“I’ve often felt that dreams are answers to questions we haven’t yet figured out how to ask.” – Fox Mulder.
AUBREY [Standalone] Aired January 6, 1995
Episode: 2×12 / 36 Overall
Director: Rob Bowman • Writer: Sara B. Charno
A pregnant woman experiences visions of serial killings that span half a century
At this point in the life of the series Charno is only the second female staff member with a writing credit to her name and she delivers a terrific installment that knocks the previous entry off it’s pedestal and takes the lead for my favourite season 2 MOTW, so far. Bowman is back for his second turn in the director’s chair this season and his contribution is an integral component that aids in the success of the show. It’s hard to believe that this is only his third episode, as throughout the life of the series he will take the helm for some of my favourite and consistently highly rated episodes. Terry O’Quinn guest stars in his first X-Files appearance. He will later reappear as two separate characters, one in the 1998 X-Files movie and again in the final season. I always felt that O’Quinn had the perfect sensibility for this series and would have been a great choice for a recurring character. His performances are often subtle and endearing, though at the same time he exudes a sense of mystery. This persona is probably best characterised by his role as John Locke in the television series Lost, arguably one of the most popular characters on that particular series. It’s clear that Carter shares this sentiment as O’Quinn was cast as a recurring character in the sister series to The X-Files, Millennium and he also made an appearance in another Carter produced show, the short lived Harsh Realm. It’s just unfortunate that they couldn’t find a regular role for him in this series.
The episode explores some interesting themes. The core idea here is the argument that perhaps evil and violent tendencies are not a product of environment but something that can be passed on through genetic material from generation to generation. It’s suggested that Cokely didn’t turn evil but was born that way and thus his violent tendencies are being passed on to his granddaughter. As Mulder explains in the episode, many cases have been documented where twin siblings were separated from birth and yet shared many identical traits and behaviours regardless of the differences in their upbringing. This certainly suggests that personality traits could very well be passed on biologically in the same way that physical characteristics are passed down such as tall parents having tall children. It’s an intriguing premise which due to its connection with real world science is actually quite frightening. The writer takes it a step further here of course with Morrow taking on the physical appearance of Cokely with his red skin splotches on his face and hands and her voice gradually becoming deeper. This is a nice touch and pushes the idea just a bit further in to the realms of science fiction. The make-up work on Cokely and Morrow is well done and really adds to the menacing quality of Cokely’s character.
Learning why Mulder likes sunflower seeds was a nice addition to this story along with Scully’s ability to tell that Morrow and Tillman were having an affair, much to the surprise of her ignorant partner. As stated, Bowman’s direction plays a significant part in the success of this entry. The X-Files was always a dark show and Bowman utilises darkness and shadows to great effect, allowing us to see only part of a characters face or revealing a key element slowly like the word ‘Sister’ on Morrow’s bloody chest. Flashbacks can often be done poorly on film but Bowman uses them well in this story without overdoing it. This is exemplified by the opening sequence which is done particularly well as it really draws the audience in to the story with a sense of mystery and danger.
This was the second last acting performance for Morgan Woodward, his last being with Carter again on Millennium, and he’s characterisation is a notable feature of the episode. All the guest appearances in this episode in fact are enjoyable, realistic performances that work well to sell the story and heighten the drama. Deborah Strang’s transformation is convincing and although Terry O’Quinn isn’t given a great deal to do he still delivers a satisfying performance. I have a particular fondness to stories involving serial killers and past lives so it’s not surprising that I found this episode to be highly entertaining. Serial killers motive’s and behaviour’s are fascinating to consider, it’s a highly debatable topic, that which drives someone to commit horrendous acts of repeated violence. Where does this behaviour stem from? Can it be tracked to a single event or traumatic incident in their lives, is it the product of violent media or, as Charno suggests, is it something innate, a deeper biological condition that is seeded from birth. Either way it’s certainly interesting to speculate and explore this concept and The X-Files is the perfect format in which to do so.
★★★★☆
The X-Files Retrospective Project 