Arcadia

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PLOT: Mulder and Scully go undercover as a married couple in a quaint neighborhood community called "Arcadia" where people have been disappearing without a trace.

At first glance, this episode could have gone in a few different directions than what was shown. It is the first time our duo has gone undercover, so how they act in front of other people as a married couple already brings up humor as an element. That was not a surprise. We know right away that it is an X-File because of the initial teaser. However, the episode took longer than expected to fully explain the events before the hour was up. It was like eating a bowl of cereal that is sweet and tasty but only ends up ruining your teeth and making you more hungry in an hour.

That is not to say that the episode was not enjoyable. "The X-Files" has always been story-driven but still maintained a balance between the stories and the lead characters. When it is well conceived, the show excels in both areas. In those rare times the show suffers (watch "El Mundo Gira"), channel surfing seems more interesting. "Arcadia" was a typical "monster-of-the-week" episode with the interesting twist of Mulder and Scully playing a married couple. Even though the plot appears simple enough, it seemed like it took forever to fully explain what this monster is and why it was driven to "remove" people from the neighborhood for having something as mundane as a wooden windmill on a front lawn.

The episode harks back to first season episodes where they were all stand-alone installments that never connected to any of the other episodes of the season. It stayed true to the classic X-Files implied horror so that your imagination filled in the blanks. The people's behavior in the neighborhood reminds one of a cult-like attitude. There is an underlying secret holding them together, yet still maintaining that "good neighbor" facade to people outside of that secret. It is weird to think that there are many people willing to sacrifice their individuality just so they can live in a utopian environment.

The interaction between Mulder and Scully was definitely the most watchable thing about this episode. Their chemistry always saves the show from even mediocre episodes like this one. It was humorous to see Mulder enjoying Scully squirm when he became all "lovey-dovey" to her around the other neighbors. For a woman who was curious to see what a domesticated Mulder is like, Scully did not particularly enjoy this assignment. She became too business-like and involved in the case for Mulder to fully enjoy teasing her. The scene where they are in the bedroom and Scully comes out of the bathroom with the green mask on her face is absolutely *priceless*!

"Arcadia" is enjoyable for what it is, a stand-alone "monster-of-the-week" episode with an interesting twist in the Mulder/Scully relationship. If you are looking for something else, this episode will disappoint you.

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