Nothing Lasts Forever

Well, this season was a mess.

Now, standing before the finale, all I can say is - please, end this. These characters and actors don't have to suffer any more.

This episode, although not the worst by this season standards, was still underwhelming at best. The story was just uninteresting. It was weird for the sake of being weird. Buffed with eerie laughs and tons of graphical gore for no good reason. You know your story sucks when you're not sure if its supposed to be funny or frightening.

Mulder and Scully get not that much screen time and even then they barely even move in this one. They do almost no actual investigating, but nobody really cares, even their colleagues. The episode moves itself when needed anyway. This also has a weird superhero revenge subplot and religious overtones handled so poorly it makes you cringe.

The ending dialogue hints on something important coming up in the last episode, yet I won't spoil it for you.

Final verdict - instantly forgettable.

This is another amazing episode in the great 11th season. The negative reviews are baffling to me.

This is creepy, funny and has one of the best scenes ever between Mulder and Scully at the end.

My only wish would have been a better opening episode to the season and we may have gotten a 12th one.

This one was rather uninteresting. The opening scene did promise a more interesting episode, but in the end all looked rather empty, disappointing and ... not so well connected.

The story about eternal youth and beauty intertwined with faith and you get pretty nothing.

Plus, I could not help but wonder if the episode was kind of a mockery towards Scully/Gillian and all her botox/surgeries or whatever she had to look younger.

6 from me.

Mulder and Scully investigate a bizarre series of organ thefts. Their case leads them to the home of the once-famous actress Barbara Beaumont, a woman who will go to any lengths to stay young.

I think it's an episode that's actually gotten better with time. I didn't particularly care for it when I first saw it, but I feel differently after watching it with fresh eyes.

Sure, it's quite a bleak story, with some rather gory moments, but it's perfectly conceived and so imaginative: people who will go to any lengths to stay young purely for the sake of vanity. Shades of the Human Centipede, I thought.

Fiona Vroom was great as Barbara Beaumont, perhaps the star of the show, a mix of amusing and menacing; I thought she was excellent. What were those words uttered right at the end? Only time will tell, I guess.

8/10.

"Nothing Lasts Forever," the ninth episode of the eleventh season of The X-Files, written by Karen Nielsen and directed by James Wong, delves into the dark underbelly of human desires and the lengths individuals will go to achieve eternal youth. This episode combines horror with social commentary, exploring themes of mortality, vanity, and the moral implications of organ theft.

The narrative begins with a gruesome scene in a makeshift operating theater where two surgeons harvest organs from a man, killing him in the process. The operation is interrupted by Juliet (played by Asta Paredes), who brutally dispatches the surgeons with metal spikes. She then delivers the harvested organs to a hospital with a cryptic message: "I will repay." This shocking opening sets the tone for an episode steeped in macabre rituals and dark humor.

As Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) investigate the case, they uncover a cult led by former television star Barbara Beaumont (played by Annabelle Attanasio) and her partner Randolph Luvenis (played by Michael McKean). This cult engages in horrific practices to maintain their youth, consuming human organs to stave off aging. The agents navigate through a web of deception as they learn about Beaumont's obsession with beauty and immortality. The investigation leads them to confront not only the cult's sinister practices but also their own beliefs about life and death.

James Wong's direction effectively captures the eerie atmosphere of the episode, utilizing dim lighting and unsettling imagery to enhance the horror elements. The pacing is well-structured, allowing tension to build as Mulder and Scully uncover the cult's secrets. The cinematography is striking, with close-ups that emphasize the grotesque nature of the rituals and wide shots that convey the isolation of the cult's lair.

Duchovny and Anderson deliver strong performances, embodying their characters' contrasting approaches to the investigation. Mulder's fascination with the supernatural clashes with Scully's scientific skepticism, creating a dynamic that feels both familiar and fresh. The guest performances are noteworthy as well; Paredes brings depth to Juliet, portraying her as both a victim and a vigilante. Beaumont's character serves as a chilling representation of society's obsession with youth and beauty.

Thematically, "Nothing Lasts Forever" raises important questions about mortality and societal values. It critiques the lengths to which individuals will go to achieve eternal youth, reflecting contemporary anxieties about aging and beauty standards. The episode also explores themes of sacrifice-both in terms of personal relationships and moral choices-as characters grapple with what they are willing to give up for their desires.

"Nothing Lasts Forever" stands out as a compelling episode that successfully blends horror with social commentary on vanity and mortality. Its exploration of dark themes resonates deeply in today's culture, making it relevant and thought-provoking. While it may not break new ground within The X-Files mythology, it offers a solid narrative that captivates viewers with its chilling atmosphere and emotional depth. Ultimately, this episode reinforces why The X-Files continues to be a significant cultural touchstone, inviting audiences to reflect on their own values regarding life, death, and everything in between.