Scully Fest! Our Rewatch Begins: 1x12 Beyond the Sea

[wendelah1]

"Beyond the Sea" is my favorite episode from season one. I love the role reversal of Scully being the believer and Mulder the skeptic. Brad Dourif gives a terrific performance as the serial killer Luther Lee Boggs. Gillian Anderson gets a script that shows off her range as an actor. We get interesting back story for Dana Scully, and new insight into her character.



Writer/s: Glen Morgan & James Wong
Director: David Nutter
Originally aired: January 7, 1994 (in the US) – 5th May 1994 (in Australia)

Synopsis: Scully wakes up to a vision of her father sitting in her living room, a hour after he died at home of a heart attack. After attending his funeral, she journeys with Mulder to see serial murderer Luther Lee Boggs. He claims to have psychic abilities, which have given him information about the whereabouts of two kidnapped victims. Mulder is certain Boggs is a fraud. After seeing another vision of her father, this time during their interview with Boggs, Scully is no longer sure what to believe.

Most Memorable Quote:
SCULLY: You set us up. You're in on this with Lucas Henry. This was a trap for Mulder because he helped put you away. Well, I came here to tell you that if he dies because of what you've done, four days from now, no one will be able to stop me from being the one that will throw the switch and gas you out of this life for good, you son of a bitch!

Links:
Beyond the Sea transcript.
Autumn Tyson's review
Entertainment Weekly's X Cyclopedia Read their ratings for each episode of the first season!
The Truth About Season One: a short documentary.
Fanart for By the Sea by Lady Manson.

Fanfiction:
Silver Tongued Devil by ML - zinnia03. This is part of a series but it works as a standalone.
I Must Down to the Sea Again by maidenjedi. Summary: Bill Scully, Sr., and the loves of his life.
In the Family of Things by tree. Post-episode for Beyond the Sea. A reunion and a farewell.
Dance by Dith. Not a post-ep for "Beyond the Sea." Instead, it's set during the hiatus between the end of season one and the beginning of season two. The X-Files are shut down. Scully is back doing autopsies and teaching; Mulder is stuck in his cubicle, listening to reel after reel of audio surveillance tape. Out of the blue, Mulder gets a call from an old friend who wants him to come to South Street in Philadelphia to investigate a murder--off the books.

Comments

[maidenjedi]

I've watched this episode so many times over the years, because Gillian Anderson's performance just blows me away. But also because Brad Dourif raised the bar so damned high for a one-off villain of the week. It's incredible, all the way around, even now when the set pieces and production quality don't quite hold up.

To see for the first time Scully's issues with her father, her authority issues (watch Gillian's face in the scene where Mulder chews her out for listening to Boggs), and to know now how those things would play out over the years! If only the mytharc had been so well designed and executed.

I'm watching it right now, and Scully's sad face when Boggs channels her own fourteen-year-old insecurity made me cry. It's just an incredible episode.

[idella]

This is such an amazing episode for Gillian Anderson and Scully.

I missed GA's face in that scene (probably I was trying to do too many things at once) but her face in general just gets it done, all the flipping time.

If only the mytharc had been so well designed and executed.

Heh.

[wendelah1]

This one never gets old for me. Brad Dourif chews the scenery but in a good way. I really believe in his fear and that helps me believe in his channeling ability.

Gillian Anderson shows us so much range in this episode.

If only the mytharc had been so well designed and executed.

Did they know they had a mytharc at this point?

Incredible. Yes. This episode ranks an A+ in my book.

[maidenjedi]

Re: mytharc. Likely not, but they knew they had something. What this proves to me is that they were better at character than plot (I've always thought so) and that Scully in particular is far more consistent than we often give the writers credit for.

[tree]

so what i got from this rewatch is:

1. i am shallow
2. scully is really pretty
3. gillian can act with her eyes better than most people can act with their whole faces
4. brad dourif is excellent in a creepy way
5. i have located the source of my face touching kink
6. scully is so badass with her being in charge and her gun!
7. mulder's rabid insistence that boggs is lying switching to chastising scully for not believing him at the end of the episode makes me want to slap him
8. LOOK AT HOW PRETTY SHE IS LOOOOOOK (see? shallow)

[idella]

Co-signing all of this (except possibly #5).

[maidenjedi]

Dude, #7. NUMBER 7.

Yes.

[idella]

It's too early for me to be coherent. I always forget how good this one is. And that it's set near Christmas. Scully is gorgeous and brave and I just want to hug her and Mulder's tiny tiny S1 selves. Gillian Anderson is amazing. Mulder touching Scully's face almost makes me ship it. Brad Dourif is excellent. I get a Twin Peaks vibe from this one. Creepy, atmospheric, great for getting to know more about Scully. ♥Scully♥ A++ would watch again.

[tree]

Mulder touching Scully's face almost makes me ship it.

you sound just like wendelah1. :D

[idella]

I do, don't I?

I swear I have been not shipping it since I first saw the show in 1994....

[estella-c.livejournal.com]

For some nefarious reason my season one discs have disappeared (along with a few other things, as house rehab continues) But I actually have seen this ep before.

I remember it as the episode that solidified my fascination with the show, which I must admit was triggered by a kind of ur-shipperism. I loved the imaginative way they filmed it, particularly taking note of Bogg's eerie vision of hell, with--twin aunts? Dourif chewed it up pretty good, but his quiet moments with Scully after he sees through her duplicity are very effective. And Scully turning psychic and sitting on a straight chair waiting for a partner who *reproaches her* for considering extreme possibilities is an image I won't forget. Mulder was all over the place; in the early shows, character was uncertain.

About Scully's pretty; yes, of course. Later she became beautiful and later yet glamorous. (Her look in CBFR is my favorite.) But during her talent-displaying shouting scene I thought she was not too well photographed. It kind of went with the downhome realism of detail that offset the crazy theme. I hope I'm making sense out of a bunch of scrambled memories.

[wendelah1]

UR-shipperism? LOL

I'm afraid I must ask you to define your terms.

For the sake of the plot, they turned him into a "skeptic" in season five too. "It was staged!" The writers always had problems with characterization, in my less-than-humble opinion.

She looked glamorous in the movie for sure. Bigger budget, better quality suits with perfect tailoring. Her hair looked perfect, too. Almost too perfect. I kind of liked her dumpy season one suits and her giant pregnancy-hiding coats that she wore even in the tropics.

[tri-sbr.livejournal.com]

i'm mostly repeating things that have already been said, but anyway:

scully *is* really pretty ;)

scully's rationalizations at the end were understandable in a way; mulder's initial disbelief and his flip-flop at the end asking her why she can't believe both seemed ridiculous to me.

it was cool that in the last chase scene, scully is out in front leading & directing the pack of (male) agents.

the intro with scully and her parents was great - we got the whole dynamic between scully and her dad with a few very well-done facial expressions from gillian.

[wendelah1]

She is terribly pretty in season one. Insanely young-looking, too, from my aged perspective.

the intro with scully and her parents was great - we got the whole dynamic between scully and her dad with a few very well-done facial expressions from gillian.

She is a terrific actress. I loved getting the Scully fami;y stuff, especially her bits of back-story in this episode.

[badforthefish.livejournal.com]

Late to the party as always...

I am just watching this now and plan to do F-Emasculata right after.

Random comments:

1) The first scene made me realise how few Scully family moments we get to see over the years.

2) I love how the tension between the father and daughter regarding her job is established straight away. Just by the way Scully looks at her dad when she's about to close that door and we know not everything is fine in paradise.

3) The blue striped couch! I coveted that couch for many years.

4) How HUGE is her phone!!!

5) Awwww, I'd forgotten about the "Adult Video News" line. It might very well be the first reference to Mulder's Porn habit.

6) The infamous 'Sick Pizza' Tie!!! Oh, how many jokes were made about this tie on the UX newsgroup. Good Times.

7) Dana. The Face Touching...*melts* and to think I would remain a Noromo for another 5 years after that, *shakes younger self* CAN'T YOU SEE IT???? ARE YOU NUTS????

8) Is it just me or does Scully's cross looks really tiny?

9) Do you think one of the men at the Scully funeral could be Charlie? No Melissa, no Bill, all these little continuity bumps stand out more when I rewatch them now.

10) Y'know, I had no idea Brad Dourif was famous. It's way later that I realised he was Billy Bibbit in 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest.'

11) So creepy: "Did you get my message Starbuck?" Starbuck has been the name of my various hard drives for years. And don't get me started on that damn coffee brand.

12)Her hair is so ORANGE!

13) CALL FOR BACK UP SCULLY DAMNIT!

14) I see coat hangers. Was Joan Crawford here?

15) Scully sitting still on that chair is one of the most vivid, defining moments of the show for me. This shot is a work of art, I want a painting of it.

16) Mulder requests Jimi Hendrix. That's my boy.

17) "Why now, after all we've seen?" Dude, it's only season one, you ain't seen nuffin yet.

18) He calls her Dana again! I'd forgotten about that one.

19) That hair cut is dreadful. Such difference with the stylish, sophisticated S4 and later dos.

20) "Mulder, it's you." Eheheheheheh! Nice one.

21) Angry Scully followed by child like Scully, she used to be so much more open about her emotions pre- abduction wasn't she?

22) Love that little FBI "go go go" signal Scully does with her fingers.

23) Mulder in green scrubs....oh yeah. :D

24) This is probably - along with Never Again - my favourite final shot for an episode.

One down. Next, boils and pus. Yay.

[wendelah1]

1) The first scene made me realise how few Scully family moments we get to see over the years.

2) I love how the tension between the father and daughter regarding her job is established straight away. Just by the way Scully looks at her dad when she's about to close that door and we know not everything is fine in paradise.

It's very subtly played and very effective.

5) Awwww, I'd forgotten about the "Adult Video News" line. It might very well be the first reference to Mulder's Porn habit.

Now I need to look that up.

7) Dana. The Face Touching...*melts* and to think I would remain a Noromo for another 5 years after that, *shakes younger self* CAN'T YOU SEE IT???? ARE YOU NUTS????

Both idella and I were saying the face touching was almost making us ship it. Almost.

15) Scully sitting still on that chair is one of the most vivid, defining moments of the show for me. This shot is a work of art, I want a painting of it.

It is. Me, too.


18) He calls her Dana again! I'd forgotten about that one.

I think he calls her "Dana" three times in this episode.

21) Angry Scully followed by child like Scully, she used to be so much more open about her emotions pre- abduction wasn't she?

Maybe so. I was thinking it might be due to her filters being down from grief and fatigue.

[estella-c.livejournal.com]

I would just like to say that I adore "Dance," which is all but forgotten by an all-but-forgotten fan called Dith. It captures a special time and place and point in the still-developing relationship. Some good characters. My second home town: Center City Philly.

[wendelah1]

It's a great story. I think the hiatus between season 1 and 2 is a lost fanfic opportunity, especially for shippers. That's when they should have started dating! When the X-Files were shut down, before anything bad happened to Scully! Where are all of the MSR AUs that branch off from there? Answer: there are none! People just want to write and read all that depressing crap from season 5+. Or curtain fic featuring little William and Emily and Melisa and Danny and Pendrell Mulder-Scully.

Sorry. Mini-rant curtailed. I've been spending too much time at Haven.

I found her old website via the Wayback Machine. I think she left the fandom in the fourth or fifth season, just when the fandom was getting really big. I featured one of her reviews for an upcoming episode...look for it.

[vjs2259.livejournal.com]

Um, hello? I will be chronically late with the re-watching but will follow along best as I can.

I have to admit I disliked Dana's father in this episode. He's rushing his wife out of the house, after Christmas dinner, while she's still helping out in the kitchen. Mother-daughter time, man. He just seemed controlling and a bit judgmental.

Mulder I liked in the beginning, with the disbelief. He started out as a profiler and sometimes a crazed killer is just a crazed killer, you know? The turnaround at the end was nuts however. Who thought that would work? It makes no sense. Dana should have slapped him.

Has anyone ever read Bill Scully's lips and found out what he was saying?

Brad Dourif really punched out the fear, and the gassing scene at the end was horrific to watch.

Hi!

[wendelah1]

Re: what he was saying. He was asked about it by someone in an interview. He was reciting the Lord's Prayer.

Mulder I liked in the beginning, with the disbelief. He started out as a profiler and sometimes a crazed killer is just a crazed killer, you know? The turnaround at the end was nuts however. Who thought that would work? It makes no sense. Dana should have slapped him.

I would have loved to see him get slapped by her on more than one occasion.

I have to admit I disliked Dana's father in this episode. He's rushing his wife out of the house, after Christmas dinner, while she's still helping out in the kitchen. Mother-daughter time, man. He just seemed controlling and a bit judgmental.

Very controlling and very judgmental. But this explains a lot about Dana Scully and the men she's attracted to.

Brad Dourif made this episode work. For me. Without his acting to counterbalance Anderson's, it wouldn't have been nearly as effective a drama. Duchovny did okay in it too.

Re: Hi!

[vjs2259.livejournal.com]

"Very controlling and very judgmental. But this explains a lot about Dana Scully and the men she's attracted to."

That's interesting. Mulder does jerk her around a lot. He's always 'splaining things. Watching it a million years ago I remembered it as being much more equal, them butting heads and challenging each other while maintaining respect for each other's beliefs and opinions. Mulder feels more jerkish this time around, although that varies tremendously episode to episode.

Brad Dourif was amazing; totally creepy and evil and yet truly sympathetic.

That quote mentioned in the review, when Scully loses it? Elder son was on the XBox with his buddies while I was watching (they can hear what's going on in the room over the mike) and for some reason they thought it was me yelling at him. Good lord, do they think I keep an execution chamber for when he goes over his allotted game time?? Talk about controlling and judgmental!