Grotesque

At the very beginning, when they first get assigned to the case, Mulder clearly hasn't shaved in a while. What's going on with him? Does he get drawn to the edge by this case because he's already in an emotional state? I'm not complaining, mind you. I love scruffy Mulder.

From the teaser to the end scene, I love how this Gargoyle overlooks the action.

Is it a metaphor for the Devil, or the madness, waiting to penetrate into somebody's mind ? Or, just a an aloof ugly God staring at the insanity of men ?

Scully enters Mulder's apartment looking for him (she has her own key!) and finds these disturbing images everywhere. This is when Scully starts to realize how deeply the case is affecting Mulder. It's a very powerful moment, and so powerfully directed by Kim Manners.

The scene between Skinner and Scully is very poignant. The actors are amazing. Gillian Anderson masters to deliver in few words and seconds all the mixed feelings Scully has. Mitch Pileggi is perfect saying these 3 simple -but so meaningful- words "So am I", not even looking at Scully. Unspoken relationship, here.

Scully got knocked down by Patterson, but before he chases after the suspect Mulder stops to help her up.

Mulder is so nice with Scully when showing the case. First, classic slides and comments. Second, Scully has to discover by herself the wound patterns in the file. Third, the final blast, the slide showing the wounds.

What a sense of suspense and surprise, Mulder ! He could have written a book: how to seduce scientific women with slides.

There aren't a lot of funny moments in this episode, but for some reason I got a chuckle out of Patterson telling Mulder-stories after a couple of beers.

It's not a funny episode !! But, there's one thing I find funny, whereas it's not for Scully: it's when the creepy cat jumps off the wall.

Yeah, Scully, beware of the creepy cats: very soon, they will attack you !

We learn that Mulder's fingerprints are on the knife Scully found at the crime scene, which she believes is the murder weapon. This makes her, and us, wonder just how far gone Mulder is. What has he done? And can she save him from himself?

Even if I know perfectly well the story, I 'm still like Scully, worrying about Mulder and wondering what truly happens to him. Is he on the edge of insanity ? How far is he diving into madness ? I like the ambiguity of the script.

For fun, amongst the darkness: Mulder is making pottery ? Maybe, he has seen the movie Ghost, and he fantasizes a sensual scene with Scully.

I don't know if this is a typical American conversation, but I know I've had it with my husband more than once. Why does he have a phone if he's going to keep it turned off? Why?

How thrilled I am hearing Mulder saying "Gargouille" with a lovely american accent !

Mulder, come to me and whisper in my ears some medieval stories and french words about dragons prowling rivers. I have one in my town, named "Graouilly". Say its name to me.

"If you wanted to catch a monster you had to become one yourself." Mulder explains Patterson's investigative method to Scully, and why he couldn't keep working for Patterson. This is nice foreshadowing to the resolution of the episode.

Okay, it's a quote in 3 sentences, coming from two scenes.

In short: "And we are left alone, staring into the laughing face of the madness."

It's really the bone and soul of the episode. Very frightening...

Mulder is questioning his own sanity. He's not sure what he's done, and he's afraid he has become the monster. But in a moment of clarity he realizes it's Patterson. He's genuinely saddened by this realization, but he won't let the killer go free.

Hard to choose a best Mulder moment !

So, I'll keep the beginning of his complete fall into the case. I adore watching Mulder in the empty library, doing researches in lot of books. Mulder is a great investigator, great cultured man, always wanting to improve his knowledge (okay, Scully is alike, of course).

Mmmmh: smart is sexy ! Do you imagine seeing him in your favorite library ? (Yes, I'm old-school, going into public libraries)

Scully confronts Patterson, an authority figure who literally "wrote the book" she studied at Quantico. It doesn't matter how important this man is, she won't stand for him playing games at Mulder's expense.

Once again, hard to choose a best Scully moment. As always, worried Scully is doing some background work or back-ups, trying to take care of wild Mulder, who has ditched her.

I like when she confronts Patterson, having figuring out (part of) his role.

They must have liked the cat scare scene so much that they based a whole episode around it in Teso dos Bichos.

I link this episode to The Pine Bluff Variant: a similar spot in the beginning -suspicious Scully not knowing what Mulder is doing-, creepy deads and murders, Mulder wounded and really risking his own life, a not (?) paranormal case...

At least, in the Pine Bluff, it's Scully who doctors Mulder. I prefer.

This episode is visually stunning. The use of color, shadow, and angles is breathtaking and very powerful storytelling.

Beyond that, I love the glimpse we get into Mulder's past as a profiler. I love seeing how it affects him to dig into the mind of a monster. I love seeing Scully and Skinner concerned about him, and seeing Mulder afraid of himself.

It's a really amazing episode. All the technical aspects are wonderful, highlighting the mood of the episode: blue dark lightenings, the gloomy decors, the creepy art works (drawings, sculptures), the music, Kim Manner's direction... I love the ambiguity of the script (see the picture above: Patterson's hand ?), Mulder confrontation with his former mentor, Mulder fall into darkness, and Scully always caring about him.

I couldn't really say I dislike anything about this episode. But it is very dark, with an unsettling ending. I can't watch it often.

The episode is perfect !

What I dislike is just seeing a creepy cat licking blood on the floor. Really, cats are doing that ? (I don't have any cats, I don't know them)