Quagmire

[ethsnafu]

Season Three of XF was a superb run of episodes. It really was. I think, by this point, the show had become a mainstream hit and was enjoying a fair amount of success worldwide. As we were discussing 'The Sunshine Days' recently and how some felt it was not a great breather before the conclusion of season nine then I think most people would agree that 'Quagmire' and 'Wetwired' were solid stories that did what the X-Files did so well before we plunged back into the mythology at the end of season three. Now here's the downside. Talitha Cumi is, in my opinion, the worst season-closer episode that the show produced. I watched it recently and was reminded of how...well....boring it is. Lots of morphing characters and little all else. That sounds really harsh I guess but I couldn't quite get over how flat the script was.

Eth

[Guest WaveCrest]

I quite liked "Talitha Cumi", if only because of Roy Thinnes from The Invaders guest starring in his debut as Jeremiah Smith.

[IHaveGoodInstincts]

Talitha was OK. I like the other cliffhangers and season starters better too. This is pure speculation, but it may have been a blessing of sorts in keeping it a two parter, in that three episodes may have been too long. Sometimes short is good!

The Anazazi/Blessing Way/Paper Clip is my favorite, followed very closely by Gethsamane and the Reduxes.

[ethsnafu]

I have to agree with you there. The Anasazi/Blessing Way/Paper Clip trilogy is by far and away one of the highlights of the whole show and not just one of the best finales/openers. I think it has something of everything that makes the X-Files so damn good in it. I know Chris Carter made mention that when he discussed the episode with other series writers, Darin Morgan referred to Anasazi as a 'kitchen sink episode' for that reason.

I remember watching that episode for the first time and as my fingers had not yet been burnt I believed Mulder could well have been killed in the closing moments with the boxcar.

Powerful stuff and very, very well written.

Eth