seeing a pattern emerging here throughout this and the next TOTM -- you have been warned! )
5. And of course, for all you fellow MulderTorturists, both this ep and "End Game" are absolute MulderTorture *Classics!* Bwahahahaaaaa…(okay, I'm fine now, really!) Also, for you fellow "Computerists," email plays a *huge* role in this one, heehee…
6. It's a bird, it's a plane…it's a light! Hmmm, an alien spaceship, perchance?
7. Actually, nope, just a chopper -- a navy chopper, to be exact!
8. Hmmm, those ambulances there look suspiciously like those from "MASH," don't they?
9. Note all the high angles this ER scene was shot in, especially the moment where we see Scully barging in the door and the glimpse of Boxer!Mulder in the tub -- coupled with Mulder's VO at the beginning of the ep, did anyone besides me get the impression that Mulder himself was, at that moment, hovering between life and death, observing and musing over the attempts to save his own life? A few shades of "Sunset Boulevard," perhaps? (For those of you not familiar with that movie, it begins and ends with the shot of a very dead William Holden lying face-down in a swimming pool as photographers are seen taking pictures from above, as a William Holden VO explains throughout the rest of the movie, told in flashback, just how the heck he came to be in this position. Also, as with this ep, the very end pretty much picks up where we left off at the beginning. A very disturbing, downbeat movie all around, but still worth watching, at least imho!)
10. Is it just me, or does the Emergency Medical Team at hand seem to be moving just a *little* bit slowly in what should be a frantic attempt to save the life of "Boy Wonder?" Geez, don't be in *too* big a hurry boys -- it's just a matter of life and death here! I'd hate to see their pace during a *real* emergency! ::shudder::
11. Ah, but at least *Scully's* got a decent pace -- that interior radar of hers has gone off *big* time, and she *knows* her Boy Wonder's in trouble! (Okay, Scully, give us some proof that we're believing a lie here -- I dare ya! Heeheehee…)
12. TWC1: Okay, fellow Mulderists, *this* is the shot -- our boy is in his trusty boxers *and* in a tub of water! It doesn't get any better than this! :-)
13. Unless of course you happen to be a Speedo!Mulder fan. Which brings us to…
14. Scully doesn't fool me one bit here -- the *real* reason she's mad at Mulder's doctor is because *his* medical team got the privilege of stripping him -- for "medical purposes" only, of course. This girl certainly *can* find a lot of "medical purposes" for stripping her boy -- see "Fire" and "Anasazi," among others! Sure, Scully, fine! Whatever!
15. Then again, she *did* privilege Mulder with a glance of her in a bra and panties in the Pilot, so I guess turnabout's fair play! Okay, that's enough "gutter-talk," at least for now, heehee…
16. "I'm Dana Scully I'm Agent Mulder's partner what are his vitals?" Whoa, just *listen* to the voice crack with *very* thinly veiled panic, and the way she runs all of that together at once -- this poor woman is barely holding it together beneath her cool exterior, pun intended! Kudos to GA -- you go, Girl!
17. BEEEEEEEEEEEP! Is it just me, or was that lovely little flatline of Mulder's almost on cue to Scully's pleas that the cold was the only thing that was keeping him alive? Is Mulder trying to tell her something there, or am I reading *way* too much into this?
18. Also, note how much better Scully knows Mulder than his doctor knows him throughout this ep -- unlike the doctor, she knows *exactly* what's wrong with her partner, but does the doctor listen to her? Are you kidding?!?
19. Oh, the look on her face as Mulder flatlines and the team struggles to save him! How can GA *possibly* top *that*?!? (Psssst…see final scene to "End Game," heeheehee…)
20. Also, are heart monitors much higher in pitch in Alaska then they are in DC, or does it just depend on what the boys at 10-13 can afford per ep? Geez, that flatline sounds like a smoke alarm, doesn't it?
21. Or did some prankster on the Emergency Team just replace the usual heart monitor sound with their alarm clock? If so, something tells me there'll be heck to pay before it's over!
22. Oh, okay, "Research Vessel, Alta Beaufort Sea, Arctic Circle, 2 Weeks Earlier" -- whew! I didn't miss anything after all!
23. "You gotta see this captain, we got a UFO or something buzzing us." Yeah, kind of like the last couple of "UFOs or somethings" that were buzzing us last week or the week before -- can't you tell by how thrilled I sound reporting this to you here?
24. That group of sailors aboard the sub that have spotted the "UFO or something" (hey it was in the script) -- does that one who says "It's coming at us again" look like Krycek to anyone but me?
25. I just *love* the sailor who says "It's gonna crash" -- I half-expect him to end his statement with "man!" (Did that guy remind anyone besides me of "Lewis" from "The Drew Carey Show?" Just curious…)
26. Whoa -- "Sailor Lewis" called it! I'm surprised he didn't look at his cronies and say, "See?"
27. You gotta love that bullheaded-looking guy who goes, "We're going after it!" The captain, I suppose. Perhaps if Mulder were recalling this man's past life during his regression in "The Field Where I Died," he would crop up as General George Custer!
28. Yup, we're cutting straight to "Woman's Care Family Services and Clinic" in Pennsylvania. This did *not* end well, folks!
29. Whoops, I take that back -- they're showing the whole thing on TV in the clinic! Just your basic "fishing for men story" in Alaska, I suppose…
30. Ah, and they showed their catch of the day -- our first glimpse of the Alien Bounty-Hunter, people! And wouldn't you know, he's on television! The guy should smile more, considering how many times he winds up on camera!
31. Ah, that good doctor's not terribly impressed either -- in fact he's running from the room!
32. Right into the Alien Bounty-Hunter! Sheesh, this guy gets around quickly, doesn't he?
33. Ah, our first glimpse at the "alien-stabber!" Pay attention, kids, there'll be a quiz later!
34. Interesting BTS Story: for anyone interested, the tape I rented included a very interesting story by CC about how the whole sound-effect for the "whoosh-noise" of the "alien-stabber," or stilleto or what have you, was affected; after trying in apparent vain to get the special effects department to come up with the appropriate sounds (as he put it, the guys were trying to make a combination of seventeen different sounds -- guess it was the "Psycho" mentality, where the now-infamous stabbing noise in the shower scene was affected by stabbing a bunch of melons and other assorted vegetables and fruits on the table, but anyway) CC ultimately went with a recording of Paul Rabwin actually standing in front of a microphone and making the noise himself! Just thought I'd throw that in…
35. Oh, dear, the good doctor hasn't been getting enough iron -- just look at that blood! (Either that or he's been eating *way* too much spinach -- so much for being "strong to the finish!")
36. You know, for someone who's capable of surviving frigid temps, this Alien Bounty-Hunter certainly doesn't seem phased by fires either! You don't suppose he's been comparing notes with Cecil L'ively, do you?
37. A little side-note here: according to CC, the Alien Bounty-Hunter was actually the brainchild of DD!!! Ah, well, the guy (ABH, not DD, lol) gives me the creeps, especially after "Requiem," but I can forgive him (DD)! Still, kinda makes you wonder what Alien Bounty-Hunter will be up to if he's in a Mulder-less ep come eighth season, doesn't it? hmmmm…
38. Heehee, *classic* Mulder-ism -- "You have to wonder about a country where even the President has to worry about drive-by shootings." Very good point indeed!
39. Oh, and watch the sunflower seed he's shoving into his mouth as he delivers it -- you just *have* to love those classic moments! Sorry, but am I the only one who's *missing* the Sunflower Seed Mulder moments already?
40. TWC2: And of course, it goes without saying, our boy looks *great* saying it -- light blue is *definitely* his color!
41. "I received these in my email this morning -- three obituaries." Is someone trying to give our "Boy Wonder" a morbid hint of some kind? or is this some sort of bizarre foreshadowing? Inquiring minds want to know… Also, if someone sent *you* three obituaries via email…well, am I the only one a tad creeped out by that prospect? ::shudder::
42. Okay, being a "Computerist," I *have* to bring this up -- anyone besides me notice that *this* week, Mulder's using a *Mac* in the x-files office, yet by "Anasazi" he'll be pulling up the notorious M-J files up on a *PC?* Do the boys over at the Hoover Building just rotate computers on a regular basis, or what?
43. Also, isn't it just *too* cool how easily Mulder seems to just yank these suckers up on his screen? It sure as heck doesn't take me *that* quickly to open a file on *my* computer! Guess they don't call it the "magic of television" for nothing!
44. To say *nothing* of that *fantastic* quality of the type -- I don't even think you could even get that good of quality from a newspaper scan *today,* and hey, I *worked* at a newspaper once!
45. But hey, look, Mulder's dug up pictures, and our boys all look alike! *This* looks like a job for…*Super*-Mulder! (and hey, let's not forget Super-*Scully* while we're at it -- after all, she certainly comes in handy where that nasty "kryptonite" comes in! hmm, *thought* that so-called blood looked familiar…)
46. Oh, gee, look! Surprise, surprise, what do we have here? A tyrannical Southern minister complete with Southern accent! (Apologies to all Southern Havenites; it's the stereotype that gets to me.) The good news is, his role is small enough to fast-forward through -- you don't think CC&co. would pull *that* again, do you? (Pssst -- see fourth season, "The Field Where I Died," and seventh season, "Signs and Wonders.")
47. I just love that blond chick at the desk of the Binghamton Paper when asked if she'd recognize the guy who placed the ad. "Might -- nope, it's not him." Want some time to think it over?
48. Already the Psychic!Scully is kicking in -- "I've got a bad feeling about this case, Mulder." Hey, it couldn't be any worse than, say, Duane Barry or Donnie Pfaster, right?
49. What's with the bad feeling, though? "Nothing makes any sense!" Um, Scully, correct me if I'm wrong on this but…well, isn't that *technically* what *makes* an x-file an x-file?
50. "Sounds just like an x-file!" *Thank* you, oh "Boy Wonder!"
51. Ah, and here "Boy Wonder" starts to make one of his trademark quantum leaps -- he sees a map on the wall and, pinpointing the three cities in which the dead bodies are found, determines that the killer is moving in a Northerly direction! Oh, sure, *I* could just look at a map and figure *that* out -- **NOT!!!**
52. Hmmm, Special Agent Weiss looks an *awful* lot like Skinner, doesn't he?
53. Isn't it amazing how Mulder can just call up these fellow agents at will from other offices and more or less tell them to help him out with a case? Enjoy this while you can, kids -- I'm not so sure we'll have *that* luxury during the Kersh era! ::sigh::
54. Typical FBI Protocol #1: rather than knocking on the door, peek through the window to see if the resident is at home. Yeah, *that'll* earn the guy's trust and make him feel safe and secure…
55. Uh-oh, Weiss just saw a pair of hands holding a seemingly pleading guy by the shoulders. This can't be good.
56. Typical FBI Protocol #2: after peeking through the window, simply break in through the back door with your gun in tow. Yup, *that'll* make a good impression…::smirk::
57. Just what every federal agent expects to see when apprehending a perpetrator -- an apparent body on the floor covered up in what looks like a good dose of bubblebath. (I don't imagine it *smells* exactly like bubblebath, though, if you know what I mean! :-P)
58. Uh-oh…the Alien Bounty Hunter's been eating too much spinach too!
59. Better yet, he's oozing "kryptonite blood," if you will -- it seems to be having the same effect on Agent Weiss that kryptonite always had on Clark Kent! (Either that or the guy could really use some aspirin, from the way he's grabbing his head!)
60. Whoa, how did Agent Weiss get to the front door so darn quickly? (Maybe it was to stop Mulder and Scully from violating FBI Protocol and actually knocking on the door!)
61. Ooh, look at that sidelong glance Scully casts at Weiss as she passes him on her way down the front porch -- methinks Psychic!Scully kicked in again and perhaps suspects something sinister about our good friend Weiss!
62. Ah, the real morph-job is apparent here: Agent Weiss himself has morphed into the plump guy from "The Tonight Show" who dances in his underwear! (Don't worry, we've got the "Mulder in tub in boxers" image to get *that* image out of your head!)
63. BTW, don't get *too* grossed out over that shot -- we'll be seeing it again in B/W in DD's directorial debut, "The Unnatural," six years later.
64. Uh-oh, our first glimpse of Skinner in this ep, and he is *not* a happy man! Perhaps he got word on the PC-to-Mac switch?
65. Whoa, Skinner just handed Mulder that lovely little pose of Agent Weiss in his BVDs! That's not Mulder's usual form of entertainment, if I recall correctly!
66. "I want a full accounting on my desk in the morning." Translation: Agent Mulder, young man, you are *grounded!* No videos, no magazines, and *no* sunflower seeds! Ouch!
67. TWC3: I just *love* watching Mulder rip off his blazer and hurl it into his office with disgust after slamming the door in frustration! Oooh, the look on his *face*!!!
68. TWC4: Equally thrilling is watching him realize he's been sitting on a paper and tossing *that* out of the chair in frustration! (Though I *must* say, if that paper is a report of a reminent of an x-file, our boy is in more trouble than the originally thought!)
69. Okay, why did *Mulder* have to march into Skinner's office to be raked over the coals straight out of the airport while *Scully* gets the luxury of going *home* straight out of the airport, possibly getting a *lot* more sleep than *Mulder*?
70. "I just wish I knew what the hell was going on." Hmmm, sounds like my whole opinion of the whole S8/S9 thing in a nutshell!
71. "Have you checked your email this morning, Mulder? because I received something unsettling, and I was wondering if you'd gotten it too!" Careful there, Scully, he *might* misinterpret that a bit! Remember his taste in videos?
72. Here we go again with the email attachments that seem to pop right up there! I also liked the way Scully made a point of pointing out to Mulder that the photograph was "digitally scanned," as this was back in the days when scanners and such were pretty much still limited to us graphic designers and not sold to practically every single family in America! (This was *also*, I believe, right where digital *photography* had just barely come into focus, pun intended, so I'm a *little* surprised Scully was able to tell it was *scanned* rather than *downloaded*, but oh, well…)
73. And here we go with another "Meeting at Scully's Apartment" setup, with the good CIA agent Ambrose Chappel. You just *have* to love these early eps where everyone gets together at *Scully's* place -- maybe they just like crashing on *her* blue-striped couch better than *Mulder's* black leather couch! (Okay, minds out of the gutter -- I mean to *sit* on during serious discussions! That's *it*!)
74. I see Scully's had time to freshen up a bit since she spoke on the phone with Mulder -- I forgot to mention how much I liked her glasses and casual wear in that last scene!
75. Oooh, Chappel just mentioned that the "Gregors" would be systematically eliminated by a man he believes to be a Russian spy! Could that be old "Rat-Boy" himself, Alex Krycek? Just a thought…
76. And here we are at Germantown, Maryland, at the location of our *latest* "Gregor," whom I'm assuming is currently in the process of creating "more" little "Gregors!" (Either that or those eery green tanks contain some lethal kryptonite!)
77. Keep an eye on the driver -- she'll be important later. (You can tell by the way CC&co. had her leaning very purposefully into the direction of the camera so we couldn't miss her!)
78. Gee, taking her back to *your* place, aren't you? isn't she a bit young for you? (Yeah, I know -- who's mind's in the gutter now? Heeheehee…)
79. Whoa -- check out the dive Dr. Dickens took out the window, and he's still alive! Wonder if he'd be considered eligible for the diving competition at the Olympics at his age? (Meanwhile, that is going to be *one* ticked-off superintendent!)
80. Hmmm, Scully just noticed Chappel take off in a different direction than Mulder in pursuit of Dr. Dickens! Heading him off at the pass, perhaps, or something a bit more sinister?
81. And there goes Super!Mulder, trench coat flying out like a cape! Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single…::crunch!!::
82. Oh, um, well we didn't say anything about being able to leap *speeding cars* in a single bound, now, did we?
83. Fortunately, it seems our "Boy Wonder" did the majority of damage to the windshield, and possibly his ribs -- he "just got the wind knocked out of him." All car accidents should end so easily! (Besides, we've still got that whole "Alaska thing" to deal with yet -- boy, our "Boy Wonder" was *really* having a rough week or two, all things considered, wasn't he?)
84. Between this scene and Doctor Dicken's dive out the window, glass certainly takes a beating in this ep, doesn't it?
85. Uh-oh…good old Agent Chappel is *actually*…::gasp::…the Alien Bounty-Hunter! (You gotta hand it to good old ABH -- he certainly gets a wide variety of costume changes -- more than Cher, if you will -- though like the rest of you, I *am* wondering how he manages to morph his wardrobe as well!)
86. And here comes poor old Scully sauntering ever so carefully down the alley in pursuit -- right into a lovely little puddle of green goo! :-P
87. TWC#5: I *must* say our Scully looks *great* in these shadow shots! Also, am I the only one who misses those camel-colored suits of hers?
88. I don't think Psychic!Scully's buying Chappel's "blind-sighted" story, but I *could* be wrong…
89. (I don't mean to be nasty, but much as I *love* Scully's outfit, that's *not* my favorite pair of heels on her! No big loss where the green goo is concerned…)
90a. Oooh, it's boiling! "Double, double, toil and trouble…fire burn and cauldron bubble!" (That one's for you, Theef! Heeheehee…)
90b. Or, for the younger generation not necessarily familiar with "MacBeth," "…he's melting! he's melting…melting…oooooooh…oooooooh…"
91. Meanwhile, back in the x-files office, poor Mulder is feeling a mite sore or, to quote the man himself, like he "should have used the crosswalk." Considering this is apparently the morning after he was hit by a car, I'd say the guy bounced back relatively well! Ouch!
92. TWC#6: Of course "Boy Wonder" looks wonderful as always, especially since he's working on growing out that buzz cut, but still I just thought I'd mention how particularly *fabulous* Scully's red locks are looking in this scene! You go Girl!
93. Ah, so Mulder avoided a serious injury because his *cell phone* absorbed the impact of the car? (I'd just *love* to see the look on good old Chesty Short's face if he ever found out what *that* did to the expense report!) Well, I suppose his nice little a** can't break the fall *all* the time, now, can it? ::veg::
94. "Whatever happened to 'trust no one,' Mulder?" "Oh, I changed it to 'trust everyone!' I didn't tell you?" Heehee, I just *love* that line! Must be my sarcastic blood that enables me to appreciate it, even if Scully didn't!
95. Okay, I'm curious: just how in the heck does Mulder manage to get his paws on *everybody's* files when necessary? There he is with (almost) everything you want to know about Ambrose Chappel but were afraid to ask!
96. Waaaaaait a minute here -- *Mulder* is accusing *Scully* of being "overly paranoid?" Geez, talk about the pot calling the kettle black here! Okay, those of you fellow "One Son" bristlers over the "making it personal" crack -- he was even doing it back *then!* Doh!
97. Uh-oh! Partner-spat, partner-spat!
98. Ah, there's Scully's "a line has to be drawn somewhere" line, referring to the fact that he persues cases at the cost of everything (you hearing this, Chesty?) including sanity, and Mulder's response: "Those are the risks we take! You either accept them or you don't! we all draw our own lines." (In Mulder's case, I'm afraid he has to draw his line just a tad straighter, lol…)
99. Yikes! a ticked-off Scully's giving Mulder the boot…oops, sorry, it's a shoe. Hole-ly Gooey Shoes, Batgirl!
100. "I bought these a week ago." Possible response for Mulder: "Scully, I *told* you to stop buying your shoes at K-Mart!"
101. Watch Mulder poke his pencil through the hole in Scully's shoe. Three years from now, we'll be seeing him aiming pencils at different sorts of holes -- the ones in the ceiling.
102. "…and while you're at it, why don't you arrange for an autopsy bay." "An autopsy bay?" Yeah, Scully, like the place you perform autopsies every other week! Sheesh, the girl must have gotten terribly distracted by her little "sole problem!"
103. Am I the only one who thinks it's just plain *wrong* that Scully has elected to arrive at the autopsy bay in her standard FBI suit rather than a nice comfy pair of scrubs?
104. "…the blood was curdled like jelly." At this point in Scully's description, it would be interesting if Mulder suddenly found himself craving a peanut butter sandwich! (Hmmm, perhaps a Season 8 Scully craving -- peanut butter and sunflower seeds? oh, never mind…)
105. Okay, another line I *really* like for the heck of it, when Scully asks Mulder what he plans to tell Skinner when he's paged: "Just the truth -- I got hit by a car!" Heehee, I just *love* that lilt of innocence and impishness in Mulder's voice at this point! :-)
106. Hmmm, *Skinner* is telling *Mulder* about *Mulder's* father trying to reach him about a family emergency? something *very* interesting about this guy's family that they wouldn't contact him directly, wouldn't you say?
107. Anybody besides me think that Mom sounds a bit, shall we say, stilted on the phone? a bit in shock, perhaps? "Is Dad there?" "Yes. Let me put him on." Sounds more like a secretary than a mother, at least to me!
108. Hmmm…the "family emergency" Mulder was supposedly paged about was "a very strange phone call." Okay, so how's that different from what's going on in *this* scene?
109. "Where are you going?" "Home!" You know, maybe it's just me, but wouldn't it have avoided a lot of confusion in the long run if Mulder had specified *whose* home he was going to if he was going to stick Scully with the dirty work?
110. Watch your step there, Scully -- this is one of your better pairs of shoes!
111. Ah, gee, seems like their CIA friend has a rather odd hobby in his off-hours -- knocking over research tanks and destroying hybrids! (Personal Commentary: Ewwwwww!!!) Personally, I'd think he'd prefer a quick trip to the gym to relieve stress, maybe take out his aggressions on a punching bag, but hey, whatever floats your boat, right?
112. Oh, dear -- so soon after the Duane Barry incident and we're back to talking to Mulder's machine, which *still* hasn't gotten beyond "Leave a message please!" Considering the fact that her message includes the statement, "I think I'm in danger and I think I've been followed," it's probably just as well Mulder's not home to answer that one -- I'd think there'd be too much of a DB flashback as a result! (Probably not so good for Scully, in the long run.)
113. While we're at it, a possible survival tip for Scully: when leaving a message on your partner's answering machine, stay away from windows!
114. And the son arrives, initiating the official debut of Mummy and Daddy Mulder! Interesting choice of greeting from Daddy Mulder -- "Your mother needs some time!" Gee, Dad, I missed you too!
115. Also, isn't it interesting that Daddy's a smoker? hmmmm…so, you smoke Morley's, Dad?
116. Excellent meeting between father and son on Martha's Vinyard -- *great* portrayal of hope then disappointment on the part of DD when Mulder extends his arms for a possible embrace, only to be greeted by a cold handshake. You da man, DD!
117. You gotta love Dad's emphasis on certain words -- "*She* wanted you to come." Gee, Daddy, no offense taken!
118. Mom's talking to his *sister*?!? Whoa, are you *sure* I didn't miss something here?
119. See, I *told* you Dr. Dickens's driver was important! Notice a pattern emerging here?
120. Also, Little Sister doesn't seem to be terribly excited to see Big Brother after all these years!
121. I wouldn't say the number's on the alarm clock are terribly large, but I think you could read that all the way from Washington DC!!! Geez, is Mulder's dad suffering from a *major* case of glaucoma, or *what*?!?
122. Just look at the way Mulder kisses his mother goodnight as he puts her to bed! Awwww! I *could* be wrong, but between the two of his parents, all things considered, though relationships were strained with both, I get the impression Mulder was closer to Mom than Dad. (Too bad these two are going to be smacking each other by "Demons!" Oh, well…)
123. "Fox…it *is* really her, isn't it?" Hmmm, Mom has a shadow of doubt, does she?
124. TWC#7: Is it just me, or is our "Boy Wonder" *especially* skinny these days? It's especially noticeable in those shots with Mulder in a white shirt sans coat. More sunflower seeds there, son!
125. "Is it too late for a game of Stratego?" Ah, Little Sister is finally starting to warm up to Big Brother a bit, though from the hesitant way Mulder is acting around her, I'd say he has his doubts about her as well as his mother.
126. Ah, and *here's* something you don't see everyday -- Scully in sweats! Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe this is the only time you'll see her in sweats in the whole series -- that is, unless her S8 "kick-around" maternity-wear consists of some nice loose-fitting sweatshirts and what have you!
127. And you guys thought the "fridge in the living room" looked odd in the movie! I mean, could *somebody* tell me just what in the heck her *desktop* computer is doing at her *kitchen table*?!? I mean, okay, I can see her keeping a *laptop* at her table, or even a *desktop* at the *counter*, but a *desktop* at the *table*?!? I mean, what is her "logical explanation" for *that*?!? Thank Heaven she's placed it in the living room in later seasons -- at least the poor woman will now have somewhere to eat! (Then again, perhaps she's like me and likes to take an occasional meal at her computer! Who knows? I just hope she doesn't get confused later when clearing the dishes and throw the *computer* in either the washing machine or the sink!)
128. Ack, she *just* walked out the door when *Mulder* called? Okay, I've heard of "phone tag," but this seems more along the lines of "Your answering machine or mine?" In this case, it appears to be Scully's.
129. At least *Scully* adds a bit more to her answering machine -- "I'll get back to you as soon as I can." Well, I'll give Mulder this much credit -- at *least* he throws in a "please" at the end of *his* answering machine message!
130. Something else I'm curious about -- why didn't Mulder even think to call Scully on her cell phone if the message was *that* urgent? is this the type of guy who, when he busts *his* cell phone, he just assumes *everyone else's* cell phone is busted as well? How presumptuous of him!
131. Little Sister on our good friend, Mr. Alien Bounty Hunter: "You can't recognize him, but I can!" So…nanny-nanny-na-na!
132. Something else we've never seen on Scully and most likely never will again -- a fanny-pack.
133. Okay, tip to girls attempting to "blend in" on a bus for "safety reasons" -- it is *not* the smartest thing in the world to use a cell phone, make a point of saying, "I don't think I've been followed," then go on in detail as to the hotel you're planning to stay for the night, and exactly *where it's located*! While you're at it, you may as well scream out your social security number on the bus, for crying out loud! (Of course, since more people use cell phones these days, perhaps it *is* a tad safer than it was at the time, though I *will* say that it's certainly safer to use a cell on a bus than behind the wheel of a car! Just my $0.02, lecture over…)
134. See what I mean? It's "Da Man" himself! ::shudder::
135. Hmmm, looks like Scully may be picking up on Mulder's jogging habits as she makes her way to the warehouse/hybrid-smashing site/whatever. As long as she doesn't pick up his "video habits," that's just fine with me, though I *still* think that sunflower seeds would make for an interesting pregnancy craving! Heeheehee…
136. Ah, so our girl now has a trustly little lock-picker, does she? why does that look like a crude version of ABH's "alien stabber thingy?" (Okay, fine, it's a stilleto -- whatever!)
137. TWC#8: Have I mentioned how cute Scully looks in sweats and a pony-tail?
138. Blech! guess those folks in Germantown can't afford a decent cleaning crew! Then again, perhaps those little "back alley clinics" have a way of slipping through the cracks, which makes me shudder the more I think about it! Also, for some crazy reason I keep wondering what this place must *smell* like!Which of course, brings us to…
139. If our boy Chappel, or the ABH or whomever the heck he is, was going to such lengths to destroy the hybrids and cover everything up, don't you think the *least* he could do was a better cleanup job? Guess that's where all those fires come in -- okay, so why didn't he take that approach *this* time?
140. Well, I'll give Scully credit *this* time around -- at least she left the *good* shoes at home!
141. As Scully ever so cautiously picks up the remnants of one of the hybrids on the floor, she makes an amazing discovery…"It's *alive!* it's *alive!*" (Okay, blame Mel Brooks for that one -- I just rewatched "Young Frankenstein" a couple of weeks ago!)
142. Ah, and she's made yet *another* amazing discovery (or has the discovery made *her?* um, no, wait, I mean…oh, never mind!): yet another "Gregor" lurking about!
143. Oh, and look, he's leading her to his…um, brothers? Well, friends. Hey, Scully said it herself in "Red Museum" -- it's hard to tell who the good guys and bad guys are without a scoreboard, which I think you'll agree goes double for *this* ep…or is that *quadruple*? ah, well, *anyway*…
144. (To the tune of "The Lollypop Guild" from "The Wizard of Oz") "Weeeee…rrrrepresent the Gregorian Guild, the Gregorian Guild, the Gregorian Guild…"
145. "Unless you protect us, we are already dead." Gee, Scully, no pressure!
146. Get a load of the list of instructions Scully's firing to the detective -- "Maximum security, no visitors, no press, no *anybody.*" Aw, come *on,* Scully, just an occasional pizza delivery or TV privilege? Have a heart, let these guys halfway *enjoy* their stay on Earth! After all, clones are people too!
147. I just *love* this sarge with Scully: "May I ask? who *are* these guys?" This guy is asking the question we've been *dying* to ask Scully all hour!
148. And her answer? "I'll let you know when I figure it out for myself." Well, gotta give her points for honesty on that one…::sigh::
149. Geez, why does that pesky ABH have to know *everything* here? He *really* does have a nasty habit of showing up at rather inopportune times! (Cue booing and hissing here)
150. Aw, Mulder just met his sister, and now he's taken her back to *his* place! how sweet!
151. Quick glimpse of the desk: there's a good chance I missed this, but I didn't exactly notice his computer on the desk this time around. Since he apparently moves it back to the desk by "End Game," I just *have* to wonder: has he taken Scully's lead and moved it to the kitchen? (Hey, a guy's gotta have *some* place to munch on sunflower seeds while waiting for mysterious email messages! As long as neither of these two decide to move their hardware to the *bathroom*…::shudder:
152. The good news: Mulder is apparently nipping this whole "phone tag" thing in the bud, and is now calling the actual "Vacation Village" motel to warn Scully.
153. The bad news: the manager of "Vacation Village." You just *know* Mulder and Scully are in trouble when, just a second after leaving very specific instructions for a Dana Scully to call Fox Mulder, the guy says "Who's this message for?" to himself *right* after breaking his pencil which, from the looks of the lobby, is pretty much putting a snag in his business right there (not to mention *right* when *the* Dana Scully trudges into the lobby). Rather ironic element to an episode where email and technology play such a key role, wouldn't you say?
154. Anybody besides me wondering if the "MIBs" from "Deep Throat" somehow gave *this* guy the same "medication" they gave Mulder and Col. Buhadas, or is this guy's short-term memory just that bad, period? Yet *another* mystery…::sigh::
155. At this rate, is anyone besides me curious if this "Vacation Village" is still open in "The X-Files" universe? If so, here's hoping they actually have *computers* to keep their records on file…oh, and a new manager probably wouldn't hurt either, while they're at it.
156. Surprisingly swanky digs, considering the state of the lobby, complete with a whole fresh pile of towels in the bathroom and a glass table! So much for my initial "Motel 6" concept -- guess that manager was running low on funds when decorating the lobby! (Either that or he was just going for "fleabag ambience," I don't know…)
157. Ah, *that's* typical -- our girl goes in for a bath and *then* her "fanny pack" starts ringing! The good news: apparently "Boy Wonder" *finally* got his act together and decided to try her cell phone (unless of course it was Skinner). The bad news: well, we seem to be going back to the same old "phone tag" game that we've been playing throughout this entire episode! If we go with the "all things happen for a reason" adage that emerges in season seven, well, I'm not really sure I *want* to know the reason at this point! Doh!
158. Meanwhile, our "Gregor" friends are biding their time in nice, cozy back-to-back jail cells, seriously debating whether or not they could set up a good game of "telephone" to pass the time away as the guard passes. (Hey, they couldn't be doing any worse than our dynamic duo at this point!)
159. Whoa, ABH is now taking on the *sarge?* Hey, he even got his tough-guy dialect down -- I'm impressed! I'm just curious if that's how the *real* sarge likes the coffee order he gave the guard? (Too bad Krycek wasn't there to take coffee orders; oh, well, guess you gotta make do with what you have!)
160. Ah, back to "Vacation Village" where it is one of CC&co's favorite times at night (nope, not the Midnight Hour), "11:21 PM!" Mrs. Carter's birthdate, if I'm not mistaken…
161. Boy, our girl certainly traveled light this time around: poor thing's been sleeping in those sweats she's pretty much been wearing all day! Guess she's trying to make the most of this little sweatsuit, since we never really see her in this ensemble beyond this ep and "End Game."
162. Ah, we've *finally* gotten our little "phone tag" problem solved once and for all -- our "Boy Wonder" has shown up to save the day.
163. But *wait* a minute -- that pesky little phone has gone off *again*, and it's…uh, "Boy Wonder?" Hey, Scully, did you leave your scoreboard at home with your pajamas and change of clothes or *what*?!? I mean, I've heard of double vision, but this is *ridiculous*! Will the real Fox Mulder please stand up? (Or *speak* up, as the case may be…)
164. "TO BE CONTINUED…" Or, to put it another way, "…Will our Boy Wonder come away from this experience with an odd sense of detachment and a strange aversion to Baked Alaska? Will his faithful partner swear off the 'Vacation Village Motor Lodge' for a nice old-fashioned 'Holiday Inn' that guarantees unbreakable pencils? Tune in again, Same Fox-Time, Same Fox-Channel!"
Whew! And there you have it! Again, *major* apologies for all the glitches and what have you -- hopefully I'll have an easier time of it tomorrow night!
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BearHugs from the BearBerg