Founder's Mutation

The season 10 continues with "Founder Mutation". After dedicating mostly of the great premiere "My Struggle" in getting the band back together, now the X-Files are open again we can get back to the classic "monster-of-the-week" format and this one here works just like the good old days.

"Founder Mutation" wouldn't be out of place in the first three seasons of X-Files. It's weird, dark and very, very violent. Possibly the most graphic violent X-File since "Chinga" in Season 5.

It brings successfully back many elements of the early years of the show - the characters Mulder and Scully met in the case are lonely, damaged, outsider people; there are flashlight investigation moments; there are autopsyes; a crime happening in an office; scary hospitals, mutants. All done with a modern tone, touching on current subjects, adjusting itself to 2016 without any issue.

David and Gillian are again the best thing here. Their chemistry is unbelievable. You can never go wrong with Mulder and Scully and are truly heart-breaking moments in the episode.

It's only getting better

I'll echo the consensus here that this episode was better than Chris Carter's first episode. Sure, it's not any more original. Where "My Struggle" was largely an inferior redo of season 5's "Patient X", "Founder's Mutation" redoes season 2's "Red Museum".

I'm not ready to count this as a purely MOTW episode. Like "Red Museum", it does seem at least partially connected to the mythology, though the events of "Red Museum" never really panned out, so maybe both of these are standalone episodes merely containing elements from the mythology. Either way, it's a fast and fun episode.

This really does a better job of showing the emotional states of Mulder and Scully than "My Struggle" did. William is mentioned prominently, which perhaps could be setting up his return to the mythology. I thought from the beginning that the best direction for the series now would be to feature William forming a resistance against the alien invaders, so perhaps Chris Carter will redeem himself after the ridiculous new direction of "My Struggle".

Hopefully, the third episode will move past these two "best hits" episodes and do something original.

"Founder's Mutation," the second episode of the tenth season of The X-Files, written and directed by James Wong, marks a return to the series' roots with a compelling blend of horror, science fiction, and emotional depth. This episode serves as a "monster of the week" story while also subtly weaving in elements of the overarching mythology, particularly concerning the themes of parenthood and the consequences of scientific experimentation.

The narrative begins with a shocking scene: Dr. Sanjay (Anupam Kher), a geneticist, is driven to madness by the high-pitched screams of his test subjects, leading him to a gruesome end. This sets the stage for Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) as they investigate a series of mysterious occurrences linked to Dr. Sanjay's research on children with extraordinary abilities. The case leads them to a woman named Jacqueline Goldman (Rebecca Wisocky), who has undergone horrific experiments related to her pregnancy and is connected to a sinister figure named Augustus Goldman (Chris McDonald), who has been manipulating genetic anomalies for his own gain. As Mulder and Scully dig deeper, they confront not only the implications of these experiments but also their own unresolved feelings about parenthood, particularly regarding their son, William.

Visually, "Founder's Mutation" employs a striking aesthetic that enhances its emotional and suspenseful moments. The cinematography captures both the sterile environments of laboratories and the more intimate settings where personal struggles unfold. Wong's direction effectively balances tension with moments of introspection, allowing viewers to connect with the characters on a deeper level. The editing maintains a brisk pace, ensuring that the plot remains engaging while allowing for emotional beats that resonate throughout the episode.

The performances in this episode are noteworthy, particularly David Duchovny's portrayal of Mulder as he grapples with his past and present fears regarding William. Gillian Anderson shines as Scully, bringing her characteristic blend of skepticism and compassion to the forefront. Anupam Kher delivers a haunting performance as Dr. Sanjay, effectively conveying his descent into madness. The supporting cast, including Rebecca Wisocky as Jacqueline Goldman, adds depth to the narrative, showcasing the human cost of scientific ambition.

Thematically, "Founder's Mutation" explores complex issues surrounding genetic manipulation and the ethical dilemmas posed by scientific advancements. The episode raises questions about the lengths individuals will go to in pursuit of knowledge and power, as well as the impact of such choices on innocent lives. The juxtaposition of Mulder and Scully's investigative work with their personal struggles regarding parenthood creates an emotional undercurrent that elevates the narrative beyond a simple monster-of-the-week format.

"Founder's Mutation" stands out as a strong entry in The X-Files revival, successfully blending horror elements with poignant character development. While it may not fully resolve all lingering questions from previous seasons, it effectively captures the essence of what made the series beloved by fans-its exploration of complex themes through engaging storytelling and rich character dynamics. Ultimately, this episode invites viewers to reflect on the implications of scientific progress and the importance of human connection in navigating an increasingly complex world.

It is evident now that Chris Carter really needed Morgan/Wong to pull this off. I respected "John Gilnitz" (John Shiban, Vince Gilligan and Frank Spotnitz) - But sometimes they just seemed to get bogged down. They did occasionally produce some outstanding episodes of The Original X-Files Series. Or actually of this series, as I don't consider the 14 year hiatus. Morgan and Wong (And of course Darin Morgan) had an extreme creative streak that always benefited any show they worked on, and I think they are as intrinsically attached to The X-Files as Carter himself.

At first I thought this was related to Mulder's experience in "Biogenesis" (1999-S6E22) when he came into contact with a piece of metal from an Alien Spaceship that happened to have a verse from Genesis carved into it. What happens here to Dr Sanjay (Christopher Logan) is almost exactly like what happened to Mulder. And then Mulder has it happen, but no piece of Metal. Something else is going on.

People who had written other reviews for S10E01 were worrying that our beloved Mythos had been Deconstructed. Well, fear no more, many of the facets of Mulder and Skully's previous experiences are referred to and reflected, and even repeated, especially experiences with the De0partment of Defense, locking down their investigations.

Darin Morgan had used the name "Gupta" (IE, Juggernaught Onan Goopta) in the excellent MillenniuM Season 2 episode "Jose Chung's Doomday Defense", Wong uses it here, maybe this is a private joke between them- Too Bad Jose Chung would not be able to appear in any of these episodes, as he was killed off in that MillenniuM episode! Heh. But small details like this, that can erupt from just the mention of one character's name, are what makes this new collaboration between Carter and Morgan/Wong great.

Now, to the details, of course it is all a Macguffin, Mulder is being played, he does not know by who. We are brought through hospital wards filled with extremely deformed children. And we hear the stories of some of them in the course of this X-File. Some of this relates directly to Skully's abduction. I don't think she has ever forgotten Emily, her possible daughter from her abduction, and I'm sure she has not ever forgotten her son William. In fact both Skully and Mulder seem to have flashbacks of how life would have been with William, but it always ends the same way with both of them, William is himself abducted at the end of these visions, in much the same way Samantha Mulder was.

So I don't think Carter has re-written the Mythos one bit, not one iota. In fact, I think this short series gives him the opportunity to answer some of these questions, for us. And maybe even ask some new ones.

Some people might be shocked by some of the graphic scenes in this episode, but what's the problem, don't you watch Walking Dead? And that show is run by "John Gilnitz" even. Enjoy the uniqueness of each of these humble offerings, and some of the earlier X-Files seasons were just as graphic, it's just the state of realism is much better in Season 10. And of course, Mulder is appearing to be much smarter than he had been previously, this time making sure that there are "traces" of the X-Files saved.

After the somewhat lacking first episode, this was a lot better. I watched the two first episodes back to back, so I was expecting episode two to continue from where the episode one left, but it didn't. It took me a while to figure out that this was actually one of the "monster of the week" episodes and in that matter it took quite a jump from the episode one. In my opinion the jump was a bit of a stretch. In episode one they are pretty much detached from the days of x-files at FBI, but in this episode they are almost like nothing had ever happened in between. So watching this as a part of season 10 is not as rewarding as watching it as a stand alone MOTW episode.

Having said that, the script does fill out Mulder's and Scully's story quite a lot. At least from my point of view, I'm not as familiar with the seasons 7-9 as I am with the earlier seasons. All in all very very enjoyable episode, but worth noting that the main plot is not (necessarily) connected to the mythology at all. I got a bit distracted before I figured it out.

This could become one of the classic x-files episodes. The production values were good. The episode was somewhat gory, but it's kind of "90s gory", not too real looking.