The X-Files: Nisei (Part 1/2) Rewatch

April 24, 2020 7:20 PM - Season 3, Episode 9

Mulder's investigation of an alien autopsy video leads to a secret project with connections to unethical experiments done by Japanese scientists during World War II. Scully learns more about what happened during her alien abduction.
posted by orange swan (2 comments total)

I remember that there was a ton of hype leading-up-to/ over this in 1995.

Fox had broadcast Alien Autopsy: Fact or Fiction (with Jonathan Frakes hosting!) in August. Turned out to be a complete misrepresentation of a fabrication. This episode came out in November of the same year;

Scully: "Mulder. This is even hokier than the one they aired on the Fox network. You can't even see what they're operating on!"

In the opening scene, the autopsy in the traincar - the operators have really fancy face masks. Looks comfy and very useable, if bulky. The rest of the PPE is first rate, even down to the taped cuffs. A modern modification would be to have elbow-length [or at least forearm] nitrile gloves underneath that the gown is taped around, then another layer of gloves over that. The design of the boxcar interior is actually really good. I'd add a dedicated antechamber, though, if not a full-on decon room (the room the soldiers stormed into is a working area). I wonder if they adapted something or if they made it from scratch? Wouldn't be cheap unless a lot of that was borrowed. A lot of the greebles (apheresis pumps of various kinds, mostly) look brand new but... antique models?

1995 vs 2020 - the alien autopsy video Mulder got was from someone just randomly sampling unencrypted broadcasts (qv. 'Heat' 1995). This is why data transfer needs point-to-point encryption.

Don't share your alien autopsy procedures over Zoom to your super duper secret bosses!

Ah, Mulder losing his gun again - and learned from those experiences (and his abilities as a brawler; his weapon aim discipline was A+ [except for the continuity error in auto-cocking an automatic after the first action]). That is why you have a holdout weapon. What I'm watching isn't high quality enough, but there is gold printing on the side of his. I'm wondering if it says "Match Grade" or some such. I couldn't imagine Mulder tolerating anything else like "<somefuckhead> Special Edition" or some such. At least the safety was off (red = dead).

Mulder's hair seems a lot more dynamic and is a finely tuned analogue surrogate read of his distress level, whereas Scully's always "keeps up?" Modulo 5 o'clock shadow?


Scully hooking up with MUFON is the most important event in this episode.


Duchovny doing his own stunt at the end was talked up a bunch at the time, but it doesn't look very impressive by modern standards. Depending on how fast the train was moving, that's not a survivable maneuver in real life - much less clutching a cellphone in one hand. For suspense reasons, yeahyeah, but wouldn't you want to have both hands free when attempting such stupidity?

Mulder's haircut (especially with covid-19) and 'tactical' clothing wouldn't put him too out of place in 2020, especially if his leather jacket was tailored tighter and stiffer under the arms and with a moto collar. As is, he would read as a chronically low-income individual who won a jackpot in the second hand clothing market (and stole some really nice boots).
posted by porpoise at 9:32 PM on April 24, 2020 [1 favorite]

Good thing Mulder finally armed up, or rather legged up. Scully won't always be there to save his ass.

Scully doesn't strike me as the group therapy type.

Why did X go to Scully to get her to call Mulder? The man has his finger in many pies, and could surely get Mulder's number. Or did he think Scully would be more likely to convince Mulder than him?

And we meet Agent Pendrell in this episode!

"That's not your usual brand of entertainment."
posted by orange swan at 11:17 AM on April 28, 2020