The X-Files: Vienen Rewatch

August 24, 2020 7:50 PM - Season 8, Episode 18

When the body of a crew member from the Galpex-Orpheus Platform oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico is found horribly burned with charring consistent with exposure to high levels of radiation, Kersh sends Doggett to the oil rig to investigate, and Mulder goes too, on his own initiative.
posted by orange swan (2 comments total)

This wasn't such a bad episode, especially given that it's a mythology episode. The show was always good at the kind of episode where the characters deal with some kind of danger in an isolated, remote location. The plot made reasonable sense, the episode was suspenseful and exciting, and the black oil effects worked well. They're still having Doggett and Mulder be at loggerheads with each other, but this was probably the last time they'll do that, and it was at least dialled back some this time.

As a Canadian who has witnessed many real life "men watching hockey" scenes, the men watching hockey and griping when the TV cut out could not have been more real.

Scully wasn't given much to do, but I suppose they couldn't realistically have her do any more than she does.

And Mulder has finally gotten fired. Realistically he would have been given the boot years and years ago.
posted by orange swan at 6:26 PM on August 25, 2020 [1 favorite]

Big budget.

The T cell thing isn't bs, but her description are the symptoms of a T cell lymphoma or leukaemia.

Seeing Skinner 100% all-in on the Alien Conspiracy is still a little jarring.

For all of Mulder and Doggett's chemistry, there's a very different physical vibe compared to Mulder and Ratboy.
posted by porpoise at 8:31 PM on August 26, 2020