War of the Coprophages

One of the funniest episodes ever, very snide and very funny in a Family Guy (small, unnecessary, but hilarious details) kind of way. and at the same time one of the most gross. The toilet scene is funny as the cockroaches appear to be stealing the toilet paper before the attack. Then watch the scene in the store very carefully. While everyone else panics and grabs survival essentials, there is a sailor who is only grabbing chocolate bars and women's tights, as per the gifts they gave to women in Europe during the Second World War. Scully and Bambi's face off is spot on, too. The aftermath of the methane explosion is predictable, but still funny.

i love how scully seems almost bored with the going ons and has an offhand explanation for each death, but as soon as dr. bambi enters the picture she is raring to go (she gets dressed mighty quickly).

loved the phone conversations. mulder is unusually accepting of scully's more down to earth theories abut the mysterious deaths.

the mass panic is hilarious (how great is the 'die bug die' insect spray?!) and a nice foil to second season episode 'f. emasculata'. so *this* is what would have happened if they hadn't kept the outbreak secret.

love gillian anderson's very real reaction to the (non scripted and unplanned) mini car crash in front of the convenient store just as she enters it. and her facial expression when the guy bumps in her. did anybody else flash back to the cricket eating scene in 'humbug' when she casually pops one of the spilled sweets people mistook for roaches int her mouth? great script - absolutely absurd and hilarious but not lacking content and quite thought provoking at times.

as usual excellent direction by the late great kim manners a.k.a. the roach-whisperer.

10/10

With Clyde Bruckmann, this is the goofiest, funnest, most inventive storytelling in the show.

It takes a new and unusual approach like this to illustrate what an absurdly narrow experience it has all been so far. By this point, we've had about 45 hours of the same thing: our pair enter a sci-fi movie, have a few strange encounters and leave with some generally unambiguous glimpse of more cosmic machinations. Then we cleanly start anew in the next one swapping say the werewolf with a telepathic killer or mysterious virus, except of course in the sporadic myth arch which features a different set of laws.

Adolescently conceived and targeted, we have precious little about the overall world, the time and urges of these people outside a case, because apparently that would be boring whereas sewage monsters and vampire cults 'thrill'. Put that aside a second and imagine: Mulder and Scully come and go daily from their office, and the only person that we know is onedimensional Skipper doing the same disapproving frown.

Anyway, this isn't great but it registers because it bends the norm. Every story element is memorable, that's for sure. The overall thrust is silly, deliberately so: killer roaches. This branches off in several directions, all skewering the sexlessness, seriousness, and paranoia of previous stuff.

The house with 'flowing' walls and sexy (almost a bimbo) entomologist in shorts who Mulder hits on. The suspicion of a secret government experiment shrugged off for practical reasons. The on and off talks with Scully on the phone. The sense of a weary acceptance in Mulder as he runs from one incredulous death to the other. The sedentary crippled scientist and his robots. Scully finally entering the case to find a small town gripped in mass hysteria. The roaches tied (of course!) to alien space travel. It ends with our pair covered in dung and Mulder telling Scully that she smells.

Oh boy, this was good.

I really don't like insects, I have a real phobia of large insects, so for me, this episode is up there with Emasculata, this really did gross me out.

Imagine Midnight Express with a sci fi twist...

It's almost funny at parts, you have Scully constantly being cut off, and almost.travelling, and of course you have Bambi, and her heaving bosom. The first meeting between her and Mulder is very funny.

The term Katsaridaphobia may not be on the tip of everyone's tongues, but it's a rational, common fear of the little critters, it applies here.

The writing is great, the direction is terrific, I love the interplay between Mulder and Scully, both are at their very best.

'This is not place for an entomologist,' such a great line.

This was great, 9/10.

I am going back and watching all the seasons before the new movie comes out and I must say that in the first three seasons this episode stands out like no other. It's a throwback to old science fiction movies and the playful banter between Scully and Mulder is reminiscent of early season one. This episode was funny and a nice depart from the myth/arc episodes and the MOTW episodes. I always love the dynamic between Mulder and Scully and it's really showcased here. It's meant to be a light-hearted venture rather than the serious intense episodes of late or even some of the weaker MOTW episodes. Kick back and relax. I give it 10/10 for being a much welcomed surprise.