The X-Files
We are back to the mythology and a visit to Russia. Also, this is an episode where one of the agents has to appear before Congress and I feel like that happens a lot, but maybe this is the first time? Let's get to it.
"Tunguska"
Alex Krycek: [handcuffed to the steering wheel, whining] "Where have you been?"
Fox Mulder: "Making travel arrangements."
Alex Krycek: "To go where?"
Fox Mulder: "Follow the pouch."
Alex Krycek: "You're going to keep me in the dark?"
[punches Krycek in the face]
Fox Mulder: "Yeah."
Mythology or Monster of the Week: Mythology
X-File of the Week: A diplomatic courier returning from the Republic of Georgia is detained by a customs officer in Honolulu, HI. He's carrying a tube of soil and one breaks releasing the black oil which infects and kills the customs agent. At the same time, Special Agents Fox Mulder an Dana Scully are busting a domestic terrorist group using tips given to them by their old nemesis, Alex Krycek. Krycek leads them to a second diplomatic pouch holding a rock that contains more of the black oil that infects a NASA scientist. Mulder and Krycek head to Russia to discover the origins of the rock and the black oil.
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| Now, kiss!! |
This episode sees the return of Alex Krycek. He is one of those characters that you just love to hate. And while he is slippery and does get away a lot to torment the agents, he definitely gets a lot of punishment. Which he totally deserves. There is something extremely satisfying about seeing Krycek get the absolute dog shit beat out of him. And he does in this episode. He's punched, kicked. It feels like almost every main character in the show aside from Scully, punches Krycek. It makes sense. He has a totally punchable face. And I honestly believe if "The X-Files" was airing now, that he would definitely have met the business end of Scully's fist too.
This episode has one of my favorite things in it. A shirtless Walter Skinner. I know I've thirsted after this man before in this recaps, but I'm going to continue. So deal with it. And he was even hotter, shirtless, smacking Krycek around. Give me more of this.
I'm kind of a sucker for a television episode or movie that begins in media res. I understand that it's a gimmick, but it is a gimmick that really works on me. Scully being grilled by these douchebag Congresspeople is a great way to start the episode. Scully is trying to read from her prepared statement that is basically calling out men in power and calling out the ridiculousness of this hearing in general about the whereabouts of Mulder. Gillian Anderson slays always but she slays extra hard when she is standing up to men who are abusing their power.
This is a really fast paced, exciting episode which I really appreciate. One minute we are in an airport and then the next we are on an ATF bust with Mulder and Scully. I always think its strange when Mulder and Scully are doing like normal FBI stuff. I'm so used to them being in these odd, spooky scenarios when i see them in rifle gear holding automatic weapons going after normal dudes trying to blow shit up, I'm taken aback a little bit. This isn't what they are supposed to be doing.
The black oil is one of my favorite "X-Files" mythology additions. I love how they take something unassuming and make it legit terrifying. Waching the little black oil slugs like under the skin of their victims and the terror that invokes in them is horrifying. And its done in a way that it isn't graphic or gory or super over-the-top which I always appreciate.
Of course, the Cigarette Smoking Man is in the thick of all of this. He's threatening Skinner. He's visiting Virginia to see the Well-Manicured Man. The Well-Manicured Man is not in the mood for the Cancer Man's shit. It's clear that he doesn't have any respect for the Cancer Man. I love the Well-Manicured Man kind of dressing down the CSM. We don't see it a ton and it is clearly affecting the Cigarette Smoking Man. Much like Alex Krycek, I never tire of seeing this dude get what's coming to him.
"The X-Files" continues to weave real-life events into its own mythology. Mulder talks about the "Tunguska event." A 12 megaton explosion happened near the Tunguska region on June 30, 1908. It is attributed to a meteor air bust. I love the idea that pieces of this meteor crashed and buried itself in the Earth and that the Russian government has been excavating the pieces, finding the black oil buried inside them and using it to test a vaccine against its effects they have developed. It's the perfect melding of real-life events and what the show is trying to do.
Mulder and Krycek are captured and end up in a gulag. This episode has one of my favorite "X-Files" cliffhanger. Mulder strapped to a table, chicken wire covering his body and being doused in black oil. The wait for the next episode had to have been interminable.
Grade: A-
"Terma"
Fox Mulder: "Why is this so hard to believe? When the accepted discovery of life off this planet is on the front page of every newspaper around the world? When even the most conservative scientists and science journals are calling for the exploration of Mars and Jupiter? With every reason to believe that life and the persistence of it is thriving outside our terrestrial sphere? If you cannot get past this, then I suggest that this whole committee be held in contempt for ignoring evidence that cannot be refuted."
Mythology or Monster of the Week: Mythology
X-File of the Week: Special Agent Fox Mulder is able to escape the Russian gulag that he is being held in. He loses track of Alex Krycek but is able to get back to the United States with the help of a Russian peasant family. He arrives just in time as his partner, Agent Dana Scully has been found in contempt of Congress due to her unwillingness to disclose Mulder's whereabouts. In the meantime, a former KGB agent, Vasily Peskow, is on US soil and is trying to tie up loose ends.
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| D'oh. |
We have to give it up for Vasily Peskow. He is forced out of retirement by Alex Krycek and sent to the United States to stop their efforts to create a vaccine for the black oil. And there is a reason that Peskow is sent. He doesn't fuck around. We haven't seen a guy this relentless since the Alien Bounty Hunter. He's damn good at his job. He gets on to the Well-Manicured Man's property undetected and stages the murder of Dr. Bonita Charne-Sayre. He heads to Florida to switch out the medicine for the elderly people being used as test subjects for the American version of the black oil inoculation. He hides in one of their beds as the agents search. He's able to destroy the rest of the black oil rocks in an oil rig explosion. He also holds Scully hostage with her own gun, which I could have done without. Then he's back to Russia where we learn that Krycek is behind this. I don't recall if we see Peskow again, but he's great here.
I think this is a solid wrap up to this two-parter. There is one thing. I don't really think that what is happening with the gulag and the Russians is unclear. It's not necessarily clear why Mulder is OK after being doused with the black oil in the last episode. It turns out what Mulder was injected with at the last episode was a vaccine they were working on to combat what the Russians call the "black cancer." The Syndicate had caught wind of this and that is why they hired Dr. Charne-Sayre to work on their own vaccine and of course, the Russians aren't happy about this.
One of the things I enjoy about the show is that they are kind of cagey about what is going and sort of leave you to draw your own conclusions. That works fine most of the time, but when it comes to this, they could have been clearer. I have seen this episode a number of times so I know what's going on, but I checked the show's Reddit and there are a lot of questions on why Mulder is OK after being doused. So, clearly there is an issue.
I think there is still a lot to enjoy about this episode. The action in it is solid. Mulder gets a few more shots in at Krycek. Krycek meets some peasants who are concerned that what they are being injected with is harmful to them. So, they cut Krycek's arm off when they see the vaccination scar. The shot of Krycek's new rubber hand dipping his teabag in his cup is pretty disturbing. Mulder and Scully wrap things up with the Congressional committee which kind of goes nowhere but Mulder gets to give a rousing speech and those are always fun to watch. Sorenson is, of course, working with the Cigarette Smoking Man.
All in all, this is a solid two-parter that is maybe a little too murky in the back half, but still a good watch.
Grade: B+
Next up, a child murderer may have a connection to Samantha and the agents find themselves on the trail of El Chupacabra.
What did you all think? Do you love the black oil? Did what was going on with the experiments and the shots etc make sense to you the first time you watched? Let me know in the comments.
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