by Adam Silva
In the comic book world, each comic usually never starts at the beginning (at least in the older ones), so the story of how the character or characters came together is never known for a while, if it ever is fully explained. When it does it is known as an "origin story." Same as here, we never knew how the Lone Gunmen became so paranoid or why they banded together in the first place, and how Mulder knew of them. Well, this was there "origin story."
Solidly written by Vince Gilligan, this episode carries a wonderful plot and a gives an interesting and believeable backstory to the Lone Gunmen - one that is made to life by the great performances by Bruce Harwood, Tom Braidwood, and Dean Haglund.
The use of Susanne Modeski, played excellantly by soap star Signy Coleman, was a brilliant way to bring these characters together and give Byers an emotional resonance that is really what holds the group together. He's an obvious leader. And I don't know how they got Richard Belzer, but his reprisal of Munch from "Homicide" fits so well into this story and is his presence in this particular story just brings a smile to my face.
Gilligan gives us a lot of previously unknown facts about these characters, including flawlessly picked middle names and jobs. These characters have such great interaction and the actors have such chemistry together that it stands up to Mulder and Scully! But besides all that, the episode is just plain enjoyable. And how could it not be with the hilarity to be found without? The scene in which Langly is found playing D&D, rolling dice, because "Daddy needs a new Sword of Wounding" and "he doesn't except checks from the bank of Middle-Earth," is something I'll never forget nor will any fanboy I'm sure.
Though it is mainly about the Lone Gunmen, this episode also explains how Mulder met these guys in the first place. The use of the paranoia gas on Mulder is pretty interesting considering what he later became. Mr. X also have had a welcome return. When he obviously recognizes Mulder as a man not to be messed with is wonderfully cool, as is his line to Byers when he asks about JFK, "I heard it was a Lone Gunmen," he says. Nice.
