By Chris Snellgrove
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Ever watch a fairly mediocre hour of tv that’s solely salvaged by a killer visitor star? Typically, even professionals within the tv business would be the first to confess that they have been handed a fairly lackluster script and that the one factor holding the story collectively is the robust efficiency by that week’s visitor actor. For instance, the director who labored on the episode “Roland” agreed that Željko Ivanek’s efficiency helped salvage what would in any other case have been a really unremarkable episode of The X-Information.
Željko Ivanek Saved The X-Information Episode “Roland”
In case you haven’t seen it or simply want a refresher, “Roland” is an episode the place the titular character is an intellectually disabled man who’s being manipulated into murderous actions by his cryogenically frozen twin brother. Even by the requirements of this spooky present, this storyline was ‘90s cleaning soap opera schlock at its most interesting. Many who labored on this episode believed that Roland star Željko Ivanek actually saved this X-Information episode, beginning with director David Nutter who mentioned that “once I knew I had him, I assumed it was necessary to push that as a lot as potential, to assist outweigh the frailties within the script.”
One in all David Nutter’s greatest criticisms of this episode’s script is that its villain was “a little bit bit summary.” That’s as a result of the Large Unhealthy was a man in cryogenic stasis whom we don’t even get to see till close to the top of the episode…not precisely a tangible menace just like the Cigarette Smoking Man lurking within the nook. Nevertheless, as soon as he realized what in depth appearing chops Željko Ivanek had, the X-Information director put extra emphasis on the Roland character, leading to an episode that he thought “was a extremely robust character piece.”
Chris Carter typically agreed with this evaluation, noting that “For me, [Željko Ivanek’s portrayal] made the episode” into one which X-Information followers will always remember. He went on supply particular reward to “David Nutter and to the writing employees for falling in and making the episode actually work.” The truth is, Carter beloved Roland a lot that he allowed one of many present’s unstated musical guidelines to be utterly damaged.
In line with X-Information composer Mark Snow, David Nutter “mentioned {that a} bizarre little theme on piano can be nice for this character,” however Snow knew very nicely that Chris Carter was “actually not into melodic music,” so he knew he needed to get this track “excellent.” The result’s “this easy, very child-like, barely forlorn, unhappy piece”…the type that immediately stood out amid the present’s spookier and extra atmospheric tracks. Happily, Carter beloved the track, which completely encapsulated the title character’s interior battle.
On reflection, it’s straightforward to see how the artistic employees behind “Roland” actually did put all their chips on Željko Ivanek’s efficiency. He bought a meaty share of the display time, a customized track, and an unforgettable closing arc. And that made him a standout character in a season that included early fan-favorites like The Lone Gunmen and Walter Skinner.
On the finish of the day, David Nutter’s instincts have been proper: Željko Ivanek’s highly effective appearing actually was the spotlight of an in any other case pretty mediocre X-Information episode. Happily for the forged and crew, this was a present constructed round massive personalities, and Ivanek’s Roland character managed to be simply as compelling in his restricted time onscreen as David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson’s erstwhile FBI brokers. And that makes this episode price rewatching a time or two earlier than you set it again on ice (ideally cryogenic freeze).
