"They fear one thing - exposure. You expose him - expose his 
crimes - you destroy the destroyer's ability to destroy."

This is why I love the X-Files. Sure, the show can be uneven 
at times, but when it is good, when it is at its very best, 
there is no beating it. This was one of those edge of your seat, 
spun up until the end, and pacing during the commercial breaks 
shows - the best start to a two-parter since "Anasazi" or "Colony".

The teaser was practically perfection - and oh so fitting of 
the name teaser. Our dear St. Scully being threatened with 
contempt of congress for her unfailing loyalty to Mulder and 
the truth - how far this character has come over the years to 
now be unafraid to voice her own paranoia about the government. 
I found this scene (and the others of her zipped-lip approach) 
interesting in context to her taking-a-stand statement to Mulder
about not knowing how far she can follow him. I'd call getting 
thrown in jail for protecting him pretty damn far myself. Gillian 
Anderson plays this subcommittee scene flawlessly - rock 'em sock 
'em Scully at her best. Though while appearing calm and collected 
she lets us know just how nervous Scully is by the slightest 
hitch in her voice and tremor in her hand. Sometimes when I watch 
her perform I hear the words of an old acting coach of mine 
echoing in my head: "Less is more". Perfect.

If that weren't enough to get us going we get the return of 
the "oilien" in Honolulu possessing a dorky fumble-fingered 
customs agent (who gets payback for ordering that body cavity 
search apparently). And then - be still my heart - Mulder and 
Scully in full riot gear - it's enough to make you squeal in 
delight sometimes. If you thought Scully looked tough playing 
with her gun in "War of the Coprophages" she was downright butch
slapping the magazine into that rifle here - a 5'2" helmeted 
female action hero - I love it when the show uses Scully or 
Mulder to throw typical male/female conventions on their ear.

It gets even better, RatBoy is back - though his description 
of his liberation was a little lame - these militants let him 
out of the silo but didn't notice the huge oilien spacecraft? 
Yeah, OK. Nic Lea really does a great job with this part - 
bringing all sorts of nuances into it and letting us see his 
fears. Spotnitz and Carter even had a little fun with our
nickname for Krycek with that learning "to live with the rats" 
dialogue. Krycek (or maybe we should rename him PunchingBagBoy 
after this episode) seems to be a magnet for abuse here as he 
tries to convince the duo that they should become the three 
musketeers against CancerMan - only Scully refrains from taking 
out her frustrations on him. Mulder delivers the best insult 
between punches, calling him an "invertebrate scum sucker whose
moral dipstick is two drops short of bone dry". Apparently 
thinking up that insult took a lot out of Mulder as he later 
resorts to things like "Stupid-ass haircut" - uh, kettle - this 
is Mulder - you're black.

I liked the way that they used Skinner in this episode - so 
many times he appears to be an after thought, but here he was 
critical to the action - and able to get in a little payback of 
his own. I'm sure Pileggi fans were swooning from the shirtless 
pants zipping scene. 

So, now a word about the UniBlonder. How much longer until 
Scully regrets getting her address for Mulder? I'm betting not 
too long at all. I find Marita sort of interesting, I certainly 
don't resent her as much as some do. What I did not like, 
however, was the fact that gauzy lighting and soft piano score 
music were used in this scene as to play up to some sort of 
romance angle. At least Mulder didn't appear to be letting it 
all bother him too much as he just seemed to sleep soundly in 
her chair.

I guess I should address what was technically yet another 
international ditch. I say technically because A) I got the 
impression that Mulder kept Scully well informed this time 
and B) If I were her I'd be really really glad I didn't go 
with him. You would think that sooner or later Mulder would 
put two and two together and realize every time he runs off 
by himself he invariably ends up getting more than a few 
fresh scars to add to his ever growing collection. Oh well, 
he'll never learn - this time he takes Krycek with him because 
Krycek conveniently swears at him in Russian. That doesn't end 
up doing him or us a whole lot of good because we still can't 
understand a thing being said until RatBoy gives Mulder the 
kiss-off at the end. 

So we wrap up with Mulder's little break into the Gulag back 
firing on him big time as he becomes a whipping boy himself. 
Our last shot of a trussed up Mulder - nose poking through 
chicken wire - having oilien squirted on him was classic. 
Especially as we know how icky it is to get rid of those darn 
oiliens once they get in you - just ask Krycek. And what were 
we to infer from the bloodied band-aid on his arm suspiciously 
in the same area as a smallpox vaccination scar? Tune in next 
week - same X time, same X channel - for another exciting 
Moose and Squirrel adventure.

Random Musings
-------------------------

- Apparently Skinner's new apartment has some interesting 
residents - he even has a "Highlander" opening the door for 
him at the "Viva Tower". I wonder if Mulder & Scully will be 
investigating strange beheadings next...

- Speaking of the apartment - it looks like the little 
reconciliation moment at the end of "Avatar" fell through 
and our man Walter is a single guy now. Hasta La Vista Sharon.

- From Scully's opening speech she mentions becoming an FBI 
agent four years ago. I had always though she'd taught at 
Quantico for a while before teaming up with Mulder. This 
would make her *really* green when they first hooked up.

- Every single time I see Scully running full tilt in those 
heels - and down a jetway no less - I wait for the day when 
we hear that Gillian Anderson has broken an ankle. As a woman 
I have always considered this the most amazing stunt work on 
the show.

- Why does Scully still knock on Mulder's door? It's not like 
she waits for him to say "Come in".

- Finally, we got the return of "Mulder, it's me" - I was 
getting worried. Funny though this time Skinner got to ask 
Mulder where he was.

- Now, far be it for me to ever accuse Scully of a selfish 
action, but I'm beginning to think she may be using poor 
Pendrell. It's as if she knows the love-struck lab boy will 
do anything for her so she constantly drags him into her latest 
mess. She's going to have to pay him back someday - maybe that's 
just what Pendrell is hoping.

Autumn
"There is a culture of lawlessness that has prevented me from 
doing my job." <- I'm going to try this one at work myself.