Chimera

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PLOT: Mulder is thrown into an X-File while Scully has a boring stakeout.

I have to say that this was not a favorite. We get another monster episode, but where exactly was the scare factor? For the most part, there was enough interest in the plot and the always enjoyable interaction between Mulder and Scully as little of it as there was. This episode had potential. Instead, there did not seem to be any kind of plausible reason that some entity would come about from someone's split personality. In other words, some of the extraneous plot points were a rehash of "Jersey Devil" and "Aubrey." Maybe if we were actually able to *see* the "she-monster" rather than just quick cuts and millisecond reflections, then the scare factor may have made this episode much more memorable.

In essence, I didn't really understand the teaser or the ravens introduced into it. Other than the typically snobbish wives of an upper middle-class neighborhood who easily show their penchant for class differences, it was a bore. Any problems that Martha had seem so insignificant to most people. Her concern for her daughter did not appear that important to her, and she seemed to be more irritated with the inconvenience and that her husband was out of town than what happened to her daughter. By the time the mirror broke, I actually felt no sympathy for her.

As for our FBI duo, it's not very often that they are on a stakeout. Considering that the majority of their cases are far from such mundane assignments, it was actually refreshing and also a clever way to make it Scully-lite so that Gillian can finish with her own episode. I don't think I've ever seen Scully more disgusted with her assignment since Season 3's "Syzygy." In one respect, the obvious correlation with the seedy side of life and the sharp contrast of middle-class suburban existence was somewhat clever. Knowing what Mulder just left and witnessing his obvious discomfort in a well-kept household further attests to Mulder not being ready to "settle down" to such a life. He felt totally at home in the seedy neighborhood, while Scully wanted to burn the very clothes she was wearing to further forget the current state of agony. More on that later.

If a man was having an affair, would it be wise to wear a very conspicuous sheriff's uniform to a seedy hotel? Unless he had his lights on and a few deputies accompany him, I would clearly think it looked suspicious. Unlocking one of the rooms with a key doesn't help either. There is some kind of message there concerning the danger of the nuclear family. The point wasn't well made considering that other than Ellen's obvious split-personality, which was *directly* caused by her husband's infidelity, I honestly didn't see anything wrong with her. She was attractive, a caring mother and loving, loyal wife. Oh yes, every man should be running as *far* away from that kind of ideal as possible.

As clever a plot point of having Scully stay on the stakeout, wouldn't Skinner at least assign someone else to help? It's difficult to believe that she was sitting in that room the entire time with no relief whatsoever. That was kind of a glaring plot hole. Though the bright points of the episode were the fun cell phone chats between Scully and Mulder. Let's face it. They can't stand being away from each other though Scully did all the calling from the episode's standpoint. I don't think I've seen Scully complain so openly about a case as she did here. Her comment about "drunken frat boys peeing and vomiting into the gutter" had to be the funniest line she has spoken this season. If she only knew how Mulder was being pampered by Ellen, she would definitely kill him.

It's curious how Ellen almost doted on Mulder. There was some kind of attraction to Mulder, but possibly more to the fact that there was a *man* to take care of since Mulder is about as domesticated as a rattlesnake. It was actually kind of endearing, particularly since Mulder showed obvious discomfort from all the attention he was getting. He only seems lost in suburbia. I also found it amusing that his remark about "not in the widely understood meaning of that term" regarding if he had a significant other certainly had some resonance. Scully is as close to a "significant other" as he has, but even he knows that their relationship is far more complex than a common term that most people would understand. At the very least, he did not say "no."

As for the monster aspect, it could have been fleshed out more. The raven connection may have been a coincidence and very misleading in regards to the real threat in the episode. Mulder states that ravens are companions of evil according to folklore. Other than their gnawing of Martha's corpse in a flowerbed, they did not do anything to warrant evil intentions. That had to be the most confusing part of the episode as well as the fact that the monster and Ellen were one and the same. The mirrors exploding was rather vague and kind of a weak afterthought to ensuring that she didn't drown Mulder in the end. Water doesn't "explode." So, of course, the monster lets Mulder go rather than face up to her own literal ugly side. That seemed too easy an out for both Mulder and the writer, David Amann.

One aspect of ending the main conspiracy on the series is an overabundance of these MOTW episodes. "Chimera" was not even that original in that respect as it took obvious elements from "Jersey Devil" and "Aubrey." There was only a tiny hint regarding the relationship of Mulder and Scully. If this is to be the final season, why not explore that further rather than trying to cram everything into one or two last episodes? The Bravo Channel has been showing the classic "Moonlighting" series, and I saw the series finale for the *first* time, and I must say that it was very sad. David and Maddie tried to end the series with running to a priest to try to get married. When that didn't happen, they just showed scenes of classic episodes. Though "The X-Files" may have that creative outlet of motion pictures after the series ends, I would hate to see it with that kind of ending like some kind of last hurrah. The show and the fans certainly deserve better than that.

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