“The X-Files” has returned to FOX. Join Mieke Zamora-Mackay as she recaps each new episode in the much awaited season ten. Meet her after the jump for her recap and thoughts on “My Struggle.”
It is fourteen years after the X-Files have been closed and Mulder still hasn’t given up on his quest to uncover the truth of extra-terrestrial life and the attempts to cover it up. An aged (but still rather hot) Mulder and Scully, are brought together by Assistant Director Walter Skinner to meet with a popular web television pundit, Tad O’Malley. O’Malley claims to have evidence of a worldwide cover up of a more sinister nature.
O’Malley introduces Mulder and Scully to a young woman named Sveta, a self-claimed multiple abductee. Sveta claims to be able to read minds (she reveals that she knows that Mulder and Scully were once a couple and had a child together) and has been subjected to multiple experiments (she bears the scars to prove it), and believes she has alien DNA within her body. Scully sets out to test Sveta’s DNA against hers.
O’Malley further attempts to prove his theory by bringing Mulder to a warehouse wherein an alien replica vehicle (“ARV”) has been created by a team of scientists in blue coats.
When Sveta claims that the experiments (which included impregnation and harvesting of fetuses), were performed on her by humans, Mulder becomes convinced that everything they had been led to believe during their time on the X-Files was a lie – an elaborate cover up to hide what is truly going on, the systematic and purposeful conspiracy by a group of elites to take over the United States of America. Scully, in her ever cautionary form, warns that to make such a claim is so outlandish that it could be considered treason to even espouse it.
Just as O’Malley is about to make his claims on his broadcast, Sveta publicly recants her statements to Tad O’Malley. The men-in-black invade the ARV warehouse and destroy it. O’Malley’s website is shut down.
After Scully receives the double checked test results on Sveta and her own DNA, she declares to Mulder that they need to get to and protect Sveta because she is proof positive of alien DNA in humans. They will however be too late, as Sveta is killed in what appears to be targeted attack by an alien ship.
At the end, an extremely aged Cigarette Smoking Man (who still hasn’t kicked the habit), announces that the X-Files have been re-opened.
I liked that they re-used the original opening sequence. It feels familiar, and seeing the younger Mulder and Scully brings comfort to this old fan. Mulder and Scully are aged dramatically in the new season – Mulder looks weary and weather beaten, while Scully has a hardened look to her. It may be indicative of how the characters have evolved from their time as partners.
For the first time, actor Mitch Pileggi receives equal billing as David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, in the opening sequence. I’ve always felt their team was more complete as a trio as opposed to a duo. Although, AD Skinner only appears once in the episode.
As a whole, the episode felt very disjointed, jumping from one scene to the next. It felt like a sped up version of an entire season trying to jump start the return of the show. It almost seems that the show runners are trying to present a “compelling-ish” reason to bring them back together. I’m not so convinced.
This is a very short season, with only six episodes to be presented. The second of which is going to be shown tonight. Given that kind of timing, I am looking forward to a fast paced, action packed season. I worry that the season will not turn out as I expect. Please, FOX! Surprise me. Prove me wrong.
I hear that the new season hits its stride by episode 3 =)