Gender Bender

If I'm a die-hard fan of "Twin peaks", "Married with children", early "Baywatch", "Mister Bean", nonetheless "X-files" is the number one because it's the more challenging. For a bachelor with a monotonous job in a conservative, old country, X-files is an incredible breath of air. With each show, it's a new setting, a new case and nearly a new example of paranormal. It's like there is an Earth-2 somewhere because UFOs, ghosts never get the headlines in my country. We may maybe add an Earth-3 as well because the black, corrupt government that hides truth form its citizens is another dark file that's never get publicized for sure. So that's the genius of this show to mix paranormal with conspiracy.

Next, X-files is a wonderful trip into America (yes i know it was shot in Vancouver...): it's the Hamish farm, the high tech building, the desert base, the dark woods, the cozy suburb. It's the same thing about people: Indians, disabled people, hobos, simple families, workers, believers, i think each minorities have the spotlight here. In other words, it's a very humanist naturalist, show that offers something else that capitalist life, eternal guns violence about bad guys.

Then, there are a terrific outstanding talented behind: the effects are amazing, simple but effective. The light is amazing. In a way, this TV show is like mini movies and the episodes are much worthy and interesting than the actual senseless blockbusters! Funnily, they can tell brilliantly in 43 minutes what the 120 minutes movie fail to entertain!

Last but not least, the cast: to put my feeling in paranormal term, i think it's because the three of us are Lions. David is from the 7th, Gilian the 9th and me, the 12th. In all cases, we are all a bit of calm with strong loud beliefs, hotly passionate with dry humor, mixing extraordinarily with some and almost close for others. So, i relate very well with this couple of loners and the sexual tension between them is the more elastic of any other show.

Now, the good question: how i discovered the show? It appears that this first season has been first aired on 1994 Sundays in France and i remember to have catch one by accident then, maybe "Tooms" or "Lazarus". It's sure that i couldn't see the end because i was with my parents then and the dinner was made for 19h! Later, I saw the first four episodes because i bought the VHS tape. Then, I know a lot of others as well ("Ice", "Darkness falls", NJ devil"). Did my brother tape them or were they a rerun, I can't remember! I'm pretty sure that this DVD session is the first time i see them all because some were totally unknown ("born again", "roland", "young at heart").

I pick this "gender bender" episode for this season just because i have always been disturbed by strange communities. One alien, one vampire, one werewolf are easy to confront but when it's the entire village that turn against you, there aren't no easy escape.

Gender Bender sexes things up a bit for the x-files. This episode has an interesting premise, a good story, but an ending that is wanting. Gender Bender is also the x-files debut for actor Nicholas Lea, better known as Alex Krycek. In this episode he plays Michael, a man attacked by one of "The Kindred". You need to see this episode just to see Nic Lea's less than spectacular beginning. An interesting thing about the Kindred's "power of seduction". When Marty does it to his victims, they become turned onto him/her. However, when Andrew seduces Scully, she only because disoriented and groggy, and does not become attracted to Andrew. Maybe it's because Marty has more experience at it than Andrew. This episode reminds me of why it would sometimes be miserable to film up in British Columbia. Throughout the episode it is so wet, soggy, and muddy, it could not have been that much fun. Despite the disappointing ending, Gender Bender is still a decent episode to view.

This episode from the first season slightly edges towards controversy with the whole gender bending angle.I imagine there would have been a significant amount of editing before this was finished to appease censors.

The story itself is original and well written and the directing is complemented by the fine acting.(Nicholas Lea makes his X-Files debut though not as Agent Krycek but as a victim called Michael) I especially enjoyed the built up to and the ending itself.

Its different but enjoyable.Ignore any bad reviews you may hear.Watch it for yourself and make judgement then

I was thrilled watching this show when it first aired and now am enjoying having all the episodes on DVD, but I'm noticing something that I guess didn't bother me before.

As has been generally noted, each episode has incredible production values and structure - enough for a full length movie and therein is where perhaps I am seeing the problem now. Everything is too rushed. Has to be to squeeze (pardon the pun) everything in in less than an hour.

For example in this episode, the banter between Mulder and Scully is quite rapid - first Mulder says something and Dana replies almost instantly. Would have been better (and more dramatic) if more time had been taking by each to reply. Also more realistic as it takes time to think through what someone else says and come up with a reply. Also this episode is over too quickly without having the time to more fully explore and expand all the details. We see the cult member "Marty" transform several times - how interesting it could have been if towards the end we saw him/her transform to his/her "real" form - also perhaps more of the sect leaving: glimpse of their craft or cut to a military base's radar operations in the area:

"Sir, I just notice an anomaly in sector 6." "Yes?" "Sir, object appeared on my screen at low altitude, then quickly shot up and out of range." "Identification?" "No sir, didn't match anything I'm familiar with and when it left, nothing I know of can move that fast."

Gender Bender' is much better episode than it gets credit for. Little different than regular X-File and the twist ending might seem far-fetched at first, but the build up is good and the episode has nice ominous atmosphere. Wonderfully haunting score helps to improve the atmospheric feel.

This episode also marks first appearance of Nicholas Lea, but not yet as agent Alex Krycek but as Michael, the victim of the gender bendering Marty.