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The X-Files: Bad Blood (1998)
Season 5, Episode 12
10/10
your cell-mates nickname will be 'Large Marge'
19 August 2009
Warning: Spoilers
This episode is an excellent satire. It seems to me that the producers of the show said to the cast, 'OK everyone, let your hair down and have a giggle'. The shows fans should view this story in the same way and enjoy the spectacle of Mulder and Scully exaggerating their personal idiosyncrasies.

There are too many comic moments to list individually but I love the scene immediately after the opening credits. Mulder and Scully meet the morning after the night before to sort out their story, setting the mood for what is to follow. Mulder's childish tantrum when he flattens the waste bin and Scully's description of his attack on Ronnie, "I didn't do the..(imitates hammering action), with the thing", had me laughing out loud. In the same scene Gillian Anderson almost consigns one take to the blooper bin. Its the bit when Mulder warns Scully she's going to end up in prison with a cell-mate called Large Marge who reads a lot of Gertrude Stein - watch her put her head down and cover her face with her hand. If you look closely GA has the broadest of grins on her face at this point before she recovers her composure.

The ending makes perfect sense to me if you take note of the last scene between Scully and Sheriff Hartwell. He apologises for Ronnie Strickland's actions 'he doesn't understand the concept of low profile', we (vampires) are not like that anymore, we're good neighbours, we pay taxes'. I take that to mean this community of vampires doesn't harm or kill people, they just want to live, as far as possible, ordinary lives. Ronnie it appears, watched too many Bela Lugosi movies just like Scully said. The vampires incapacitate Mulder and Scully to make good their escape. They don't kill them, that would only invite further intrusion into their world by the authorities. Presumably the vampires flee to set up a new community elsewhere away from the spotlight.

Other favourite lines;

Mulder: Come on Scully get those little legs moving!

Scully: Its not that Mexican goat sucker either!
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The X-Files: War of the Coprophages (1996)
Season 3, Episode 12
10/10
Not now! Yeah, sure, OK.
15 July 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Having just seen this episode on a re-run; for anyone with a little knowledge of the Mulder/Scully relationship, this has to be one of best comic insights into that relationship. The phone conversations between our two heroes are brilliant, with Scully ever ready to put forth an alternative (and correct) cause of death, opposing Mulders theory of killer cockroaches. Scully's barely suppressed jealousy of a female rival is great to watch.

My favourite exchanges are those after Bambi enters the story, 'Her name is Bambi?' I howled when Mulder is first seen with Bambi he is obviously infatuated with her, his mobile rings (Scully on the other end, worried sick about Mulder) but he abruptly hangs up on her with a dismissive 'Not Now'. The other is soon after when Mulder wants to 'confess' something to Scully. Fearing she is about to hear of Mulders night of passion with Bambi she winces and blurts out an anguished, 'Yeah, sure, OK'.
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Public Eye (1965–1975)
10/10
A classic of its time.
9 May 2007
I would thoroughly recommend this series to anyone who is tired of the trend in British TV for murder in middle England, conspiracy and terrorism stories and the excess of melodrama in the soaps.

Public Eye brings the viewer down to earth with a bump, no glamour, gentility or sensational plots here just the daily grind of trying to earn an honest crust. Frank Marker, marvellously portrayed by Alfred Burke, is a private enquiry agent who investigates the most routine cases imaginable. He may be checking on unfaithful husbands, looking at minor fraud or petty theft. Occasionally he is used by clients who have ulterior motives and he gets involved in cases he wishes he hadn't. The story lines are thoroughly believable so that viewers quickly identify with the situation. The characters are well developed, sympathetic and demand your attention, but it is Marker who always draws the viewers eye. A loner, he does not make friends easily (at all!) yet we find ourselves identifying with him and caring about him. Add to this Public Eye was made 35 years ago and it is fascinating to see how values and attitudes have changed in the intervening years.

The 1969 series concentrates more on Marker himself following his release from prison for a crime he did not commit. While the 1971 series sees him going about his normal enquiry business. My only regret is that most of the early series (1-3) are lost forever and of the other 4 series only the two mentioned above have so far been released on DVD.
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