I'm still unsure if this worked or not. Principally because the story is all over the place, twists coming at you from all angles, little resolution and a tone that veers from high-camp horror to mournful tragedy. But, generally, it's pretty entertaining. It takes some somewhat familiar X-Files ideas (hellish visions, potentially demonic pregnancies, dead babies) and runs with it in varying different directions. It's the show once again playing around with your expectations, Mulder pursuing a bad guy he knows is a little 'off', but takes a while to actually discern what that 'off' is all about. It's a feeling we share, too, and I liked it.
Bruce Campbell's demonic antagonist works really well as a concept. He's evil, sure, but just wants that shred of humanity that he's grown to love. It's a great idea, and one that is played straight for once. It's become pretty routine of late to see an idea like this played as a comedy, especially on the heels of at least a season's worth of episodes which manipulated our expectations of this show in general.
I also enjoyed Mulder's characterization, turning into a pestering, inquisitive detective. Scully majorly took a back seat, which is always disappointing, but I understood the reasoning, since it allowed for the neat pursuer/criminal chemistry between Mulder and Wayne. Great use of that Garbage song, too: the show using actual pop tracks instead of Mark Snow's synth score.
Terms of Endearment is engrossing, and the ending ridiculously unexpected and inherently awesome with the demon baby and the hell-bitch demon, but the script felt a little too nutty at points, as if David Amann couldn't get a total handle on which road to go down. Still, it's a fun standalone. B-
Credits
Guest stars Chris Owens (Jeffrey Spender); Bruce Campbell (Wayne Weinsider); Lisa Jane Persky (Laura Weinsider); Michael Milhoan (Arky Stevens); Grace Phillips (Betsy Monroe)
Writer David Amann Director Rob Bowman
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