The X Files - Duane Barry **

 

This will be more or less just a few extra thoughts about the episode. I gave a write-up of this a few years ago during an X Files kick. This was my review from actually Christmas of 2017 ( Review ).

I decided to work my way through the second season after I really wanted to revisit "Little Green Men". To me, "Duane Barry" and "Ascension" are incredibly important episodes for the series. When I watch the 9th season of the X Files, I can't help but pine for this point in the series when alien abduction and government conspiracy were rich story arcs that gave us so much to chew on and absorb. And "Duane Barry" sure makes the alien abduction and experimentation of human abductees downright horrifying. But Chris Carter makes sure to inject suspicion into the episode, especially when Scully calls Krycek, telling him that Duane Barry (former FBI) suffered a brain injury while working as an agent during a shootout. Delusions of alien abduction that actually convinces Mulder (who seems gullible because "he wants to believe"). The hostage negotiation eventually brings Scully to the travel agency (eventually placing herself in danger, kidnapped, allowing Gillian Anderson time off to give birth), with Mulder in person with Duane Barry, talking to him, gaining his trust and eventually spending time talking about the abductions and tortures (such as laser drilling his teeth and planting devices). Mulder and Barry in that agency, with a gunshot ending the hostage crisis would seem to be the end of it. But other forces are at work. Mulder always wants to believe, but at the end of this episode, he's left feeling once again disappointed. Not at all the end of the story. It was nice to see CCH Pounder in the episode as FBI head of hostage negotiation team to stop the situation. Her telling Krycek to get her a coffee cracks me up every time. The "pieces of metal" found in Barry's areas of the body reinvigorates Mulder after that disappointment. Just when he loses hope, evidence of some sort restarts his engine. How Duane escapes is a bit convenient, and his finding Scully (taking her while talking to Mulder) is certainly quite a conclusion to the episode. I recall that "Mulder! I need your help!" gave me chills. Continues to.