Summary
"Disturbing" and "powerful" were the words I had in mind when I finished viewing this ep the first time. Great character study by the TXF veteran writers here with realistically emotional interactions between our two. Excellent performances from all. Both DD and GA played their roles perfectly. There just wasn't a whole lot wrong with this one, and it gave me considerable inspiration for the Dana Scully characterization study that became a significant part of Soul on Soul.
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| Padgett about to reveal that Agent Scully is "already" in love |
Who didn't find that statement surprising and definitely revealing as we work towards the final season (in my mind) of the X-Files?
[Before I forget, though, there were also a couple of lines from this episode that I loved from a writer's standpoint: "If I sit long enough, it just comes to me" and "It almost writes itself." I can identify!]
Now, the X-File part of this episode is just a tad out of my realm of believability. I mean, it actually helped that we didn't see Mulder and Scully really investigating this case and presenting the findings to AD Skinner. That would really have taken it over the edge for me, because I'm willing to bet that there are no documented cases of deaths where the hearts of the victims were found outside of their bodies with no visible sign of entry. Most of the x-file-ish stuff that we see on TXF I can give the benefit of the doubt to, but as to what we saw here, it was just an entertaining hour of TV.
But what redeems an episode like this is the insight that it provides about the enigmatic Dr. Scully. Let's examine this line: "That never happens to me. We're alike that way." What never happens to Dana Scully? Someone being taken with her, based merely on the idea that she's a beautiful woman.
Interestingly enough, when Padgett has his conversation with Naciamento, he says somewhat cryptically, "She's only trying to get his attention but doesn't know it." I wondered what he meant by that until I rewound and heard his previous comment again, which was that "I misjudged her character, her interest in me". So I surmise that what Padgett meant was that Dana Scully was only interested in him (Padgett) to get to the bottom of a case that would win her points with Mulder. (And while I get that, I also think that Scully had another reason for being interested in Padgett, which I explored further in Soul on Soul.)
Picayune Peculiarities
I'm not going to go on and on about this one, but we have seen the front of Mulder's apartment and it faces a street. No way that Padgett's bedroom would have a view "only a writer can appreciate", aka, a brick wall.
I was amused by how Mulder went all "100 yard dash" on the cemetery worker dude. I know that the viewer has seen a hooded individual do the crimes, but how did Mulder have any idea what he was looking for? He really just "imagined it"??
Best or Worst Moment
I don't like the "hit me over the head" editing that accompanies the significant touches these days, but the one in the jail cell that Padgett catches full on — which subsequently reveals to him that Scully's heart is elsewhere — is very telling in terms of the relationship growth between M&S. Mulder has a habit of having his way with prisoners and in the past, he's never paid much mind to any sort of protest from Scully, but here he restrains himself at her light touch and call of his name. Nice.
Original Rating: * * * *
Revised Rating: * * * *
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