S10.E05: Babylon

[Tara Ariano]

In case you missed it, here's the Previously.TV post on the episode!

 

The X-Files Takes A Trip To Texas
When a terrorist needs a mind meld, Mulder's ready to take one ('shroom) for the team.

[Sandman]

To be fair, Mulder was being stupid -- I don't think Einstein needed to lift a finger to help him to that. I'm glad that DD had fun filming the dance sequence, but the whole trippy business seemed out of character for Mulder, committed though he ever is to seeking out the esoteric and paranormal. I thought the writing was kind of sloppy in this episode, honestly: Madame Blavatsky founded the spiritualist movement called theosophy, not "theosophism," for example, and Mulder used some made-up word like "prognosticars" or something in his list of "fakirs, prophets, seers, etc." which rubbed me the wrong way.

 

Most of all, I doubt that the placebo effect could mimic the effects of a psychotropic drug to the extent of a full-on self-induced Castaneda Carousel Ride. I could be wrong. (Somewhere, the ghost of Timothy Leary is really mad: "Seriously, vitamin B3? Man, I could have saved myself a crapton of cash.")

[HalcyonDays]

All I could think of, while Mulder was dancing around was, "we only have 6 episodes, and THIS is what we're getting?"

 

Grr.

 

You too, eh? That's exactly what I was thinking. Maybe I just really miss some of the more spooky, serious, twisted episodes of the series. Not necessarily gov't conspiracy ones, but ones that I could actually apply logic and reason to (as crazy as the original series scenarios were, they still made some sense).

 

Most of all, I doubt that the placebo effect could mimic the effects of a psychotropic drug to the extent of a full-on self-induced Castaneda Carousel Ride.

 

Agreed. If humans had the ability to make themselves Tune In, Turn On and Drop Out at will, no one would never leave the house. I certainly wouldn't.

[mledawn]

I love all the Canadian HITG! moments in this series, and loved Ron Sexsmith's song being used. Vancouver/Canada will always be home for this show in my heart.

And from the previously.tv recap, this sums it up for me:
 

 

Miller and Einstein are in the airport ready to leave Texas, another case solved. They have some chat about the unknown etc. but WHO CARES I AM NOT WATCHING THIS SHOW FOR THESE NOBODYS. Seriously, we have one episode left after this, and yet we're wasting time watching these two non-compelling characters bloviate? What the fuck, X-Files!

Edited February 16, 2016 by mledawn

[Nutjob]

Yeah, I didn't love this one. In fact, I'd go as far as to say this was my least favorite of the five so far. The Mulder hallucination was so out of left field that it was completely tone-deaf to the rest of the episode, even if I did enjoy getting a glimpse of The Lone Gunmen. It just didn't work for me at all, and neither did ANGRY!Scully!Jr. Hoping next week's finale is much better.

[madam magpie]

To be fair, Mulder was being stupid -- I don't think Einstein needed to lift a finger to help him to that. I'm glad that DD had fun filming the dance sequence, but the whole trippy business seemed out of character for Mulder, committed though he ever is to seeking out the esoteric and paranormal. I thought the writing was kind of sloppy in this episode, honestly: Madame Blavatsky founded the spiritualist movement called theosophy, not "theosophism," for example, and Mulder used some made-up word like "prognosticars" or something in his list of "fakirs, prophets, seers, etc." which rubbed me the wrong way.

Most of all, I doubt that the placebo effect could mimic the effects of a psychotropic drug to the extent of a full-on self-induced Castaneda Carousel Ride. I could be wrong. (Somewhere, the ghost of Timothy Leary is really mad: "Seriously, vitamin B3? Man, I could have saved myself a crapton of cash.")

True. But my read was that it wasn't really a placebo effect as much as some kind of mystical or metaphysical or supernatural experience. The experience did happen to Mulder. It just wasn't a drug trip. No?

Edited February 16, 2016 by madam magpie

[Apocalypse Cow]

I'm still not sure Einstein gave him placebos. I thought the niacin was a cover up story?  I could be all wrong. If it was niacin, why the face when DD stuck his tongue out to show that he had taken the pill?

 

I liked this episode. I didn't love it. There were parts that I loved: Skinner, hand holding, etc.  Parts I hated: the bombing by Muslims (but thought that the story was realistic, albeit predictable). Liked the play between the Juniors and the originals, and the overall theme of communication/language.  Am torn on Einstein's behavior (I didn't hate her, but she needed to dial it down) and DD's trip (funny, but....). 

 

For me, the best episode was #3, #2, and then this one.  Episode 1 was exposition heavy and Mulder was cray cray, and last week was gross and sad and it just didn't work.  But I am loving this miniseries.  I'm so glad it's been on, if for just episode #3 (weremonster).  And because Mulder and Scully =TLA. :) Would I watch a full series of Xfiles? Yep.  Another miniseries? yep.  I'd watch them do anything. :) Would I watch the Juniors in a series with Mulder and Scully? Yep.  The Juniors by themselves? Maybe.  I don't know yet.

[Sandman]

I suppose the Mulder's experience could have been a truly metaphysical one, essentially unconnected to the fact that he'd taken a placebo, but usually on The X-Files there's a bridge between the rational and the irrational, at least for form's sake, in the shape of a semi-pseudo-scientistical explanation to counterbalance the magic-miracle-paranormal-"An alien did it!" weirdness.

 

I'm not sure why Einstein wouldn't have made a face at Mulder's having taken the pills -- she doesn't want him to guess they're a placebo at that point, right?

[madam magpie]

I suppose the Mulder's experience could have been a truly metaphysical one, essentially unconnected to the fact that he'd taken a placebo, but usually on The X-Files there's a bridge between the rational and the irrational, at least for form's sake, in the shape of a semi-pseudo-scientistical explanation to counterbalance the magic-miracle-paranormal-"An alien did it!" weirdness.

I'm not sure why Einstein wouldn't have made a face at Mulder's having taken the pills -- she doesn't want him to guess they're a placebo at that point, right?

But couldn't his "belief" be the bridge? Less scientific (the pills worked) and more faith-based (he believed, so it happened).

I don't know why she made a face either...

Edited February 16, 2016 by madam magpie

[eleanorofaquitaine]

I think that the story only "works" if he didn't take the mushrooms.  (Note: I'm not saying that the story actually did work, just that the points that CC was trying to get across only make sense if we presume that Mulder wasn't actually drugged by burrowing into his subconscious). 

 

Mulder is skeptical of religious faith and Einstein is skeptical of the paranormal (whereas both Miller and Scully are seemingly open to all of these options).  So Mulder is actually more open to the questions of religious faith and God after his experience because he had this experience that was unaided by the magic mushrooms, and Einstein is more open just because something paranormal happened that helped to solve the case.

Edited February 16, 2016 by eleanorofaquitaine

[Bobbin]

My impression is that the surviving terrorist wasn't wearing the explosive vest (or he would have been blown to pieces) and he may not even have known what was about to happen. His mother was sure that he would never intentionally hurt anyone, and he certainly seemed amiable enough in the opening scene. Some of the 911 terrorists apparently were unaware that it was a suicide mission, not just a hijacking. The same with Jim Jones' followers. I think he was just a victim, not a terrorist. Like Jesus?

As for no one responding to the alarm when the nurse turned off the respirator, the hospital had supposedly been evacuated. And no one cared if he lived or died anyway.

It did seem strange that Scully and Einstein, both doctors, weren't more involved in keeping the man alive or in trying to revive him. It reminded me of the Blue Bloods episode where a fashion model collapsd and Linda, an RN, only checked her pulse and declared her dead without attempting CPR.

These epidodes seem to be having fun with Mulder and letting him experience first hand supernatural anomalies he's only investigated in the past. His close encounters of the third kind, you might say.

[DesertCyclist]

I read about unexplained sounds being heard all over the world back in 2014; reading articles about it and watching videos of the phenomenon really creeped me out at the time.  When mentioned in the show, I wasn't reminded of the Kevin Smith movie Red State; instead, I was reminded of reports such as these.

 

For fun, Google "earth hum".  But don't do it before bed.

[Sandman]

Just because his mother believed that Shiraz would never have intentionally hurt anyone doesn't make it so. Wasn't Noora's belief just as extreme as any of the others on view?

[Apocalypse Cow]

I think that the story only "works" if he didn't take the mushrooms.  (Note: I'm not saying that the story actually did work, just that the points that CC was trying to get across only make sense if we presume that Mulder wasn't actually drugged by burrowing into his subconscious). 

 

Mulder is skeptical of religious faith and Einstein is skeptical of the paranormal (whereas both Miller and Scully are seemingly open to all of these options).  So Mulder is actually more open to the questions of religious faith and God after his experience because he had this experience that was unaided by the magic mushrooms, and Einstein is more open just because something paranormal happened that helped to solve the case.

 

I agree that the story only works if Mulder didn't take the drugs. I'm not sure the story works though. lol

[Bastet]

Mulder can waltz out into the crowd and retrieve the mother without any confrontation.

 

Yeah, and he waltzes out there as a rumpled discharged patient rather than an agent and just says, "I know her."  I don't think he even flashes his badge.  But that's enough to allow her in to a hospital that's on lock-down.

[cardigirl]

Oh well, I really liked this episode, but then, I've liked them all, except maybe the first one of this six, as it seemed like almost a parody of the show.

I didn't have a lot of expectations going in, so I guess I have less disappointment.  And I was never a big shipper of Mulder and Scully.  I like their friendship/relationship now as it is being portrayed.

 

The Muslim terrorist plot was interesting, to say the least.  I would guess that terrorism takes up a lot of the FBI's time these days, but I thought the script didn't soft pedal any of it.  I did like the part where the nurse was going to kill the surviving bomber and her tirade against Muslims, in that so many people believe that it's true. And I liked that it was the young man's mother who was able to reach him.  

 

Mulder high and line dancing was fun for me.  

 

I'll have to rewatch, but there was so much in this episode about faith and different planes of existence.  Pretty cool.

[MrPissyPuppy]

I wouldn't mind keeping Agent McHottie Miller but I wonder what Stephen Lobo would've done in that role and not be random Homeland Security agent. 

 

I know!  I thought they'd give him more to do based on his billing in the credits and his work on Continuum with William B. Davis.  

 

That said, though, I also feel like the angry, bitter woman in business is a pretty tired gender cliche, so I see nothing particularly stereotype-bashing about Einstein. She was just mean...and she was mean and dismissive of characters we already love. So it's like...step off! Don't try to belittle Scully by reducing her professional career to being ga-ga for a guy. Don't demean and manipulate Mulder so you can turn him in at the end and try to make him look stupid. And so on.

 

 

Didn't like her character either, but perhaps it's something that will improve.  I don't care if they're likeable or not, but FFS, make them interesting.  

 

Mulder really needed to hook up with Walter Bishop from Fringe to get the good drugs and communicate with the dead via the sensory deprivation tank.   Now that would make an interesting crossover.  

[cardigirl]

  Mulder really needed to hook up with Walter Bishop from Fringe to get the good drugs and communicate with the dead via the sensory deprivation tank.   Now that would make an interesting crossover.  

I would watch that for sure!

[cardigirl]

Also forgot to mention that I was totally taken with Mulder seeing a pieta in his vision.  To have the mother of the terrorist holding him in a pose that has been associated with Christ and his mother, in Christian art, was really a WHOA moment for me. Not certain what we are to infer from the vision, but that was a bold stroke of the director and writer in my opinion.

[madam magpie]

Just because his mother believed that Shiraz would never have intentionally hurt anyone doesn't make it so. Wasn't Noora's belief just as extreme as any of the others on view?

Hmmm...yes. Technically I guess that's true. But I mean, having faith in a person is different from having faith, isn't it? One is based on what you think you know (the person), so it's not really spiritual. It's grounded in reality. But the other requires a belief in something you can't tangibly define. Yeah? Or is that just total bullshit I'm making up?

[Voice of Joy]

I'll put my disclaimer right up front - I didn't watch the original series and so I don't "get" a lot of the inside jokes.  But I decided to watch the reboot because so many of my friends loved the original.  The first episode was awful, but I've enjoyed the other ones quite a bit.  Until now.

 

This episode was pure mumbo jumbo nonsense, and I think I see now why the series was resurrected - so they could milk the cash cow with "new versions" of the original two characters.

 

Sorry folks, this episode belonged in a litter box.

[catrox14]

 

My impression is that the surviving terrorist wasn't wearing the explosive vest (or he would have been blown to pieces) and he may not even have known what was about to happen. His mother was sure that he would never intentionally hurt anyone, and he certainly seemed amiable enough in the opening scene. Some of the 911 terrorists apparently were unaware that it was a suicide mission, not just a hijacking. The same with Jim Jones' followers. I think he was just a victim, not a terrorist. Like Jesus?

 

I thought because we saw him eat a PBJ on white bread right after praying that he was just on his way to somewhere else. He checked out the cowgirls and smiled at them and was being genuinely friendly until they looked at him like he was a freak and then the other kids in the truck mocked him. But I still thought it was a misdirect because when he picked up his friend and got out of the car, at the museum I  didn't get a vibe of him being all ready to meet Allah. Not a bit of nervousness that I would think someone complicit in a terrorist act might display. He just seemed...normal to me.

 

 

re Mulder's trip: 

 

I totally thought Mulder was experiencing the guy's last few days and hours. I thought the line dancing was the kid going out line dancing and being rejected by girls in the bar, and the people at the bar, being racist assholes.  I'm not convinced that's not what happened.

[Snow8585]

I did not care for the newbies, Einstein and the cute guy, but iI still enjoy seeing Mulder and Scully working a case. This to me was such a poignant episode because of the fear of suicide bombings and the terror groups now adays. It was interesting to see the suicide bomber's mom at his bedside recounting that he had second thoughts about his deeds. The way she collapsed at the sight of him and calling him her beautiful little boy. I got choked up. What mom would ever want to see her child end up like that?  Loved Mulder's Pulp Fiction move on the dance floor. And it was hilarious to see the Lone Gunmen at his side partying. Long live the X Files.

[eleanorofaquitaine]

Also forgot to mention that I was totally taken with Mulder seeing a pieta in his vision.  To have the mother of the terrorist holding him in a pose that has been associated with Christ and his mother, in Christian art, was really a WHOA moment for me. Not certain what we are to infer from the vision, but that was a bold stroke of the director and writer in my opinion.

 

The Pieta was striking to me, as well, in part because it is one of the saddest images in Christian art.  Again, I don't know if the use of it came together as well as it could have been, but I do think that Mulder and Scully's conversation at the end of the episode is the key to some of these questions.  So my thought is that the use of the Pieta is supposed to represent the idea that Scully articulated about God asking us to come together.  At the end of the day, Mary's pain at the loss of her son (Jesus) isn't at all different from Noora's pain at losing her son.  The religious traditions are different (though, worth noting, of course, that Christianity and Islam are both from the Abrahamic religious tradition) but the consequences of not learning to love one another as people is the same - pain.

 

Also, the Pieta is an image of motherhood, and the miniseries is really quite obsessed with the idea of motherhood - namely, Scully's motherhood but seemingly motherhood in general.  Mulder says something about not believing that a mother carries a child just to have that child become a suicide bomber.  Perhaps the only way that Mulder could finally connect with Shiraz in his hallucination was by initially connecting to Shiraz's mother, and that's because he's been spending a lot of time thinking about mothers, whether that be Scully or her mother.  Interesting, though, given how cold his own mother was - and given the choices she made - that is the connection he was making.

Edited February 16, 2016 by eleanorofaquitaine

[Sandman]

But I mean, having faith in a person is different from having faith, isn't it? One is based on what you think you know (the person), so it's not really spiritual. It's grounded in reality. But the other requires a belief in something you can't tangibly define. Yeah? Or is that just total bullshit I'm making up?

 

Well, I don't think it's bs at all. And I can agree that, up to a point, faith in another person is different from a spiritual belief. After all, if spiritual faith is said to be based on "evidence of things not seen," faith in another person can be based at least partly on verifiable things like behavior (though the reason(s) for behaviour may not be directly perceptible). But I can't help thinking that different kinds of faith may be separated by differences in degree, rather than by distinctions in kind: I'd say it would depend on the degree to which one finds that human beings are completely knowable to each other. We might say that a mother has a better chance of knowing her child than anyone else, but is that an absolute? I honestly don't know. Love is not the same as perfect understanding. I know that one for sure.

But I still thought it was a misdirect because when he picked up his friend and got out of the car, at the museum I  didn't get a vibe of him being all ready to meet Allah. Not a bit of nervousness that I would think someone complicit in a terrorist act might display. He just seemed...normal to me.

 

Whereas I thought there was definitely some nervousness or something in the way the two prayed together just before getting out of the car, and then gripped each others' hands; I thought they were definitely preparing themselves for something -- maybe it could have been a protest in front of unfriendly crowds, rather than incipient martyrdom, but they were bracing themselves for something, I thought. 

Edited February 16, 2016 by Sandman

[catrox14]

Well, I don't think it's bs at all. And I can agree that, up to a point, faith in another person is different from a spiritual belief. After all, if spiritual faith is said to be based on "evidence of things not seen," faith in another person can be based at least partly on verifiable things like behavior (though the reason(s) for behaviour may not be directly perceptible). But I can't help thinking that different kinds of faith may be separated by differences in degree, rather by distinctions in kind: I'd say it would depend on the degree to which one finds that human beings are completely knowable to each other. We might say that a mother has a better chance of knowing her child than anyone else, but is that an absolute? I honestly don't know. Love is not the same as perfect understanding. I know that one for sure.

 

Whereas I thought there was definitely some nervousness or something in the way the two prayed together just before getting out of the car, and then gripped each others' hands; I thought they were definitely preparing themselves for something -- maybe it could have been a protest in front of unfriendly crowds, rather than incipient martyrdom, but they were bracing themselves for something, I thought. 

 

 

I thought the hand shake could have been them preparing for a protest or even meeting a couple of girls in the museum. Heck I even wondered if maybe they were on a date. Seriously!

 

I felt like with all the normal stuff they were edging the line of what we think is expected behavior from possible terrorists vs our own prejudices.  But I still think Shiraz wasn't aware of the bombing part. JMHO.

[Grace284]

I remember Lauren Ambrose being a reasonably capable actor, so I'm not sure why she seemed like she'd walked out of an X Files SNL sketch. She was one step away from winking at the camera.

 

I think it's well established that once Chris Carter starts talking about religion, it's time to doze off. Some nice character moments though, and I'm always here for Skinner contemplating how his life turned out this way.

[cardigirl]

The Pieta was striking to me, as well, in part because it is one of the saddest images in Christian art.  Again, I don't know if the use of it came together as well as it could have been, but I do think that Mulder and Scully's conversation at the end of the episode is the key to some of these questions.  So my thought is that the use of the Pieta is supposed to represent the idea that Scully articulated about God asking us to come together.  At the end of the day, Mary's pain at the loss of her son (Jesus) isn't at all different from Noora's pain at losing her son.  The religious traditions are different (though, worth noting, of course, that Christianity and Islam are both from the Abrahamic religious tradition) but the consequences of not learning to love one another as people is the same - pain.

 

Also, the Pieta is an image of motherhood, and the miniseries is really quite obsessed with the idea of motherhood - namely, Scully's motherhood but seemingly motherhood in general.  Mulder says something about not believing that a mother carries a child just to have that child become a suicide bomber.  Perhaps the only way that Mulder could finally connect with Shiraz in his hallucination was by initially connecting to Shiraz's mother, and that's because he's been spending a lot of time thinking about mothers, whether that be Scully or her mother.  Interesting, though, given how cold his own mother was - and given the choices she made - that is the connection he was making.

Yes to all of this.  Very nicely written.  Thank you.

[DaynaPhile]

My disjointed thoughts: I thought the conversation between Einstein and Mulder as she was wheeling him out confirmed that she did give him shrooms, what she told Skinner was just a cover so they didn't get busted.

Scully's line about the fbi's most unwanted was gold, as was her comment to Mulder about waiting 23 years to say that, and his response. That whole wee conversation was just perfect. As was their smiling together on the porch. But can we talk about the level of pissed I am that we did not get a kiss as they walked down the lane? I swear, we'll get one in the last 10 seconds of the last episode of ever. CC needs to remember that there are just as many people that are shippers as William haters. Or William lovers. Or whatever. We invented shipping fer crying out loud. GIVE US SOMETHING! And not at the last second like usual. Just close your eyes and let someone else film it so you don't feel the cooties, ok?

Does anything in Texas ever not blow up?

Skinner said Dude. And I so wanted Scully to be the one to find Mulder line dancing in the bar.

I don't care if I ever see those two "new agents" again. You just can't take the mold and pop out the same characters again and expect the same magic.

[Bastet]

Some nice character moments though, and I'm always here for Skinner contemplating how his life turned out this way.

 

Me too, and I liked the line about his migraines being Mulder-induced.

 

I think it's well established that once Chris Carter starts talking about religion, it's time to doze off.

 

Indeed.

Edited February 16, 2016 by Bastet

[cardigirl]

Scully's line about the fbi's most unwanted was gold, as was her comment to Mulder about waiting 23 years to say that, and his response. That whole wee conversation was just perfect. As was their smiling together on the porch. But can we talk about the level of pissed I am that we did not get a kiss as they walked down the lane? I swear, we'll get one in the last 10 seconds of the last episode of ever. CC needs to remember that there are just as many people that are shippers as William haters. Or William lovers. Or whatever. We invented shipping fer crying out loud. GIVE US SOMETHING! And not at the last second like usual. Just close your eyes and let someone else film it so you don't feel the cooties, ok?

Oh, so that's where it came from?  Your post made me chuckle, but I am one of those who was upset that they made them romantically involved in the first place. Sigh.  But I do enjoy how they are playing the relationship between the two of them at the moment.

[Milz]

I have no medical expertise and have never seen an ICU but this drove me nuts.  It doesn't work like that.  I also don't think you can just flip off life support like that.  Per usual the hospital makes no sense.  Isn't an ICU full of doctors and nurses constantly checking vitals?  A patient flat lining would have people all over him. 

 

The episode had the subtly of a sledgehammer.  Of course the muslims are terrorists but it is okay because that kid was Jesus.  No, just no.  Like someone else said, why not home grown terrorists?  We have enough of those and they like to blow things up and shoot people. 

 

If Miller and Einstein are XF next gen then it would have been nice to add a little diversity in there.  Not that I want them to be the new leads. 

 

 

The alarms at the nurse's station would have gone off when the machine in the room was turned off. In fact, the monitor at the nurse's station would say "power failure" or something similar.

 

Anyhow, I thought Mulder's non-shroom trip was funny. And even funnier because it was all placebo-effect. It reminded me of this experiment where they gave food "experts" McDonald's food without telling them it was MickeyD's. http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2014/10/23/358324106/don-t-mock-these-organic-food-experts-for-praising-mcdonald-s

 

About the Lone Gunmen.....

Are they dead in this series?

[cpierce]

I hated just about everything in this episode. I love Lauren Ambrose but she got on my last nerve from the get-go. Agent Miller just seemed like a dumb little puppy, and I don't get why everyone thinks he is so "hot". I hated the whole Mulder tripping, it was as if DD had asked for some reason to show him doing Pulp Fiction and a reason for him to take his shirt off.

 

I hated the stereotype of Texas and Texans, like the girls walking across the street. No. Way. That. Happens. Ever. Anywhere. However, I must admit that I was in a Starbuck's on Saturday in Dallas, no less, where we are very urban and unlike our neighbor to the west- Fort Worth, where you do see white men in boots and cowboy hats all the time- and a Starbuck's Cowboy walked in with boots and jeans WITH CHAPS SEWED INTO HIS JEANS! and a cowboy hat. Most boots and cowboy hat wearers in Dallas are not white people... And NO ONE wears chaps in Dallas. And no one in Texas wears chaps sewn into their jeans...

 

That said, I grew up in Garland and I fled from there the moment I got a chance. It can be quite truly a racist little town. But I also noted that none of this was filmed anywhere near Texas, just like in 'Fight The Future' where "North Texas" had mountains off in the distance. That kinda sloppy direction irritates me. Then I watched James Franco's newest thing on Hulu, where it was at least filmed here, and I had a few gripes about that one too.....

 

I loved the last two minutes with Scully and Mulder walking hand-in-hand. Hated that Lumineers song though. Mulder hearing the trumpets of the Apocalypse fits well, I thought. Leads us to what's in store next week, and probably a nice, fitting allegory on the state of affairs here in The US- Justice Scalia dying and the GOP wanting to block a possible new SCOTUS appointment...  Taylor Swift winning another Grammy..... Donald Trump.... yea, the end times are nigh....

[Ghost of TWOP Past]

Wow, that got strange. Mulder's hallucination was very amusing, but somewhat at odds with the tone of the rest of the episode. Nice effects on the sky in the boat scene. What was that song? It sounded like Tom Waits doing an Astro impression. WTF? 

 

Personally, I was hoping the two boys would turn out to be innocent, since the negative portrayals of Muslims are so common now. I assumed that's where the story was going, since they certainly didn't seem to have bombs under their clothes when they went into the gallery. I even wondered briely if Miller was going to reveal himself to be a Muslim, but no, just more bomb-crazy tv Arabs. Anyway, I don't think the ep had a negative view of Muslims overall, but it was only tempered in subdued ways such as the mother's reaction and the discussions of radicalism.

 

Nice to see Lauren Ambrose again, since I've always found her to be remarkably beautiful.

 

But I don't understand the two other agents who showed up and wanted "retribution." Were they Feds or not? Why did they back down if they were legitimate agents? Were they imposters trying to bluff their way in? If so, why didn't Scully and Miller follow up? No idea what was going on there.

 

I also suspected Einstein fibbed, and really did dose Mulder. Of course, that would be detectable, though, so I don't know what we're supposed to believe.

 

Highlight: "I've been waiting 23 years to say that."

 

 

Yeah, and he waltzes out there as a rumpled discharged patient rather than an agent and just says, "I know her."  I don't think he even flashes his badge. 

 

He was, I believe, speaking to the same agent they had talked to earlier, though, who would recognize Mulder as an FBI agent. Not a full explanation, perhaps, but neither was it completely inexplicable. 

[Nutjob]

 

About the Lone Gunmen.....

Are they dead in this series?

As far as we know, yes. They died in the Season 9 episode "Jump the Shark," although you never know if Carter might try to revive them or pretend they never died. This appeared to be just them as part of Mulder's hallucination, but I wouldn't put anything past him.

Edited February 16, 2016 by Nutjob

[Tardislass]

The alarms at the nurse's station would have gone off when the machine in the room was turned off. In fact, the monitor at the nurse's station would say "power failure" or something similar.

 

Anyhow, I thought Mulder's non-shroom trip was funny. And even funnier because it was all placebo-effect. It reminded me of this experiment where they gave food "experts" McDonald's food without telling them it was MickeyD's. http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2014/10/23/358324106/don-t-mock-these-organic-food-experts-for-praising-mcdonald-s

 

About the Lone Gunmen.....

Are they dead in this series?

Yes that ICU machine turn off would have triggered alarms for the nurses who would have come running in. I still love how both FBI doctors did absolutely nothing to help the patient just looking at him flatlining..sorry but that was hilarious.

In defense of the show, it's kind of hard to find a spot that looks like Texas in Vancouver. I still remember Stargate-even when they were supposedly in more desert areas always had pine trees in the background.

Miller and Einstein are in the airport ready to leave Texas, another case solved. They have some chat about the unknown etc. but WHO CARES I AM NOT WATCHING THIS SHOW FOR THESE NOBODYS. Seriously, we have one episode left after this, and yet we're wasting time watching these two non-compelling characters bloviate? What the fuck, X-Files!

 

As much as I didn't mind Miller, I had the same thoughts at the end...like just get done and show us Mulder and Scully! But I'm still in the camp where Agent Einstein will fall ill and something will happen to open her up to the possibilities and make her a tad less bitchy-like when Scully got cancer. 

Edited February 16, 2016 by Tardislass

[Ronin Jackson]

As someone who isn't necessarily a completist fan of the original series (I've seen many but not all of the original episodes and only the first of the two movies), I'm not really sure what to make of the return so far. It seems pretty unsubstantial for a mini-revival... I guess I'd expect them to be firing on all cylinders if they only got six episodes. But most of them seem on par with average to below average episodes of the original series. Hopefully the last episode which concludes the storylines from the first presumably will knock it out of the park. Otherwise I have to wonder, what was the point? Though die hard completist fans of the original series I imagine are just happy to be back with these characters.

[Tardislass]

A timely article coinciding with this week's episode about Texas and an Arabic flag. 

 

https://twitter.com/HuffingtonPost/status/699732260849852418

Edited February 16, 2016 by Tardislass

[roomtorome]

I don't see how the story works at all (even in whatever way it did) if she did actually dose him; also, my guess is that she wasn't going to risk her career by doing such an idiotic thing - 

[icewolf]

I was bored to tears while watching this episode. It felt too much like a backdoor pilot for those two new agents. Don't do it, FOX!

I'm going to rewatch the first X-Files movie tonight to wash the bad taste of this episode out of my mouth.

Edited February 17, 2016 by icewolf

[maplebrew]

This episode will only be remembered as the one where Mulder got high. 

 

The whole episode was about trying to get information about the co-conspirators from the hospitalized young man. Einstein and Miller served no purpose that made them worth incorporating into the episode. Doggett and Reyes did faux-Scully/Mulder better. Even Tea Leoni/Gary Shandling did it better. All Einstein and Miller did was remind us how iconic and impossible to duplicate Scully and Mulder are as characters. Einstein and Miller's last conversation in the airport lounge was a waste of time. Don't care that they are figuring out how to work with each other. 

 

The whole mushrooms idea as a means of contacting the coma patient was probably Mulder's worst investigative idea ever. While I liked parts of the trip, the cowboy bar sequence went too long. Did squee at the long gunmen though. 

 

As someone said in the upthread, x-files is hit and miss in dealing with religious themes. The last Scully and Mulder discussion was a miss. It too was a superficial exchange. At least, right at the end, they circled back to the trumpets. Too bad that didn't turn out to be a factor in the episode. It would have been interesting for them to follow up on the trumpets. Now that would have been an opportunity to delve into the religious themes. 

[Sandman]

All Einstein and Miller did was remind us how iconic and impossible to duplicate Scully and Mulder are as characters.

 

Absolutely!

 

Not to sound like a crazy shipper (already?) but, as to the usefulness of the airport lounge scene, I did wonder at some of the looks Agent Neinstein was giving her partner: Was she just projecting when she concluded that Scully's only reason for staying in the X-Files division must be a romantic attachment to Mulder? Because I could swear that, especially in the airport lounge scene, Einstein was looking at him and thinking "It's Miller Time!"

 

The whole mushrooms idea as a means of contacting the coma patient was probably Mulder's worst investigative idea ever.

 

I think the one in I Want To Believe where Mulder goes off ALONE to scope out the evil head-transplant surgeon's farm lair-slash-chop shop is probably worse, but the brainstorm that came up with psilocybe mexicana as an investigative tool is definitely up there.

Edited February 17, 2016 by Sandman

[AntiBeeSpray]

My disjointed thoughts: I thought the conversation between Einstein and Mulder as she was wheeling him out confirmed that she did give him shrooms, what she told Skinner was just a cover so they didn't get busted.

Scully's line about the fbi's most unwanted was gold, as was her comment to Mulder about waiting 23 years to say that, and his response. That whole wee conversation was just perfect. As was their smiling together on the porch. But can we talk about the level of pissed I am that we did not get a kiss as they walked down the lane? I swear, we'll get one in the last 10 seconds of the last episode of ever. CC needs to remember that there are just as many people that are shippers as William haters. Or William lovers. Or whatever. We invented shipping fer crying out loud. GIVE US SOMETHING! And not at the last second like usual. Just close your eyes and let someone else film it so you don't feel the cooties, ok?

Does anything in Texas ever not blow up?

Skinner said Dude. And I so wanted Scully to be the one to find Mulder line dancing in the bar.

I don't care if I ever see those two "new agents" again. You just can't take the mold and pop out the same characters again and expect the same magic.

 

I can relate on that. But oddly enough, I don't think that it was the time for a kiss, given the conversation. And I'm usually all for one for M & S.

[madam magpie]

I can relate on that. But oddly enough, I don't think that it was the time for a kiss, given the conversation. And I'm usually all for one for M & S.

As a general rule, I am also pro kissing, but they don't feel there yet to me.

Question: Is that house Mulder's in the same one from one of the movies? Was it the second movie?? A conversation on the porch seemed like déjà vu, but I can't place it. I feel like Scully was even wearing a similar outfit.

[AntiBeeSpray]

As a general rule, I am also pro kissing, but they don't feel there yet to me.

Question: Is that house Mulder's in the same one from one of the movies? Was it the second movie?? A conversation on the porch seemed like déjà vu, but I can't place it. I feel like Scully was even wearing a similar outfit.

 

They do to me, given Darin's bit... but the time didn't feel right.

 

Yep it's one and the same from IWTB.

[DaynaPhile]

As far as I know it's the same house as IWTB. They did have a conversation sort of there, but Scully was wearing a long camel colored coat, and they weren't really on the porch.

I want to know about the room Scully was in when she called agent Miller. It looked kind of like a hotel room. But she wasn't in Texas yet, right? It didn't look like her home though. I'm still bugged we haven't seen her house. Except for that one shot of her opening the desk drawer to look at the baby pic of William.

The time is always right for kissing. Ok not really, but yeah. Just kiss.

Edited February 17, 2016 by DaynaPhile

[Milz]

As far as we know, yes. They died in the Season 9 episode "Jump the Shark," although you never know if Carter might try to revive them or pretend they never died. This appeared to be just them as part of Mulder's hallucination, but I wouldn't put anything past him.

 

I know they did but

in the comic book series, they are alive.

Edited February 17, 2016 by Milz

[AntiBeeSpray]

As far as I know it's the same house as IWTB. They did have a conversation sort of there, but Scully was wearing a long camel colored coat, and they weren't really on the porch.

I want to know about the room Scully was in when she called agent Miller. It looked kind of like a hotel room. But she wasn't in Texas yet, right? It didn't look like her home though. I'm still bugged we haven't seen her house. Except for that one shot of her opening the desk drawer to look at the baby pic of William.

The time is always right for kissing. Ok not really, but yeah. Just kiss.

 

Yea. But it wasn't the kind of convo that felt right for that. Even though I did want them to kiss.

[madam magpie]

As far as I know it's the same house as IWTB. They did have a conversation sort of there, but Scully was wearing a long camel colored coat, and they weren't really on the porch.

Oh yeah! That was a great coat! I must be thinking of something else...

[Snookums]

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

 

 

I read it as Mulder's open mind leading him to listen what "regular" people can't; Scully, as a already-believer, isn't tuned in the way Mulder has been (and all through the power of suggestion, not drugs, suggesting he was far more ready than even he consciously knew to "hear".) The trumpets are probably blowing all the time, waiting for more and more people to speak the same language, get ready to hear. Be "earwitnesses."