Theatre of the Mind ~ Folie a Deux

1. Just another lovely day at the Cube Farm.

2. It's great to know that Detective Fiore (from "Born Again") got a chance to start his life over as a telemarketer after that unfortunate killing his partner conviction thing.

3. I say "I'm not interested" and hang up before they can say anything else.

4. I can see that this supervisor has attained his lofty position through Assmosis (i.e., kissing up).

5. Nancy is so cute. I think she and Gary should blow that pop stand before something bad happens.

6. Too late.

7. If I was Gary, I'd "dial and smile" and call an exterminator. Quick.

8. Poor Mrs. Loach. She's probably still waiting for her $100 prize.

9. TWC1: Woo-hoo! I have to sit down too. That "look" that he had goin' on in PBV? He's still got it.

10. Mulder sort of sounds like a disgruntled employee with a gun. Why is he so pissed off already? (Maybe he's still a little miffed about almost meeting his demise last week after being set up.)

11. What could he have *possibly* done to piss Skinner off? (How much time have you got?)

12. Must be Monster Boy Headache No. 342.

13. Continuity Alert! Looks like Scully did a little more *work* on that broken finger, if you get my drift.

14. I guess you'd call this an "informed ditch." She knows where he's going, but she's ditched just the same.

15. TWC2: Hoo-boy! Monster Boy trying to look interested.

16. With all this talk of "giving good phone" this week, of course now that's all I can think about.

17. Okay, Scully, get those little eyeballs moving and find that "hiding in the light" phrase. He'd appreciate it, and I know that's incentive enough.

18. I think Mr. Pincus just wants to run an idea by Nancy to see if it "flies."

19. I know just how Nancy feels. This is pretty much how I look when I exit the boss's office too.

20. Gary quickly calculates the number of letters between "A" and "L", and gets the "L" out of there.

21. TWC3: I just love Mulder being Mr. Monster Boy Profiler.

22. Well, isn't Scully the little speed reader. She must be an Evelyn Wood graduate! (And the date she gives for the case in question is August 9, GA's birthday.)

23. They *both* give good phone. Too cute. Except Mulder tells her to get "down" there and help him. Would Illinois be "down" from D.C.?

24. When Monster Boy & Science Girl get on the case, they don't fool around. Mulder and Scully were in Skinner's office at 9:12 a.m. He's already interviewed Mr. Pincus and analyzed the tape. She's already read through hundreds of X-Files to find just the connection he needs. And he walks back into VinylRight at 12:14 p.m.? I think there's a time zone difference, but Mulder must be in the twilight zone.

25. TWC4: But I like him in the zone. I don't think I've said enough about those sideburns.

26. Mulder suffers an Ohno-second: That's the miniscule fraction of time in which you realize that you've just made a BIG mistake.

27. I'm not sure exactly where Scully is coming from, since the roadway seems to be blocked behind her. I guess they moved the barricade when she flashed her F.B.I. credentials. And according to the clock in the cafeteria, she made good time. She's on the scene in Illinois by 2:30 p.m.

28. Agent Rice is the SWAT guy from "Pusher" who was witness to one of the greatest MSR exchanges of all time. Agent Rice also serves as Vince Gilligan's "Holly" reference in this episode, for his significant other Holly Rice.

29. "Shut up! I'm not addressing you! I'm addressing the actual people over here, okay?" I'm gonna try that at my next staff meeting.

30. TWC5: Mulder on his knees with his hands behind his head. Oh, the possibilities.

31. That Hostage!Mulder is one smooth dude. He's about to bring this situation to a peaceful conclusion.

32. Except for that darn phone!

33. Not the lips! Don't damage the lips!

34. I've seen Mulder's puppy dog face; I believe this would qualify as his "I'm Screwed" face/head shake. All that's missing from this scene is the "Oh, shi . . ."

35. Scully's mighty worried about the news that Gary just shot a hostage. But she's mighty relieved to see Mulder on the monitor. But very worried again when she sees who's gonna get hurt if Gary doesn't get what he wants.

36. TWC6: Mulder! Don't be a hero! Think of your hair and your sideburns!

37. You knew Monster Boy would eventually see the monster too, didn't you?

38. Great scene by DD as he goes from the shock of seeing the monster to the shock of seeing the assault vehicle burst through the wall to the shock of seeing Gary shot. I love the look on his face as he touches it after the blood spatters on him. Now he knows, indeed.

39. You know which one will be the MSRM, but this is the runner-up. Scully gently taking his arm and trying to steer him out of there. I just want her to take him home and put him to bed, don't you?

40. I love the flat, still shell-shocked questioning of Mr. Pincus. Scully's worried again.

41. We get a date stamp for this episode thanks to Mulder - May 10, 1998 - coincidentally the same date the episode aired.

42. Mulder must have been the over-achieving valedictorian of the Evelyn Wood class. He's read *all* the files overnight and come up with four more references to "hiding in the light" than Scully.

43. Scully's not listening. Her concern is only Mulder. "Have you slept?"

44. Mulder mentions that he's not suffering from "Helsinki Syndrome," but the correct verbiage would be Stockholm Syndrome. Stockholm Syndrome is the name of the phenomenon by which hostages become sympathetic toward their captors. It got its name from a 1973 bank robbery in Stockholm, Sweden, where a woman became so attached to one of the robbers that she broke her engagement and remained faithful to her captor during his prison term. I'm not sure where "Helsinki Syndrome" came from, but it was used in the film "Die Hard," to describe the same situation. But Helsinki is in Finland.

45. One of my favorite XF lines ever: "Did he see it because he was disturbed, or was he disturbed because he saw it?"

46. Love watching Scully backpedal when she's just basically said that Mulder is mentally ill.

47. I do find it funny that Scully flatly refused to do the autopsy, not wanting to feed his delusions any further. Isn't her only joy in life proving him wrong? (Oh, that's season 6.)

48. "Stalking" or "gathering evidence." It's a fine line. I'd call it a bug hunt.

49. Scully's fuming underneath, but she still won't admit to Skinner that she's been left in the dark again.

50. Again, Scully, why so stubborn? Especially after your lab partner pointed out the guy looks like he's been dead longer than that?

51. I find it very disturbing that this woman is sitting in the dark watching "The Little Colonel." Perhaps she's already a zombie.

52. But it gives Mulder a good excuse to kick in the door. Mr. Pincus is quite the spry one, isn't he?

53. Daddy!Skinner is none too pleased with wayward boy Mulder. I was waiting for him to say, "You sit in that chair, young man, and don't you move!"

54. TWC7: And he looks so good while he's being punished.

55. Mulder tries to save Skinner from having the humanity sucked out of him and for his trouble, he gets pinned to the table and drops his gun. And he can't get Skinner to look at the "pest." Some days it just doesn't pay to share the madness.

56. No matter how hard Mulder tries, Skinner can take him every time.

57. Aww. "Five years together, Scully, you must have seen this coming." Nice little handhold too.

58. MSRM: You knew it would be. "Scully, you *have* to believe me. Nobody else on this whole damn planet does or ever will. You're my one in . . . five billion." Could anyone refuse that plea?

59. Certainly not Scully. Still not totally convinced, but willing to give it a second look. Maybe Scully doesn't quite believe in "extreme possibilities" yet, but she believes in Mulder.

60. How'd you like to play Mark Backus? After getting shot, your big scene is the "flip".

61. TWC8: Holy Flaming Cow! He looks great all though this episode, but I can't resist the look on his face when he knows he's gonna get that big needle. I think she should have given him the shot somewhere else, though! *veg*

62. Another great job by DD as he starts to relax, then is suddenly in the throes of terror as he's bound to the bed and the wolf (er, insect) is knocking at the door (er, window).

63. So cute as he tries to act calm and rational to convince the nurse to loosen his straps, but . . .

64. Too late! She's a zombie! (And love the trademark Mulder pout when he realizes what she is).

65. Panic attack! Control that breathing! Too bad he hasn't studied Lamaze yet!

66. Scully must be taking the Concorde back and forth from Illinois. I hope she's getting some good frequent flier miles.

67. I think this nurse is the same one who was in "Empedocles." "It's hospital policy."

68. Yippee!! We knew that his one in five billion would see just give her enough time. And this time Mulder gets to say, "I told you so." (Well, in that "unspoken communication" kind of way.)

69. Skinner is definitely a 404! (That's someone who's clueless.)

70. Okay, so she still can't admit it to Skinner. "It was dark." We know that she knows.

71. TWC9: Big woo-hoo! I think something else shared by two should happen in that elevator. (Just make sure Scully removes that lovely lavender suit first! Wouldn't want to get it wrinkled!)

72. I hope some screens come with those WeatherRight windows . . . they're gonna need them.

73. "Folie a Deux" is the last stand-alone of the season, and that means it's nearly "The End." Guess what? "It's here."


Okay, you know that "Paper Hearts" is my favorite episode of all time. "Bad Blood" is not quite as safely entrenched in the number 2 spot, but it's pretty solid. Wavering at number 3, but there most of the time, perhaps tied with "Pusher," is this episode. I love "Folie a Deux." Do you see a pattern developing here? Vince, you are Da Man! And in case no one's ever told you that . . . "Now you know."

Good night. Don't let the bed bugs bite. With apologies,
Polly