The X Files - Roland

 

I am clearing out the first season, really stoked about it before October gets here and "Roland" is the next to last episode. Zeljko Ivanek, for whom I know from The Sender (1982) among so many other film and series -- this actor is simply a sensational character actor who has remained busy his entire career for a reason -- is an autistic young man working as a janitor at a wind tunnel laboratory as certain scientists are working on an engine that could possibly go to an incredible speed not yet reached, perhaps Mach 15. So the episode deals with twins again, this time one among the aeronautics lab team, a brilliant scientist, Arthur Grable (a bit heavier, with a beard), separated from his autistic brother, Roland. So Mulder notices changes to mathematic notations and equations being done on whiteboard in the lab and on an accessed computer after scientists connected to Arthur's team were murdered, leading him to believe that Roland's presence at the facility could be tied to what is going on. Fits Roland has concern the memory of separation from his brother and provocation from some force inside him to do further harm without his consent...that Mulder eventually believes is Arthur. How Mulder can get to that theory is when he and Scully are taken to a cryogenics lab where Arthur's head had been frozen in a special device with a certain temperature to make sure no damage comes to it. Mulder conceives that Arthur is psychically controlling Roland at times, using his body to kill and continue the work that was interrupted when he was killed in a car wreck. The last scientist remaining -- one we see is killed in the wind tunnel, turned on by Arthur through Roland, the second is hit over the head, with said face dipped in liquid nitrogen, left to break on the floor by Arthur through Roland -- admits to stealing Arthur's work, having tampered with the cryogenic container temperature gauge, holding Roland at gunpoint as he completes the equations typed in the computer by Arthur. Mulder and Scully will need to get to Roland in time before Arthur can use the wind tunnel to destroy the final scientist on the lab project.

This episode is an acting triumph for Zeljko Ivanek. I have two Autistic teenagers and while they are higher up the spectrum than Roland, Ivanek incredibly achieves certain behaviors and speech patterns that is startlingly realistic and very sympathetic. I like that Mulder seems to have this innate ability to communicate with him, because he addresses him with great humanity, caring, and caution. The case isn't easy, and Mulder knows he has to tread a certain line carefully. With Arthur exploiting his link to Roland, Mulder obviously fears he'll cause serious trouble for his twin brother out of revenge and ego. Arthur not only kills his project team members but continues his work, using Roland's body as a vessel despite the dangers posed to his twin brother, who has no say in what is being done without his control. How Ivanek is able to show that -- Roland when left alone, and Roland invaded by Arthur -- is astonishing. 4/5