Sein Und Zeit - I rate it a 9 out of 10. -- X-PHILES WORLD-Season 8 Discussion

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Date Posted: 07:05:55 02/09/00 Wed
Author: c_shantal
Subject: Sein Und Zeit - I rate it a 9 out of 10.

I haven't read but a few of all these wonderful posts on this episode. There's just so many! So I'm sorry if I repeat what others have already said.

Sein Und Zeit.I still don't know exactly how the title fits the episode. But somehow I don't really mind. This is one of the most emotionally moving episodes I can remember for a long time. Many words come to mind: astonishing, chilling, shocking, creepy, even queasy. But I think "stunned" works the best for me. From the opening teaser, which by the way I haven't a clue as to where CC and FS are going with THAT!, to the end scene of all the little mounds, those little graves and we KNOW what's in them, I sat and watched this episode in stunned silence. 'Cept for my own sniffing and honking from time to time.

I thoroughly enjoyed the "Paper Hearts" feeling to this episode. I don't care it will be compared with PH for all eternity. Other than presenting yet another alternative scenario of Sam's disappearance and Mulder's willingness to believe the possibility, I don't think there's that much to compare. Maybe by now it's almost inevitable that we will find similarities to other episodes. SUZ also gave nods to Red Museum and Oubliette, and I thought the Santa Claus dude reminded me of Unruhe guy, too. And of course, Mulder grasping at Scully's back in his breakdown scene was reminiscent of her own such scene from Milagro. In the scene where we first see SCdude with his monitors I even thought for an instant CC was going to "pay homage" to the movie "Kiss the Girls", with Ashley Judd. Anyone see THAT chiller?

The creepy insertion of Jon Benet Ramsey's photo
and the real-life political coverage playing in the background on the TV certainly added a touch of deja vu or realism to the story, as did the storyline of the parents involvement. Can CC & Co be sued for using that photo and the implications?

So did Teena Mulder off herself or not? The teaser for next week suggested Scully has found something that might prove she did not. But what? Why is she back at Mrs. Mulder's residence? Anyhoo, stunning scene #1 was witnessing Mrs. Mulder burn her family - all that she had left of them - photos. I'm confused and astonished she calls Mulder on the job, on location, because she "thinks" he may be on that case. I think I'm smelling something rotten in Denmark - er um, a certain "conspiracy bouquet" right about here.

Seldom have we seen Mulder's emotions this raw, this "on edge". Stunning scene #2 is Mulder in his mother's home after her death. In the same hurt voice he used when Scully told him of her cancer he can't finish his sentences, mumbling on about the missing photos. His complete immersion into denial of the facts and his fabrication of an alternate scenario and connection with the little girl's disappearance leaves me astonished, and my breath caught in my throat. So sad.

Observe stunning scene #3. Mulder's apartment and his grief. I'm eating jelly beans as I watch (and yes, I know better than to eat while watching the XFiles, 'cause sometimes just that scrumptous agent himself can take my breath away which could cause me to choke ;-) and I was getting ready to pop a purple one in my mouth when we see Mulder listening to the recorder and Scully comes to the door, and oooooh I'm ahead of him, purple jelly bean forgotten - I'm already crying and sob right along with him. I have no idea where the purple jelly bean went. DD's wonderful (?) interpretation of Mulder's release, and realization of the cold fact of his Mother's suicide just got me right here. . sniff

Mulder's grasping at straws - believe this idea, no, this idea! - his pure desperation to believe *anything* for closure to Sam's disappearance rates all those instances as stunning scenes #4. We've seen this before, but never with this reckless intensity. Revisiting the nut- they live in the starlight- bag in prison and even listening to her theory while immersed in his own grief, arrrghhh - no Mulder don't go in the cellar, I'm yelling! Chilling and scary. Effectively and intensly acted by DD we have Mulder once again approaching the abyss - only THIS time overwhelmed and confused by all the events and emotions he pulls back, and turns around, trying to disassociate himself and in a breaking voice he asks Skinner for TIME OFF! Shocking and stunning scene #5.

And I don't know why I found it surprising but I did, that Mulder tells Skinner that little Amber is not still alive if her mother really saw her spirit. Astonishing, even. Through all the inner turmoil he is experiencing he still is able to rationalize that one, single fact. To him, anyway, his own "Spooky" rationalizing.

Scully is great in this episode too. Her scenes were simply too small, and overpowered by DD's larger angst Mulder scenes: they were just that powerful. But she does display compassion and empathy and stays true to her logic and truthfulness with Mulder. I thought she was going to be too stiff and too "harsh" with him at first, but GA pulled this off without returning to the cold Scully from last season. However, it would have been interesting to see how Vince Gilligan would have written her scenes. One small problem, though. Why was she so hostile to Skinner? Or at least she seemed to me to be.

I'm not trying to alienate you Skinner lovers; I like him too, but what was he even doing in California with them? Seemed strange to me.

One other word, ghastly, along with queasy (as how my stomach lurched) describes the closing scene of the little graves. You could almost smell the stench through the tv..

So, what are we to make of the identical letters written 10 years apart? What was it called, psychic writing?? Mulder says some of the tapes date to the "60's. I don't think VCR's, video cameras and video tapes were available in the "60's though. A scripting mistake, or what? SCdude seemed too young to me to have been doing that since the 1960's - perhaps he is a protege? Gads, even more chills. Walk-ins? Old souls looking for new homes? Is this a "good" thing? Or evil? The parents involvement? The inexplicable opening teaser? Next weeks' teaser that looks like a seperate stand alone episode, although connected to this one?? No, I don't think Sam will be found in those graves, either.

sigh - To be continued..indeed. If you've read this far, thanks. Please feel free to poke holes in all my theories.

:-) Chantal
"Why would she do this?"

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Replies:

Chilling and complex -- detoured, 10:38:12 02/09/00 Wed
- Re: Chilling and complex -- c_shantal, 20:38:54 02/09/00 Wed