"When bad men combine, the good must associate;
else they will fall one by one,
an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible
struggle."
-- Edmund Burke
After many false starts and empty promises, we finally have a concluding installment of a two-part mythology X-File that is the equal of, if not superior to, its predecessor. "The Red and the Black," combined with "Patient X," creates the most important two-part episode since "Colony"/"End Game." At long last, that which appeared to be a rambling, make-it-up-as-you-go-along narrative is taking shape as a classic good vs. evil confrontation that will be resolved in the movie. It was worth the wait.
I won't recant a synoptic account of the details; if you've seen "Patient X" / "The Red and the Black" you saw what happened and how the main theme of the series is unfolding. We have most of the pieces of the puzzle. Pretty much all that remains is the set up for the season finale and final confrontation, starting June 19 at a theater near you.
David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson shone as the disjunctive agents. Duchovny, as he did in "Patient X," demonstrates a believable skepticism when discussing the results of Scully's regression hypnotherapy. His cynicism is eloquently portrayed when he, Scully, and Skinner are discussing the merits of the tape of Scully's session. Duchovny is at his glib best when confronted by Krycek ("If those are my last words, I can do better!") and he easily reverts to the old "Indiana Jones" Mulder when he and Scully visit the Air Force Base. Duchovny even looked on in bemused wonderment as Scully recalled her tale from within her trance.
Gillian Anderson should submit a tape of "The Red and the Black" as one of her Emmy submissions. Her dramatic range was put to the test in this episode, and she was more than equal to the task. Her terror in the flashback scenes on the bridge was about as realistic as one could expect. Her dazed demeanor when she awoke in the hospital as she spoke with Mulder was perfect. Her "I was there for you" speech ranks among the most touching of the series and among the most powerful. The Scully character has, throughout the series, been a giving one. Even through the worst stages of her cancer, she stood by Mulder. Finally, her character has grown to the point where she needs some empathy, and she's not afraid to ask for it. Her reaction to Mulder's rebuff was not so much contrary to her character's nature as it was a new, unexplored direction for Scully. Anderson was flawless. Take *that*, Christine Lahti!
Nick Lea once again brought new life to the Alex Krycek character. His tete-a-tete with the Well Manicured Man allowed him to show his conniving, slimy side. Contrast that scene with his encounter with Mulder where he reveals the nature of the alien plot and kisses Mulder, and you see a different Krycek, one who has the best interests of his species at heart. From one extreme to the other, Lea made me believe the multiple aspects and depth of his character.
Laurie Holden's talents were stretched to the limit in "The Red and the Black," and she was about as animated as she has ever been in the series. She may have found her niche playing a comatose victim.
It's too bad that Chris Owens hasn't yet found his. The Jeffrey Spender character has all the appeal of cats dancing on a blackboard. In every scene he was in, he seemed to be straining to show some sort of emotion. What he lacks in screen presence, he makes up for with his cloying mannerisms. I'm not sure if it's the dialogue or Owens talents, but something is definitely missing. His character doesn't seem to have a very well-defined purpose. Owens was excellent as young Cancer Man in "Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man." He's not faring nearly as well as CSM's progeny. Shadow animals on a wall have shown me more depth and dimension.
Chris Carter did double duty in "The Red and the Black," serving as co-writer with Frank Spotnitz and as director. In CC's first directorial effort since "Post-Modern Prometheus," he moved his story along at the perfect pace. There was one shot that was particularly effective: when Scully began her hypnotherapy, Carter used an overhead shot showing Scully and Mulder sitting on opposite extremes of the couch. Besides the aesthetic quality of the shot, I saw this as a metaphor for the rift between the two agents. "Post-Modern Prometheus" wasn't loaded with what you'd call subtlety. This time, Carter used some restraint and made his point without the use of music videos. I think I also have to give Carter extra credit for being able elicit all those orgasmic cries of "Oh my God!" from Gillian Anderson. ;)
Editor Heather MacDougall once again showed why she's the best editor on the 1013 payroll. Take a close look at the wonderful blending of the scenes on the bridge and Scully in hypnotherapy. I defy you to notice where these scenes, which were obviously shot at different times and in different locations, were spliced together. The scenes in the truck with Mulder and the Bounty Hunter were equally as smooth, with the changing perspectives melded together. The entire episode, with its many scene changes and venues, was put together into one cohesive, coherent body of work. "The Red and the Black" ranks as one of MacDougall's finest efforts, and that's saying something.
Joel Ransom did another fine job with the lighting in "The Red and the Black." The scene between Krycek and WMM in the hold of the Russian ship was ominously dark. The contrast between the shadows enveloping Krycek and the light backdrop behind the WMM was symbolic as well as effective. The photography for the scenes on the bridge and in the truck were equally balanced. Even the scenes in the operating theater, with the members of the Consortium bathed in the light from the skylight while the background was dark, was foreboding and symbolic.
Mark Snow's music was there and it wasn't. For the most part, I didn't hear it; I felt it. That's the way background music should be. Not once did I feel as though the music was more noticeable than the dialogue. This was Snow's best effort in several episodes.
Carter and Spotnitz have finally convinced me that they know where they're taking the series as they position the characters and the theme of the mythology to come to a climax in the movie. While it came as no surprise to me that CSM was not only alive, but the father of Jeffrey Spender, "The Red and the Black" helped solidify the foundation of the mythology. "The Red and the Black" was even more satisfying because it wove the new Mulder/Scully rift into the epicenter of the maelstrom, and it did so without seeming to be strained or as a plot device. Mulder and Scully seem ready to travel down divergent paths. The partnership is coming apart at the seams over the clash of beliefs. After nearly five years of unqualified support for each other, Mulder and Scully have reached that point that inevitably is reached in almost all long-term relationships where the two parties simply cannot come to agreement. Even more promising is my sincere hope that as this schism unfolds, the opportunities for the writing staff to add some depth to it will be seized and incorporated into the MOTW episodes. Over the life of the series, we have seen Mulder and Scully rise to the occasion and put their lives on the line for each other. Imagine the possibilities if, because of the widening philosophical gap between the two principals, one of them commits a near-fatal mistake and the other hesitates for just a second, with nearly catastrophic results. Then take this premise and build on it. Instead of a scenario that heals the wounds and rebinds M & S, suppose that this aggravates the rift even more. The heightened suspense that this theme could bring to the series would be incalculable.
"The Red and the Black" was a great conclusion to a great mytharc. The mythology has always been the center of the series for me, and with the main plot now making more and more sense, I have to give CC and Spotnitz their due. The blending of plot and character was expertly handled and a joy to watch. They even managed to find the right type of role for Laurie Holden. I have to take off for the way the Jeffrey Spender character was written, but that's it.
My Score: 9.9 out of 10