Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa have never been among my preferred X-Files writers. Their scripts are normally serviceable, but they lack the sort of flair and quality characterization and dialogue that you can expect out of a good X-Files episode. Given the task of introducing a plot thread and theme which would stretch itself over seven seasons (and even further if you count references), this writing team create a mildly interesting X-File which is important for the aspect of it that works Samantha into the story, but otherwise a middling, unoriginal abduction story.
I'm not a big fan of the Samantha storyline. I got sick of it after a couple of seasons, but it remains a key part of Mulder's character and the show's story arc. I love the simplicity of the approach in this episode. In that sense Gordon and Gansa are phenomenally successful here. Beautiful handling of Mulder's character and some fine acting from Duchovny as well.
What's really worth pointing out about this episode is how many recurring phrases are introduced. Scully first tells Mulder to give up on his search for Samantha in this episode, and Mulder, in a beautiful final shot in the episode, says the famed "I want to believe".
"Conduit" handles Mulder's character and the Samantha storyline well, but the supporting cast is occasionally incompetent and the main storyline is mostly uninteresting. An important and key X-File, but not a very good one.
6/10
I'm not a big fan of the Samantha storyline. I got sick of it after a couple of seasons, but it remains a key part of Mulder's character and the show's story arc. I love the simplicity of the approach in this episode. In that sense Gordon and Gansa are phenomenally successful here. Beautiful handling of Mulder's character and some fine acting from Duchovny as well.
What's really worth pointing out about this episode is how many recurring phrases are introduced. Scully first tells Mulder to give up on his search for Samantha in this episode, and Mulder, in a beautiful final shot in the episode, says the famed "I want to believe".
"Conduit" handles Mulder's character and the Samantha storyline well, but the supporting cast is occasionally incompetent and the main storyline is mostly uninteresting. An important and key X-File, but not a very good one.
6/10