I don't think I really have very much to say about this one, but here goes anyway. I'll start with the teaser, which I thought was very good. I liked the way they implied that it was Mulder who was "going to die" by saying that Scully should be notified. After that, the way camera panned up Skinner's arms to his face was very effective. The effects on the skin were great, not gory but enough to make you wince. And I couldn't believe they actually killed Skinner! OK, so he didn't stay dead for long, but they killed him! Tragic though it was, and medical ethicist though I'm not, I did think the doctor made the right decision, not putting him through more pain when his only slim chance of survival was the therapeutic plasmapheresis (I have no idea how to spell that).

Hands up who didn't recognise Krycek with long hair and a beard? *Raises hand* Maybe more people would have done if they'd put Nicholas Lea's name up at the beginning rather than the end - so I'm glad they didn't. Every X Phile knows he plays Krycek, so seeing his name would only make us look out for him and spoil the surprise at the end. That said, there are probably some people who'd recognise Nicholas Lea in a paper bag and welder's mask J

So, Skinner likes to box? I have to admit that that's not something I'd associate with him so I was kind of surprised to see him doing it, but why shouldn't he? All we see of Skinner most of the time is his professional side, we don't know what his interests outside work are. Even Mulder has outside interests, even if they do normally involve scantily clad women J . But the name Slugger amused me a little, mainly because when I think slugger, I think slug, and that's not really a formidable opponent.

I liked Mulder's concern for Skinner at the beginning, and I really liked that he called Scully to look at him. I don't really know why, I just liked that. Throughout the episode, it was nice to see Scully and Mulder's concern and respect for Skinner as a friend and ally as well as their boss, and I liked that it wasn't done really blatantly. I especially liked Scully reassuring Skinner at the hospital, and he showed that the trust and respect were reciprocated with the simple line "I'm in your hands."

Hmmm. I wasn't really sure about the decision to bring back Senator Richard Matheson, Mulder's connection in Congress from a few years ago. I think it worked OK. If Mulder had just gone to him without any prompting, that would have been too much of a convenient writing device, but finding the connection serves to make the conspiracy a little more complex and you have to wonder whether Matheson was always on Mulder's side. Also, it was nice for long-time X Philes to see an old character again, even if this time he wouldn't help Mulder.

I liked the countdown, e.g. "20 hours, 29 minutes remaining", at the start of some scenes. And was it me, or was some of the music in SR 819 borrowed from the movie score?

Skinner's refusal to authorise further investigation of the case seemed almost like a betrayal, even more surprising considering what he had been put through. But when we finally saw a short-haired, clean-shaven Krycek emerge from the darkness with his electronic device, it all became clear. That's a very scary way to control someone, a very powerful blackmail tool.

I was right, I didn't have much to say about this episode. That's not to say I didn't like it, although I wouldn't count it as one of my favourites. It was good to be reminded that the conspiracy is against the X Files, not necessarily Mulder and Scully themselves, and that Skinner is therefore a target, despite his efforts to sit on the fence.

Skinner: If I die now, I die in vain. I have nothing to show for myself.

Scully: You've been our ally more times than I can say.

Skinner: Not the kind of ally that I could have been.

Krycek: You know I can push the button any time.

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