REVIEW: Autumn's "Triangle" Review - SPOILERS
Autumn T
"Triangle" Review
(c) 1998 Autumn Tysko
"You saved the world Scully."
"Yeah, you're right. I did."
And at the end I clapped. First and foremost this is television. It's
entertainment. And "Triangle" just entertained the hell out of me. I guess I'll
never be an X-Files "purist" by some people's standards. I always seem to love
the show's unusual episodes for the breath of fresh air that they are. Mostly
though because they are fun, and hold it against me if you must, but I'm just a
sucker for fun. Writer/Director/Creator Chris Carter offered this experimental
joy ride for the fans as well as the Emmy panel, and this time I really hope he
gets his Emmy. He's earned it.
Of course the technical aspects of this presentation deserve special
recognition. The use of letterbox formatting was really only the start here.
Director Carter decided to give both his actors and the show's newest member of
the editing staff, Louise A. Innes, a huge challenge in making most of the
episode appear as if it were done in long continuous takes. The editor's task
was to hide the cuts from the audience. It was a little easier to fake us out
in the shipboard sequences as they were shot so damn dark (one of my only
complaints about this episode as it became increasingly annoying) that cutaways
were easily hidden in black moments or a journey through steam. The triumph
that was act two, however, presented a little more difficulty in giving us that
delightful romp of Scullyvision. Here they primarily used a "whip pan"
technique to hide editing in a blur of motion. However they were doing it, it
worked, allowing us to live a frantic ten minutes of Scully's life.
Which, to be quite honest, has become one of my favorite ten minutes ever on
the show. Scully's always been concerned for Mulder when he gets into trouble,
but it seems with all that has happened to the dynamic duo of late it doesn't
take too much to work her up into "gun ready to go off mode" - so much for the
"I'm fine" answer I'm sure Spender would have liked to have heard. Gillian "I
don't need no stinking lines, just a camera on my face" Anderson gives us the
emotional gamut as Scully cavorts through the hallways swinging through
emotions in a big way. When Mulder's in trouble the tigress comes out in this
woman. I delighted in the little Scully moments we don't often get to see: her
berating herself, her breathless gratitude at Skinner's help, her defeated
droop out of Kersh's office, and that hilarious moment in the elevator as she's
talking to herself and uncrumpling her little note while the coworker along for
the ride gets a full dose of manic Mrs. Spooky for the rumor mill. Give me
Scullyvision any day, I love the ride.
It's not surprising it worked so well because one of the things you can pretty
much count on from David and Gillian is that if you give them something new or
exciting to do they light up the screen. Duchovny gives Mulder a childlike
presence throughout, from his giddy "this is unbelievable" discovery to his
goofy bliss at the end. I got a chuckle out of Mulder steadfastly trying to
convince everyone on the ship about his time warp theory by trying to get them
to look at the date on his watch and the like. The funniest thing though was
Mulder trying to get 1939 Scully's attention by thinking hey, maybe if I tip my
hat and look at her wide eyed THEN she'll recognize me. He's perfect at the
episode's end poking at Scully, trying to tell her what he believes happened
and finally, having to actually say the words and tell her he loves her after
she playfully toys with him ("There's no place like home"). Duchovny and
Anderson just nail this scene. It's why *we* love them both.
I've got to take some time to mention Mark Snow's score as well here. Like he
did in the movie, he subtly weaves the main X-Files theme throughout the music
we heard in "Triangle". However, I was most delighted by the act four swing
score that managed to infuse the entire act with bopping excitement. There was
just something about seeing Scully and her Lone Gunmen "posse" searching with
that great swing drumbeat that made what would usually be considered an
overbearing score perfect. I couldn't keep still in my seat.
We did get a lot of important information this episode as well, or rather
Scully did. She now knows Kersh, Spender, and Fowley are all involved with
CancerMan and that Skinner pretty much has his nuts in a vise over the past
help he's given them as well. Personally, I wish they hadn't gone for the
obvious in making Kersh a CSM lackey, but it does set the "you and me against
the world" feeling up even more for the heroes. I also didn't buy that
goofiness with Skinner in the hospital room. He's afraid to even talk to Scully
and yet he has no problems with the one big happy family scenario at the end?
There will obviously be a couple of big debates to come out of this episode, so
I might as well weigh in with my take on them and get that out of the way. Was
it a dream? Who knows. I'm not writing it off as one though. The Queen Anne did
appear so something was up in the Bermuda Triangle. Frankly I like the idea of
a freak alternative universe, and kudos for the shot where the Scullys converge
and each has one of those patented Scully psychic moments over the event. Next,
what about that kiss? What about it? Mulder wanted to kiss her in the movie. He
kissed 1939 Scully here in case he never gets a chance with the real thing. I
think it is clear by now that he wants to kiss her. I'm really unsure how you
could think differently. Though I will grant that the "I love you" does not
necessarily mean romantic love I'm glad he finally said it to her. So up the
stakes one more notch in the game and off we go.
Random Musings
--------------
-Tag line: DIE WAHRHEIT IST IRGENDWO DA DRAUBEN. Roughly German for "The truth
is somewhere out there."
-We've already got our first date mix up of the season. "Drive" takes place on
November 15th and 16th and yet Mulder informs us here that the date is November
16th.
-Well we certainly can't say that shooting in Los Angeles made this episode too
bright. The ship scenes were mired in darkness. Seems a pity that Carter
decided to take a "landmark" event like that kiss and then underlight it so
badly you could hardly make it out. I suppose that was all part of the ever
tiring game of the not kiss. Chris, honey, the dance has grown tiresome.
-What wonderful luck to have the Queen Mary available to act as the Queen Anne.
The beautiful wood paneling and lights of the ship really helped with the
period feel.
-I guess 1939 Scully also took German in college. Too bad the actor's who had
to spout the lines didn't.
-Scully just can't catch a break as far as her office is concerned. She lives
in the basement with no desk for five years and then when she gets her desk she
doesn't even rank a cubical. I'm sure it is easy to concentrate in that work
environment.
-I was glad to see that Scully's a post-its on the monitor kind of gal. Made me
feel a certain kinship there.
-Frank's Fashion Spot: Kudos to the period costumes. We know Gillian Anderson
is one of those red heads that can carry off wearing that color red, but
Duchovny looked pretty good in the Nazi uniform as well.
-Scully on the edge is not the most graceful of women. If she's not stomping on
people's feet in the elevator she's almost falling on her ass sliding around
corners.
-It was a fun touch to have the Jamaican swabbo reminding the overly chatty
Mulder to "trust no one, mon."
-For a change we actually can see the gun bulge in the back of Scully's
tailored suit.
-I am confused at one thing. Why Mulder claimed that he saw "Thor's Hammer"
when it seems he did not. Or was he just not wanting to say while innocent
people were murdered?
-When Scully comes out of Kersh's office you can clearly see the body mike on
Gillian Anderson as she does the "what am I thinking" bit.
-And HEY. What happened to that cool new cell phone she had in "Drive"? Don't
tell me she lost the damn thing already!
-How annoyingly organized the X-Files office is these days. The things on the
bulletin board were so perfectly and pathologically lined up it's as if Spudner
used a level to make sure the edges were even.
-Our Little Sailor was busy, busy, busy. If she wasn't swearing to herself she
was calling Spender a "rat bastard". As fond as I am of Spudner as a name for
that character it seems Scully is determined to nickname him herself as both
incarnations of her refer to him aptly as a weasel. I still think he has all
the personality of Idaho's finest export though. And the thought of him having
to "do" someone to get information for Scully is too icky to even contemplate.
-Speaking of sailors, it seems Duchovny is becoming the master of almost but
not quite saying a certain not ready for primetime word. There's certainly no
guessing what he means.
-In the "It's the little things that count" category when Scully was on the
phone trying to impersonate Fowley it was almost as if she was trying to get
that same pained look on her face that Fowley always seems to have.
-Kudos to Laura Leigh Hughes who has joined the cast as Kersh's assistant. This
is a wonderful example of an actress taking a small part for a big ride.
-Yet again we get another fine example of Scully's pathetic lying ability. This
time as it stumbles out she even nods at the end as if thinking to herself
"that's it".
-The Lone Gunmen and a Volkswagon bus. It doesn't get more perfect than that.
-One thing that this style of filming did make obvious is how often in episodes
they have Gillian standing on that box for the takes. She really looks short
throughout here without it.
-I know there was some debate as to whether it was a true Mulder ditch in "The
Beginning", but surely this qualifies. He did something "incredibly stupid"
without telling Scully. It was an international ditch. She had to jump through
hoops to save his ass, and he wound up in the hospital. Seems all the elements
are there.
-I'm very glad that the 1939 incarnation had so much essence of our Scully in
her. Brassy, tough, beautiful, smart, and full of banter. It was fun to imagine
Scully in another era, and I think this woman was pretty close to the truth.
Autumn
"Save your own ass Sir, you'll save your head along with it."
Autumn Tysko
Sister of OBSSE / "I owe you everything Scully and you owe me nothing"
My episode reviews available at (email me for mailing list info):
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Vault/1411/main_rev.html
Saba2R
>goofiness with Skinner in the hospital room. He's afraid to even talk to
>Scully
>and yet he has no problems with the one big happy family scenario at the end?
He didn't want to talk to Scully in his office. Why, oh why, do the two super
smart special agents not get the hint that it is NOT a good idea to talk in
SKINNER'S OFFICE? And did he not just say to her, "Scully, use your head."
And what does she do? Run down to Weasel Boy.
I bought the hospital room Skinner because he is currently not their boss - his
demeanor was probably more true to life for him.
Thepeacock
Yep, he sure said that, but at first I thought he said, "Scully, use your
ass...it'll save your head."
eeeeew....
Audrey
*********************************
"...a gentle trace
Of light diviner than the common sun
Sheds on the common earth, and all the place
Was filled with magic sounds woven into one
Oblivious melody..."
-Shelley, "The Triumph of Life"
GF2020
they have Gillian standing on that box for the takes. She really looks short
throughout here without it.>>
Also, another thing I found a little obvious was the use of the Skinner's
office as Kersh's. I mean I'm surprised that Scully didn't look at the door
just before entering to make sure. Well, at least William Davis got his comfy
furniture back.
email me at GF2...@aol.com
"Dave, There comes a time in every friendship when you have to say ," I never
liked you, Get Lost." -Bill Mcneal played by the late Great Phil Hartman
Fav Movies: La Confidential Pulp Fiction
Fav shows X-Files,Pretender
LDShupe
>Was
>it a dream? Who knows. I'm not writing it off as one though. The Queen Anne
>did
>appear so something was up in the Bermuda Triangle. Frankly I like the idea
>of
>a freak alternative universe, and kudos for the shot where the Scullys
>converge
>and each has one of those patented Scully psychic moments over the event.
I got the impression from the very ending, when Mulder winces in pain and holds
his face where 1939 Scully decked him, that we are supposed to think it really
happened. Mulder sure believes it did.
*********************************
Eldee
The best things in life aren’t things.
"I'm sorry 'bout the attitude I need to give when I'm with you, but no one else
will take this sh*t from me." matchbox20
********************************
Kimba
Thepeacock wrote:
> >And did he not just say to her, "Scully, use your head."
>
> Yep, he sure said that, but at first I thought he said, "Scully, use your
> ass...it'll save your head."
> eeeeew....
>
> Audrey
> *********************************
Well... I suppose he *does* have a point there... it probably would save her
head....
but CSM???? Ewwwwwwwwwwwww!
Dly54
May I please post your review on the Over 30 philes message board?
Thank you!
Debbie ;D
BelleSoCal
>>Was it a dream? Who knows. I'm not writing it off as one though. The Queen
Anne did appear so something was up in the Bermuda Triangle. Frankly I like the
idea of a freak alternative universe, and kudos for the shot where the Scullys
converge and each has one of those patented Scully psychic moments over the
event. <<
LDShupe:
>> I got the impression from the very ending, when Mulder winces in pain and
holds his face where 1939 Scully decked him, that we are supposed to think it
really happened. Mulder sure believes it did. <<
Having seen it twice now, I'd have to weigh in with the dream theory (or at
least a semi-conscious damn-near-drowned hallucination). I liked that little
wince when Mulder touched his cheek and the look of recognition on his face --
but when the boat he was in was blown to bits in the storm, a piece of plank or
other debris could very easily have smacked him upside the haid.
Great review Autumn, as always. This is also one of my favorite episodes of all
time :)
Bev
FEB; SAA; AFOJA; ARIAA
******************************************
There is no gravity; the Earth sucks.
******************************************
JALoedding
>-The Lone Gunmen and a Volkswagon bus. It doesn't get more perfect than that.
It's the LoneGunmenMobile I had always pictured, except it needed a bajilion
antennas on the roof and a Mystery Science Theater 3000 sticker in the window!
>-Tag line: DIE WAHRHEIT IST IRGENDWO DA DRAUBEN. Roughly German for "The truth
is somewhere out there."
I thought it was " Pleez! I never liked Hitler! I vas just followink orders!"
Jal
JenRose
Autumn T wrote in message
<19981123161424...@ngol04.aol.com>...
>
>"Triangle" Review
>(c) 1998 Autumn Tysko
>-It was a fun touch to have the Jamaican swabbo reminding the overly
chatty
>Mulder to "trust no one, mon."
Speaking of swabbos.... wasn't one of them played by the same actor that
plays Kersh?
Which raises an interesting issue... Everyone is saying how Kersh is
tight in with CSM... But think about it...CSM used to hang out with
Skinner too. Kersh is *not* a lost cause, and we've no reason to think
he's an enemy. If it *was* the same actor (The one who says, "We're
going to Jamaica!")...could that possibly be forshadowing a time when
he *does* support Mulder and Scully?
JenRose - Haven
Queen of my domain!
http://www.jenrose.com
X-Phile T-shirts, Storytelling forum, Fanfiction, and more!
_________________________________________________________________
"Complex systems thrive at the thin edge of chaos."
__________________________________________________________________
Any discussion of conversational tactics can be elaborated at:
http://www.vandruff.com/art_converse.html
Roberto Ullfig
> >(c) 1998 Autumn Tysko
> >-It was a fun touch to have the Jamaican swabbo reminding the overly
> chatty
> >Mulder to "trust no one, mon."
>
> plays Kersh?
>
> Which raises an interesting issue... Everyone is saying how Kersh is
> tight in with CSM... But think about it...CSM used to hang out with
> Skinner too. Kersh is *not* a lost cause, and we've no reason to think
> he's an enemy. If it *was* the same actor (The one who says, "We're
> going to Jamaica!")...could that possibly be forshadowing a time when
> he *does* support Mulder and Scully?
>
Actually, that't the only part of Autumn's review I don't agree with:
"She now knows Kersh, Spender, and Fowley are all involved with
CancerMan"
I think the fact that Kersh was chained to the engine of the ship and
was not one of the Germans (though this might have been hard to pull
off) represents that he is not in cahoots with CSM and his motives are
quite different. Also, how does Fowley enter in here? It looked to me
that CSM was expecting Kersh's secretary (or whoever that woman Scully
met while she was on her way out) to have picked up the phone in
Spender's office.
In my view the whole Mulder/Ship thing is either a dream which Mulder
has in which we see get a glimpse at how he see things or it's a vision
in which we see how things truly are.
--
Roberto Ullfig
Shawn Hill
: In my view the whole Mulder/Ship thing is either a dream which Mulder
: has in which we see get a glimpse at how he see things or it's a vision
: in which we see how things truly are.
Or maybe both?
Shawn