The X-Files Virgin’s Diary – Necrophilia, cults, voodoo and Samantha Mulder?

(Season 2, Episodes 13-17)

Things continued to kind of meander along with fairly unimpressive cases, until the big two-parter that brought the “MythArc” about Mulder’s sister right back to the forefront of the series.

I was glad to see the variety of subjects continuing to expand. The demonic cult episode offered a clever little twist on who the real danger was, as did the voodoo episode. It is in turning these conventions around a bit, that The X-Files steps beyond typical horror conventions and becomes something better.2.13 – “Irresistible”
(Original Air Date: January 13, 1995) After all we’ve seen and as many bodies as Scully has performed autopsies on, it struck me as odd throughout this episode that she was so bothered by this “death fetishist.” Was it just a slightly transparent plot device so they could isolate her from Mulder by having her fly back and forth from Washington?

Nick Chundlund did an effective job as killer Donald Pfaster. His stiff and halting delivery of his lines added a sense of menace to everything he said; or he was just a terrible actor and it worked. I imagine that we’ve reached a point in the show’s history where it was a lot of fun for the acting community to come on The X-Files and play a monster.

As for the monster aspect, what was the point of trying to allude that Pfaster was some sort of creature? He grew up human, as evidenced by the childhood photos, and he died human. Is it just psychological fear that makes him look different? Usually we at least get something about the monster aspect from the agents, but this was treated as a very human case throughout.

I got a little worried when Scully was talking to her therapist back in Washington. Here’s where there was a clear supernatural presence. I kept wanting to yell at her to stop opening up. Gladys (Christine Willes) is a demon. We learned that on Reaper. And Willes was just as creepy here as there.

2.14 – “Die Hand Die Verletzt”
(Original Air Date: January 27, 1995) For the second episode in a row, local law enforcement jumps all over the supernatural while Mulder and Scully say thee nay. Last time, it was local FBI thinking the grave desecration was aliens; this time, the sheriff thinks it’s the dark forces of the underlord.

Oh, and I don’t care how into the occult you are, as apparently some of the faculty at Crowley High School are, you aren’t going to set a stack of homework on an exposed human heart in your drawer as one teacher did. How are you going to explain the blood on the last paper? Sloppy, sloppy.

It was kind of cool that the cultists in the show may have actually been victims of the much more sinister Mrs. Paddock. So what’s her story? She’s obviously a good liar, and likes burning her hands. Is there a Mr. Paddock? What’s he like? I’m betting she’s a widow.

2.15 – “Fresh Bones”
(Original Air Date: February 3, 1995) Daniel Benzali is always fun to watch, and he’s great here as a vindictive Colonel taking out his anger issues on Haitian refugees. As such, voodoo was our supernatural element of the week.

The sequence in the graveyard with the voodoo priest (?) climbing out of Scully’s hand to choke her was very well done. The effects were solid, and it was realistically spooky as hell. I wasn’t as sold on Col. Wharton being back alive in the casket, but I guess I can allow for it.

I was already satisfied, though, by the reveal that the young boy Mulder and Scully had been interacting with throughout had died six weeks prior. Who gave Scully the charm that saved her life then? Oooh, spooooky!

2.16 – “Colony (Part 1 of 2)” [MythArc]
(Original Air Date: February 10, 1995) A lesson for Fox Mulder. Always look both ways before crossing the street. Come on, man. You should know this by now. Maybe that explains his lapses in judgment.

He seemed to have forgotten his own mantra, “Trust No One.” Hell, Mulder’s been trusting every official agent  he’s come across in awhile now. Hell, he’s so determined to trust CIA Agent Ambrose Chapel that he fought with Scully about it. He yelled at her! It was so mean.

They made up over a dead body, because that’s how they bond. They have this special corpse relationship that you and I would never understand.

Brian Thompson has one of the most impressively distinctive jaws I’ve ever seen. He was immediately recognizable here as the pilot. But he’s positively skinny, as compared to his appearances in the early seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and his later work.

Nice job on the reveal connecting Fox’s (maybe) sister to the clone doctors. Though I’m less clear on why Fox’s sister Samantha would be in danger from the shape-shifter dude. Is it because her foster parents were “aliens” or because of something she is now?

The problem is that once you introduce shape-shifters like the pilot, then there’s no one you can believe. It makes episodes like this very difficult to watch as you find yourself suspecting everyone. Except for that inept motel worker who forgot to give Scully Mulder’s message seconds after getting off the phone with him. Senile much?

2.17 – “End Game (Part 2 of 2)” [MythArc]
(Original Air Date: February 17, 1995) A-ha, Samantha’s parents were another batch of clones. A-ha, Samantha herself is another batch of clones. So many clones. Don’t they realize that overpopulation is a real problem in this world? We can barely sustain our own people, much less another colony of aliens.

I think this is the first time we see just how much Skinner cares about the well-being of Mulder and Scully; well, more Mulder. I wonder how much slash fiction has been written about those two — on second thought, no I don’t.

I was beginning to think Skinner lived in that office, so it was cool seeing him beating up X in the elevator to get Mulder’s whereabouts. X is a conundrum in himself. He comes across as a badass coward, helping Mulder but terrified every step of the way.

I think it was good of The X-Files to give us such a key chapter in the ongoing mystery regarding Fox’s sister at this point. We need these regular reminders of what this is all about. I was surprised that it would be addressed so directly as it was here, even showing us what Samantha looks like, if anything can be believed.

This not only renews Mulder’s faith in what he’s doing, but renews our faith that at least for now, it looks like Chris Carter and company do as well.

Clacked by Jason Hughes
on Jul 31, 2009 @ 10:00 EST5EDT