Despite a fairly weak case for Moose and Squirrel to investigate,"Elegy"
wrung my heart, for, I would imagine, the same reason it wrung the hearts
of most X-Philes: Dana Scully. The character revelations and revelations
about the dynamic between Mulder and Scully(or should I say, Fox and Dana)
were rich, nuanced, sorrowful and brilliantly played by both DD and Goddess
Almighty. They were also dearly welcome; episodes like this can seem like
an oasis on a drought after long spells of Mulder and Scully conducting
business as usual as their worlds collide and fall apart. But what continues
to fascinate me is how this show manages to succeed in creating the same
effect and emotions that other shows either succeed with to a lesser extent
with or do not succeed with at all.
Perhaps it is the very restraint of the show: Mulder
and Scully are not easily shaken or weakened. So when we DO see they break,
the power is overwhelming. I have always thought the sparse, subtle emotion
of The X-files served the show's tense, sad, somber mood and its characters
well, even if it is frustrating at times. Our Heroes live in a world that
is brutally real; the show, at its best, must be as well. The writers (usually)
give us emotion, not sap. They give us drama, not melodrama (again, usually).
Further, the acting style of Anderson (and
Duchovny, for that matter) fits this. I mention this because "Elegy"
seems a perfect example. Some scenes in this episode were so packed that
multiple viewings were required in order to absorb at least most of
the nucances.
No actress does this better than Gillian Anderson. As TV guide once pointed
out, she matches Duchovny's "graceful minimalism" beautifully
to create an utter unique woman. The scene in where she had her blood drawn,
she had no lines and did not need any. And during the scene with
her psychiatrist, every arch of the eyebrow, every swallow, every shuttering
breath was real and genuine and effective. This scene also offers many revelation
about Dana Scully and her relationship with Fox Mulder which seem to be
only hinted at earlier. Scully admits that
perhaps she does fear failing him. She also (to my utter delight, I confess)
admits that Mulder "is a great source of strength I've drawn on."
His name is the first word out of her mouth when the counselor asks why
she has continued to work. How human that it would take a tragedy to make
her realize this! The importance of her job also in highlighted. She *needs*
to work, to keep busy, to deal with the fear and the pain, which, again,
is heartbreakingly human. I am glad for moments like these which reinforce
that Scully does love her job, despite how she can seem. I remember them
when I find myself wondering why she doesn't just leave? She loves what
she is doing, for her own reasons, even if she disagrees about with Mulder
about what that is.
The conversation at the very end also resonated strongly for me. I understood
his frustration (the person closest to him in the world is obviously not
"fine"), even as I understood her reasons for fearing to open
up. First of all, this is just not who she is. She is a stoic, private,
independent person, who, as she has said has difficulty with emotional attachments.
I identify with that and respect it (even though I do wish she would open
up *some*. All in good time, I suppose). She's worn out emotionally at this
point; one hurdle at a time. Secondly, Mulder is alternately cold and caring,
intuitive and clueless. How could she know which Mulder she was talking
to? Thirdly, she obviously (to me, I guess) values his opinion of her. She
does not want him to see her as weak or afraid. Perhaps...perhaps...that
would weaken her in
her own eyes at a time when she most needed her strength.
I was also intrigued by SensitiveMulder's seeming
battle wtih PunkMulder in this ep. He whispers her name in instant concern
at her nosebleed, then tells her there is another victim and leaves...as
she is obviously pale and shaken after having seen the victim she did not
know was a victim yet. The scene where he interrupts her praying also comes
to mind: he literally stops himself midsentence, apolagizes and asks how
her appoinment was (it was, of course, "fine"). And he actually
offered to drive her to her appointment, putting the case aside, which is
no mean feat for him. I was touch because I do not think he would have even
considered that for anyone but her.
As for the plot...it happened; it was there. It neither really annoyed me
or fasinated me, mostly because that was clearly not the point of this ep.
I was almost glad it did not get in the way. I do remember feeling sympathy
for poor Harold; he was well done. But that was just not the point.
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