S11.E06: Kitten

[Sunshinegal]

7 minutes ago, Sharna Pax said:

Me too! And I have no idea why, because I haaaated Kersh and everything that went with him - Fowley, Spender, all that nonsense - back in Season 6. But I saw him on the screen and actually cheered. I think it's the feeling that if Kersh is hauling Mulder and Scully into his office to yell at them, the X-Files must really be back. Welcome back, Kersh, all is forgiven!

Kersh was fine.  I can see the bureau wanting more accountability.  I actually like Spender (more so on rewatch) because he had good reasons for not trusting Mulder and Scully.  I haaaaaate Diana Fowley.  Her only reason being there was to put a wrench in the works.  Her being there made both Kersh and Spender more unlikable.  I never bought any romance or why Mulder would have any loyalty to her.  She just seemed cold and I never warmed up to her.  I liked Marita Covarrubias better.  I wasn't the biggest fan of hers either, but I would take her over Diana any day.

Maybe I'm in the minority.  Did anybody else like Diana?

Edited February 8, 2018 by Sunshinegal

[AntiBeeSpray]

3 minutes ago, Sunshinegal said:

Kersh was fine.  I can see the bureau wanting more accountability.  I actually like Spender (more so on rewatch) because he had good reasons for not trusting Mulder and Scully.  I haaaaaate Diana Fowley.  Her only reason being there was to put a wrench in the works.  Her being there made both Kersh and Spender more unlikable.  I never bought any romance or why Mulder would have any loyalty to her.  She just seemed cold and I never warmed up to her. 

Maybe I'm in the minority.  Did anybody else like Diana?

Word. Hated her like the plague. She was the Fowl One to me.

[Italian Ice]

Is Gillian a heavy smoker? That's the other thing that could cause that hoarse/gravely voice that she's had recently. It's super distracting. She had such a beautiful speaking voice in the original run. This isn't due to age, this is damage (IMO). Now whether that's due to Streetcar, smoking, perhaps a struggle with an ED (it's possible. We don't know her), is unknown, but IMO she's damaged her vocal chords somehow.

[Sunshinegal]

Just now, AntiBeeSpray said:

Word. Hated her like the plague. She was the Fowl One to me.

Agree.  Which is a shame because I like many episodes in season 6. 

Also want to add that the actor playing Kersh is the same person who is on Grey's Anatomy.  When I saw commercials for Grey's Anatomy with him in it, I thought he looked familiar.  Now I know that he is Kersh. 

Edited February 8, 2018 by Sunshinegal

[AntiBeeSpray]

35 minutes ago, Italian Ice said:

Is Gillian a heavy smoker? That's the other thing that could cause that hoarse/gravely voice that she's had recently. It's super distracting. She had such a beautiful speaking voice in the original run. This isn't due to age, this is damage (IMO). Now whether that's due to Streetcar, smoking, perhaps a struggle with an ED (it's possible. We don't know her), is unknown, but IMO she's damaged her vocal chords somehow.

Nope. She hasn't smoked for years.

And as for anything else, it's none of our concern or our business.

[Mystery]

What's bugging me about Gillian is her almost-always pursed lips: not quite a duckface, but pretty close. I don't remember her doing that in the old show. 

[AntiBeeSpray]

Damn. They did some decent research for this ep. The gas they were dealing with was Agent Orange. That's what they were hinting at.

 

What a way for the real world to show up in the XF.

 

And the real stuff about Agent Orange and other weapons like it is frightening. 

 

http://naturalsociety.com/chilling-how-monsantos-agent-orange-is-still-used-today/

 

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/andrew-kimbrell/dow-chemical-agent-orange-crops_b_4810311.html

 

Ok this is downright chilling... remember all of those other colors of gases they mentioned? They're real.

 

Quote

 

Use of Herbicides in Vietnam
Phenoxy herbicides are synthetic chemical analogues of hormones found in plants that regulate the rate and pattern of plant growth; these herbicides cause aberrant growth or death of certain plant species. The types of herbicide used in Vietnam were very effective at killing certain types of tropical vegetation, and the aerial spraying of herbicides allowed for easy application over a large-area. The herbicides were applied aerially at a rate of approximately 3 gallons per acre. According to military records of Operation Ranch Hand, from August 1965 to February 1971, a total of 17.6 million gallons of herbicide was sprayed over approximately 3.6 million acres in Vietnam (NAS, 1974).

The different types of herbicide used by U.S. forces in Vietnam were identified by a code name referring to the color of the band around the 55 gallon drum that contained the chemical. These included Agents Orange, White, Blue, Purple, Pink, and Green. From 1962 to 1965, small quantities of Agents Purple, Pink, and Green were used. From 1965 to 1970, Agents Orange, White, and Blue were employed, and from 1970 to 1971, only Agents White and Blue were used in the defoliation program (Young and Reggiani, 1988).

 

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK236351/

 

https://www.aspeninstitute.org/programs/agent-orange-in-vietnam-program/what-is-agent-orange/

 

Sources: natural society, huffington post, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov and aspen institute

Edited February 10, 2018 by AntiBeeSpray

[Casually Observant]

On 2/7/2018 at 7:04 PM, chitowngirl said:

That’s an hour I’ll never get back. And I especially dislike theses episodes where all the action is in the dark woods. I can’t see a thing!

Hey, you may need a new bulb for your TV.  I had the same problem a few years ago.  It had happened so gradually I hadn't noticed until I just couldn't see stuff in a lot of the darker scenes.

I was surprised to find I could replace the bulb in my 56" TV for about $80 and I did it myself. The difference in the picture was shocking. Now it is so bright and sharp.  I can see all the scenes. You should see if that is your issue.

[Sharna Pax]

As I think more about this episode, the whole concept of the gas as an explanation for Kitten’s transformation is starting to bother me. Like, the idea here is that the army took a scared kid and sent him to Vietnam and exposed him to a gas that turned him into a monster. And I feel like the episode is trying to put together two things that don’t really go together, and by putting them together it weakens them both. Because yes, soldiers in Vietnam got exposed to toxic gases, but they also got exposed to a particularly brutal form of warfare. The Kitten that we see wearing a necklace of ears and telling a story about mutilating a live prisoner is sad and horrifying, but that’s what a lot of soldiers really did become. And it’s not because they were exposed to an experimental fear gas, or even because of Agent Orange, it’s because they were sent to Vietnam and made to fight in terrible, dehumanizing conditions. By putting the blame on the government for creating the gas, the episode is kind of suggesting that the government wouldn’t be equally to blame if all they did was draft a scared kid into the Marines, put a gun in his hand and make him kill children.

I think what the episode is trying to do, in a confused way, is use the gas as a metaphor for the government’s actual responsibility for all the fallout of the Vietnam War, including both Agent Orange and what happened to people like Kitten. But it doesn't really work to use something as a metaphor for itself.

Final thought: Knowing that Skinner is a former Marine, and that he’s missing, I’m surprised that Mulder and Scully’s minds don’t immediately go to suicide. Mine would. I guess Kersh gives them enough to know that Skinner is probably alive, but still.

[Casually Observant]

On 2/7/2018 at 9:25 PM, phalange said:

I rolled my eyes incredibly hard at the "chemtrail" at the end. There's already way too many people who believe that crap. They don't need reinforcement! 

 

On 2/7/2018 at 10:12 PM, Bastet said:

- Fanning the “chemtrail” bullshit I can do without; the best part of these conspiracy theory scenes remain Scully’s reactions to them.  But validating it in the final shot?  That’s some My Struggle level crap.

 

19 hours ago, luna1122 said:

Well, the chemtrails--which are stupid--notwithstanding, I liked this episode.

 

17 hours ago, MissL said:

 I too rolled my eyes at the chemtrail thing. I think back in the day when they showed that the Lone Gunman or Mulder were right about some crazy theory it seemed cute and harmless and part of the show but now the people who believe that feel dangerous to me (they organize and apparently they VOTE) especially when I know powerful people listen to the crazies now so I don't like reinforcing it in any way. 

 

10 hours ago, pagooey said:

• Stop it with the chemtrails bullshit, 1013, seriously. 

Chemtrails you say?  Why yes, if you don't mind!  I hate to tell you guys but chemtrails are real. Edward Snowden talked about them. I've seen them. Thousands of people see them daily, and some actual scientists are fearless enough to talk about them.  The hole in the ozone layer has grown to the size of North America. The chemtrailing is designed to affect a reflective micro-particulate barrier in the sky to prevent a percentage of the sun's rays from coming through and burning up the ozone-free earth.

There was a documentary I watched a few years ago featuring a woman who was a government employee who was in charge of checking the natural rivers and lakes in her state for pollution. She had to travel all over the state to do water testing and she noticed a pattern of contamination in the water that corresponded with an unusual amount of tree deaths in the area. In pursuit of what was causing the contamination of heavy metals in the water, she came to notice the heavy jet trailing in the skies that preceded it.  I tried to find the exact documentary video to link here and was unable to find that one, but here is a different one that is quite interesting. Give it a listen. Watch this video titled: "What the Hell Are They Spraying? Lionel Interviews Dane Wigington of GeoEngineering Watch" on YouTube. 

[Neptune]

[Rushmoras]

In my opinion, this was one of the best (if not the best) episodes since the revival. Only thing I did not like was how Skinner was able to get out of the trap-hole by-himself while injured, outrun Mulder and Scully, and tackle Davey to the ground. That's borderline unrealistic, unless, Skinner also has alien DNA and underwent some sort of super-solder program in the original run, which we did not see. Other than that, solid government conspiracy episode.

[domina89]

17 hours ago, Italian Ice said:

Is Gillian a heavy smoker? That's the other thing that could cause that hoarse/gravely voice that she's had recently. It's super distracting. She had such a beautiful speaking voice in the original run. This isn't due to age, this is damage (IMO). Now whether that's due to Streetcar, smoking, perhaps a struggle with an ED (it's possible. We don't know her), is unknown, but IMO she's damaged her vocal chords somehow.

I wonder if she has done a lot of voice acting for books, video games, etc.?  I am a fan of voice acting in general and those actors are extremely aware of the damage you can do to your vocal chords if the proper regimes are not followed religiously.  It may not be the case for her, but I could see how repetitive shouting, screaming, etc. could have damaged her vocal chords if she didn't know to take the proper precautions.

[Bastet]

On 2/8/2018 at 1:55 PM, pagooey said:

ETA: when the first victim fell into the spike pit, did anyone else holler "I fell in a HOOOLE!" at the TV? 

<raises hand>

And with that fantastically goofy and adorable inflection, too.  I love Detour.  The forest in general reminded me of that episode, and definitely the falling through the ground.

[Sharna Pax]

I'm procrastinating and in a shippy mood so I watched the scene in The Truth where Mulder and Scully make out (I guess I could have just said "the scene where Mulder and Scully make out," since, y'know, there's only the one) and then I watched Memento Mori. And what I've concluded, from watching these right after "Kitten," is that Mulder and Scully have massively underappreciated Skinner and taken his awesomeness for granted, and they owe him a heartfelt apology and thank you for everything he's done for them over the years.

Exhibit A: The Truth (makeout scene). In this brief scene, Mulder not only puts Skinner in the supremely awkward position of watching him make out with Scully from like two inches away, he announces that he doesn't need a lawyer for his murder trial because Skinner can represent him. Skinner is like, "dude, I'm not a lawyer," and Mulder's like, "no biggie, I trust you." If you trust him enough to make him be your lawyer in a capital case when he doesn't want to and isn't qualified, Mulder, maybe you should give him the benefit of the doubt when he starts acting a little weird. Maybe you should even consider the possibility that he needs your help, instead of jumping to the conclusion that he's a traitor.

Exhibit B: Memento Mori. Mulder goes to Skinner demanding a meeting with CSM, saying he's finally ready to deal in exchange for information about Scully's cancer. Skinner tells him not to because CSM will own him, then goes straight to CSM and makes his own deal with the devil to save Mulder from having to do so. And that, in a nutshell, is what Skinner has always done for Mulder. He bows down in the house of Rimmon so Mulder doesn't have to. He lives in those moral gray areas so that Mulder can keep on being noble and righteous and uncompromised. That is what Skinner has always done, since the beginning, so why is Mulder now so shocked that Skinner smells like smoke? He's always smelled a little bit like smoke, and if he didn't, Mulder would have been out of the Bureau a long time ago and Scully would probably be dead.

tl;dr: I'm in love with Assistant Director Walter Skinner.

[Writing Wrongs]

On 2/7/2018 at 8:15 PM, welnoc said:

Good god, was that Haley Joel Osment? 

I almost didn't recognize him. Yikes.

[Taryn74]

5 hours ago, Sharna Pax said:

why is Mulder now so shocked that Skinner smells like smoke? He's always smelled a little bit like smoke, and if he didn't, Mulder would have been out of the Bureau a long time ago and Scully would probably be dead.

Very true, and good points.

[eleanorofaquitaine]

On 2/9/2018 at 3:40 AM, Sharna Pax said:

As I think more about this episode, the whole concept of the gas as an explanation for Kitten’s transformation is starting to bother me. Like, the idea here is that the army took a scared kid and sent him to Vietnam and exposed him to a gas that turned him into a monster. And I feel like the episode is trying to put together two things that don’t really go together, and by putting them together it weakens them both. Because yes, soldiers in Vietnam got exposed to toxic gases, but they also got exposed to a particularly brutal form of warfare. The Kitten that we see wearing a necklace of ears and telling a story about mutilating a live prisoner is sad and horrifying, but that’s what a lot of soldiers really did become. And it’s not because they were exposed to an experimental fear gas, or even because of Agent Orange, it’s because they were sent to Vietnam and made to fight in terrible, dehumanizing conditions. By putting the blame on the government for creating the gas, the episode is kind of suggesting that the government wouldn’t be equally to blame if all they did was draft a scared kid into the Marines, put a gun in his hand and make him kill children.

I think what the episode is trying to do, in a confused way, is use the gas as a metaphor for the government’s actual responsibility for all the fallout of the Vietnam War, including both Agent Orange and what happened to people like Kitten. But it doesn't really work to use something as a metaphor for itself.

Final thought: Knowing that Skinner is a former Marine, and that he’s missing, I’m surprised that Mulder and Scully’s minds don’t immediately go to suicide. Mine would. I guess Kersh gives them enough to know that Skinner is probably alive, but still.

Yes, I thought that was pretty clear what the episode was trying to do - whether or not it was executed as well as it could be is a separate issue, but it seemed pretty clear to me that the ep was all about the fact that war transforms the people who have to fight it AND that it has an impact on the generations that come after it.  The tag line on the episode was "war is never over," which is certainly true of both the current wars we are in - Afghanistan and to a lesser extent Iraq - but also the long-term impact that Vietnam had on our psyche.  And that was also IMO the reason that Davey was the main antagonist, because they were metaphorically trying to demonstrate that generations of families are disrupted by what happens in war - both the physical and mental health issues that veterans face influence their families, children, communities, etc. 

I also think that the gas was a metaphor for Agent Orange, though not a substitute for Agent Orange.  That gas was not used for mind control but it's certainly the case that veterans were kept in the dark for years how AO would harm their physical health and even now, there are Vietnam vets who are still fighting to get medical benefits related to their exposure to Agent Orange. 

[Taryn74]

On 2/9/2018 at 2:40 AM, Sharna Pax said:

As I think more about this episode, the whole concept of the gas as an explanation for Kitten’s transformation is starting to bother me. Like, the idea here is that the army took a scared kid and sent him to Vietnam and exposed him to a gas that turned him into a monster. And I feel like the episode is trying to put together two things that don’t really go together, and by putting them together it weakens them both. Because yes, soldiers in Vietnam got exposed to toxic gases, but they also got exposed to a particularly brutal form of warfare. The Kitten that we see wearing a necklace of ears and telling a story about mutilating a live prisoner is sad and horrifying, but that’s what a lot of soldiers really did become. And it’s not because they were exposed to an experimental fear gas, or even because of Agent Orange, it’s because they were sent to Vietnam and made to fight in terrible, dehumanizing conditions.

I see your point, but a soldier becoming a "monster" because of the PTSD that stems from being in combat is an unfortunate casualty of war.  A soldier becoming a "monster" because he was deliberately exposed to chemical and/or biological weapons by his own government is another thing altogether.

Unless you believe that the Vietnam War itself was used as a whole to turn soldiers into monsters, the two scenarios aren't really comparable.

 

I was thinking again about Skinner's monologue from One Breath about his experiences in Vietnam, and how the events of Kitten would fit into that timeline, and it dawned on me that he and John delivering that crate must have been one of their first missions, if not the first mission.  John had already turned into a killing machine and been collecting ears by the time the boy with grenades walked into their camp, and according to Skinner that happened just three weeks into his deployment --

Quote

When I was eighteen, I, uh... I went to Vietnam. I wasn’t drafted, Mulder, I... I enlisted in the Marine Corps the day of my eighteenth birthday. I did it on a blind faith. I did it because I believed it was the right thing to do. I don’t know, maybe I still do. Three weeks into my tour, a ten-year-old North Vietnamese boy walked into camp covered with grenades and I, uh... I blew his head off from a distance of ten yards. 

 

I also wonder if the near death experience he goes on to describe to Mulder actually happened, or if he was using it as a cover because at the time he wasn't willing to put Mulder on the trail of the MK-Naomi thing?

Layers upon layers, this show.

[paigow]

On 2/8/2018 at 8:15 AM, luna1122 said:

Also, I live in Kentucky--there really IS a Mud Lick, KY,  and I loved the idea of M&S being in my state. .

Justified has been off the air for a while now so welcome back to TV, Kentucky!

[paigow]

On 2/8/2018 at 6:51 PM, Italian Ice said:

perhaps a struggle with an ED  is unknown, but IMO she's damaged her vocal chords somehow.

Gillian Anderson is the least likely person to struggle with Erectile Dysfunction....

[Taryn74]

8 minutes ago, paigow said:

Gillian Anderson is the least likely person to struggle with Erectile Dysfunction....

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought that!  Bah!

[festivus]

 I know, I had to go look up alternatives. I could not puzzle out anything else ED would mean. 

 

Also I want to blow Kersh a big kiss. Thanks for still being an ass! <3

[Taryn74]

8 minutes ago, festivus said:

 I know, I had to go look up alternatives. I could not puzzle out anything else ED would mean. 

What did you find?  Because "that" ED was the only thing I could find!  (Still giggling over it, btw.)

 

I was tickled to see Kersch still being Kersch too.  M/S getting called to the carpet by weirdly accented sentences and bitten. off. words?  Must be Wednesday night.  :D

[festivus]

Well, I found eating disorder which seemed the mostly likely candidate. Oops, it's Kersch? Sorry I spelled your name wrong sweetie. *kisses*

In all seriousness though, James Pickens Jr. jumped right back into the role. I watched Grey's Anatomy for umcoughlike12years and I didn't see any Richard in his performance at all. And for some reason I can't get rid of these damn italics.

Edited February 11, 2018 by festivus

[Bastet]

3 minutes ago, Taryn74 said:

What did you find?  Because "that" ED was the only thing I could find!

From the context of the post in question, it seems to stand for eating disorder.

[Sharna Pax]

10 hours ago, Taryn74 said:

I see your point, but a soldier becoming a "monster" because of the PTSD that stems from being in combat is an unfortunate casualty of war.  A soldier becoming a "monster" because he was deliberately exposed to chemical and/or biological weapons by his own government is another thing altogether.

Unless you believe that the Vietnam War itself was used as a whole to turn soldiers into monsters, the two scenarios aren't really comparable.

I see what you mean - that one is deliberate and the other is not - but ultimately I think it ends up being a distinction without a difference. If you send soldiers to war, you need to take responsibility for the results, whatever they are. All war results in PTSD, but the specific conditions, tactics and training of the Vietnam war, combined with a lack of oversight and accountability, also resulted in a lot of atrocities. I think the point here is that the government took scared, poorly educated, confused kids, sent them into a war zone and encouraged them to see the enemy as monsters. And some of them reacted to that by becoming monsters themselves. The only difference between what really happened and the X-Files version of events is that, because of the gas, the soldiers in the X-Files literally see the Vietnamese as monsters. But the formula remains the same: Fear + dehumanizing the enemy = atrocity.

Now, I agree with the point they're making, and I want this metaphor to work. If they'd set it somewhere else, not in Vietnam, I think it would have. But when you try to make an alternate version of the Vietnam war a metaphor for the real Vietnam war, you get yourself into a serious logical tangle. Because if the gas is to blame, then all the other aspects of the Vietnam war that the government tacitly condoned are not to blame, at least not to the same degree. And so the episode undercuts the very point it's trying to make.

Don't take this as me trashing the episode. I like it just fine, and like I said, I agree with its fundamental argument. I just think it's one of those X-Files episodes that works on an emotional level but breaks down logically when you look at it too closely.

Edited February 11, 2018 by Sharna Pax

[eleanorofaquitaine]

7 hours ago, Sharna Pax said:

I see what you mean - that one is deliberate and the other is not - but ultimately I think it ends up being a distinction without a difference. If you send soldiers to war, you need to take responsibility for the results, whatever they are. All war results in PTSD, but the specific conditions, tactics and training of the Vietnam war, combined with a lack of oversight and accountability, also resulted in a lot of atrocities. I think the point here is that the government took scared, poorly educated, confused kids, sent them into a war zone and encouraged them to see the enemy as monsters. And some of them reacted to that by becoming monsters themselves. The only difference between what really happened and the X-Files version of events is that, because of the gas, the soldiers in the X-Files literally see the Vietnamese as monsters. But the formula remains the same: Fear + dehumanizing the enemy = atrocity.

Now, I agree with the point they're making, and I want this metaphor to work. If they'd set it somewhere else, not in Vietnam, I think it would have. But when you try to make an alternate version of the Vietnam war a metaphor for the real Vietnam war, you get yourself into a serious logical tangle. Because if the gas is to blame, then all the other aspects of the Vietnam war that the government tacitly condoned are not to blame, at least not to the same degree. And so the episode undercuts the very point it's trying to make.

Don't take this as me trashing the episode. I like it just fine, and like I said, I agree with its fundamental argument. I just think it's one of those X-Files episodes that works on an emotional level but breaks down logically when you look at it too closely.

I don't agree with that at all.  The episode wasn't claiming that the gas was to blame for every single atrocity that took place in the Vietnam War.  Just that in this specific situation, the gas was one element that turned John from a kitten into a monster.  But as the cold open made clear and as Skinner's monologue both in "One Breath" and at the end of this episode makes clear, the "gas" isn't really to blame, the people who made the decisions - from using this gas to becoming more and more entangled in a war we couldn't win to drafting ill-prepared kids to fight this war - are.  I don't see how the episode made the claim that the gas is to blame, they pretty squarely put the blame on the people who made the decision to use it. And by extension, the people who were making ALL of the decisions regarding Vietnam. 

[Sharna Pax]

5 hours ago, eleanorofaquitaine said:

I don't agree with that at all.  The episode wasn't claiming that the gas was to blame for every single atrocity that took place in the Vietnam War.  Just that in this specific situation, the gas was one element that turned John from a kitten into a monster.  But as the cold open made clear and as Skinner's monologue both in "One Breath" and at the end of this episode makes clear, the "gas" isn't really to blame, the people who made the decisions - from using this gas to becoming more and more entangled in a war we couldn't win to drafting ill-prepared kids to fight this war - are.  I don't see how the episode made the claim that the gas is to blame, they pretty squarely put the blame on the people who made the decision to use it. And by extension, the people who were making ALL of the decisions regarding Vietnam. 

I'm sorry if my wording was unclear. I didn't mean the gas itself was to blame; obviously the government that created the gas and exposed soldiers to it is responsible. Here's how I put it in my original post:  "By putting the blame on the government for creating the gas, the episode is kind of suggesting that the government wouldn’t be equally to blame if all they did was draft a scared kid into the Marines, put a gun in his hand and make him kill children."

I take your point that Kitten is not supposed to represent every soldier who became a monster. But to me, the real horror is that none of the atrocities committed in the Vietnam war were due to something like a fear gas. The reality is that given the weaknesses of the human psyche, certain conditions are enough to make human beings do terrible things - no gas necessary. As I see it, creating an alternate explanation for even one of those atrocities muddies the waters, and the issue of how institutional racism and deliberate training in brutality can make people into monsters is not one that I want muddied. I get that the gas is supposed to be a metaphor that directs our attention to precisely that problem - but like I said, I don't think you can use an alternate version of the war as a metaphor for what really happened in the war without things getting confused.

But I'm clearly in the minority here, so I think we'll have to agree to disagree, and I'll let it go. As I said, I liked the episode all in all. Sometimes I just like to put things under a microscope and see if they make sense to me close up. If others don't find the central metaphor illogical, then I may be looking too hard.

[eleanorofaquitaine]

1 hour ago, Sharna Pax said:

I'm sorry if my wording was unclear. I didn't mean the gas itself was to blame; obviously the government that created the gas and exposed soldiers to it is responsible. Here's how I put it in my original post:  "By putting the blame on the government for creating the gas, the episode is kind of suggesting that the government wouldn’t be equally to blame if all they did was draft a scared kid into the Marines, put a gun in his hand and make him kill children."

I take your point that Kitten is not supposed to represent every soldier who became a monster. But to me, the real horror is that none of the atrocities committed in the Vietnam war were due to something like a fear gas. The reality is that given the weaknesses of the human psyche, certain conditions are enough to make human beings do terrible things - no gas necessary. As I see it, creating an alternate explanation for even one of those atrocities muddies the waters, and the issue of how institutional racism and deliberate training in brutality can make people into monsters is not one that I want muddied. I get that the gas is supposed to be a metaphor that directs our attention to precisely that problem - but like I said, I don't think you can use an alternate version of the war as a metaphor for what really happened in the war without things getting confused.

But I'm clearly in the minority here, so I think we'll have to agree to disagree, and I'll let it go. As I said, I liked the episode all in all. Sometimes I just like to put things under a microscope and see if they make sense to me close up. If others don't find the central metaphor illogical, then I may be looking too hard.

I guess I just think you are overthinking it.  The X-Files has, in the past, done episodes on fear as a contagion (like in X-Cops or Plus One, earlier in the season) or evil as a contagion (like in Empedocles). To me, this episode is just making the same points about fear or evil as a contagion but using the gas as a tangible metaphor for that kind of fear.  Obviously, it doesn't work for you, and that's fine (we can agree to disagree), but I don't think the message that can be drawn from the episode is that the real atrocities in Vietnam are excused.  

[paigow]

Everyone in the chain of command is culpable for war crimes / atrocities. That is the point Skinner is trying to get across. If you did not pull the trigger, you were an enabler at some level. He betrayed his friend [under orders] to keep a clean record. But he keeps hearing those lambs crying..... 

[Daltrey]

On ‎2018‎-‎02‎-‎07 at 6:15 PM, welnoc said:

Good god, was that Haley Joel Osment?

Yes. He used to see dead people, now he makes dead people.

[Ottis]

ThIs felt like a Grimm episode. It was ok, I guess? Didn’t care much about any of it. 

And GA has sounded like she has a frog in her throat all season. 

Good for Haley JO. Keep acting. 

I don’t understand how people just suddenly realize they can pull a tooth. 

Edited February 18, 2018 by Ottis

[Sunshinegal]

I find Skinner's relationship with Mulder and Scully fascinating.  Especially Mulder.  He is willing to get himself dirty a lot to help Mulder.  He respects Scully.  Even though he is frustrated by Mulder, I think he cares about him.  I think he cares more about Mulder than Scully.  Even though he probably likes Scully more.  I could be wrong about my assessment.  I feel like Skinner wants to protect Mulder.

[millennium]

While unsatisfying overall and lacking anything resembling a conclusion, this of all the revival episodes seemed closest to the look, feel and spirit of the original series.

Still troubled by Scully's too-high hairline though.

[Bastet]

How can someone have a too-high hairline with a wig?  They can't put it any higher than her actual hairline, or we'd see her hair/cap.

[millennium]

On 3/7/2018 at 5:30 PM, Bastet said:

How can someone have a too-high hairline with a wig?  They can't put it any higher than her actual hairline, or we'd see her hair/cap.

I'm not a wigmaster, but I think there's a thing called a lace front wig that masks the natural hairline and is glued and smoothed in place, thus creating a new false hairline.   

[Casually Observant]

On 3/13/2018 at 8:41 PM, millennium said:

I'm not a wigmaster, but I think there's a thing called a lace front wig that masks the natural hairline and is glued and smoothed in place, thus creating a new false hairline.   

I have noticed that many women after they reach menopause develop a receding hairline and thinning hair. Not all of course, but many.  She may have that and that may be why she is wearing a wig in the first place.

[Sharna Pax]

I just had the belated realization that Kitten's origin story - exposed to a box of paranoia gas that gets damaged by gunfire and starts leaking - is exactly the same as the origin story they gave Mulder in Unusual Suspects.

[AudienceofOne]

On 09/02/2018 at 8:04 PM, Casually Observant said:

Why yes, if you don't mind!  I hate to tell you guys but chemtrails are real.

Cool. Sometimes people spray things out of planes. That does not a chemtrail conspiracy make. 

Especially since nobody can decide WTF these "chemtrails" are supposedly doing - other than both causing AND fighting global warming. 

Also, I might strangle somebody if I have to look at one more crazed timeline from a person tweeting endless photos of evil clouds. 

Enough, already. This is as bad as the vaccine nonsense - although at least a belief in chemtrails doesn't kill your children like antivax does.