X-Files--"Mind's Eye"

“Mind’s Eye” is one of those rare episodes in which a guest star gets to take center stage. In this case, it is Lili Taylor, who earned an Emmy nomination for her role as Marty Glenn. Taylor was a rising character actor in the late ’90’s-early ’00’s, but has been less conspicuous in recent years. While “mind’s Eye” is not one of my favorites, I will confirm she deserved the Emmy nod.

Marty Glenn is a woman who has been blind since birth. Three weeks ago, she began having visions in which she witnesses a murder through the killer’s eyes. She is discovered at the crime scene of the latest murder while attempting to scrub away evidence. The detective in charge of the case approaches Mulder and Scully because, even though circumstantial evidence points to her, he cannot figure out how she could have committed the crime with her blindness.

Glenn is a hard case who refuses to cooperate, even when Mulder surmises a little too quickly she has a psychic connection with the real killer. Glenn has a fierce independent streak. Doing everything for herself is the way she validates her identity. The cops have to let her go for lack of evidence, but she marches straight to another murder scene she ’witnessed” and confesses to it.

From literally out of the blue, we learn Glenn’s mother was stabbed to death while carrying her in the womb. Glenn survived to be born, but the traumatic event left a psychic link between her and the killer, who also happens to be her father. He had been in jail for 28 years until paroled three weeks ago. Glenn manipulates Mulder, Scully, and the detective into thinking she will help them catch her father. In reality, she steals the detective’s gun in order to--in a nifty sequence in which she sees through his eyes--shoot him dead. The cops can finally convict her for an actual murder.

Like I said, Taylor is very good in this, but not much else is. Why did no one know her mother was murdered with the same modus operandi as the murders Glenn allegedly committed? Why did they not know her father killed her mother and--since he was now out on bail--is murdering people the same way now? Solid detectives work would have figured those points out immediately, but they are suddenly introduced in the third act so we could have the first two acts to develop a sympathy for Glenn.

Develop sympathy we do. For the first time in a while, Mulder connects with a troubled person as her only advocate. It is a welcome throwback to some early episodes like “Roland” and “Oubliette” in which he is the only thing standing between an innocent person and a murder conviction. It is good to see that aspect of his character amid all the conspiracy angst, guilt over Scully’s troubles over the last few years, and nagging emotional scars over his sister’s fate.

I counted four OJ Simpson acquittal jokes. A bit much, that.

I think “Mind’s Eye” overreaches. It is trying to tug at your heartstrings, then it stabs you right between the eyes with the ending in an ateempt to shock. This set up and pay off come at the expense of logic--Mulder suddenly discovers all he needs to know about glenn’s past to put her motivations together, but would the police have not researched all that before the FBI got there? I am not as down on “Mind’s Eye” as I probably sound. Taylor sells the role of Glenn well and classic profiler Mulder is always a bonus. It is worth watching, but it is not the emotional rollercoaster the powers that be were aiming for.

Rating: *** (out of 5)