That only happens in the movies, Agent Scully.

Well, I don't have too much to say tonight gang, but all in all, Salvage is a solid ep. There were perhaps a few continuity problems and gaps in the flow of the plot, but on the whole, this ep was a decent effort--and lots more of John Boy this week, too, I'm pleased to note :-)

What I find most striking about Salvage is the general concept for the story. The plot is a very interesting cross between Terminator 2 and Frankenstein; focusing on a man who, like T-1000, is composed of metal, and who, like Frankenstein's monster, vows revenge on everyone even remotely responsible for his miserable existence. On a personal note, I very much enjoyed the story in this one, for no other reason than the fact that Terminator 2 is one of my favourite movies, and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is one my favourite novels... both good reasons, wouldn't you say? :-) Personal bias aside, however, simply speaking, the story is clear enough. There is sufficient motive for Ray's actions, some build-up to the events, and some explanation for his condition. In addition, Salvage is an episode that attempts to encompass the plot entirely, rather than have it run in the background, as a fair number of episodes tend to do.

That said, however, in terms of the way the plot unfolds, this episode is not without its problems. The plot seems to be rushed in a few places. Some of the scenes jump forward a little too fast, lacking proper transition. The one that sticks in my mind most is the scene with Scully and Doggett discussing Ray's condition in the car. A split second later, we jump to the laboratory, where Ray is being lured into a metal holding tank, where Doggett and Scully and the SWAT team are waiting to ambush him. Here, it almost appears that there is a scene missing. Adding a small bit about how Scully and Doggett discovered that Ray would be going to the lab, how they managed to lure him there, and how they came up with the idea to hold him in the tank, would have greatly improved the flow of the episode.

In addition to plot, I also felt that Ray's character could have been a little more developed. Sure, there is motive for his actions, but you feel almost nothing for him, positive or negative. There needed to be some sort of emotional connection to this character, be it sympathy or resentment, in order to flesh him out. The absense of such a connection doesn't do anything to enhance the quality of this ep, and in fact hurts the final scene, because there isn't enough build-up to Ray's apparent suicide in the car-crusher. Moreover, the lack of emotion robs Ray's suicide of its significance; it certainly would have had a much greater impact on the viewers if they had actually felt something for the character. A lead in to this scene, or at least some sense of sympathy or justification, would have made the ending somewhat powerful, instead of ho-hum.

That aside, however, I was pleased to see Scully and Doggett more intensely involved in the plot than they have been in recent episodes, being worked directly into the plot instead of flitting around in the background or on the periphery, as has been the recent trend (with the exception of the brilliant Via Negativa, of course). The larger dose of the pair is refreshing, and perhaps much needed, for as I have noticed from my web travels, many people seem to be frustrated and bored with the agents' lack of involvement lately.

In addition, I also loved the many references to Terminator, mainly the allusions to T-1000, a character who, for the few of you who may be unaware, was played by Robert Patrick the film Terminator 2. Ah, T-1000 :-)

Finally, and this is more of a general note, I am really enjoying the references to Doggett's past experiences in the military. This really piques my interest in the guy. I wanna know more! Bring it on! *G*

All in all, Salvage is a fairly decent ep, intigrating the agents into the plot, and possessing a story based on a interesting concept. If not for the few continuity errors, this episode would have been much better than average.

Squall's rating: 5

Are you sure this guy's name isn't Clark Kent?

First off, I hope everyone had a nice relaxing holiday! I certainly did, even if it was a tad short. Ah, holidays are always too short. Who am I kidding :-)

Anyway, down to business. Not too much to say about this one, gang, but I definitely enjoyed this ep. Surekill is a solid episode, creepy enough, and possessing one of the more unique plots of the season.

I have to say I very much enjoyed the concept working in this episode. Sure, x-ray vision is nothing new, but Surekill throws in a unique twist by making Randall a walking infrared scope, a metaphorical seeing-eye dog with a deadly agenda. This more original approach to a somewhat mundane concept is refreshing, and if I might add, rather creepy, as it takes voyeurism to a deadly new level. It simply emphasizes the idea that wherever you are, you're never truly safe, never truly alone. That's enough to make me edgy any day :-)

More than the concept, however, what stands out most for me in this episode is Randall himself. Randall is perhaps one of the more intriguing MOTW characters to have appeared on the series, one of the most enigmatic. Indeed, for this one person we feel a strange mix of sympathy and resentment--sympathy in discovering his love for Tammy, and the fact that this apparently simple-minded man is a virtual tool for his brother's shady transactions; and shock and resentment in disovering that this same man is also capable of murder of his own accord. This fact, interestingly, throws a meaningful twist on Scully's comment to Randall in the interrogation room. Here she tells him that it's time he become his own man. But as we learn, it seems that Randall may have been his own man all along. What, then, *are* we to think of him? Is he a simple-minded man, a victim of his brother's controlling abuse and manipulation, or a cold-blooded killer? We are left hanging on this question, keeping our minds working with the tantalizing lack of full closure X-Files has become famous for over the years.

Though Randall is an excellent character, and the concept in this episode is refreshingly original, there were a few things that annoyed me just a tad. Nothing major, but they are worth mentioning. Firstly, there was some build-up to the cause of Randall's incredible visual ability, but no real explanation or examination of his condition. Indeed, how exactly *does* this guy see through walls? Moreover, you'd think that once this guy was in custody, there would be doctors all over him, given that he is a wonder of science. This could have been developed a little more, in my opinion. I mean, it's not every day you run into somebody who can see through walls.

Another issue that struck me was the inexplicable aloof attitude between Doggett and Scully. It seems Mr. Doggett has reverted to simply calling her "Agent," instead of Agent Scully, or just Scully. Considering they have worked several cases together, I was a little unprepared for this sudden bout of stark professionalism. Maybe the writers are worried that Scully and John Boy are getting a little too close for comfort? (to be honest, I absolutely do not agree, but of course with TXF, there is a large and diverse fan-base to consider, and based on some of the more interesting comments I've encounted in my web travels, it wouldn't seem entirely out of place). Anyway, just got me wondering.

All in all, though, Surekill is a good ep. Randall is the highlight of this one. I'm compelled to watch it again, just to see if my opinion of him changes with another viewing.

Squall's rating: 6

This is damn weird...

Firstly, I'd like to apologize for the lateness of this review. Consequently I'm rushing things a bit, so I hope this isn't too disjointed *giggle*

Ok. Well. My goodness. What an absolutely fantastic episode! Yes, in case you're wondering, I even like it better than Roadrunners :-) Not too many episodes actually rattle me, but I admit that this one really freaked me out. Via Negativa is full of suspense and psychological terror, and is enough to make me just a little wary about hitting the hay tonight.

Before I get into detail, I have to say that what I found impressive about this episode is its ability to grab your undivided attention right from the outset, and hold it for the duration of the hour. Between Scully's condition and Doggett's dreaming, nary a dull moment passes in this episode. In fact, the tension only builds throughout the episode, reaching a face-burying, nail-biting climax in the last few moments, as Doggett swings the axe. Indeed, in terms of maintaining suspense, Via Negativa deserves an A+ rating.

I have to admit I loved this episode so much that I'm having trouble deciding where to start *LOL* But I will begin with the plot since, sadly, I have already heard a few complaints about it. Though some people found the episode "boring" because the dream/soul projection theme was apparently "borrowed" from the likes of the Nightmare on Elmstreet movies and the eps Sleepless and The Walk, I don't share this opinion at all. On the contray, I loved the theme in this one. Indeed, dreams and nightmares are such versatile subjects that they can potentially be used indefinitely--however, I should note that dreams, along with time, are another one of my favourite general themes, so I do have a bit of a bias there *LOL* But bias or not, I found the dream theme in Via Negativa to be particularly striking, not only because the concept itself is immensely interesting--that of dreams being a vehicle for murder and a gateway to another plane of existence--but simply because the ep reaches a point where all at once, you're not sure if the events taking place are a dream or reality. Indeed, there's just something about uncertainty itself that is unsettling, and on this note, the mounting uncertainy in Via Negativa only adds to the overall terror of the ep. In this sense, then, perhaps the theme itself isn't exactly original, but there is nothing in this episode that feels borrowed or recycled. On the contray, this ep is exciting from start to finish. Frankly, I don't really follow the argument that the ep was "boring" because it was "unoriginal." Were we even watching the same show? *LOL* Anyway.

Moving on, I really like the fact that this episode is so centred on Doggett. Again, Doggett's personality, his sentiments, and his emotions are slowly being revealed to us. Despite his general reluctance and self-professed lack of expertise in X-File matters, Doggett pursues the case, works through the perplexing nature of the leads and clues, and finally cracks it, spewing out theories to Kersh in nearly-Mulderesque fashion. As the LGM declare, he's not bad for a beginner.

Not bad indeed. Not only does Doggett figure out what's going on, but the case becomes personalized for him. Through Tipet, Doggett becomes terrifyingly drawn into the events, losing the ability to differentiate between dream and reality. Tipet's influence on Doggett is so strong, that even when he finally understands he is trapped in a dream, he cannot wake himself, nor stop himself from carrying through with Tipet's commands. The only thing Doggett does manage to do (rather admirably, I might add) is turn the axe on himself at the last moment in attempt to destroy the "third eye" and higher plane of existence responsible for his nightmare, instead of bringing the axe down on Scully. In essense, Doggett saves her life.

Interestingly, however, though she is unconscious of the nature of her actions, Scully also saves Doggett's life. Indeed, Doggett spares Scully by turing the weapon on himself. Scully, in turn, spares Doggett by waking him from his dreadful sleep. But by saving him from imminent death, she only manages to infuse Doggett with more terror. When Scully wakes him, she informs him that Tipet is dead. But if Tipet is dead, where is Doggett's dream originating from? Was it simply a final carry-over from Tipet's life, a dream planted in Doggett's head while Tipet was still alive, and continuing only as long as Doggett continues to sleep? Or has Doggett unwilling reached the plane of existence Tipet managed, only to fall into the path of darkness that accompanies it? Will Tipet's fate be his own? Hmmm... Foreshadowing? Indeed, we're left hanging here, and this sudden unresolved and unexplained ending is simply another factor that adds to the brilliance of this episode.

I could go on about plot and dreams and theme and meanings and so on, but I sense this review is getting a tad long, so before I lose you, I'm going to skip ahead. Firstly, great to see Skinner back. Again, we don't get to see enough of the guy. In addition, I have to admit that I was nearly laughing as Doggett worked side-by-side with the LGM with only the smallest indication of "who the hell *are* these guys?" Also, we're again presented with some wonderful examples of Scully's mentoring of Doggett, her telling him that he does have the ability to solve the case, and that he must trust his own judgement. And yes, the general goriness of the ep. Axes, rat munchings, third eyes, rolling heads. Some very yummy stuff there :-)

Another thing I must point out is Doggett's genuine concern for Scully. When he realizes that her "personal matter" is a potentially serious complication in her health, he becomes immediately concerned, discretely checking in on her at the hospitial. Despite his own curiosity, however, Doggett respects her privacy. He doesn't wake her at the hosptial, nor does he ask her about the nature of her condition. He's satisfied in simply knowing she's alright, and does not pursue the matter any further. What is also interesting here, however, is that for the first time, Scully uses the infamous "I'm fine" phrase on Doggett, a phrase that is loaded with meaning. Although Doggett senses that something is wrong, he misses the encoded warning bells and whistles that Mulder would undoutedly pick up in the phrase. Of course, for Doggett, this understanding will only come in time :-)

And finally, I don't think I'd mind too much if John Boy disturbed my sleep.... *G*

Anyway, gang, sorry this was a little sporadic. All I have to say is, I love Via Negativa. I love everything about it; the theme, the gore, the suspense, Doggett... *LOL*. What an incredible episode. Definitely the best of this young season.

I'm going to go to sleep now... maybe :-)

Squall's rating: 9

What would you do if you got a second chance?

Well. Short and sweet tonight, gang--something which may actually come as a relief to some of you, as I am aware that several of my recent reviews have swelled into epics *giggle* Anyway, to get right to the point, despite the fact that many people will undoubtedly dislike Redrum for the "lack of Scully/Doggett content and where the hell is Mulder" travesty (hmmm), personally, I very much enjoyed this ep. Of course, as many of you know, the theme of time--manipulation, time warp, time loop, etc, etc--is always a favourite topic of mine, so I do have a bit of a bias there. All the same, Redrum is a very solid episode, intelligent and full of suspense, and nearly perfect as a stand alone.

Basically, Redrum is an episode that is intensely focused on plot, and as such, is one of the occasional episodes that deals more with the story than with the central characters. And while this idea generally comes as a disappointment to many viewers (judging mainly from the ho-hum reaction to last season's similarly genred Hungry), I nonetheless find this type of episode very enjoyable. We're sometimes so caught up in Mulder/Scully/Doggett dreamland that we fail to appreciate--or at times even notice--that little thing called the plot. However, by shifting the focus of the ep so that we're really forced to look at the story, we really get to see what this show is capable of.

That said, I have to say I really enjoyed Martin's character. I was cheering for the guy all through the ep, and at the same time, imagining what it might feel like to be stuck in a different moment than everyone else. Pretty damn cool, and yes, there's my whole "time theme" bias working in there, too *G*

What I really like about this ep, more than anything, is the concept. Martin essentially "died" having left too much awry in the world. He's given a chance to fix it all; something he does, reversing the evidence itself and using it to stop the crime. Reconstruct the crime to deconstruct the crime. A very cool idea.

Though Scully and Doggett are, of course, not central players in this ep, I nonetheless enjoyed the way in which they were integrated into the plot. Doggett is perfectly convincing as Martin's friend; it just seems natural that he should have been there, not so much to investigate the crime, but more for moral support. I also love how John Boy comes through at the the end, bursting down the door to save Martin and Vicki, and calling Scully in for backup :-)

And oh yes. Did anyone else catch a hint of the buff body that just might be concealed under that tight khaki t-shirt Doggett was wearing? *G* Alright. I've waited enough already. I want the shirtless ep, dammit! *LOL*

Anyway, that's about all I have to say about this one. A damn good ep, in my opinion. Good story, a very sympathetic character, and a suspense-filled hour. Who could ask for more?

Squall's rating: 7

He came from beyond the grave...

Hmm... well. Definitely some interesting material in this ep--some very interesting material, actually--but I have to say that my overall reaction to Invocation is somewhat mixed. In general, Invocation reads almost like a work in progess. The second half is fantastic, but it is somewhat (unfortunately) bogged down by the first half, which I feel needed to be developed much more thoroughly to really make the episode a success.

The main problem with Invocation is that it almost appears to be two eps in one. At first, we're presented with Devil(!)boy, an apparently possessed little child intent on torturing his terrified brother with a knife. And then, rather curiously, the motive changes and the child suddenly morphs into "back-from-the-grave-to-make-it-right" boy. What we end up getting here is an odd angel/devil dichotomy that, in retrospect, seems a little absurd simply because it isn't explained or expanded. Makes me wonder what the writers were trying to accomplish in the first portion of this ep, since their intentions obviously changed dramatically by the time the story hit the mid-point. You'd think they'd want to go back and rework the first section in order to make the two parts 'jive.' But then again, that's just my opinion :-)

Continuity aside, however, what bothered me even more about the first section of the episode was the characters' general reactions, or lack there-of, to Billy's return. First, we have Mrs. Underwood, who basically says, "Oh! How wonderful. My little Billy has returned after ten years and still looks the same and doesn't talk and weilds knives and stabs his brother, but I'm just so happy because everything is perfect now!" Would that not raise a few eyebrows for anyone? You'd think. The same goes for Doggett (and this is a writing error! Not a Doggett error *LOL*). Again, Dogget jumps right into the I'm-going-try-to-find-the-bastard-who-did-this scenario, while completely disregarding the fact that there might just be something a little odd about Billy that should probably be addressed first. Even John Boy's explantions for the child's condition are add-lib and almost ludicrous. Failure to thrive? Post traumatic stress? Come on. That's just a little too trying for me. Only Scully really seems notice that there's just somethin' fishy here, but even then, her reaction is severely down-played. Doesn't anyone care that this kid is a scientific anomally? Or is the term anomally only employed by lazy people?.... *LOL*

Hmm.. I'm sounding bitter. But I'm not! *LOL* If I haven't lost you yet, read on :-)

Ok. Just one more complaint, and then I'm on to sunnier skies. I'll talk more about this later, but this involves the implied existence of a secret from Doggett's past. We've already seen the picture of the boy. Do we really need the psychic to spell out for us, letter by letter, in glaring tones, that Doggett is possibly missing someone? YOU! It's YOU! *LOL* Just an observation: psst... I think most of us have caught on by now *LOL* Granted, this *could* be seen as the writers' way to have the secret revealed to Scully, but even then, the revelation is still larger than life.

Ok. I will now stop bitching, and talk about the things I liked in this ep :-) Firstly, I love the very idea that Doggett is being fleshed out as a deeper character. Indeed, almost everything we've learned about the man so far has been superficial. We know about his work ethic, his no-nosense attitude, his unrelenting need to see things through to closure. But tonight, we received a very tantalizing glimpse into his personal life; a glimpse into his past that is also afforded to Scully (and on this note, the shocked, sypathetic expression that crosses her face when the issue is presented is just brilliant). So, we have the picture, we have the psychic(grrr), and we have the closing scene, in which Doggett is pictured with Mr. Underwood; a mirroring of experiences. Are we seeing two fathers here?
Needless to say, this is a storyline that will definitely be revisited. And the sooner, the better, in my opinion! Yay! Doggett has a secret! I'm so excited! Ah-hem.

What I also love about this ep are the numerous, tight close-up Doggett facial shots, those which cast him in a very sympathetic light. Ah, the pain in those eyes... damn I love a tortured soul :-)

In addition to the wonderful Doggy revelations, I also enjoyed the closing segment of this ep, in which Scully adopts a decidely superior role in relation to Doggett. She's drawing on her experienes, her field work, in order to counsel him, to tell him what he should do with this unusual case; and on a more personal note, to tell him that he did succeed, whether or not he believes he has. I have to say I love the idea of Scully in an authoritative role. It would be in the best interest of the writers to exploit this; really let Scully take command. Her position and knowledge on the X-Files already dictate her potential for effective leadership. I say just roll with it.

Finally, in terms of the plot itself, I must admit I really did enjoy the "back from the grave" scenario happening toward the end of the episode; even if this story was somewhat marred by the glaring discontinuity that spilled over from the first half. Indeed, had the writers simply exploited the "good Billy" theme throughout the ep, built it up in the early scenes and carried it over to the ending, then Invocation may have actually been something amazing.

All in all, Invocation is a bit of a puzzler. Many cool things going on, but the sloppy, half-assed writing in the early stages really tainted the overall picture. It's really too bad.

Squall's rating: 4

*again, this rating would have been much higher, but there were just too many problems early on in this episode.

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