Lord Edgware Dies (1933) – Agatha Christie

Murder most foul! Three of them in point of fact, but don’t be fooled by the image on the cover of the book, none of them are committed with a pistol! It’s been awhile since I read an Agatha Christie mystery, other books came along, and I knew her library of work would wait patiently…

The X-Files (2002) – Sunshine Days, and The Truth

The penultimate episode of the ninth season is all about family, in a roundabout way. Written by Vince Gilligan, who also directed it, it first aired on 12 May, 2002. When a body is recovered from a location that sometimes appears to be the Brady house from The Brady Bunch television show, Doggett (Robert Patrick),…

The X-Files (2002) – William, and Release

David Duchovny returns this week, behind the camera to direct an episode that he thought up alongside Frank Spotnitz and series creator Chris Carter, who also penned the teleplay. It first aired on 28 April, 2002, and puts Scully’s (Gillian Anderson) baby, William front and center, and gives us the heartbreaking ending first… she gives…

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) – Shane Black

Excluding The Predator (what the hell was that?) Shane Black has been one of my favorite Hollywood writers, and I was super-excited when it was announced he was getting into the director’s chair for Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Set, like most of Black’s tales, at Christmas, this one is a slice of modern noir. Robert…

Mission: Impossible (1969) – The Brothers, and Time Bomb

Leigh Vance pens The Brothers, from a story by Robert C. Dennis, that saw the IMF heading to an oil rich country to overthrow the tyrannical leader of the nation, Selim (Lloyd Batista), and replace him with his twin brother, who is being held captive. Phelps (Peter Graves), recruits his usual team, Paris (Leonard Nimoy),…

Nightmare Alley (1946) – William Lindsay Gresham

Before I see del Toro’s new film, which is an adaptation of this novel, I wanted to visit the source material, because I do love me a good noir story, and this one is a classic. And perhaps because the beats and the tropes of the noir genre are so familiar it’s easy to suss…

The Lone Gunmen (2001) – The Lying Game, and The ‘Cap’n Toby’ Show

Director Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) shows up in The Lying Game, written by Nandi Bowe. This episode first debuted on 4 May, 2001. Frohike (Tom Braidwood), Byers (Bruce Harwood), and Langly (Dean Haglund) get pulled into a murder case, immersed in secrets, a government investigation and lies. And at the heart of it, Walter Skinner…

The X-Files (2001) – Empedocles, and Vienen

While Scully (Gillian Anderson) ends up in the hospital with a complication surrounding her pregnancy, Agent Reyes (Annabeth Gish) approaches Mulder (David Duchovny) with a case that may tie back to Doggett (Robert Patrick). Empedocles was written by Greg Walker, and first aired on 22 April, 2001. When an office worker, Jeb (Jay Underwood) is…