The X-Files
10: My Struggle IV
(SPOILERS) The title is definitely what it’s been, this
four-part “epic” arc, easily taking its less than prestigious place as the
series’ worst such (which is saying something). As these things go, My Struggle IV is the best of the
quartet, by virtue, if you want to call it that, of it being a non-stop procession
of fireworks.
CSM: I promised you a global contagion, Mr
Skinner. I’m about to deliver on that promise.
Writer-director Chris Carter delivers in typical style,
which is to say he’s all over the place in plot and visual form, sometime
hitting his marks, more often veering wildly off target. Initiating proceedings
is one of his patented lumpen monologues courtesy of Jackson Bandicamp/William,
in which he attempts to make the events of Ghouli
fit his unlikely behavioural ab-norms (referencing the “stupid joke on these two girls”). Subsequently, we see the
deployment of a number of X-tropes, to varying effectiveness, such as Kirsch
threatening to close the X-Files (yawn) and Mulder not being Mulder (that’s
small potatoes, though, as it’s an obvious ploy but delivered reasonably effectively).
There’s a whole lot of killing here, as Mulder and Scully attempt
to track down William. Not least when Mulder gets trigger happy on a hangar
full of Mr Y’s goons, and Mr Y himself, and William going all Scanners (but with exploding body parts
as well as heads) in a motel room, with Erika Price written out before she’s
made her presence felt (bye, Babs). Such incidentals are quite entertaining.
Less so is the decision to dispose of Monica Reyes. Whatever your opinion of
her presence in the tail end of the original show, nothing justifies the
character’s appalling treatment in this return. Gish must be desperate for work
(except she’s not), as I can see no other reason she’d agree to such a wretchedly
under-served role.
William-Mulder: Would you shoot your own firstborn son?
CSM: I shot my own second born son once.
As for the other deaths… If only Carter would leave well
enough alone. For a moment, I hoped he might actually go with a downbeat exit for
Spender and Scully’s son, but of course, he can’t. And do I for a moment think
he’s going to leave CSM dead? He couldn’t before, so a handy bulletproof vest
ought to have done the trick (the proliferation of head shots in every death
but his is surely testament to his desire to keep his options open, however feeble
they may be). By the look of his floating away, he also possesses a pair of
inflatable trousers (Edit: I see it's been suggested to Carter that half the episode is all another of Scully's dreams, which would be enormously lazy on his part and therefore highly feasible.)
Mulder: For so long I believed. What am I now if I’m
not a father.
Scully: You are a father.
Oh yes, I nearly forgot. Another baby Mulder. Good grief.
That’ll put the kibosh on worrying about the aging thing. At least, if there’s
a Season 12, Scully will be off raising the sprog on her own. The thing is,
despite the many issues afflicting My
Struggle IV, it’s mostly passable as a sustained chase with lots of distracting
bloodshed. You just have to not concentrate on all the egregious continuity and
lazy attempts at manipulation. Season 11 then, has been cited by some as a
return to form, but the truth is, it’s as patchy as its predecessor, only with
a third as much again patchiness for good measure. It really is time to not
just infuse the show with fresh blood, but also pension off the old hands.
The Season Ranked:
2. Familiar
3. Rm9sbG93ZXJz (Followers)
4. Kitten
5. My Struggle IV
6. This
7. Ghouli
8. Plus One
10. My Struggle III
Agree? Disagree? Mildly or vehemently? Let me know in the comments below.
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