Review of FIGHT CLUB by Sue Brody Can I call this ep Szygzy 2? Why do I feel so disappointed? This episode felt very derivative to me, although there was an interesting twist at the end w/ Zupanic, the wrestler, and *his* doppleganger. I kept saying to the person I was watching this with (in a bar--first time for everything!), this is *so* Szygzy. He had never seen Szygzy, but his response was that there was no way the series could avoid being derivative at this point (only *so* many paranormal issues you can deal with, and the mytharc is pretty much dead now). My problem w/ this ep was that in Szygzy, it felt fresh, and in this one, I kept thinking, Hey, that's Kathy Griffin (Yes, I knew she was going to be in it, but I couldn't get her out of my head, just like I couldn't get Ed Asner and Lily Tomlin out of my head during HTGSC) and I bet there's going to be a lot of wild energy stuff going on. Aha! Yep. Bring the two together, and that's what you get. Even their jackets looked like the ones that the girls wore in Szygzy. But that one just seemed to make more sense to me; it was an astrological event. In this case, it was simply, um, huh? What? That there is someone else like us out there, and we have to be certain not to come into contact w/ that person, since it upsets the cosmic balance? What *was* refreshing in this ep is that Scully took the lead *and* believed in the doppelgangers (came up w/ the theory, as a matter of fact). But the "It's her fault" and the "I've found Lulu...I've got Betty" come straight out of Szygzy, and again, I can't figure out why we saw this again. Very...er...interesting teaser, w/ the religious guys riding on their bicycles over to Betty, doppelganger number one, then being pummelled after coming into contact w/ Lulu, doppelganger number two. Loved the fight music that accompanied it. The best part of this scene (following the credits) were the Mulder and Scully look alike agents who came in and who *sounded* just like Mulder and Scully but in fact were their doppelgangers. I didn't even figure out it wasn't them until I saw the back of "Scully's" head and went, HEY, that's not GA! "Scully" was one helluva fighter, but she and "Mulder" both got some good punches in, as evidenced by the slides Scully shows us. Speaking of which: What the hell was up w/ M&S viewing the slides? Mulder discounts everything he normally says (as if tossing them off...oh, no, can't be *that*, that wouldn't fit, silly you to think that). But THEN he notes that the two agents have been together for seven years (just like M&S) w/out incident. "But they are *not* romantically involved, if that's what you're thinking," Mulder adds, to which Scully replies, "Not even I would be so farfetched," with a smirk. What is THAT supposed to mean? Is that CC letting us know that M&S have NOT been involved and forgetabout it, Shippers?! And when Scully says that Mulder is constantly playing the same game, like Sherlock, dangling clues out out by one and holding something back, are we supposed to say, Yes, that's true, I'm tired of this? At least Scully takes the Mulder pov and Mulder wittily says, "Don't think I'm gonna start doing the autopsies." Nonetheless, I took this at a jab a at the show and its viewers, and from CC, no less! Take an ep like Pusher. I can watch *that* ep over and over, so I don't think that the premise of TXF has lost its immediacy, just the execution. Kitsenugari is on XF2 right now, and there's another ep that didn't really need to be made; Pusher was perfect *without* a followup. I could not always keep the two twins apart, but I guess it didn't really matter. I thought one was the good twin (Betty), one the evil (Lulu), but I guess they were actually one and the same (that is, both w/ the same intention--to just be left alone and eventually to be able to stay in Kansas City w/ Zupanic). And didn't Scully's "put the I in FBI" come from Szygzy? It was certainly in one of the eps. Was CC being derivative on purpose? Of course, Mulder is *right* in Zupanic #1 not knowing Betty; he knew Lulu, though he gets to know Betty, obviously. At least both partners ended up contributing to the case. Isn't Scully rather snippy in this ep, just as she was in Szygzy (for example, "So I take it from your posture, Mulder, you've solved this case.")? Of course, there again you had cosmic forces at work. Are we supposed to assume the same here? Wasn't Scully positively ebulliant in last week's ep (H.A.D.)? Why so defensive now? Aren't they PARTNERS? Why isn't she acting as if they are partners? Why does she seem so bitter? What's the context? What am I missing here? Yes, it's very ironic that Lulu is supposed to be Zupanic's good luck charm when she (and her sister) are anything but. And there was no way I could tell these two apart by the end, so I hope I wasn't supposed to. I have a headache. Great interchange Scully: I think these two have a psychic connection. Mulder: No (static) Sherlock. (This gets repeated toward the end.) I was amused when Mulder ended up being "sucked" into the storm drain and when Scully nearly stepped over him. Why wasn't he screaming? I thought Danfous was a *terrific* character. Completely nuts. Fascinating to watch. Unexpected, and a great point/counterpoint to Scully (I was also thinking Eve here, btw). I would have liked more of him. Best exchange of the episode: Mr. Danfous, I'm Special Agent Dana Scully w/ the FBI. What's so special about you? It's an FBI title, sir. I know it is. I'm not stupid. Mr. Danfous, if you'll let me explain why I'm here, we might be able to get you to bed a little bit sooner. Ah, what a relief! Why does every seedy apt building on The X-Files look the same? Dark paneling, ugly tile floors, and so on. It is great when Scully stumbles upon the OTHER Zupanic in the penitentary. That was what set the ep apart and actually made it an X-File (it just took a long time in coming, I guess). Now we know something even more odd is up. Did the fight scene do anything for me? Not really. Zupanic did look pretty ridiculous, from the name "Titantic" to his posing to his ability to hurt the man in black (of course, that's only til he loses his good luck charm). How did Mulder know it was Betty Templeton he was coming to get and not Lulu? And just prior to the riot, the scene was again very reminiscent of Szygzy, with Betty and Lulu demanding to know why the other was there. Too bad they didnt' get locked in a closet; it would have been safer for everyone. Scully looks pretty pleased w/ herself when she brings Zupanic number two into the arena. Too bad the place erupts into chaos and Mulder and Scully are pretty badly injured (esp. Mulder). Wasn't there a way they could have avoided this? Mm, what does it all mean, Mr. Saperstein asks. And basically Scully says, The chances of these four meeting up w/ each other was nearly improbable, a bad idea, and not much, really. And so the episode ends, as does my review.