We continue the final five episode loose end wrap up. Obviously, this time around it is William’s story that gets closure. It is a better story than it has any right to be when considering two major flaws. Its saving grace is the episode was co-written and directed by David Duchovny, marking his next to last association with the series. While I have complained in the past the episodes in which the actors have a direct hand in are often painfully self-indulgent--and "William" is no exception--there is a palpable feel here that Duchovny has snatched the story away from the regular creative team in order to do it right. Just the impression I get, mind you. When Duchovny returns to act in the finale, his exhaustion over still being associated with the series is painfully obvious, so his true intentions about ’William” are up in the air.
A lot of stuff gets thrown in and wrapped up quickly. A mysterious disfigured man breaks into the x-files office to steal Samantha Mulder’s case file. He is stopped by Doggett. Under interrogation, he claims to have been sent by Mulder to grab files on the super soldier program. He refuses to divulge his true identity, but his familiarity with Mulder and story of how he was kidnapped and experimented on by the Syndicate earns Scully’s uneasy trust. When a DNA test proves he is Mulder, she refuses to believe, but takes him to her home anyway because that is where she has hidden the super soldier files from Syndicate spies at the FBI.
It is all a ruse to convince Scully to take him to see William. During the night, he gets the chance to inject the baby with the same metal that killed the super soldier in "Trust No 1" the injection has the effect of removing all elements of alien material from William. It suddenly dawns on Scully the mystery man is not Mulder, but his half-brother Jeffrey Spender. William was a key part of both the colonization and super soldier plots, but with his alien aspects, he is useless to both. Nevertheless, he assures Scully the Syndicate will never spot hounding William, so she puts him up for adoption in order to protect him.
There are some pretty hefty flaws here. The Cigarette Smoking man stole Samantha’s case file from the X-Files office before setting the place on fire back in the fifth season. Even if Mulder drafted a new one in the interim, he already knows Samantha’s fate. Would Scully not think it is odd that is the file he would want? How did Spender survive a point blank gunshot wound to his face back in the sixth season in the first place? The big one is even half-siblings do not have enough similarity in DNA that you cannot tell them apart with a DNA test. But those are minor quibbles compared to the two big issues.
One, it is a big risk to try to hide an actor’s identity under heavy make up. Chris Owens was not billed in the opening credits in order to keep the mystery, but he was not hidden very well. Perhaps it is because he had been under heavy make up before as the Amazing Mutato that it was easier to figure out who he was. Maybe it was because we were supposed to believe it was really Mulder that forces heavy examination with a skeptical eyes. I cannot discount I had a hard time taking the mystery man seriously because he was wearing a wig even worse than The Wedding Singer rug Matthew Fox donned in some Lost flashbacks. Whatever the case, I give them props for taking the risk, but it only partially paid off. I am impressed “William” is not considered a joke by fans because of how badly Owens’ identity was hidden.
Two, I do not believe Scully would ever give up William. Yes, the fact she did tugs at the heart strings, and is therefore good drama. But it is inconceivable based on the surrounding facts. Scully can longer have children, but she desperately wanted one. Surely she would not just give him up because the Syndicate will be watching him his whole life. They probably still will. They are a global conspiracy with big plans in breeding and cloning children. Surely they can track an adoption of someone as important to them as William, even if it is a cross-country adoption. Besides, scully gave up a career in medicine to become an Fbi agent because she has a compulsion to protect people who cannot protect themselves. She has demonstrated a particular issue with watching over children. It seem far more likely she would run away with William rather than give him up. Putting William up for adoption is not the decision scully would make.
I will concede the possibility Duchovny is attempting to make the point that while scully will sacrifice to protect other people’s lives, her choice to continue doing so denies her the same luxury of a safe, happy life. If so, that is poignant. But that aspect does not come across. It is clear her concern is with William’s protection. I cannot see her handing over such a responsibility to a random couple on some isolated farm in the Heartland.
In spite of my above complaints, the episode comes across competently. I am sorry William was built up just a few episodes ago as some sort of powerful messiah/savior of humanity from aliens, then wrapped up so conveniently, but considering how poorly much of the ninth season’s writing has been, I am not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. I can only imagine what silly resolution the regular writers might have come up with sans Duchovny’s input.
Oh, yeah--Doggett is in the episode, too. Reyes shows up and looks like her usual cardboard cut out self. If the story does not revolve around the character, Reyes is completely useless. It is not Annabeth Gish’s fault, either. Chalk it up to more poor writing.
The final scene of "william" is touching enough to make me forget the implausibility of Scully giving up her child. The scene is of William’s new family happily putting him to bed the first night he is home. A gospel version of “Michael Row the Boat Ashore” plays over. It is a special rendition of the song performed by Maggie wheeler. Duchovny personally requested the song. As hear as I can tell, it is only for the episode and has never been released on any album. It is a beautiful version. It is interesting that an outspoken anti-theist--Duchovny is an evangelical atheist--possesses such a skill at evoking emotions with gospel songs as he did also with "Come and Go with Me to That Land” in "The Unnatural."Rating; *** (out of 5)
We continue the final five episode loose end wrap up. Obviously, this time around it is William’s story that gets closure. It is a better story than it has any right to be when considering two major flaws. Its saving grace is the episode was co-written and directed by David Duchovny, marking his next to last association with the series. While I have complained in the past the episodes in which the actors have a direct hand in are often painfully self-indulgent--and "William" is no exception--there is a palpable feel here that Duchovny has snatched the story away from the regular creative team in order to do it right. Just the impression I get, mind you. When Duchovny returns to act in the finale, his exhaustion over still being associated with the series is painfully obvious, so his true intentions about ’William” are up in the air.
