3 of a Kind

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PLOT: The Lone Gunmen are in Las Vegas to infiltrate a convention for defense contractors when they run into a woman from their past and trick Scully into helping them.

After their own central episode in Season 5's "Unusual Suspects," many fans wanted to see more of the hapless trio, The Lone Gunmen (TLG), and their misadventures. They are arguably the most popular recurring characters of the show. I remembered how everyone in the theater clapped during their cameo appearance in the feature film. So Chris Carter and gang granted their fans' wish with what is essentially a followup to "Suspects."

From the very first episode ("E.B.E.") that TLG has appeared in, they have grown immensely from their "conspiracy geek" caricatures that they originally displayed. Their expertise in computers, new technology and ability to gather information outside of the FBI mainstream has made them invaluable to Mulder's and Scully's quest for the truth. They may not appear for very long in a particular episode, but their presence is always memorable. Not to mention that there is normally a 95% chance that they will appear in ANY mythology episode.

TLG's very existence as told in "Unusual Suspects" came about because of Susanne Modeski. So it was nice that this second TLG-centered episode would include their inspirational founder. And after 10 years, Byers still has a "thing" for Ms. Modeski. After all, she is a beautiful and smart woman who happens to be a scientist, has short straight hair, shows little outward emotion, and has a penchant for solid colored business suits. Mmmmmmm....sounds very familiar, doesn't it?

The opening teaser was an unusual one, since it is a voiceover by a character OTHER than Mulder or Scully. As Byers describes a recurring dream, his deepest longings are revealed not only for an ideal family, with Susanne as his wife, but also for an ideal America, a country that is "youthful in energy" and "innocent." JFK was never assasinated in his dream, and everyone literally lived the American success story. It seems bittersweet, because it is as personal as one's own inner thoughts and desires. However, it always ends sadly, because Byers is left out in the middle of emptiness: the desert. For a beginning, it was a very touching insight into the psyche of TLG's leader.

Thus, we find that the trio are in Las Vegas not for the shows or atmosphere, but to try to infiltrate a convention for defense contractors. Apparently, TLG are not the only "conspiracy geeks" to be attracted to the convention. Ironically, they are made fun of by their fellow peers very similar to how Mulder is ridiculed by his fellow agents. Comparing the trio to the other "geeks," they almost look normal. I especially laughed at Langley's reference to "I'm with Stupid" T-shirts. However, if those geeks want to be taken seriously for their theories, why perpetuate the "Revenge of the Nerds" look?

Of course, Byers has an underlying reason as to why he encourages TLG to attend these type of conventions. It was also a convention 10 years earlier that they had met Susanne Modeski, and Byers has been looking for her ever since. Only Frohike is aware of this, and very much feels for Byers. As fate would have it, they do find her. Yet, she is with another man. A fact that bothers Byers to the point of surmising that she was brainwashed much to Langley's and Frohike's amusement.

At this point, Byers feels the need to contact Scully and have her go to Las Vegas to help them out. Why? The only reason I can see was that it was Gillian's turn to co-star with TLG, since David did it in Season 5. She really had no purpose to be involved. Yet, I liked how they had tricked her with a machine that mimicked Mulder's voice, but also how Scully fully trusts Mulder enough to traipse across the country at all hours of the night with very little information. It was the closest thing to a Mulder/Scully moment without Mulder being there.

After Scully was drugged, she said the *funniest* line in the episode:

"My medical opinion...BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP (CLAP!)"

And the look on Frohike's face upon seeing a *very* uninhibited Scully exhude such flirtatious behavior in front of a bevy of men was one of the funniest moments of the season. I wouldn't doubt that there was some small part of him that dreamed of such a moment, but seeing it made him disgusted. The tiny cameo by our old "Dreamland" MIB, Morris Fletcher, was a nice touch. Though neither of them would have no recollection of their earlier experience, there was definitely some flirtation happening.

Vince Gilligan wrote the original "Suspects" and again pens this episode with the help of John Shiban. If there was going to be an episode with no real Mulder/Scully interaction, this one fills in quite adequately. Gilligan's reputation for adding multi-dimensions to many of the two-dimensional characters on "The X-Files" is in full evidence here, as Langley, Frohike and, especially, Byers show so much more complexity and depth than their normal 5-minute cameo appearances. Glen Wong and James Morgan may have created The Lone Gunmen, but Gilligan shows that he owns them.

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