One Breath

I wish this had been transmitted before 3, this seems to complete a trio of episodes, concluding the events that started in Duane Barry. Whereas 3 almost ignore Dana, this focuses primarily on her.

I enjoyed this episode very much, and for different reasons, I love X files because of the horror, tension, excitement, this was great for different reasons. This is a hightened emotional episode, and does a lot to drive the characters of Mulder and Skinner primarily.

Mulder learns more about those around him, it's a powerful, revealing episode.

Duchovny is tremendous throughout, that scene where he breaks down was so sad.

Excellent, 9/10.

This is the last part of a trilogy of sorts that started with Duane Barry.

Touted as a character-driven triumph for the show, for my taste this plays like better-than-average soap, but still dull as dishwater. The X-file problem is that there is no multifaceted vision behind the whole, oh there is some noodling with dreams in this episode and the usual conspiracy that goes nowhere and we're supposed to find exciting and 'deep', but what we see in any given portion of this is crushingly pedantic.

You'll see no better example of what I'm talking about than in Scully's deathbed dreams; Scully on the boat is certainly a memorable image, but the whole layering is trite, we know exactly what is the dream's distance from reality, who is dreaming and what it means, all perfectly clear which defeats the point of wanting to know.

Further proof; the episode ends with the usual 'we have no such person working here' twist.

I've been binge-watching X-Files for the first time since it first aired (thank you FreeVee!), and I'm captivated all over again. Scully and Mulder's tease-flirt relationship started in the first episode and never let up. Their chemistry is apparent. And the scene in this episode, with Mulder ready to murder Cancer Man, is top notch.

All in all, the X-Files is iconic, and even better on a re-watch. The cinematography is outstanding, even now. The casting for every character is perfect. This is as far as I've gotten in my binge, and it's cool that I'm not remembering some of the plots (like the vampire episode just before this one). I'm really looking forward to diving into more!

One more thing: Mitch Pileggi is frikken' hot :)

The return of Scully should have been more dramatic than it was portrayed. The entire episode revolved around sentiments of mulder towards Scully and less about finding out the truth. The story also portrayed Mulder as a weak person in the sense that he tendered his resignation and did not pushed hard enough to find out the truth. The scene when he was in the room with the cancer man could have been more intense and when he was presented with the chance of taking revenge he bailed just because of some sentimental carp Scully's sister fed him with. I am sorry but i was expecting more form Mulder than this. After all the X files are all about finding the truth than building emotions.

The real star of this episode? Scully's boobs. I realize that Anderson had just given birth a few days before this episode was filmed but damn... Every time the cameras focused on her body, her bosoms looked like huge mountains (like 'The Breasts of Sheba in the second Librarian movie). It was almost like the writer's were purposely focusing on that aspect! Also, why wasn't Scully ever covered with a blanket when she was in ICU? Seems to me that keeping a patient warm would be a top priority.

Also, CSM escapes retribution again! The fact that he was still alive at the end of this series always pi**ed me off. If anyone deserved to be tortured & experimented on by the 'Aliens", it was CSM!

I love this series, especially the first few seasons.