Rewatch Extra: 2x02 The Host
Mulder's listening to a wiretap! While doodling, eating sunflower seeds, poking holes in his Styrofoam cup and playing seed football. I like that he’s being punished in such a mundane way.
He gets all squinty when they open the door to relieve him of his duty. And he has his tie undone.
Mulder has to put on rubber boots with his suit to go down in ( Read more... )
Yes! I knew you would like that.
I was totally thinking of Mulder's "Je Souhaite" faux pas, too. And isn't there a time when Scully does the same thing? Is it in "Triangle," when she's trying to get the coordinates?
I've never thought of it that way before, but you're totally right. He actually does a fair bit of bitching about his assignments for someone who had a whole division (unit? department? whatever) opened up just for him
It's funny, it just hit me when I was writing this up, after I'd watched the episode. I've never really thought about it before because I think as a viewer, you're so firmly on Mulder's side that you just automatically back him up in a fight without thinking about how reasonable (or not) he's being.
And like I was saying to truemyth, I think a large part of it has to do with being assigned cases vs. finding cases on his own. Because he's certainly started out with some flimsy leads on his own--I mean, "Small Potatoes"? His jumping off point is literally a tabloid.
The "Folie a Deux" complaining always struck me as particularly silly, because...yeah, Mulder, that's what you investigate. Weird shit. He just doesn't want people telling him what to do.
I knowwwwww. I was surprised during my rewatch at how obvious their love was this early in the series--before her abduction, even!
It's crazy! They're basically proclaiming their love all over the place! I keep having to listen to lines several times to make sure they mean what I think they mean. And they do!
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I did! Probably an unhealthy amount. OH SKINMAN.
And isn't there a time when Scully does the same thing? Is it in "Triangle," when she's trying to get the coordinates?
Yes, when she goes to see Kersh! And then in that same episode, after Skinner slams the door shut in a way that is kind of hot: "Use your head, Scully. It'll save your ass." "Save your own ass, sir. You'll save your head along with it." Hee.
I think a large part of it has to do with being assigned cases vs. finding cases on his own. Because he's certainly started out with some flimsy leads on his own--I mean, "Small Potatoes"? His jumping off point is literally a tabloid.
Yeah, I agree. He generally reacts negatively to authority figures (unlike Scully, who wants their approval) and being told what to do, and I think that's the problem here. So he should maybe have started his own paranormal investigation company instead of joining the FBI. Picture it! He and Scully could have ended up investigating the same crime somehow, and then he would have been struck by how brilliant she was and recruited her to join him because, of course, he could really use a hot doctor to help him out sometimes, and she would be charmed by his adorable foxiness and agree to go with him because she wants to rebel again and whatever she's doing at the FBI doesn't thrill her, and also she kind of fell in love with him immediately.
But I guess the FBI gives them access they wouldn't normally have. Fine then.
The "Folie a Deux" complaining always struck me as particularly silly, because...yeah, Mulder, that's what you investigate. Weird shit.
Exactly! And for all his "I'm monster boy" bitching in "Folie à Deux," he doesn't seem to have much of a problem with it in "The Post-Modern Prometheus," when Shaineh writes, "Some lady on the Jerry Springer show who had a werewolf baby said you came to her house... so maybe you’ll want to come see me, too." Like, Mulder darling, they think of you of monster boy because that is how you've established yourself. If you didn't want that reputation, perhaps you should have thought twice before ditching that team-building seminar to chase a mothman through the woods.
It's crazy! They're basically proclaiming their love all over the place! I keep having to listen to lines several times to make sure they mean what I think they mean. And they do!
And that's the best part! It's not even like we're reading into it. It's right out there in the open!
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