'The X-Files' Season 11, Episode 6: 'Kitten'

Sadly, this episode does not center on Mulder and Scully adopting a cat, then playing and snuggling with it for 45 minutes.  No monsters, no cases.  Just two FBI agents gushing over an adorable baby cat.  That would have been an "X-Files" for the books (and I'm a dog person.)

Instead, it puts the focus on Walter Skinner, as his past comes back to haunt him.  It was good to give Skinner some attention, as it seems like he hasn't had much in the way of screen time this season, despite being featured in the opening credits.  It's especially strange given the whole falling out. It was paid lip service, but never seemed to go anywhere.  It's a moot point as the agents seemed to have mended fences by episode's end.

Pileggi's always an asset and the episode puts him to good use, more so in the episode's second half.  His absence early on is understandable given that it's the plot's impetus.  It would have been interesting to play with the "did Skinner do it?'" thing, but the show already did that and the plot takes a different turn anyway.

The plot itself is admittedly rather ho-hum.  It's a pretty simple outing that doesn't really take any radical turns or pull off any big surprises.  Still, it's engaging enough and the character moments are strong enough that you don't mind it.

Really, I think the only real surprise comes when Mulder doesn't even bother with any sort of paranormal theory and instantly acknowledges that the "monster' seen on camera is just a guy in a suit.  It's good that he's being smart about his belief in the paranormal, but it's still a shock given the show's formula. 

There is one "X-Files" staple that makes its presence known and that is the involvement of nefarious goings on within the country's government.  It's more down to earth, but it does make it so that the episode doesn't feel too distant from what viewers come to see.

I wonder if the "government mind control" thing will come back in any way, shape, or form.  Normally, I'd leave the episode's ending as a standard "X-Files" wrap up, but this isn't the first time that the idea has come up this season.  It's unlikely, but we'll have to see.

Will this go down as one of the season's best?  I doubt it.  However, it's a decent enough episode.  It doesn't do anything too crazy, but I was never bored or annoyed by what I was seeing.  It'll pass the time decently enough, but this might not have the staying power of other episodes.

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