“Young At Heart” is an inconsistent episode. At times it can be thoroughly riveting and, at others, a complete and utter bore. It’s the classic case of high-risk, high-reward –in terms of both character and plot – and, fortunately for the episode, the rewards outweigh the pitfalls. What that means, though, is that viewers need to be able to overlook the episode’s flaws to truly enjoy it. Still, there’s little doubt that this is a classic installment.

This is the story of how John Barnett (Alan Boyce), a former perpetrator from Mulder’s past, comes back to haunt his present. The catch, of course, is the fact Barnett is supposed to have died in prison. In truth, he survived thanks to the ministrations of a mad scientist who was attempting to find the proverbial “fountain of youth.” Aside from this paranormal construct, the episode is much more focused on Barnett’s stalking and taunting of Mulder – from creepy phone calls, to surveillance photos, to killing Mulder’s former FBI boss, to nearly killing his current partner, Agent Scully.

Some of these sequences work – such as the death of Agent Purdue and the close calls with Scully. One factor in the success of these scenes is the music, from Mark Snow which carries an almost operatic quality to it, particularly the choral sections. But the phone calls from Barnett carry too much of the cliché super-villain motif to really be threatening. Shot in stark light-and-shadows, with close-ups of Barnett’s teeth, the result is closer to hilarious than it is to horrifying. Another facet of the episode, that of Barnett’s ability to be wherever it’d most bother Mulder, is a double-edged sword. At first, it works to establish the clear threat from Barnett. Later on, it becomes a liability because it seems that Barnett is, somehow, nearly omnipotent – which is just too implausible to swallow.

Such is the way the episode goes offering scenes that work nearly perfectly and others which are almost a complete failure. What helps in the long run is the ability of the episode to make some connections to the larger conspiracies within the government. The reappearance of Deep Throat, to confirm that government is negotiating with Barnett over the stolen Fountain of Youth research, drives home the theme of whether or not you allow the ends to justify the means.

“Young At Heart” is an episode which succeeds more often than it fails. And its successes ensure that it ought to be a worthy installment of the X-Files.

Characters: Mystery, Sci-Fi, TV Reviews
Filed under: Season 1, X-files

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