Review of "Brood" Copyright 2000 by nevdull "I thought the next time I'd come to New York I'd _see_ Phantom of the Opera, not star in it." The X-Files revisits the concept of all-too-human monsters with 1013 writer Herbert von Finkelshertz's debut offering. Trouble is, the plot was all-too-familiar as Mulder and Scully buzz around the same "was it real or wasn't it" dance that, frankly, we were tired of three years ago. Still, there were fun moments to be had, and not all of them were in wondering how we're supposed to mistake L.A. for New York City. Instead we're supposed to swallow a Mulder Rational Explanation that's weak even by his standards. "The pressure of high-stress city living could affect someone at the genetic level, regressing them to a more primitive body form"? Whatever. If stress could do that you'd think Agent Abductee herself would be swatted out of someone's soup by now. The show must go on, though, and on, and on, and as usual whenever the investigation's at a standstill the writers pull out the girl-in-jeopardy plot and run with it. I do have to admit that the sight of the fly-man-thing pulling Scully up the side of the Empire State was genuinely thrilling, evoking the original King Kong movie with some creative special effects and Gotham-style lighting. Kudos to art director Ronny Slurm for his work here. At least the resolution to the abduction was compelling. Mulder scaling the painter's scaffold brought me back to the desperate days of "Ascension" when saving Scully was more important than barking orders at her or discounting her beliefs. In the end it's Scully who once again saves herself, drawing on those early biology courses and remembering that flies don't do well in the cold. Drenched in fly goo and certainly traumatized she manages to lock the monster of the week in the kitchen meat freezer and by the time Mulder arrives, useless but well-meaning, the big-little beastie is out of the running. Which brings me to director Franka Potentot. The shot through the porthole in the meat locker of the misguided creature's final paw for survival was very affecting. Still, I could've lived without the tacked-on "is it really over" ending, although the makeup department did some impressive work creating the fly's undiscovered nest and the thousands of hatching young flylings. Random Musings ---------------------------- -Retread Alert: The hapless security guard who meets his sticky and untimely end played one of the druids in "Limerick". -Date Stamp: The entomologist's report is dated "2/2/00". Then again, the hooterlicious calendar in Mulder's office reads September. Either he hasn't changed it in awhile or FOX is trying to be optimistic about Season 8. -It's a long trip from L.A. to N.Y.C. but an awfully speedy one from D.C. to the Big Apple. Fly Boy drops his first victim at 6:15pm yet Mulder and Scully are in the precinct office that very same day while the evening news is reporting the story as "this just in". -In the little things that count department, I loved the glance Mulder and Scully exchange when Detective Hornswald mentions patrolling in Times Square on New Year's Eve. I guess some people were too busy to watch the ball drop. -Frank's Fashion Spot: You'd think the girl could pick up a little something in the big city, but no. It's the same black on black until it's convenient for her to get covered in yellow insect snot, in which case it's back to that white blouse. You know the one. Scully has advanced degrees in science and medicine but she still can't tuck in her clothes. -Mulder once again takes every opportunity to put his hand where it doesn't belong, pulling that slime-covered fly antenna off the Empire State with his bare hands. -There's an oopsie in the teaser when Punk Girl #1 gets dragged up the skyscraper -- the safety pin in her nose is first on the right, and then on the left. That's gotta hurt. -Our Little Sailor: "Mulder, how the hell am I going to explain this to my dry cleaner?" -So the whole point here was that the monster with the Jeff Goldblum complex was looking for someone to care for his offspring? One can't help but think that Scully wasn't the best choice for this gig. nevdull "Pack for the trip? Pack what? My purse? My gun? A can of RAID?" --------- You can find the genuine articles here: http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Realm/2373/autumn.html Thanks for the reviews, Autumn.