X-Files 6.14: "Monday"

Written by Vince Gilligan and John Shiban
Directed by Kim Manners

In which Mulder finds himself experiencing the same day over and over again, always leading to his death in a bank robbery…

Status Report

For many fans, this is a highlight of the sixth season. Despite the obvious comparisons to “Groundhog Day”, the concept is an old one. As with many tried-and-true plot devices, the question is how well the idea is used within the existing context of the series. In this case, the end result is an episode that somehow manages to exceed the limitations of its parts.

One might have expected this episode to expose something about Mulder’s character. After all, one of the head writers on the episode was Vince Gilligan, best known for focusing on consistent character development over the course of the series. This is the first of many unusual surprises for the episode: there is precious little development.

Who wouldn’t expect Mulder, at this point, to be a proponent of free will, after all? He may understand that his life has been manipulated by others, but he also has reason to believe that his decisions changed the course of the future. One of the deep ironies of “X-Files” is how little freedom Mulder has in his existence, since even his apparent free agency is taken into account by higher authorities.

Similarly, Scully treads the kind of fine line between God’s plan for the world and individual free will that many religious followers recognize. As a scientist, especially one with a strong background in relativity and quantum theory, Scully would be familiar with the idea of chance at the heart of deterministic order. So her philosophy is hardly a surprise.

What is surprising is the lack of any explanation for the events of the episode. No attempt is made to explain why this loop in time is taking place. It is as inexplicable as the continued existence of the waterbed in Mulder’s apartment. Some have theorized that this suggests a connection between “Dreamland” and “Monday”, explaining the temporal loop as a lingering effect of the situation around Area 51. But this does nothing to explain why the loop was established and how it was ultimately broken.

Unfortunately, this means that a large chunk of the X-Files premise is missing. Beyond a short affirmation of their opinions on fate and free will, Mulder and Scully have no theories to offer. There are a couple lines here and there, hinting at dueling interpretations, but Mulder is still only flying by the seat of his apparent intuition when he tries to change events. Scully never tries to understand what might be happening.

In a sense, not even Mulder takes specific and directed action to resolve the crisis. While he does ultimately interfere in the flow of events, changing things enough to result in an outcome that breaks the temporal loop, this is as much a matter of luck as it is a matter of observation. This lack of definitive action takes something away from the episode as a whole.

The story itself depends on a specific sequence of events, leading to the moment when the bomb explodes and time recurs. The eventual solution is, as mentioned, more a question of luck. Surprisingly, there was a quick and simple solution that could have been legally implemented on several occasions: shooting Bernard in the head as soon as it’s clear that the bomb needs to be triggered with a switch to explode. Mulder and Scully both end up watching Bernard slowly slip his hand down and flick the switch, and it happens enough to highlight the fact that it’s a massive plot hole.

Many also point out that this episode is the first return to the basement office, and while things are still in flux since Spender’s shooting and Diana Fowley’s off-screen reassignment, Scully still doesn’t have a desk of her own or her name on the door. Previously, this was somewhat easier to overlook, but if Spender and Fowley could share billing, why not Mulder and Scully? It sounds like a silly thing to hold against the episode, but it actually serves as an obvious example of how the writers never addressed the post-“One Son” situation.

If the episode does succeed, it does so with relatively subtle comedy. The humor in this episode is kept within realistic boundaries, grounded within the mundane reality that the audience can appreciate. Duchovny manages to play Mulder’s recurring ordeal with the waterbed with deft timing. Skinner’s meeting is another example of how something so mundane can be deeply amusing without taking over the episode.

Despite all of the weaknesses, the episode succeeds because the audience can watch the episode and get into the concept without needing any of the elements that are missing. It simply doesn’t stand up to close inspection. While that can be a problem for episodes that require the audience to overlook the problems to buy into the premise, in this case, the episode is essentially the equivalent of an “X-Files” popcorn movie.

Memorable Quotes

MULDER: “You ever have one of those days, Scully?”
SCULLY: “Since I’ve been working here? Yeah…”

MULDER: “I know, I missed the meeting.”
SCULLY: “Well, not yet, but only because it’s the longest in FBI history.”

Final Analysis

Overall, this episode is often considered one of the more popular episodes of the season, despite some of the obvious plot holes and contrivances. Upon close inspection, the resolution of the story is not entirely satisfying and the writers cheat to keep the premise running, but none of that matters in the end. This is designed to be a crowd-pleaser, and that’s ultimately what it is.

Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 7/10