Originally Aired: 08 February 1998
Episode: 5X10
A review by Jenniferelise
THE EPISODE
Pre-Credit Sequence: Someone Always Dies, Mr. Mulder
Melissa Turner and her autistic daughter, Polly, go into a grocery store. All the shoppers stare uneasily at both Melissa and Polly. Polly is uncomfortable with this and tells her mother "I don't like this store . . .I want to go home." The little girl's doll opens her eyes and says "Let's have fun."
Melissa sees an image of Dave, the butcher on a froozen food door. The image of Dave has a knife stuck into his eye and says to her "Help Melissa." Melissa becomes panicked and decides to forget the rest of her shopping. She rushes to the front of the store as she begs "Please, don't do this to mommy!"
However, it is already too late. The shoppers begin to scratch at their eyes, knocking things off the shelf as they go. Horrified, Melissa runs out of the store with Polly.
Dave comes out of the back room to see what was going on. He
starts scratching out his own eyes, but he manages to run in the
back before he gets too bad. Dave calls 911 before he hears the
voice say "I want to play." He attempts to fight the
urge to stab himself in the eye, but ultimately fails.
The Credits: What is this episode's tagline?
"The Truth is Out There"
MAINE: "The way life should be." (Scully's shirt)
Scully pulls her mustang into a gas station to get gas. She
gets out of her car in her vacation paraphenalia as she gets a
call on her cell phone. It's Mulder. Scully reminds him that they
" . . .had an agreement . . . to take the weekend off."
Mulder justifies his phone call, explaining that he wanted to
tell Scully " . . .about a case. A classic x-file . .
." Scully once again reminds him that she is on vacation.
"You didn't rent a convertible, did you?" - Mulder
"Why?" - Scully
"Are you aware of the statistics of decapitation?" - Mulder
"Mulder, I’m hanging up. I’m turning off my cell phone. I’m back in the office on Monday." - Scully
"You shouldn't uh... Talk and drive at
the same time, either. Are you aware of the statistics...?
Hello?" - Mulder
The Grocery Store: "What Happened?" - Scully
Scully sees Melissa tear out of the parking
lot, she then notices the customer coming out of the store with
their eye lids all scratched and bleeding. She goes in the store
to dsicover a store full of customers who all have their eyes
scratched at and bleeding. Scully explains to the store manager
that she is F.B.I. and he tells her about Dave.
Cell Phone: Take Two
Scully calls Mulder. He reminds her "I thought you said you didn't want to be disturbed. You wanted to get out of your head for a few days." Scully hears moaning noises in the background and asks "What are you watching, Mulder?" to which Mulder replies "World's Deadliest Swarms."
Scully tells Mulder that she is at a super market and that she is helping the local police. Scully explains that " . . .there seems to be some kind of an outbreak of people acting in a violent involuntary way . . .towards themselves." She goes on to tell him about everyone scratching at their eyes and Dave's death.
Mulder suggests witchcraft. Scully debunks that
based on the fact that she didn't " . . . see any evidence
of anything that warrants that kind of suspicion." Mulder
says that perhaps Scully didn't know what to look for.
"Like evidence of conjury or the black arts or shamanism, divination, wicca or any kind of pagan or neo-pagan practice. Charms, cards, familiars, bloodstones, or hex signs, or any of the ritual tableaux associated with the occult, santeria, voudoun, macumba, or any high or low magic." - Scully
"Scully..." - Mulder
"Yes?" - Scully
"Marry me." - Mulder
Mulder tells Scully that she pretty much had it
covered and they hang up.
Scully notices Melissa on the video surveliance tape. Since Melissa and her daughter are the only ones unaffected by all this, Scully suggests that the police talk to her. The police captain, Jack tells Scully that the locals believe Melissa is a witch. Scully admitts that she doesn't believe in witchcraft. Jack admitts he doesn't either. The case becomes complicated when Jack explains to Scully that people aren't going to believe that there is no whichcraft involved. This is because Melissa had a relationship with Dave the butcher.
The Phone Call: "Hang up, Mommy!" - Polly
Meanwhile, the Deputy, calls Melissa to see how she is doing in light of what had happened. He warns that she may be questioned because it is rumored that she was responsible for what has happened. Polly is playing a record, "The Hokey Pokey" and demands her mother to hang up. Melissa takes the phone call outside where she is told that Dave is dead. Buddy wants to come over to see her, but Melissa insists that he don't.
A large silohuette of the doll with her eyes
blinking is shown on a sheet (that's hanging on the clothesline).
The "Hokey Pokey" is playing.
The Investigation "Looks like she was afraid of something." - Scully
Scully and Jack go to Melissa's house, but when then get there she is gone. They find that her back door is open, and go inside. Scully finds a window nailed shut, suggesting that " . . .she was afraid of something".
Jack gives Scully the background information on Melissa: Her husband was a fisherman, he died mysteriously. He reveals to Scully that Polly is autistic. An incident happened when Polly was at day-care. The teacher slapped her across the face because Polly had a fierce temper tantrum. The teacher claimed that Polly beat her up aferwards. The teacher lost her license. Polly never went to school " . . .a day since" and so, the town believes that Melissa is a witch.
Scully asks about Melissa and Dave. Jack says
that Dave made a fool of himself and his wife. Melissa wasn't
intrested. However this wouldn't cause Melissa to fear him. Jack
comments that "Maybe she wasn't afraid of something getting
in, maybe she's afraid of something getting out".
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream.: The Ice Cream Parlor
Melissa and Buddy are talking while Polly sits at a different table with her doll, eating ice cream. Buddy suggests that Melissa go hide away for a while. He reveals his feelings for her, Melissa tells him that she can't get involved right now. She then admits to Buddy that she sees visions of people before they are killed and that she can't control
Polly demands that the girl behind the counter
give her more cherries. She tells the little girl to ask her mom
for more money. The doll says: "Let's have fun." The
girl's long hair becomes caught in the ice cream machine. Buddy
helps her get uncaught and Melissa and Polly run out of the
dinner.
Jane's House: "New England hospitality, heard about it my whole life, finally got a chance to experience it myself." - Scully
Scully and Jack go to question Jane (the women who owned the day-care center). Jane is less than impressed with Scullys F.B.I. credentials and quickly brushes them off. She accuses Melissa of being a whore and a witch and that her lineage is cursed and has been since the witchunting days. She refuses to talk anymore to either of them because talking to Jack is useless since she was still shut down.
Scully suggests that Melissa should be brought
in for questioning. She goes on to say that she would like to
help him out, but she is on vacation.
On the Run
Melissa and Polly head up for Buddy's cabin.
However Polly doesn't want to go. She says she wants her bed and
her records. The doll says "Let's have fun". Melissa
sees an image of Jane clawing at the rear window of her car. Her
throat is cut and she is asking for help. Melissa makes a quick
turn and speeds back to town.
Jane's House: "that's what it's all about" - the broken record
Jane hears a record playing the Hokey Pokey.
She asks if anyone is there. But she doesn't see anyone. When she
stops the record, she hears the doll say "I want to
play" She turns to see, but there is no one there. As the
record skips, she fights off the urge to hurt herself with a
piece of broken record she picked up. In the end, she slits her
throat and the record stops skipping and plays the rest of the
song.
A Bubble Bath
The next morning, Scully is taking a bubble
bath while she listens to classical music. The phone rings and
she kicks the door closed. After she gets out of the tub, she
goes into her room and notices that the light on her phone is
flashing. She chooses not to pick it up. She looks at her window
to see Jack pullin up.
Jane's House
They both go to Jane's house to find her dead.
Apparent cause suicide. Slit her throat with a broken record.
Cell Phone: Take Three
Mulder calls Scully, practically begging for an
invitation "I was a little worried about you. I was
wondering if you needed my help up there." Scully can't hear
him and asks "what's that noise". Mulder says
"they're doing construction right out the window." and
asks them to keep it down. In actuality, he was just bouncing his
basketball. When he decides to stop, he gets back on the phone.
Mulder suggests that "maybe it's not witchcraft after all.
Maybe there's a scientific explanation". Scully is intrested
by Mulder's concern to find a scientific explanation. He
accredits the strangeness to a 'medical cause' called chorea:
'dancing sickness'.
" Yeah, St. Vitus's dance. It affects groups of people causing unexplained outbursts of uncontrollable jerks and spasms." - Mulder
"Yeah, and hasn't been seen or diagnosed since the middle ages." - Scully
"Oh. You're obviously not a fan of
american bandstand, Scully." - Mulder
Scully hangs up on Mulder.
Buddy puts on the record an is a bit upset when
it plays the Hokey Pokey. Scully suggests to Jack that perhaps
they should be "opened to extreme possibilities."
Melissa's House: "I Want to Play!"
Polly is sleeping. Tthe Hokey Pokey is playing on the record player. Melissa comes in to check on Polly. The doll opens it's eyes and says "Let's have fun." and restarts the record.
Melissa panics and runs to the kitchen. She is
crying, as she sees a vision of Buddy in the window. He is
bleeding and calling for help.
The Seaside Restaurant: "It looks like something out of Jules Verne. Are we supposed to eat that?" - Scully
Scully and Jack are having a lobster at a
seaside restaurant. They talk about how Melissa's husband died.
Jack doesn't think Melissa had anything to do with her husband's
death. He points out the boat it happened on to Scully. Scully
recognizes the fisherman as one of the people she saw at the
super market.
Melissa's House: "I want popcorn, mommy!" - Polly
Polly sits down with her doll and put Hokey
Pokey on the record player and demands popcorn. Melissa turns to
go to the kitchen when Buddy appears behind her. He wants to know
why she's back. He tells her that he knows about the ranger she
almost ran over. And accuses her of coming back to kill Jane.
Melissa says it's not her. Buddy replies "We'll see about
that." and he says that Melissa's going to come with him and
calls the girl a brat. The doll is not having that! So it opens
it eyes and says "I want to play."
Interview with a Fisherman
The fisherman says that Melissa's husband was a
hard-working man who loved his family. They went out on the boat
on Polly's birthday. While pulling in a lobster trap, he found a
doll that he cleaned up to give Polly. The fisherman heard a
voice say: "I want to play." He stepped out to see what
happened, but he was dead. He had a hook through his head. He
says the moment he saw the little girl and her doll at the store,
he knew!
Cell Phone: Take Four
Mulder calls Scully "Hey. I thought you weren't answering your cell phone." to which Scully replies "Then why did you call?" He offers an idea about "viral infection that's spread by simple touch". Scully asks Mulder if there are " . . .any references in occult literature to objects that have the power to direct human behavior?" Scully uses a doll for example. "You mean, like Chucky?" says Mulder.
Mulder explains about the myths. "The fetish, or juju, is believed to pass on magical powers onto its possessor. Some of the early witches were condemned for little more than proclaiming these objects existed. The supposed witch having premonitory visions and things."
He makes an inquiry as per why Scully is
intrested, and she says she is just curious.
"You didn't find a talking doll, did you, Scully?" - Mulder
"No, no. Of course not." - Scully
"I would suggest that you check the
back of the doll for a plastic ring with a string on it. That
would be my first... Hello?" - Mulder
Once again Scully hangs up on Mulder.
Melissa's House: "Give me the doll" - Scully
Polly yells for popcorn, Melissa who is visibly shaken is making the popcorn. Buddy is lying on the floor, dead. Later that night, Polly is asleep and Melissa nails the doors shut. Polly wakes up and tells her mom to stop the pounding. Melissa's reply is to go back to bed. The doll says "Let's have fun." Melissa sees a vision of herself with a hammer stuck in her head. She stops pounding and walks Polly to bed.
Melissa locks the hammer away. She realizes the
only way to stop this all is to set fire to the house. She pours
kerosene from a space heater all over the floor, drenching Buddy.
Scully and Jack show up, trying to get in. Polly is frightened.
The doll says "don't play with matches." Melissa tells
Polly to go to bed. Every time Melissa lights a match, the doll
blows it out. Melissa decides to get a knife, to which the doll
says "don't play with knives." The doll unlocks the
pantry door and says "Let's play with the hammer."
Scully and Jack break the door down as Melissa starts hitting
herself in the head with the hammer every time the doll says
"I want to play." Scully makes Polly give her the foll
and then she runs downstairs and puts it into the microwave. The
doll catches fire.
The Basement Office: "There's got to be an explanation" - Mulder
Mulder is playing with pencils when Scully
comes in. She asks about his poster. He says he got in in a head
shop on M street about five years ago. When he asks why, Scully
says that she wanted to send one to Jack. When Mulder asks how
the case went. Scully denies her role in solving it and says she
was only on vacation.
"What about you? Did you, uh, get anything done while I was gone?" - Scully
"Oh, god. I mean, it's amazing what I can accomplish without incessant meddling or questioning into everything I do. It's just..." - Mulder
[pencils fall from the ceiling onto his head]
" There's... got to be an explanation." - Mulder
"Oh, I don't know. I think some things
are better left unexplained." - Scully
Maine
A fisherman pulls a chared doll from the water.
The doll opens its eyes and says "I want to play."
THE REVIEW
"Chinga" is a wonderful collaboration between Chris Carter and Stephen King. I like the notion of 'guest writers', and I hope they keep this new found tradition up. I am unfamiliar with the works of Stephen King, so I can't really compare this to other things he has written. I imagine that this must have been toned down somewhat because it was made to air on t.v. around 9 p.m. and not made to be released in a movie theatre. I didn't think the episode was overly scary, but I thought it was a good episode nontheless.
I thought the phone interactions between Mulder and Scully were intelligent and funny. People have complained that Mulder was out of character. They didn't like the fact that he appeared so bored without Scully. I, however, think this is very realistic of Mulder. You can even see proof of this in past episodes. When Scully isn't around, Mulder gets a little out of it.
The scene in the office at the end, was classic X-Files. It was intelligent, and funny and we learned something new. Mulder got his "I want to Believe" poster in a head shop on M street above five years back.
The episode reminds me a little of "War of the Coprophages", but only because the stories have similar structures. This being the fact that both stories are about one of the agents being away, working on a case when the other is at home. This is where the similarities end.
The episode was funny all in all. I know the guests at my X-Files party I had that night were laughing hysterically.
The doll thing has been done before in many other t.v. shows and movies. I think it would have added to the comedy if they made it a Barbie doll, instead of a porcelain doll, but I don't think the folks over at Matel would have been too fond of that. Or what about those cabbage patch kids who eat your hair. Now that would have been intresting!
My suggestion to Scully is to go on vacation where there are no people. Either that, or take Mulder with her. This way if an X-File pops up, Mulder can work on it while she takes her vacation. At least this way Mulder wouldn't be so lost without her.
I give this episode a 4. It was intelligent and
funny, and it remained pretty true to character. I liked the way
Mulder tried to sell Scully his far off ideas, by telling her
they were scientific. I also like when Scully told the Cheif that
they needed to have an open mind. I don't think this goes against
Scully's skeptic beliefs. I think this actually goes back to
something we saw in 'Elegy'. In 'Elegy', Scully saw that ghost.
She knows she did, but Mulder didn't handle himself very well
when he found out in the end. I think this backed Scully off from
admitting that sometimes things do happen. Now she is on vacation
and away from Mulder, and she says they need to keep an open
mind. This is real intresting character insight.
Jenniferelise