Sunday, February 7, 2016

The X-Files: Like a Midlife Crisis, Only Better

Season 10 of The X-Files only has six episodes, which means we're halfway through now.  Here's what I've seen so far:

Episode 1: The crushing fear that occurs when you realize that everything you thought was true is false, and that you are completely out of control in a chaotic and terrifying world.


Episode 2: The regret and sorrow that can come from even the best decisions, as you grow and change and miss out on the road not taken.


Episode 3: The understanding that most of what we do with our lives is really very silly; juxtaposed against the light-hearted euphoria you experience when, every once in a while, you get your life's work validated.


Is it just me, or is this season about being an adult?

I didn't post about the second episode.  I had said everything I wanted to say about the anxiety I felt watching this conspiracy unfold, and I wasn't sure I could handle commenting on Mulder and Scully's regrets over their lost child.  I just braced myself and hit the play button on Episode 3, expecting more soul-wrenching revelations that would leave me completely unwilling to write about them.

But then!!!!  OH THE JOY!!!

It's a Were-Lizard!  (Or, rather, I suppose, a Were-human, as his natural state is that of the lizard.)  It's a restoration of faith!  A moment of clarity on an otherwise dark path!  An expression of camp unlike any I've ever seen!

 And, honestly, that's saying quite a bit.

It's charming, funny, and a lovely episode, while at the same time being a rather blatant indictment of the human existence.  It both fits within the greater theme of realization for this season and yet completely breaks the mold thus far of dark and painful drama.

It's almost enough to make the butterflies come to life again.

I'm a little scared to watch Episode 4.  I'm afraid it will take my half resurrected butterflies and grind them into pulp, or worse, turn them into some horrifying zombie butterflies that flutter eternally without joy.  Still, even the fear of Zombie Butterflies isn't enough to stop me now.  So I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens.


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