Mulder visits Arthur Dales' brother, named Arthur Dales, when he discovers a photograph from the 1940's depicting the alien bounty hunter.
This, (and I admit I've said it before) is a really odd story. Written and directed by David Duchovny, it begins in a comedic fashion, then becomes more serious with intermittent humour. It also seems to be trying ot tie the conspiracy strands together a little better. Still, when you consider his pedigree (Duchovny co-wrote Colony and End Game), the actor who invented the alien bounty hunter can surely use him again and bring a new fact to light about him. The camerawork is also very good, with the segues between past and present down beautifully, with no need to tell the audience what time frame they're in.
Outside some intriguing new revelations, there are some strong comic moments. Mulder and Scully's relationship is heading more towards strong friendship than ever before, which is how it should be rather than the pair as lovers, and the scene when the alien reveals himself is brilliant.
Where my problem comes in this set-up is the fact that the episode is all about baseball. Not that I've got anything against the sport, but as I don't understand it, watching people play is about as interesting as watching paint dry. It's a clever idea, an alien falling in love with the sights and sounds of Earth and having to die for it, but it never quite comes together. Worth watching for some great Mulder/Scully lines though.
***
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