What I’m Watching: The X-Files

The X-Files: Season 10, Episode 5 “Babylon” (B-)

This was a peculiar episode in a lot of ways. It involved a strong subplot in an otherwise unfitting and off-putting overarching story. I was surprised when the opening credits started rolling after two Muslim men were revealed to be suicide bombers because there’s absolutely nothing supernatural about that, and it seemed an odd topic for this show to tackle. I can’t say that there was anything positive or productive to come out of showcasing this storyline, and Mulder needing to communicate with the hospitalized, comatose bomber was a thin excuse for the rest of this episode. Mulder’s fever dream set in heaven or hell or wherever was also pretty pointless. What was much better, however, was the introduction of two young agents who bore a shocking resemblance in many ways to Mulder and Scully. Miller was played by Robbie Amell from “The Flash,” and Lauren Ambrose from “Six Feet Under” was his partner Agent Einstein. I like Amell and I’m a huge fan of Ambrose, who I believe should be working much more than she is, and so it was a treat to see them, and also to see Mulder and Scully approach their counterparts’ partners to try to talk them into seeing things from their perspective. I’d be happy to watch a continuation of this show with Miller and Einstein as the stars – is that too much to hope for? Mulder and Scully are fine, sure, but these two would bring an exciting youthful energy that might help this show feel less dated and explore some more enthralling territory.

What I’m Watching: Babylon (Season Finale)

Babylon: Season 1, Episode 6 (A-)

I so hope that this show returns for a second season, and I definitely plan to go back and watch the 90-minute pilot just to be able to spend more time watching this brilliant series. It’s such a smart and entertaining show, one that can move from witty banter to deadly serious drama in an instant. My favorite exchange from the episode was Finn calling Liz the “best thing to happen to London since the plague,” to which she responded by calling him a “dinosaur staring at monkeys sailing by on bikes with iPads.” It’s hard to find such intellectual insults on any other show, and it was fascinating to see the two of them working together by episode’s end, both agonizing about what to recommend for Charles to do. Liz switched sides as soon as she realized that Charles was actually impressive, and it’s worrisome to see just how eager she was to throw her previously championed candidate under the bus in such a brutal and unforgiving way. Matt’s attitude about the worthiness of his footage made it hard to find sympathy for him when Robbie, swayed by a tall strawberry milkshake, went full-on commando to get the footage back. Robbie and Banjo getting arrested in preparation for a full-scale police inquiry in the wake of the release of the footage by Charles via Liz and Finn was an intense signal of what’s to come, and I really want to see it. Ending with the three of them sitting at the table ready to address the masses was terrific, and I’m just itching for more. I want to get people to watch this show – it’s officially the series of 2015 that I’m championing as my recommendation.

Season grade: A-
Season MVP: James Nesbitt (but really everybody)

What I’m Watching: Babylon

Babylon: Season 1, Episode 5 (A-)

This episode changed the game in so many ways, driving forward the specific plot and this show’s characters while also addressing the overall themes of a complicated working police force. Liz was all about making her play, deciding to back a different horse and push Sharon to be the new Commissioner over Charles and undermining Finn and his operation at every turn. I love all of Liz’s over-the-top references, and she definitely knows what she’s doing. Sharon, to her credit, does too, explaining the realities of being behind a different desk and then coming up with a great idea with the cell phones during her press conference. Finn might know exactly what Liz is up to but that doesn’t mean he can do anything about it. Finding the boy too late was a sad ending that should cause a serious dent in Liz’s current campaign since she only knows how to win, and losing something like this is just devastating. The inquiry into the shooting didn’t go particularly well, and I’m surprised about who broke and revealed that Warwick was never actually there. The most damaging thing was Robbie’s insanely stupid decision to confess the fact that he moved the gun to a journalist, who just happened to be recording that particular revelation. On a lighter note, it’s pretty amusing to see a cop hired to guard a furniture store sale take that opportunity to purchase a couch for himself, a definitive moment of this show’s bizarre but effective comedy-drama hybrid.

What I’m Watching: Babylon

Babylon: Season 1, Episode 4 (B+)

This show has taken a darker turn in the wake of Richard’s suicide, but that hasn’t weakened it in any way. Liz went from being at the top of everything with her new internal press system looking like a sure thing to essentially being dismissed by Finn. Of course, the way that he and Charlie handled things wasn’t so smooth, and having to track down a bomber while doing damage control for the late commissioner’s promiscuousness wasn’t easy. A black teenager being shot and killed by armed police made things considerably more intense and dramatic in a way that hits close to home, and turned things from comical, with Robbie insulting gay people without knowing that one of his fellow officers is gay, to much more serious. Liz’s argument that he wasn’t black did seem somewhat manipulative, but I think she was just trying to make sure the situation didn’t get even worse without her there to keep it all in check. I love that she decided that the only thing to do was to go on television and take an interview in which she reasserted her position in the administration of the department while simultaneously cleaning up every mess Finn had caused in her short absence. I’m guessing that Charlie is going to be happy to have her back even if she did circumvent him to ensure the stability of her position, and Finn should really get in line soon. The officers in the field could sure use her help too.

Take Three: Babylon

Babylon: Season 1, Episode 3 (A-)

This episode really sealed the deal for me, hoping that this series will return for a much longer if typically British-in-length run. I’ll get to the ending in due time, but I first want to start by noting that the music in the show is great, infrequent but appropriate in nature. There was the expected humor in this episode, like someone calling the police because of a Facebook post right before a real bomber calling but having his reference to Hegel mistaken for “Hey girl.” Charlie getting stopped for shoplifting – and shoplifting shampoo, at that – was entertaining, and fortunately it didn’t get any more serious than him freaking out and worrying about getting cut of the loop. Liz telling Finn that he needed to get in line or resign sent him reeling, though that’s all going to change now as a result of the episode-ending events definitely change that. Richard admitting to an extramarital affair seemed to negate the tensions between them that had arisen as a result of the ultimatum from last week, but that confession spiraled out of control as Richard eventually revealed that it wasn’t just one affair. Liz was truly angry at him for disappointing her and for being so stupid, and that turned the episode incredibly serious towards its end, accompanied by Warwick mindlessly playing video games and Robbie’s video reporter friend getting canned. Nothing can match the dramatic and shocking impact of Richard stepping off a ledge to fall to his death – a startlingly serious and irreversible decision that, at the very least, is going to be near impossible for Liz to spin.

Round Two: Babylon

Babylon: Season 1, Episode 2 (B+)

In its second outing, this show does well. While it may not be as hilarious as the notion of stuffing guards with cheese and eating them, there’s still plenty of humor to be found, but also some serious content which prompts some true and unchecked anger from this show’s two most volatile personalities, Liz and Richard. Liz’s no-nonsense attitude does make it hard for her to make friends, as evidenced by an overheard call in a bathroom stall, and therefore it’s no wonder that she would jump at the chance to appease the one friend she does have by compromising her values and doing drugs. Her internal press network idea was clearly conceived in a moment of high function, and I think she let it get to her a bit and oversold it in her mind. That said, when Richard told her no she got truly angry and railed at him about her ideas not being taken seriously. She’s doing a pretty terrific job otherwise, smartly advising the deputy mayor on how to best spin his son being arrested and booked for drug possession (reminiscent of a lighter version of what happened on “Boss”). The idea of the public tasing was pretty entertaining, and that seems like a productive concept that couldn’t possibly have gone well. It took me a while, but I finally recognized Paterson Joseph, who plays Charles, as Holy Wayne from “The Leftovers.” This role includes a different kind of over-the-top behavior that isn’t as serious as changing people’s lives with a mere embrace.

Pilot Review: Babylon

Babylon (Sundance)
Premiered January 8 at 10pm

To call this a pilot review isn’t really accurate since this isn’t actually this show’s pilot. My trusted episode titles source, epguides.com, along with further research, indicates that this Channel 4 UK show aired a 90-minute pilot in February and then its six-episode first season this past November. SundanceTV opted just to air the six episodes, skipping the pilot and launching right into the first season, reminiscent of when Cinemax picked up the second season of “Strike Back” without ever airing the first. Both of SundanceTV’s original series, “Rectify” and “The Red Road,” were intriguing and grew on me, and so I opted to check this out, and I’m very glad I did. There’s no easy way to categorize this show, which is actually more of a comedy than a drama, following police cases but with a deeply satirical slant. A neighbor requesting police help assembling a chair while they were barging into a criminal’s apartment is entertaining and ridiculous to be sure, but what really had me cracking up was when a prison riot led to specific pizza orders and some rather disturbing imagery about where pizzas might end up in relation to the guards if the demands were not met. It’s interesting to see American Brit Marling at the head of this show, though she certainly has the right personality to play an unconventional communications director with no interest in being talked down to by others. I liked her in “The East” and I think this is a perfect follow-up role. James Nesbitt is terrific as the no-nonsense police commissioner who feels like he’s right out of “In the Loop.” It’s also fun to see Nick Blood, who also stars on “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” as Lance Hunter, as one of the cops. This show definitely feels like it’s worth six episodes, and though I had no such plans to keep watching when I first sat down, I’ll definitely be continuing now.

How will it work as a series? I think it’s going to be a lot of fun. The creative minds of Danny Boyle, Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain, who have been responsible for “The Thick of It” and “Four Lions,” among other things, should be able to produce some truly unique and enjoyable hours based on this first one. I already feel compelled to track down a British copy of the pilot to see how this show got its official start.
How long will it last? That I’m not sure about. I can’t find any record of whether Channel 4 has renewed the show in the UK, but I think that the timing of this show ridiculing the police is far from ideal in the United States, which could lead Sundance to part with it after one season. Let’s hope that’s not the case, and I still have some faith that the network will want to stick with it.

Pilot grade: B+