"Life is like a box of chocolates . . ."
-- Cigarette Smoking Man
With that quoted-to-death phase and his own philosophical interpretation of it, the enigmatic X-Files character known as the Cigarette Smoking Man (or Cancer Man) revealed more about his character and nature than the previous 75+ episodes of The X-Files ever did. "Musings" is a defining moment in the Mythology that is at the core of The X-Files, and William B. Davis' portrayal was so dead-on that words escape me. For long-time fans of the series, "Musings" was a large piece in the jigsaw puzzle of The X-Files that Chris Carter, et al., have been teasing us with since September 1993.
Writer Glenn Morgan and his partner, Director James Wong, give us something that most viewers would have thought to be impossible . . . a classic X-File, with almost no participation by Mulder and Scully. The unique style, wherein the musings are divided into 4 parts, covered a span of 34 years. The episode would ask you to believe that Cancer Man himself was personally responsible for several assassinations, including those of JFK and Dr. Martin Luther King, and most of the major events of the last 3 decades. This premise was entertaining but not shocking. I haven't been shocked since I found out ice cream cones were hollow. :-)
But when I looked a little deeper, what I saw was an empty shell of a man, a man who long ago traded in his morals, his ethics and his opportunity for a normal life for a little power. It was obvious to me that he envied Bill Mulder and his family, and that the picture of Ma Mulder and Fox was as close as he would ever come to having a family he could call his own. It was a cherished possession and an impossible dream, all at once.
But the irony of the title is what opened my eyes to the genius of this episode. Musings. Not "Reminiscences" or "Reflections" or any of a dozen other adequate descriptive nouns, but "Musings." The word, of course, is a derivative of the word Muse, meaning one of the 9 Greek goddesses who were the inspirations for the arts. In Cancer Man's case, I would suspect that the muses from whom he desired inspiration were Clio, the muse of history and Melpomene - muse of tragedy. Clio's symbol, a partially opened scroll, is a metaphor for how CSM had written history, and Melpomene's tragic mask is how CSM sees himself . . . as a tragic figure. His conversation with Deep Throat on Christmas Eve reveals his despair, when he remarks about how there will never be any mention of DT and him in history books, no monuments to their efforts, no proof that they even existed. There is no telling what is fact and what is fiction in CMS's mind, as he desperately pursues his one passion: being a writer. It is this ambiguity that gives "Musings" its soul, its depth, and its open-ended conclusion that so many fans of the series crave.
There were tie-ins to other episodes, such as Deep Throat's admission to Mulder that he had killed an E.B.E., and that CSM had seen presidents die. But the lines between fact and fiction are often blurred, and this reminiscence was no exception. CMS once told Mulder that he had traded the possibility of a wife and family for a little power. I'd have to agree that having control over the winners of the Academy Awards, the outcomes of a Super Bowl game and an Olympic ice hockey game constituted "a little power." Another touch of irony was added when he refused to select any winners for the Academy Awards, and then later quotes from Forrest Gump, with his own cynical view of why life is like a box of chocolates.
There was a revelation in the episode that should not be overlooked. When discussing the fate of the wounded EBE, CSM mentions that a live EBE would further Bill Mulder's project by years. This interesting tidbit may play an important part in the ultimate resolution of the series.
Besides the emotional outpouring that gushed from "Musings," one has to appreciate the finer technical aspects of the production. James Wong's directorial effort was worthy of partner Glenn Morgan's superb script. The pace was just right, as some areas needed to develop more slowly, while others could be handled with alacrity. The editing by Jim Gross was seamless and contributed to, rather than distracting from, the whole. Jon Joffin's wonderful use of red neon in the sniper's nest contrasted beautifully with stark symbolism of the black-and-white segment of the Martin Luther King assassination. Mark Snow's score was there, but it wasn't. I watched the episode twice last night, and just now realized that I couldn't think of one instance where I was aware of the background score to the point of distracting me from the visuals. And I would be remiss if I didn't mention the wonderful work of guest stars Chris Owens as young Cancer Man and Morgan Weisser as Lee Harvey Oswald. They were riveting on the screen, both together and separately.
Donnelly Rhodes, in what amounted to a walk-on role as the general at Fort Bragg, was also terrific. Jerry Hardin, returning as Deep Throat, is always a joy to see, and he made the most of his screen time by adding to the overall feeling of helplessness and hopelessness that was so much a part of this episode. Deep Throat appears to have given up all chances for a normal life in pursuit of what he feels is a greater good. His remorse eventually turns to disillusionment, leading him to become Mulder's confidential informant and he eventually pays for this with his life.
This is not to say that this episode did not have any flaws. CSM's rejection letter from Montgomery & Glick is dated 11/01/68 (ah, the benefits of a VCR with good freeze-frame ;-). After reading it, he turns around to see Bobby Kennedy, live on TV. Uh, sorry, but Bobby Kennedy was killed in June 1968. And many people (myself included) will argue that the time line for "Musings" has just about made "Apocrypha" an exercise in imagination. Morgan & Wong (and now Morgan individually) seen to have taken it upon themselves to throw out "Apocrypha" for the purpose of creating their own timeline for the Mythology. I'm starting to wonder if I actually saw "Apocrypha", or if it was all part of that Bobby-Ewing-the-whole-season-was-a-dream thing. :^) And couldn't we have done without the self-referential, "United Nations Security Council Measure #10-13" line?
However, it would be wrong to say that these flaws were so gaping as to detract from my overall enjoyment of "Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man." The richness of the characters, the overwhelming sense of tragedy, the effective use of lighting and music combined with a wonderful script and excellent performances by a stellar cast. "Musings" will be one of those episodes that I keep on tape, and replay many times.
My Score: 9.9 out of 10