The X-Files season 11 episode 1 recap and review: My Struggle III

The X-Files season 11 opened with serious family drama, a surprising lack of aliens, and major spoilers. Here’s what happened in “My Struggle III”

As is promised by X-Files law, a season opener of the series must be replete with creepy aliens and lots of drama conducted in parking garages. Well, not necessarily, but we certainly had plenty of both in “My Struggle III”, the opening episode of The X-Files season 11. This episode, like its predecessors “My Struggle” and “My Struggle II”, was written and directed by showrunner Chris Carter.

Warning: major spoilers for “My Struggle III” follow

Rather than start with Mulder or Scully, however, we begin with the infamous Cigarette Smoking Man (or “CSM” for short). He’s reminiscing about his long and much-obscured government career, which we’re led to believe involves faking the moon landing.

But that’s not all. CSM goes on to muse about aliens, saying that “it is a failure to recognize the limits of our own stupidity” to think that aliens have not visited us.

After the moon-landing reveal, we go straight into the classic X-Files credits. For longtime fans of the show, it’s a clear shot for nostalgia, but one that’s still pleasing to see in 2018. It’s almost enough to make you forget the stinkers of season 10. These, alas, included “My Struggle” and “My Struggle II”, which doesn’t bode well for “My Struggle III”.

Scully in trouble

When we come back from commercial, it’s to see Dana Scully in some sort of medical emergency, attended by paramedics. Apparently, all of that business with UFOs in the previous finale was a vision. Mulder seems flummoxed. A seizure of some sort, he thinks, but that’s all he’s got.

At the hospital, a neurologist admits that she, too, doesn’t know what’s happening. She takes Mulder and Assistant Director Walter Skinner to look at a live scan of Scully’s brain. There, Skinner realizes that her brain is, uh, flashing… in… Morse code.

Come on, Chris Carter. In general, this is a perfectly functional episode, though no one is going to put it on their “best of The X-Files” lists. However, it’s moments like this that take viewers by the shoulders and forcibly drag them out of the story.

Plus, this moment isn’t even necessary. See, Skinner tells everyone that the code is reading, “find him”. That’s kind of ominous, sure, but doesn’t do much to advance the plot. This is purely silly.

For even in the next scene, Scully wakes up and starts spewing expositional dialogue. “Mulder, you have to go… to find the Smoking Man,” she says. “I’ve seen it. I know how it begins”.

She then explains that the Spartan virus is an alien virus designed to decimate humanity. Its release is to be engineered by the CSM. Somehow, their absent son William is the key to all of this.

Spender

We then cut to Jeffrey Spender, former FBI agent, and son of the CSM (which, if the drama weren’t enough, makes him Mulder’s half-brother). He’s minding his own business, conscientiously depositing his recycling in the correct parking garage dumpster, when a car tries to run him down.

Told you. Parking garages in The X-Files are not to be trusted.

Spender manages to put a door between himself and the assailant. “Where’s the boy? All we want is the boy!” shouts the strange man, who then walks away. In previous seasons, Spender was entrusted finding a family for William. Even Mulder and Scully weren’t supposed to know where their son had gone.

Understandably shaken, Spender calls Mulder. Of course, the CSM is listening in, and Mulder’s car is pursued. Though he shakes the tailing vehicle, it’s enough to set Mulder on the scent. He follows the strange car back to its headquarters.

Spender then visits Scully at the hospital. She asks him to tell her where William is. He reluctantly tells her that the boy’s adoptive parents are named “Van de Kamp” before leaving.

At this point, there are four interwoven storylines. Mulder tracks the car to a home, where he meets a mysterious “Mr. Y”, who wants him to take down the CSM. Mulder grows suspicious and demurs.

The CSM just can’t stop talking

We also see the CSM, who continues to wax poetic about the end of most of the human race. Former FBI Agent Monica Reyes is there, having apparently turned her back on the X-Files and joined in the sinister virus plot. She’s also subjected to the endless CSM musings, poor thing.

Meanwhile, Scully attempts to leave the hospital in order to find her son. She makes it to Mulder’s office but is gripped by strange and apparently overwhelming visions.

In a move that doesn’t fit with Scully’s sensible character, she gets into a car and starts driving. Further visions cause her to crash. She’s returned to the hospital by fellow agents (Einstein and Miller, whose season 10 debut received lukewarm reviews).

Finally, there’s Skinner, who tries to do his best tracking down the errant Scully. He ends up in yet another parking garage, trapped in his car with the CSM and Reyes. The CSM promises to give Skinner literal immunity against the virus — if only he will lead them to William.

Later, the menacing man employed by Mr. Y tries to kill Scully at the hospital. Thankfully, Mulder is there to — gore alert — cut the guy’s throat with a scalpel.

“So, we just wait?”

Later, Scully sits beside him and they share a meaningful look and hold hands. She tells Mulder that her visions are direct from their son. “They won’t find him, but he will find us”.

“So, we just wait?” asks Mulder. Pretty much, says Scully, hopefully opening the show up to some good monster-of-the-week episodes soon.

Ah, but the episode isn’t quite done yet. When Skinner enters, Mulder says that he smells smoke. The two get into a schoolyard tussling match in the middle of a hospital crime scene. Skinner walks off, but we’re already suspicious. After all, we never saw how he reacted to the CSM’s offer.

Then, we cut back to the scene with Skinner and the CSM. Why should Skinner help the CSM? Well, the CSM says, smirking, it’s more complicated than you think.

Next: The X-Files season 11 episode 1 live stream: Watch online

The big reveal

Skinner starts to catch on. Who is William’s father, really? “I am,” the CSM relates almost casually. “William is my son”.

It’s a bombshell that’s bound to leave fans chattering for a long time. But is it true? Or is the CSM bluffing? Using a convenient turn of phrase? How grossed out should we feel? (Very).

Overall, this is a serviceable episode, though with some serious clunkers. It’s perhaps a bit too formulaic, but at least steps forward with the mytharc plot established in earlier seasons.

That said, it will be a relief when we move on to more humorous and inventive “monster of the week” episodes. Last season’s “Mulder and Scully Meet the Were-Monster” was just such a tale, and arguably the highlight of the 2017 run. Here’s hoping there’s more of that to follow.