"Arcadia" Review
Rebecca Bateman, rebeccaxf@bigfoot.com
http://come.to/the.x-files


This must be an X-File. I really enjoyed "Arcadia".

I'm still trying to figure out why.

But, I think I have a few ideas.

One word: Detour. It was an episode way back when I was able to just relax and watch, 
not caring if the plot was lacking as long as I was amused by other parts. Somehow, 
I came into tonight's ep in this frame of mind. I honestly hadn't intended to. I guess 
I was in a good mood. Or maybe I had before-hand convinced myself to like "Arcadia" 
no matter what. But, whatever the reason, I was supremely amused by Rob & Laura and 
Jokey!Mulder. I wasn't turned off by the admittedly lame Garbage Monster - I even 
found it rather creepy in some parts. And I actually didn't want this episode to end! 
I wanted a part two. Imagine that. <g>

Ok, so maybe this wasn't one of the most intelligent plots that we've ever seen. It did 
feel like a Kaddish, Detour, and Schizogeny rehash. But were the Ponce De Leon tree 
monsters of Detour or the invisible animals of Fearful Symmetry any better?

It was the character interaction that more than made up for any weaknesses in the plot. 
The flirtations and innuendoes and playful jabs just made my day. I think it was 
entirely in character, as well. Mulder always tries to push Scully's buttons - all 
the time, every day. Usually when it's about something so personal as their relationship, 
and it really does hit home with Scully, what does she do? Shut it out, pretend it 
doesn't affect her. (Though, how she refused those bedroom eyes when he invited her 
to engage in a little conjugal bliss I'll never know...) 

I liked the way they were so very comfortable with each other. There was no awkwardness 
about their current situation. They were used to each other. I mean, aside from the 
fact they weren't sleeping together, Mulder and Scully were acting the part of a married 
couple a little too well (eg., the toothpaste, the toilet seat, etc.). That comment 
about Scully being the new-ager had me rolling in laughter. :)

Yet, the burning question: was this episode X-Files Lite? In all honestly, I'd have to 
say it was. There was *no* tense significance to the plot, *no* real subtle undertones 
of anything. I do think, though, that the drama and character interaction of "Arcadia" 
were much more intelligent than that whole Dreamland/Ghosts/Rain King slump. As it was, 
I found myself enjoying the hour. Still, I'm wondering why the thought of more episodes 
like this one is not bothering me as much as it might have once. Sue Brody might say that 
my expectations this season have been so drastically lowered by the poor quality of many 
of 1013's outings that I've unwittingly learned to stop expecting the magic of seasons' 
past. She could be right. But I think that, to me, "Arcadia" was simply the first lighter 
episode of any value this season. It combined the UST and the MOTW in a believable, 
fascinating way. I honestly don't know if I'll be able to accept more such episodes this 
season. All I know is that I liked "Arcadia". And I'm not going to think about it too hard.