UNCUT - The X-Files S2E6 - Ascension

Anyway as the tension builds Mulder sets out with Krycek to find Scully, who has been violently kidnapped by Duane Barry. Mulder seems to very little help from the FBI top brass, including Assistant Director Skinner who wants him out of the case. Mulder believes Barry has kidnapped Scully to offer her as a type of sacrifice in exchange for him not being abducted. Mulder thinks he knows exactly where Barry is going. When the cop stops Barry in the car it is of course Nick Cave's Red Right Hand playing, famous for being in Scream and Peaky Blinders. When Mulder gets to the mountain he forces the operative to turn on the cable car, but makes the fatal mistake of leaving the treacherous Krycek with him. They think Mulder could be responsible for Barry's mysterious death, but we of course know Krycek has a hand in it, and after Mulder meets X on the stairway we get another show tagline 'DENY EVERYTHING'. Mulder finding the cigarettes in Krycek's car is proof Cancer Man/Smoking Man has been with him. When Mulder confronts Skinner with this, Krycek himself has now mysteriously gone AWOL. Skinner himself seems powerless to do anything, but then reopens The X-Files as he knows the clandestine forces fear it the most. Great scene when Mulder offers Scully's chain to the mother. There is more to come. These mini arcs, two/three parters, are some of the best in the show, and if you think this one is good, wait until you get further into the show.

hay there i’ve been watching youtube reactions and try to be a monthly as my nugget allows but this is one of my first times posting on patrons right after you watch if you pick me thanks This is one of my favorite episodes and makes skinner one of my favorites characters fyi you guys should watch dread with karl urban

It's almost as painful as watching for the first time. Waiting a whole week! I'm really enjoying it though. Back then when I missed an episode I often couldn't see it for months or a year or more. They made 24 or episodes a season back then and nowadays an 8 to 12 episode season is half filler. Just to throw out an idea for another show to watch, Person of Interest, it is a (very) slow start but turns into a great story. Anyways, just keep doing what you are, it is so much fun.

re Chris Carter "it's his baby, but you need other people" a perfect synopsis of the series X3

Regarding what Alex said about making us wait so long to hear the X Files are reinstated, and that just being the first step in setting things right with Scully still missing, they really put the protagonists out in the wilderness this season and made them struggle to find their way back. Especially with Scully's replacement being an immediate rat, it's like the hits just keep on coming. Mulder getting the X Files back gives him the tools to start fixing things, but he's got a long way to go yet. Skinner strikes me as someone who kept his head down and followed orders for a long time, trying not to jeopardize his position. Bit by bit though, we're seeing him start to take a stand and care less about rocking the boat. He might be a hard ass, but he does seem to be in Mulder's corner. The question is, however this abduction plotline gets resolved, it's pretty obvious they've kicked the hornet's nest. First Deepthroat is killed, Senator Matheson is threatened into silence, and even Mister X is unwilling to risk helping. Krycek apparently killed 2 people and helped get Scully abducted, and the only thing protecting Mulder is fear of turning him into a martyr. If the heat is already turned up this high a quarter of the way into S2, how much more opposition will they face as the show goes on? Will they come after Skinner next? Will Mulder find some way to level the playing field? Just gonna have to find out.

Like the song One Week by the rock band Barenaked Ladies says "Watchin' X-Files with no lights on, we're dans la maison, I hope the Smoking Man's in this one" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fC_q9KPczAg&list=RDfC_q9KPczAg

Love the mystery of the files

Not enough Ducovny in red speedos in this one. D.

Great two-parter.

Josh, I thought we would be able to Tier rate S2 X-Files episodes?

When The Expanse winds down, I would love to see two X-Files episodes per week.

Fantastic episode and myth-arc story...not over yet!

That cable car and aliens is giving me GTA 5 vibes..

Great reaction! The worst part of being abducted in this show so far, to me anyways, is the medical experimentations. I have a fear of hospitals, doctors, needles. A phobia, really. If any aliens or government goons are reading this, please if you intend to take me, leave me unconscious while you poke and probe...

Did the government kill Krycek or will he be back I wonder? They did a good job of convincing the audience that he was the replacement partner while Gillian was on leave, at least for an episode or two.

One of the well-done devices that this show uses, is that many questions are left unresolved, with ambiguous answers or completely open ended. This allows/allowed for fun discussions, especially back in the day, between us, the viewers and kept us wanting more. It reminds me of the old Memorex recording tape commercial slogan......."Is it real or is it Memorex?".

Overall, a super two-parter and a very good use of Gillian's pregnancy to add into the story. Glad you guys enjoyed this episode especially. Remember, deny everything.

I am waiting for Alex to theorize that Skinner is a changeling 🤣

Ascension could also be a reference to Scully's faith, as in to rise to (the) heaven(s) without dying

Mulder not overreacting (or over-acting) when he is on the tram and things are getting dangerously tense is, to me, more realistic than having him be overly excited or freaked out. FBI (or military or police, etc.) are professionals. They are trained to remain calm and stay cool. If police officers or paramedics freaked out whenever they had a crisis, they wouldn't last in the job. And I didn't know that Gillian Anderson was pregnant at the time until probably this episode.

Josh and Alex, wondering how this 2nd part compares to all the 2nd part shows you seen. like Trek.

One way is to do what i have I have Fandango at Home and I bought it digitally, right now only $99.00 full series. athome.fandango.com I also have the DVD collection when it first came out on DVD

Your information is incorrect. All 9 seasons of the original run were released on blu-ray in the US in a box set that had extra space for fans to include the upcoming season 10 on blu-ray when that would get a release after airing. The seasons also got released individually. They may be out of print now that Disney owns 20th Century Studios but all of the seasons did get a blu-ray release in the US.

Yeah, just absolutely amazing. You nailed it in your analysis. By the way, I'm not sure if you caught it 100%, but the person Mulder was trying to meet, and ended up meeting his informant, was actually the senator from the season two premiere.

Everything is ambiguous and you're just left with vague dread at the hidden machine. I love this show so damn much.

I'm always amazed by the various methods a TV show uses a regullar's pregnancy to write into their show. Gillian Anderson's was genius.

The scene where Mulder is hanging off the tram is real. David liked to do his own stunts. His only condition was making sure the audience knew he was the one doing it.

I Love this fucking episode. And the last one. Chef's kiss......