How the Ghosts Stole Christmas
Member Comments
"I have to agree with Entertainment Weekly, How The Ghosts Stole Christması was an instant classic. The set, the music, the actors, and the plot all came together to give one hell of a ride. I especially loved the set. I think you'll all agree when I say that it has been the best suited to the episode and most attractive set so far. Am I right? And thank-you Mark Snow, for that alternately creepy and festive organ music in the background.
[On a personal note, my VCR quit on me a couple of days before this episode, so I had to go over to my Auntıs house and tape it there. I was the only one in the house, and I turned out all the lights and sat in a back bedroom while I watched it. Now *that* was fun.]
Letıs see. Weıll take a look at the characters/actors first. Gillian is doing better and better and better this season, in my opinion. Her performance in How The Ghosts Stole Christması was fabulous. I loved her extremely lengthy monologue at the beginning where she tried to convince herself she wasnıt scared. It obviously didnıt work because she finally came out and said, "All right, Iım afraid. But itıs an irrational fear." Thatıs our Scully, trying to rationalize her fear.
And then thereıs all the little touches she gave the show, like the look on her face when she opened the door to see a brick wall and then immediately shut it, as if sheıd imagined it and it would just go away. Oh, and who could forget that scream? Iıve never seen Scully scream like that, but thanks to Gillian, it was a very good scream. I donıt think Neve Campbell or Courtney Cox has anything on Gillian. Although I find it hard to believe that after everything she's seen, Scully could get so unraveled over an old woman in a white dressing gown that she would scream like that and then take five years to get her gun out of the back of her pants. "Please donıt come any closer, Iım a little on edge!" Her little "get-the-gun" dance in this ep was worse than her "get-the-phone" dance in the movie! Howıs she going to catch the bad guys if she takes that long to grab her gun?
"Oh, the gangly fellow with the, uh, distinguished profile." Yes, that would be Mulder. Personally, I loved the evaluation that Ed Asner's ghost (did anyone catch their names?) gave of Mulderıs character. "Are you overcome with the impulse to make everyone believe you?" That question sure stopped Mulderıs continual "noıs"! Mulder, the "narcissistic, overzealous, self-righteous, ego-maniac" has stooped to a new low. Stealing Scullyıs keys so that she would have to stay there with him and check the place out is most definitely the worst thing heıs done so far. But through all of Mulderıs insensitivity, there were some decidedly hilarious points to his scenes, too. Like the quiet "honk" the sound people put in during post-production when Mulder walks into the invisible brick wall and bashes his nose. You know, thatıs something Iıve always wonderedwould Mulderıs nose honk if you squeezed it? A side note about practical joker-Mulder: heıs good! That flashlight-lit face of his when Scully turned around made me jump, thatıs for sure. Hee hee
"Most people would probably stick their finger in a wall socket than spend a minute with you." Hmm. I guess thatıs debatable. I know I would rather spend a minute with Mulder than electrocuting myself, but maybe thatıs just me Aside from Mr. Ghost's assumptions of what Mulder is like, we really did get a peek at the inner-Mulder in this episode. He drags Scully out to a haunted house on Christmas Eve, and then tells her the legend that goes along with the house, which is something along these lines: two lovers, unable to shield themselves or each other from the horrors of the world, make a pact to kill themselves and spend the rest of eternity together in the house. And Mulder brings Scully here on Christmas Eve. Hmm. Weıve just learned something about Mulder I leave you to figure out *what*...
The ghosts. Well, I can honestly say they are among my very favorite guest stars ever on this show. Lily Tomlin is one of my favorite comediennes anyway (have any of you ever seen All of Meı?), and I thought she was wonderful in this episode. "I donıt show my hole to just anyone." One of the best lines of the hour, I think. Although I liked their individual interaction with Scully and Mulder more than the times where they were the only characters talking. It seems that they couldnıt hold up a scene by themselves, but with the help of David and Gillian, you get a great bit of dialogue.
Scully fainted. Scully fainted? Scully doesnıt faint. But, then again, sheıs never talked to two senior citizens with large, gaping holes in their stomachs and heads. And speaking of the large, gaping holes, kudos to the effects department for those and the fading in and out of the ghostsand the trick where Mrs. Ghost drops the gun and Mulder catches it as she fades. Very well done.
I need to take a moment to say that I loved the shootings. I know, I know, I sound horrible and morbid, but I really enjoyed watching that part! Scullyıs whole reaction to being "shot" by "Mulder" was fantastic. Theyıve never gotten to do that kind of a slow-bleeding-with-pain-scene. But they were good victims. I have to admit, though, they had me going with the whole Mulder shooting Scully thing. When he kept missing her, I thought, "OK, that might be him." But when he actually hit her and then didnıt immediately freak and rush to her side or show any signs of remorse, I figured it had to be a ghost in Mulderıs form. (It's suddenly a very popular thing to do--adopt Mulder's physical form. It's like the whole Beanie Babies thing!) By the time Scully shot Mulder (which was my favorite part of the hourno comments, please) I understood the deal. "Merry Christmas, Mulder." Ooh, chilling!
It looks like we have a new song to add to the list of "Songs on The X-Files". (We need to write that up again.) "Have yourself a merry little Christmas" It worked surprisingly well with the shot of Mulder and Scully inching towards the front door, trailing blood. By the way, donıt you all think they acted just like an old married couple right then? They believed the other had just shot them, but they didnıt question each other or feel sad that they were dyinginstead, they just bickered and argued over who shot who. I was a bit disappointed in the ending, though. I guess there was just no other way of doing it! I just wish Chris would stop doing the "did it happen or didnıt it?" episodes and get back to things we can refer to in fanfics and such as solid situations. (Iım such a hypocrite! My favorite episodes so far have been those kind!)
We didnıt get to see what they got each other for Christmas!! I want to know It looked like Mulder got a video from Scully, but I have no idea what he got her How appropriate that her gift to Mulder was a small, flat box (could be a movie, could be a hard-cover book), while Mulder's to Scully was slightly larger and a strange shape. They sure looked cute when they admitted they'd gotten each other gifts even though they'd promised not to. And I have a bone to pick with whoever directed that scene. As the camera retreats out the window and backs away, you see Mulder and Scully sitting down on his couch, tearing into their respective presents. "Tearing into" being the operative phrase. I see Scully as the kind of person who (like me) unwraps presents extremely slowly, taking off the tape, folding the paper, putting it off to one side and then focusing on the present. Not just shredding the paper like she did. Sorry. It just bothered me.
All in all, I give it ten out of ten haunted houses for creepyness, humor, characterization and Christmas spirit. Fantastic job, Chris!"
-Lass S.-
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