Theatre of the Mind ~ Zero Sum
1. Don't think Jane is bucking for a raise with those "dork-face" remarks.
2. ABC Gum! Thanks for sharing!
3. No! Not the bathroom! It's the kiss of death!
4. Told you so.
5. What did Austin Powers say to the naughty bee? Oh, bee-hive!!
6. Do you think that Skinner is really deleting files off Mulder's computer or just checking on what kinds of web sites Mulder is perusing on company time?
7. Mulder's nameplate gets more airtime than Scully in this episode. Perhaps she never forgave the nameplate and that's why she stuffed it in a drawer at her first opportunity? Just a theory.
8. I think Skinner picked out something black and sexy and is ready to do some funky poaching.
9. Just one queston, Walter: Do you do windows?
10. The Skinman has been taking Mulder lessons. He does some nice reflecting, and then he sticks his fingers in some icky stuff and sniffs it. (But *you* take a lesson, Mulder: he uses protection!)
11. No lights when you flick the switch. That's a bad sign!
12. Just like murder and mayhem in the bathroom, incineration is a very popular form of body disposal on the XF.
13. But did they have to build the incinerator at the top of the stairs? What a workout!
14. It seems that *everybody* wants to be Fox Mulder lately! First Eddie, now the Skinman!
15. On a personal note, I wish that the real Mulder would wear a baseball cap more often-backwards or forwards, makes no never mind to me. Yum!
16. "Spooky Mulder" not interested in pursuing such a juicy case? And that guy called himself a detective?
17. TWC1: Who would ever have thought that the first TWC in an episode would be about Walter? I never would have figured the Skinman for tightie whitees, but oh my! Skinner never did much for me before this episode, but now I have a whole new appreciation of his . . . uh . . . attributes. (And he don't look bad in those casual clothes, either!)
18. A dream come true! To open your door and find Fox Mulder standing there! :::sigh:::!
19. Skinner is realizing he is in deep doo-doo.
20. MSRM: Aw, such concern in Mulder's voice when he informs us that Scully is in the hospital because her cancer may be spreading. But then why isn't he with her, instead of pursuing this case? She probably said she was fine and Mulder needs to work as a distraction.
21. Episode Trivia: This is the second episode filmed entirely without GA. First was "3", of course, and she appeared only in flashback in "Musings of a CSM." And in case you were worried, GA was really off filming her part in the movie, "The Mighty."
22. TWC2: Woo-hoo! Mulder can come be my personal sanitation engineer anytime!
23. Wow! Skinner stopped that car with his bare hands!
24. "A man digs a hole, he risks falling into it." I think he got that from a fortune cookie.
25. Mulder's like a dog with a bone, and Skinner has a Mulder-size headache.
26. Skinner following orders from CSM, involved in obstruction of justice, criminal conspiracy, and destruction of evidence. Why would our Walter do such a thing?
27. "A cure for Agent Scully. Isn't that what you want?" The price tag from "Memento Mori" is revealed.
28. That must be an Olympic size torch the Skinman is carrying for the enigmatic Dana Scully. Risking your career (not to mention your life), tampering with evidence, disposing of bodies--all to save just another Agent that you supervise? (And one that's pulled a gun on you a few times too?) I ain't buyin' it. Skinner cares for Scully (and Mulder too, I think) more deeply than we may ever know. It explains a lot of fan-fic I've read, anyway.
29. The transformation from Skinner to Mulder is complete. This time he sticks his fingers in sans protection.
30. Honeycomb: a great breakfast cereal and a fine oldie but goodie by Jimmie Rodgers.
31. What is the bees' favorite film? The Sting.
32. What is the bees' favorite David Duchovny film? Bee-thoven.
33. Today's Health Tip: Royal Jelly is a high-energy, super-rich nutrient that constitutes the diet of the queen bee. Queen bees are made, not born, and their feeding with royal jelly is the key to that process. From the medical and biological standpoint, there's no known substance that produces a more profound effect on growth, longevity and fertility in queen bees than Royal Jelly. Royal jelly produces an age-retarding, longevity enhancing effect. It helps maintain health, beauty, and youth; helps normalize body functions; protects against infections; increases resistance to diseases; and increases endurance and energy levels. It is antibacterial and anti-viral, particularly against streptococcus, E-coli, and staphylococcus. Royal jelly accelerates the formation of bone tissue and helps heal wounds in half the time. Studies show that royal jelly reduces cholesterol. It is also reported that people who take these regularly feel stronger and have less fatigue. Could this explain that "bee pollen" kick that Scully was on in "Dreamland"?
34. You mean Mulder actually pursued all that "Herrenvolk" stuff?
35. I bet Skinner found that file under the "B's". I crack myself up.
36. Who do you think Mulder conned into typing those Rolodex cards so neatly? Surely not Scully. Maybe he was working his way through the secretarial pool after all. Or perhaps that's what Marita was doing during those three minutes in "Tunguska."
37. TWC3: Hoo-boy! This seems to be the "Mulder appears in the doorway" episode. Isn't he just the bees knees?
38. Mulder's got pictures.
39. Just when you thought you'd never hear lispy "bee husbandry" again, bam! It bites you on the ass.
40. Please refer to #11.
41. What do bees chew? Bumble gum!
42. What is the bees' favorite singing group? The Bee Gees.
43. The smallpox virus? Carried by bees? Are we ever gonna learn what your smallpox vaccination scar has to do with any of this? Wouldn't the entomologist have been vaccinated against smallpox? Do I really need to remember all this bee and smallpox stuff? What are the chances we're ever going to see this again anyway? (wink, wink)
44. A forensic entomologist? I had no idea there was even a need to establish facts about bugs for legal proceedings.
45. TWC4: Holy Flaming Cow! Mulder looks fine as he tells Skinner he's close to knowing who impersonated him.
46. I guess the moral of this story is: if you absolutely, positively want your bees to get there overnight, make sure you make the package damage-proof.
47. It's not easy to render Mulder speechless, but that photo just about does it.
48. Here's the "buzz" from the Consortium meeting: "I have a man in place. A man with no other choice but to succeed."
49. A Consortium-sized trial run could only take place at J.F.K. Elementary School.
50. It's the view from the Bee Cam! (What goes zzub, zzub? A bee flying backwards.)
51. Even educated M.D.'s wouldn't miss the obvious homage from the Bees to "The Birds."
52. When Marita showed up I thought *sure* we were going to get lispy bee husbandry again! Dern!
53. TWC5: A big woo-hoo for the Skinman. Maybe it's just that he's lying to Marita that makes him so desirable. Good. I don't trust her anyway.
54. It's about time one of his agents pulled a gun on Skinner. I was beginning to think we weren't going to see that all season!
55. While Scully does not appear here, just like in "3" the spirit of Dana Scully pervades this episode. Skinner is in this mess because he made a deal with the devil in an attempt to save her. Does Mulder believe this and realize that *he* could have been in the same predicament had Skinner not stopped him?
56. Guess so, cause Mulder doesn't turn him in.
57. Can't *anyone* pull the trigger when they have CSM in their sights? First Mulder, now Skinner; CSM always seems to be able to talk himself out of a jam, this time by throwing in that one niggling detail: If he dies, they will never know if Scully could have been saved.
58. But at least Skinner left a calling card that Mulder could not. If I were CSM, I'd be checking my shorts for cake.
59. It's probably a telemarketer on the line, wanting to help CSM reduce his long-distance rates.
60. Wrong! It's miss "lipsy bee husbandry". I *told* you she couldn't be trusted! Bad company she keeps.
61. There's always been a lot of speculation about who the shadowy figure is in the background while Marita is talking to CSM on the phone. I just always assumed it was Mulder, because Marita is calling to find out what she should tell Mulder. And I just assumed it was out of focus because DD wasn't available that day. But YMMV.
62. More trivia: This episode was in memory of Vito J. Pileggi, Mitch Pileggi's father, who died in 1993.
63. A "zero sum game" is a situation in which a gain by one person or side must be matched by a loss by another person or side. So I guess this means Skinner's loss is CSM's gain. Whether Skinner's loss will be Scully's gain-that she "stands to live a long and healthy life"--remains to be seen, I suppose. For Skinner, he no longer lives in a black and white world-there are only shades of gray now. He has thrown in with the bad guys, even if it was for all the right reasons. Mulder knows it, and is probably both repulsed and grateful at the same time. The same fate could have awaited him if he had been the one to deal.
64. Well, I hope you enjoyed it, but if you didn't, TOTMs are pretty much like buses; there's always another one coming by eventually. "Sometimes you get lucky. Sometimes you don't, right?"
Sending my apologies and please cover for me in case dork-face comes back around, will you? And this is my new motto: "Queen bees are made, not born."
Polly (it's good to be Queen!)