AIR DATE:  November 8, 1998
Written by:  Chris Carter
Directed by:  Kim Manners

	I wish I could write that "The Beginning" knocked my socks off as
other season premieres have done, such as "Little Green Men", but instead
of getting an episode that drew us closer to the characters and the action
we get an understated episode that didn't really progress any further from
the movie or last season's finale.  "The Beginning" has for some reason
Scully and Mulder fighting to get themselves back on X-Files cases even
though it appeared at the end of the movie they were reassigned to them so
much so that the Consortium sent a telegram to Strughold telling him about
it in a panic.

	For some reason Agent Spender thinks being assigned to the X-Files
is the way to advance in the F.B.I. and his partner Diane Fowley is there
to keep Mulder's work alive.  Even though Agent Spender isn't one of the
most likeable characters on the show I did find it hard to believe he
would go work for CSM, father or not. He always seemed a man of principal
who even when he is being pigheaded about things doesn't seem the type of
person to work for the likes of CSM.  Let's hope it is all a ploy on his
part to find out more about CSM.  Mulder's ex-lover, or whatever she is to
him, I don't think they (Carter and gang) know what to do with her now
that they have introduced her.  So one minute she is working with Mulder
and the next she is working against him.  I'm glad Scully basically said
what needed to be said that it is all about trust, i.e., who do you trust
more me or her. From this episode it seems that Fowley's actions and
motives are questionable.  If anyone is the brownnose it is her which only
makes her more dangerous. 

	Who didn't want to smack Scully a few times throughout this
episode?  Shouldn't she be beyond outright dismissing what Mulder said
happened in the mothership.  I mean she wasn't exactly awake during the
ordeal so why doesn't she believe him.  If only once she said to him I do
believe what you said happened, but we need physical proof to prove to
others that it happened.  Nope, instead we get pigheaded Scully until the
end where we get the amazing revelation that we could all have a little
bit of alien DNA in us.  I cheered when Mulder finally said to her that
she should trust what he said he saw.  Yes, science is what keeps Mulder
in check and it has been her scientific thinking that kept him from going
too far out on the limb, but here she was going too far in her direction.
Let's hope this is the last time we see this Scully.


	Now some miscellaneous comments on "The Beginning":

- They sure must have fun carpool rides and it must be a real joy to work
for Roush Technology (nice continuation of the scumbag company from "Redux
II") since no one seemed to care that an alien infected co-worker was
acting funny the whole trip home.  No one asked how he was feeling or if
he wanted to be taken to a hospital, and Whiney Guy (Don't know what his
name is if he had one) who is sitting next to him tells him they aren't
going to stop for him.  Thanks for the support, Whiney.  Thankfully, he
gets what he deserves in the end when the alien kills him.  Though I do
wonder why the alien waited for him to come before leaving the infected
co-worker's house in broad daylight where he should have been spotted
making his way from that house to the Nuke power plant.  Well, maybe the
alien can make himself invisible which explains why no one saw him. Also,
maybe the alien hung around to get back at Whiney Guy because he somehow
absorbed the infected co-workers memory and decided to get this guy. 

- I have to say I was amazed there is still an area where a kid is
delivering the paper in these days of having adults doing it via their
cars because of the danger to kids delivering so early in the morning. 

- I couldn't help thinking that Mulder should have some intern doing the
reconstruction of burned up X-Files.  You know if the bigwigs had any
brains they would let him continue spending his time doing that because as
long as he is doing that he can't go out investigating any cases. 

- Whatever happened to that bee Scully showed the last F.B.I. panel to
prove what they were saying was the truth.  I guess it go lost on its way
to the evidence room.

- Ahh, someone actually makes a comment about Scully and Mulder's travel
expenses.  I suppose Mulder's going to be paying for that Antarctica trip
for a long time. 

- Isn't it usual procedure to work out together what one is going to
testify in front of a panel?  Obviously Scully and Mulder haven't worked
out their communication problem because Mulder should have known what she
was going to say and if Scully gave the wrong impression then she
shouldn't have because as we saw it only makes them both look like clowns. 

- I did like how in the Consortium meeting they say the alien creature has
already killed one man.  Excuse me, but I think it killed two men, Whiney
guy and the infected co-worker.  I guess the infected co-worker doesn't
count since he was just womb for the alien creature.

- Once again Mulder proves how the local P.D. doesn't know how to look for
evidence when Mulder finds a piece of the alien creature's fingernail in
the wall.  He did this with very little light and without his glasses. 

- I guess CSM didn't really inform the driver what kind of creature he was
being sent in to kill since the driver appeared to be fearless in wanting
to face it. 

- You would think Nuke Plant worker Homer would have brought a flashlight
with him since he must have known the place he was going to wasn't exactly
well lit. 

- I kept waiting for Scully to rebandage Gibson's head since she took off
the old bandages.  Of course, Scully wasn't exactly thinking smartly when
Gibson came on the scene because I know if it was me I never would have
let Gibson out of my sight for a second knowing how much danger Gibson is
in.  So what does Scully do but run around the hospital talking on her
cell phone and is surprised to see Gibson gone.

- My favorite line in the episode was Diana Fowley telling Mulder he is so
close to the truth.  I felt like yelling at the screen, "Hey Lady, let me
tell you how many times he has come close to the truth." 

- Was it just me or was anyone else wishing that was Scully with Mulder in
the Nuclear Power plant instead of Diana Fowley. 

- I don't know if I would touch some weird stuff laying on the floor as
Mulder did in this episode.  It only proves you can't teach an old dog new
tricks since he doesn't remember what happened in "Squeeze." 

- I'm surprised Mulder didn't turn off his cell phone since he and Fowley
were sneaking into the Nuke Plant. 

- I would have loved to hear Fowley's explanation on how she got to the
Nuclear Power Plant and why she was in that area.  Mulder had to get there
somehow and there is only one car out front. 

- Unfortunately for Mulder it is not hard to believe that his work on the
X-Files would look like he was doing it for more personal reasons and he's
been using the F.B.I. for his personal vendetta.  So it isn't any real big
surprise when Agent Maslin said this to Mulder.

- Having alien DNA in you must make you not want to eat or go to the
bathroom since Gibson was still hanging out with the alien creature in the
Nuclear Power Plant at the end of the episode which means he had to be
there for days after CSM driver was killed.  I suppose he knew when to go
up to get food and go to the bathroom since he can read minds. 

- It looks like those alien creatures mutate into those gray bug-eyed
aliens we know and love.  Let's hope this makes them more than the
mindless killing machines they now appeared to be, and that there is some
intelligence behind those big eyes. 


	"The Beginning" brings us the super non-believer Scully, Diane
Fowley Mulder's ex-lover who we find out helped him discover the X-Files,
Gibson, the boy who can read minds and sniff out alien creatures like a
German Sheperd, CSM back in the good form with the Consortium and the
mindless murdering alien creature.  I'm going to be optimistic that Carter
has a better idea than the old mindless killing alien who wants to take
over humanity and we all could be part alien, too.  Otherwise, "The
Beginning" was an okay episode even if nothing much happened in it.


Claudia
E-Mail:  Claudia.Cauchon@unh.edu

11/9/98

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