It is great to see a lighthearted, humorous episode with a big name guest star at his quirky best in an otherwise bleak sequence of episodes. The X-File’ is in definite full swing at this point, but “Improbable” is there to remind of those fun episodes of the past when stars like Peter Boyle, Charles Nelson Reilly, Lilly Tomlin, and Ed Asner lifted Many monster of the week episodes to classics. In this case, Burt Reynolds takes a turn ambiguously playing God as he helps Scully and Reyes track down a serial killer who uses numerology to choose his victims.Reynolds steals the show here as the offbeat Almighty, but I cannot discount that the powers that be finally found something for reyes to do that does not involve some existential voodoo. She finally comes into her own as a capable FBI agent rather than the third wheel behind Doggett and Scully, or the poor soul buffeted by cruel fate. She is the one who ultimately catches the killer, though it is Doggett who fires the fatal shot to save her and Scully. To be fair, he was due. He had about eight lines up until that point. Besides, I cannot remember the last time he got to kill the perp.
Reyes, seemingly out of the blue, connects a series of six murders through numerology. She becomes a quick star within the FBI until the head of the local field office discovers how she did it. He is inexplicably upset because that is just not how the FBI works. His objection puzzles me. If a serial killer is using numerology to choose his victims-- and Reyes proved he is--then it is perfectly reasonable to use numerology in order to catch him. Nevertheless, the FBI’s skepticism forces Reyes to rely solely on Doggett and Scully, though the mysterious Mr. Burt lends a hand in the final act.
The episode is based on the concept that numbers are the language of the universe. Patterns emerge constantly in patterns of three, from the pins on a map marking each murder victim arranged into a six to nine people crammed in an elevator. Some of the patterns are quite creative. I have probably missed a few myself even though I was cued in early on to be observant for them. Ultimately, Scully and Reyes get locked in a garage with Mr. Burt. He convinces them to play checkers, which gives Reyes the epiphany there are going to be nine murder victims in all. Since unlucky number seven was a blonde, the final two will be a brunette and red head, just like the checkers. The killer turns out to be hiding in the garage. Doggett rescues the two before they can become the final victims. Mr. Burt, work having been done, disappears.
There are some absurdities in the episode. I have already mentioned the FBI brass’ skepticism about using numerology even though the killer believes in it if no one else does. Victim number seven just happens to be the numerologist Reyes consults in order to predict the next victim. What are the odds the killer would choose her? Sure, we are supposed to think the numbers make the determination, but it feels like way too much of a coincidence. It also is extremely weird that even while locked in a garage, Scully and Reyes would pass the time playing checkers with some random guy. I am going to forgive it all, however. Somehow, it makes sense within the strange logic the episode establishes.
I noted a very obscure reference to a past episode, too. When the field office head eschews Reyes’ numerology suggestion, he develops a psychological profile that says the killer is a former bed wetter who ia angry at his mother. Scully once angrily told skinner once the FBI could determine whether a killer was a bed wetter and how he felt about his mother, but could not identify the gun which fired the bullet killing her sister. What a wild allusion to make, particularly when it is played for laughs in this context because it is such a broad profile.
“Improbable” is a very funny, very entertaining episode. For whatever reason, the powers that be thought the departure of David Duchovny would somehow be made light of if the final couple seasons had comedy episodes. Perhaps that was true during the period Mulder was abducted, but the rationale does not play as well while Mulder is in hiding. Life goes on, and the motif of comedy episodes in the midst of dark material works just fine, as this episode demonstrates. There should have been more like it. I even liked the soundtrack of non-Mark Snow composed standards. They gave the episode a certain flair.
Rating: *** (out of 5)