1.06 - Shadows
This isn’t a bad episode, but it’s a hard one for me to connect with. A lot of it relies on Lisa Waltz, who plays Lauren Kyte, the personal assistant to the deceased Howard Graves. Waltz does a good job with what she’s given, except all she’s given is to be distressed and crying.
Two agents from an unnamed agency stand by and scowl at Mulder and Scully over some dead bodies and all the information pertaining to them. They, also, are not asked to do a lot, which means they’re pretty boring too. Nameless suits skulking on the outskirts of it all is a common occurrence in the show. It takes more than their mere presence to be effective.
Scully makes a reference to Carrie getting even at the prom when Mulder brings up psychokinesis. She’s very proud of herself for this reference. It’s the bright spot in the first half of this episode, a close second to her reference to Poltergeist.
Wedge a terrorist connection into it all to give yourself some background evil and you’re off to the races. Not a ton going on with Mulder and Scully, all very rote. The investigation leads them to a cemetery which introduces us to the most interesting character in the episode. He’s known only as “Groundskeeper” in the credits, played by Tom Heaton. Mulder sees him nearby, tending to some flowers, asks if he knows about the headstones they’re currently staring at.
“I attend every funeral. I’m the last person to see them put to rest,” Groundskeeper says. He then goes on to tell them exactly how Howard Graves’s three-year-old daughter died, when Graves’s wife left him, and where she’s buried. I’m not kidding or being “cute” when I say he’s the most interesting character in this episode; his dedication to his job and the lives of those being laid to rest hints at a character worth examining, far more than Lauren Kyte’s and Howard Graves’s.
There is a great horror scene but I’d rather not spoil that for you. It’s probably the best reason to watch this episode. Another great reason: the special effects. A lot are in-camera tricks, sped up film, reverse photography, etc. There are a few shots using CGI, and they look fantastic.
More comedy shows up when Scully says “Wait, you think I’m right?” and Mulder says “All you gotta do is prove Howard Graves is still alive.”
Smash cut to a woman saying “Howard Graves is very dead.”
A lot of the episode is left after that, the special effects the highlight of it all.
“Scully what’re you doing? You don’t believe.”
“I believe that she believes” Scully says. Lauren Kyte told her Howard (who’s real dead) is protecting her and Scully uses that to connect with her, to work toward solving this case. Mulder’s response?
“Well we may have just sacrificed our best opportunity to observe spectral phenomena.”
There you have it, Mulder and Scully, folks. They have a cute moment at the end where Mulder wants to go see the Liberty Bell, just ‘cause.