S10.E05: Babylon

[AntiBeeSpray]

"THE X-FILES" - (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) CC-AD-HDTV 720p-Dolby Digital 5.1

 

THE POWER TO BELIEVE TURNS OUT TO BE THE STRONGEST FORCE THERE IS ON AN ALL-NEW "THE X-FILES" MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, ON FOX

 

Episode Written and Directed by Creator Chris Carter; William B. Davis, Robbie Amell and Lauren Ambrose Guest-Star

 

When an art gallery that's showing potentially offensive artwork is bombed, Mulder and Scully seek some way to communicate with the comatose bomber in order to prevent a future attack. Meanwhile, a pair of younger FBI agents on the case (guest stars Robbie Amell and Lauren Ambrose) push Mulder and Scully to examine their own beliefs as Scully seeks answers from neuroscience and Mulder from mysticism in the all-new "Babylon" episode of THE X-FILES airing Monday, Feb. 15 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (XF-1004) (TV-14 D, L, S, V)

 

Cast: Gillian Anderson as FBI Special Agent Dana Scully, David Duchovny as FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder and Mitch Pileggi as FBI Asst. Dir. Walter Skinner

 

Guest Cast: Robbie Amell as Agent Miller, Lauren Ambrose as Agent Einstein, William B. Davis as Cigarette Smoking Man, Artin John as Shiraz, Garry Chalk as Mad Dog, Marci T. House as Angry Woman, Eric Breker as SP Agent Brem, J. Alex Brinson as FBI Agent Guard, Bruce Harwood as Byers, Tom Braidwood as Frohike, Dean Haglund as Langly, Nina Nayebi as Noora and Janet Kidder as Nurse.

Source: http://www.spoilertv.com/2016/01/the-x-files-episode-1005-babylon-press.html

 

This is your topic to talk about the episode 5 of the 6 episode series of the X Files.

 

Note: Please keep it to just show talk. Talking about politics, terrorism or other sensitive subjects in general is not allowed and any posts that head in that direction will be removed without warning.

[paigow]

Hoping Mulder name drops Andy Warhol and the rookie agents stare back blankly....

[Pjxf99]

I wander off for a little bit, I come back and Mulder is line dancing to Achy Breaky Heart.

 

You task me, show...you task me. 

 

 

ETA: Dear showrunners, I love Lauren Ambrose, but I have no desire to see her and action-figure-boy in a Junior X-files reboot/spinoff. Don't go getting any ideas.

Edited February 16, 2016 by Pjxf99

[lumberjackdexter]

I think I'll turn Californication back to X-Files...wait...

[AimingforYoko]

High Mulder might just be the best thing I've seen on TV this year. High on Niacin, that's our Mulder.

[SpaceBloom]

I think I'll turn Californication back to X-Files...wait...

 

This is how we get the Gunmen?!? This???

 

Words fail in description of how much I hated this. All of it.

 

At least the hand holding was nice.

[Primetimer]

When a terrorist needs a mind meld, Mulder's ready to take one ('shroom) for the team.

Read the story

[Neurochick]

What was the song Agent Miller was listening to at the end?

[lumberjackdexter]

This is how we get the Gunmen?!? This???

 

Words fail in description of how much I hated this. All of it.

 

At least the hand holding was nice.

 

 

I, for one, am excited to watch the new Coke version of X-Files set to the fresh beats of the Lumineers.

[AimingforYoko]

What was the song Agent Miller was listening to at the end?

Don't know, but I am so ready to never have that Lumineers song used again.

[Tardislass]

Apart from the porch scene-this was awful. Arabic terrorists-naturally. Scully and Mulder parted. Scully and Miller I didn't mind but Einstein, please let her die in the next episode. Scully was never as pissy as she. And don't get me started on the placebo effect. Only scene I liked from that was pissy Skinner.

 

And Einstein and Scully are both doctors and let the terrorist die? Ugh...hated this episode worse than Ep 1.

[Tim Thomason]

I guess they needed six episodes, and only had ideas for five.

[Morrigan2575]

Damn board ate my post!

I really hope this wasn't a backdoor pilot for a Miller/Einstein led X-Files because that won't work for me at all.

Other than I enjoyed the theme of the episode but it was rather heavy handed.

I loved Mulder Trippin on Mushrooms. I laughed so hard at that scene it took me a full minute to realize The Lone Gunmen were at the table with Mulder

[Biggie B]

What was the song Agent Miller was listening to at the end?

 

'Ho Hey' by The Lumineers.

 

Agent Miller is gorgeous. 

 

I can't stand Gillian Anderson's raspy voice. If it's something medical, I apologize, but I find it beyond grating - like nails on a chalkboard.

[AimingforYoko]

'Ho Hey' by The Lumineers.

Pretty sure Neurochick was referring to the song Miller was listening to on his earphones (Bose, natch) at the airport.

[AntiBeeSpray]

I didn't mind this ep. But I can see how people could be offended by it. I think Chris was trying to show different kinds of hate and the characters were trying to understand why. Only problem was that the execution of it was flawed.

[Biggie B]

Sorry - misread 'Miller' for 'Mulder' - I was blinded by Miller's good looks!!

[CoffeeAddict]

Maybe I'm just easy to please but I actually liked it. The ending made me smile, I'm a sucker for some musical hand holding I guess. Maybe this show has lowered my expectations so much when it comes to M & S showing any affection for one another that I happily take what I can get. I don't know, it worked for me. Most of the episode did, except for Mulder being high. Oddly enough I found that weird and not as amusing as I suspect they're were trying for.

 

I will say in the very beginning I turned to my cat and said, "They're not gonna blow that place up because that's too obvious." And then....ten seconds later...

[AntiBeeSpray]

Maybe I'm just easy to please but I actually liked it. The ending made me smile, I'm a sucker for some musical hand holding I guess. Maybe this show has lowered my expectations so much when it comes to M & S showing any affection for one another that I happily take what I can get. I don't know, it worked for me. Most of the episode did, except for Mulder being high. Oddly enough I found that weird and not as amusing as I suspect they're were trying for.

 

I will say in the very beginning I turned to my cat and said, "They're not gonna blow that place up because that's too obvious." And then....ten seconds later...

 

Yea I went in with really low expectations. Was surprised to see that the writing wasn't as purple prose-y as I thought it would be.

[eleanorofaquitaine]

Mulder listening to Ho Hey - not a bad theme for Mulder and Scully. 

 

I liked Agent Miller well enough, but thought they made Agent Einstein too much of a skeptic. Scully was never that close-minded.

 

I think that this episode was too in love with its ideas about regarding religion. I find The X-Files hit or miss when it comes to dealing with religion - I always rather liked the way that they portrayed Scully's Catholicism (I very much related to her faith and reason approach, as a Catholic).  But they always do better with religion when it informs the story, not when it is the story.  This was a miss for me. But my shipper's heart did like the hand-holding at the end.

[AntiBeeSpray]

Mulder listening to Ho Hey - not a bad theme for Mulder and Scully. 

 

I liked Agent Miller well enough, but thought they made Agent Einstein too much of a skeptic. Scully was never that close-minded.

 

I think that this episode was too in love with its ideas about regarding religion. I find The X-Files hit or miss when it comes to dealing with religion - I always rather liked the way that they portrayed Scully's Catholicism (I very much related to her faith and reason approach, as a Catholic).  But they always do better with religion when it informs the story, not when it is the story.  This was a miss for me. But my shipper's heart did like the hand-holding at the end.

 

I think it was pretty understated for a religious one. I've seen ones that are more in our faces than this. For Chris, it was ok. I thought it would be worse.

[Tardislass]

Yea I went in with really low expectations. Was surprised to see that the writing wasn't as purple prose-y as I thought it would be.

I think CC is now adding music V.O. instead of words. Unless he's saving it all for next week.

 

I think the only thing I really minded was the fact that we didn't even get a good LGM moment-or maybe they would have had to pay extra for the actors?

 

But I did love the ending...and it looks like viruses for next week. 

[eleanorofaquitaine]

I think it was pretty unstated for a religious one. I've seen ones that are more in our faces than this. For Chris, it was ok. I thought it would be worse.

 

I definitely thought it could be worse. But I also thought it could have been better but only if, say, Vince Gilligan wrote it :)

 

I did like Mulder being more open-minded about religious belief. I know that the believer/skeptic dynamic was always reversed when it came to religious faith but Mulder's unwillingness to be open-minded about Scully's religious belief was one of his most annoying qualities, given how respectful she was of most of his crack pot theories.

Edited February 16, 2016 by eleanorofaquitaine

[edhopper]

The song Miller was listerning to was "Secret Heart by Ron Sexsmith.

[paigow]

I will say in the very beginning I turned to my cat and said, "They're not gonna blow that place up because that's too obvious." And then....ten seconds later...

Mulder probably heard your cat answer....

[Sandman]

"THE X-FILES" - (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) CC-AD-HDTV 720p-Dolby Digital 5.1

THE POWER TO BELIEVE TURNS OUT TO BE THE STRONGEST FORCE THERE IS ON AN ALL-NEW "THE X-FILES" MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, ON FOX

Episode Written and Directed by Creator Chris Carter; William B. Davis, Robbie Amell and Lauren Ambrose Guest-Star

When an art gallery that's showing potentially offensive artwork is bombed, Mulder and Scully seek some way to communicate with the comatose bomber in order to prevent a future attack. Meanwhile, a pair of younger FBI agents on the case (guest stars Robbie Amell and Lauren Ambrose) push Mulder and Scully to examine their own beliefs as Scully seeks answers from neuroscience and Mulder from mysticism in the all-new "Babylon" episode of THE X-FILES airing Monday, Feb. 15 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (XF-1004) (TV-14 D, L, S, V)

Cast: Gillian Anderson as FBI Special Agent Dana Scully, David Duchovny as FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder and Mitch Pileggi as FBI Asst. Dir. Walter Skinner

Guest Cast: Robbie Amell as Agent Miller, Lauren Ambrose as Agent Einstein, William B. Davis as Cigarette Smoking Man, Artin John as Shiraz, Garry Chalk as Mad Dog, Marci T. House as Angry Woman, Eric Breker as SP Agent Brem, J. Alex Brinson as FBI Agent Guard, Bruce Harwood as Byers, Tom Braidwood as Frohike, Dean Haglund as Langly, Nina Nayebi as Noora and Janet Kidder as Nurse.

 

In the words of my old alt.tv.xfiles forum-mate, Autumn T., No.

Edited February 16, 2016 by Sandman

[Byzantine]

I didn't hate it, with that being said it did have a different feel  to me  I'm not exactly sure how to describe it but visually it was different..  What I didn't like was Mulder and Scully being apart and I really didn't like the new agents. I can't say how much I don't want them to be a spin off or part of another season if we actually get one.  I didn't even like seeing them in the previews for the next ep.   Just no, I have no use for them.

Edited February 16, 2016 by Byzantine

[SpaceBloom]

 

I will say in the very beginning I turned to my cat and said, "They're not gonna blow that place up because that's too obvious." And then....ten seconds later...

 

Allow me to translate for your cat:

 

"It's Chris Carter. It isn't obvious enough."

[Tardislass]

I didn't hate it, with that being said it did have a different feel  to me  I'm not exactly sure how to describe it but visually it was different..  What I didn't like was Mulder and Scully being apart and I really didn't like the new agents. I can't say how much I don't want them to be a spin off or part of another season if we actually get one.  I didn't even like seeing them in the previews for the next ep.   Just no, I have no use for them.

Agreed, though the male agent looks enough like Krychek that I wouldn't mind him staying..:) And the shirtless and white-shirted Mulder scenes were appreciated.

 

I think my biggest beef was the weird pseudo religious aspect. It's like Fox or CC decided that Catholicism was too boring so they'd mix it up. Meh. And I get that we have to have religious symbolism in the show. Heck, in Requiem we had the whole Last Supper scene with Mulder/Christ in the middle. 

 

But that last song was on an Apple commercial and now I have the strangest urge to buy some iTunes.:)

[Prevailing Wind]

My cat (Stella) was busy snoring. The other one (Bosco) was playing with the new schmousie and ignoring everything else.  I didn't bother discussing XF with them. Now we're negotiating bedtime snacks.

 

[Tardislass]

Can someone explain again what the trumpet sounds were supposed to imply? Still don't quite understand.

[mjc570]

Well, maybe because I'm not an old X-files fan (never saw it because I saw one episode - flukeman? - that scared me off for good), but I liked it a lot.  I thought it was a serious subject, but enough humor to keep me interested.  Yes, it was preachy but also amusing.  I especially liked high Mulder. 

[piperkat]

I was amused that they kept saying "I'll meet you in Texas". It's a fairly big state--if you want someone to meet you there, you really need to specify a city. Otherwise you'll be driving around for a while...

[janestclair]

I didn't hate it, with that being said it did have a different feel  to me  I'm not exactly sure how to describe it but visually it was different..  What I didn't like was Mulder and Scully being apart and I really didn't like the new agents. I can't say how much I don't want them to be a spin off or part of another season if we actually get one.  I didn't even like seeing them in the previews for the next ep.   Just no, I have no use for them.

 

I agree with this.  It was different somehow.  I don't think I liked it.  Mulder and Scully need to be together.  Hated Einstein.  Miller can stay, but only because he's gorgeous. 

 

Agreed, though the male agent looks enough like Krychek that I wouldn't mind him staying..:) And the shirtless and white-shirted Mulder scenes were appreciated.

 

Agreed.  He does kind of look like Krycek, sort of.

 

I hate Ho Hey.  Love me some folk music, just hate that song.  Although, I guess it's better than a purple prose-laden Carterlogue, so it had that going for it.  I did like the conversation at the end between Mulder and Scully, but there was not enough of that.  Mulder's hallucination was way too long.  Was it supposed to be funny?  I didn't find it funny. 

[eleanorofaquitaine]

Can someone explain again what the trumpet sounds were supposed to imply? Still don't quite understand.

 

The Book of Revelation, which is the last book of the Bible, prophesizes that the opening of the Seventh Seal will cue seven angelic trumpeters, which will lead to cataclysmic events.  So basically, the End Times. The fact that Mulder is hearing them and not Scully is interesting since, as he pointed out to her at the beginning, the Bible is "her" book.

 

(FWIW, my parish priest growing up basically told us to not take the Book of Revelation all that seriously, but there are many in the evangelical community, in particular, who do take the prophesies in it quite seriously).

[lumberjackdexter]

Can someone explain again what the trumpet sounds were supposed to imply? Still don't quite understand.

It was a call back to Red State, a film by Kevin Smith.  Chris Carter is a big fan of that movie as well as the Bible.  

[FormerMod-a1]

In enjoyed the heck out of this.  I wasn't sure when I saw the preview, but the young/mirrors of M&S were fine.  M&S were still the meat of the show.  And it had a good amount of comedy. :)

[HalcyonDays]

I don't really know what that episode was, tbh? I thought it was terrible.

 

Agent Einstein was way too irritating with yelling at Mulder all of the time. Miller was fine. The parallels were cute, the trip Mulder was on wasn't good. Really show? Linedancing? T&A? I had to pause and remind myself I was watching a show called the X-Files.

 

But really Mulder - you think 'schrooms are gonna allow you to speak to the half-dead? So why didn't Mulder encounter any other human spirits in the process of passing over to the next realm? And then we find out it was a placebo? Just, no.

[Tardislass]

Found some interesting BTS tidbits from one of the science contributors to the show-

 

-The dance scene took 14 hours to film and DD had so much fun he'd film the takes and send  to his daughter. Aw.

 

-The extras in the bar could not sing or even mouth the words since it would cost more money.

 

-There was supposed to be a dance number between Mulder and a woman with him lifting her up and doing the splits. It was the same woman who was Dr. Goldberg's secretary in Founders Mutation. She got noticed by J.Wang because of this scene.

 

-The HonkyTonk costumes were originally so skimpy that they had to be changed due to censors. 

Edited February 16, 2016 by Tardislass

[sharinlilbit]

Chris Carter is a big fan of that movie as well as the Bible.  

 

Not much of a fan if he doesn't know that the last book in the Bible is REVELATION.  No "s" on the end.  It's a ridiculously stupid mistake to make given all he has to do is look it up.  

[Tardislass]

The Book of Revelation, which is the last book of the Bible, prophesizes that the opening of the Seventh Seal will cue seven angelic trumpeters, which will lead to cataclysmic events.  So basically, the End Times. The fact that Mulder is hearing them and not Scully is interesting since, as he pointed out to her at the beginning, the Bible is "her" book.

 

(FWIW, my parish priest growing up basically told us to not take the Book of Revelation all that seriously, but there are many in the evangelical community, in particular, who do take the prophesies in it quite seriously).

Thanks as a former Lutheran whose pastor was more new age, we never learned much about Revelations. So I assume that the trumpets herald the coming catastrophe in Ep 6, which I'm pretty leery about. I have a feeling CC will drop a big ole bombshell at 8.58pm/

[Mama No Life]

Plus:  Mulder dancing, Scully smiling patiently, Mulder and Scully anytime they were together

 

Minus:  Claire Undertaker (I forget the Six Feet Under family) and all the dialogue at the end that kept going on when I wanted to see Moose and Squirrel holding hands

             Also, the plot.

             And the dialogue.

        

Neutral:  Hot Miller.  He talked too much but easy on the eye.

Edited February 16, 2016 by Mama No Life

[Sandman]

I want to like Robbie Amell, I do. But how many genre shows can one guy be in before his SAG card spontaneously combusts? I'm assuming Miller and Agent Dr. Angry For No Clear Reason are going to be the focus of the next season, as the Junior Varsity X-Files. (I've read no spoilers or publicity about that; I'm just going by all the anvil-clangs echoing around my head.) I don't think I can sign on for that, if this flat-footed episode is typical of what the future of the show will look like.

 

Lauren Ambrose is so much better than this episode's material. (But then so are CC and GA. And Amell, too, quite honestly.)

 

ETA: "Claire Undertaker," hee.

Edited February 16, 2016 by Sandman

[SpaceBloom]

It was a call back to Red State, a film by Kevin Smith.  Chris Carter is a big fan of that movie as well as the Bible.  

 

Beautiful. Bless you for your Kevin Smith reference.

 

The trumpets playing as M&S held hands was surprisingly satisfying. After all, isn't that what they're destined for - the alien/replicants/virus/hybrid apocalypse? 

[festivus]

The parallels were cute, the trip Mulder was on wasn't good. Really show? Linedancing? T&A?

 

It's the 90's again! 

 

Except for a couple of things, this one is a miss for me. I didn't mind the new agents too much but I would not watch a show with them as the main characters.

[Italian Ice]

Random thoughts:

 

Miller was cute, and for one brief second, I was hoping Scully would go all cougar on him ;) 

 

I thought Mulder's line dancing scene was hilarious, tbh. 

 

The handholding by Mulder & Scully was sweet. They seemed like an old married couple, going out for a stroll because the weather's nice. 

 

Agent Einstein - Tone it down about 10 notches. 

 

Twitter has christened Agent Miller, Agent Abercrombie. 

 

Was that William that broke into Mulder's house in the preview at the end? 

 

Chris Carter was beating us over the head with the frying pan of obviousness at the end, but I enjoyed it. Ho Hey is the perfect song for Scully and Mulder. Ten bucks says that whenever they really, really, no REALLY for real, end this series, it'll end with those two holding hands on their porch.

 

This episode was based on a true story that happened in Garland, TX last year 

http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/04/us/garland-mohammed-drawing-contest-shooting/

 

That whole religious... thing at the end was so weird. I watched it twice, and I still have no clue what they were saying. It was verbal diarrhea, but I Gillian looked gorgeous, so yay for that. And yay, more handholding!

 

Annnnd that's all I've got :) 

 

The trumpets playing as M&S held hands was surprisingly satisfying. After all, isn't that what they're destined for - the alien/replicants/virus/hybrid apocalypse?

 

Yup. Mulder = Joseph, Scully = Mary, and William = Jesus. 

Edited February 16, 2016 by Italian Ice

[Actionmage]

I was mostly okay with the episode. I enjoyed Miller & Einstein as a team.  I liked that we got the Lone Gunmen in an ep. I like that Mulder and Scully's separate plans actually enhanced the other's and yielded some results, which helped save lives.

 

I did not like that Einstein was more off-puttng than S1Mulder. I did not enjoy the trip because it was reductive stereotyping of my home state and the Lone Gunmen deserved better than a blink-or-you'll-miss-them cameo in a non-'shroom trip. Granted, on the first gripe, I don't think I'd expect better from Mulder, but I would hope for better. We got Skinner out of the office, though, so I'm willing to call the trip a wash. But the Gunmen should have had something better than barely a cameo. 

 

Thank you, edhopper, for the song Miller was listening to at the airport.  I enjoyed that too.

[Byzantine]

Well I blinked and apparently missed Byers , in fact I even said to my daughter they must not have been able to get him but then there his name was in the credits. where was he?  at the table with the others?   I need to go rewatch but at least would like to know at what point I should be looking.

[Italian Ice]

Ooooh one more thing. 

 

I am a true blue, born here, educated here, live here, have barely ever traveled from here, Texan, and I was not offended in the slightest over the dance sequence. You may not see those kinds of people all together very often, but trust me, they're here. 

 

Also, nice touch in selecting a Miranda Lambert song for that sequence. She's a Texas gal. 

[SparklesBitch]

I liked Agent Miller well enough, but thought they made Agent Einstein too much of a skeptic. Scully was never that close-minded.

 

Right?! I don't normally feel nearly as protective of Mulder as I do of Scully, but Agent Einstein tearing him down like she did got under my skin. This show never would have worked if Scully had treated him like that. She's always been skeptical, but she's never so cruelly outright dismissive of him. Ugh. Not only was Einstein dismissive of Mulder, but in the scene with MIller in the airport, she starts in on Scully's whole career path. I wanted to smack her.

 

I did like Mulder being more open-minded about religious belief. I know that the believer/skeptic dynamic was always reversed when it came to religious faith but Mulder's unwillingness to be open-minded about Scully's religious belief was one of his most annoying qualities, given how respectful she was of most of his crack pot theories.

 

Agreed. I thought it showed growth in him, that he was willing to open himself up to understanding religious belief better. I waver between agnostic and atheist myself, but I've always been fascinated by religious belief, so it never made sense to me that out of everything he so willingly believed in, it was Scully's religious belief he was such a jerk about. I'm one of these weird fans that liked the religious episodes because I think they were relatable in a way.....and also because they were Scully-centric and Gillian always knocked them out of the park. =)

 

Anyway, on this episode:

 

Despite it being heavy handed, i actually liked the plot line.

 

Einstein and Miller were okay for now, but I won't watch if they become the new face of the show. Plus, Einstein needs to chill a little bit and breathe.

 

I pretty much loved Mulder's line dancing, Skinner's less than delicate bedside manor (I've missed his snarky self!) and the hand holding scene complete with The Lumineers playing in the background. it really is the perfect song for them. Also, while they were on the porch, it struck me that Scully was openly gazing at Mulder with such a look of complete adoration that it made me tingly inside. These two, man. =)

 

I got a kick out of Scully's "I've waited 23 years to say that!" line, too.

 

 

The trumpets playing as M&S held hands was surprisingly satisfying. After all, isn't that what they're destined for - the alien/replicants/virus/hybrid apocalypse?

 

Truth. It's like it's all coming full circle. I'm super excited for the finale! =)

 

 

They seemed like an old married couple, going out for a stroll because the weather's nice.

 

Hee! They did and I loved it!

 

 

Ten bucks says that whenever they really, really, no REALLY for real, end this series, it'll end with those two holding hands on their porch.

 

I can't think of anything more perfect.