File Under Copout

From this week’s episode of the X-Files (Via Negativa/The One About The Guy With A Third Eye Who Creeped Doggett Out): Scenes From Story-Editing (aka Michelle Kvetches)

Chris Carter: Okay, droogs, this one’s gonna be all about Doggett, because he’s new, because we needed to chuck Mulder in a UFO so that whiny boy Duchovny could be in as few episodes as possible, and because I’m the Messiah.
Underlings: All hail Christ Carter.
Chris Carter: Oh, and because none of us are good enough writers to develop Doggett’s character while Scully’s in the way, we have to find a way to get Scully out of this one.
Underlings: Hmmmmmmmm.
Chris Carter: Hmmmmmmmm.
Misc. Underling: I know! Let’s get her abducted by aliens too!
Chris Carter: We did that already, remember?
Misc. Underling: Bugger.
Chris Carter: Hmmmmmmm.
Underlings: Hmmmmmmm.
Chris Carter: I have it! She’s pregnant, right? Let’s put her in hospital with acute abdominal pains! There’s nothing like a pregnant woman in jeopardy to yank viewers’ chains!
Underlings: Truly this is genius!
Chris Carter: Mommy’s Little Plot Device. I planned this all along. [earlier I wrote about the shorthand I use to note my displeasure when judging debates. This is the sort of claim that’d get an “OH, PUH-LEASE”]

Ugh. This is still my favourite show, but they really do deserve a whipping for that. Using the pregnancy for nothing other than to conveniently remove Scully from the action whenever the hell they feel like it is shamefully shoddy writing.