If yesterday’s episode could be considered an homage to 2001: a space Odyssey because of the similarities between Hal and the COS, then “ice” is an homage to The Thing in both tone and feel. The key elements are there--an alien presence causes paranoia and distrust among people trapped in an Arctic research station.Mulder and Scully are sent to the tip of northern Alaska to investigate the site at which a team of climate researchers turned on and then killed each other. The two agents will be escorting three medical researchers to determine the cause. When they arrive, the epidemiologist, played by a young Felicity Huffman, and the pilot are attacked by what appears to be a rabid dog. The dog is safely subdued. A medical exam shows it is not rabid, but is infected by a parasite.
The pilot, who was bitten by the dog, shows signs of psychotic aggression quickly, so it becomes apparent the original research team had become infected. The pilot dies upon the removal of the parasite, so everyone realizes they are now trapped there. The critter cannot be removed, so until some other cure can be found, they cannot leave or they will risk infecting the general population. The story becomes a claustrophobic nightmare as nerves fray. When tempers flare, everyone suspects everyone else of being infected. Mulder winds up the top suspect when he discovers one of the medical team dead.
Scully eventually discovers, when placing two jars containing parasites next to each other, the parasites will attempt to kill one another. The cure is to inject another parasite into an already infected person. Mulder is not infected, however. It turns out to be Huffman, who was presumably infected by handling blood samples. After a struggle, she is cured.
I am skeptical of the science here. While these are alien parasites brought to Earth by an asteroid crash 250,000 years ago and are unlike anything on Earth, it does not make since they reproduce by passing blood into another organism. Nor does it make since they automatically want to kill each other when fully grown. Sure, some animals will resort to cannibalism when food is scarce, but they do not normally kill each other just for the heck of it. If there is a parasite or some such on Earth like that, I am unaware of it.
Even if I am skeptical of the science, I enjoy “Ice.” It is a highlight of the first season in particular and the series in general. You have a fairly large cast full of already abrasive personalities because they do not want to be assigned to such a job in a high pressure situation, and in a confined area. The tiny, budget saving set is a asset which adds to the confined, fearful feeling. A great episode all around.
Rating: **** (out of 5)
