David Duchovny fans would have been excited about the teaser for this episode because it looks like he's back at the X-Files, but we come to learn it's a bit of bait and switch. It's Mulder in a flashback from a few months earlier when he was investigating a case in Squamash Township, Pennsylvania. Even so, I thought it was highly complimentary for the opening credits to feature Duchovny back on top in deference to his prior seven seasons on the program. I thought that was an interesting touch.
So this episode features Agent Doggett in another team-up with Assistant Director Skinner (Mitch Pileggi), as Doggett pursues what's becoming a personal mission to find Mulder. Seeing Skinner very forcefully defending Mulder's reputation, and by association, Scully's as well, was one of the highlights of his often confrontational relationship with Doggett. But I had to laugh too, when Doggett conferred with The Lone Gunmen, and Frohike (Tom Braidwood) called him Agent Dogbird. That was a neat swipe at Doggett.
By the time the story proceeds toward a resolution, things get stood on their head with the identity and purpose of the Squamash Indian legend. The show gets just as bizarre as the 'Home' episode from Season Four, and one could almost call it a toss up when the Indian brute up-chucks all the vile disease he's 'consumed' from his victims. Good thing too, because otherwise Doggett would have been a goner with that shotgun blast to his back. Don't even ask how that's supposed to equate to the 'soul eater' removing diseases from one's body, I'm still thinking about 'Dogbird'.
So this episode features Agent Doggett in another team-up with Assistant Director Skinner (Mitch Pileggi), as Doggett pursues what's becoming a personal mission to find Mulder. Seeing Skinner very forcefully defending Mulder's reputation, and by association, Scully's as well, was one of the highlights of his often confrontational relationship with Doggett. But I had to laugh too, when Doggett conferred with The Lone Gunmen, and Frohike (Tom Braidwood) called him Agent Dogbird. That was a neat swipe at Doggett.
By the time the story proceeds toward a resolution, things get stood on their head with the identity and purpose of the Squamash Indian legend. The show gets just as bizarre as the 'Home' episode from Season Four, and one could almost call it a toss up when the Indian brute up-chucks all the vile disease he's 'consumed' from his victims. Good thing too, because otherwise Doggett would have been a goner with that shotgun blast to his back. Don't even ask how that's supposed to equate to the 'soul eater' removing diseases from one's body, I'm still thinking about 'Dogbird'.