Review of The Beginning by Sue Brody

I was very disappointed by this episode, especially after waiting *six*
months for it to air! The movie was trying to appeal to new fans, and then
it was like the show was trying to appeal to those who *hadn't* seen the
movie. Helloooo? Rationale? Do you *honestly* think that people watching
the show Sunday night *hadn't* seen the movie, some as many as 20 or more
times? (You know who you are <EG>).  And that even those of us who didn't
like the movie  *did* at least see it and are back and understood it (for
the most part) and didn't need it shoved in our faces? The only people I
know who watch the show and didn't see the movie (although by now they
might have rented it) are my sister and brother-in-law, and only because
they have a two year old, both work, and just are too busy to do movies.
BUT NO ONE ELSE. <G>

I have a few comments in response to what our very own Rebecca posted to
the XF-Romantics list following the airing of this ep:

<<On a few notes of my own, I'm not sure if I like the new look of The
Show. It's the first ep of the season, and I'm missing Vancouver already.
It's going to be hard getting used to seeing Mulder and Scully in the sunlight
without breath emanating from their mouths when they speak. The whole ep
felt very Hollywood, unfortunately. Maybe I'll eventually get used to it.>>

ITA, Rebecca, and something I had feared for some time, being the really,
*really* positive thinker that I am. <snicker> HOWEVER, note that many
scenes took place inside, either in the hospital, the power plant, the
house, the FBI, etc. And many shots were dark (gotta love the dark!). So
more shots were inside than outside ones. Still, that damn sun...reminded
me too much of too many outdoor eps I didn't like (El Mundo Gira, anyone?),
although recall that it was sunny in Home *and* in Detour (but also in The
Field Where I Died and Teliko). Maybe it's because I didn't like the movie
that I was bothered by the sun. I hope they use the rain machine a few
times. <G> I partly continue to watch Millenium for the forest and
rain/wind/frosty breath shots. Yeah, it's sick, I admit. <G>

<<And I can't stress enough how much I *hate* the idea of Spender and Fowley
taking over the X-Files. I *hate* the idea of Mulder and Scully not working
under Skinner. I *hate* the idea of Mulder's office not being and looking
like Mulder's office.>>

This, along with Diana Fowley and Mulder running around the power plant and
*not* Mulder and Scully, bothered me the most about this ep. I was sooooo
frustrated. I miss the old office, and I do *not* want Mulder partnered with
that Fowley woman, even if he's using her (or she's using him, or whatever
the hell is going on). NO. N O. I *did* love the way that Scully called him
while he was running around the plant, practically knocking him over <G>,
and they both tried to one up each another. <giggle> He did *not* share
this with Fowley, either, which was nice.

Hey, how come they didn't go back to find poor Gibson? They are just
assuming he was eaten, yes? Even though he *said* he could communicate with
the thing, yes? I expected an all-out search. Is this to come, I hope? And
man, if Scully called him (Gibson) "sweetie" one more time, I was gonna
kick the TV! Yeah, we get that you feel maternal. It's nice but subtlely
works, CC. Sometimes 1013 really feels as if they have to drum this into
us, no?!  You know what I do like, however? That Mulder calls Fowley Diana
and she calls him Fox. I don't *want* her to call him Mulder. Only Scully
can (okay, Skinner does, too,
but that's different. VERY different!) And vice versa. I like that. The
uniqueness of it. The inherent *shippiness* of it. On Millenium, Emma is
still calling Frank "Mr. Black" which is both funny and silly and he
calling her Agent Hollis, and shows how different (thank God) their
relationship is than M&S's.

I am just trying to look at this ep as a recap kind of thing, with a few
hits, many misses, but not that important in the greater scope of things,
i.e., season six. Now, if this were, say, the fifth or sixth ep of the
season, I would be tearing my hair out, but hey, EW (which had very mixed
reactions to the movie, according to the particular reviewer) gives this
season (through at least the first three eps) an A (though I disagreed with
the kind-hearted B given to Millenium), so I am willing to hold off til
I've seen more eps.

Maybe if Vince wrote every ep I'd like them all. That's in my alternate Vince
universe, alas...maybe someone should write a fanfic about it!!! <G> Maybe
someone already has...(no, not me).

I have to give the ep a B- and take the big wait and see attitude...