SEASON 1

SEASON 2

SEASON 3

SEASON 4

SEASON 5

FIGHT THE FUTURE

SEASON 6

SEASON 7

SEASON 8

SEASON 9

Recap by Mack the Spoon

This is another of my strange little favorites. I like the over-the-top paranoia thing, and I think they did it really well in this episode. It may not be the most popular MotW of the season, but I like it even better than “Sleepless”, I think. Anyway.

The episode opens in a postal center, with envelopes being moved along rapidly by machines. A man, Ed Funsch (last names on this show are nothing if not creative), is working with a machine where he types up the zip code on each letter as it comes up on a digital readout. I don't really know the point of the machine, but I'm not a postal worker of any kind. So, yeah, typing, envelope moves on and is replaced, typing, envelope goes away. Then it jams, and Ed, annoyed, reaches out to grab the paper. He cuts himself, and stares in what might be called horrified fascination as the blood comes out of his finger.

The manager comes up behind him, and Ed jerks around in surprise as his name is called. “You okay?” the manager asks. In a slight southern accent, and still seeming shocked, Ed says, “There's blood.”

The manager leans and looks at it, but dismisses it as only a paper cut. Then he goes on, “Uh, listen, Ed, I need to talk to you.” Probably not a good sign, there, Ed.

In the manager's office, the manager gets Ed a drink of water from the cooler. The reason for the niceness of this gesture is immediately evident as he goes into this speech: “Ed, uh... this is never easy. Ed, everybody down here sure likes you a lot, Funsch. And I know it's tough 'cause you're new to this area. Ed, I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to let you go. I mean, your work is first-rate, and like I said, you're a good guy. But you know the story. Cutbacks and seniority and... you're low man on the pole.” That's rough, right there.

Ed looks kind of pathetic as he asks if he could at least work part-time. The manager looks uncomfortable, and pulls an envelope out of his lapel pocket. It's a collection that “the guys” took up – a hundred bucks for Ed. The manager puts it into Ed's own front pocket, which I think is kind of too much touching from a guy who just fired him. He adds a fake-looking smile, and says Ed can stay on until the end of the week, patting him on the shoulder and then leaving the room. Again with the touching.

Ed drinks the water, now looking even more depressed. He goes back to work. As before, a digital readout of the zip code for each envelope comes up, and he types it in, before another one comes along. This goes on as normal until for one envelope, the readout says “KILL”. The music gives a dramatic chime at the same time. Ed stares in shock, but when he looks back, it's a number again. Quirking an eyebrow slightly, Ed tries to just work. But once again, after a few normal zip codes, “KILL” appears on the LCD. It is once again accompanied by a dramatic chord. Mark Snow is pretty awesome.

Ed looks around, very confused. No one else is doing anything unusual, and no one seems to have noticed what's happening to him. When his gaze returns to the readout, it now says “KILL 'EM” (two dramatic chimes). His eyes widen – and may I point out that this guest star's eyes are a very intense blue? I don't think anyone's but Doggett's rival that shade. Anyway, then the readout changes again – this time, to “KILL 'EM ALL” (dramatic chime).

Credits. I kinda wanted the end text to be replaced with “KILL 'EM ALL”, but alas.

Next scene is an elevator in the civic center of the same Pennsylvania town. The readout for the floor number is the same red digital numbers as we just saw, as is the digital clock. I... don't think I've ever actually seen that type of display, except on my alarm clock. But, whatever. We pan through the elevator and see that it's really packed. Very closeup of a man in the back, Taber. He's obviously nervous. He glances toward the clock, which suddenly reads “NO AIR”. (Hey, no dramatic chime!) Okay, I'm not even claustrophobic, and that's not cool. When he glances back, breathing more sharply, it says “CAN'T BREATHE”. Then it changes to “KILL 'EM ALL” (ah, there's our friend the dramatic chime. I guess it only comes by when it's giving instructions.) He gets very agitated.