Written by Vince Gilligan
Directed by Rob Bowman
The first episode of the series to
air on Sunday night is also the first episode aired out of order (it was the
second episode of Season 4) Made to air after Millennium took its time
slot, it plays as one of the darker and
more unsettling episodes of the series. It also plays remarkably like one of
the more 'straight' X-Files and
highlights one of the more obvious discords.
For once, the element of the
supernatural seems almost incidental to the nature of the story. Indeed,
Mulder's obsessive nature over the finding these 'thoughtographs' seems almost
trivial in comparison with the hideousness of the crimes that are being
committed. It ends up making Mulder, for the first half of the story, someone
who is more obsessed with the paranormal then with the body count that is
piling up. Scully, by contrast, seems more repulsed by the nature of the crime
than in any episode since Irresistible (and that's not the only echo of that were going to have). The crimes do seem
to warrant it. The murders of these young women that the killer is trying to
'save' are some of the more unsettling ones we've seen the show do in awhile,
partly because they seem more monstrous in nature.
Throughout his career, writer Gilligan will demonstrate a remarkable
ability to make the inhuman seem human, making us see the man behind the
monster. Gerry Schnauz (named, as we will find out, in honor of a friend and
future colleague of Gilligan's) is made
out to be clearly disturbed, the victim of some kind of horrible abuse from his
father that led to his sister's suicide. Unable to deal with these horrors, his
personality has become so warped that it seems to have the power to do so to
photographs. Yet there is an element of humanity to Schnauz despite all this---
after all, there is the fact that he genuinely believes he's helping his
victims--- and in the final minutes of his interaction with Scully, he seems to
realize there is some element of the devil in him after all. In what will
become a recurring theme of Gilligan throughout his Season 4 scripts, the
monstrous elements of the man don't make him seem like less of a human being.
Full credit, too, should be given to veteran character actor Pruitt Taylor
Vince, early enough in a long and successful career to seem equal parts victim
and perpetrator.
In part because of Mulder's obsessive nature
involving these photographs, he looks a bit flakier than he normally does. It
therefore falls to Gillian Anderson to do the leg work. She figures out how the
killer chooses his victims and her instant leap when Mulder tells her about a
certain element in the photograph to connect with who the killer is spot on One therefore chafes a little to learn that,
yes, this is another episode where Scully gets abducted. (Admittedly, its the
first time in a year, but still, it's getting a little trite by now.) What
makes this abduction different than the others is that Scully actively takes a
part in trying to save herself, and trying to convince Schnauz of his madness.
(Unfortunately for her, it works a little too well) It's a startling scene that makes us realize
just how strong Scully is. What we don't understand is why Schnauz sees
'unrest' in her, anymore then the other victims. (Then again, perhaps as with Clyde
Bruckman a year ago, maybe he knows somehow what's coming for Scully.) At the end of the episode, when Scully is
like always writing the end of case notes, she seems more disgusted and
revolted than usual. (Anyone doubt me, just look at the end of last week's
episode and contrast) It's as if the horrors of the event have risen up through
her gorge more than usual.
Unruhe is not quite a perfect
episode. I'm still not sure how Mulder figured out where Schnauz was keeping
Scully, or what exactly the 'sixth finger' is supposed to represent. And
considering that the episode ends with no clearer reason as to why these women
were being tormented by 'the howlers' , seems to be a gulf that the series
should have tried to clear up. But by and large this episode is one of the
show's underrated gems. Like Oubilette last year, its difficult to watch and
difficult to like, but its one of the
series more restrained looks into the mouth of madness.
My score: 4.5 stars.
No comments:
Post a Comment