27 reviews
Closure is a somewhat underwhelming, yet beautiful ending to the Samantha plot.
- jasperstokoe
- Jul 10, 2020
- Permalink
I'm free
- reachtitan
- Jul 23, 2014
- Permalink
Into Starlight
- jgreening-09087
- May 4, 2018
- Permalink
Believe To Understand
- Muldernscully
- May 29, 2007
- Permalink
Great closure
I'm fine. I'm free.
The "Walk-In" Closet
Teena Mulder is Dead. Mulder walks out of the case, only to be dragged back.
Anthony Heald (Who was eaten by Hannibal Lector in Silence of the Lambs) is a man who presents himself to Mulder as a "Police Psychic" who initially helps Mulder but is then found out to be less than reliable.
In the previous Episode, Kim Darby had told Mulder that his sister and the other Children were 'Safe in Starlight' - The man tells Mulder almost the same thing.
Is this guy to be trusted? Not by Skully, and Mulder almost tells him to hike as well.
But the man is persistent. And little by little, between Heald and Mulder they track down clues about Mulder's sister.
These two episodes end Mulder's 7-year (and longer, outside of the series) quest to find his sister Samantha.
This episode stands alone from the previous episode, there is a quality to this episode, where everything bad imaginable happens to Mulder in the previous ep, this episode holds out Hope to Mulder as a torch. And Mulder only can grab it, which he does.
The choice of opening and closing Music ("My Weakness" by Moby) makes this the most spiritual episode of The X-Files.
It's not that we liked finding out that all along, Samantha had been with Cancerman. And everything Mulder had believed previously about her was a lie or delusion or something he made up himself. That's not important here. It's the way this story was told, and the assurances held out to Mulder. It's the way the story, and Mulder's disposition, goes from NO hope to Hope.
The Concept of "Walk Ins" was introduced in the Season 2 Episode "Red Museum" which also had Mark Rolston, but playing a different character.
But it was elaborated on here, in this episode, explained by the characters played by Kim Darby and Anthony Heald, witnessed in the end by Mulder.
The Irony of Ironies is that Heald's own missing son is the one who brings Mulder to Samantha - And in the end, Heald's character cannot accept the truth that Mulder had just had revealed to him - A truth Mulder never would have known if not for Heald.
These two episodes are so dense, I cannot possibly write a review of them, these are just my impressions. Even after four viewings, I still get lifted up to a higher place while watching this.
Stories like this, are what The X-Files were about, this being probably the peak of story for the whole series - Unfortunate that it had to include so much dark to give us a glimpse of The Light.
Anthony Heald (Who was eaten by Hannibal Lector in Silence of the Lambs) is a man who presents himself to Mulder as a "Police Psychic" who initially helps Mulder but is then found out to be less than reliable.
In the previous Episode, Kim Darby had told Mulder that his sister and the other Children were 'Safe in Starlight' - The man tells Mulder almost the same thing.
Is this guy to be trusted? Not by Skully, and Mulder almost tells him to hike as well.
But the man is persistent. And little by little, between Heald and Mulder they track down clues about Mulder's sister.
These two episodes end Mulder's 7-year (and longer, outside of the series) quest to find his sister Samantha.
This episode stands alone from the previous episode, there is a quality to this episode, where everything bad imaginable happens to Mulder in the previous ep, this episode holds out Hope to Mulder as a torch. And Mulder only can grab it, which he does.
The choice of opening and closing Music ("My Weakness" by Moby) makes this the most spiritual episode of The X-Files.
It's not that we liked finding out that all along, Samantha had been with Cancerman. And everything Mulder had believed previously about her was a lie or delusion or something he made up himself. That's not important here. It's the way this story was told, and the assurances held out to Mulder. It's the way the story, and Mulder's disposition, goes from NO hope to Hope.
The Concept of "Walk Ins" was introduced in the Season 2 Episode "Red Museum" which also had Mark Rolston, but playing a different character.
But it was elaborated on here, in this episode, explained by the characters played by Kim Darby and Anthony Heald, witnessed in the end by Mulder.
The Irony of Ironies is that Heald's own missing son is the one who brings Mulder to Samantha - And in the end, Heald's character cannot accept the truth that Mulder had just had revealed to him - A truth Mulder never would have known if not for Heald.
These two episodes are so dense, I cannot possibly write a review of them, these are just my impressions. Even after four viewings, I still get lifted up to a higher place while watching this.
Stories like this, are what The X-Files were about, this being probably the peak of story for the whole series - Unfortunate that it had to include so much dark to give us a glimpse of The Light.
Don't get why others don't like this
- mjgregory-79859
- Oct 7, 2020
- Permalink
Didn't mind it
Although I think the answers given here about Samantha's disappearance is a big weird and random, I don't think its that bad. It still fits in with the mythology of the show.
And not just that but this is a well made episode in general. David Duchovny's never been the best actor but his performance in the last episode and this one are both pretty damn good. The final lines of his are really damn good, and the atmosphere and colouring of those shots of the kids, especially with the Moby music, work so so well. I seriously think this episode is significantly better than people give it credit for.
And not just that but this is a well made episode in general. David Duchovny's never been the best actor but his performance in the last episode and this one are both pretty damn good. The final lines of his are really damn good, and the atmosphere and colouring of those shots of the kids, especially with the Moby music, work so so well. I seriously think this episode is significantly better than people give it credit for.
- JimmyWhimmyNutrinSon
- Dec 7, 2022
- Permalink
Season spanning conclusion to what happened to Samantha.
An underwhelming end to the Samantha Mulder saga
One of the most emotional pieces of TV history
"I guess I just want it to be over."
- classicsoncall
- Aug 5, 2017
- Permalink
The end of the road
Tough to watch and let go
- shaun-morin
- Aug 28, 2024
- Permalink
(Almost) back to the basics (dvd)
- leplatypus
- Mar 5, 2013
- Permalink
I'm free...
- tylerfarmer-25136
- Aug 18, 2019
- Permalink
Stunning, spectacular TV
Some X-Files fans may not like this episode (or they may love it like I do) for being a bit less Sci-fi and a bit more spiritual, based on the widespread misconception that science has conquered metaphysics when in fact it is helplessly standing outside its gates having no clue how life is created. And this is the exact theme of this episode, the destination of life..
It is an absolutely fantastic episode that provides a (metaphysical) conclusion to one of the main plots of the series, after many years of searching for his disappeared/abducted sister into the mysteries of the unexplained and battling secret conspiracies Fox Mulder finally finds relief, peace and closure.
A beautiful script with beautiful metaphysical elements and depictions of souls transending death and finding peace in eternal existence. One must be pretty distracted and hardened by routine and religiously materialistic to dislike the message of peace, the transcendental tranquility, the otherworldly atmosphere and the amazing aethereal music. Which is what the psychic detective that helped Fox ends up doing (without revealing anything from the actual plot) and this antithesis adds to an already top notch episode.
Definitely one of the top episodes of the whole series and I'm kind of glad Hollywood is producing trash nowadays because I get to revisit the past of nostalgia and Hollywood greatness. This underrated episode is definitely one of those moments of greatness.
It is an absolutely fantastic episode that provides a (metaphysical) conclusion to one of the main plots of the series, after many years of searching for his disappeared/abducted sister into the mysteries of the unexplained and battling secret conspiracies Fox Mulder finally finds relief, peace and closure.
A beautiful script with beautiful metaphysical elements and depictions of souls transending death and finding peace in eternal existence. One must be pretty distracted and hardened by routine and religiously materialistic to dislike the message of peace, the transcendental tranquility, the otherworldly atmosphere and the amazing aethereal music. Which is what the psychic detective that helped Fox ends up doing (without revealing anything from the actual plot) and this antithesis adds to an already top notch episode.
Definitely one of the top episodes of the whole series and I'm kind of glad Hollywood is producing trash nowadays because I get to revisit the past of nostalgia and Hollywood greatness. This underrated episode is definitely one of those moments of greatness.
Incongruous
- junaidalam1
- Jan 19, 2008
- Permalink
Closure
- frederik-atak
- Oct 30, 2021
- Permalink
Woeful, this was painful viewing.
A psychic offers Mulder some help, and claims to know where Samantha was just after she was taken.
This is perhaps the first episode so far, that I would say I really disliked, it was so poorly written, so overly syrupy, I couldn't wait for the credits to roll.
I am staggered as to why this episode has such a high rating, well and truly baffled, I loathed it, there's a saying about over egging the pudding, that came into my mind here, this storyline of Samantha going missing has quite literally been done to death, they've gotten so much mileage out of it, changed its direction, and if I'm not mistaken, they've changed the canon, it's like a whole new team of people took charge.
The sentimental tone throughout felt overdone, it was like Clinton's cards were doing a line in Happy Halloween cards, with rabbits and bunnies on them, the images and music just jarred with the whole vibe.
I truly hope that we're done with this story now, talk about dragging it out.
A shocker, 4/10.
This is perhaps the first episode so far, that I would say I really disliked, it was so poorly written, so overly syrupy, I couldn't wait for the credits to roll.
I am staggered as to why this episode has such a high rating, well and truly baffled, I loathed it, there's a saying about over egging the pudding, that came into my mind here, this storyline of Samantha going missing has quite literally been done to death, they've gotten so much mileage out of it, changed its direction, and if I'm not mistaken, they've changed the canon, it's like a whole new team of people took charge.
The sentimental tone throughout felt overdone, it was like Clinton's cards were doing a line in Happy Halloween cards, with rabbits and bunnies on them, the images and music just jarred with the whole vibe.
I truly hope that we're done with this story now, talk about dragging it out.
A shocker, 4/10.
- Sleepin_Dragon
- Sep 21, 2022
- Permalink
Awful episode about the Beautiful Samantha Mulder
Just finish watching closure episode, i read some other reviews, a few i agreed with , that it was horrible. So throughout all the seasons/episodes where Samantha Mulder story-line was that she was taken by aliens( which made more sense anyway ), the bounty hunter alien knowing about her and trying to killed the clones of her, CSM showing Mulder many times his sister Samantha Mulder, for goodness sake we seen her in many episodes, alive and well. Even those taken by aliens told Mulder that his sister is still alive and was a clone from her. Watching the episode closure, made no sense at all. So basically the original story-line was all a waste of time, because it would have made more sense for Mulder to be reunited with her sister, then to say she was killed by some fat man and went into some stupid star light afterlife nonsense.
ugh, i have to remind myself to just never watch that episode ever again and erase it from my memory and just pretend she was taken by aliens and she's living somewhere in a nice home now. Oh wait, the CSM already proved that , remember when him and Samantha Mulder went to see Mulder at the restaurant?
ugh, i have to remind myself to just never watch that episode ever again and erase it from my memory and just pretend she was taken by aliens and she's living somewhere in a nice home now. Oh wait, the CSM already proved that , remember when him and Samantha Mulder went to see Mulder at the restaurant?
- MyEinsamkeit
- Dec 14, 2016
- Permalink
Cleaning Out Old Plot Devices
Part two of two. In the previous episode FBI agents Mulder and Scully tracked down a serial killer and in the process discovered possible leads to the disappearance of Mulder's sister Samantha, which was originally thought to be an alien abduction. We also were told of beings that lived in the starlight, pre-kidnapping children to preserve them from greater harm. In this episode Mulder is approached by Harold Pillar, a man who became psychic when his son disappeared. Pillar - or is it his lost boy? - leads Mulder to a place where his questions can finally be left unanswered.
It seems like Chris Carter painted himself into a corner back in season 5 (or with the movie?) and in season 6 the alien-invasion "mthology" was essentially flushed. In severing the loose strings it was revealed that Samantha's "alien abduction" was a cover-up in which Mulder's father allowed her to become part of the alien-human hybridization plot. In an effort to finally flush Samantha, this episode gives us a new twist on the issue, and as usual it doesn't really jive with previous info.
I thought the mysticism was murky and the sentimentality of the ending HOPELESSLY inappropriate. I guess we needed a whole episode to say our goodbyes to Samantha, who was once such an important plot device. However I can't help but see this episode as doing little more than burying a piece of the soul of the X-Files - perhaps one that died a season earlier.
It seems like Chris Carter painted himself into a corner back in season 5 (or with the movie?) and in season 6 the alien-invasion "mthology" was essentially flushed. In severing the loose strings it was revealed that Samantha's "alien abduction" was a cover-up in which Mulder's father allowed her to become part of the alien-human hybridization plot. In an effort to finally flush Samantha, this episode gives us a new twist on the issue, and as usual it doesn't really jive with previous info.
I thought the mysticism was murky and the sentimentality of the ending HOPELESSLY inappropriate. I guess we needed a whole episode to say our goodbyes to Samantha, who was once such an important plot device. However I can't help but see this episode as doing little more than burying a piece of the soul of the X-Files - perhaps one that died a season earlier.
Trite and repetitious
This is one of the poorest episodes, typical of what happened after the series left British Columbia. The province was integral to the look and feel of the series. Afterwards the show largely degenerated into hoary religious clichés, perfunctory dialogue, repetitious themes and emotionally manipulative music. The psychic subplot is so embarrassing and shallow that I'm amazed it was even considered. The same shtick was used in the second X-files movie, and not even Billy Connolly could save it,
Chris Carter seems to have lost control over his series in L.A. The dignified thing to do would have been to end the X-files after season 6.
Chris Carter seems to have lost control over his series in L.A. The dignified thing to do would have been to end the X-files after season 6.
- gregfelton
- Mar 27, 2015
- Permalink
One of the worst episodes of the entire series.
- artisthunger
- Apr 3, 2023
- Permalink