Postmodern Prometheus

After reading It's the Libidinal Economy, Stupid: The X-Files and the Politics of Postmodern Desire, and its in-depth analysis of some of my favorite episodes, I couldn't help but think that the author missed out by not bringing up one of the best: Episode 5x06 - Postmodern Prometheus.

Unlike many X-Files episodes which tangentially bring up literary allusions and references, this one is a full-on postmodern retelling of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. That classic novel was subtitled "the modern Prometheus", which is where the X-Files episode got its name. In fact, many of the characters we see on the screen are parodies or unique twists on the major players in Frankenstein. The crazy Dr. Pollidori stands in for mad scientist, a harmless (but hideous) creature known as The Great Mutato plays the monster, and the citizens of their community act as the angry mob.

Throughout, both Mulder and Scully constantly quip about how contrived the entire situation feels. (Scully: "Mulder, I'm alarmed that you would reduce this man to a literary stereotype. A mad scientist."). The fact that the episode is shot in black-and-white with a wide-angle and often fisheye lens also helps draw attention to its artifice. Thus, the viewer is constantly reminded of the fictional construction of every Frankenstein-related archetype through the constant comic self-referential attitude of our two heroes. In this way, too, the entire mythos of the show is questioned: after all, if the events of this episode can be analyzed so academically, then what about the aliens and conspiracies that Mulder and Scully usually fight?

The end of the episode, in perfect postmodern style, blows the whole thing right open. Consider the following dialog exchange:

Mulder: "This is all wrong, Scully. This is not how the story's supposed to end."
Scully: "What do you mean?"
Mulder: "Dr Frankenstein pays for his evil ambitions, yes. But the monster is supposed to escape, to go search for his bride."
Scully: "There's not going to be any bride, Mulder. Not in this story."
Mulder: "Where's the writer...? I want to speak to the writer."

Mulder doesn't get his wish, but we, the viewers, are treated to one more scene: a shot of the monster dancing to the song "Walking in Memphis" as performed by a woman pretending to be Cher. (The two things that the monster loves, we learn, are Cher and peanut butter).

Thus, the allusions end in an abrupt (and very postmodern) fashion. What the ending actually means is open for interpretation, (here is one person's take on the whole thing), but the message of the episode is clear: The myth of Frankenstein's Monster is an immutable part of our cultural lexicon, but even something so socially sacred can be muddled by the insanity of our postmodern world.