Tempus Fugit

Mulder finds the business card he had given Max the first time they met. Mulder's connection to Max in Fallen Angel was so affecting. Mulder found a kindred spirit in Max. The call back to it here is equally poignant.

They have found Max Fenig, alias Gidney Paul. Though, just a 'partial' body: this detail gives me chills.

This scene is also very poignant, Mulder IDing Max, and finding his blooded card in Max's pocket.

The devastation of this plane crash is depicted very powerfully. We see the number of lives sacrificed to further the cause. The fact that this seems to have been a casualty of just another routine abduction, not a major operation, is even more devastating.

I'm very impressed by the detailed reconstitution of the plane crash's site, and the investigation's hangar.

You don't need to see images of the crash, just the aftermath, to feel how dramatic it is.

In this scene Mulder is frustrated with not being able to find the answers he wants. Scully understands his frustration, and she offers an excuse for his cryptic comment, not wanting Frish to think badly of him.

Once again, Mulder ditches Scully... but here, he takes time to warn her and to say goodbye with large hand gestures.

It's birthday's Scully, he has to be nice !

This scene in the bar, with Mulder surprising Scully for her birthday, is funny and adorable. From the way Mulder sings "dear Special Agent Dana Katherine Scully," to the celebrate every four years "like dog years" comment, to the way they both joke about alien implants, it's one of the best feel-good scenes in the entire series.

And yet...does Mulder remember Scully's birthday because he's afraid it will be her last? Adorable with undertones of angst, that's how I like my X-Files.

I love puppy joyful Mulder, keeping applauding loudly. And Scully, trying to blow out a sparkling birthday candle.

They are so cute ! It's a shame this scene is cut roughly.

Our dear sweet Agent Pendrell is shot! All he wanted to do was buy the birthday girl a drink! Scully reacted quickly and tried to warn him, but maybe his reflexes were a little slow from his previous drinks.

Agent Pendrell in the bar, so surprised to encounter birthday-girl Scully ! (By the way: he knows that it's Scully's birthday. Was he in the first birthday scene ? Was it a gossip among FBI agents?)

The scene is very joyful and funny, and then... No ! I don't want that !! You CANNOT kill him ! I love Agent Pendrell !!

Though, Pendrell managed to received two touches from Scully before dying, one on the shoulder, one on the face. But, rather than 'Can you hear me?', Scully could have said some sweet words (the last) to him, like 'Pendrell you're so kind, I like you'. I don't know, something that made him very happy.

The comment about "Dr. Spock's phaser" is sort of a mixed up reference. Spock and phaser clearly refer to the character in Star Trek, but that character isn't a doctor. Dr. Spock is the author of a seminal book on child development. I've heard this mix-up often.

The 'Y pool' ? A Y-shaped pool ?

I had to google it to understand. For me, YMCA was just a Village People's song.

I don't realize what can mean this association for american people. It seems to be a huge thing.

By the way, let us behold foolish Mulder in his funny diving outfits!

I really like this character, and this is a good scene for him. He's doing his job, he understands the stakes, and he won't stand for anyone interfering or making light of the situation. But he's also willing to look at the evidence with an open mind, and he comes to Mulder and Scully when he finds something he can't explain. He's not willing to ignore it even though he still has concerns that he might sound as crazy as Mulder

Scully's declaration of love: "You sure know how to make a girl feel special on her birthday".

What more to say ?

Mulder is devastated by the loss of life in this plane crash. He's not searching for answers just to know The Truth, or for personal reasons. His motivation for figuring out what happened is his empathy for the victims and their families.

In the middle of the night, Mulder with his scruffy tired look and outfits (handsome !), figures out what happened. There were three flying machines at the same moment, and there must be a second crash site. I like Scully's look !

And then, Mulder will do a dangerous thing: dive in the depths, unexperienced and tired.

This scene where Scully rushes to Pendrell's side after he was shot is very powerful. Scully is not giving up on her friend. She's basically ordering him to stay alive. It shows not only her concern for Pendrell, but also her devastation over one more senseless loss.

During the investigation Scully is doing her daily job, nothing really remarkable.

In the end, she takes responsibility for the protection of the military witness. She's doing it with great conviction, dealing with practical arrangements, and taking care of the psychological aspects.

She brings him at home, pulls off pyjamas (and underwears ?) from her drawer in front of him, takes him to the bar and buys him (almost) drinks.

And of course, she notices the killer in the bar and reacts immediately. Alas ! Bad timing and bad luck for Pendrell !

I can't ignore this overt link to The Pilot, which Mulder points out for us.

Yes, Mulder, I remember the 9 minutes' difference, the Geiger counter, and stories of aliens abduction from The Pilot. Nice call back to the beginning of their adventures.

I like that this is a mythology episode that doesn't include any of the major players. It shows just how far reaching the actions of the conspiracy are, and it highlights the lengths the consortium will go to. It's very chilling.

I love the scene with Mulder and Scully in the bar, and what this shows us of their relationship. She wasn't expecting the birthday celebration, so this was just the two of them out together, enjoying each other's company outside of work.

I like this episode, which is very emotional.

I can't forget the happy birthday scene and the Apollo 11 gift (no Scully, not an alien implant !), the impressive crash plane and investigation sites, and awful Agent Pendrell's death (he is not dead yet, but I've seen the sequel).

As for the plot itself, I like to see Max Fenig again, that the crash circumstances are complex and difficult to figure out (What have done the militaries ? What brought Max in the plane ? Was there an alien abduction from a plane ?...), and that even Mulder struggles to put all the pieces together. To be continued !

I also like Millar's character arc, the chief investigator of the NTSB team: suspiscious when hearing first Mulder's theories, but keeping an open mind, and finding new evidences thanks to it.

I dislike this mustache man. We lost both Max Fenig and Agent Pendrell in this episode, and I blame it all on this man and his stupid mustache.

Other than that, I like this two-parter very much.

I don't like very much two things in the plot, two easy plots in the script for me.

First, the car chase on the tarmac. Okay, it's well done and impressive, but a bit too much and irrealistic ! And aren't there fences surrounding tarmacs ? Where do you go when you reach the end of the landing strip ?

Second, Millar's encounter with the UFO. Is he just there when they return Max's 'sister' ? At the exact moment ? Was it really necessary to make him see aliens ?

Moreover, I don't like when we explicitely see the alien spaceships. I prefer when they remain mysterious and hidden, or when you have just a little glimpse of them.