The trouble with these kind of shows is that the events of the "monster-of-the-week" episodes can often contradict or misrepresent what is going on the series as a whole. That is a threat that has been lurking under the surface for this show, but they have managed to make good use of both of these ideas and not gotten into much trouble with the direction of the show. A trick is to keep moving the pieces forward all the time, and it seems like this show is doing everything it can to make Scully's cancer journey undeniable. It's not something that will follow her forever (as the show did run for many seasons after this), but it will have an impact on her. And it's nice seeing all the writers coming together to form an episode that will ultimately shape the remainder of the show going forward, with her struggle being pretty undeniable right now. And this episode does provide some of the most emotional storytelling that we've had so far with this show, often going the emotional route and managing to beautifully splice together two different storylines that all have the same purpose and leads to an incredible episode finale; a definite series best.
I've always liked shows where protagonists who fight against the supernatural all the time are taken down by something ordinary and human. As a character who doesn't believe in a lot of supernatural elements, it feels right that Scully would be the one going through this, despite the audience's obvious disdain towards it. It certainly brings these characters to the most desperate place they've been throughout the whole show and it feels right in a very morbid way. It's cool that they're taking this chance and it provides some wonderfully honest and emotionally resonant scenes between the show's two leads.
The episode doesn't really feature any antagonist in the form of a sentient being - with the exception of a persistent assassin - and it feels like time itself is the real enemy. There is a ticking clock idea going on throughout and mostly with Mulder's subplot which is both tense, yet also entertaining because of the show's use of the Lone Gunmen. And what that story leads to is another interesting addition to the mythology and a very cool opportunity to take into use in future seasons, if the writers want to take Scully there. If not, it's a cruel tease.
The performances of both leads have been at a series high during this season, with David Duchovny really proving his dramatic skills. However, Gillian Anderson is also upping her game significantly and gives a passionate speech at the end about how she will fight the disease on her own terms, which brought tears to my eyes. These two work best when they bring out the best in each other, and this season has fully utilized the characters as great oppositions, but has been even better at using their sensibilities as partners and knowing how to be the best of themselves.
"Memento Mori" is truly a reminder that none of us are mortal, and it's nice to see the show doing that in a realistic way. This sets a tone for the rest of the season, and it's difficult to see them keep up with that, but in the end, there is a chance of pure greatness coming.
I've always liked shows where protagonists who fight against the supernatural all the time are taken down by something ordinary and human. As a character who doesn't believe in a lot of supernatural elements, it feels right that Scully would be the one going through this, despite the audience's obvious disdain towards it. It certainly brings these characters to the most desperate place they've been throughout the whole show and it feels right in a very morbid way. It's cool that they're taking this chance and it provides some wonderfully honest and emotionally resonant scenes between the show's two leads.
The episode doesn't really feature any antagonist in the form of a sentient being - with the exception of a persistent assassin - and it feels like time itself is the real enemy. There is a ticking clock idea going on throughout and mostly with Mulder's subplot which is both tense, yet also entertaining because of the show's use of the Lone Gunmen. And what that story leads to is another interesting addition to the mythology and a very cool opportunity to take into use in future seasons, if the writers want to take Scully there. If not, it's a cruel tease.
The performances of both leads have been at a series high during this season, with David Duchovny really proving his dramatic skills. However, Gillian Anderson is also upping her game significantly and gives a passionate speech at the end about how she will fight the disease on her own terms, which brought tears to my eyes. These two work best when they bring out the best in each other, and this season has fully utilized the characters as great oppositions, but has been even better at using their sensibilities as partners and knowing how to be the best of themselves.
"Memento Mori" is truly a reminder that none of us are mortal, and it's nice to see the show doing that in a realistic way. This sets a tone for the rest of the season, and it's difficult to see them keep up with that, but in the end, there is a chance of pure greatness coming.