by Chelsea Dee, Editor-at-Large

Wow there are a lot of things I like about this show, as I’ve already discussed, but here’s another example: it’s the fourth episode and they’re addressing Mulder’s missing sister. Not that he finds her, mind you, but that’s one of those tragic backstory things you expect will be talked about later in the season or maybe pushed until the second season to draw out the tension. Not in The X-Files, nope, it’s four episodes in and we’re dealing with it. Scully gets to see the whole case file and even listen to recordings. I look forward to the day when we get more Scully background. I assume she has plenty of it. The reason we have more of Mulder so far is the obvious: he’s the believer. His reasons for doing things is more plot necessary at the moment.

Soooooo okay he wants to investigate a missing girl named Ruby who was captured by aliens, or so he thinks, and it reminds him very much of his sister’s abduction. The little brother, Kevin, is someone Mulder connects to as well. The mother of the children once witnessed an alien abduction of her own when she was a girl scout, apparently. Kevin is writing in binary that he reads from the static in the TV. I guess that code turns out to be something really important and top secret and they yoink the boy. I’m wondering if surviving alien attacks makes someone special or psychic, because I continue to think that Mulder might be a little psychic. He just seems to have a knack for knowing what cases to take or where to go. Yes, it could just be plot devices, but I like the idea of Mulder being psychic.

Anyway they try to slut shame the missing girl by saying she was troubled and all that, and this girl shows up to try and pin some blame on this other guy. Honestly that was all very soap opera-y so I was like ‘ehhhhh.’ I mean it becomes relevant when the guy is dead, and he was apparently killed by the girl who told them about Ruby. She said Ruby was preggers, but nope, she’s the one preggers. Ummm. That was kind of pointless. Except she says Ruby wasn’t at the park? I’m a little confused here, but they go to Lake Okobogee and find the boy Kevin. He’s about to be run over by motorcycle guys he thinks are the aliens because of the bright lights. Ruby’s found but she says she was taken by a group and can’t talk about it. Her mother says Mulder’s not allowed to talk to them and she doesn’t want people looking at her kids the way she was looked at for talking about aliens. Mulder’s sad face because he couldn’t save his sister Samantha and this is all giving him PTSD.

I’m not sure the actual plot of this episode holds up too much, I was pretty bored at the segments of her maybe being pregnant and caught in some weird love triangle. I think the important part was obviously the backstory for Mulder and his major reason for becoming the spooky guy in the basement. I still think the kid being psychic is important, but I’m likely reading into these things too much. Or maybe not. I feel like it was empathized on purpose! Overall I enjoyed this episode, and I like that Scully continues to back him up, even when she doesn’t have to or has good reason not to. Also I want to point out that despite not having a huge budget and having some hokey material, these two actors just chew it up. In a great way. I enjoy watching them a lot.

Comments from my notes: JURASSIC PARK? Oh hey is this about his sister. So soon? This is episode 4, I assumed they’d wait until like second season. The music is so 90s. Mulder’s having none of that slut shaming, you go Mulder. Mulder lies and says that he doesn’t believe in UFOs. Bartender says there’s proof of HIS EAR THAT IS TERRIFYING. Was he too close to the light? That is f’ed up. Oh shirtless Mulder hello this episode just went up a grade instantly. No, no, he doesn’t need to put a shirt on, we’re fine. This white wolf shows up and Mulder follows him like he’s Lassie claiming to find Timmy down the well. Except he’s found a body? The kid has a bunch of folders that make a picture of his sister’s face. Ummmmmm. Are we sure he didn’t kill her and felt guilty? Oh it’s just bikers. Well that’s okay then. Their lights didn’t help them see the kid in front of them?  Awww sad ending.

Rating: – I’m glad they addressed Mulder’s sister, but the rest of the case wasn’t very interesting. I’m not even sure if the end result was relevant since we don’t know what happened to Ruby. The pregnancy plot was pointless.

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