64 lines
3.1 KiB
Plaintext
64 lines
3.1 KiB
Plaintext
Review of "Shapes"
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Shapes
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by Sarah Stegall
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munchkyn@netcom.com
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We needed this. After the intensity of "Duane Barry" and
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"Ascension", kicking back with a rerun is not such a bad idea,
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even if it was prompted by Gillian Anderson's maternity leave
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rather than any aesthetic considerations. As "X-Files" go,
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this one is not too bad. Once we get past the absurd premise
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of lycanthropy it is an enjoyable, weird trip with the Spooky
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Patrol.
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It was particularly nice to see a fully functioning Dana
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Scully again. Recently her role has been severely limited,
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and to return to her more active days was refreshing. Gillian
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Anderson has a wonderful way of conveying what I can only call
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detached compassion. During the interview with young Miller
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in the hospital room, where she tells him of his father's
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death, Scully's empathy and professional concern are equally
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well brought forth. Anderson strikes just the right balance
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between a warm and caring woman, and a hard-edged professional
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interrogator. I can't wait for Anderson to return full-time
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to "The X-Files".
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Mulder didn't have much to do beyond being politically
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correct in the first half of this episode. Although he found
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most of the clues (the discarded skin, the odd incisors, the
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tracks), he was strangely passionless about the whole matter.
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Scully showed more emotion than Mulder when Sheriff Tskany
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(Michael Horse) refused permission for an autopsy.
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I was glad to see Michael Horse again. He managed to
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convey stoicism, pride, and stubbornness all within a few
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minutes in the first scene in his office rather well. I was
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also glad to see that the writers managed to work in the FBI
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incident at Wounded Knee: frankly, I was surprised that
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Mulder and Scully didn't meet with more open hostility than
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they did on the reservation, given the lingering anger in the
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First Nations over that situation. Gwen Goodensnake was well
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presented as a possible candidate for lycanthropy: I applaud
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the skilful handling of this red herring.
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The locale added a great deal to the episode. I am
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gratified Ten Thirteen Productions got a chance to make the
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most out of the spectacular scenery of British Columbia. The
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fog, the overcast, the dark forest, the loneliness of the
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rural highways added a creepy sense of isolation and
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otherworldliness to the story. The lighting in the scene
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during Scully and Mulder's confrontation with the werewolf
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were excellent--light and shadow combined to send chills up
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and down my spine.
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The negatives in this story are largely conceptual: the
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idea that a human can turn into an animal with so different a
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physical structure as a wolf is absurd. While the ground has
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been somewhat prepared for us with "An American Werewolf in
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London" and "Wolf", it is still a very difficult concept to
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get around.
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Altogether, I will give this one three sunflower seeds
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out of five.
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Sarah Stegall
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munchkyn@netcom.com
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