"So you're saying someone came in here, killed Keats, and then just did some work on an old Dr. Arthur Grable file?" – Fox Mulder.
Episode 23, 'Roland', original air date May 6th, 1994. Written by Chris Rupenthal and directed by David Nutter. Monster of the week episode count, 18. Viewed out of context from the preceding episodes, 'Roland' may be more enjoyable to watch. However, as it stands the main issue with this episode is that it feels like a re-hashing of ideas done more effectively in the past. Following on from 'Shadows', 'Lazarus' and 'Born Again', this is the fourth episode so far that has dealt with some form of reincarnation or revenge from beyond the grave. As such it's starting to feel stale and tedious, particularly since it follows directly on from the superior 'Born Again', which had essentially the premise at it's core. It seems odd that the producers allowed these two episodes to run back to back for this reason. Ruppenthal's script is weak and contains some bizarre character choices that don't seem in line with their established motivations. This episode's only saving grace is the performance by Zeljko Ivanek as Roland, an autistic man who displays savant like tendencies. Though some critics have argued that his portrayal was an inaccurate representation of autism, for the purposes of a fictional television series it's a memorable performance.
A group of scientists are working on a new design for a jet engine that will double super sonic speeds. One by one members of their team are being killed off by Roland, the autistic janitor, who seems to display a high level of ability in theoretical mathematics. Roland is murdering each member of the team and completing the unfinished work that they themselves have been struggling to do. Roland, however is not acting independently, he is being controlled by an unseen force which is revealed to the be his dead twin brother Arthur. Arthur, having died in a car accident several months ago has been cryogenically frozen so that he may be revived by future generations, though he is still able to enter his twin brothers consciousness and control his movement. One by one Arthur dispatches his colleagues and completes his life's work, feeling that they do not deserve the credit for his accomplishments.
I've often stated that when reviewing a series like 'The X-Files', one must inevitably be willing to suspend disbelief. Virtually every case Mulder and Scully investigate would be completely illogical and unrealistic beyond the fictions of television. Therefore the success of any one episode hinges not on it's basic premise but in the execution. The story must be presented in such a way so that we are able to accept the fantastic and embrace the reality of this fabricated world. If done correctly like in popular episodes, 'Squeeze' and 'Tooms', the audience will have no trouble accepting the story, for example that a century old creature who feeds on human liver can contort and stretch his body in order to squeeze through an air vent. However when the execution falls flat we disengage from the action and begin to question what we would have otherwise blindly accepted in previous shows. This is what's happening in an entry like 'Roland'. Since we're treading familiar waters here, it's going to take more than the novelty of this concept to hold our interest. Even Ivanek's noteworthy performance is simply not enough to anchor this weak story around.
Roland is receiving flashes of his imminent murders, visualising them inside his head before they happen. We can accept that Arthur is so passionate about his work that he would rather see his colleagues dead than take credit for his achievements. Though this is thinly developed and his rage does seem a little misplaced, nonetheless we go along for the ride. However when Roland experiences a flash showing him attacking Tracy (Kerry Sandomirsky), his close friend, we have to wonder what possible reason his twin brother could have for murdering her. This is completely inconsistent with his established motives and feels like it was thrown in for the sake of heightening the drama. Additionally, regardless of the fact that Arthur had a beard and glasses, it belies believability that his close friends and co-workers didn't notice even a slight resemblance between himself and the janitor he hired. Pushing further against the logic of the plot, we can also beg the question, why did Arthur seek to keep his brother's identity a secret? When he found him he could have simply embraced him as his twin brother, a plot hole that is left gaping by the writer.
As stated, if 'Roland' were not preceded by several episodes that revolved around very similar themes, it may have been more successful. Unfortunately thanks to an ill-timed placement both as the fourth episode to re-hash old ideas and the final MOTW entry for season 1, we can't help but impose a harsher critique due to heightened expectations.
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