The X Files: Young at Heart

Yet again, Mulder gets hunted by someone from his past. This time it is one John Barnett. During his very first FBI case, Mulder had the possiblity to shot Barnett, who held a gun to a hostage. Going by the book, Mulder did not take the shot, which cost the hostage (actually, Barnett's original complice) and an FBI agent (father of two) their lives.

Not Barnett is back from the supposed dead - with certificate stating that he died of cardiac arrest four years previously - to take his revenge on Mulder. In the wake of the hunt - the FBI's for Barnett or whoever this may be claiming to be him, Barnett's for Mulder and his assorted friends - Mulder's fromer mentor falls victim to the culprit and Scully gets this close to being killed, as well.

As if this were not enough going on already, there is also the question of what really happened to Barnett and why is he not dead as he is said to be. Dead, cremated, ashes spread. In comes a Dr. Ridley (aka Dr. Mengele aka Dr. Frankenstein - so called by his peers), who has secretly been conducting human experiments in order to reverse aging.

Barnett is his only success story, young and healthy looking - except for the eyes, they look pretty dead. Somehow he had to grow a new arm for all this. They do explain the connection in a very civil and quite discussion, but the details escape me. Barnett's right hand - previously removed by Dr. Ridley - did grow back, but looking more amphibian than human. This has nothing to do with the story of the episode, really. It looks pretty weird, though.

In the end, Mulder does kill Barnett like he should have all those years ago.

6/10