Something So Familiar

black magic

I accept that part of the formula for success of The X-Files has been the diversity of its episodes. Sci Fi, fantasy, horror, mystery, and romance fans and, of course, conspiracy buffs can all find something to enjoy. As a Sci Fi fan, I always find myself wishing that the Sci Fi side of The X-Files might get more attention. I feared the worse sort of silly fantasy would make Season 11, episode 8 unwatchable for me.

Next Gen X
I've been living with the hope that some new talent might be revealed during Season 11: possibly some new writers and new show runners who could move us into the future with an X-Files the Next Generation television show. Episode 8 gave me some hope. I feel that this episode was well done and I'd be interested to see more from Holly Dale and writers like Benjamin Van Allen. Okay, Dale is even older than Chris Carter, but I think "Familiar" shows that Dale knows how to put together a well-paced episode of The X-files.

the mind of a child

The Craft
As a Sci Fi fan, I can't stop myself from imagining a technological explanation for the witchcraft in Episode 8. I like to imagine that for thousands of years humans have been on the brink of having the kind to telepathic powers that we've seen deployed by William. William can make people see what he wants them to see. Maybe there have long been witches who could trick people into seeing things.

In this episode, innocent children get caught up in the witchcraft. Maybe children are just naturally susceptible to telepathy? Maybe adults can resist the attempt of a witch to telepathically insert images and thoughts into their minds.

Burn

can't burn

I like the idea that alien nanites might be involved in human telepathic abilities. If enough nanites accumulate inside someone, might they attain "magical" powers? Might burning such a person disperse the nanites and make it less likely that the critical mass of nanites be passed on to someone else?

I also like the idea that nanites can reside in books or other inanimate objects. At the end of the episode, the book of spells remains un-burned. I'm going to take this as a good omen: that The X-Files can live on past the end of the terms of Carter and Anderson.

Next: the horror of episode 9

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