Mulder and Scully find themselves deluged with unusual phenomena when a man comes into possession of a genie.
It’s one thing that The X-Files hasn’t tapped into yet: magical creatures such as genies, and although it’s an old idea to show that three wishes aren’t quite as fun as they sound, this story, written and directed by the marvellous Vince Gilligan, keeps you guessing as to how what sounds like a simple wish can be corrupted by the genie.
Watching the most stupid brothers in the world making efforts to improve their lifestyle and making the most stupid choices imaginable is wonderfully good fun, especially when one of the them is brought back to undead life due to bad phrasing. You know that sooner or later one of our favourite agents is going to get a chance to make some wishes, and thus Mulder’s plan to make the world a better place also falls by the wayside. The response to his request for peace on Earth is perfect, as the genie takes the easy approach rather than trying to change people’s attitudes. As she points out, not even religion has been able to unite people.
It’s quirky, it’s funny, and Scully finally gets her hands on an actual x-file: an invisible man. The special effects are particularly good here as she has to paint him back in, looking bemused and amused at the same time. It’s a simple enough story, but it works brilliantly and there are plenty of references to I Dream of Jeannie too. What more could you ask for?
****
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