Wine and an X-Phile #01005: The Jersey Devil

“Unlike you Mulder, I’d like to have a life.”

Air Date: October 8, 1993
Directed by: Joe Napolitano
Written by: Chris Carter

Filed Under: Monster of the Week

Synopsis:

Mulder and Scully go to New Jersey to investigate the news of a body that was dismembered details that resemble a case from the 40’s that Mulder thinks could be the work of the Jersey Devil.

Review:

This episode is honestly not one of my favorites of the season. It’s kind of messy and I don’t think the ending worked as well as it could. I can understand why Carter wrote it the way he did, it just wasn’t as interesting and I don't think his want for the Jersey Devil to be perceived as the “missing link” instead of the focus on the creature, which doesn’t really translate in any sort of entertainment sense. I also think that using a cryptoid that is a fairly known one probably wasn’t the best choice for this because he inherently came in with the audience (who knows of the creature’s lore) already thinking it was going to go one way when it went the other. I also felt the need to make Mulder so infatuated with the creature came out as forced and seemed to only be placed into the story as a way to parallel Scully’s story line when it didn’t need to.

I do think that the focus on Scully outside of the office and Mulder was the most interesting and entertaining aspect. Not just because we got to see Scully’s fancy date outfit, but we get more of a sense of how working on the X-Files has been limiting her and taking away her free time - which is something we already see and know that affects Mulder to his detriment. In that respect it is vital, especially at the point we are in the season and with a need to still focus more on who Scully is outside of being with Mulder. Out of the two Scully is the one who would have a life, and not showing that wouldn’t work with her character. Yes, she is falling more into becoming wrapped up in the cases with Mulder, but she is still new to the unit and work. It’s a nice perspective to see her in.

I do think an interesting plot point in the episode is Scully bringing Mulder to the anthropologist. It’s a small thing, and I’m fairly certain the intention of the scene is to hone in on Carter’s want to focus the monster on its evolutional impact and so bringing Mulder there is to have that dialogue, but it’s one of those things that just solidify the reasons why I like Scully. She doesn’t believe in the Jersey Devil, yet she is open and respectful enough to bring Mulder to someone who does, a scientist. Scully may spend every episode questioning everything she sees, but she does still want to give all the cases the same respect.

Extras:

While the episode eluded to real-life reports of the Jersey Devil, Carter based the episode after an essay by E.O. Wilson.

Favorite Prop(s):

Of course I was going to pick this awesome drawing. Although sometimes props is the one who finds and takes care of getting animals and their handlers, so I could have also picked her godson’s dog that was eating the cake at the party. But this drawing is so great. Spitting image.

MSR:

Why do they always have to lean in so close to each other. It’s just so consistent. I also like Scully’s “He’s a jerk. He’s not a jerk.” line when she was talking to her friend at her godson’s party. But really, the defining moment of the episode is that Scully chose Mulder over Rob.

Rating:

2.5/5. Not my favorite and I felt that in Carter’s want to see the Jersey Devil in a new light, we missed out on some fun creature antics we could have had.

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