"That's a pretty extreme hunch."
"I seem to recall you having some pretty extreme hunches."
"I never have."

"Aubrey" is one of those episodes that is often overlooked. I've 
never been sure why this is because it has always been, in my mind, 
a standout first episode from writer Sara Charno. X-Files has had 
its share of female writers on staff through the years, contributing 
a mere handful of scripts, but in "Aubrey", more than any other, a 
woman's touch is clearly visible. Charno writes of motherhood, 
pregnancy, women's intuition, abortion, rape, and the like. The case 
centers on Detective B.J. Morrow who, while pregnant from an affair 
with her married boss, experiences nightmares that put her front and
center in uncovering an old murder mystery involving two other maverick 
FBI agents. Everything begins to revolve around the idea of somebody 
taking the "blame" for events as they progress: son being blamed by 
his mother instead of his sisters, a woman blaming her child because 
it reminded her of a brutal rape, the tension involved in the blame 
of an unplanned and problematic pregnancy, and who is to be blamed 
for the 50 year old murders as well as the ones currently happening. 
"Somebody's got to take the blame little sister."

There was also an interesting, subtle exploration of Mulder and 
Scully's partnership. Here they were working like a well oiled 
machine in their teamwork. This was illustrated in little ways 
like Scully acknowledging Mulder's interest in uncovering the 
mystery of their predecessors with a simple "I guess that's why 
we're going to Aubrey", or then, upon their arrival, using their 
different skills to solve the case together as Mulder waxes poetic 
while Scully looks at bones. They bounce ideas off each other and 
banter back and forth - even joking and smiling about hunches. I 
love it when they are like that. Compare their interaction through 
this episode to that of the lovers - who are tense, angry, and 
unhappy in their situation - communicating in notes and veiled 
references ("I'm willing to go with ya - for the appointment"). 
It is an interesting juxtaposition highlighted at the end where 
after the standoff both Tillman and Scully try to comfort their
partners.

Of course, you know I have to enjoy this episode if for nothing 
else than my fondness for Psychic!Scully. She can be downright 
eerie sometimes. While Mulder questions B.J. and Tillman in the 
field she gets that pensive squinty look on her face and before 
you know it she's filling the usually observant Mulder in on the 
what's what with those two. I absolutely adore that back and forth: 
"It's obvious B.J. and Tillman are having an affair." "How do you
know?" "A woman senses these things." To which Mulder grunts at her. 
Obvious? I'm with Mulder here - and then she pulls the big whammy 
on B.J. in the bathroom with her "You're pregnant aren't you?" Is 
that gal good or what? I think she especially enjoys rubbing it 
in with Mulder when she returns - after all she doesn't get to do 
that too often. Unfortunately, her psychic side took a nap later 
in the episode when she is actually surprised to find out Mrs. 
Thibodeaux had a child or when she guessed that B.J. would go after
Tillman instead of Cokely.

In addition to all that, this was a creepy episode. The flashbacks 
had a real edge to them and the sequence where B.J. awakens from 
her nightmare to find her blood soaked chest carved with "Sister" 
was nicely scary - and still did not give away the mystery. To be 
honest, though, I wish they'd waited just a little longer to reveal 
that it was B.J. that was inhabited by the evil Cokely genetic memory 
(or however they explained it). I liked the guessing game that was 
going on. It was effective to have her develop the same rashes as 
the transformation began to take hold - that and the creepy voice. 
Also, in typical X-Files fashion, we are left with an open ended 
resolution - if indeed this all started happening with the pregnancy 
do we have another incarnation of that evil awaiting birth?

Director Rob Bowman conspires with Director of Photography John 
Bartley (and some good supporting help from editing) to create 
a visually stylish episode. The intercut flashback sequences in 
their muted jerky black and white colors and bright lights with 
reflections are compelling to watch. The teaser's establishing 
shot - long and low - winding through the police room discussing 
a murder and settling on the obviously disturbed B.J. leads the 
viewer right to the heart of the matter. I also am quite fond of 
the swoop over the buzzing bright neon sign of the Motel Black 
and that great crane shot set to blinking lights when the body 
is discovered in the pool. All this combined for a real atmospheric 
triumph. 

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

-My biggest problem with this episode has always been that I 
didn't buy it time wise. We find out that the rape took place 
in 1945 and that B.J.'s father should be "almost 50" when this 
takes place. Well, while I think Deborah Strang does a wonderful 
job in this episode, and to tell you the truth I have no idea 
how old this actress is, well - she just looks to old for the 
part. The character should be early 30s at most (and that's if 
her parents had her very young) and to me this character looks 
40 on a good day.

-There was a time when the whole "motherhood" theme was a bit 
much - having B.J. gasp at the fallen child and talk about the 
"mothering instinct" was overkill in a usually good script.

-Frank's Fashion Spot: This time out is a tough one for this 
particular category as Scully is firmly in that mid second 
season phase that had us all wondering - "Just how big is the 
beige section in that woman's closet?" Here she is stuck on 
beige and black. Black suit. Beige top. Beige suit. Black top. 
And, just to mix things up for some excitement during this sad 
fashion rut period, she sports a black jacket and beige slacks. 
Oooooo. Now that's exciting. (Though I guess I could comment on 
those scary yellow gloves B.J. was wearing when she was "possessed" 
what was up with those?)

-Mulder and Scully also go through a "munchies" phase about this 
time second season - they are eating in almost every episode. 
Here, we see them chowing down on pizza (which oddly does not 
come in a traditional pizza box - it looks more like a chicken 
box to me).

-Mulder must have a head like a rock. I can't for the life of me 
figure out how he managed to stay conscious after being beaned with 
that oxygen tank.

-I love that remote control that Cokely had. Four buttons. Those 
were the days. Now I wish I only had four remotes.

-This is one of those episode that features the mysterious Danny. 
Here, Scully refers to him as "Danny Valadejo" on the phone - no 
telling if I got that spelling right. However, as she refers to 
other agents as "agent" I don't think Danny's even got that far 
in FBI food chain.

-Boy that Mulder's good. A woman draws a primitive triangle and a 
circle on a notepad and he, because he has apparently memorized all 
the World's Fair symbols through the ages, immediately recognizes 
it for what it is.

-Talk about your teamwork this episode - they are even at the point 
where Mulder carries the pen and Scully carries the paper.

-That makeup on Cokely was creepy. I just wanted to go after him 
with a big bottle of Bactine and some bandaids. His whole face 
looked like a big open sore. That was a bit more intense than a 
simple rash.

-Mulder really gets away with one here in walking the fine line of
inappropriate sexual comments with his mock innocent "I've always 
been intrigued by women named B.J.". Scully's less than thrilled 
look after this pretty much says it all.

-Welcome to the wonderful world of high technology. So, obviously 
they found their scanner. Personally I would have enjoyed seeing 
the scanner they found that was capable of rendering that pile of 
bones into a 3D diagram like it did. Mine just does pictures and 
stuff. Though I haven't tried shoving a bone through it. I also want 
what ever modem was in that computer that could link from Aubrey to 
Quantico and display graphics that fast.

-There is a small moment I like when B.J. runs off to the bathroom 
and Mulder just looks at Scully. Like it is a "girl" thing for her 
to go after B.J.

-For the continuity junkies out here, this episode is linked to 
"Paper Hearts" in which Scully repeats to Mulder the line he utters 
here: "Well, I've often felt that dreams are answers to questions 
we haven't yet figured out how to ask."

-They made no bones about making Cokely the villain here - bathed 
him in shadows, had him constantly smoking despite an oxygen tank, 
and had him talking down to Scully with that "little sister" 
business - which made her get that look on her face that she saves 
for people she despises.

-So, there was a dead guy in a burlap sack underneath the floorboards 
in a house and nobody noticed the smell? I guess as Cokely had rented 
the house he didn't mind it.

-Watch carefully as Mulder and Scully head down the stairs behind 
B.J. as she is digging up the floorboards. Gillian Anderson comes 
dangerously close to taking a header down the stairs.

-In the "woman's touch" department I'd have to add the bit about 
Scully being thoughtful enough to bring B.J. a bag of new clothes 
in the hospital.

Autumn
"I've had feelings for people I've worked with."