AIR DATE:  May 2, 1999
Written by Vince Gilligan and John Shiban
Directed by Bryan Spicer

	"Three of a Kind" was an entertaining non Scully and Mulder
episode with the Lone Gunmen being able to keep us interested which isn't
always easy since the main reason we watch X-Files is for Scully and
Mulder, not the supporting characters.  It is surprising how well writers
Vince Gilligan and John Shiban were able to pull this off considering this
has been a weak year for Gilligan scripts.  The biggest surprise in "Three
of a Kind", which is why I liked it so much, is the Lone Gunmen with
Scully's help actually are able to pull one over the bad guys.  There
wasn't the usual they have the information in their hands only to lose it
by the end of the episode.  I have been waiting for a little victory since
season 4 as it has become a cliche for Scully and Mulder to have nothing
by the end of an episode making them unable to expose the truth.  It was a
refreshing ending when we see Susanne Modeski driving off and Timmy in
jail for the murder of Jimmy.

	The Lone Gunmen go to Las Vegas to investigate a military
industrial complex convention to see if they can get any lowdown on what
they are up to and Byers has a secret agenda to find Susanne Modeski. This
was another good thing about the episode in that it actually remembers the
past correctly and we get to find out what happened to Susanne Modeski and
that Byers is still pining for her.  The opening teaser was a great
X-Files moment where Byers tells us his dream of having a normal life with
a wife and kids and the country still trusts its elected leaders.  A dream
he's had to have over the years considering how frustrating it has to be
trying to expose government corruption without any luck.  What is really
amazing about the opening teaser is that the voiceover works.  How many
voiceovers have we had this season that make you groan.  Also, it was fun
to meet some of their fellow conspiracy buffs who also go around to these
conventions trying to get the dope on the latest government conspiracy
though it is hard to believe these different military companies would be
so forthcoming with each other about their latest weapon development.  Oh
heck, there has been so much consolidation in the industry it is hard to
believe they aren't all owned by the same company.

	A few comments on  "Three of a Kind":

- Did anyone else think actor Bruce Harwood during the opening teaser was
glad that the golden retriever didn't bite his hand off as he handed him a
treat so the dog would go up to him?

- Ever since the X-files moved to L.A. anytime they use any type of
California scenery I can't help thinking they are getting their money's
worth out of this move.

- It is always good to see Charles Rocket get some work since no one can
play a sleezeball weasel as well as he can.  Though I do feel sorry for
him because FOX didn't even bother to put his name in their press release.
Well, at least not on their internet schedule site.

- I must be out of it because I have never heard of the saying "What
stones he has" as one of the those Defense Contractors guys said.  Now I
have heard the saying "What balls he has."  Hmm, I wonder why FOX would
have them say "stones" instead of "balls."

- It was nice to know the Lone Gunmen have friends, but did they have to
go the stereotype route that all these guys are geeks.

- We get one of those Closed Caption moments when Byers and Frohike are
walking through the Casino and we hear them talking about the poker game
Byers lost, but the Closed Caption has them talking about Starsky and
Hutch. Now I wonder why they had them talking about Starsky and Hutch in
the script.

- The Lone Gunmen were taking a big chance that Scully wouldn't call
Mulder back on her home phone instead of her cellular phone.  Of course,
the thought of Scully using her home phone instead of her cellular phone
would be completely unnatural for her.

- For a big hotel they only have one maid working a floor?  I've been to
smaller ones where they have a whole crew working a floor.

- I'm a little surprised Byers didn't go with Jimmy to see what was going
on at the conference.  Of course, if he did, then Jimmy couldn't have been
caught by the bad guys and made to kill himself.  One of those plot
conveniences that needs to happen if the story is going to work.  I don't
know why they felt the need to kill off Jimmy since it didn't really stop
the Lone Gunmen.  Also, we get the classic we'll kill off someone we
barely know, but we won't have them kill off one of the main characters
(Scully and Langly).

- Thank God the hotel conveniently had those ventilation units that are
big enough for humans to fit through.  Where would movies and tv shows be
without them.

- The only part of the episode I didn't like was the mind controlling
drug. I don't know why I've always had a hard time believing that stuff.
Especially when it affects one of the main characters and even more so
when it was used more for jokes than anything else.  It was a nice touch
to have Michael McKean come back as Morris Fletcher and have Scully slap
him on the butt.

- Timmy was using that mind controlling drug a little bit too liberally so
it was only right that he would get his just desserts and they have the
Lone Gunmen use it against him.

- Lucky for Scully and Langly, Susanne Modeski and her boyfriend thought
of developing a counteracting agent to the drug and they happened to bring
some with them on the trip.

- It is hard to believe Timmy's government friends wouldn't try to get him
out of jail for the murder of Jimmy.  I guess Timmy knows who his real
friends are.


	An unexpectedly enjoyable episode considering the X-Files track
record on episodes that barely feature Scully and Mulder.  Also, one of
the finer scripts from Vince Gilligan and John Shiban.  We got to see what
the Lone Gunmen do in their spare time and realize some of them wish for a
normal life, but know they can never have it because of what they know.
And for once the writers let them win one against the conspiracy which is
something we don't see enough on the show.  It was a nice look into the
lives of the Lone Gunmen who we usually only see for about 3 minutes in
episodes.


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

6/7/99