(PS I am totally not sick of it!)
Now that we’re all on the same page, ie wondering why on earth after a 14 year hiatus we are being hit with the one-two episode punch, I have a theory: I suspect that the ponderous nature of the premiere episode (getting everybody on board after a lifetime-long break) might leave people feeling underwhelmed, leading Fox to the decision to hook us in with a new one right away. The X-Files just wants our loooooove!
This week’s episode centered around the mysterious self-inflicted death of an employee (Sanjay) at a genetics research facility run by a reclusive man known as “The Founder.” While searching for clues in Sanjay’s apartment, Mulder is stricken by a debilitating noise that only he can hear. That, in combination with the 12 inch letter opener the deceased plunged into his ear, leads them to conclude that someone (or thing) is able to use sound as a weapon.
I think I may have identified your prime suspect.
As the case unfolds, Mulder and Scully discover potential connections between the research facility and the plot to create alien-human hybrids. Along the way, the duo encounters children with severe mutations, which brings up the specter of their own son, William. (Fun fact: a Founders Mutation occurs when a new population is established by a very small number of individuals from a larger population) The evidence eventually leads them to The Founder’s son, who is manipulating people with his mind in order to learn the whereabouts of his long-lost mutant sister. Mulder and Scully facilitate the reunion, which is marked with smiles, tears and lots and lots of smashing.
Wondertwin powers activate!
This episode felt like a typical “one-off” storyline, but it connected strongly back into the new conspiracy paradigm. And just as Scully snapped on the latex to extract the letter opener from Sanjay’s brain, I’m here to extract for you the best parts of the episode!
Props to the props
The props/effects departments were on high alert for this episode, what with all the things being stuck into, extracted from, dripping out of, exploding onto folks and what not. I, for one, welcomed back the cringe inducing effects a la Tooms, Home and The Host.
In case you didn’t get enough “peeking through your fingers” time during the episode, I’ve compiled the finest moments into what I’ve dubbed the “Gif Wall of Gross.”
Feeling a little vomitey yet? Yes?
Parental unit blues
Not surprisingly, a case surrounding possible genetic manipulation of children strikes close to home for Scully and Mulder, bringing up some powerful feelings of loss about their son, William.
Oh God – the mother feels!!! Giving her son up to keep him safe, but not knowing how his genetic makeup and parentage might be putting him in danger – blarghhhh! The vignettes in which they each envisioned a different reality in which they were able to be a part of William’s life both ended in different horrifying scenario, whether it be a mysterious illness or alien abduction. But more important than introducing us to William’s possible tragic future was our introduction to “Dad Mulder” – aka the DILF-pocalypse:
Scully worries that she may have been used by the conspiracy just as an “incubator” to bring William to term, and she’s feeling the sads of regret and powerlessness. But Mulder puts it all into perspective for her, punching us all in the feels with this nugget:
Dammit Mulder – not again!
These two best “ship up or shape out” (or something like that) before somebody gets hurt.
Scully’s wig 2.0
Sooooo, I intentionally did not talk about how much I hated Scully’s wig last week because I recognize that we here at TN may be more hair obsessed than the general public, and I didn’t want to sound petty. But now that the showrunners have clearly had a “come to Jesus” wig moment, I feel free to weigh in: I hated the wig last week. There, I said it. The center part with the sausage-curl thing bothered me for reasons I was not able to identify, but now that I’ve had three glasses of wine I can definitively say that it made her look way too much like the talking clock in Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.”
See? Please tell me that this is also obvious to the non-drunk.
But this wig?
Bellissimo!!! I know you are having all of the sad feelings this week, Scully, but we all know that it’s better to look good than to feel good!
Ultimately, after breaking every last window and popping their dad’s eyes out of his head, the Wondertwins escape “without a trace.” Except that Mulder was able to pinch a blood sample from the Founder’s son, giving them the material they need to confirm genetic manipulation.
I’m interested to see where they take the story from here. It feels a little like they’ve backed themselves into a corner by making this a conspiracy solely of men – like, why is this even an X-File anymore? But I am really hoping they pull the William thread, because it is such an emotional point binding Mulder and Scully together.
Tune in next Monday for “Mulder and Scully Meet the Were-beard.” Darrin Morgan (Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose, Jose Chung’s From Outer Space) will be in the house!!!! The Stupendous Yappi predicts that it will be great!
Until then:
Catch all of our The X-Files Coverage here.
All The X-Files images are courtesy of Fox.
