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The X-Files (season 6)

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The X-Files (season 6)
Xfilesseason6.jpg
Region 1 DVD cover

Country of origin
United States
No. of episodes
22
Broadcast

Original channel
Fox
Original run
November 8, 1998 – May 16, 1999
Home video release
DVD release
Region 1
November 5, 2002
Region 2
March 17, 2003
Region 4
May 13, 2003
Season chronology

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Season 5
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Season 7

List of The X-Files episodes
The sixth season of the science fiction television series The X-Files commenced airing on the Fox network in the United States on November 8, 1998, concluding on the same channel on May 16, 1999, and contained 22 episodes. The season was the first to be filmed in Los Angeles, California, after production was moved from Vancouver, Canada.
The season continued on from the 1998 feature film and focused heavily on FBI federal agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully's (Gillian Anderson) separation from The X-Files, the assignment of new agents Jeffrey Spender (Chris Owens) and Diana Fowley (Mimi Rogers) to the division, and the demise of the Syndicate—a "shadow government" group attempting to cover up the existence of extraterrestrials—in the two part episode "Two Fathers" and "One Son".
Despite debuting with high viewing figures and ranking as the twelfth most watched television series during the 1998–99 television year, the season saw a slight decrease in ratings from the previous one, a trend that would continue until its final year. The season received mixed to positive reviews from television critics; some critics and fans were alienated by the show, due to the different tone taken by most stand-alone episodes after the move to Los Angeles. Rather than adhering to the previous style of "monsters of the week", they were often romantic, humorous, or a combination of both.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot overview
2 Production 2.1 Background
2.2 Development
2.3 Crew
3 Broadcast and reception 3.1 Ratings
3.2 Reviews
3.3 Accolades
4 Cast 4.1 Main cast
4.2 Recurring cast 4.2.1 Also starring
4.2.2 Guest starring

5 Episodes
6 DVD release
7 Notes
8 References 8.1 Footnotes
8.2 Bibliography
9 External links
Plot overview[edit]
See also: Mythology of The X-Files
In Washington, D.C., Agent Fox Mulder appears before an FBI panel regarding his experiences in Antarctica. Assistant Director Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) tells Mulder that he and Scully have been denied reassignment to the division. Mulder goes to his former basement office, only to discover that Jeffrey Spender (Chris Owens) and Diana Fowley (Mimi Rogers) have been assigned to the X-Files. Going against orders, Mulder and Scully track down an escaped alien in Phoenix, Arizona while The Smoking Man (William B. Davis) gives chase. Mulder and Scully eventually discover that The Smoking Man has been using Gibson Praise to locate the creature. Scully brings Gibson to the hospital, where it is determined that he has the alien virus in his blood.[1] Later, Skinner is mysteriously poisoned by a nanorobot infection. The culprit is revealed to be Alex Krycek (Nicholas Lea), a rogue FBI agent who formerly worked for the Syndicate, who continues to control the potentially debilitating nanotechnology in Skinner's system in order to achieve his goals.[2]
Mulder and Scully later learn of reports of rebel aliens burning doctors who were working on Cassandra Spender (Veronica Cartwright), an alien abductee and mother of Jeffrey Spender. Skinner takes Spender to the scene, where Cassandra asks for Mulder. She informs Mulder and Scully that the aliens are here to destroy all life on Earth. She claims that a rebel force of aliens are mutilating their faces to prevent infection by the black oil. The Smoking Man reveals everything to Diana Fowley, who agrees to help him and betray Mulder. Cassandra later escapes from a hospital and arrives at Mulder's apartment, demanding that he shoot her because she is the embodiment of fifty years of work by the Syndicate—an alien-human hybrid that will trigger colonization if the aliens learn of her existence.[3]
Fowley arrives and forcibly takes Mulder, Cassandra, and Scully to a CDC facility at Fort Marlene. There, Mulder runs into Marita Covarrubias (Laurie Holden). Marita tells Mulder that she was subjected to Syndicate-run black oil vaccine tests. Meanwhile, the Syndicate rendezvous at a checkpoint, preparing to be taken away by the Colonists, who are prepping for invasion. However, they are met by the alien rebels, who incinerate them all, including Cassandra; The Smoking Man and Fowley escape. Jeffrey Spender is then purportedly killed by The Smoking Man.[4]
Several months later, a metallic artifact with inscriptions is discovered on the beach of Côte d'Ivoire in Africa. After Mulder examines rubbings of the object, he begins suffering from a headache, seemingly caused by the rubbings. Mulder's condition worsens, but he gains telepathic abilities. Chuck Burks (Bill Dow) tells them that the symbols on the artifact are Navajo. Eventually, Mulder passes into an aggravated delusional state and is placed under observation at a hospital. Hoping to find an answer, Scully rushes to Africa and finds the massive wreck of a large spacecraft partially buried in the beach.[5]
Production[edit]
Background[edit]
After five successful seasons of The X-Files, series creator Chris Carter wanted to tell the story of the series on a wider scale, which ultimately meant creating a feature film: the 1998 X-Files movie.[6] The film grossed US$83,898,313 in the US and $105,278,110 abroad, giving a total worldwide gross of $189,176,423.[7] In its opening weekend, showing at 2,629 theaters, it earned $30,138,758 which was 35.9% of its total gross.[7] Initially, the fifth season of The X-Files was supposed to be the show's last.[8] However, the series proved to be so lucrative for Fox that two additional seasons were ordered. Thus, the sixth season of the show began filming.[9]
Development[edit]



 The sixth season of The X-Files was filmed in Los Angeles, California.
After five seasons in Vancouver, Canada, production of The X-Files moved to Los Angeles, California. "The Beginning" was the first episode to be filmed in the new location. The move was instigated by David Duchovny, who portrayed Mulder, in order to ease his opportunity to find movie work as well as to give him a chance to be nearer to his wife, Téa Leoni. Series creator Chris Carter opposed the move, but Fox network officials eventually made the decision to film in California.[10] Indeed, the very first shot of the episode—a long look into the sun—was intended by Carter to "boldly announce the show's arrival in Southern California".[11] As a result of the move, the episode featured a largely new group of crew members, hired by Carter, Frank Spotnitz and new co-executive producer Michael Watkins. The show's crew had to spend five weeks unpacking and cataloging material from the Vancouver film crew.[11] Although the move was unpopular with some members of the cast and crew, both series director Kim Manners and actress Gillian Anderson supported the move, although less vocally than Duchovny.[10][12] Many fans accused the show of "Hollywood-izing" by adding notable guests stars as well as making the plots simpler and more enjoyable for mass audiences. In addition, Space.com reported that many fans of show loved "the moody ambiance filming around Vancouver lent the series [during seasons 1-5]", which the sixth season reportedly lacked.[13]
The move to Los Angeles also meant a drastic price increase for the series. Bruce Harwood, who played Lone Gunman John Fitzgerald Byers noted, "At the time, the exchange rate between Canadian and U.S. dollars was pretty dramatic. Somebody told me that the cost per episode doubled, even tripled, once they moved".[14] In addition, the move further reduced the amount of expensive special effects the series was able to produce. Writer Vince Gilligan explained "everything in Los Angeles is more expensive across the board. […] It became apparent very quickly to me that we were no longer going to have things such as nuclear submarines descending through the ice and trains exploding in the middle of the woods".[14]
Crew[edit]
Series creator Chris Carter also served as executive producer and showrunner and wrote five episodes. Frank Spotnitz was promoted to executive producer and wrote five episodes, and wrote the story for a further two episodes. Vince Gilligan was promoted to co-executive producer and wrote seven episodes. John Shiban was promoted to producer and wrote six episodes, and wrote the story for one other episode. New writers in the sixth season included David Amann who joined as executive story editor and wrote two episodes, and Jeffrey Bell who also wrote two episodes. Freelance episodes were written by Daniel Arkin and Jim Guttridge, and a further episode was written by Ken Hawryliw, who was the series' property master from 1993 to 1998.[15][16] Cast member David Duchovny also wrote his first episode solo, as he previously collaborated with various writers, including Chris Carter, on three other episodes.[17][18][19] Other producers included producer Paul Rabwin, co-producer Lori Jo Nemhauser, and Bernadette Caulfield who joined as producer.[15]
Producing-directors for the show included producer Rob Bowman, producer Kim Manners, co-executive producer Michael Watkins, and consulting producer Daniel Sackheim, who together directed the bulk of the season's episodes. Manners directed seven episodes, Bowman directed six, Watkins directed three, and Sackheim directed one. Series creator Chris Carter directed two episodes, while cast member David Duchovny directed his first episode of the series. The remaining two episodes were directed by Peter Markle and Bryan Spicer.[15]
Broadcast and reception[edit]
Ratings[edit]
The sixth season of The X-Files debuted with "The Beginning" on November 8, 1998. This episode earned a Nielsen rating of 11.9, with a 17 share, meaning that roughly 11.9 percent of all television-equipped households, and 17 percent of households watching television, were tuned in to the episode.[20] The episode was viewed by 20.34 million people, a marked increase from the fifth season's finale, "The End", which was viewed by 18.76 million viewers.[20][21] However, the debut marked a drastic decrease from the fifth season debut, "Redux", which garnered 27.34 million viewers.[21] As the season continued, however, ratings began to drop.[20] The last episode of The X-Files to reach over 20 million viewers was "The Rain King", which attracted 21.24 million.[20] The season hit a low with the eighteenth episode, "Milagro", which was viewed by 15.20 million viewers.[20] The season finale, "Biogenesis", earned a Nielsen rating of 9.4, with a 14 share, and was viewed by 15.86 viewers,[20] marking a 22 percent drop in viewers when compared to the season premiere,[nb 1] and a 15.5 percent drop in viewers when compared to the previous season finale.[nb 2] The season ranked as the twelfth most watched television series during the 1998–1999 season, with an average of 16.39 million viewers.[22][nb 3]
Reviews[edit]
The season received positive reviews from television critics. However some fans were alienated by the show in its sixth season, due to the different tone taken by most stand-alone episodes after the move to Los Angeles.[13] Rather than adhering to the previous style of "monsters of the week", they were often romantic, humorous, or a combination of both.[13][23] Several episodes—"Dreamland" and "The Rain King" in particular—were criticized for their reliance on humor or for their lighter stories.[24][25] Fans on the internet began calling the less-scary episodes "X-Files Lite".[23] Other episodes were derided for their mediocrity. Paula Vitaris from Cinefantastique called the episode "Alpha" a "run-of-the-mill monster-of-the-week episode".[26] Robert Shearman and Lars Pearson, in their book Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen, called the episode "Trevor" "The X-Files at its most generic".[27]
However, not all the sixth season episodes were poorly received. The season's third episode, "Triangle" was largely lauded as a masterpiece by critics. The episode, which was shot in real time to look like it was filmed in four uninterrupted eleven-minute takes, was called a "classic" standalone episode and one of the "highlights of season six".[28][29] The "Two Fathers"/"One Son" story-arc, which featured the destruction of the Syndicate, was called one "of the most coherent, [...] almost unbearably tense, hours in the series' run" by one critic.[30] Finally, the Duchovny-penned "The Unnatural", which featured the story of an alien who fell in love with baseball, was praised by critics for its plot, directing, and originality. One review praised Duchovny's directing "excellence"[31] while another referred to its ending as "heartbreaking".[32]
Accolades[edit]
The sixth season earned the series eight Primetime Emmy Award nominations, with one win. It won for Outstanding Makeup for a Series for the episodes "Two Fathers" and "One Son".[33][34] Gillian Anderson received her fourth and final nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, and Veronica Cartwright received her second consecutive nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series.[35][36] Other nominations included Bill Roe for Outstanding Cinematography for a Series, Mark Snow for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Dramatic Underscore), Heather MacDougall for Outstanding Single Camera Picture Editing for a Series, Outstanding Art Direction for a Series, and Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series.[37] This was the final season the series received Golden Globe nominations, with Gillian Anderson, David Duchovny and the series as a whole receiving nominations.[38]
Cast[edit]
The following actors and actresses appear in the season:[nb 4]
Main cast[edit]
David Duchovny as Special Agent Fox Mulder
Gillian Anderson as Special Agent Dana Scully
Recurring cast[edit]
Also starring[edit]
Mitch Pileggi as Deputy Director Walter Skinner (8 episodes)
Chris Owens as Jeffrey Spender (5 episodes)
William B. Davis as Cigarette Smoking Man (4 episodes)
Nicholas Lea as Alex Krycek (4 episodes)
Guest starring[edit]
James Pickens, Jr. as Assistant Director Alvin Kersh (6 episodes)
Tom Braidwood as Melvin Frohike (5 episodes)
Dean Haglund as Richard Langly (5 episodes)
Bruce Harwood as John Fitzgerald Byers (4 episodes)
Mimi Rogers as Diana Fowley (4 episodes)
Michael McKean as Morris Fletcher (3 episodes)
Don S. Williams as First Elder (3 episodes)
Wayne Alexander as Assistant Director G. Arnold (2 episodes)
Veronica Cartwright as Cassandra Spender (2 episodes)
George Murdock as Second Elder (2 episodes)
Peter Donat as William Mulder (1 episode)
Jeff Gulka as Gibson Praise (1 episode)
Laurie Holden as Marita Covarrubias (1 episode)
Brian Thompson as Alien Bounty Hunter (1 episode)
Floyd Westerman as Albert Hosteen (1 episode)
Episodes[edit]
Episodes marked with a double dagger (double-dagger) are episodes in the series' Alien Mythology arc.[nb 5]
See also: List of The X-Files episodes
The X-Files season 6 episodes

No. in
 series
No. in
 season
Title
Directed by
Written by
Original air date
Production
 code[15]
U.S. viewers
 (millions)

118
1 "The Beginning"double-dagger Kim Manners Chris Carter November 8, 1998 6ABX01 20.34[20]
With the X-Files reopened, Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) eagerly hunt for a deadly creature in the Arizona desert. What they find seems to support Mulder’s revived belief in aliens, but is discredited when the agents are not reassigned to the X-Files, with Jeffrey Spender (Chris Owens) and Diana Fowley (Mimi Rogers) taking over instead. 
119
2 "Drive" Rob Bowman Vince Gilligan November 15, 1998 6ABX02 18.5[20]
With Mulder trapped in a car by a seemingly deranged man, Scully races to determine if the man is suffering from a deadly illness—and if Mulder is in danger of becoming the next victim of a government virus. 
120
3 "Triangle" Chris Carter Chris Carter November 22, 1998 6ABX03 18.2[20]
Mulder goes in search of a ship that disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle in 1939. But when he gets on board, Mulder finds that he—and all the passengers and crew (as well as some strangely familiar ones)—are still stuck in the past. 
121
4 "Dreamland" Kim Manners Vince Gilligan & John Shiban & Frank Spotnitz November 29, 1998 6ABX04 17.48[20]
An anonymous tip finally brings Mulder and Scully to the mecca of all UFO lore—Area 51. But when the agents witness the flight of a mysterious craft, their lives are profoundly—and perhaps irrevocably—altered. 
122
5 "Dreamland II" Michael Watkins Vince Gilligan & John Shiban & Frank Spotnitz December 6, 1998 6ABX05 17.01[20]
Scully begins to suspect that her partner’s strange behavior is more than it appears to be, while Mulder fights to return his life to normal before it’s too late. 
123
6 "How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" Chris Carter Chris Carter December 13, 1998 6ABX08 17.31[20]
On Christmas Eve, Mulder convinces Scully to put aside her gift wrapping and stake out a reputed haunted house. But they discover a pair of lovelorn spectres living inside the house who are determined to prove how lonely the holidays can be. 
124
7 "Terms of Endearment" Rob Bowman David Amann January 3, 1999 6ABX06 18.69[20]
When a mother is accused of killing her unborn child, Mulder and Scully discover that the father has his own secrets, and he’s not the only one. 
125
8 "The Rain King" Kim Manners Jeffrey Bell January 10, 1999 6ABX07 21.24[20]
In a small town plagued by drought, Mulder and Scully come upon a man who claims to be able to control the weather—at a hefty profit. Yet the agents discover a force of nature at work even more powerful than the weather, and just as unpredictable. 
126
9 "S.R. 819"double-dagger Daniel Sackheim John Shiban January 17, 1999 6ABX10 15.65[20]
Assistant Director Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) is poisoned. Mulder and Scully have 24 hours to save him, but in order to do so, they must determine who wants him dead, and why. 
127
10 "Tithonus" Michael Watkins Vince Gilligan January 24, 1999 6ABX09 15.83[20]
Scully learns that she, but not Mulder, is being given a chance to prove her worth at the FBI, and—paired with a new partner—she investigates a crime scene photographer with an uncanny knack for arriving just in time to see his victims' final moments. What she does not expect is for Death to play a role himself. 
128
11 "Two Fathers"double-dagger Kim Manners Chris Carter & Frank Spotnitz February 7, 1999 6ABX11 18.81[20]
When Cassandra Spender (Veronica Cartwright) is returned, Mulder, Scully and Agent Spender find themselves facing the exposure of the conspiracy involving extraterrestrials; while the worried Syndicate take evasive measures. 
129
12 "One Son"double-dagger Rob Bowman Chris Carter & Frank Spotnitz February 14, 1999 6ABX12 16.57[20]
While Cassandra reveals the truth about the alien conspiracy to Mulder, her ex-husband—The Smoking Man—does the same to Agent Spender in an effort to convince him to work with the conspiracy. 
130
13 "Agua Mala" Rob Bowman David Amann February 21, 1999 6ABX14 16.91[20]
Mulder and Scully are looking forward to cases again. Instead, Arthur Dales, now living in a Florida trailer park, calls the agents for help when a neighbouring family disappears; and, with a hurricane approaching, Mulder and Scully find themselves trapped with a group of residents in a building where there is something in the water. 
131
14 "Monday" Kim Manners Vince Gilligan & John Shiban February 28, 1999 6ABX15 16.74[20]
The world is trapped in a time loop, and only one woman seems to know. Each day the events that happen differ slightly; "free will", as Mulder calls it. A bank robbery is committed over and over again until they can stop the eventual bombing of the place from occurring. 
132
15 "Arcadia" Michael Watkins Daniel Arkin March 7, 1999 6ABX13 17.91[20]
Several disappearances at an idyllic planned community lead Mulder and Scully to go undercover as a married couple. However, they soon discover that the president of the homeowners' association takes the community covenants and regulations more seriously than they could have imagined. 
133
16 "Alpha" Peter Markle Jeffrey Bell March 28, 1999 6ABX16 17.67[20]
An Asian dog, called the Wanshang Dhole, thought to be extinct is blamed for several killings. Mulder and Scully join an obstinate Sheriff, a seemingly eccentric hunter, and a reclusive canine expert to find it. However, there is more mystery to the expert than meets the eye. 
134
17 "Trevor" Rob Bowman Jim Guttridge & Ken Hawryliw April 11, 1999 6ABX17 17.65[20]
After a prison camp is destroyed by a tornado, an escaped inmate is suspected of killing the warden. As the inmate hunts down his old girlfriend, he finds out where his child is and attempts to take him back. Mulder and Scully set out to find him and discover that he has the ability to pass through conductive materials. 
135
18 "Milagro" Kim Manners Story by: John Shiban & Frank Spotnitz
Teleplay by: Chris Carter April 18, 1999 6ABX18 15.2[20]
A series of murders takes place where the heart has been removed from the victims. A writer that lives next door to Mulder is writing a novel about the murders before they actually happen. Scully finds herself confused and drawn to the writer, who has a romantic interest in her. 
136
19 "The Unnatural" David Duchovny David Duchovny April 25, 1999 6ABX20 16.88[20]
While working in Roswell, New Mexico in 1947, young cop Arthur Dales (the brother of the Arthur Dales who started the X-Files) stumbles across a "negro" baseball player who is actually an alien with a love of the game hiding among humans. 
137
20 "Three of a Kind" Bryan Spicer Vince Gilligan & John Shiban May 2, 1999 6ABX19 12.94[20]
While at a conference in Las Vegas, The Lone Gunmen run into the enigmatic Susanne Modeski. After deceiving Scully into joining them, the trio soon find out that Susanne’s fiancé is planning to use her new brainwashing drug for political assassinations. 
138
21 "Field Trip" Kim Manners Story by: Frank Spotnitz
Teleplay by: John Shiban & Vince Gilligan May 9, 1999 6ABX21 15.38[20]
The skeletonized remains of a young couple are found in the fields of North Carolina. When Mulder and Scully go to investigate, they find that a giant fungal life form releases an LSD-like drug into the air with spores, and then slowly digests its victims. Mulder and Scully fall into its trap and are not sure of what is reality and what is fantasy. 
139
22 "Biogenesis"double-dagger Rob Bowman Chris Carter & Frank Spotnitz May 16, 1999 6ABX22 15.86[20]
Mulder believes that metallic objects discovered in Africa are proof that life originated elsewhere in the universe. Skinner, now in contact with Alex Krycek and Agent Fowley, begins monitoring Mulder and Scully on the case. Mulder, due to the apparent influence of the artifact, falls mentally ill, which leads to Scully travelling to Africa alone. 
DVD release[edit]
The X-Files – The Complete Sixth Season
Set details[15] Special features[15]
22 episodes
7-disc set
1.78:1 aspect ratio
Subtitles: English, Spanish
English (Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround)
 "The Truth About Season Six" Documentary
"Behind the Scenes" featurette
Audio Commentaries (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo) "Triangle" – Chris Carter
"Milagro" – Kim Manners
13 special effects clips
15 deleted scenes
Character profiles
44 promotional television spots
DVD-ROM game

Release dates
Region 1 Region 2 Region 4
November 5, 2002 March 17, 2003 May 13, 2003
Notes[edit]
1.Jump up ^ "Biogenesis" was viewed by 15.86 whereas "The Beginning" was viewed by 20.34 million viewers.[20] Subtracting the two figures and then dividing them by 20.34 million, which represents the largest possible audience, yields a percent decrease of 22 percent.
2.Jump up ^ "Biogenesis" was viewed by 15.86 whereas "The End" was viewed by 18.76 million viewers.[20][21] Subtracting the two figures and then dividing them by 18.76 million, which represents the largest possible audience, yields a percent decrease of 15.5 percent.
3.Jump up ^ This number is determined by adding up all the viewer numbers for season six given in The End and the Beginning: The Official Guide to the X-Files and finding the mean average.[20]
4.Jump up ^ Cast information taken from Andy Meisler's 2000 book The End and the Beginning: The Official Guide to the X-Files Season 6, published by Harper Collins.
5.Jump up ^ The episodes were included in the DVD collection The X-Files Mythology, Volume 3 – Colonization, released by Fox.
References[edit]
Footnotes[edit]
1.Jump up ^ Kim Manners (Director). "The Beginning". The X-Files. Season 6. Episode 1. Fox.
2.Jump up ^ Daniel Sackheim (Director). "S.R. 819". The X-Files. Season 6. Episode 9. Fox.
3.Jump up ^ Kim Manners (Director). "Two Fathers". The X-Files. Season 6. Episode 11. Fox.
4.Jump up ^ Rob Bowman (Director). "One Son". The X-Files. Season 6. Episode 12. Fox.
5.Jump up ^ Rob Bowman (Director). "Biogenesis". The X-Files. Season 6. Episode 22. Fox.
6.Jump up ^ Carter, Chris, et al (1998). The Making of The X-Files Movie (DVD). Fox Home Entertainment.
7.^ Jump up to: a b "The X-Files (1998)". Box Office Mojo (IMDb.com, Inc). Retrieved April 3, 2010.
8.Jump up ^ Hurwitz and Knowles (2008), p. 117
9.Jump up ^ Hurwitz and Knowles (2008), p. 139
10.^ Jump up to: a b Vitaris, Paula (October 1998). "X-Files: A Mixed Bag of Episodes and a Feature Film Pave the Way for Season Six". Cinefantastique 30 (7/8): 27.
11.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler (1999), p. 18
12.Jump up ^ Hurwitz and Knowles (2008), pp. 155–156
13.^ Jump up to: a b c Parks, Jo-Ann (January 20, 2000). "What's Ailing The X-Files". Space.com. Archived from the original on February 7, 2005. Retrieved March 26, 2012.
14.^ Jump up to: a b p.155–156
15.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Kim Manners, et al (booklet). The X-Files: The Complete Sixth Season (Liner notes). Fox.
16.Jump up ^ Meisler (1999), p. 25
17.Jump up ^ R. W. Goodwin (Director). "Anasazi". The X-Files. Season 2. Episode 25. Fox.
18.Jump up ^ James Charleston (Director). "Avatar". The X-Files. Season 3. Episode 21. Fox.
19.Jump up ^ R. W. Goodwin (Director). "Talitha Cumi". The X-Files. Season 3. Episode 21. Fox.
20.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae Meisler (2000), p. 294
21.^ Jump up to: a b c Meisler (1999), p. 284
22.Jump up ^ "TV Winners & Losers: Numbers Racket – A Final Tally Of The Season's Shows". Entertainment Weekly. June 4, 1999.
23.^ Jump up to: a b Kessenich (2002), p. 10
24.Jump up ^ Liedtke, Michael (December 3, 1998). "X-Cursions: What `Dreamland' is made of'". Knight Ridder. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
25.Jump up ^ Meisler (1999), p. 289
26.Jump up ^ Vitaris, Paula (October 1999). "Sixth Season Episode Guide". Cinefantastique 31 (8): 26–42.
27.Jump up ^ Shearman and Pearson, p. 182
28.Jump up ^ "The X-Files Season 6 Box Set". DVD.net. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
29.Jump up ^ Cressey, Earl (November 5, 2002). "X-Files: Season Six". DVD Talk. Retrieved March 14, 2012.
30.Jump up ^ Millman, Joyce (March 5, 2000). "The Xerox Files". Salon Magazine. Archived from the original on July 25, 2008. Retrieved August 6, 2009.
31.Jump up ^ Fuchs, Cynthia (April 15, 2005). "House Of D". PopMatters. Retrieved August 9, 2009.
32.Jump up ^ "A look back on some of the best stand-alone episodes from the X-Files series". Vancouver Sun. July 25, 2008. Retrieved August 9, 2009.
33.Jump up ^ "The X-Files". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved April 29, 2012.
34.Jump up ^ Hurwitz and Knowles (2008), p. 241
35.Jump up ^ "Gillian Anderson". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved April 29, 2012.
36.Jump up ^ "Veronica Cartwright". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved April 29, 2012.
37.Jump up ^ "Primetime Emmy® Award Database". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
38.Jump up ^ "HFPA - Award Search - X-Files, The". Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Retrieved January 25, 2012.
Bibliography[edit]
Hurwitz, Matt; Knowles, Chris (2008). The Complete X-Files. Insight Editions. ISBN 1-933784-80-6.
Kessenich, Tom (2002). Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 1-55369-812-6.
Meisler, Andy (2000). The End and the Beginning: The Official Guide to the X-Files Season 6. HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-107595-7.
Meisler, Andy (1999), Resist or Serve: The Official Guide to The X-Files, Vol. 4, London: HarperCollins, ISBN 0-00-257133-1, OCLC 42005360
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: TXF Season 6
List of The X-Files episodes at the Internet Movie Database
List of The X-Files episodes at TV.com

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The Beginning (The X-Files)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

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"The Beginning"
The X-Files episode
TheBeginningXFiles.jpg
Sandy's body, after an alien gestated and burst forth from his chest. The character was played by series casting director Rick Millikan.

Episode no.
Season 6
 Episode 1
Directed by
Kim Manners
Written by
Chris Carter
Production code
6ABX01
Original air date
November 8, 1998
Guest actors

Mitch Pileggi as Walter Skinner
James Pickens, Jr. as Alvin Kersh
Mimi Rogers as Diana Fowley
William B. Davis as The Smoking Man
Chris Owens as Jeffrey Spender
Jeff Gulka as Gibson Praise
Don S. Williams as First Elder
George Murdock as Second Elder
Wayne Alexander as G. Arnold
Wendie Malick as Assistant Director Maslin
Arthur Taxier as Assistant Director Bart
Rick Millikan as Sandy
Alan Henry Brown as Scientist
Christopher Neiman as Van Pool Scientist
Scott Eberlein as Black-Haired Man
Ralph Meyering as Surgeon
Benito Martinez as Orderly
Kim Robillard as Homer
Wayne Thomas Yorke as Power Plant Worker[1]

Episode chronology

← Previous
 "The End" Next →
 "Drive"

List of The X-Files episodes
"The Beginning" is the first episode of the sixth season of the science fiction television series The X-Files. It premiered on the Fox network in the United States on November 8, 1998 in the United States. The episode was written by Chris Carter, and directed by Kim Manners. The episode helps explore the series' overarching mythology. "The Beginning" earned a Nielsen household rating of 11.9, being watched by 20.34 million people in its initial broadcast. The episode received mixed reviews from television critics.
The show centers on FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called X-Files. Mulder is a believer in the paranormal, while the skeptical Scully has been assigned to debunk his work. In the episode, Mulder and Scully eagerly hunt for a deadly creature in the Arizona desert. What they find seems to support Mulder’s revived belief in aliens, but is discredited when the agents are not reassigned to the now re-opened X-Files, with Jeffrey Spender (Chris Owens) and Diana Fowley (Mimi Rogers) taking over instead.
"The Beginning" was the first episode of the series to not be filmed in Vancouver, Canada, after production was moved to Los Angeles at the behest of lead actor David Duchovny. The episode follows directly from The X-Files feature film (1998). The writers sought to bring back characters, such as Spender, Fowley, and Gibson Praise (Jeff Gulka) who had not been featured in the movie, but had played a pivotal role in the show's fifth season.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot
2 Production 2.1 Pre-production
2.2 Writing and filming
3 Broadcast and reception
4 References
5 External links
Plot[edit]
A scientist working for Roush Industries in Phoenix, Arizona is exposed to the black oil alien-virus and an alien gestates and bursts from his body the next day.
In Washington, D.C., Agent Fox Mulder appears before an FBI panel regarding his experiences in Antarctica. Meanwhile, The Smoking Man (William B. Davis) reports to the Syndicate on the alien in Phoenix, confident that he'll be able to kill it. Assistant Director Walter Skinner tells Mulder, who is working on restoring the burned X-Files, that Mulder and Scully have been denied reassignment on the X-Files, but that Mulder should seek out a folder left on the desk in his old office. Mulder goes there, only to discover that Jeffrey Spender and Diana Fowley have been assigned to the X-Files. Feeling betrayed by Fowley, Mulder leaves, but not before stealthily taking the folder with him.
The Smoking Man seeks Gibson Praise, who is undergoing brain surgery at that very moment. Mulder and Scully head to the home where the alien gestated, finding an alien's nail in the wall. The Smoking Man arrives soon after with Gibson, who tells him that the alien is no longer there. At the nuclear power plant, the alien kills another person, but Mulder and Scully are denied access by Spender and Fowley. Upon returning to their car they find Gibson inside, who has escaped from The Smoking Man. Later that night, Fowley tells Mulder she was offered the X-Files and is protecting his interest. Mulder leaves Gibson with Scully and heads off with her. Mulder and Fowley believe the alien is seeking heat, which is why it is in the nuclear power plant. Inside they find organic material on the ground and cooling pipes.
Scully brings Gibson to the hospital, where it is determined that he has the alien virus in his blood. The Black-Haired Man (Scott Eberlein) kidnaps him soon after, and brings him to the power plant. They find the alien, who attacks the Black-Haired Man but not Gibson, as witnessed by Mulder from outside the locked door. Mulder and Scully are ordered to not associate with the X-Files and are re-assigned under Assistant Director Kersh. Spender is visited by The Smoking Man in his office. Mulder continues to work on restoring the X-Files, and is told by Scully that Fowley's report does not reflect what really happened. Scully tells Mulder that the alien virus DNA is also part of all human DNA, but in Gibson the DNA is active. In the power plant, Gibson is trapped inside with the alien, who sheds its skin, revealing the traditional grey alien form.[1]
Production[edit]



 "The Beginning" was the first episode of The X-Files to be filmed in Los Angeles, California.
Pre-production[edit]
"The Beginning" was the first episode to be filmed in Los Angeles, California. The move was instigated by David Duchovny, who portrayed Mulder, in order to ease his opportunity to find movie work as well as to give him a chance to be nearer to his wife, Téa Leoni. Series creator Chris Carter opposed the move, but Fox network officials eventually made the decision to film in California.[2] Indeed, the very first shot of the episode—a long look into the sun—was intended by Carter to "boldly announce the show's arrival in Southern California".[3] As a result of the move, the episode featured a largely new group of crew members, hired by Carter, Frank Spotnitz and new co-executive producer Michael Watkins. The show's crew had to spend five weeks unpacking and cataloging material from the Vancouver film crew.[3] Although the move was unpopular with some members of the cast and crew, both series director Kim Manners and Gillian Anderson supported the move, although less vocally than Duchovny.[2][4]



 "The Beginning" featured the return of the newborn alien, as featured in The X-Files movie.
However, because of the shift, many fans of the series were alienated, due to the different tone taken by the show after its move to Los Angeles. Many fans accused the show of "Hollywood-izing" by adding notable guests stars as well as making the plots simpler and more enjoyable for mass audiences. In addition, Space.com reported that many fans of show loved "the moody ambiance filming around Vancouver lent the series [during seasons 1–5]", which the sixth season reportedly lacked.[5]
Writing and filming[edit]
Spotnitz found that the main problem with developing the episode was segueing from a movie that some—but not necessarily all—viewers had seen. The writers sought to bring back characters like Gibson Praise, Diana Fowley and Jeffrey Spender who were not in the movie. In addition, the writers also wanted to bring back elements that were also seen in the movie, like the alien. Carter claims to have been thinking about what the episode would entail almost two years prior, when he was working on developing The X-Files movie.[3] The character Sandy, who is killed in the teaser sequence, was played by the show's casting director Rick Millikan on the request of Carter. Millikan later joked that he spent most of the shoot on his cell phone casting other individuals for other X-Files episodes.[6] One of the nuclear power plant workers is named Homer, a reference to Homer Simpson, one of the main characters from the animated Fox television series The Simpsons.[7]
The nuclear power plant in the episode was filmed at a facility run by Southern California Edison in Long Beach, California.[3] Due to a heat wave, many of the scenes ended up being filmed in temperatures over 100 degrees and many lines had to be later re-recorded by the actors. The scenes in an Arizona suburb were filmed in Valencia, California, because the producers wanted "something really Edward Scissorhands."[6] The underwater scenes with the alien were filmed in a Marina Del Rey Water tank used frequently by the show Baywatch. Filming the scenes in and around the power plant proved to be troublesome. Most of the sequences with the alien had to be shot multiple times due to the skin-molting effects on the creature and problems with the nuclear power plant set. Certain scenes were not finished until late October—nearly two months after principal filming ended.[6]
Broadcast and reception[edit]
"The Beginning" first aired in the United States on November 8, 1998.[8] This episode earned a Nielsen rating of 11.9, with a 17 share, meaning that roughly 11.9 percent of all television-equipped households, and 17 percent of households watching television, were tuned in to the episode.[9] It was viewed by 20.34 million viewers and was the second highest rated episode of the sixth season.[9] The episode aired in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Sky1 on March 7, 1999 and received 1.08 million viewers, making it the second most watched episode that week.[10] Fox promoted the episode with the tagline "The new beginning."[11] The episode was later included on The X-Files Mythology, Volume 3 – Colonization, a DVD collection that contains episodes involved with the alien Colonist's plans to take over the earth.[12]
Critical reception to the episode was divided, as reviews ranged from largely positive to negative. In the book The End and the Beginning: The Official Guide to The X-Files, Vol. 5, author Andy Meisler noted that some fans and critics responded positively to "The Beginning," most notably because the episode functioned as "a particularly artful and effective way to launch the series's new season—and era."[3] Tom Kessenich, in his book Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files wrote positively of the episode, saying "'The Beginning' was a pretty good premiere episode. I was quite pleased to see how Chris Carter took last season's finale and the movie and tied things together to get Season 6 off to a fresh start."[13] Todd VanDerWerff from The A.V. Club gave it a B. He praised the performance of Chris Owens, noting that he was "acting the shit out of Spender".[14] Despite this, however he called the episode "lackluster" and noted that it "isn’t a great episode of the show, but it works well enough".[14] VanDerWerff's main issue with the entry was that it chose to close off the events of the fifth season finale, but did little to expand upon the revelations of the series' feature film. VanDerWerff also criticized the fact that Scully was, once again, a skeptic in the paranormal after all she saw.[14]
Not all reviews were positive, however. Critical Myth reviewer John Keegan gave the episode a 5 out 10 ratings and wrote that, "Overall, this episode is the unfortunate victim of several writing and production challenges, many of which were nearly impossible to overcome. While the idea of new agents assigned to the X-Files was quite good, it was never realized to the extent that it should have been. Add to that the need to recap far too many plot points from the film, and this becomes one of the weakest season premieres of the series."[15] Robert Shearman and Lars Pearson, in their book Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen, rated the episode one star out of five, writing that "'The Beginning' opens witty enough […] and then offers the viewer no substance. It's a better season opener than 'Redux' […] but it's still very poor."[7] Paula Vitaris from Cinefantastique gave the episode a largely negative review and awarded it one-and-a-half stars out of four.[16] She derided the episode's plot, noting that the episode was "another mile down the X-Files Road of Mythology. Monster aliens? This is something out of a schlocky pulp novel with the science of the show dissolved into compete technobabble".[16]
References[edit]
Footnotes
1.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, pp. 11–18
2.^ Jump up to: a b Vitaris, Paula (October 1998). "X-Files: A Mixed Bag of Episodes and a Feature Film Pave the Way for Season Six". Cinefantastique 30 (7/8): 27.
3.^ Jump up to: a b c d e Meisler, p. 18
4.Jump up ^ Hurwitz and Knowles, pp. 155–156
5.Jump up ^ Parks, Jo-Ann (20 January 2000). "What's Ailing The X-Files". Space.com. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
6.^ Jump up to: a b c Meisler, p. 19
7.^ Jump up to: a b Shearman and Pearson, pp. 167–168
8.Jump up ^ Kim Manners, et al (booklet). The X-Files: The Complete Sixth Season (Liner notes). Fox.
9.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, p. 294
10.Jump up ^ "BARB's multichannel top 10 programmes". barb.co.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2012. Note: Information is in the section titled "w/e March 1–7, 1999", listed under Sky 1
11.Jump up ^ The Beginning (Promotional Flyer). Los Angeles, California: Fox Broadcasting Company. 1998.
12.Jump up ^ Kim Manners, et al. The X-Files Mythology, Volume 3 – Colonization (DVD). FOX.
13.Jump up ^ Kessenich, p. 13
14.^ Jump up to: a b c VanDerWerff, Todd (2 June 2012). "'The Beginning'/'The Innocents'". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved 7 June 2012.
15.Jump up ^ Keegan, John. "The Beginning". Critical Myth. Retrieved 26 February 2012.
16.^ Jump up to: a b Vitaris, Paula (October 1999). "Sixth Season Episode Guide". Cinefantastique 31 (8): 26–42.
BibliographyHurwitz, Matt; Knowles, Chris (2008). The Complete X-Files. Insight Editions. ISBN 1-933784-80-6.
Kessenich, Tom (2002). Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 1-55369-812-6.
Meisler, Andy (2000). The End and the Beginning: The Official Guide to the X-Files Season 6. HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-107595-7.
Shearman, Robert; Pearson, Lars (2009). Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen. Mad Norwegian Press. ISBN 0-9759446-9-X.
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: TXF Season 6
"The Beginning" at the Internet Movie Database
"The Beginning" at TV.com

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Drive (The X-Files)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

This is a good article. Click here for more information.

"Drive"
The X-Files episode
A woman looks through a car window, graphically covered in blood. A man's body is slumped over in a seat.
Patrick Crump succumbs to the pressure in his inner ear caused by ELF waves. Although Crump was the main villain, writer Vince Gilligan wanted the character to be humanized before the episode ended.

Episode no.
Season 6
 Episode 2
Directed by
Rob Bowman
Written by
Vince Gilligan
Production code
6ABX02
Original air date
November 15, 1998
Guest actors

Bryan Cranston as Patrick Crump
Janine Venable as Vicky Crump
Junior Brown as Virgil Nokes
Michael O'Neill as Patrol Captain
James Pickens, Jr. as AD Alvin Kersh
Mindy Seeger as Coroner
Scott A. Smith as Prison Doctor
Harry Danner as CDC Doctor
Linda Porter as Elderly Woman
Ken Collins as Gas Station Attendant
Tegan West as Lt. Breil
Art Pickering as Germ Suit Cop
Mark Craig as Trooper #1
Tim Agee as EMT
Wiley Picket as Trooper #2
Frank Buckley as Nevada News Anchor
Bob Peters as Idaho News Anchor[1]

Episode chronology

← Previous
 "The Beginning" Next →
 "Triangle"

List of The X-Files episodes
"Drive" is the second episode of the sixth season of the science fiction television series The X-Files. It premiered on the Fox network in the United States on November 15, 1998. The episode is a "Monster-of-the-Week" story, unconnected to the series' wider mythology. "Drive" earned a Nielsen household rating of 11.0, being watched by 18.5 million people in its initial broadcast. The episode received largely positive reviews from television critics.
The show centers on FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called X-Files. Mulder is a believer in the paranormal, while the skeptical Scully has been assigned to debunk his work. In the episode, Mulder is trapped in a car by a seemingly deranged man, and Scully races to determine if the man is suffering from a deadly illness—and if Mulder is in danger of becoming the next victim of some sort of government conspiracy.
The episode was written by Vince Gilligan, directed by Rob Bowman, and featured a guest appearance by Bryan Cranston. Gilligan cast Cranston to play the antagonist because he felt he could successfully humanize the role. Cranston's success in "Drive" later caused Gilligan to cast the actor as Walter White in his highly-acclaimed AMC series Breaking Bad.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot
2 Production 2.1 Conception, writing, and filming
2.2 Casting
3 Broadcast and reception
4 See also
5 References
6 External links
Plot[edit]
Via a live news report, a high-speed car chase comes to an end in the Nevada desert. Assuming it to be a kidnapping, the female passenger is pulled from the vehicle and placed into the protective custody of a police vehicle. The driver, Patrick Crump (Bryan Cranston), is pushed to the asphalt and handcuffed. The woman in the police car begins violently banging her head against the car window. As the news chopper catches all of this on film, the woman's head explodes, sending a spray of blood across the window.
Mulder and Scully get wind of this bizarre car chase as they're doing work in Idaho investigating possible domestic terrorism. Mulder coerces Scully into taking a detour to Elko, Nevada on a hunch that this may be an X-File. Crump, who has started to develop symptoms of a sickness, is put in an ambulance. Mulder, wishing to speak to Crump, follows the ambulance, and ends up getting himself kidnapped by Crump, who has escaped from the police.
Mulder realizes that Crump is in a considerable amount of pain and that the only way to ease the pain is to drive west. At first, Scully believes that Crump is suffering from some sort of biological contagion, but after investigating the Crumps' home, she discovers a U.S. Navy antenna array emitting ELF waves stretches beneath their property. Scully deduces that an abnormal surge in these waves somehow caused a rising pressure in the inner ear of the nearby inhabitants. Westward motion and an increase in speed seems to be the only thing to help ease the pain of the increasing pressure.
Initially, Crump, thinking that Mulder is in on some sort of government conspiracy, forces Mulder to drive by brandishing a gun. He further infuriates Mulder by using anti-semitic slurs. Eventually, however, Mulder and Crump begrudgingly make amends and decide to work together as allies, rather than enemies. Mulder explains to Crump that Scully will meet them at the end of the highway. There she will insert a needle into Crump's inner ear, hopefully relieving the pressure. Unfortunately, when Scully arrives, it is too late and the pressure in Crump's ear has already exploded, killing him.[1]
Production[edit]



 Bryan Cranston's part in "Drive" was instrumental in his casting in the AMC series Breaking Bad.
Conception, writing, and filming[edit]
The idea for the episode can be traced back to an early idea Vince Gilligan, the writer of the episode, had. His original idea featured a man holding an individual hostage on a Tilt-A-Whirl. Gilligan pitched this idea at several meetings and it soon became a recurring joke. Most of the comments Gilligan received noted that his premise lacked an explicit mystery to investigate and so Gilligan decided that after the ride was shut off, the man's head would explode. Researching various government experiments, Gilligan discovered the controversial use of low-frequency waves.[2] The secret military experiment featured in this episode is based on two real-life military experiments, Project HAARP and Project ELF. The former is an army experiment dealing with electromagnetic radiation in the Earth's ionosphere, and the second is a navy experiment dealing with long wavelengths.[3] Thus, a script was crafted that featured an individual that, due to a secret experiment, could not slow down for fear of rupturing his head.[4]
Gilligan admitted that the episode was partially an homage to the 1994 film Speed, and the episode even features an explicit reference to the film: when Crump and Mulder discover that speed is the key to success, Mulder mentions that he thinks he "saw this movie."[2] The opening teaser footage is done in the style of a news report, a stylistic direction that IGN suggested was intended to echo the O.J. Simpson incident of just a few years earlier.[5]
Casting[edit]
Vince Gilligan, the writer of the episode, wanted Bryan Cranston to play the antagonist because he felt he would humanize the role.[6] “We needed a guy who could be scary and kind of loathsome but at the same time had a deep, resounding humanity," he later said.[7] In an interview with The New York Times, Gilligan stated, "We had this villain, and we needed the audience to feel bad for him when he died. Bryan alone was the only actor who could do that, who could pull off that trick. And it is a trick. I have no idea how he does it.”[6] Rick Millikan, the casting director for The X-Files noted that Cranston was nearly not chosen for this episode. Initially, the part of Crump had been assigned to a different actor, but Cranston came prepared to audition for the part. Although the character had already been cast, Millikan allowed him to audition and was very pleased with his performance and chose him for the part instead.[4]
Cranston's work on this episode later impacted his career. Gilligan later cast Cranston in his series Breaking Bad; AMC executives were initially unsure of this decision as they were familiar only with Cranston's work on the sitcom Malcolm in the Middle, but were convinced after viewing his performance in "Drive".[7] Gilligan cast Junior Brown as Virgil Nokes, the farmer who Mulder and Scully are investigating near the beginning of the episode. Brown is a noted avant-garde musician and was flown in at the request and personal expense of Gilligan, who is a fan.[3]
Broadcast and reception[edit]
"Drive" first aired in the United States on November 15, 1998.[8] This episode earned a Nielsen rating of 11.0, with a 16 share, meaning that roughly 11.0 percent of all television-equipped households, and 16 percent of households watching television, were tuned in to the episode. It was viewed by 18.50 million viewers.[9] The episode aired in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Sky1 on March 14, 1999 and was watched by 0.70 million viewers, making it the sixth most viewed episode that week.[10] Fox promoted the episode with the tagline "He'll stop at nothing."[11] "Drive" won the award for "Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography – Regular Series" from the American Society of Cinematographers.[12]
The episode received largely positive reviews. Zack Handlen from The A.V. Club wrote positively of the episode, awarding it an A, and writing that the entry was "a great example of the engine that keeps great television moving."[13] Handlen noted that the climax of the episode was "as moving as it is suspenseful" and drew parallels between Bryan Cranston's portrayal of Mr. Crump and his eventual portrayal of Walter White from Breaking Bad, noting that both illustrate the idea that "you have to keep moving. If you stop, you die."[13] Review website IGN named it the ninth best standalone X-Files episode of the entire series and complimented the interaction between Crump and Mulder, writing "it's the interplay between Mulder and Crump that makes this episode a standout. [...] Crump here is an antagonistic yet heartbreaking character, and as he and Mulder become unlikely allies in their 'drive,' 'Drive' in turn becomes a memorably scary X-Files episode [...] because of the perhaps most frightening element of the show's world ever: mankind itself, and the governments that supposedly protect us."[5] John Keegan from Critical Myth gave the episode 8/10 and wrote, "Overall, this episode was one of the strongest episodes of the sixth season, especially in terms of character development. Both Mulder and Scully demonstrate how they have changed since the events of the film, in small but recognizable ways. [...] A hidden gem for the sixth season!"[14] Colin Ellis from The Dashing Fellows called "Drive," "arguably one of the best episodes post-Fight the Future of [The X-Files]."[15] Tom Kessenich, in his book Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files wrote positively of the episode, saying "[T]hank God for 'Drive', which taps into the idea of Speed, the hit movie starring [Keanu] Reeves, but pushes it in an excitingly different direction."[16] Paula Vitaris from Cinefantastique gave the episode a largely positive review and awarded it three stars out of four.[17] Although she slightly criticized the case being investigated as "pure hokum", Vitaris praised Mulder and Scully's teamwork, and their ability to work together despite being separated.[17]
See also[edit]
List of unmade episodes of The X-Files
References[edit]
Footnotes
1.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, pp. 20–26
2.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, p. 27
3.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, p. 29
4.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, p. 28
5.^ Jump up to: a b Collura, Scott et al (12 May 2008). "IGN's 10 Favorite X-Files Standalone Episodes". IGN. News Corporation. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
6.^ Jump up to: a b Segal, David (6 July 2011). "The Dark Art of ‘Breaking Bad’". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
7.^ Jump up to: a b Rosenblum, Emma (13 March 2009). "Bleak House". New York. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
8.Jump up ^ The X-Files: The Complete Sixth Season (Media notes). Fox. 1998–1999.
9.Jump up ^ Meisler, p. 294
10.Jump up ^ "BARB's multichannel top 10 programmes". barb.co.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2012. Note: Information is in the section titled "w/e March 8–14, 1999", listed under Sky 1
11.Jump up ^ Drive (Promotional Flyer). Los Angeles, California: Fox Broadcasting Company. 1998.
12.Jump up ^ "ASC 13th Annual Awards -- 1998". American Society of Cinematographers. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
13.^ Jump up to: a b Handlen, Zack (9 June 2012). "'Drive'/'Exegesis'". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
14.Jump up ^ Keegan, John. "Drive". Critical Myth. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
15.Jump up ^ Ellis, Colin (10 August 2011). "Bryan Cranston in... The X-Files ("Drive")". The Dashing Fellows. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
16.Jump up ^ Kessenich, p. 15
17.^ Jump up to: a b Vitaris, Paula (October 1999). "Sixth Season Episode Guide". Cinefantastique 31 (8): 26–42.
BibliographyKessenich, Tom (2002). Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 1-55369-812-6.
Meisler, Andy (2000). The End and the Beginning: The Official Guide to the X-Files Season 6. HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-107595-7.
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: TXF Season 6
"Drive" at the Internet Movie Database
"Drive" at TV.com

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The X-Files episodes


­Seasons: 1·
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 ­3·
 ­4·
 ­5·
 ­6·
 ­7·
 ­8·
 ­9
 

Season 6
­"The Beginning"·
 ­"Drive"·
 ­"Triangle"·
 ­"Dreamland"·
 ­"How the Ghosts Stole Christmas"·
 ­"Terms of Endearment"·
 ­"The Rain King"·
 ­"S.R. 819"·
 ­"Tithonus"·
 ­"Two Fathers"·
 ­"One Son"·
 ­"Agua Mala"·
 ­"Monday"·
 ­"Arcadia"·
 ­"Alpha"·
 ­"Trevor"·
 ­"Milagro"·
 ­"The Unnatural"·
 ­"Three of a Kind"·
 ­"Field Trip"·
 ­"Biogenesis"
 

 

Categories: The X-Files (season 6) episodes
1998 television episodes
Screenplays by Vince Gilligan


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Triangle (The X-Files)

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"Triangle"
The X-Files episode
Episode no.
Season 6
 Episode 3
Directed by
Chris Carter
Written by
Chris Carter
Production code
6ABX03[1]
Original air date
November 22, 1998
Running time
45 minutes[2]
Guest actors

Mitch Pileggi as Walter Skinner/Nazi Officer
William B. Davis as Cigarette Smoking Man/Nazi Officer
Chris Owens as Jeffrey Spender/Nazi Officer
Madison Mason as Captain Yip Harburg
James Pickens, Jr. as Alvin Kersh/Jamaican Crewman
Tom Braidwood as Melvin Frohike
Dean Haglund as Richard Langly
Bruce Harwood as John Fitzgerald Byers
Arlene Pileggi as Skinner's Assistant
Laura Hughes as Kersh's Assistant/Girl Singer[3]

Episode chronology

← Previous
 "Drive" Next →
 "Dreamland"

List of The X-Files episodes
"Triangle" is the third episode of the sixth season of the American science fiction television series The X-Files and premiered on the Fox network on November 22, 1998. Written and directed by series creator Chris Carter, "Triangle" is a "Monster-of-the-Week" episode, a stand-alone plot which is unconnected to the overarching mythology of The X-Files. "Triangle" earned a Nielsen household rating of 10.8, being watched by 18.20 million viewers in its initial broadcast. The episode generally received positive reviews, with many critics commenting on the episode's unique directing style.
The show centers on FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called X-Files. Mulder is a believer in the paranormal, and the skeptical Scully has been assigned to debunk his work. However, the two have developed a close friendship. In this episode, Mulder races to a luxury passenger liner which has mysteriously appeared on the edge of the Bermuda Triangle. Once there, he realizes he has traveled back in time to September 3, 1939—the outbreak of World War II. Nazi soldiers have boarded the ship in search of "Thor's Hammer", something that could ensure victory in the coming conflict. Meanwhile, Scully, after being informed of Mulder's disappearance by The Lone Gunmen, rushes through the J. Edgar Hoover Building, looking for someone who can help find her missing partner.
"Triangle" is notable for the unique style in which it was filmed. Inspired by the 1948 Alfred Hitchcock film Rope, with many shots filmed and edited to appear as one single take. In addition, "Triangle" features the main and recurring cast members such as Anderson, William B. Davis, Chris Owens, James Pickens Jr. and Mitch Pileggi, who played their contemporary characters as well as distinctly different characters from 1939 on board the luxury liner. Several of the episode's themes have been critically examined—the concept of "dream-nazis", the appearance of modern characters portraying those from the past, and the ramification that the entire episode was a dream.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot
2 Production 2.1 Conception, writing, and filming
2.2 Directing style
2.3 Music and cultural references
3 Themes
4 Broadcast and reception 4.1 Ratings and accolades
4.2 Initial reception
4.3 Later reception
5 Notes
6 References 6.1 Footnotes
6.2 Bibliography
7 External links
Plot[edit]
Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) lies unconscious in the sea after wrecking his raft. He is taken aboard a passenger ship, the Queen Anne, by its British crew members. When he is sent to meet the captain, Mulder tries to explain that the Queen Anne vanished in the Bermuda Triangle in 1939, and claims that it has reappeared in 1998. The crew dismisses Mulder's story and suspect he is a Nazi spy. At that moment, the Queen Anne is boarded by SS troops under the control of a Standartenführer resembling The Smoking Man (William B. Davis), who sets the ship's course for Nazi Germany. The crew of the Queen Anne lock Mulder in the captain's quarters, where he listens to a radio broadcast announcing the start of World War II. Mulder realizes that the Queen Anne did not travel to 1998; he has traveled back to 1939.
Meanwhile, in the present, The Lone Gunmen inform Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) that they have lost contact with Mulder, who had set out in search of the Queen Anne. Scully confronts Assistant Director Alvin Kersh (James Pickens, Jr.) and Agent Jeffrey Spender (Chris Owens) before turning to Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi), who provides her with information from the Pentagon. Scully leaves with the Gunmen to find Mulder. On the Queen Anne, a British sailor tells Mulder that the Germans are looking for what they believe is a weapon called "Thor's Hammer". Mulder tells him that Thor's Hammer is not a weapon, but a scientist that will build a weapon. The sailor, however, turns out to be a German spy and locks Mulder in the engine room with the ship's crew. One of the sailors, who strongly resembles Kersh, decides to steer the boat to Jamaica, but Mulder tells them to sail back where they came from, in order to pass through the time warp and re-appear in 1998.
Eventually, Mulder is taken to the ballroom by the Nazis. Once there, he is ordered to identify the scientist, or the Nazis will begin shooting passengers. After they have killed two men, a woman who looks strikingly like Scully tells the Nazis that they are killing innocent people for nothing, and that Mulder knows nothing. Mulder tells the Nazis that one of the men they shot was the scientist, but the true scientist steps forward. The Nazis prepare to execute Mulder and "Scully", but before they are able, the engine is shut down. British sailors descend upon the ballroom and begin fighting the Nazis. In the midst of the chaos, Mulder and "Scully" escape. Meanwhile, Scully and the Lone Gunmen find the Queen Anne and board it, only to find that it is an empty ghost ship.
Back in 1939, as the British sailors fight the Nazis in the ballroom, Mulder tells "Scully" that she has to turn the ship around and return to the Bermuda Triangle in order to get the ship out of the rift in space. Mulder grabs "Scully" and kisses her, "in case they never meet again". "Scully" punches him, and he jumps overboard. Mulder wakes up in 1998 in a hospital, surrounded by Scully, the Lone Gunmen and Skinner. Mulder attempts to tell them that he traveled to 1939, and of his encounter with Nazis, and tells Scully that she was there with him, but they all think he is delirious. After Skinner and the Gunmen leave, Mulder calls Scully back and tells her that he loves her. Scully thinks his confession is an effect of the drugs he has been given, rolls her eyes and leaves. As he lies down, Mulder winces as his cheek touches the pillow; the spot where "Scully" punched him in 1939 is still sore.[3]
Production[edit]
Conception, writing, and filming[edit]

The picture is of a large luxury liner.

 The scenes aboard the Queen Anne were actually filmed on board the RMS Queen Mary.
The X-Files creator Chris Carter developed the idea for "Triangle" while working on the fifth season episode "The Red and the Black".[4] Carter had used more film shooting that episode than any other director in the series' history but Kim Manners. The crew made Carter a mock trophy, which inspired him to write an episode that featured continuous action as a way to minimize film usage.[5] Carter designed "Triangle" in a style similar to Alfred Hitchcock's 1948 film Rope.[6] Initially, Fox executives were hesitant to green-light production for "Triangle" because it was expected to exceed the $2.5 million episode budget. To persuade them, Carter told the executives that the episode would feature elements of Hitchcock's directing style, a move he later called "an easy hook".[7] Carter also cited the 1964 Twilight Zone adaptation of "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" as inspiration.[7]
The scenes on board the Queen Anne were filmed aboard the famous passenger liner RMS Queen Mary, which has long been used as a hotel.[6][7][8] The X-Files crew spent a total of eleven days filming on the Queen Mary, and erected wrap-around scaffolding on the bridge in order to block out the lights of nearby Long Beach, California.[5] To make it look like it was raining during the scenes on the bridge, the crew installed large sprinkler systems to provide a constant supply of water.[9] Unhappy with the remodeled style of the ship's corridors and ballroom, Carter had portions of the ship recarpeted and redecorated to give the finished episode a late-1930s style.[5][10]
In an interview before the episode was finished, Gillian Anderson said she was most looking forward to the scene in which Scully works her way through FBI headquarters in her quest to locate Mulder.[8] She later compared the episode to live theater,[10] which she had worked in previously.[11] The four acts of "Triangle" were filmed in several continuous shots, and edited together to give the impression of four seamless acts. This included the scenes in the FBI; when the actors entered the stage elevator, the set that they would next move onto had to be constructed behind the closed doors. Many times during filming, these doors would open before the set behind had been completed, which ruined the shot.[5]
For authenticity, several British and German actors portrayed the British sailors and Nazi soldiers, whose dialogue was mostly in German. Trevor Goodard, who portrayed the First British Crewman, is Australian, while Madison Mason, who played Captain Yip Harburg, is American; he affected an English accent for the part.[12] William B. Davis' dialogue was entirely in German, which he did not speak. He later explained, "I certainly didn't realize I was going to be speaking a lot of German until I got the script, which just said 'CSM (in German)'."[13] To successfully learn his lines, one of the German cast members recorded all of Davis' dialogue onto a cassette. Davis was given the cassette two weeks before shooting and phonetically memorized his lines; he noted that the method "seemed to work pretty well—at least to non-German-speaking people! It was a little more challenging because there were some real German speakers on the show, which I thought was a little unfair."[13] The only main cast member of The X-Files who already spoke German was Mitch Pileggi.[10] Pileggi had studied in Germany; he had to re-write many of his lines as they made no sense in the context of the scenes.[14] The tagline that usually appears after the opening credits of every episode, "The Truth is Out There", was translated into German: "Die Wahrheit ist irgendwo da draußen".[10]
Directing style[edit]

File:ScullyFBITriangle.ogv


 Agent Scully crosses paths with Agent Mulder and the 1939 version of Scully. The sophisticated split-screen mise en scène was inspired by the music video for Semisonic's hit 1998 single "Closing Time."
Filmed in real time, the episode is designed to look like it was recorded in four uninterrupted eleven-minute takes.[12] Carter explained, "I said [to the cast and crew] 'Wouldn't it be great since we have 44 minutes of programming time if we just did an episode where we did four 11-minute takes and put it all together?' And everyone looked at me like I was nuts."[15] To film the episode, camera operator Dave Luckenbach wore a steadicam. However, the steadicam used could only hold a maximum of four minutes of film, so discrete edits and cuts were necessary.[7] Luckenbach later likened the physical aftermath of filming to playing football, "You'd have a game on Friday, and you'd wake up Saturday and really feel it."[7] The cuts were usually made during whip pans or in scenes when the screen would go dark.[7][12] With the exception of Mulder jumping off the Queen Anne, the only noticeable editing occurs between scenes, when a side swipe shifts between the two different time periods.[12] Many of the takes needed to be nearly perfect, but on the eighth day of filming only two of ten takes were deemed satisfactory.[7]
The final two acts of the episode feature a sophisticated split-screen mise en scène. However, rather than displaying two different events, each side of the screen shows the same event from almost identical angles. When Scully runs around the corner in the present day, she does so at the same time as Mulder and the 1939 version of Scully. This was filmed in such a way that as the actors pass each other in the hallway, they also pass into the opposite frame of the split screen.[12] This effect was inspired by the music video for Semisonic's hit 1998 single "Closing Time."[7]
Both the cast and crew admitted that filming an episode of The X-Files in real time was physically and mentally exhausting. Duchovny later joked that, after filming concluded, he "could win an Emmy for most bruises."[7] Gillian Anderson described the real time directing style as "challenging."[8] She said, "I'm realizing how comfortable and connected I am to the rhythm we're used to."[8] Tom Braidwood, who played Lone Gunman Melvin Frohike and was an assistant director on the show, called Davis' role "brutal" and noted that "It was really tough for William because he had to learn all this German."[14] Davis later joked that "Maybe we shouldn't try to do two clever things at once. I think it worked fine, but it was a struggle to do it."[14]
Editor Louise Innes, who was working on her first X-Files episode, said the post-production editing process was "not as easy as it sounds."[7] Innes was tasked with connecting roughly forty shots and creating the illusion of one, uniform scene.[7] After the reels of film were combined, several pending issues had to be tweaked in post-production. For instance, during the scene in which Scully runs into an elevator, two shots were spliced together; however, the color did not completely match. The images and their colors were later corrected by the series' "postproduction [sic] troubleshooters" using digital manipulation.[7] When the episode was filmed, it was shot in 2.35:1 widescreen. When the episode aired, it was shown letterboxed to fit in a 1.33:1 television screen; this was the first X-Files episode to receive this treatment. Carter reasoned that this method would allow for more action to be viewable in each frame.[10]
Music and cultural references[edit]
To get a feel for the era, X-Files composer Mark Snow listened to the big band music of Gene Krupa, Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, and Harry James. The "bouncy instrumental" that plays during the fight scene in the ballroom was inspired by a similar swing tune composed by John Williams for the 1979 Steven Spielberg film 1941. Snow later joked that his composition was "the third generation of the same inspiration."[10] Carter had significant musical input when it came to scene transitions, saying, "I got a chance to use some of my favorite '40s music here, too, or '30s and '40s music to transition scenes."[12] The song that is heard near the end of the ballroom fight and in the scene featuring Scully and the Lone Gunmen searching for the Queen Anne is a piece of stock music called "Hot Liquorice", composed by Dick Walters.[16][17] Producer Paul Rabwin oversaw a special arrangement of the 1938 jazz standard "Jeepers Creepers", which was included in the ballroom scene.[10]
The episode contains many intentional references to the 1939 musical film The Wizard of Oz.[6] The ship's captain is named after the film's lyricist Yip Harburg, and the ballroom singer, Almira Gulch, after The Wizard of Oz character who is the analog for the Wicked Witch of the West. Her band is The Lollipop Guild, a reference to a section of the song "Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead", while Mulder's wrecked ship is called the Lady Garland, after Judy Garland.[10] The final scene of "Triangle", which features Mulder in bed telling his friends and co-workers that he saw them in his reverie, bears a striking resemblance to the closing scene of Oz. Because of this, the scene was called "obviously derivative" by one reviewer.[18] Further, when Mulder mentions that Skinner was with him in 1939, which is the year The Wizard of Oz was released, Skinner replies "with my dog Toto", and Scully tells him "there's no place like home".[9][10][17]
The episode features several historical errors. Anderson's 1939 character is said to work for the Office of Strategic Services, which was not established until 1942. The code name "Thor's Hammer" is an invention of the writers. Lee Smith, the official researcher for the show, was tasked with finding the name for the secret pre-WWII atomic research project. Unfortunately for the show, the actual code name, Development of Substitute Materials, was considered "uninspiring," so the name "Thor's Hammer" was created instead.[10]
Themes[edit]
Robert Shearman and Lars Pearson, in their book Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen, examined the characterization of the villains in the episode and the meta-references to the series. Shearman and Pearson note that the episode makes a distinct difference when portraying the Nazis on-screen. Instead of showing them as "real Nazis"—as portrayed in third season episodes like "Paper Clip"—this episode portrays them as deliberately exaggerated "dream-nazis".[19] The two argue that the villains are played as "comic book nasties" and are similar in style to the villains from the Indiana Jones movie franchise.[19]
Shearman and Pearson analyzed the portrayals of several of the series' regular characters as 1930s villains, noting several meta-references to the wider series. The two noted that, in his portrayal of a Nazi, Jeffrey Spender was allowed to "cut loose and rant like a proper villain rather than a sulky boy hiding in the basement."[19] In contrast, Walter Skinner's 1939 character behaved more like his character in the wider series, his role "charmingly parodying the ambiguity he's been playing all these years and turning out to be an American-loving ally who tells our heroes to get their 'asses out of here'."[19]
Tom Kessenich, in his book Examinations: An Unauthorized Look at Season 6–9 of The X-Files, critically examined the ideas that the entire episode was either a dream or existed in some sort of "parallel universe".[20][21] Kessenich reasons that, because the episode contains several overt references to The Wizard of Oz and the fact that Chris Carter noted that the episode was based on the idea of Mulder's subconscious mind at work, much of "Triangle" was simply a dream.[20] Furthermore, Kessenich backs up his argument by pointing out that many of the characters on the ship were played by familiar faces—The Smoking Man as the Nazi leader, Spender as a Nazi "lap dog", Skinner as a double agent, Kersh as an "unfamiliar friend or foe", and Scully as Mulder's ultimate ally.[21] This would suggest, according to Kessenich, that the entire episode was acted out in Mulder's mind while he was unconscious in the Bermuda Triangle.[21]
Broadcast and reception[edit]
Ratings and accolades[edit]
Promoted with the tagline "Tonight, they get carried away... On a doomed voyage, the passion between Mulder and Scully is finally unstoppable",[22] "Triangle" premiered on the Fox network in the United States on November 22, 1998.[1] The episode earned a Nielsen rating of 10.8, with a 16 share, meaning that roughly 10.8 percent of all television-equipped households and 16 percent of households watching television were tuned in. It was viewed by 18.2 million viewers.[23] "Triangle" was the 18th most watched television program for the week ending November 22.[24] The episode aired in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Sky1 on March 21, 1999 and received 0.74 million viewers, making it the fourth most watched program that week.[25] The episode later received a 1999 Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series.[9][nb 1]
Initial reception[edit]
When the finished program was shown to the cast and crew, their response was very positive. Gillian Anderson said, "I never quite understood whether it was going to work or not. When we finally saw 'Triangle' after this new way of filming everything, a style that we'd never attempted before, as well as trying new scenes ... trying this, trying that ...  that was terrific."[14] Chris Owens, who portrayed the Agent Spender Nazi lookalike, said, "One thing I really like about The X-Files was that they were always challenging themselves. Chris [Carter] would write an episode in which we're going to do Rope without any cuts, seemingly. A great challenge for a cast and crew."[14][15]
The episode received generally positive critical reviews from the press. Matt Zoller Seitz from The Star-Ledger gave an overwhelmingly positive review of "Triangle". Applauding Carter's risky and audacious direction, he noted that "there has never been an hour of TV that looks or moves like 'Triangle'".[27] He argued that the 1939 scene where Mulder and "Scully" cross paths with present-Scully was "the greatest minute of TV this year".[27] Seitz also compared the episode to three-dimensional video games, like Doom, Quake, and Castle Wolfenstein, citing the episode's "gloomy corridors" and "nightmarish cartoon Nazis".[27] Michael Liedtke and George Avalos from The Charlotte Observer predicted that "'Triangle' seems destined to take its rightful place in the pantheon of greatest 'X-Files' episodes".[18] Enjoying the plethora of Wizard of Oz references, the two parodied a portion of "Over the Rainbow" in their column.[18][nb 2] Not all reviewers were so positive; for Alan Sepinwall, "Triangle" was the episode "that turned out to be a dream", making it "technically impressive but dramatically murky".[28]
Later reception[edit]
Several years after its initial broadcast, "Triangle" has continued to receive positive reviews, with many critics calling it one of the show's best episodes. Jessica Morgan from Television Without Pity gave the episode an A–.[29] Earl Cressey from DVD Talk called it one of the highlights of season six.[30] Shearman and Pearson rated the episode five stars out of five and called it a "shining gem of an episode."[19]
Carter's helmsmanship of "Triangle" received mostly favorable critical attention. Shearman and Pearson praised his directing, pointing to the scene where Scully dashes through the FBI building as "the best scene of all".[19] Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club, in an "A" grade review, appreciated the unique style of filming, and wrote that the long scenes give "the whole thing a sense of urgency that propels scenes that shouldn't work".[31] In addition, he called the split-screen shot "darn near perfect"; VanDerWerff later labeled it "one of my favorite moments in the whole show".[31] Andrew Payne from Starpulse applauded the acting and directing, saying, "Chris Carter rarely directed his creation, leaving that mostly to Kim Manners, but when he did he showed a brilliant eye not usually seen on broadcast TV. This is the best example—a breathlessly-paced episode in which each act appears as one continuous shot. ... This episode is a lot of fun, particularly in the act that finds Scully blitzing through the FBI building in order to get some information on Mulder's whereabouts. The acting is superb and nothing can beat those no-cut acts."[32] Payne ultimately named it the fourth best X-Files episode. David Boston from Made Man wrote that "we know whenever [Chris Carter] directs an episode it is always among the best."[33] Timothy Sexton from Yahoo! Voices praised the split-screen scene and the scene featuring Scully running through the FBI building, comparing it favorably to Orson Welles' 1958 film Touch of Evil.[34] Not all reviews were as glowing; Paula Vitaris from Cinefantastique wrote that "everyone certainly deserves an A for effort", she was unimpressed by the "vertiginous camerawork" and "endless, monotonous tracking shots up and down hallways".[35] She ultimately awarded it one-and-a-half stars out of four.[35]
In addition, many reviewers were pleased with the style and concept of "Triangle". Tom Kessenich lauded the atmosphere of the entry, calling it "60 minutes of The X-Files at its finest".[36] Kessenich noted that, despite the "gloom and doom" talk that the series was heading in the wrong direction, stylistically, the episode proved "just how exciting this show can be".[36] He ultimately concluded that it was "a wonderful blend of fantasy and reality" that allowed the viewer "to try and ascertain what is real and what is not."[37] He later named "Triangle" one of the "Top 25 Episode of All Time" of The X-Files, and ranked it in second place.[37] VanDerWerff noted that he thoroughly enjoyed the concept, pointing out that the "sheer level of crazy stuff that goes on in this episode makes it fun to watch".[31] He wrote that "[n]othing else had ever been this skillfully done on television before", which resulted in a "terrific episode of television".[31] Furthermore, he opined that "[e]verything comes together in the episode's fantastically entertaining final act", due to the presence of the dramatic fight scene, among others.[31]
"Triangle" is also notable for featuring the first kiss between Mulder and Scully. In a positive critique, Kerry Fall from DVD Journal wrote that the entry was made particularly notable, in and of itself, due to the presence of the kiss.[38] Kessenich opined that the kiss built off "the seeds that were planted in the movie ... Scully clearly believes this is a man lost in delirium, but Mulder ... is finally beginning to deal with some pretty powerful feelings he has for his partner."[36] Paula Vitaris, on the other hand, was frustrated; she complained "[w]hen are these kisses that are not kisses going to end?"[35]
Notes[edit]
1.Jump up ^ Jeff Charbonneau (Music Editor); Thierry J. Couturier (Supervising Sound Editor); Stuart Calderon, Michael Goodman, Jay Levine, Maciek Malish M.P.S.E., George Nemzer, Cecilia Perna, Chris Reeves, and Gabrielle Reeves (Sound Editors); and Gary Marullo and Mike Salvetta (Foley Artists) were nominated for the award.[26]
2.Jump up ^ The parody included the lines: "Somewhere beneath the conspiracy, romantic hopes soar / Mulder and Scully often hug beneath the conspiracy, why, oh why, can't they do more?"[18]
References[edit]
Footnotes[edit]
1.^ Jump up to: a b Kim Manners, et al (booklet). The X-Files: The Complete Sixth Season (Liner notes). Fox.
2.Jump up ^ "The X-Files, Season 6". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
3.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler (2000), pp. 30–39.
4.Jump up ^ Meisler (2000), p. 39.
5.^ Jump up to: a b c d Meisler (2000), p. 40.
6.^ Jump up to: a b c Strachan, Alex (21 November 1998). "X-Files Producer Can't Let Go of Vancouver". The Vancouver Sun (Postmedia Network Inc.). Retrieved 26 December 2011.
7.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l Russo, Tom (20 November 1998). "Past Perfect". Entertainment Weekly (Time Inc.) 459. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
8.^ Jump up to: a b c d Gillian Anderson, Gillian (1998). Electronic Press Kit for "Triangle". (Interview). Fox Broadcasting Company.
9.^ Jump up to: a b c Chris Carter (Writer, Director) (5 November 2002). Triangle: Episode Commentary (DVD). The X-Files: The Complete Sixth Season: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.
10.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j Meisler (2000), p. 41.
11.Jump up ^ Lowry (1995), pp. 15–16.
12.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Carter, Chris (1999). The Truth About Season Six (DVD). 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.
13.^ Jump up to: a b Hughes, Davis (October 1999). "William B. Davis: TV's Best Bad Guy, Cigarette-Smoking Man, Still Smolders as he Reveals New Dimensions". Cinefantastique 31 (8): 32–35.
14.^ Jump up to: a b c d e Hurwitz and Knowles (2008), p. 158.
15.^ Jump up to: a b Hurwitz and Knowles (2008), p. 157.
16.Jump up ^ "KPM 227 – Pure Big Band – Part 1". Play Production Music. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
17.^ Jump up to: a b Chris Carter (Writer and Director) (22 November 1998). "Triangle". The X-Files. Season 6. Episode 3. Fox.
18.^ Jump up to: a b c d Liedtke, Michael; George Avalos (2 December 1998). "Ace 'X-Files' Episode Takes Mulder Beyond Kansas, Toto". Charlotte Observer (The McClatchy Company). Knight Ridder. Retrieved 20 March 2012. (subscription required)
19.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Shearman and Pearson (2009), pp. 169–170.
20.^ Jump up to: a b Kessenich (2002), p. 18.
21.^ Jump up to: a b c Kessenich (2002), p. 19.
22.Jump up ^ Triangle (Promotional Flyer). Los Angeles: Fox Broadcasting Company. 1998.
23.Jump up ^ Meisler (2000), p. 294.
24.Jump up ^ "Here Are the Prime-Time Ratings as Compiles". St. Paul Pioneer Press (MediaNews Group). 26 November 1998. Retrieved 20 March 2012. (subscription required)
25.Jump up ^ "BARB's multichannel top 10 programmes". barb.co.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2012. Note: Information is in the section titled "w/e March 15–21, 1999", listed under Sky1
26.Jump up ^ "Primetime Emmy® Award Database — The X-Files". Emmys.com. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
27.^ Jump up to: a b c Seitz, Matt Zoller (22 November 1998). "Just Watch It – 'X-Files' Episode Sails Into Bermuda Triangle , But Instead of Sinking, Soars with Brilliance". The Star-Ledger (Advance Publications). Retrieved 20 March 2012. (subscription required)
28.Jump up ^ Sepinwall, Alan (11 December 1998). "All TV – 'X-Files' Creator Breaks His Vows". The Star-Ledger (Advance Publications). Retrieved 20 March 2012. (subscription required)
29.Jump up ^ Morgan, Jessica. "X-Files TV Show — Triangle — X-Files Recaps, X-Files Reviews, X-Files Episodes". Television Without Pity. NBCUniversal. Retrieved 25 December 2011.
30.Jump up ^ Cressey, Earl (5 November 2002). "X-Files: Season Six". DVD Talk. Internet Brands Inc. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
31.^ Jump up to: a b c d e VanDerWerff, Todd (16 June 2012). "'Triangle'/'TEOTWAWKI' | TV Club | TV". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
32.Jump up ^ Payne, Andrew (25 July 2008). "'X-Files' 10 Best Episodes". Starpulse. Media Holdings LLC. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
33.Jump up ^ Boston, David (11 December 2010). "5 Best 'X Files' Episodes". Made Man. Break Media. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
34.Jump up ^ Sexton, Timothy (26 June 2006). "Top Ten X-Files Episodes". Yahoo! Voices. Yahoo! Inc. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
35.^ Jump up to: a b c Vitaris, Paula (October 1999). "Sixth Season Episode Guide". Cinefantastique 31 (8): 26–42.
36.^ Jump up to: a b c Kessenich (2002), p. 17.
37.^ Jump up to: a b Kessenich (2002), p. 219.
38.Jump up ^ Fall, Kerry. "The X-Files: Season Six". DVD Journal. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
Bibliography[edit]
Hurwitz, Matt; Knowles, Chris (2008). The Complete X-Files. Insight Editions. ISBN 9781933784809.
Kessenich, Tom (2002). Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 9781553698128.
Lowry, Brian (1995). The Truth is Out There: The Official Guide to the X-Files. Harper Prism. ISBN 9780061053306.
Meisler, Andy (2000). The End and the Beginning: The Official Guide to the X-Files Season 6. HarperCollins. ISBN 9780061075957.
Shearman, Robert; Pearson, Lars (2009). Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen. Mad Norwegian Press. ISBN 9780975944691.
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: TXF Season 6
"Triangle" at the Internet Movie Database
"Triangle" at TV.com

[hide]
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The X-Files episodes


­Seasons: 1·
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Season 6
­"The Beginning"·
 ­"Drive"·
 ­"Triangle"·
 ­"Dreamland"·
 ­"How the Ghosts Stole Christmas"·
 ­"Terms of Endearment"·
 ­"The Rain King"·
 ­"S.R. 819"·
 ­"Tithonus"·
 ­"Two Fathers"·
 ­"One Son"·
 ­"Agua Mala"·
 ­"Monday"·
 ­"Arcadia"·
 ­"Alpha"·
 ­"Trevor"·
 ­"Milagro"·
 ­"The Unnatural"·
 ­"Three of a Kind"·
 ­"Field Trip"·
 ­"Biogenesis"
 

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Categories: 1939 in fiction
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Bermuda Triangle
The X-Files (season 6) episodes
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Dreamland (The X-Files)

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"Dreamland"
The X-Files episode
A man looks at himself in a mirror, seeing a completely different man's reflection.
Fox Mulder sees his reflection in the mirror after switching bodies with a Man in Black Morris Fletcher.

Episode no.
Season 6
 Episode 4 & 5
Directed by
Kim Manners ("Dreamland")
Michael Watkins ("Dreamland II")
Written by
Vince Gilligan
John Shiban
Frank Spotnitz
Production code
6ABX04
 6ABX05
Original air date
November 29, 1998 ("Dreamland")
 December 6, 1998 ("Dreamland II")
Guest actors

Michael McKean as Morris Fletcher
Nora Dunn as JoAnne Fletcher
Dara Hollingsworth as Christine Fletcher
Tyler Binkley as Terry Fletcher
James Pickens, Jr. as Assistant Director Alvin Kersh
Michael Buchman Silver as Howard Grodin
John Mahon as General Wegman
Scott Allan Campbell as Jeff Smoodge
Julia Vera as Mrs. Lana Chee
Christopher Stapleton as Capt. Robert McDonough
Eddie Jackson as Copilot
Ted White as Attendant
Laura Leigh Hughes as Kersh's Assistant
Freeman Michaels as Guard
Cesar Lopapa as Soldier
Tom Braidwood as Melvin Frohike
Dean Haglund as Richard Langly
Bruce Harwood as John Fitzgerald Byers
Andrew Sikking as Soldier
Chris Ufland as Sam
Mike Rad as Randy
Lisa Joann Thompson as Kelly[1][2]

Episode chronology

← Previous
 "Triangle" Next →
 "How the Ghosts Stole Christmas"

List of The X-Files episodes
"Dreamland" is the collective name for the fourth and fifth episodes of the sixth season of the science fiction television series The X-Files. Part one first aired on November 29, and part two aired on December 6, 1998 on Fox in the United States and Canada. The episode was written by Vince Gilligan, John Shiban, and Frank Spotnitz, and directed by Kim Manners ("Dreamland") and Michael Watkins ("Dreamland II"). Although dealing with a member of the Men in Black, the episode is largely unconnected to the mythology of The X-Files, and is a "Monster-of-the-Week" story. Part one of "Dreamland" earned a Nielsen household rating of 10.1, being watched by 17.48 million people in its initial broadcast; Part two received a rating of 10 and was watched by 17.01 million people. The episode received mostly mixed reviews from critics, with many reviews critical of the episode's reliance on humor.
The show centers on FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called X-Files. Mulder is a believer in the paranormal, while the skeptical Scully has been assigned to debunk his work. In the episode, Mulder and Scully visit Area 51. But when the agents witness the flight of a mysterious craft, Mulder and a member of the Men in Black switch bodies, unbeknownst the others. In part two, Scully begins to suspect that her partner’s strange behavior is more than it appears to be, while Mulder fights to return his life to normal before it is too late.
"Dreamland" became the first non-mythology story to be spread across two episodes. Originally, the writers for the episode contacted Garry Shandling to play the part of Fletcher but he was unavailable for filming. Michael McKean was then cast in his place. The episode is notable for a scene featuring Mulder-as-Fletcher encountering his reflection and proceeding to do the dance from the 1933 Marx Brothers comedy film Duck Soup. The scene required Duchovny and McKean to synchronize their movements perfectly.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot 1.1 Part one
1.2 Part two
2 Production 2.1 Casting
2.2 Filming
2.3 Choreography
3 Broadcast and reception
4 References
5 External links
Plot[edit]
Part one[edit]
Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) visit the Area 51 installation in Nevada after receiving a tip from an inside source concerning alien spacecraft. As they drive on the highway, the agents are surrounded by Jeeps carrying soldiers led by a Man in Black named Morris Fletcher (Michael McKean). A rumbling noise is heard as a mysterious craft flies overhead and a bright light from the object passes over them. Mulder and Fletcher find that their minds have been swapped into each other's bodies, but nobody else present is aware of this. Fletcher and Scully depart, watched by the soldiers.
Mulder is driven back to Area 51 along with two other Men in Black, Howard Grodin and Jeff Smoodge. After an angry telephone call from Fletcher's wife, Joanne, Mulder–still inside Fletcher's body–goes to Fletcher's home. Instead of sleeping in the bedroom, he decides to sleep downstairs in an easy chair and watch pornography. When he is awoken by Joanne, he mumbles Scully's name. While changing his clothes, Mulder receives a telephone call from Smoodge, who explains that the military has surveyed the wreckage of the craft from the night before, finding one of the human pilots merged into a rock but still alive. Another soldier, Captain Robert McDonough, had switched bodies with an elderly Hopi woman, as evident from McDonough's aberrant behavior,
Mulder telephones Scully and tries to explain that he's the real Mulder. Scully does not believe him and asks Fletcher—in Mulder's body—to pick up and listen to the conversation. Fletcher decides they should immediately report this incident, which further confuses Scully. She goes to Mulder’s apartment (where Fletcher is having a tryst with Kersh's assistant) and tells Fletcher that they traced the telephone call to a pay phone near Area 51 and she suspects it is Mulder's informant. Fletcher is indifferent to this news and Scully yells at him, sensing that his behavior is very strange and his lack of concern for the X-Files is completely out of character. Scully decides to investigate, and drives through the desert towards Area 51. She stops at a burned out gas station and finds a penny and a dime merged. Later, when Scully arrives at Fletcher's house, Mulder tries desperately to convince Scully that he is really Mulder. Scully remains skeptical, and thinks that any information Mulder describes could be obtained in other ways. Mulder tells Scully that he will bring proof of the defect of the UFO and the resultant problems that night, but Fletcher, having eavesdropped on the conversation, calls his old office posing as Mulder to inform them of the source of the leak - Mulder posing as Fletcher. Military police arrive at the appointed hour, and Mulder is dragged away, kicking and screaming, desperately trying to convince Scully. Mulder asks if he would turn in an informant to the authorities in this manner as he is carried away, and Scully begins to realize that Mulder may be telling the truth.[1]
Part two[edit]
As Mulder—in Fletcher's body—is dragged away by the soldiers, Scully begins to question whether what Mulder told her about the body-swap was true. Fletcher—in Mulder’s body—approaches Scully and apologizes for telling Kersh and she feigns acceptance of it. After being reprimanded, Fletcher arranges a dinner date with Scully at Mulder’s apartment. Meanwhile, Mulder is confined in a cell next to the mind-switched Lana Chee. Military police arrive and take Mulder to a meeting with General Wegman, Grodin and Smoodge. They believe that Mulder-as-Fletcher was trying to defraud the FBI, not help them. Mulder bluffs his way through the meeting, and claims that the real proof is safe and that he did not tell them about the scheme because he did not know if he could trust the FBI. Mulder returns to Fletcher's house and tells Joanne Fletcher that he is Agent Fox Mulder, but Joanne thinks her husband must be undergoing a mid-life crisis.
At Mulder's apartment, Scully announces that because of Mulder's odd behavior, Mulder's body contains Morris Fletcher. Scully demands to know how to restore Mulder to his own body. Mulder’s informant calls again and Scully forces Fletcher to take the call and set up a meeting. Mulder, Joanne, Fletcher and Scully arrive at a bar in Rachel, Nevada where Mulder's informant is revealed to be General Wegman. Wegman admits that he sabotaged the UFO, but maintains that he only tried to merely disable the stealth module so that Mulder could see it. Wegman gives Fletcher, whom he thinks is Mulder, the proof of the encounter, a flight data recorder in a paper bag. Meanwhile, Mulder leaves and talks to Scully in the car. Later, Mulder and Fletcher meet in the bar's bathroom and argue about the flight data recorder. As they argue, General Wegman enters the bathroom and discovers the two. Mulder meets with General Wegman to discuss the UFO. Wegman believes that now that Fletcher knows Wegman's identity, when restored to his own body, Fletcher will turn him in. Fletcher explains that he hoped that Mulder could explain whether aliens actually exist; apparently the craft are simply given to the military without knowing where they are from or how they work.
After the fiasco at the bar, Mulder and Scully meet. She sadly tells Mulder that she does not think he and Fletcher can be returned to their own bodies. The warp caused by the alien craft is snapping back and repairing the natural order of the universe. Grodin, realizing that everything will be fixed naturally, gathers up Lana Chee and the pilot. Scully and Fletcher arrive at Fletcher’s home, and see Mulder standing by the moving truck. The shrill Joanne Fletcher berates Mulder about Scully but he insists that he and Fletcher have swapped bodies. Fletcher goes to help Joanne move a chair and confesses that Mulder is telling the truth. He tells her enough of their past to convince her he is Morris Fletcher. Jeff Smoodge and a group of troops appear at Fletcher's home and detain Mulder, Fletcher, Scully and the flight data recorder in their car. Grodin explains that he is restoring everything and that he reversed the body-swap between the pilot and the old Hopi woman. The warp passes over them and the past few days are rewritten. Mulder and Fletcher are restored to their own bodies and returned to the moment when Fletcher’s troops pulled them over on the highway. This time no ship passes overhead and Mulder and Scully leave uneventfully. After Mulder and Scully leave the highway near area 51, Scully calls from FBI headquarters to tell Mulder that they have escaped reprimand from Director Kersh for going to Nevada. Scully opens her desk drawer to place a file inside and finds the penny and dime that were fused together from the event at the gas station in her desk drawer indicating that while some things have reversed themselves, not everything has. Mulder enters his apartment and finds that Morris Fletcher has completely reorganized and cleaned his apartment and both Mulder and Scully are left to puzzle over their recollection of events.[2]
Production[edit]
Casting[edit]



 Much of the action takes place at Area 51, a military base frequently the subject of conspiracy theories.
When the episode was being cast, Michael McKean was not slated to play Morris Fletcher. Originally, the writers for the episode contacted Garry Shandling to play the part of Fletcher. Shandling, who was good friends with David Duchovny, was unavailable because he was filming a movie called Town and Country.[3] Shandling would later appear in the seventh season episode "Hollywood A.D." playing himself.[4] In the meantime, the production staff began looking for a replacement. Rick Millikan, the casting director for The X-Files, stated that they went through "lists and lists" of potential actors. Vince Gilligan noted, however, that McKean was at the top of the list for inclusion.[3] McKean was very happy to play the part, although he did specifically ask the writers not to kill off his character.[5]
Julia Vera was cast in the role of Lana Chee, the Hopi woman whose mind was switched with a young air force pilot. In order to age her, Vera wore special make-up and facial appliances. Special contact lenses were also crafted to give her eyes a clouded look. It took five takes for her to flick her cigarette butt into Mulder's lap because the lenses obstructed her vision.[6]
Filming[edit]
In order to simulate the desert environment of Area 51, production was temporarily relocated to "Club Ed", a movie ranch located on the outskirts of Lancaster, California. Club Ed was two hours drive and almost 100 miles away from the Fox Studios, so most of the cast and crew camped out in motels in the desert. Because Club Ed was outside the 30-mile zone around Los Angeles, overtime, meal allowances, and per diem expenses had to be added to the budget.[7] In the middle of filming, Duchovny was reported as saying, "When is this show moving back to Los Angeles?"[6] Within days, T-shirts were made for the crew that featured exactly the same question.[6]
Many of the locations in the episode were created from scratch, either through conventional means or through computer technology. The gas station, which could not be rented, was created by building a store on the side of the road on the outskirts of Lancaster and fitting it with gas pumps from a station that had recently gone out of business.[7] The store was then loaded with merchandise obtained from restaurant supply houses and cooperative food manufactures. The last scene filmed was of the station exploding. After filming ceased, the station was demolished and the road returned to its previous state. Duke Tomasick, The X-Files construction coordinator, later said that, "it was if the whole thing never even existed".[8] Area 51, the government airplanes, and the alien craft were constructed by visual effects producer Bill Millar on a Macintosh computer.[8] Originally, the time warp effect resembled a "blue sheet", according to producer John Shiban, sans the blurring effect visible in the finished episode. Eventually, the production crew felt that the sheet effect was not effective, and so the footage was blurred in order to create a "molecular transferal" effect.[9]
Several of the locations either were real, or were filmed with the use of stand-ins. The gate for the Area 51 set was filmed at a fence on the San Bernardino county line, one hundred and twenty miles away from Los Angeles.[8] The restaurant that the characters visit, the Little A'Le'Inn, is an actual cafe off Highway 375 in Rachel, Nevada. The inside, however, was an elaborate set, as the original is much too small.[6]
Choreography[edit]
The scene where Mulder-as-Fletcher encounters his reflection and proceeds to dance is an homage to the 1933 Marx Brothers comedy film Duck Soup. Originally, during production meetings, the staff of The X-Files decided to create the scene by using digital technology, although this method would raise the budget significantly. Duchovny and McKean, however, volunteered to shoot the film the "old fashioned way" by choreographing their moves so that they would be in-synch. Duchovny and McKean each watched Duck Soup and then practiced for a week and a half in order to perfect the scene. When the scene was filmed, a metronome was present so that the two actors could keep time with each other. This was then erased from the mix during post-production.[6] In addition, the set was actually two bedrooms, both mirror images of each other.[6][10] The only part that featured any CGI was when Mulder blows on the mirror, producing fog. According to director Kim Manners, Duchovny and McKean filmed the shot that was used on the twelfth take.[6]
Broadcast and reception[edit]
"Dreamland" first aired in the United States on November 29, and "Dreamland II" aired on December 6, 1998.[11] The first part of the episode earned a Nielsen rating of 10.1, with a 15 share, meaning that roughly 10.1 percent of all television-equipped households, and 15 percent of households watching television, were tuned in to the episode.[12] It was viewed by 17.48 million people.[12] The second part received a 10 rating, with a 15 share. It was subsequently viewed by 17.01 million people.[12] The first part aired in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Sky1 on March 28, 1999 and the second part aired on April 4; part one received 0.73 million viewers and was the fourth most watched episode that week,[13] and part two later received 0.88 million viewers and was the second most watched episode that week, after an episode of Friends.[14] Fox promoted the first part of the episode with the tagline "what if you could discover the truth by living inside another man's body?"[15] They promoted the second part of the episode with the line "Can he get back?"[16]
The episode received mostly mixed reviews from critics, with many commenting on the episode's reliance on humor. In a review of part one, a critic from the Knight Ridder wrote, "As disorienting as this body transfer had to be for Mulder, the experience provided amusing television. And that seems to be a problem for some X-Files fans. Knowing that the human population's survival is imperiled by the colonization plans of a fierce extraterrestrial race, a large number of X-Philes want the show to focus on our heroes' efforts to come to the rescue".[17] The newspaper's review of Part 2 was much more negative, with the article saying "by the end of the latest X-Files episode, we were wishing we could push a reset button on Dreamland II, just to forget some of the silly stuff that transpired in this show".[18] Robert Shearman and Lars Pearson, in their book Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen, rated the episode two stars out of five and noted that the episode lacked "structure and point".[19] Paula Vitaris from Cinefantastique gave both episodes mixed reviews, awarding the first part two-and-a-half stars out of four, and the second part two stars.[20] Vitaris was unhappy with the amount of comedy used in the episode, noting that once Mulder visited Fletcher's house, "the comedy turns sour": she argued that the members of Fletcher's family were examples of caricatures.[20] Despite this, she praised the scene featuring the murder of the gas station attendant, claiming that "for a moment, this episode really clicks".[20] Vitaris, in her review for part two, called the episode "purely illogical", although she noted it did feature "minor fun", pointing out the scene wherein Scully catches Fletcher by handcuffing him.[20]
Not all reviews were completely negative. Zack Handlen from The A.V. Club wrote positively of the first part of the episode's humor and awarded it a B+. Handlen noted that "the context of seeing actors in the wrong places" is "what’s funny about the episode".[21] However, he did slightly criticize the episode's padding—specifically Nora Dunn's role as Fletcher's wife and the Duck Soup mirror gag—but argued that "for every bit that doesn’t play in the episode, there are three that do."[21] Todd VanDerWerff, also from The A.V. Club, gave the second half of the episode a B– and wrote, "I have basically nothing to add to what Zack said about the first 'Dreamland' last week. 'Dreamland II' is a fairly unnecessary hour of television, and there’s no reason this logy two-parter couldn’t have become a much tighter one-hour episode."[22] Tom Kessenich, in his book Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files wrote that "my final judgement on 'Dreamland' [part one] is that I enjoyed the entertainment value it presented. It was fun and I'm not not to begrudge atone a little romp now and then."[23] Kessenich, however, did note that the second part "felt strung out".[24] Den of Geek writer Juliette Harrisson, however, saw the episode in a more positive light and said, "Season six included some more excellent episodes only peripherally related to the main story arc, [such as] Dreamland parts one and two".[25] Kerry Fall from DVD Journal wrote positively of the episodes and described them, together as "one of the best episodes in years".[26] Topless Robot named "Dreamland" the fourth funniest episode of the series.[27] Earl Cressey from DVD Talk concluded that both "Dreamland" parts one and two were among the "highlights of season six".[28]
References[edit]
Footnotes
1.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, pp. 42–51
2.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, pp. 54–64
3.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, p. 64
4.Jump up ^ Shapiro, pp. 229–240
5.Jump up ^ Meisler, p. 53
6.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Meisler, p. 67
7.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, p. 65
8.^ Jump up to: a b c Meisler, p. 66
9.Jump up ^ Paul Rabwin (1999). Special Effects with Paul Rabwin: Time Warp Pass Over (DVD). The X-Files: The Complete Sixth Season: Fox Home Entertainment.
10.Jump up ^ Paul Rabwin (1999). Special Effects with Paul Rabwin: Add Steam to Faux Mirror (DVD). The X-Files: The Complete Sixth Season: Fox Home Entertainment.
11.Jump up ^ The X-Files: The Complete Sixth Season (Media notes). Fox. 1998–99.
12.^ Jump up to: a b c Meisler, p. 294
13.Jump up ^ "BARB's multichannel top 10 programmes". barb.co.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2012. Note: Information is in the section titled "w/e March 22–28, 1999", listed under Sky 1
14.Jump up ^ "BARB's multichannel top 10 programmes". barb.co.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2012. Note: Information is in the section titled "w/e March 29 – April 4, 1999", listed under Sky 1
15.Jump up ^ Dreamland I (Promotional Flyer). Los Angeles, California: Fox Broadcasting Company. 1998.
16.Jump up ^ Dreamland II (Promotional Flyer). Los Angeles, California: Fox Broadcasting Company. 1998.
17.Jump up ^ Liedtke, Michael (December 3, 1998). "X-Cursions: What `Dreamland' is made of'". Knight Ridder. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
18.Jump up ^ Liedtke, Michael (December 10, 1998). "X-Cursions: Not-so-sweet 'Dreamland'". Knight Ridder. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
19.Jump up ^ Shearman and Pearson, p. 172
20.^ Jump up to: a b c d Vitaris, Paula (October 1999). "Sixth Season Episode Guide". Cinefantastique 31 (8): 26–42.
21.^ Jump up to: a b Handlen, Zack (23 June 2012). "'Dreamland'/'Closure'". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
22.Jump up ^ VanDerWerff, Todd (30 June 2012). "'Dreamland II'/'...Thirteen Years Later'". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved 30 June 2012.
23.Jump up ^ Kessenich, p. 21
24.Jump up ^ Kessenich, p. 23
25.Jump up ^ Harrisson, Juliette (6 September 2011). "A look back over The X-Files' finest stand-alone episodes". Den of Geek. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
26.Jump up ^ Fall, Kerry. "The X-Files: Season Six". DVD Journal. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
27.Jump up ^ Bricken, Rob (October 13, 2009). "The 10 Funniest X-Files Episodes". Topless Robot. Village Voice Media. Retrieved February 11, 2012.
28.Jump up ^ Cressey, Earl (5 November 2002). "X-Files: Season Six". DVD Talk. Internet Brands. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
BibliographyKessenich, Tom (2002). Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 1-55369-812-6.
Meisler, Andy (2000). The End and the Beginning: The Official Guide to the X-Files Volume 5. Harper Prism. ISBN 0-06-107595-7.
Shapiro, Marc (2000). All Things: The Official Guide to the X-Files Volume 6. Harper Prism. ISBN 0-06-107611-2.
Shearman, Robert; Pearson, Lars (2009). Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen. Mad Norwegian Press. ISBN 0-9759446-9-X.
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: TXF Season 6
"Dreamland" at the Internet Movie Database
"Dreamland" at TV.com
  "Dreamland II" at the Internet Movie Database
"Dreamland II" at TV.com


[hide]
­v·
 ­t·
 ­e
 
The X-Files episodes


­Seasons: 1·
 ­2·
 ­3·
 ­4·
 ­5·
 ­6·
 ­7·
 ­8·
 ­9
 

Season 6
­"The Beginning"·
 ­"Drive"·
 ­"Triangle"·
 ­"Dreamland"·
 ­"How the Ghosts Stole Christmas"·
 ­"Terms of Endearment"·
 ­"The Rain King"·
 ­"S.R. 819"·
 ­"Tithonus"·
 ­"Two Fathers"·
 ­"One Son"·
 ­"Agua Mala"·
 ­"Monday"·
 ­"Arcadia"·
 ­"Alpha"·
 ­"Trevor"·
 ­"Milagro"·
 ­"The Unnatural"·
 ­"Three of a Kind"·
 ­"Field Trip"·
 ­"Biogenesis"
 

 

Categories: The X-Files (season 6) episodes
1998 television episodes
Screenplays by Vince Gilligan



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How the Ghosts Stole Christmas

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

This is a good article. Click here for more information.

"How the Ghosts Stole Christmas"
The X-Files episode
A man in a leather jacket and a woman with a flashlight look into a hole that contains a corpse.
Mulder and Scully discover corpses underneath the floorboards. The origins of the episode stemmed from an idea Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz had featuring a haunted house.

Episode no.
Season 6
 Episode 6
Directed by
Chris Carter
Written by
Chris Carter
Production code
6ABX08
Original air date
December 13, 1998
Guest actors

Edward Asner as Maurice
Lily Tomlin as Lyda[1]

Episode chronology

← Previous
 "Dreamland II" Next →
 "Terms of Endearment"

List of The X-Files episodes
"How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" is the sixth episode of the sixth season of the science fiction television series The X-Files. It premiered on the Fox network on December 13, 1998. It was written and directed by series creator Chris Carter, and featured guest appearances by Edward Asner and Lily Tomlin. The episode is a "Monster-of-the-Week" story, unconnected to the series' wider mythology. "How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" earned a Nielsen household rating of 10.6, being watched by 17.3 million people in its initial broadcast. The episode received mostly positive reviews from critics, although some reviews criticized the episode for over-simplyfing the characters.
The show centers on FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called X-Files. Mulder is a believer in the paranormal, while the skeptical Scully has been assigned to debunk his work. In this Christmas-themed episode, Mulder and Scully stake out a reputed haunted house. The duo soon discover a pair of lovelorn spectres living inside the house who are determined to prove how lonely the holidays can be.
Carter based the episode around an idea he and fellow writer Frank Spotnitz had been working on, featuring a haunted house. Featuring the smallest cast of an X-Files episode—with only four actors—and a single set, "How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" was the cheapest sixth season episode. The drastic reduction in the budget, however, put more strain on the main actors.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot
2 Production 2.1 Conception and writing
2.2 Casting and filming
2.3 Effects and music
3 Broadcast and reception
4 References
5 External links
Plot[edit]
Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) calls Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) on Christmas Eve to investigate a haunted house in Maryland. He explains that during Christmas of 1917, a young couple living in the house agreed to a lover's pact, one killing the other and the remaining one committing suicide. He explains that they could not stand the thought of being alone after the other died and during the afterlife; they wanted to experience it all together. Now, Mulder claims, they want to make couples who venture into their mansion have the same fate.
Scully, who is busy wrapping presents, ultimately relents to Mulder's request. Inside the house, the agents experience strange phenomena: the door to the mansion slams shut, creaks are heard in the ceiling from the upper floor, and the shadow in the form of an old woman in a nightgown is seen, among other occurrences. Mulder and Scully reluctantly decide to investigate the floor above them. There, they find a massive library storing two corpses that have the same clothes and hairstyles as the agents, along with two gunshot wounds. They decide to go search other rooms, only to find that every door they walk through is the same library room they first entered. They then decide to split up, hoping to find a way out of the room.
While separated, they meet the inhabitants of the mansion—Maurice (Edward Asner) and Lyda (Lily Tomlin). The ghosts soon turn the agents against each other. Scully is told that Mulder will kill her. Scully meets back up with Mulder, only for him to pull out a gun and shoot her. Scully, completely confused, loses consciousness, and the perspective shifts. It is revealed that Lyda is actually the one carrying out these actions and, through her ghostly ability to create apparitions, causes Scully to see Mulder instead. Meanwhile, Mulder comes upon a bleeding Scully lying on the floor. When he leans over her to try and help her, she shoots Mulder in the stomach. Again, the audience sees that it is Lyda pretending to be Scully, manipulating Mulder.
Both Mulder and Scully stumble down the stairs in hope of just getting outside to die. They meet up by the door, both crawling on the floor, covered in massive amounts of blood. Scully claims he shot her, while Mulder claims she shot him. Mulder realizes that that could not have happened and stands up. The illusion is broken, and the two leave the house. Maurice and Lyda sit by the fire, holding hands, saying that they almost had the two agents. Meanwhile, at Mulder's apartment, Mulder and Scully exchange gifts, even though they told each other they would not.[1]
Production[edit]



 "How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" was based on an idea by Frank Spotnitz (left) and Chris Carter (right) featuring a haunted house.
Conception and writing[edit]
Writer, director, and series creator Chris Carter based the episode around an idea he and fellow writer Frank Spotnitz had been working on, featuring a haunted house.[2] The only scene that the two had completely planned out was the climax, which features Mulder and Scully pulling themselves across the floor, bleeding profusely.[2] Carter wanted to keep all the action on one set, with the episode featuring only one location.[2] To do this, production designer Corey Kaplan proposed that the episode be filmed in Scully's apartment, a set that the crew had not used for season six.[2] Carter, however, wanting to keep the haunted house motif, asked Kaplan if she could design a mansion set.[2] Kaplan was tasked with designing a set that was "bleak, but not too bleak [...] decrepit, but not too decrepit," and "deserted, but not too deserted."[2]
Casting and filming[edit]
"How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" features the smallest cast in X-Files history, with only David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, and the two guest stars present in the episode. Lily Tomlin, who played the part of Lyda, had originally approached the casting agents for The X-Files several seasons prior to season six.[2] Her agent expressed her interest in a part.[2] Carter agreed to meet her and the two discussed possible ideas for futures episodes.[2] After several years of thinking, Carter decided to write "How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" as a vehicle for her.[2] Originally, Carter wanted Bob Newhart to play the part of Maurice.[2] However, Newhart was not interested.[2] The crew, instead, approached veteran actor Edward Asner, who readily agreed to take part in the episode.[2]
The episode was filmed without multiple sets, out-of-studio locations, or a large amount of extras.[2] In addition, the budget for the episode was kept to a minimum.[2] Because of this, "How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" was the cheapest episode filmed for the sixth season.[2] Carter readily admits that making the episode was a challenge.[2] The drastic reduction in the budget put more strain on the main actors and several key individuals involved in the production.[2] The outside scenes were filmed in front of the Piru Mansion in Piru, California, where the sixth season episode "The Rain King" was filmed.[3] The day before filming was slated to begin, a brush fire ignited on the hill behind the mansion.[3] Location manager Ilt Jones rushed to the scene in the middle of the inferno, but after an hour, the local firemen were able to bring the blaze under control by digging a fire break.[3] The fire stopped a mere 300 feet from the house.[3]
Effects and music[edit]
The gunshot wounds that Scully, and later Mulder, discover on Maurice and Lyda were created on a computer.[3] Special effects editor Bill Millar was tasked with designing the "bloodless bullet holes" that were on Asner's head and Tomlin's stomach.[3] To create this effect, Millar attached orange fluorescent cloth to the places that would become the bullet wounds.[3] An ultraviolet light was then added to the set lighting so that the invisible reflected light would function as tracking data.[3] The orange cloth was then excised during post-production and the computerized bullet wounds were inserted in their place.[3] Millar admits that the technique was borrowed from the 1992 movie Death Becomes Her, although he sarcastically admitted that, "we did it better and with less money."[3] Gillian Anderson was later critical of the fake blood used for the episode because the sheer quantity soon coagulated and formed a "gummy mess."[3]
Mark Snow, the composer for the episode, admitted to "ripping off" Joseph Haydn's "Toy" Symphony to create the eerie Baroque-inspired harpsichord score.[3] Snow also admits that another major influence for the episode was Johnny Mandel's "brilliant" score for the 1982 movie Deathtrap.[3]
Broadcast and reception[edit]
"How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" first aired in the United States on December 13, 1998.[4] This episode earned a Nielsen rating of 10.6, with a 16 share, meaning that roughly 10.6 percent of all television-equipped households, and 16 percent of households watching television, were tuned in to the episode. It was viewed by 17.30 million viewers.[5] The episode aired in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Sky1 on April 11, 1999 and received 0.70 million viewers and was the fourth most watched episode that week.[6] Fox promoted the episode with the tagline "This holiday season... share the gift of terror."[7] Corey Kaplan later won an award of excellence from the Society of Motion Picture and Television Art Directors for his work on "How the Ghosts Stole Christmas."[3]
The episode received mostly positive reviews from critics, with some detractors. Sight on Sound called the episode "one of the best Christmas episodes of any series."[8] The review called “How the Ghosts Stole Christmas,” "an extremely creative, arguably bitter Holiday treat, perfect for [Christmas] with its blend of horror, comedy and hints of romance."[8] Static Mass writer Patrick Samuel awarded the episode five stars and said, "As [Mulder and Scully] gleefully unwrap their presents at the end, this episode is something that really makes my own Christmases feel that little bit more complete."[9] Den of Geek writer Juliette Harrisson, in a review of "Monday," said, "Season six included some more excellent episodes [and] classic comedy episodes including, "How The Ghosts Stole Christmas."[10] DVD.net called "How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" a "classic" standalone episode.[11] SFX named the episode the sixth best "SF [Sci-Fi] & Fantasy Christmas Episodes" and noted that it was full of "classic lines, some neat tricks".[12]
Zack Handlen from The A.V. Club gave the episode a largely positive review and awarded it a grade of an A. He noted that the episode was written in a similar manner to the earlier, Carter-penned "The Post-Modern Prometheus". Handlen wrote that both entries "have a gleeful, everybody-gets-out-okay-in-the-end vibe".[13] He, however, concluded that the "episode lives and dies on the strength of its two guest stars" before writing that "Asner and Tomlin are more than up to the task."[13] Earl Cressey from DVD Talk called "How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" one of the "highlights of season six."[14] Robert Shearman and Lars Pearson, in their book Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen, rated the episode five stars out of five.[15] Tom Kessenich, in his book Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files gave the episode more of a mixed to positive review, noting the lack of darkness in the episode. He wrote, "OK, I liked a lot of this episode. […] But while I've enjoyed the sheer entertainment value of the past three shows, I really am longing for something a bit sinister and darker."[16]
Not all reviews were so positive. Paula Vitaris from Cinefantastique gave the episode a largely negative review and awarded it one-and-a-half stars out of four.[17] Vitaris was unhappy with the way Maurice and Lyda were characterized, noting that their method of trying to get Mulder and Scully to kill each other resulted in "endless psychobabble dialogue".[17] Michigan Daily writer Melissa Runstrom, in a review of the sixth season, described "How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" as "hokey" and "over-the-top."[18] She identified it as the weakest episode of the sixth season.[18]
References[edit]
Footnotes
1.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, pp. 92–104
2.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Meisler, p. 104
3.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Meisler, p. 105
4.Jump up ^ Kim Manners, et al (booklet). The X-Files: The Complete Sixth Season (Liner notes). Fox.
5.Jump up ^ Meisler, p. 294
6.Jump up ^ "BARB's multichannel top 10 programmes". barb.co.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2012. Note: Information is in the section titled "w/e April 5–11, 1999", listed under Sky 1
7.Jump up ^ How the Ghosts Stole Christmas (Promotional Flyer). Los Angeles, California: Fox Broadcasting Company. 1998.
8.^ Jump up to: a b "25 Days Of Christmas: The X-Files, "How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" as fresh and vital years later". Sight on Sound. 3 December 2011. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
9.Jump up ^ Samuel, Patrick (18 November 2011). "The X-Files: How The Ghosts Stole Christmas". Static Mass. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
10.Jump up ^ Harrisson, Juliette (6 September 2011). "A look back over The X-Files’ finest stand-alone episodes". Den of Geek. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
11.Jump up ^ "The X-Files Season 6 Box Set". DVD.net. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
12.Jump up ^ "Top 35 SF & Fantasy Christmas Episodes – The X-Files". SFX (Future Publishing). 22 December 2010. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
13.^ Jump up to: a b Handlen, Zack (14 July 2012). "'How the Ghosts Stole Christmas'/'Skull and Bones'". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
14.Jump up ^ Cressey, Earl (5 November 2002). "X-Files: Season Six". DVD Talk. Internet Brands. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
15.Jump up ^ Shearman and Pearson, p. 173
16.Jump up ^ Kessenich, p. 25
17.^ Jump up to: a b Vitaris, Paula (October 1999). "Sixth Season Episode Guide". Cinefantastique 31 (8): 26–42.
18.^ Jump up to: a b Runstrom, Melissa (27 November 2002). "'X-Files' DVD showcases highs, lows of season six". The Michigan Daily (University of Michigan). Retrieved 6 August 2009.
BibliographyKessenich, Tom (2002). Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 1-55369-812-6.
Meisler, Andy (2000). The End and the Beginning: The Official Guide to the X-Files Volume 5. Harper Prism. ISBN 0-06-107595-7.
Shearman, Robert; Pearson, Lars (2009). Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen. Mad Norwegian Press. ISBN 0-9759446-9-X.
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: TXF Season 6
"How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" at the Internet Movie Database
"How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" at TV.com

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Terms of Endearment (The X-Files)

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"Terms of Endearment"
The X-Files episode
Silhouette of a demon, with fire in the background.
Wayne Weinsider as a demon in his wife's "dream". The scene was shot to give the effect that the fire was mere inches away from the bed.

Episode no.
Season 6
 Episode 7
Directed by
Rob Bowman
Written by
David Amann
Production code
6ABX06[1]
Original air date
January 3, 1999
Running time
45 minutes[2]
Guest actors

Bruce Campbell as Wayne Weinsider
Lisa Jane Persky as Laura Weinsider
Grace Phillips]] as Betsy Monroe
Chris Owens as Agent Spender
Michael Milhoan as Deputy Arky Stevens
Michael Rothhaar as Dr. Couvillion
Lenora May as Kim Britton
Jimmy Staszkiel as Mr. Ginsberg
Karen Stone as Nurse
Matthew Butcher as EMT[3]

Episode chronology

← Previous
 "How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" Next →
 "The Rain King"

List of The X-Files episodes
"Terms of Endearment" is the seventh episode of the sixth season of the American science fiction television series The X-Files, and originally aired on the Fox network on January 3, 1999. Written by David Amann and directed by Rob Bowman, "Terms of Endearment" is a "Monster-of-the-Week" story, unconnected to the series' wider mythology. It earned a Nielsen rating of 10.5 and was watched by 18.7 million people on its initial broadcast. The episode received mixed reviews. While the performance given by guest actor Bruce Campbell attracted positive comments, the plot was criticised.
The show centers on FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who work on cases linked to the paranormal called X-Files. Mulder is a believer in the paranormal, while the skeptical Scully has been assigned to debunk his work. In the installment, an unborn child is apparently abducted from its mother's womb by a demon after the prospective parents discover that their child has birth defects. After Agent Spender dismisses the assignment as irrelevant to the X-Files, Mulder and Scully steal the case and investigate the creature. While looking into the report, the duo discover that Wayne Weinsider (Campbell) is a child-abducting demon.
"Terms of Endearment", an inversion of the 1968 film Rosemary's Baby, was the first episode written by The X-Files' executive story editor David Amann, a staff member who later became a regular contributor to the series. Campbell, already well known as a cult film actor in several Sam Raimi horror movies, was cast as Wayne Weinsider. Many of the episode's special effects were created without elaborate computer-generated effects. Critics have complimented the episode's unique representation of its antagonist, who has been classified as a sympathetic villain.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot
2 Production 2.1 Background
2.2 Casting
2.3 Filming
3 Themes
4 Broadcast and reception 4.1 Initial ratings and reception
4.2 Later reception
5 Impact
6 References 6.1 Footnotes
6.2 Bibliography
7 External links
Plot[edit]
In Roanoke, Virginia, Wayne Weinsider (Bruce Campbell) and his pregnant wife Laura learn via an ultrasound scan that their unborn child has bizarre physical abnormalities, such as horn-like protrusions. Weinsider appears to be especially distraught after hearing the news. That night, Laura has a terrifying dream in which a demon-like figure snatches the baby from her womb. When she wakes up, the couple discover that Laura has seemingly miscarried. Laura's brother, local deputy sheriff Arky Stevens, reports her story to the X-Files section at the FBI. Agent Jeffrey Spender (Chris Owens) discards the report, but Agent Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) salvages the case and travels to Virginia, along with Agent Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) to interview the Weinsiders.
The police, who suspect an illegal abortion, find the remains of the baby in the garden furnace. Wayne quickly confesses to destroying the evidence. He asserts that his wife had aborted the child while in a trance-like state and attempts to convince her of this. Laura takes the blame for the abortion and goes to jail. While visiting Laura in her cell, Wayne attempts to steal her soul, but the EMT is able to save her life, much to Wayne's surprise. Meanwhile Wayne has another wife, Betsy Monroe, who's also pregnant.
Mulder, determining that Wayne is a Czech immigrant by the name of Ivan Veles, reaches the conclusion that Wayne is a demon who is trying to have a normal baby, and suspects that he terminates pregnancies when the fetus exhibits demon-like traits. Betsy has a dream similar to Laura's, but recognizes the dream-demon as her husband. Nevertheless, she loses her baby and tracks down Mulder and Scully. The two seek out Weinsider and catch him digging in Betsy's backyard. After a short conversation, the sheriff arrives at the house and shoots Weinsider.
Mulder and Scully discover remains of normal human babies in Betsy's yard where Weinsider was digging. Upon seeing the evidence, Mulder deduces that Betsy is another demon who is unable to have a baby demon unless another demon impregnates her. Unlike Weinsider, she has been terminating pregnancies that resulted in non-demonic fetuses: the very type Weinsider has been so desperate to father. As a demon, she could recognize her husband as a demon in her dream and stop him extracting her baby. However, it becomes apparent that she never lost her baby; it was merely a trick to frame her demon husband. At the end of the narrative, Betsy Monroe drives away with her new demon baby. Her eyes flash with a red gleam before returning to normal.[3][4]
Production[edit]
Background[edit]

A man with white hair is looking and smiling at the camera.

The X-Files creator Chris Carter greenlit the episode, following a pitch provided by David Amann.
"Terms of Endearment" was the first episode written by The X-Files executive story editor David Amann. Amann had previously written two network movies titled The Man Who Wouldn't Die and Dead Air and had served two years on the staff of the CBS medical drama Chicago Hope. The concept for "Terms of Endearment" was "about the fifth or sixth idea" Amann came up with for the show.[5] Amann's original idea was to write what he described as "Rosemary's Baby in reverse".[5] He explained, "I had this idea [for doing the episode] not from the point of view of the hapless woman unwittingly impregnated, but from the point of view of the devil".[5] Amann pitched his idea to series creator Chris Carter, who gave him the commission to write the rest of the episode.[5][6]
According to Amann, the initial draft was "heavier on pure shock value and lighter on humor and human interest".[5] In this version, Laura Weinsider was slated to give birth to a serpent rather than a demon baby. In addition, the story unraveled in a more "linear" fashion.[5] This draft also called for the devil to seek a human baby, resulting in the sacrifice of his wife. The series regular writers felt that this initial version of the story had a certain "inevitability" to it.[5] Carter, however, suggested that the second woman should be a demon. Amann later admitted that this addition made the story "work well".[5] Kerry Fall from DVD Journal suggested that the plot revolved around "the wives and lives of a demon trying to have a normal child."[7]
The score for "Terms of Endearment" was composed by series regular Mark Snow, who used Gregorian chants to give the atmosphere a "creepy" feel.[5] The 1995 song "Only Happy When It Rains" by alternative rock group Garbage plays several times in the episode, most notably when Betsy Monroe drives away with her demon baby.[8][9] The quote "Zazas, zazas, nasatanada zazas"—what Laura Weinsider was to have said while "in a trance"—is what the occultist Aleister Crowley used to open the 10th Aethyr of the Thelemic demon Choronzon.[10] "Terms of Endearment" is not the first occasion that the series drew influence from Crowley; a high school from the episode "Die Hand Die Verletzt" was named after him as well.[11][12]
Casting[edit]

A man standing in front of purple background.

David Duchovny (pictured) entertained himself during production by playing pranks with Bruce Campbell.
Rick Millikan selected Lisa Jane Persky, who was at the top of his casting "wish list", for the role of Laura.[5] In the middle of filming, a cast member withdrew from the production for religious reasons. A mother withdrew her baby from the cast during the final run-through of the "cursed-birth" scene. Although a fan of the show, as a devout Catholic she was uncomfortable with her child representing a demon. Director Rob Bowman assured her that the production staff understood her dilemma; the casting staff quickly called down and found a replacement in less than 45 minutes. It was the first time during the filming of the series that a cast-member withdrew for religious reasons.[6]
Bruce Campbell, known for taking leading roles in Sam Raimi horror movies such as The Evil Dead trilogy, was cast as the episode's antagonist Wayne Weinsider.[13][14] Campbell had previously worked for the Fox network on his short lived series The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., which began as the lead-in show for The X-Files during the first season.[15][16] Fox had initially assumed that Brisco County, Jr. was going to be the more successful series, while The X-Files was more unappreciatively referred to as "the other drama Fox ordered that spring".[17][18][19] Several of the individuals who worked on the failed Brisco County, Jr. series later found a career working on The X-Files, which led Campbell to call the process a "coming home" experience.[18]
Campbell first met both Duchovny and Anderson during the promotional campaigns for both series in 1993.[18] He commented that, although Duchovny was known for playing a serious role on the show, in real life he was quite a funny person.[20][21] During shooting, Campbell and Duchovny entertained themselves on set by pranking the crew members, eventually stopping it when crew members became upset.[20] Although Campbell had a positive opinion of working on the show, he commented that the nature of the show did not allow for much improvisation, describing the production as a "well oiled machine".[21][22]
Filming[edit]

An aerial view of a widespread built-up area, skyscrapers in the central district, with mountains in the background.

 "Terms of Endearment" was filmed in Los Angeles, as were the rest of the episodes of the sixth season.
The first five seasons of the series were mainly filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia; production of the show's sixth season, however, was based in Los Angeles, California.[23][24] The principal outdoor filming for "Terms of Endearment" took place in and around Pasadena, called "the most East Coast-like part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area" by Andy Meisler in his book The End and the Beginning.[5] The car featured in the episode was a Chevrolet Camaro Z28 convertible. Meisler, sardonically, wrote that General Motors had "no qualms about seeing their vehicles driven onscreen by a relative of Satan".[5]
Several of the special effects used in the episode were created in a "low-stress" manner that did not rely wholly on Computer-generated imagery. During the childbirth scene, gas-burners were set a distance away from a fire-proof bed. The scene was then filmed with a long lens to give the effect that the fire was mere inches away from the bed.[5] Producer John Shiban said that the film crew made "a big deal out of the eyes" to make the scene frightening.[25] The devil sonogram was created by using the videotape of a real sonogram of a crew member's wife. The videotape was then edited to give it a demonic look.[5]
The burnt baby skeleton was built from scratch. Originally, the crew had planned on renting a real fetal skeleton, but the $3,000 cost forced them to make their own. Office manager Donovan Brown noted that, "we got two or three of those adults skeleton models, cut a foot or so off a leg here and shortened an arm there, glued them together to a plaster model of a fetal skull we found, and put together something that worked wonderfully".[5]
Themes[edit]


Rather than playing it over the top as a devil incarnate, he [Campbell] played Wayne as a man with a dream. One that has driven him across the world to try and achieve it no matter what lengths he must go to in order to fulfill it.
—Writer Tom Kessenich on the unqiue presentation of the antagonist.[11]
A main theme in the episode is the horror of child birth.[26] Amann describes the episode as an inversion of the 1968 horror film Rosemary's Baby which is about a woman scared of giving birth to a demonic baby.[5][26] As with many other episodes of the series, "Terms of Endearment" is heavily influenced by horror films, and features gothic imagery.[27][28] In addition to Rosemary's Baby and other Roman Polanski films, the episode shows stylistic references to the 1972 film The Exorcist and the 1981 film The Evil Dead.[26][29][30] The influence of the genre extends to the casting of Campbell, an actor unfamiliar to the mainstream public but with a prominent cult following among horror fans.[31][32]
The main antagonist of "Terms of Endearment", Weinsider, is a child-murdering demon.[26] However, the episode plays against genre archetypes by turning Weinsider into a sympathetic villain.[33][34] Critics have pointed out that the character's presentation was not entirely negative.[34] Some have commented that Campbell humanized the character, portraying him in a manner that adds likability to a character who could have been more sinister.[26][34] By the time Weinsider is defeated, the audience is led to partially identify with him.[26] He ultimately sacrifices himself to save the life of his wife, showcasing heroic qualities and subverting the way that villains are often portrayed in the genre.[33]
Broadcast and reception[edit]
Initial ratings and reception[edit]
"Terms of Endearment", promoted with the tagline "Born to raise hell. Tonight, something terrifying is about to be born",[35] originally aired on the Fox network on January 3, 1999.[1][36] It earned a Nielsen rating of 10.5, with a 15 share, meaning that roughly 10.5 percent of all television-equipped households, and 15 percent of households watching television, were tuned in to the episode, which was viewed by 18.70 million viewers.[37] It later aired in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Sky1 on April 18, 1999, and received 0.62 million viewers, making it the eighth most watched television show that week.[38]
Upon its first broadcast, the episode received mixed reviews from critics. Michael Liedtke and George Avalos, in a review of the sixth season in The Charlotte Observer, called the episode "just plain bad."[39] Sarah Stegall awarded the episode two stars out of five, positively comparing it to the work of Roman Polanski, but criticizing its failure to deliver truly scary material.[40] Stegall mused that "Terms of Endearment" lacked the edgy writing of some of the best episodes of the series, though she did note that Campbell "turns in a good performance with mediocre material".[40] She also criticized the depiction of religious material, comparing it negatively to other episodes with religious themes including "Revelations" and "Miracle Men".[40]
Paula Vitaris from Cinefantastique gave the episode a mixed review and awarded it two stars out of four, calling it a disappointment.[41] Vitaris heavily criticized Mulder's line: "I'm not a psychologist"—reportedly an ad lib from Duchovny himself—noting that it undermines established continuity within the series including the character's background in psychology.[41] Tom Kessenich, in his 2002 book Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files, praises the installment, saying, "Place a devil in the plot and I'll follow you to see what you can cook up. ... I enjoyed this tale of a devil looking to be just a normal dad immensely."[33] In his view the episode showed a return to the earlier horror-based narratives the series was known for; though he praises the casting of Campbell, he writes that moments between Mulder and Scully are lacking.[11]
Later reception[edit]

A man standing with a microphone, wearing a red blazer.

Bruce Campbell received positive reviews for his role as the demonic Weinsider. Several critics felt that he brought humanity to the character.
In the years following "Terms of Endearment"'s original broadcast, critical reception improved. Robert Shearman and Lars Pearson, in their book Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen, gave three stars out of five, describing it as "a very brave story".[42] Shearman and Pearson felt that the episode suffered from its attempt to balance comedy and horror, "not having enough comedy to explore the premise properly, and not enough suspense to provide much drama". However, both Persky and Campbell were praised for their acting, despite the perceived shallowness of the latter's character.[42] David Wharton of Cinema Blend called Campbell's performance "lowkey" and subtle, commenting that he portrayed Weinsider "a bit less madcap than many of the roles that he's known for".[43] Wharton praised the casting, describing it as "against type", which he claimed worked well because the material of the episode was more serious and dramatic than usual for the series.[43]
Todd VanDerWerff from The A.V. Club gave the episode a positive review and awarded it a "B". He praised Campbell's acting, calling him "the best thing about" the installment, and complimented the entry's general concept.[26] VanDerWerff stated that after several humorous stories in a row, "Terms of Endearment" was a "return to form" for the series, bringing the season back to the more straightforward monster-of-the-week format.[26] VanDerWerff did, however, note that the episode's biggest weaknesses were its limited use of Scully and its over-the-top use of Spender as a villain.[26] Another critic from The A.V. Club, Zack Handlen, commented that "Terms of Endearment" was notably more influenced by horror than the following week's "The Rain King".[30] Edward Olivier of The Celebrity Cafe stated that the installment strayed away from regular X-Files formula, showcasing Campbell in a "major role".[44]
Retrospective reviews of "Terms of Endearment" with regards to the series as a whole were mixed. In a run-down of The X-Files guest stars who left a lasting impression, Lana Berkowitz from the Houston Chronicle included Campbell, calling him the "demon who wants to be a father."[45] Christine Seghers of IGN described the entry as a "creepy standout" from the sixth season, and named Campbell's guest appearance as the sixth best of the series.[34] Campbell's performance was called "moving" by Seghers, who viewed that Campbell managed to deliver a performance that "completely shed his trademark snark".[34] Cinefantastique later named the dream sequence from "Terms of Endearment" as the ninth scariest moment in The X-Files.[46] Andrew Payne from Starpulse cited the episode as the second most disappointing of the series, calling the premise "lame".[47] Payne stated that only "Chinga", an episode written by author Stephen King, wasted its potential more.[47]
Impact[edit]
Following his involvement with this episode, Campbell was considered as a possible contender for the role of John Doggett, a character that would appear in the eighth season.[48][49] Over a hundred actors auditioned for the role.[49][50] Due to a contractual obligation, Campbell could not take any work during the filming of his series Jack of All Trades.[49] On potentially being cast as the series regular, Campbell mused, "I had worked on an X-Files episode before, and I think they sort of remembered me from that. It was nice to be involved in that – even if you don't get it, it's nice to hang out at that party."[49] The character was eventually portrayed by actor Robert Patrick.[51] Later in Campbell's novel Make Love! The Bruce Campbell Way, he joked that Patrick "stiffed him out of the role".[48]
"Terms of Endearment" was the first entry of the series written by Amann, who beforehand had unsuccessfully pitched several ideas for the show.[3] Based on the success of this episode, Amann went on to write several more episodes for the series, such as "Agua Mala" later in the same season.[3] During the ninth season, Amann became one of the main supervising producers and had writing involvement in several episodes, most notably "Release" and "Hellbound".[3][52]
Chris Owens, who portrayed Jeffrey Spender on the show, was negatively affected by the episode.[53][54] Following the premiere of "Terms of Endearment", he received "strange reactions" from people on the street who were displeased with his character.[54] In the series, the character staunchly disbelieves in the paranormal, and tries to remove the initial report about child-abducting demons in the episode, only for it to be salvaged by Mulder and Scully.[3] People were so annoyed by the nature of the character that Owens would be pestered during his everyday life; during one incident, a person angrily called him a "paper shredder".[54]
References[edit]
Footnotes[edit]
1.^ Jump up to: a b Kim Manners, et al. (booklet). The X-Files: The Complete Sixth Season (Liner notes). Fox.
2.Jump up ^ "The X-Files, Season 6". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
3.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Meisler (2000), p. 68–78.
4.Jump up ^ "The X-Files: Terms of Endearment (1999)". AllMovie. Allrovi. Retrieved 27 November 2009.
5.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Meisler (2000), p. 79.
6.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler (2000), p. 78.
7.Jump up ^ Fall, Kerry. "The X-Files: Season Six". DVD Journal. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
8.Jump up ^ Meisler (2000), p. 73.
9.Jump up ^ (UK CD/cassette Single liner notes). "Only Happy When It Rains". Garbage. D1199/C1199.
10.Jump up ^ Owen (2000), p. 186.
11.^ Jump up to: a b c Kessenich (2002), pp. 29–30.
12.Jump up ^ Lowry (1995), p. 195.
13.Jump up ^ Kenneth Muir (2004), p. 112.
14.Jump up ^ Lowry (1995), p. 4.
15.Jump up ^ Vitaris, Paula; Dan Coyle (2002-04). "X'd Out". Cinefantastique 34 (2): 38.
16.Jump up ^ Lowry (1995), pp.19–21.
17.Jump up ^ Lowry (1995), p. 19.
18.^ Jump up to: a b c Campbell (2002), p. 258.
19.Jump up ^ Booker (2002), p. 122
20.^ Jump up to: a b Campbell (2002), p. 257.
21.^ Jump up to: a b Kleinman, Geoffrey. "Bruce Campbell – Chat Transcript". DVD Talk. Internet Brands. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
22.Jump up ^ Campbell (2005), p. 10.
23.Jump up ^ Carter, Chris, Rabwin, Paul and Manners, Kim (2000). The Truth About Season Six (DVD). 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.
24.Jump up ^ Vitaris, Paula (October 1998). "X-Files: A Mixed Bag of Episodes and a Feature Film Pave the Way for Season Six". Cinefantastique 30 (7/8): 27.
25.Jump up ^ Paul Rabwin (1999). Special Effects with Paul Rabwin: Devil/Fire Comp (DVD). The X-Files: The Complete Sixth Season: Fox Home Entertainment.
26.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i Todd, VanDerWerff (21 July 2012). "'Terms of Endearment'/'Through a Glass Darkly'". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
27.Jump up ^ Delasara (2000), p. 175.
28.Jump up ^ Delasara (2000), p. 177.
29.Jump up ^ Kessenich (2002), p. 28.
30.^ Jump up to: a b Handeln, Zack (28 July 2012). "'The Rain King'/'Human Essence' | The X-Files/Millennium | TV Club | TV". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved 28 July 2012.
31.Jump up ^ Carlson (2004), p. 378.
32.Jump up ^ Kenneth Muir (2004), p. 305.
33.^ Jump up to: a b c Kessenich (2002), p. 27.
34.^ Jump up to: a b c d e Seghers, Christine (17 July 2008). "Top 10 X-Files Guest Stars". IGN. News Corporation. Retrieved 11 August 2011.
35.Jump up ^ Terms of Endearment (Promotional Flyer). Los Angeles: Fox Broadcasting Company. 1999.
36.Jump up ^ Soter (2001), p. 213.
37.Jump up ^ Meisler (2000), p. 294.
38.Jump up ^ "BARB's multichannel top 10 programmes". Broadcasters' Audience Research Board. Retrieved 1 January 2012. Note: Information is in the section titled "w/e April 12–18, 1999", listed under Sky1
39.Jump up ^ Liedtke, Michael; Geroge Avalos (31 May 1999). "Despite a Return to Sappiness, X-Files Works". The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte: The McClatchy Company). pp. 6E.
40.^ Jump up to: a b c Stegall, Sarah (1999). "Sympathy for the Devil". The Munchkyn Zone. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
41.^ Jump up to: a b Vitaris, Paula (October 1999). "Sixth Season Episode Guide". Cinefantastique 31 (8): 26–42.
42.^ Jump up to: a b Shearman and Pearson, pp. 173–174.
43.^ Jump up to: a b Wharton, David (9 March 2011). "FlixWorthy Celebrates Ash Wednesday With The Best Of Streaming Bruce Campbell". Cinema Blend. Joshua Tyler. Retrieved 28 November 2011.
44.Jump up ^ Olivier, Edward (14 June 2007). "The X-Files – The Complete Sixth Season". The Celebrity Cafe. Retrieved 27 November 2009.
45.Jump up ^ Berkowitz, Lana (17 May 2002). "'The X-Files' guest stars left a lasting impression". Houston Chronicle (Houston: Hearst Corporation). p. 10.
46.Jump up ^ Anderson, Kaite (April 2002). "The Ten Scariest Moments". Cinefantastique 34 (2): 50–51.
47.^ Jump up to: a b Payne, Andrew (25 July 2008). "'X-Files' 10 Best Episodes". Starpulse. Media Holdings LLC. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
48.^ Jump up to: a b Campbell (2005), p. 9.
49.^ Jump up to: a b c d Ken P. (18 December 2002). "An Interview with Bruce Campbell". IGN. News Corporation. Retrieved 27 November 2009.
50.Jump up ^ Fleming, Michael; Adalian, Josef (20 July 2000). "Patrick marks 'X-Files' spot". Variety. Reed Business Information. Retrieved 27 November 2009.
51.Jump up ^ Manners, Kim and Patrick, Robert (2001). Audio Commentary for "Within" (DVD). 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.
52.Jump up ^ Chris Carter et al. (2002). The Truth Behind Season 9: "The Truth" (DVD). The X-Files: The Complete Ninth Season: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.
53.Jump up ^ Meisler (2000), p. 284.
54.^ Jump up to: a b c Meisler (2000), p. 150.
Bibliography[edit]
Booker, M. Keith (2002). Strange TV: Innovative Television Series from The Twilight Zone to The X-Files. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 9780313323737.
Campbell, Bruce (2002). If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor. L.A. Weekly Books. ISBN 9780312291457.
Campbell, Bruce (2005). Make Love! The Bruce Campbell Way. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 9780312312602.
Carlson, Jae (2004). The Scarecrow Video Movie Guide. Sasquatch Books. ISBN 9781570614156.
Delasara, Jan (2000). X-Files Confidential. PopLit, PopCult and The X-Files: A Critical Exploration. ISBN 9780786407897.
Hurwitz, Matt; Knowles, Chris (2008). The Complete X-Files. Insight Editions. ISBN 9781933784809.
Kenneth Muir, John (2004). The Unseen Force: the Films of Sam Raimi. Applause Theatre & Cinema Books. ISBN 9781557836076.
Kessenich, Tom (2002). Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 9781553698128.
Lowry, Brian (1995). The Truth is Out There: The Official Guide to the X-Files. Harper Prism 5. ISBN 9780061053306.
Meisler, Andy (2000). The End and the Beginning: The Official Guide to the X-Files Season 6. HarperCollins. ISBN 9780061075957.
Owen, Alex. The Place of Enchantment: British Occultism and the Culture of the Modern. University Of Chicago Press. ISBN 9780226642048.
Shearman, Robert; Pearson, Lars (2009). Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen. Mad Norwegian Press. ISBN 9780975944691.
Soter, Tom (2001). Investigating Couples: A Critical Analysis of the Thin Man, the Avengers and the X-Files. McFarland & Company. ISBN 9780786411238.
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: The X-Files
"Terms of Endearment" at the Internet Movie Database
"Terms of Endearment" at TV.com

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Season 6
­"The Beginning"·
 ­"Drive"·
 ­"Triangle"·
 ­"Dreamland"·
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 ­"Monday"·
 ­"Arcadia"·
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The Rain King

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"The Rain King"
The X-Files episode
A man is attaches an artificial leg while people watch.
Daryl Mootz, the self-proclaimed "Rain King", attaches a prosthetic leg. The harness, which pulled Clayton Rohner's actual leg out of the camera's sight, was later described as "painful".

Episode no.
Season 6
 Episode 8
Directed by
Kim Manners
Written by
Jeffrey Bell
Production code
6ABX07
Original air date
January 10, 1999
Guest actors

Clayton Rohner as Daryl Mootz
David Manis as Holman Hardt
Victoria Jackson as Sheila Fontaine
Dirk Blocker as Mayor Gilmore
Francesca Ingrassia as Cindy Culpepper
Sharon Madden as Motel Manager
Tom McFadden as Doctor
Dan Gifford as Local News Anchor
Brian D. Johnson as Chainsaw Man[1]

Episode chronology

← Previous
 "Terms of Endearment" Next →
 "S.R. 819"

List of The X-Files episodes
"The Rain King" is the eighth episode of the sixth season of the American science fiction television series The X-Files. It premiered on the Fox network on January 10, 1999. "The Rain King" was written by Jeffrey Bell and directed by Kim Manners. The episode is a "Monster-of-the-Week" story, unconnected to the series' wider mythology. "The Rain King" earned a Nielsen household rating of 12.5, being watched by 21.2 million people in its initial broadcast. Critical reception to the episode was mostly mixed, with results ranging from negative to positive.
The show centers on FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called X-Files. Mulder is a believer in the paranormal, while the skeptical Scully has been assigned to debunk his work. In the episode, Mulder and Scully are asked to investigate the strange weather phenomena occurring in a small town. They find a man, Daryl Mootz, who claims to produce the rain.
"The Rain King" was written by Jeffrey Bell, his first script for the show. The episode was originally purchased as a freelance script, but Bell was later hired on as a full-time writer. Grapevine, Piru, and Culver City, California stood in for the fictional town of Kroner, Kansas during filming. The episode required several elaborate special effect sequences to create heart-shaped hail as well as to simulate a flying cow.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot
2 Production 2.1 Writing
2.2 Filming
2.3 Effects
3 Broadcast and reception
4 References
5 External links
Plot[edit]
On Valentine's Day in Kroner, Kansas, Sheila Fontaine and Daryl Mootz get into an argument. Fontaine had put their engagement news in the paper, but Mootz had wanted to keep it a secret for as long as the drought makes business poor. After the argument, Mootz goes for a drunken drive but crashes after heart-shaped hailstones wreck his car.
Six months later, Mulder and Scully arrive in Kroner by request of the mayor. For several months a terrible drought has plagued the region. However, Mootz, now styling himself as "The Rain King", seems to have the power to control the weather. For a hefty sum, he is able to make it rain. Mulder and Scully obtain a client list and head to the local television station to talk to the weatherman, Holman Hardt. Hardt admits that while Mootz's talents are odd, he appears to truly have the power to control the weather. Mulder and Scully, both skeptical, attend one of Mootz's rituals. Despite their preconceived notions, Mulder and Scully witness Mootz bring rain to a dry farm.
Mulder and Scully check into a motel, where a cow crashes through the roof of Mulder's room. After the incident, a tearful Sheila confesses that the cow might have been her fault. She admits that she's experienced a strange history of weather-related phenomena, and believes that she can unconsciously control the weather. Mulder assures her otherwise. During the conversation, Hardt over-hears that Mootz was drunk the night of the accident, and is relieved. Immediately, Mootz's rain powers seem to disappear.
It is revealed that Holman Hardt is actually the one controlling the weather. All of the bizarre weather was the side-effect of his long-silent love for Sheila. He felt guilty that his weather-related problem caused Mootz to crash his car, so he would cause it to rain for Mootz. Once he realized Mootz had been drunk the night of the accident, however, he stopped. Unfortunately, Mulder begins to unintentionally attract Sheila, resulting in a massive thunderstorm that comes out of the meteorologist's brain. At the town's high school reunion, however, Hardt admits his love for Sheila, who accepts him. The storm stops, and Hardt and Sheila live happily ever after.[1]
Production[edit]
Writing[edit]
"The Rain King" was the first episode written by then-new X-Files writer Jeffrey Bell.[2] Bell, who never intended to work in television, sent the production staff three script ideas because he was a fan of the show.[2][3] The staff agreed to buy one—which eventually became "The Rain King"—as a freelance script.[3] Bell worked with Frank Spotnitz, John Shiban, and Vince Gilligan to edit the script by "boarding" it, a process where note cards are used to flesh out the story.[3] The group of men pitched the story idea to series creator Chris Carter in August, and Bell was later hired as a show writer.[3]
The script went through considerable changes. Bell was unaware that his character of Daryl Mootz would "steal the show".[3] In addition, the relationship between Holman and the FBI agents grew stronger in subsequent drafts.[3] In the final draft, Bell attempted to parallel the emotional state of Mulder and Scully with Hardt.[3] He said, "Here you have a guy who's affecting the weather because he's repressing his emotions [...] and who better to help him than two people whose emotions are repressed and never express their feelings for each other?"[3]
Filming[edit]



 The episode was set in the fictional town of Kroner, Kansas (Kansas prairie pictured).
The scene in which Daryl Mootz crashes his car after being hit with heart-shaped hail was filmed on a "lonely road" near Grapevine, California.[3] The road was so seldom used that the Caltrans highway officials reportedly had no problem shutting down the entire road for the crew to film the scene.[3][4] Director Kim Manners was very happy with the way the filming turned out, although he did note that the hardest shot to get was of the car crashing into the pole, because the car kept correcting itself and crashing at an undesired angle.[4]
Ilt Jones, the series' location manager, decided to use Piru, California as a stand-in for Kroner, Kansas—a fictitious city named after Bell's college roommate.[4] "How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" would later be filmed in the same town.[5] The climactic scenes in Kroner's high school were filmed at an actual abandoned high school in Culver City, California.[4] Corey Kaplan and her art team were tasked with turning the derelict gym into a believable reunion set.[4]
Effects[edit]


I stepped onto the stage just in time to see a brown cow falling through the roof of the set. It was a spectacularly good shot, but it had nothing to do with the script, which said a black and white cow falls through the ceiling. [...] All I knew was that I had to go back and re-render my own [cow] into a brown one. And in a hurry.
—Bill Millar on the color of the cow[4]
Property master Tom Day and costume designer Christine Peters were tasked with making a one-legged version of Clayton Rohner, who portrayed Mootz. Day constructed a fake prosthetic leg and Peters created a harness that pulled Rohner's actual leg out of the camera's sight. The harness was later described as "painful".[4]
The scene that featured a cow crashing through Mulder's roof was orchestrated elaborately. Initially, Jones approached the owner of a motel called the Sierra Palona Motel and requested that it be used in the episode. A deal was made that stated that the production staff could cut a hole in the roof for the episode in exchange for a brand-new roof after the episode was filmed. Duke Tomasick, The X-Files construction coordinator, later said that the "fun part" was "calling local roofers and explaining just what kind of damage they'd be repairing for us".[4]
Special effects producer Bill Millar acquired several cows, put them in a field, and photographed them for reference. Using digital technology he animated one of the cows to create the effect of it being sucked upwards. Finally, a "cow puppet" was dropped on a re-creation of Mulder's motel room at Fox Studios. Millar noticed that the cow puppet's color was different than his computer generated cow, forcing him to quickly change the color. Kim Manners later stated that his biggest regret with the episode is that he did not have David Duchovny respond "Got milk?" after the cow crashed through his roof.[4]
Broadcast and reception[edit]
"The Rain King" premiered on the Fox network on January 10, 1999.[6] Following its initial American broadcast, the episode earned a Nielsen household rating of 12.5, with an 18 share—meaning that roughly 12.5 percent of all television-equipped households, and 18 percent of households watching television, were tuned in to the episode. It was viewed by 21.20 million viewers.[7] "The Rain King" was both the highest rated episode of Season 6 and the last episode of The X-Files to be viewed by more than 20 million viewers.[7] The episode aired in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Sky1 on April 25, 1999 and received 0.75 million viewers, making it the third most watched episode that week.[8] Fox promoted the episode with the tagline "Mulder's been abducted, infected, and discredited. Tonight, he faces his greatest peril ever... a woman in love."[9]
Critical reception was mostly mixed, with results ranging from negative to positive. Tom Kessenich, in his book Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files wrote positively of the episode, saying, "'The Rain King' was cute. Very cute. […] And yet I never found myself suffering from cuteness overload. In fact, I laughed and smiled the entire way through."[10] Starpulse named "The Rain King" as the ninth best X-Files episode and praised the lighter approach to the paranormal, saying that the episode was an "ingenious way to use the paranormal motif of the show for something other than thrills".[11] Zack Handlen of The A.V. Club awarded the episode a "B+" grade. Despite criticizing the show for "filming in the land of sunshine and lemon drops" and "border[ing] on that overly twee independent movie vibe", Handlen noted that "the episode’s essential sweetness has enough snarky asides from our heroes […] that it never goes completely off the rails."[12] He did, however, note that the episode's placement, after a string of several humorous episodes, hurt its reception; he argued that, had it appeared in an earlier, darker season, the entry would now be viewed as "a cock-eyed classic".[12]
Robert Shearman and Lars Pearson, in their book Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen, gave the episode a mixed review and rated the episode three out of five. The two praised the scene featuring the cow getting sucked up by the tornado, calling it "really, very funny" and "comic genius", but noted that "a romantic comedy cannot work by flying cows alone."[13] Shearman and Pearson cited casting flaws as to why the episodes as not able to live up to its potential.[13] Other reviews were more negative. In a review of the seventh season episode "Brand X", Sarah Kendzior from 11th Hour Magazine cited "The Rain King" as one of the worst episodes of The X-Files.[14] Paula Vitaris from Cinefantastique gave the episode a mixed review and awarded it two stars out of four.[15] Vitaris heavily criticized the "flying cow" scene—noting that the scene was both "poorly executed" and "offensive" for turning the death of a creature into a joke—as well as the final scene, which, according to her, featured a "false pastel sky".[15] Andy Meisler, in The End and the Beginning noted that the episode was poorly received by fans on the internet.[2]
References[edit]
Footnotes
1.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, pp. 80–89
2.^ Jump up to: a b c Meisler, p. 89
3.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j Meisler, p. 90
4.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i Meisler, p. 91
5.Jump up ^ Meisler, p. 105
6.Jump up ^ Kim Manners, et al (booklet). The X-Files: The Complete Sixth Season (Liner notes). Fox.
7.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, p. 294
8.Jump up ^ "BARB's multichannel top 10 programmes". barb.co.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2012. Note: Information is in the section titled "w/e April 19–25, 1999", listed under Sky 1
9.Jump up ^ The Rain King (Promotional Flyer). Los Angeles, California: Fox Broadcasting Company. 1999.
10.Jump up ^ Kessenich, p. 30
11.Jump up ^ Payne, Andrew (25 July 2008). "'X-Files' 10 Best Episodes". Starpulse. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
12.^ Jump up to: a b Handeln, Zack (28 July 2012). "'The Rain King'/'Human Essence' | The X-Files/Millennium | TV Club | TV". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved 28 July 2012.
13.^ Jump up to: a b Shearman and Pearson, p. 174–175
14.Jump up ^ Kendzior, Sarah (16 April 2000). "Brand X". 11th Hour Magazine. Archived from the original on 12 October 2008. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
15.^ Jump up to: a b Vitaris, Paula (October 1999). "Sixth Season Episode Guide". Cinefantastique 31 (8): 26–42.
BibliographyKessenich, Tom (2002). Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 1-55369-812-6.
Meisler, Andy (2000). The End and the Beginning: The Official Guide to the X-Files Season 6. HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-107595-7.
Shearman, Robert; Pearson, Lars (2009). Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen. Mad Norwegian Press. ISBN 0-9759446-9-X.
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: TXF Season 6
"The Rain King" at the Internet Movie Database
"The Rain King" at TV.com

[hide]
­v·
 ­t·
 ­e
 
The X-Files episodes


­Seasons: 1·
 ­2·
 ­3·
 ­4·
 ­5·
 ­6·
 ­7·
 ­8·
 ­9
 

Season 6
­"The Beginning"·
 ­"Drive"·
 ­"Triangle"·
 ­"Dreamland"·
 ­"How the Ghosts Stole Christmas"·
 ­"Terms of Endearment"·
 ­"The Rain King"·
 ­"S.R. 819"·
 ­"Tithonus"·
 ­"Two Fathers"·
 ­"One Son"·
 ­"Agua Mala"·
 ­"Monday"·
 ­"Arcadia"·
 ­"Alpha"·
 ­"Trevor"·
 ­"Milagro"·
 ­"The Unnatural"·
 ­"Three of a Kind"·
 ­"Field Trip"·
 ­"Biogenesis"
 

 

Categories: 1999 television episodes
The X-Files (season 6) episodes


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S.R. 819

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"S.R. 819"
The X-Files episode
A man is laying on a hospital bed, the veins in his body swollen and protruding.
Walter Skinner lies in a hospital bed, dying from a nanobot infection. Mitch Pileggi had to endure long bouts of make-up application, a process he reportedly hated.

Episode no.
Season 6
 Episode 9
Directed by
Daniel Sackheim
Written by
John Shiban
Production code
6ABX10
Original air date
January 17, 1999
Guest actors

Mitch Pileggi as Assistant Director Walter Skinner
Nicholas Lea as Alex Krycek
Kenneth Tigar as Dr. Plant
Jenny Gago as Dr. Katrina Cabrera
John Towey as Dr. Kenneth Orgel
Raymond J. Barry as Senator Richard Matheson
Arlene Pileggi as Skinner's Assistant[1]

Episode chronology

← Previous
 "The Rain King" Next →
 "Tithonus"

List of The X-Files episodes
"S.R. 819" is the ninth episode of the sixth season of the science fiction television series The X-Files. It premiered on the Fox network on January 17, 1999 in the United States. The episode was written by John Shiban, and directed by Daniel Sackheim. The episode helps to explore the series' overarching mythology. "S.R. 819" earned a Nielsen household rating of 9.1, being watched by 15.7 million people in its initial broadcast. The episode received mixed to positive reviews from critics.
The show centers on Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called X-Files. Mulder is a believer in the paranormal, while the skeptical Scully has been assigned to debunk his work. In the episode, Mulder and Scully have 24 hours to save Assistant Director Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) from a biologically engineered disease. In order to combat the disease, Scully looks for a medical answer, while Mulder searches for the culprits behind the attack on Skinner's life. To aid him in this task, Mulder reaches out to Senator Matheson, whom he hopes can help him find who is responsible before time runs out.
Before the writing of "S.R. 819", the writers for The X-Files felt that the character of Walter Skinner was becoming too "expendable". John Shiban, the writer of the episode, decided to re-work Skinner back into the series' mythology by crafting the episode around him. Mitch Pileggi had to endure long bouts of make-up application, a process that he admitted he "hated". The nanobots in the blood sample were designed on a computer and then rendered for the final footage.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot
2 Production 2.1 Writing
2.2 Filming and effects
3 Broadcast and reception
4 References
5 External links
Plot[edit]
The episode opens with Assistant Director Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) unwell and horribly discolored in hospital. His veins are a sickly purple hue and are pulsating ominously. Suddenly, he goes into cardiac arrest and the doctors begin to pronounce him dead.
Twenty-four hours earlier, Skinner loses a boxing match after experiencing a dizzy spell. He is discharged from the hospital but Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) witness a bruise on his ribs growing. After trawling through security footage from the entrance to the J. Edgar Hoover Building, Mulder and Scully recognize a physicist by the name of Dr. Kenneth Orgel, who advises the Senate subcommittee on ethics and new technology, who stopped Skinner in the hall that same morning. Mulder and Skinner travel to the physicist's house but find he is being held hostage. Mulder apprehends one of the kidnappers, who does not speak English. They release him since he has papers showing diplomatic immunity. Mulder does a background check on him anyway.
The background check leads Mulder to Senator Richard Matheson (Raymond J. Barry), which results in a dead end. Scully discovers Skinner's blood sample and, after checking, she finds that Skinner's blood contains multiplying carbon. Meanwhile, Skinner ends up in hospital following a gunfight in the FBI parking garage. Mulder and Scully reunite at the hospital, where Mulder tells Scully that Skinner was investigating a health funding bill called S.R. 819. Later, the physicist dies from the same carbon blood condition that Skinner is sick from.
Skinner remembers having seen, on numerous occasions, a bearded man who showed up suspiciously and who is actually running the scheme. He saves Skinner and sacrifices one of his own men. The case is closed and Skinner is, once again, aggravated with the agents, ordering them to report exclusively to Assistant Director Alvin Kersh (James Pickens, Jr.). The bearded man was actually Alex Krycek (Nicholas Lea), a rogue FBI agent who formerly worked for the Syndicate, who continues to control the potentially debilitating nanotechnology in Skinner's system.[1]
Production[edit]
Writing[edit]
The character of Walter Skinner had evolved over the course of The X-Files' sixth season. At the start of season six, however, the producers and writers felt that Skinner's character was becoming "expendable".[2] With their transfer away from the X-Files division, Mulder and Scully saw less and less of their former boss.[2] Originally, John Shiban, the writer of the episode, wanted to infect Mulder with nanobots. However, he decided that since the audience knew Mulder would not be killed, this plot would not be very effective.[3] In order to compensate for this loss, Shiban decided to re-work Skinner back into the series mythology by putting him in Mulder's place.[2][3] Shiban, inspired by the 1950 noir film D.O.A. and its 1988 remake which he jokingly called "[two] pretty bad movies", decided to craft an episode of The X-Files around the conceit of "a guy who's been poisoned [and] has only a short time to live and has to use that time to find out why and by whom he's being murdered".[2]
Shiban began crafting his story by borrowing a nanobot plot that had been considered by various writers for several seasons. Shiban and the rest of the writers made it a point to give Alex Krycek control over Skinner. In this manner, Skinner once again became a mysterious character, one whose true loyalties were being tested. Shiban noted that, "[Krycek's control] gives Skinner an agenda that Mulder doesn't know about [...] Which was something we ultimately used again the seasonender [sic], and will carry us into next year".[2]
Filming and effects[edit]
Originally, a "time-consuming" fight scene between Skinner and Krycek was supposed to take place. The scenes were cut because of time-constraints and budgetary reasons. However, Skinner's boxing match proved easy to stage.[2] Mitch Pileggi, who had boxed competitively in college, went for "refresher course[s]" at the Goosen Gym in Los Angeles.[2][4] He later remarked, "It makes me happy that some people will assume there was a stunt double in the ring. There wasn't! [...] We both had a pretty good time".[4] Location manager Ilt Jones called "S.R. 819" the "damn parking lot episode".[4] He was tasked with finding the variety of parking lots used in the episode. He later joked that, "I started to wake up screaming about barriers and parking tickets and entrances and exit ramps".[4]
Pileggi had to endure long bouts of make-up application. To create the principal illusion of monstrous veins, long black faux-veins were glued onto his face, arms, and torso. Pileggi, who had had to endure little to no make-up during the early seasons, noted that, "They did a beautiful job and [the veins] looked awesome, but man, I hated it! I really don't know how those guys on Star Trek or Babylon 5 can stand having that done to them every day. I just wouldn't work if that's what it took".[4] To show the nanobot infection progressing, special effects makeup supervisor John Vulich used two different make-up sets. The two sets were then mixed together electronically in post-production to give the effect of disease progression. The nanobots in the blood sample were designed on a computer and then cloned with an animation program. Composer Mark Snow's score for the episode was inspired by Daniel Sackheim's "big-time feature-like action".[4]
Broadcast and reception[edit]
"S.R. 819" first aired in the United States on January 17, 1999.[5] This episode earned a Nielsen rating of 9.1, meaning that roughly 9.1 percent of all television-equipped households were tuned in to the episode.[6] It was viewed by 15.7 million viewers.[6] The episode aired in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Sky1 on May 2, 1999 and received 690 thousand viewers, making it the second most watched episode that week.[7] Fox promoted the episode with the tagline "He has 24 hours to solve his own murder... or die."[8] The episode was nominated for three 2000 Emmy Awards by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Dramatic Underscore).[4] The episode was later included on The X-Files Mythology, Volume 3 – Colonization, a DVD collection that contains episodes involved with the alien Colonist's plans to take over the earth.[9]
The episode was met with mixed to positive reviews from critics. Tom Kessenich, in his book Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files wrote positively of the episode, saying, "'S.R. 819' re-established some wonderful conspiracy overtones and perhaps set the stage for more interesting developments in the future. It touched base with the very roots The X-Files sprung out of and did so in strong fashion."[10] Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V Club gave the episode a moderately positive review and awarded it a "B".[11] He enjoyed the plot, calling it "fun", praised the twist ending, and called the nanobot makeup effects "legitimately terrifying".[11] He did, however, write critically of Skinner's role in the episode, noting that his lack of presence made the entry a "disappointing one".[11] In addition, VanDerWerff criticized the fact that the teaser shows Skinner dying; he wrote that "[t]here’s very little gas in the idea of Skinner dying" and that most of the viewers knew he would not die.[11]
John Keegan from Critical Myth gave the episode an 8/10 rating and wrote, "Overall, this episode is something of a return to form, bringing some much needed conspiracy and mythology elements to the sixth season. This is also arguably the best Skinner-centric episode of the series, and had the writers followed through, it could have been the source of his redemption. Even so, this was one of the highlights of the sixth season".[12] Paula Vitaris from Cinefantastique gave the episode a mixed review and awarded it two stars out of four.[13] Vitaris cited severe problems with "Skinner's emotional journey" as the main detractors for the episode.[13] Robert Shearman and Lars Pearson, on the other hand, awarded the episode two out of five stars in their book Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen.[14] The two, despite writing positively of the "traditional X-File" feel, called the episode "a return to the sort of murky storylining which promises so much but delivers so little".[14]
In the episode "Health Care", the third episode of the first season of the american show The Office, Dwight suspects that someone in the office falsely claims to be infected with a "government created killer nano-robot infection".[15] Blogcritics reviewer Paul Thomas later hypothesized that this was a veiled reference to "S.R. 819".[16]
References[edit]
Footnotes
1.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, pp. 120–132
2.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Meisler, p. 132
3.^ Jump up to: a b Hurwitz and Knowles, p. 159
4.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Meisler, p. 133
5.Jump up ^ Kim Manners, et al (booklet). The X-Files: The Complete Sixth Season (Liner notes). Fox.
6.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, p. 294
7.Jump up ^ "BARB's multichannel top 10 programmes". barb.co.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2012. Note: Information is in the section titled "w/e April 26 – May 2, 1999", listed under Sky 1
8.Jump up ^ S.R. 819 (Promotional Flyer). Los Angeles, California: Fox Broadcasting Company. 1999.
9.Jump up ^ Kim Manners, et al. The X-Files Mythology, Volume 3 – Colonization (DVD). FOX.
10.Jump up ^ Kessenich, p. 30
11.^ Jump up to: a b c d VanDerWerff, Todd (4 August 2012). "'S.R. 819'/'Omerta' | The X-Files/Millennium | TV Club | TV". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
12.Jump up ^ Keegan, John. "SR 819". Critical Myth. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
13.^ Jump up to: a b Vitaris, Paula (October 1999). "Sixth Season Episode Guide". Cinefantastique 31 (8): 26–42.
14.^ Jump up to: a b Shearman and Pearson, p. 175
15.Jump up ^ Ken Whittingham (director); Paul Lieberstein (writer) (5 April 2005). "Health Care". The Office. Season 1. Episode 3. NBC.
16.Jump up ^ Thomas, Paul (19 February 2012). "TV Review: The Office (U.S.) - "Health Care"". Blogcritics. Technorati, Inc. Retrieved 20 February 2012.
BibliographyHurwitz, Matt; Knowles, Chris (2008). The Complete X-Files. Insight Editions. ISBN 1-933784-80-6.
Kessenich, Tom (2002). Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 1-55369-812-6.
Meisler, Andy (2000). The End and the Beginning: The Official Guide to the X-Files Season 6. HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-107595-7.
Shearman, Robert; Pearson, Lars (2009). Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen. Mad Norwegian Press. ISBN 0-9759446-9-X.
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: TXF Season 6
"S.R. 819" at the Internet Movie Database
"S.R. 819" at TV.com

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Categories: The X-Files (season 6) episodes
1999 television episodes


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Tithonus (The X-Files)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

This is a good article. Click here for more information.

"Tithonus"
The X-Files episode
A camera view of a woman lying against a wall, blood dripping out her mouth.
Alfred Fellig, the metaphorical "Tithonus", takes a picture of a dying Dana Scully. In order to achieve the effect, the film was reverse-film colorized.

Episode no.
Season 6
 Episode 10
Directed by
Michael W. Watkins
Written by
Vince Gilligan
Production code
6ABX09
Original air date
January 24, 1999
Guest actors

Geoffrey Lewis as Alfred Fellig
Richard Ruccolo as Agent Peyton Ritter
James Pickens, Jr. as Assistant Director Alvin Kersh
Matt Gallini as Hood
Naomi Matsuda as Streetwalker
Ange Billman as Secretary
Barry Wiggins as NYPD Detective
Javier Grajeda as Desk Sergeant
Dell Yount as Truck Driver
Nicky Fane as Blue-Collar Man
Don Fehmel as EMT
Coby Ryan McLaughlin as Young Agent
Jolyon Resse as Second Young Agent[1]

Episode chronology

← Previous
 "S.R. 819" Next →
 "Two Fathers"

List of The X-Files episodes
"Tithonus" is the tenth episode of the sixth season of the American science fiction television series The X-Files. It premiered on the Fox network on January 24, 1999. The episode was written by Vince Gilligan, and directed by Michael W. Watkins. The episode is a "Monster-of-the-Week" story, unconnected to the series' wider mythology. "Tithonus" earned a Nielsen household rating of 9.2, being watched by 15.90 million people in its initial broadcast. The episode received positive reviews.
The show centers on FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called X-Files. Mulder is a believer in the paranormal, while the skeptical Scully has been assigned to debunk his work. In this episode, Scully learns that she, but not Mulder, is being given a chance to prove her worth at the FBI, and—paired with a new partner—she investigates a crime scene photographer with an uncanny knack for arriving just in time to see his victims' final moments. What she does not expect is for Death to play a role himself.
Vince Gilligan wrote "Tithonus" in an attempt to create a story wherein immortality is portrayed as scary. The episode was based on three real aspects of history: Arthur Fellig, the Greek myth of Tithonus, and the yellow fever epidemic. In addition, several of the scenes were filmed on the sets from NYPD Blue, whose sets were located just across from The X-Files studios. Alfred Fellig has thematically been compared to the Tithonus in Alfred, Lord Tennyson's dramatic monologue of the same name. In addition, themes of immortality and escaping death were revisited in the eight season episode "The Gift".

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot
2 Production 2.1 Writing
2.2 Filming and effects
3 Themes
4 Broadcast and reception
5 References 5.1 Footnotes
5.2 Bibliography
6 External links
Plot[edit]
In New York City, a man with a camera follows a woman from an elevator through a corridor to another elevator, where all the people appear to be gray. He gets off on a floor before the woman's and runs down the stairs. Lights flicker and the elevator cable snaps. As the man reaches the basement, the cab crashes and its door spills open to reveal the woman's wrist, covered with blood. The man begins to snap photos. Later, in Washington, D.C., FBI Assistant Director Alvin Kersh (James Pickens, Jr.) assigns Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), along with Agent Peyton Ritter from New York, to the case. Scully's partner Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) looks at the material on Scully's desk and points out that the case looks like an X-file—and that Kersh is obviously splitting them up.
Scully and Ritter soon discover that their prime suspect, Alfred Fellig, who has worked as a police photographer since 1964, has not aged at all in any of his official photos on his renewal applications. Elsewhere in the city, Fellig watches a criminal kill a youth for his sneakers. When he approaches to take photos of the dying young man, the murderer returns and repeatedly stabs Fellig, but he pulls the knife out of his back and walks away. Scully and Ritter learn of the crime and of the fact that Fellig's prints are on the knife. Ritter demands to know how Fellig always seems to be around when people die, but Scully realizes that the man is in pain and asks whether he was wounded in the attack which Fellig says he merely observed. When she sees the wounds on his back and sends him to the hospital, much to Ritter's chagrin. Ritter reminds Scully that they are trying to charge Fellig with murder, not let him go.
Ritter leaves Scully staking out Fellig's apartment, but Scully is unnerved when she sees Fellig shooting photos of her out his window and bangs on his door, demanding to know how he took photos at a crime scene before the police even knew the crime had been committed. He invites her to take a ride with him so he can show her. After driving, he sees a prostitute who appears to be gray to him. Fellig tells Scully that the woman will be dead very soon. A pimp approaches the woman and begins to harass her. Scully leaps out of the car with her gun, announcing that she is an FBI agent and handcuffing the pimp, but when the prostitute tries to flee, she is hit by a truck and killed.
Scully goes to warn Fellig that he is about to be charged for murder, and accuses him of profiting from people's deaths. In his darkroom, Fellig shows Scully a photo of a dead woman with an odd fuzzy shape around her head, which the photographer claims is Death. When asked why he bothers to try to photograph Death, Fellig says that it is so he can look Death in the face and finally die. He claims to be 149 years old, and says he cannot kill himself. Scully points out that most people would like to live forever, but Fellig says that he has experienced everything, and that even love does not last forever. When she asks about the science of his immortality, he says he was meant to die of yellow fever, but he refused to look Death in the face, so instead Death took the kind nurse who had taken care of him. Suddenly, he notices that Scully is gray, and says, "You're very lucky". Fellig takes a photo just as Ritter enters and shoots. The bullet passes right through the camera and through Fellig into Scully, who collapses. While Ritter rushes to call an ambulance, Fellig asks Scully whether she saw Death and begs her to close her eyes. He covers her hand with his own. The color returns to Scully's hand as Fellig's turns gray. Looking up, he dies.
At the hospital, Mulder watches through a window as Ritter apologizes to Scully, then tells the other agent that he is a lucky man. Going inside the room, Mulder reports to Scully that Fellig died of a single gunshot wound, while the doctors are amazed at her own rapid recovery.[1]
Production[edit]
Writing[edit]



 "Tithonus" was written by Vince Gilligan.
"Tithonus" was written by Vince Gilligan, who based aspects of it on three real aspects of history. The name Alfred Fellig is a reference to famous photographer Arthur Fellig, better known as Weegee. The title of the episode is a reference to the Greek myth of Tithonus. Tithonus was the son the king of Troy and a favorite of the Titan goddess Eos.[2] She later kidnapped him to be her lover and asked Zeus to make Tithonus immortal. Eos, however, forgot to ask for eternal youth and Tithonus indeed lived forever but prayed every sunrise for death. The final aspect of history used by Gilligan was the yellow fever epidemic in the 19th century.[2]
A story about explicit immortality had been discussed for several years. However, the writers found it hard to make immortality seem scary. Frank Spotnitz, the show's executive producer, noted that after making the immortal character a photographer who was trying to catch death so that he could die, the problem was solved.[3] The episode was not the first to make a reference to immortality, however. The season three episode "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose" featured Scully being told by the titular character that she would not die.[4] This episode was the inception of a lesser-known story arc that was originally supposed to reveal that Scully was immortal.[4] The sub-plot, popular with fans on the internet, was verified by Spotnitz.[5] However, Spotnitz later admitted that this sub-plot was bookended by "Tithonus", a solution that Spotnitz later called "very satisfying".[3]
Filming and effects[edit]
The first five seasons of the series were mainly filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia; production of the show's sixth season, however, was based in Los Angeles, California.[6][7] Several of the scenes were filmed on the sets from NYPD Blue, whose sets were located just across from The X-Files studios.[8] All of Fellig's cameras were borrowed from the University of California's Museum of Photography.[8] Many of the photographs were used courtesy of Corbis.[8] The production staff of The X-Files were tasked with not only creating the photographs that Fellig was supposed to have taken, but also with crafting each so that they would appear as if they had been taken from different times.[3] Tom Day, the episodes property master, had to research popular government typefaces and printing technologies to make the pictures appear as historically accurate as possible.[3] Geoffrey Lewis, who portrayed Fellig, was photographed several times and each photo was edited to give the photographs the appearance of coming from different eras.[3]
The episode featured several special effects. The stab wounds that were on Fellig's back were constructed in "precisely graduated sizes" to show Fellig's healing powers.[8] The faux-wounds were then applied to Lewis' back by make-up department head Cheri Montesanto-Mecalf.[8] The hardest digital effect to create was the transformation of select figures from color into black-and-white.[8] Visual effects producer Bill Millar noted that the process, was "very similar to the one used to wreck all those old movies by colorizing them. In fact, it's basically the same, only in reverse".[8] The "painstaking" process involved outlining the portion of the frame to be de-colorize.[8] A computer program was then used to complete the job.[8] Millar, who had previously used the technique on the NBC series Nightmare Cafe in 1992, had used it in the 1998 movie Pleasantville.[8]
Themes[edit]



 Alfred Fellig has thematically been compared to the Tithonus in Alfred, Lord Tennyson's dramatic monologue of the same name.
Besides a direct reference to the titular mythological character, Matthew VanWinkle, in the chapter "Tennyson's 'Tithonus' and the Exhaustion of Survival in The X-Files, of the book The X-Files and Literature: Unweaving the Story, Unraveling the Lie to Find the Truth, argues that the episode bears a striking resemblance to Alfred, Lord Tennyson's dramatic monologue "Tithonus". In the poem, one line reads "Alas! For this gray shadow, once a man."[9][10] VanWinkle argues that in The X-Files episode, this line is paralleled by Alfred Fellig's tendency to see those about to die in a monochromatic vision.[10] Furthermore, both the poem and the episode stress that death is not appealing because it is simply "a means to an end".[11] Rather, it is to be sought because it "is the event that most fully unites us with other humans."[11]
VanWinkle compared and contrasted Fellig with Eugene Victor Tooms, from the first season episodes "Squeeze" and "Tooms", and John Barnett, from the first season entry "Young at Heart".[12] While all three are similar in that they have obtained, to a varying degree, elements of immortality, Tooms is different than Fellig because he is a "monstrous predator", and Barnett is unlike Fellig because he is a mere sociopath.[12][13] Fellig, however, is the only character, out of the three, to possess true immortality. Furthermore, he is separated from Tooms and Barnett due to his distinct hatred for his ability; he did not want to be immortal; rather, it was forced upon him. VanWinkle also notes that Fellig is, furthermore, different from Tennyson's Tithonus because the latter actively sought immortality, due to the flaw of hubris or extreme pride, in order to become more like a god.[13][14]
In the episode, VanWinkle draws parallels between Scully and Tithonus' lover Aurora. In the end, both will "continue [their] ending and invariable office"—in the former's case, investigating crimes, and in the latter's case, raising the dawn.[15] The themes of immortality and escaping death were later revisited in the eight season episode "The Gift". In the episode, Agent John Doggett, played by Robert Patrick, is looking for clues following Mulder's abduction. Without Scully, he travels to Pennsylvania and seeks out a soul eater: a being that can consume another person's injuries. In the end, Doggett is fatally shot, and the soul eater, wishing to die, consumes Doggett's death. VanWinkle argues that this episode serves as a direct parallel to "Tithonus", although it switches the perspective significantly.[16]
Broadcast and reception[edit]
"Tithonus" first aired in the United States on January 24, 1999.[17] This episode earned a Nielsen rating of 9.2, with a 13 share, meaning that roughly 9.2 percent of all television-equipped households, and 13 percent of households watching television, were tuned in to the episode.[18] It was viewed by 15.90 million viewers.[18] The episode aired in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Sky1 on May 9, 1999 and received 0.79 million viewers, making it the third most watched episode that week.[19] Fox promoted the episode with the tagline "When death looks you in the face... you're dead. Tonight, Scully gets a good hard look."[20]
The episode was met with largely positive reviews. Zack Handlen of The A.V. Club wrote positively of the episode and awarded it an "A" grade.[21] He noted the entries' similarities with "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose", noting that both deal with men "who [know] too much about death for [their] own good".[21] He also praised the characterization of Scully and Fellig; he noted that the former is "no-nonsense" and optimistic, whereas the latter is a "creepy man" who is jealous of those who are capable of dying. Handlen concluded that the episode "doesn’t play out like a classic monster episode, it feels like one".[21] Tom Kessenich, in his book Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files wrote positively of the episode, comparing it favorably to "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose". He wrote, "If imitation is the highest form of flattery, what is a fascinating offshoot of a previous incarnation? I'd say it looks a lot like the latest entry into Season 6 of The X-Files. The engaging 'Tithonus'."[22] John Keegan from Critical Myth gave the episode an 8/10 rating and wrote, "Overall, this episode is a good combination of character and mythology exploration, all within a story that could have easily been a stand-alone episode without those important connections. The spotlight on Scully is definitely a plus, but the character insight doesn’t end there. In a season marked by a lack of continuity, this is a blessing".[23]
Robert Shearman and Lars Pearson, in their book Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen, rated the episode five stars out of five, drawing comparisons to "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose", but noting that the former has "a flavour all of its own". Shearman and Pearson praised Geoffrey Lewis' portrayal of Fellig, and described "Tithonus" as "bizarre, chilling, and yet strangely life-affirming".[24] Paula Vitaris from Cinefantastique gave the episode a mixed-to-positive review and awarded it two-and-a-half stars out of four.[25] Vitaris wrote that the episode had a "terrific 'feel'". In addition, Vitaris, despite slightly criticizing Gillian Anderson's "tired" performance through most of the episode, called Anderson's acting in the scene wherein Scully is shot "excellent", citing her "amazement and near-paralysis" as reasons why the scene was a success.[25] The character of Alfred Fellig has also attracted positive critical acclaim. UGO Networks listed him amongst the greatest monster-of-the-week characters in The X-Files.[26]
References[edit]
Footnotes[edit]
1.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, pp. 106–117
2.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, p. 117
3.^ Jump up to: a b c d e Meisler, p. 118
4.^ Jump up to: a b Daniel, Josh (31 January 2002). "The Immortal Agent Scully". Slate. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
5.Jump up ^ Spotnitz, Frank (31 August 2009). "Is Scully Immortal?". Big Light Productions. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
6.Jump up ^ Carter, Chris, Rabwin, Paul and Manners, Kim (2000). The Truth About Season Six (DVD). 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.
7.Jump up ^ Vitaris, Paula (October 1998). "X-Files: A Mixed Bag of Episodes and a Feature Film Pave the Way for Season Six". Cinefantastique 30 (7/8): 27.
8.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j Meisler, p. 119
9.Jump up ^ VanWinkle, p. 298
10.^ Jump up to: a b VanWinkle, p. 299
11.^ Jump up to: a b VanWinkle, p. 300
12.^ Jump up to: a b VanWinkle, p. 301
13.^ Jump up to: a b VanWinkle, p. 302
14.Jump up ^ VanWinkle, p. 303
15.Jump up ^ VanWinkle, p. 304
16.Jump up ^ VanWinkle, p. 308
17.Jump up ^ Kim Manners, et al (booklet). The X-Files: The Complete Sixth Season (Liner notes). Fox.
18.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, p. 294
19.Jump up ^ "BARB's multichannel top 10 programmes". barb.co.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2012. Note: Information is in the section titled "w/e May 3–9, 1999", listed under Sky 1
20.Jump up ^ Tithonus (Promotional Flyer). Los Angeles, California: Fox Broadcasting Company. 1999.
21.^ Jump up to: a b c Handlen, Zack. "'Tithonus'/'Borrowed Time' | X-Files/Millennium | TV Club | TV". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
22.Jump up ^ Kessenich, p. 30
23.Jump up ^ Keegan, John. "Tithonus". Critical Myth. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
24.Jump up ^ Shearman and Pearson, pp. 176–177
25.^ Jump up to: a b Vitaris, Paula (October 1999). "Sixth Season Episode Guide". Cinefantastique 31 (8): 26–42.
26.Jump up ^ "Alfred Fellig – Top X-Files Monsters". UGO Networks. IGN Entertainment. 21 July 2008. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
Bibliography[edit]
Kessenich, Tom (2002). Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 1-55369-812-6.
Meisler, Andy (2000). The End and the Beginning: The Official Guide to the X-Files Season 6. HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-107595-7.
Shearman, Robert; Pearson, Lars (2009). Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen. Mad Norwegian Press. ISBN 0-9759446-9-X.
VanWinkle, Matthew (2007). "Tennyson's 'Tithonus' and the Exhaustion of Survival in The X-Files". In Yang, Sharon. The X-Files and Literature: Unweaving the Story, Unraveling the Lie to Find the Truth. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. ISBN 9781847182395.
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: TXF Season 6
"Tithonus" at the Internet Movie Database
"Tithonus" at TV.com

[hide]
­v·
 ­t·
 ­e
 
The X-Files episodes


­Seasons: 1·
 ­2·
 ­3·
 ­4·
 ­5·
 ­6·
 ­7·
 ­8·
 ­9
 

Season 6
­"The Beginning"·
 ­"Drive"·
 ­"Triangle"·
 ­"Dreamland"·
 ­"How the Ghosts Stole Christmas"·
 ­"Terms of Endearment"·
 ­"The Rain King"·
 ­"S.R. 819"·
 ­"Tithonus"·
 ­"Two Fathers"·
 ­"One Son"·
 ­"Agua Mala"·
 ­"Monday"·
 ­"Arcadia"·
 ­"Alpha"·
 ­"Trevor"·
 ­"Milagro"·
 ­"The Unnatural"·
 ­"Three of a Kind"·
 ­"Field Trip"·
 ­"Biogenesis"
 

 

Categories: The X-Files (season 6) episodes
1999 television episodes
Screenplays by Vince Gilligan


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Two Fathers

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

"Two Fathers"
The X-Files episode
Episode no.
Season 6
 Episode 11
Directed by
Kim Manners
Written by
Chris Carter
Frank Spotnitz
Production code
6ABX11
Original air date
February 7, 1999
Guest actors

William B. Davis as Cigarette Smoking Man
Nicholas Lea as Alex Krycek
Mitch Pileggi as Walter Skinner
Mimi Rogers as Diana Fowley
Chris Owens as Jeffrey Spender
Brian Thompson as Alien Bounty Hunter
Veronica Cartwright as Cassandra Spender
Don S. Williams as First Elder
George Murdock as Second Elder
Al Ruscio as Fourth Elder
Frank Ertl as Fifth Elder
Nick Tate as Eugene Openshaw
James Newman as Lead Surgeon
Damon P. Saleem as Pick Up Player[1]

Episode chronology

← Previous
 "Tithonus" Next →
 "One Son"

List of The X-Files episodes
"Two Fathers" is the eleventh episode of the sixth season and the 128th episode overall of the science fiction television series The X-Files. The episode first aired in the United States and Canada on February 7, 1999, on the Fox Network and subsequently aired in the United Kingdom on Sky1. It was written by executive producers Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz and directed by Kim Manners. The episode earned a Nielsen rating of 11.5 and was viewed by a total of 18.81 million viewers. The episode received mostly positive reviews.
The show centers on FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called X-Files. Mulder is a believer in the paranormal, while the skeptical Scully has been assigned to debunk his work. "Two Fathers" follows a story which would lead to the destruction of the Syndicate: with the unexpected return of Cassandra Spender and the alien rebels, members of the Syndicate prepare themselves for the final invasion.
"Two Fathers" was written in order to eliminate the Syndicate and relaunch the series' mythology. With the series being shot in Los Angeles, many members of The X-Files crew had to adjust scenes and filming techniques in order to achieve the "dark and gray feel" that had been a result of filming in Vancouver. The episode is the first of a two-part episode and continues with the episode "One Son".

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot
2 Production
3 Release and reception
4 References
5 External links
Plot[edit]
In a train car, doctors in chemical suits are making incisions on an unseen patient's stomach; green fluid seeps out of the wounds, which heal themselves. When Dr. Eugene Openshaw arrives, he is informed that their twenty-five-year-old project is finally completed. Moments later, rebel aliens begin to appear and start burning all the doctors, the only survivor being Dr. Openshaw. The patient, Cassandra Spender, had been missing for over a year. Walter Skinner takes her son, Jeffrey Spender, to the scene, where he meets with his mother. Cassandra refuses to talk with Jeffrey about what happened to her because she knows that he won't believe her. She asks for Fox Mulder (David Duchovny). Spender asks Mulder to join him to meet his mother, but Mulder sees it as an attempt to entrap him. Later on, Dr. Openshaw informs the Cigarette Smoking Man (William B. Davis) about the completion of the project, saying he needs to kill his former wife since she is the first successful alien-human hybrid. The Cigarette Smoking Man's reaction leads to Dr. Openshaw's death. Meanwhile one of the Syndicate elders is killed by an alien rebel, who takes on his form.
Mulder and partner Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) go over the crime scene photos from the train car incident and immediately recognize similarities to murders from a year earlier. Afterwards, Mulder and Scully visit Cassandra who informs them that the aliens are here to destroy all life on Earth, further stating that this alien threat moves through the Universe to colonize other planets. She claims that a rebel force of aliens are mutilating their faces to prevent infection by the black oil.
Alex Krycek reports to the Syndicate on the rebel's recent attacks. The rebel, masquerading as the elder he killed, proposes that the Syndicate align themselves with the rebels. Cigarette Smoking Man seems to recognize that the elder has opposed his own previous opinion- that siding with the rebels is suicide.
Mulder and Scully use The X-Files office to find the Cigarette Smoking Man's real identity, that he is Agent Spender's father, C.G.B. Spender. Their unauthorized entry at the X-Files office is discovered resulting in both agents' immediate suspension from the FBI. Agent Spender reports to the Cigarette Smoking Man demanding the truth. Scully meets with Mulder, telling him that C.G.B. Spender is likely another alias and that the man is linked with Mulder's father, William, who he had worked with on a secret state project. The Cigarette Smoking Man decides to give Agent Spender more responsibility by having him kill the alien rebel masquerading as a Syndicate elder. Spender fails in his task, but Krycek comes to his aid and finishes. Krycek reveals to Spender that his father was responsible for Cassandra's abductions and that his role is to protect his father's stake in the project, facts that upset Agent Spender.
The Cigarette Smoking Man reveals everything to Diana Fowley, who agrees to help him. Mulder tells Skinner that Cassandra is in danger because she is the first successful alien-human hybrid; Skinner goes to the hospital to check on Cassandra but finds her gone. Cassandra, having escaped from the hospital, arrives at Mulder's apartment and demands that he shoot her because she is the embodiment of fifty years of work by the Syndicate — an alien-human hybrid that will trigger colonization if the aliens learn of her existence.[1]
Production[edit]
The plan to eliminate the Syndicate and relaunch the series' mythology in a new direction was originally conceived in September 1998.[2] Director Kim Manners stated "I've said for years that the show really resolved itself, if you will, by accident. The whole story line of the Syndicate and the bees and the aliens and the chips in the neck, they all seemed to just accidentally fall into place and create an intriguing, mysterious storyline that eventually got so mysterious and so intriguing that Chris had to blow it up, because he couldn't deal with it anymore."[3] The original script featured various flashback sequences to the actors Peter Donat, William B. Davis and Veronica Cartwright, all from scenes around twenty-to-thirty years earlier in the show. They did various makeup jobs on the actors to make them look younger. However, the writers eventually came to the conclusion that it "just didn't [...] work", so they cut out most of that storyline, which ultimately led to the creation of a whole new direction in which the Cigarette Smoking Man provided a monologue explaining the history of the project instead. The first scene was shot in Long Beach, California.[2][4]
The scene in which Jeffrey Spender visited his mother, Cassandra Spender, was shot in Los Angeles. Those members of The X-Files crew who had moved with the show from Vancouver to Los Angeles still had problems adjusting to the changes when filming an episode. They were forced to adjust to changes in the sunlight, since Vancouver had this "dark and gray feel" compared to California's sunny atmosphere. Kim Manners said that it was difficult to get used to the new area of filming. This episode marks the first time new stock footage was used for the J. Edgar Hoover Building in over five years.[4]
The Second Elder's house was in a relatively expensive neighborhood in Los Angeles. Manners stated that he was "very nervous" when filming this scene because the crew needed to create a fire inside the house, which was done by Kelly Kerby and Bobby Calvert. When the faceless alien attacks the Second Elder, a special effects crew member can be seen behind a window "running with his rig", according to Manners.[4]
Release and reception[edit]
The episode earned a Nielsen household rating of 11.5, with a 16 share. It was viewed by a total of 18.81 million viewers in the United States.[5] The episode was the third highest rated episode of the sixth season.[5] The episode debuted in the United States and Canada on February 7, 1999, at the Fox Network. The episode aired in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Sky1 on May 16, 1999 and received 0.72 million viewers, making it the third most watched episode that week.[6] Veronica Cartwright was nominated for an Emmy for "Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series" for her role in this episode and "One Son",[7] and the make-up department was nominated for an Emmy award in the category "Outstanding Makeup for a Series" and won.[7] The episode was later included on The X-Files Mythology, Volume 3 – Colonization, a DVD collection that contains episodes involved with the alien Colonist's plans to take over the earth.[8]
The episode received mostly positive reviews from critics. Tom Kessenich, in his book Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files wrote positively of the episode, saying it "wonderfully" developed the show's characters as "it unveiled many of the answers to the questions that have been dangling about for some time with out using Mulder or Scully as conduits for many of these answers."[9] John Keegan from Critical Myth gave the episode 7 out of 10, saying it was "another attempt" to explain the mythology of the show, further saying that it worked on a "certain level", but from a retrospective point of view it fails.[10] The main reason behind creating a resolution to the Syndicate arc was that Chris Carter thought the series was going to be cancelled by early 2000. While promoting the episode, Carter said it would give many long-waited answers but at the same time create new ones.[11] Earl Cressey from DVD Talk named "Two Fathers," along with its follow-up "One Son," as one of the "highlights of season six."[12] Joyce Millman from Salon magazine said the episode (along with "One Son") was one "of the most coherent, [...] almost unbearably tense, hours in the series' run".[13] The Michigan Daily reviewer Melissa Runstrom said "Two Fathers" along with "One Son" and season finale "Biogenesis" were the highlights of the sixth season.[14]
Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club awarded the episode a "B–" rating.[15] He concluded that the episode is an example of "propulsive fun" and applauded its myriad of attention-grabbing sequences.[15] However, he was critical of its plot, noting that "the series pretty much just picks Cassandra to be the answer to a lot of questions" concerning the show's mythology.[15] Not all reviews were so glowing. Paula Vitaris from Cinefantastique gave the episode a mixed review and awarded it two stars out of four.[16] Vitaris wrote positively of the episode's filming, writing, "visually, the episode looks good […] but the scenes in the hangar are eye-poppers, with doors slowly opening and aliens walking forward, obscured by bright light."[16] However, she criticized the episode's plot, noting that "Two Fathers" was "heading straight down a path already trodden by dozens of books, short stories, movies, and other television shows."[16]
References[edit]
Footnotes
1.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, pp. 135–144
2.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, pp. 156–157
3.Jump up ^ Hurwitz, Matt, Knowles, Chris (2008). The Complete X-Files. Insight Editions. p. 159.
4.^ Jump up to: a b c Manners, Kim (2000). Audio Commentary for "Two Fathers" (DVD). Fox Home Entertainment.
5.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, p. 294
6.Jump up ^ "BARB's multichannel top 10 programmes". barb.co.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2012. Note: Information is in the section titled "w/e April 19–25, 1999", listed under Sky 1
7.^ Jump up to: a b "Advanced Primetime Awards Search". Academy of Television Arts & Science. Retrieved July 10, 2009.
8.Jump up ^ Kim Manners, et al. The X-Files Mythology, Volume 3 – Colonization (DVD). FOX.
9.Jump up ^ Kessenich, p. 37
10.Jump up ^ Keegan, John. "Two Fathers". Critical Myth. Retrieved August 6, 2009.
11.Jump up ^ Pergament, Alan. (January 18, 1999) Chris Carter Feels 'X-Files' Will End By Spring of 2000. The Buffalo News (Berkshire Hathaway). August 6, 2009.
12.Jump up ^ Cressey, Earl (5 November 2002). "X-Files: Season Six". DVD Talk. Internet Brands. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
13.Jump up ^ Millman, Joyce (8 March 1999). "The Xerox Files". Salon. Salon Media Group. Archived from the original on 25 July 2008. Retrieved 1 May 2012.
14.Jump up ^ Runstrom, Melissa (November 27, 2002). "'X-Files' DVD showcases highs, lows of season six". The Michigan Daily (University of Michigan). Retrieved August 6, 2009.
15.^ Jump up to: a b c VanDerWerff, Todd. "'Two Fathers'/'Collateral Damage' | The X-Files/Millennium | TV Club | TV". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
16.^ Jump up to: a b c Vitaris, Paula (October 1999). "Sixth Season Episode Guide". Cinefantastique 31 (8): 26–42.
BibliographyKessenich, Tom (2002). Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 1-55369-812-6.
Meisler, Andy (2000). The End and the Beginning: The Official Guide to the X-Files Season 6. HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-107595-7.
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: TXF Season 6
"Two Fathers" at the Internet Movie Database
"Two Fathers" at TV.com

[hide]
­v·
 ­t·
 ­e
 
The X-Files episodes


­Seasons: 1·
 ­2·
 ­3·
 ­4·
 ­5·
 ­6·
 ­7·
 ­8·
 ­9
 

Season 6
­"The Beginning"·
 ­"Drive"·
 ­"Triangle"·
 ­"Dreamland"·
 ­"How the Ghosts Stole Christmas"·
 ­"Terms of Endearment"·
 ­"The Rain King"·
 ­"S.R. 819"·
 ­"Tithonus"·
 ­"Two Fathers"·
 ­"One Son"·
 ­"Agua Mala"·
 ­"Monday"·
 ­"Arcadia"·
 ­"Alpha"·
 ­"Trevor"·
 ­"Milagro"·
 ­"The Unnatural"·
 ­"Three of a Kind"·
 ­"Field Trip"·
 ­"Biogenesis"
 

This is a good article. Click here for more information.
 

Categories: The X-Files (season 6) episodes
1999 television episodes


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One Son

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

"One Son"
The X-Files episode
A man is framed in light, the cavities in his face sewn together. Various other people are running behind him.
An Syndicate surgeon is revealed to actually be a faceless rebel. Episode co-writer Frank Spotnitz cited this visual effect as one that he was not happy with.

Episode no.
Season 6
 Episode 12
Directed by
Rob Bowman
Written by
Chris Carter
Frank Spotnitz
Production code
6ABX12[1]
Original air date
February 14, 1999
Running time
45 minutes[2]
Guest actors

Mitch Pileggi as Walter Skinner
James Pickens, Jr. as Alvin Kersh
Chris Owens as Jeffrey Spender
Mimi Rogers as Diana Fowley
William B. Davis as The Smoking Man
Veronica Cartwright as Cassandra Spender
Peter Donat as William Mulder
Dean Haglund as Richard Langly
Bruce Harwood as John Fitzgerald Byers
Tom Braidwood as Melvin Frohike
Laurie Holden as Marita Covarrubias
Nicholas Lea as Alex Krycek
Don S. Williams as First Elder
John Moore as Third Elder
Al Ruscio as Fourth Elder
Frank Ertl as Fifth Elder
Scott Williamson as CDC Leader
Jo Black-Jacob as Nurse
Mark Bramhall as Surgical Team Member[3]

Episode chronology

← Previous
 "Two Fathers" Next →
 "Agua Mala"

List of The X-Files episodes
"One Son" is the twelfth episode of the sixth season of the science fiction television series The X-Files, and the 129th episode overall. It was directed by Rob Bowman and written by series creator Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz. The installment explores the series' overarching mythology and features the conclusion to the Syndicate story arc. Originally aired by the Fox network on February 14, 1999, "One Son" received a Nielsen rating of 10.1 and was seen by 16.57 million viewers. The episode was generally positively received by critics; many critics applauded the way the series was able to wrap-up the Syndicate's story arc, although others were slightly critical of the simplistic way in which the story was resolved.
The show centers on FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called X-Files. Mulder is a believer in the paranormal, while the skeptical Scully has been assigned to debunk his work, but the two have developed a deep friendship. While Cassandra Spender (Veronica Cartwright) reveals the truth about the alien conspiracy to Mulder, The Smoking Man (William B. Davis), Cassandra's ex-husband, does the same to her son, Jeffrey Spender (Chris Owens) in an effort to convince him to work with the Syndicate. Even as Mulder is deceived by Diana Fowley (Mimi Rogers), Scully stays true to the investigation, and the two find a surprise ally in Spender. Meanwhile, the Syndicate reach the climax of their plans, only to be systematically exterminated by the faceless alien rebels who oppose colonization.
"One Son" is a direct continuation of the previous episode, "Two Fathers". The episode, along with its predecessor, was written in order to eliminate the Syndicate and relaunch the series' mythology into a different direction. The opening of the episode, along with the climactic scene featuring the demise of the Syndicate, was filmed at the Marine Corps Air Station Tustin in Tustin, California. Spotnitz was particularly critical of some of the visual effects used in the episode, expressing a desire to one day revisit and redo them. The episode has also been analyzed due to its thematic examination of family.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot 1.1 Background
1.2 Events
2 Production 2.1 Conception and writing
2.2 Casting and filming
3 Themes
4 Reception 4.1 Ratings and accolades
4.2 Reviews
5 References 5.1 Footnotes
5.2 Bibliography
6 External links
Plot[edit]
Background[edit]
Main article: Mythology of The X-Files
For the first five seasons of the series, FBI federal agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) unraveled a conspiracy that involved the mysterious Syndicate, and their plans to aid in the alien colonization of Earth.[4] In the fifth season episodes "Patient X" and "The Red and the Black", it is revealed that, counter to the colonization effort, there is also a faction of alien rebels working against colonization.[5][6] In the previous episode, "Two Fathers", one of the rebels tried to infiltrate the Syndicate and form an alliance, only to be killed. In addition, Mulder learns that The Smoking Man's (William B. Davis) ex-wfie Cassandra Spender (Veronica Cartwright) has become a successful alien-human hybrid—a sign to the aliens for colonization to begin.[7]
Events[edit]
Cassandra demands to be killed by Mulder, but before he can do anything, the group is quarantined by Diana Fowley (Mimi Rogers). Mulder, Cassandra, and Scully are then taken to a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) facility at Fort Marlene. Fowley tells the agents Cassandra Spender is carrying a contagious organism, and that she was called in by her son, agent Jeffrey Spender (Chris Owens). Meanwhile, Alex Krycek (Nicholas Lea) reports on Cassandra's escape to the Syndicate, saying that the alien rebels want Cassandra kept alive. Regardless, the Syndicate decides to turn Cassandra over to the colonists, and save themselves by commencing colonization.
At Fort Marlene, Mulder runs into the sickly looking Marita Covarrubias (Laurie Holden), who tells Mulder that she was subjected to experiments by the Syndicate to create a black oil vaccine and that the colonists will begin colonization if they learn of Cassandra's existence as an alien-human hybrid. Scully, with help from the Lone Gunmen, looks into Fowley's personal history and informs Mulder that Fowley has been collecting data on alien abductees and heading to Tunisia every week, although there is no trace of her activities in FBI records. Mulder still trusts Fowley, but goes to her apartment to see her.
Inside the apartment, Mulder's search for clues is interrupted by the arrival of The Smoking Man. The Smoking Man tells Mulder at gunpoint that he has been betrayed by Spender, his son. The Smoking Man tells Mulder that, many years ago, the Syndicate agreed by majority vote, against Bill Mulder's objections, to align with the alien colonists in order to delay colonization. The Syndicate were forced to give up members of their family to the colonists in exchange for an alien fetus that would give the Syndicate access to alien DNA to work on their alien-human hybrid experiments. Since Bill Mulder was slow to agree, Samantha Mulder was not taken until after the others. Using the fetus, the Syndicate worked on creating alien-human hybrids who could survive colonization. The Smoking Man tells Mulder that colonization will begin once Cassandra is handed over and that Mulder will be able to see his sister again, providing him with an address to the hangar where the Syndicate members will be meeting the colonists.
Spender goes to Syndicate headquarters, only to find Krycek. Krycek tells him that the Syndicate members are preparing to present the alien fetus to the aliens—except for The Smoking Man, who has gone to retrieve Cassandra. Fowley returns to her apartment, finding Mulder there, and the two head to the hangar at El Rico Air Force Base. Scully then contacts Mulder and the two try to stop the train car transporting Cassandra to El Rico, but fail to do so. Spender arrives at the hospital, finding his mother gone. However, while at the hospital, he finds Covarrubias, who tells him to go to El Rico Air Force Base. A Syndicate surgeon attempting to procure the alien fetus is killed by one of the alien rebels, who assumes his form. Krycek finds the dead surgeon and the fetus missing, and tells Spender that the rebels are now going to win. The Syndicate and their families gather at El Rico Air Force Base. Shortly after Fowley arrives, a white light appears around one end of the hanger. It is revealed to be the rebels, who surround and immolate the entire Syndicate except for The Smoking Man and Fowley, who escape via car.
The next day Mulder, Scully, Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) and Spender report to Assistant Director Alvin Kersh (James Pickens, Jr.) on the deaths of the Syndicate and Cassandra. Spender tells Kersh that Mulder and Scully could have prevented their demise. He recommends that they be reassigned to the X-Files and abruptly leaves the room. Heading to the X-Files office in the basement, Spender finds The Smoking Man there, who berates Spender for not being like Mulder, and then shoots Spender in the head.[3]
Production[edit]
Conception and writing[edit]

Two men seated at a table, signing autographs

 The episode was written by Chris Carter (right) and Frank Spotnitz (left).
"One Son" concluded the plot of the preceding episode "Two Fathers", and also wrapped-up a large portion of the series mythology dealing with the Syndicate.[8] The reason that the producers and writers decided to undertake this was because the Syndicate's story arc was starting to create a "narrative drag" on the series, and many questions from the past five seasons were still left unanswered. Another reason behind giving a resolution for the Syndicate arc was that series creator and episode co-writer Chris Carter thought that the series was going to be canceled by the spring of 2000; as such, "One Son" was written to answer the show's many arcs in preparation for a series finale. While promoting the episode, Carter said it would give many long-awaited answers but create new ones for future episodes.[9] The production staff was also looking for ways to create a new story arc for the series, such as the "Super Soldiers", which were created for eighth and ninth seasons.[10]
Carter also sought to rectify small issues that fans had taken with the 1998 feature film, The X-Files. He stated that, "I think if there was any trouble with the movie, it was that we promised so much that we didn't deliver all of it. I think we wanted to deliver a lot, and all at once in these two episodes."[8] Episode co-writer Frank Spotnitz agreed, saying that when The X-Files film was being promoted with the tagline "The Truth is Revealed", he realized that the answers presented in the movie would not be the answers that many of the fans were wanting to hear.[8] Spotnitz, however, also said that the problem writing "One Son" was that the episodes where questions are answered are less entertaining for viewers than episodes that present new questions and theories. Spotnitz, however, acknowledged that this episode was necessary to help explain the complex mythology of the show. He called the episode the "biggest chapter we had time to explore in the nine years we were on the air."[11]
According to Spotnitz, part of the problem with creating "mytharc" episodes was that there were so few mythology episodes each season, forcing the production staff to put as much material as possible into each episode. Originally, a large portion of the episode was supposed to reveal the history of the Syndicate via flashback. Reportedly, there would have been "younger versions of Bill Mulder [played by Peter Donat], the Cigarette-Smoking Man, Dr. Openshaw, the Elders, and others".[8] However, this never panned out, and Carter and Spotnitz had to reframe the episode around narration courtesy of the Smoking Man; this narration was filmed and edited "under classic X-Files levels of extreme last-minute pressure".[8] While the previous episode, "Two Fathers" was titled after the duality of Bill Mulder and The Smoking Man, this episode was entitled "One Son" to reflect the fact that Mulder was the only remaining son of either of these fathers, due to the shooting of Jeffrey Spender and the rejection of Alex Krycek.[12]
Several of the plot elements are self-referential to other episodes of the series. The action at Fort Marlene is a reference to the first season finale "The Erlenmeyer Flask", which is when the alien fetus was first seen; the term "Purity Control" is also a reference to this episode.[13] The references to MUFON were purposely placed in the episode to connect to the story-arc involving Scully's cancer, which had occurred during the show's fourth season.[14] The episode also references and mirrors elements of popular culture. Fowley's apartment was purposely located in the Watergate complex, a hotel notorious as the location of the 1970s Watergate scandal.[15] The scenes featuring Mulder and Scully being decontaminated were based on a similar scene in the 1962 James Bond film Dr. No, according to Spotnitz. He felt that the scene successfully played upon the sexual tension between the two lead characters.[16]
Casting and filming[edit]

A large wooden hangar

 The climactic scene featuring the Syndicate being incinerated by the alien rebels took place at the Marine Corps Air Station Tustin.
"One Son" would be the last episode of the series to feature Owens' character, Jeffrey Spender, until the ninth season entry "William".[8][17] Owens first learned that he would be killed off when Carter called him and told him that "'You're going to go out a hero, of sorts.'"[18] Owens was slightly disappointed, noting that he had just been introduced in the series during the conclusion of the previous season.[18] Davis was upset that Owens was leaving the series, and reportedly told Owens during their last scene together, "I don't want to shoot you! I enjoy working with you!"[8] Owens, however, jokingly noted that Davis had no problems slapping him when the script called for it.[8] The episode featured the return of Laurie Holden, who played Marita Covarrubias. Spotnitz crafted the sequence in order for it to be a way of "taking away [her] beauty and making her [look] as horrifying as possible".[19] To do this, she was given "terrible-looking" contact lenses and her hair was unkempt.[20]
The first five seasons of the series were mainly filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia; production of the show's sixth season, however, was based in Los Angeles, California.[21][22] The scenes taking place in the hangar were filmed at the Marine Corps Air Station Tustin in Tustin, California.[23] The hangar, constructed in 1942 as an airship base, is one of the largest all-wooden in the United States. Bill Roe, director of photography, and Rob Bowman were tasked with lighting the entire structure for the episode's teaser and climax, a job that Spotnitz later called "amazing".[24][25] He noted that, after the series' move to Los Angeles, production costs had risen, forcing the show to cut down on its "astonishing production values"; however, he applauded the use of the hangar, noting that it "was a way to try and create that cinematic scale and still keep [the show] affordable."[26] The episode also revisits trains as a setting, something that had previously been done in the third season episodes "731" and "Nisei".[27][28] However, because of budgetary reasons, the scenes taking place on the trains were did not take up much screen time.[27] To give the effect that the train carrying Cassandra Spender is moving at a high speed, Manners utilized "sound effects; music; clever camera angles and quick cutting".[8] In reality, the train was never moving faster than eight miles an hour.[8]
All the sets in this episode were created by Corey Kaplan.[29] Roe, meanwhile, was in charge of the cinematography. Spotnitz made various compliments to Rob Bowman's direction in this episode.[24][30] However, he had a problem with the scene in which one of the Syndicate members changes into an alien rebel.[31][32] He reasoned that this was because the effect had been created on such a short notice; he explained, "It was one of those cases where you just run out of time, sorry to say."[33] He later expressed a desire to one day go back and "fix" the effect.[34] The production staff originally wanted to show the alien rebels incinerating the Syndicate on screen; however, because they were filming in an all-wooden hangar, the use of fire was "not an option".[35] The episode required extensive demands from makeup department head Cheri Montesanto-Medcalf. In the episode, she was required to create the illusion of the head surgeon's head being frozen in liquid nitrogen, as well as to "de-age" members of the Syndicate for the flashback sequences. To create the former, Montesanta-Medcalf painted the actor's face blue, and then attached silicon icicles to his head.[8]
Themes[edit]
The episode makes heavy use of theme of family, which is notably reflect in the entry's title. Meghan Deans of Tor.com highlighted the fact that the Syndicate handed over their family and loved ones to save the world as evidence of this permeating theme. She also highlighted the duality of fathers and sons. The Smoking Man is both a father to Mulder and Spender, but he favors Mulder. At the same time, both Spender and Krycek vie for the position of "son", with the former falling from The Smoking Man's grace, and the latter playing the role of "prodigal son".[36] However, both Spender and Krycek fail, leaving Mulder as the titular "one son".[36] Neal Justin of the Star Tribune also noted this theme, commenting that "it is interesting to note that the core of the story appears to be the relationship between parents and their children". For this reason, he compared the episode's thematic mechanism to "the same driving force of the "Star Wars" series."[37]
Reception[edit]
Ratings and accolades[edit]

A woman with black hair is smiling.

Veronica Cartwright's performance in the episode resulted in an Emmy nomination.
"One Son" originally aired in the United States on the Fox network on February 14, 1999.[1] The episode earned a Nielsen household rating of 10.1, with a 16 share. Nielsen ratings are audience measurement systems that determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the U.S. This means that roughly 10.1 percent of all television-equipped households, and 16 percent of households watching television, were watching the episode. It was viewed by 16.57 million viewers in the United States.[38] On May 23, 1999 the episode premiered in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Sunday and gathered 860,000 viewers, making it the fourth most-watched episode that week, behind ER, The Simpsons and Friends.[39]
Cartwright was nominated for an Emmy for "Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series" for her role in both this episode and "Two Fathers". "One Son" was also nominated for "Outstanding Art Direction – Series", and both "One Son" and "Two Fathers" were co-nominated for "Outstanding Makeup – Series". The series won an Emmy for the latter.[40][41] On November 5, 2002, the episode was released on DVD as part of the complete sixth season.[42] The episode was later included on The X-Files Mythology, Volume 3 – Colonization, a DVD collection that contains episodes involved with the alien Colonist's plans to take over the earth.[43]
Reviews[edit]
The fact that the episode was promoted with the promise of answering questions caused increased media speculation.[44][37] With the conclusion of "One Son", many critics applauded the way the series was able to wrap-up the Syndicate arc. A.M. Jamison of the Dayton Daily News wrote that "'One Son' ends dramatically, drawing to a close one quest and opening a new set of challenges not only for Mulder but the Earth as well."[45] Noel Holston and Justin of the Star Tribune awarded the episode four stars out of five, and called it "even more revealing" than "Two Fathers". They also applauded the familial bonds that held the episode together.[37] Despite this, some critics felt that the answers were slightly rushed. Manuel Mendoza of The Dallas Morning News wrote that "Mr. Carter and his co-writer Frank Spotnitz have a wonderfully indirect way of setting up dramatic situations and an unbelievably shorthand way of resolving them."[46]
Robert Shearman and Lars Pearson, in their book Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen, rated the episode three-and-a-half stars out of five. The two enjoyed Davis' performance, noting that he gave the role "real power" and was "the emotional centre of the episode".[47] Shearman and Pearson were critical about the amount of attention Fowley's allegiance received. However, they felt that the episode "reaches for both significance and closure, and mostly works."[47] Deans wrote that "One Son", along with "Two Fathers", is elevated "above your typical mytharc infodump" because of "its use of family, a theme woven deep and clear throughout."[36] She largely applauded the episode's exploration of the various characters, and its central motif, noting that "the conspiracy [the Syndicate] is no longer the threat, now. It's the rebels and the colonists, fearful and unknown. Just like family."[36] Tom Kessenich, in his book Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files wrote positively of the episode, saying "The 'Two Fathers'/'One Son' was extremely powerful stuff. Tightly written, beautifully filmed and filled with more affirmations than revelations, but fascination looks at the characters in the drama."[48]
Zack Handlen of The A.V. Club awarded the episode a "B" rating.[49] He felt that the episode worked extremely well on a visual and character-based level. Handlen felt that, because the show was "often scariest when it’s implying, rather than flat out stating", its "mythology only really works as something just out of sight".[49] Due to this, he felt that the episode mixed "the compelling with the absurd" with "mixed results".[49] Handlen concluded that the episode "has its moment", but is ultimately hurt by the fact that it refuses "to come to any serious conclusions", as well as "the inherent limitations of the [episode's] form."[49] Not all reviews were glowing. Paula Vitaris from Cinefantastique gave the episode a negative review and awarded it one-and-a-half stars out of four.[50] Vitaris criticized the death scene of the Syndicate, noting that is was "clumsily contrived, allowing [The Smoking Man] and Fowley to escape, but not because it makes sense, but because the show needs them to return at some point."[50]
Since its airing, "One Son" has been called one of the best episodes of The X-Files. Joyce Millman from Salon magazine said the episode, along with "Two Fathers", was one "of the most coherent, [...] almost unbearably tense, hours in the series' run."[51] She further stated that the episode gave some long-waited answers, but created new ones such as what has really happened to Samantha Mulder.[51] Michigan Daily reviewer Melissa Runstrom said "One Son" along with "Two Fathers" and season finale "Biogenesis" were the highlights of the sixth season.[52] Earl Cressey from DVD Talk also named "One Son," along with "Two Fathers," as one of the "highlights of season six."[53]
References[edit]
Footnotes[edit]
1.^ Jump up to: a b Manners, Kim, et al. (booklet). The X-Files: The Complete Seventh Season (Liner notes). Fox Home Entertainment. pp. 4, 16.
2.Jump up ^ "The X-Files, Season 7". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved September 22, 2012.
3.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler (2000), pp. 147–156.
4.Jump up ^ Kowalski (2009), pp. 243–246.
5.Jump up ^ Meisler (1999), pp 173–184.
6.Jump up ^ Meisler (1999), pp. 187–196.
7.Jump up ^ Meisler (2000), pp. 135–144.
8.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k Meisler (2000), pp. 156–157.
9.Jump up ^ Pergament, Alan. (January 18, 1999) Chris Carter Feels 'X-Files' Will End By Spring of 2000. The Buffalo News (Berkshire Hathaway). August 6, 2009.
10.Jump up ^ Carter, Chris, et al (2001). The Truth Behind Season 8 (DVD). The X-Files: The Complete Eighth Season: Fox Broadcasting Company.
11.Jump up ^ Spotnitz (2005), 7:25–7:45.
12.Jump up ^ Spotnitz (2005), 23:40–25:07.
13.Jump up ^ Spotnitz (2005), 4:20–4:26.
14.Jump up ^ Spotnitz (2005), 13:22–13:43.
15.Jump up ^ Spotnitz (2005), 15:25–15:30.
16.Jump up ^ Spotnitz (2005), 3:13–3:54.
17.Jump up ^ William – Cast Credits (DVD). The X-Files: The Complete Ninth Season: Fox Home Entertainment. 2002.
18.^ Jump up to: a b Hurwitz and Knowles (2008), p. 160.
19.Jump up ^ Spotnitz (2005), 9:17–9:31.
20.Jump up ^ Spotnitz (2005), 9:40–9:45.
21.Jump up ^ Carter, Chris, et al (2000). The Truth About Season Six (DVD). 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.
22.Jump up ^ Vitaris, Paula (October 1998). "X-Files: A Mixed Bag of Episodes and a Feature Film Pave the Way for Season Six". Cinefantastique 30 (7/8): 27.
23.Jump up ^ Fraga (2010), p. 72
24.^ Jump up to: a b Spotnitz (2005), 1:55–2:21.
25.Jump up ^ Spotnitz (2005), 2:46.
26.Jump up ^ Spotnitz (2005), 2:22–2:54.
27.^ Jump up to: a b Spotnitz (2005), 32:30–33:07.
28.Jump up ^ Spotnitz (2005), 33:58–34:05.
29.Jump up ^ Spotnitz (2005), 20:32–20:37.
30.Jump up ^ Spotnitz (2005), 20:40–21:04.
31.Jump up ^ Spotnitz (2005), 38:48–38:52.
32.Jump up ^ Spotnitz (2005), 39:26–39:35.
33.Jump up ^ Spotnitz (2005), 38:53–39:00.
34.Jump up ^ Spotnitz (2005), 39:04.
35.Jump up ^ Spotnitz (2005), 40:02–40:22.
36.^ Jump up to: a b c d Deans, Meghan (November 29, 2012). "Reopening The X-Files: 'Two Fathers'/'One Son'". Tor.com. Tor Books. Retrieved July 24, 2013.
37.^ Jump up to: a b c Holston, Noel; Justin, Neil (February 7, 1999). "TV Sweeps Offerings Are Less Than Gripping—But At Least We Find out What On—Or Off—Earth `The X-Files' is About". Star Tribune. The Star Tribune Company. Retrieved July 24, 2013. (subscription required)
38.Jump up ^ Meisler (2000), p. 294.
39.Jump up ^ "BARB's Multichannel Top 10 Programmes". barb.co.uk. Retrieved January 1, 2012.
40.Jump up ^ "The X-Files". Emmys.com. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved April 29, 2012.
41.Jump up ^ Hurwitz and Knowles (2008), p. 241
42.Jump up ^ "The X-Files – Season 6 Box Set DVD Information". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
43.Jump up ^ Manners, Kim, et al. The X-Files Mythology, Volume 3 – Colonization (DVD). Fox.
44.Jump up ^ Courant, James (February 7, 1999). "Television 'X-Files' Truth Finally Will Be Known". The Journal Gazette (The Journal Gazette Company). Retrieved July 24, 2013. (subscription required)
45.Jump up ^ Jamison, A.M. (February 14, 1999). "Conclusion of 'X-Files' 2 Parter Leaves Some Truths Untold". Dayton Daily News (Cox Enterprises). Retrieved July 24, 2013. (subscription required)
46.Jump up ^ Mendoza, Mauel (February 13, 1999). "Truth Lies Exposed on 'X-Files'". The Dallas Morning News (A. H. Belo Corporation). Retrieved July 24, 2013. (subscription required)
47.^ Jump up to: a b Shearman and Pearson (2009), pp. 178–179.
48.Jump up ^ Kessenich (September 27, 2005), p. 41.
49.^ Jump up to: a b c d Handlen, Zack (25 August 2012). "'One Son'/'The Sound of Snow' | The X-Files/Millennium | TV Club | TV". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
50.^ Jump up to: a b Vitaris, Paula (October 1999). "Sixth Season Episode Guide". Cinefantastique 31 (8): 26–42.
51.^ Jump up to: a b Millman, Joyce (8 March 1999). "The Xerox Files". Salon. Salon Media Group. Archived from the original on 25 July 2008. Retrieved 1 May 2012.
52.Jump up ^ Runstrom, Melissa (November 27, 2002). "'X-Files' DVD Showcases Highs, Lows of Season Six". The Michigan Daily (University of Michigan). Retrieved August 6, 2009.
53.Jump up ^ "X-Files: Season Six". DVD Talk. Internet Brands. 5 November 2002. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
Bibliography[edit]
Dunn, Timothy; Foy, Joseph (2007). "Moral Musings on a Cigarette Smoking Man". In Kowalski, Dean. The Philosophy of The X-Files. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 9780813192277.
Fraga, Erica (2010). LAX-Files: Behind the Scenes with the Los Angeles Cast and Crew. CreateSpace. ISBN 9781451503418.
Hurwitz, Matt; Knowles, Chris (2008). The Complete X-Files. Insight Editions. ISBN 9781933784809.
Kessenich, Tom (2002). Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 9781553698128.
Kowalski, Dean, ed. (2007). The Philosophy of The X-Files. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0813124549.
Meisler, Andy (2000). The End and the Beginning: The Official Guide to the X-Files Season 6. HarperCollins. ISBN 9780061075957.
Meisler, Andy (1999). Resist or Serve: The Official Guide to The X-Files, Vol. 4. London: HarperCollins. ISBN 9780002571333.
Shearman, Robert; Pearson, Lars (2009). Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen. Mad Norwegian Press. ISBN 9780975944691.
Spotnitz, Frank (September 27, 2005), "One Son": Commentary, The X-Files: The Complete Sixth Season: Fox Home Entertainment.
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: TXF Season 6
"One Son" at the Internet Movie Database
"One Son" at TV.com

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Agua Mala

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"Agua Mala"
The X-Files episode
A man is being strangled by a tentacled creature.
The sea creature attempts to strangle George Vincent. The tentacles were created out of a combination of silicon and urethane to make them flexible.

Episode no.
Season 6
 Episode 13
Directed by
Rob Bowman
Written by
David Amann
Production code
6ABX14
Original air date
February 21, 1999
Guest actors

Darren McGavin as Arthur Dales
Joel McKinnon Miller as Deputy Greer
Valente Rodriguez as Walter Suarez
Diana Maria Riva as Angela Villareal
Jeremy Roberts as George Vincent
Silas Weir Mitchell as Dougie
Nichole Pelerine as Sara Shipley
Max Kasch as Evan Shipley[1]

Episode chronology

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 "One Son" Next →
 "Monday"

List of The X-Files episodes
"Agua Mala" is the thirteenth episode of the sixth season of the science fiction television series The X-Files. It premiered on the Fox network on February 21, 1999 in the United States. The episode was written by David Amann, and directed by Rob Bowman. The episode is a "Monster-of-the-Week" story, unconnected to the series' wider mythology. "Agua Mala" earned a Nielsen household rating of 10.1, being watched by 16.9 million people in its initial broadcast. The episode received mostly mixed to negative reviews.
The show centers on FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called X-Files. Mulder is a believer in the paranormal, while the skeptical Scully has been assigned to debunk his work. In this episode, Arthur Dales, now living in a Florida trailer park, calls Mulder and Scully for help when a neighbouring family disappears; and, with a hurricane approaching, Mulder and Scully find themselves trapped with a group of residents in a building where there is something in the water.
"Agua Mala" was Amann's second story for The X-Files. The original idea for the episode featured a monster loose in an abandoned gold mine. Darren McGavin makes a second appearance as Arthur Dales after being introduced in "Travelers." After suffering a stroke, he would later be replaced by M. Emmet Walsh in "The Unnatural." The episode was notable for its sheer amount of water and its lack of bright lightning, a stylistic approach that Gillian Anderson likened to filming in Vancouver.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot
2 Production 2.1 Writing
2.2 Casting
2.3 Filming
3 Broadcast and reception
4 See also
5 References
6 External links
Plot[edit]
In Goodland, Florida during a fierce hurricane, Sara Shipley and her son, Evan, desperately try to flip the washing machine but fail to do so as tentacles ensnare them. After receiving a call, FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) arrive at the home of retired FBI agent Arthur Dales (Darren McGavin), the first to look into the X-Files. He tells them about the Shipley family and how Sara Shipley called him in a panic after her husband was attacked by something in the bathroom with tentacles. Scully is dubious about this but believes that something has indeed happened to the Shipley family during this hurricane.
Mulder and Scully go to the Shipley house and find the bathroom door barricaded shut, no sign of any people. The two have a brief run-in with Deputy Greer who believes they are burglars until Mulder disarms the man and Scully shows him her FBI ID. They attempt to go to the airport but are trapped by the hurricane. Elsewhere at the Breakers Condominiums, Deputy Greer encounters the creature after finding a dead man covered in a slimy substance on a toilet. Mulder and Scully later find the deputy's vehicle parked outside the apartments. Searching the building, they discover Greer on the ground, his neck covered with red welts. Mulder goes around the complex to find the rest of the people and warn them that the thing is in the plumbing. He encounters Dougie, a looter, Walter Suarez whose girlfriend Angela Villareal is nine months pregnant, and George Vincent, an anti-government Second Amendment activist. Mulder attempts to get Vincent to come out and join them for his own protection. Vincent refuses but, after being attacked by the creature in his apartment, relents. Mulder hypothesizes that the entity attacking them was driven from the bottom of the sea by the hurricane into the city's water system.
Dougie steals the deputy's wedding ring and knocks over a container of Epsom salts into the tub where the unconscious Greer is soaking after Scully removed several specimens from his neck wounds. While Angela Villareal relieves herself, she spots the creature in the tub with the deputy. Mulder and Scully enter the bathroom and find the clothes of the deputy but the man gone. Mulder theorizes that the entity does not just live in water but is a living form of water, becoming visible only when it attacks. He believes that the creature uses people as hosts to reproduce, with the body's water content being used to feed the growth of new creatures. Mulder realizes that everyone needs to evacuate.
Charging outside, Mulder is attacked by the creature in the hall. When he returns with the welts all over his throat, George Vincent slams the door and takes them all hostage, leaving Mulder to die in the hallway. Angela goes into labor and Scully finds herself forced to deliver a baby. However, water begins accumulates in the light fixture above them and the creature appears. It grabs George Vincent by the neck. Scully tells Walter Suarez to aim for the sprinklers, realizing that the freshwater kept the creature at bay, as with the deputy until Epsom salt was added to the water. Suarez shoots the sprinklers and saves Vincent's life. Meanwhile, Mulder realizes that freshwater is the key also, and runs out into the rain to heal his wounds.[1]
Production[edit]



Darren McGavin (right) makes his second appearance as Arthur Dales in the episode.
Writing[edit]
"Agua Mala" was written by David Amann and was his second story for The X-Files after "Terms of Endearment."[2] "Agua Mala" went through several very different drafts. Amann was originally tasked with bringing back the character of Arthur Dales. His original story was of a monster loose in an abandoned gold mine. Frank Spotnitz, the show's executive producer, did not particularly like the idea of a gold mine, but he enjoyed the concept of a monster loose in an enclosed space. Amann quickly decided to set the episode during a hurricane and feature a sea monster as the primary antagonist. Originally, the sea monster was blown onto dry land and crawled into the building, before Amann decided to re-write it as living water.[3]
Director Rob Bowman was worried that the episode's monster would not appear "scary" and that the story would not be "compelling".[4] By utilizing unique camera angles and quick action Bowman was able to make the episode feel "a hell of a lot better than [he] was afraid it might".[4] The monster was created by special effects makeup supervisor John Vulich, a task he considered "the single most difficult thing [he] did all season".[3] The tentacles were created out of a combination of silicone and urethane to make them translucent, but give them a flexible feel. The "octopus bite marks" numbered in the hundreds and required 90 minutes to apply.[3] The episode's title, "Agua Mala", means bad water in Spanish.[5] Aguamala is also the slang name for the Portuguese Man o' War, a venomous jellyfish similar in form to the episode's primary antagonist.[6]
Casting[edit]
Darren McGavin makes an appearance as Arthur Dales in the episode, his second after being introduced in "Travelers".[1][7] McGavin, noted for his role in Kolchak: The Night Stalker which was instrumental in the tone of The X-Files, was originally the casting directors' first choice for the role of Senator Matheson in the second season episode "Little Green Men". McGavin was later sought out to play the role of Mulder's dad. In the end, McGavin finally agreed to appear on the show playing Arthur Dales, the agent who originally founded the X-Files.[8] McGavin was originally supposed to also appear in the Duchovny-penned episode "The Unnatural", but two days after filming began, he suffered a stroke, forcing the producers to remove his scenes from the episode and replace them with another "Arthur Dales", played by M. Emmet Walsh.[9]
Filming[edit]
The episode was notable for its sheer amount of water and its lack of bright lightning. Director Rob Bowman noted that he did not film "anything for that episode during daylight, or with anything brighter than a flashlight or an emergency lamp in the hallway".[4] Bowman explained that "Agua Mala" was extremely difficult to film because every time a crew or cast member got wet, they "had to stop everything to dry them off".[4] Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny, in particular, were "water-logged" for a majority of the episode's filming. Anderson later joked, "I mean, we got drenched. It was like we were back in Vancouver!"[4] The show had previously filmed in Vancouver from season one to five before moving to Los Angeles, California at the beginning of the sixth season.[10]
The apartment featured in the episode was built from scratch on a soundstage. Production designer Corey Kaplan received the script for "Agua Mala" around Christmas and, realizing the amount of work, immediately began drawing up plans for the set. By the time the episode was finished, the entire set was trashed and water-logged and had to be thrown away. Costume designer Christine Peters was required to bring six dry replicas of each character's wardrobe to prevent pneumonia.[3]
Broadcast and reception[edit]
"Agua Mala" first aired in the United States on February 21, 1999.[11] This episode earned a Nielsen rating of 10.1, meaning that roughly 10.1 percent of all television-equipped households were tuned in to the episode.[12] It was viewed by 16.90 million viewers.[12] The episode aired in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Sky1 on June 6, 1999 and received 0.95 million viewers, making it the third most watched episode that week.[13] Fox promoted the episode with the tagline "Tonight, a creature living in our water has just gotten thirsty, for us."[14]
The episode received mostly mixed to negative reviews. Michael Liedtke and George Avalos, in a review of the sixth season in The Charlotte Observer, called the episode "just plain bad".[15] Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club roundly criticized the episode and awarded it a "D–", calling it "a famously bad episode of The X-Files."[16] He noted that "the worst thing about 'Agua Mala' is that it comes so very, very close to working that it’s frustrating to see just how little it actually does" due to its bizarre structure and convoluted antagonist.[16] VanDerWerff criticized Darren McGavin's appearance in the episode, calling it a "glorified cameo", and noted that his character function as the "kind of old man who stands on his porch and yells about the good old days to the neighborhood kids."[16] He did however, call the shot of the "writhing tentacle in the overhead lamp" the "one good thing" in the episode.[16] Robert Shearman and Lars Pearson, in their book Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen, rated the episode one-and-a-half stars out of five, writing that the episode's "laughs aren't clever, and the scares are silly".[17]
Not all reviews were completely negative; others were more mixed. Tom Kessenich, in his book Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files gave the episode a mixed review, writing "as far as [Monsters of the Weeks] go, 'Agua Mala' was pretty standard fare."[18] However, he criticized the episodes resolution, noting that Scully should have had no way to know pure water would kill the creature.[18] Paula Vitaris from Cinefantastique gave the episode a mixed review and awarded it two stars out of four.[19] Vitaris wrote that, "'Augua Mala' won't end up on anybody's 'best of' list, but it's so silly that it's sort of fun."[19] Timothy Sexton from Yahoo! News named "The Hurricane Monster" as one of "The Best X-Files Monsters of the Week", writing, "I'll tell you one thing about this X-Files episode and this X-Files monster: you'll never go to the bathroom during a rainstorm again without thinking twice."[20]
See also[edit]
List of unmade episodes of The X-Files
References[edit]
Footnotes
1.^ Jump up to: a b c Meisler (2000), pp. 170–180
2.Jump up ^ Meisler (2000), pp. 68–78
3.^ Jump up to: a b c d Meisler (2000), p. 181
4.^ Jump up to: a b c d e Meisler (2000), p. 180
5.Jump up ^ "Agua Mala en Ingles". SpanishDict. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
6.Jump up ^ "Meaning of "aguamala"". MyDictionary. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
7.Jump up ^ Meisler (1999), p. 198
8.Jump up ^ Lowry, pp. 162–163
9.Jump up ^ Meisler (2000), pp. 262–263
10.Jump up ^ Meisler (2000), p. 18
11.Jump up ^ The X-Files: The Complete Sixth Season (Media notes). Fox. 1998–1999.
12.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler (2000), p. 294
13.Jump up ^ "BARB's multichannel top 10 programmes". barb.co.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2012. Note: Information is in the section titled "w/e May 31-June 6, 1999", listed under Sky 1
14.Jump up ^ Agua Mala (Promotional Flyer). Los Angeles, California: Fox Broadcasting Company. 1999.
15.Jump up ^ Liedtke, Michael; Geroge Avalos (31 May 1999). "Despite a Return to Sappiness, X-Files Works". The Charlotte Observer (The McClatchy Company). pp. 6E.
16.^ Jump up to: a b c d VanDerWerff, Todd (8 September 2012). "'Agua Mala'/'Antipas'". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
17.Jump up ^ Shearman and Pearson, pp. 178–179
18.^ Jump up to: a b Kessenich, p. 44–45
19.^ Jump up to: a b Vitaris, Paula (October 1999). "Sixth Season Episode Guide". Cinefantastique 31 (8): 26–42.
20.Jump up ^ Sexton, Timothy (20 June 2008). "The Best X-Files Monsters of the Week: No Aliens Allowed". Yahoo!. Retrieved 17 March 2012.
BibliographyKessenich, Tom (2002). Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 1-55369-812-6.
Lowry, Brian (1995). The Truth is Out There: The Official Guide to the X-Files. Harper Prism. ISBN 0-06-105330-9.
Meisler, Andy (2000). The End and the Beginning: The Official Guide to the X-Files Season 6. HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-107595-7.
Shearman, Robert; Pearson, Lars (2009). Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen. Mad Norwegian Press. ISBN 0-9759446-9-X.
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: TXF Season 6
"Agua Mala" at the Internet Movie Database
"Agua Mala" at TV.com

[hide]
­v·
 ­t·
 ­e
 
The X-Files episodes


­Seasons: 1·
 ­2·
 ­3·
 ­4·
 ­5·
 ­6·
 ­7·
 ­8·
 ­9
 

Season 6
­"The Beginning"·
 ­"Drive"·
 ­"Triangle"·
 ­"Dreamland"·
 ­"How the Ghosts Stole Christmas"·
 ­"Terms of Endearment"·
 ­"The Rain King"·
 ­"S.R. 819"·
 ­"Tithonus"·
 ­"Two Fathers"·
 ­"One Son"·
 ­"Agua Mala"·
 ­"Monday"·
 ­"Arcadia"·
 ­"Alpha"·
 ­"Trevor"·
 ­"Milagro"·
 ­"The Unnatural"·
 ­"Three of a Kind"·
 ­"Field Trip"·
 ­"Biogenesis"
 

 

Categories: The X-Files (season 6) episodes
1999 television episodes


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Monday (The X-Files)

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"Monday"
The X-Files episode
A man lies on the ground bleeding. A woman nurses his wounds.
Scully attends to a dying Mulder. The episode features Mulder and Scully being caught in a time-loop wherein they die in a variety of ways before time itself is set straight.

Episode no.
Season 6
 Episode 14
Directed by
Kim Manners
Written by
Vince Gilligan
John Shiban
Production code
6ABX15
Original air date
February 28, 1999
Guest actors

Mitch Pileggi as Assistant Director Walter Skinner
Carrie Hamilton as Pam
Darren E. Burrows as Bernard
Monique Burrows as Head Teller
Suanne Spoke as Woman Customer
Arlene Pileggi as Skinner's Secretary
Mik Scriba as Lt. Kraskow
Wayne Alexander as Agent Arnold
David Michael Mullins as Tour Guide[1]

Episode chronology

← Previous
 "Agua Mala" Next →
 "Arcadia"

List of The X-Files episodes
"Monday" is the fourteenth episode of the sixth season of the science fiction television series The X-Files. It premiered on the Fox network on February 28, 1999. It was written by Vince Gilligan and John Shiban, directed by Kim Manners, and featured guest appearances by Carrie Hamilton and Darren E. Burrows. The episode is a "Monster-of-the-Week" story, unconnected to the series' wider mythology. "Monday" earned a Nielsen household rating of 10.2, being watched by 16.7 million people in its initial broadcast. The episode received positive reviews from television critics.
The show centers on FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called X-Files. Mulder is a believer in the paranormal, while the skeptical Scully has been assigned to debunk his work. In this episode, the world is trapped in a time loop, and only one woman, named Pam (Carrie Hamilton), seems to know. Each day the events that happen differ slightly. A bank robbery is committed over and over again until finally the eventual bombing of the building is prevented. Somehow, Mulder and Scully are trapped in the middle of it all.
"Monday," inspired by The Twilight Zone episode titled "Shadow Play," required the cast and crew to shoot the same scene several times. Because of this, director Kim Manners attempted to make each camera angle interesting. Actress Carrie Hamilton was cast to play Pam, and Darren E. Burrows, a former regular on the comedy show Northern Exposure, was cast to play her boyfriend Bernard.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot
2 Production 2.1 Writing, casting, and filming
2.2 Props and make-up
3 Broadcast and reception 3.1 Ratings
3.2 Reviews
3.3 References in other media
4 References
5 External links
Plot[edit]
The episode opens with FBI special agent Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) bleeding out from a gunshot wound while Scully tends to him. They are revealed to be hostages in a bank holdup, and Scully attempts to reason with their captor (Darren E. Burrows), only to have him reveal a bomb strapped to his chest. The police begin to storm the building, prompting the gunman to detonate the bomb, seemingly killing them all.
Mulder then wakes, unharmed, to find that his water bed has sprung a leak, his alarm clock is broken, and he needs to pay his landlord for water damage. To do so, he is forced to go to the bank, instead of going to the meeting with his partner Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) and various other FBI officials. When he arrives, the same gunman, named Bernard, arrives and nervously attempts to rob the bank, shooting Mulder in the process. The teller sets off the bank's silent alarm and police cars come rushing to the scene. Scully arrives and once again attempts to help her partner as he lies dying, but events go the same way - the police rush the building, Bernard detonates the bomb, and everybody dies.
Suddenly, the action starts over. Mulder wakes to find that his water bed has sprung a leak, his alarm clock is broken, and he needs to pay his landlord for water damage. To the audience, time itself is stuck in a loop. Everyone is oblivious to the repetition of events except for one person, Pam (Carrie Hamilton), Bernard's girlfriend. Over multiple iterations of the events, Pam does everything in her power to save the agents, including trying to prevent them from entering the bank, trying to inform them of the time loop, and even begging Skinner not to let the police into the building. It is implied that she has lived these events many times, as she refers to having had Mulder ask her the same question over fifty times. There are subtle changes in the events, and Mulder and Scully's conversation is worded differently each time, but the results are always the same: Bernard detonates the bomb, usually after shooting Mulder, and they all die.
The time loop continues ad nauseam, though each time Pam speaks to Mulder, he comes closer to being able to remember her. She is finally able to convince him that events are repeating themselves, and before he is killed by the blast, Mulder begins repeating "he's got a bomb" to himself, in an attempt to recall it the next time around. In the following iteration of the day Mulder finds himself repeating the phrase in the bank, and acting on his hunch, confronts Bernard before he begins the holdup, changing events on a fundamental level. Bernard is agitated and attempts to shoot Mulder, but Pam runs into the building and throws herself in front of Mulder as he fires. As she lies dying, she admits, "This never happened before." Bernard collapses to his knees, horrified by what he has done, and is peacefully arrested. The bomb blast averted, time continues as normal.[1]
Production[edit]
Writing, casting, and filming[edit]



 Episode co-writer Vince Gilligan was inspired by a 1961 episode of The Twilight Zone called "Shadow Play."
The episode was written under "extreme pressure" during the show's brief Christmas hiatus.[2] Many critics have noted similarities between "Monday" and the 1993 comedy film Groundhog Day.[3] Vince Gilligan and John Shiban, the writers of the episode, however, credit a 1961 episode of The Twilight Zone titled "Shadow Play."[2] Gilligan later noted that, "the funny thing about 'Monday' is people seemed to really like it a lot, but people always sorta [sic] smiled and said you're sort of ripping off Groundhog Day aren't you? [...] And I'd say, we're not ripping off Groundhog Day, we're ripping off The Twilight Zone."[4]
Casting director Rick Millikan was tasked with finding a suitable actress to play Pam, the would-be bank robber's girlfriend. Millikan expressed the difficulty in casting the role, saying, "you had to feel sorry for this woman's terrible, unbelievable plight—basically she's trapped in a living hell—without at any time thinking she's insane."[2][5] The role eventually went to actress Carrie Hamilton, who Millikan and the producers unanimously agreed was the perfect choice. This was one of Hamilton's last roles, as she died from cancer three years later at the age of 38. For the part of Bernard, Millikan cast Darren Burrows, a former regular on the comedy show Northern Exposure. Millikan later said that his acting was, "beautiful."[5]
Director Kim Manners, realizing the monotony of some of the scenes, such as Mulder waking up after each successive explosion, attempted to make each camera angle interesting. He diagrammed every camera angle and move to make the scenes visually appealing and hold the viewers' attention. First assistant director Bruce Carter examined the script and created a complex timeline to make shooting easier. It took him two weeks to break all the episode's elements into their exact timings, but Carter considered it a success. He later said, "It was one of the things I was proudest of all year."[2]
To create the bank needed for the episode, Ilt Jones and the location department staff found a former bank and current animation school and film production house on Fourth and Main Street in downtown Los Angeles. The building was completely renovated, complete with fake ATMs, columns, desks, and double-glazed windows. All of the items inside of the bank were bought from a bank-supply catalogue by set decorator Tim Stepeck. During the hold-up scene outside the bank, a four-block area was sealed off to allow cameras to film. A total of eleven cameras, some at different speeds, were used. Some of the cameras made it onto the film, but they were erased during post-production.[5]
Props and make-up[edit]
Much of the episode relied on props. The water bed, which was purchased by Morris Fletcher earlier in the sixth season episode "Dreamland" while in Mulder's body,[5][6] proved to be the hardest prop to locate. Stepeck searched Los Angeles and was unable to find a suitable bed. He had to order the bed from a specialized furniture store in San Francisco. Mulder's paycheck and envelope were created after several calls to the J. Edgar Hoover Building in Washington, D.C. The checks were made to be as realistic as possible without looking too convincing. During the hold-up scene outside the bank, the police cruisers were all turned off, because the combined noise of the cars would drown out dialogue. To ensure their flashing lights, car coordinator Danny Briggs installed battery chargers in the cars.[5]
To give Pam the proper look, the makeup department, headed by Cheri Montesanto-Mecalf, applied mascara under Hamilton's eyes and then smudged it to give her a "haunted" look. Pam's stringy and multi-hued hairstyle was Hamilton's creation. Dena Green, the hair department head, was tasked with creating an exact wig replica to be worn by Hamilton's stunt double.[5]
Broadcast and reception[edit]
Ratings[edit]
"Monday" first aired in the United States on February 28, 1999.[7] This episode earned a Nielsen rating of 10.2, meaning that roughly 10.2 percent of all television-equipped households were tuned in to the episode. It was viewed by 16.7 million viewers.[8] The episode aired in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Sky1 on June 13, 1999 and received 0.90 million viewers, making it the second most-watched episode that week, behind Friends.[9] Fox promoted the episode with the tagline "How do you stop the unstoppable from happening? Tonight, Mulder may die trying."[10]
Reviews[edit]
The episode received mostly positive reviews. Tom Kessenich, in his book Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files gave the episode a positive review, writing "One of the strengths of 'Monday' is in showing us Scully's evolution and how her experiences with Mulder allow her to embrace, albeit reluctantly, ideas that are not grounded in science."[11] Den of Geek writer Juliette Harrisson named the episode the "finest stand-alone episode" of the sixth season and wrote, "Time loops, if dragged on for too long, can become tedious, but in small doses they can be hilariously funny or achingly poignant. This episode is definitely the latter, as the downtrodden girlfriend of a bank robber is forced to witness the deaths of her boyfriend, Mulder, Scully and a large group of innocent people die over and over again until finally she breaks the loop by dying herself [...] The onus of saving everyone being largely on the shoulders of an unknown woman effectively brings in a change of pace and a welcome breath of fresh air."[6] Earl Cressey from DVD Talk called "Monday" one of the "highlights of season six."[12] Zack Handlen of The A.V. Club awarded the episode an "A" and called it "a script which balances humor, structural brilliance, and compassion in equal measure."[13] Handlen compared and contrasted the episode to Groundhog's Day, noting that, while both feature a character who is able to restart a day, in "Monday", the characters have the benefit of free will and can change factors: "Every Monday to her has certain basic requirements: boyfriend with bomb, bank robbery, the FBI agents […] and the earth-shattering Kaboom. Aside from that, nothing is certain."[13] Handlen concluded that the episode managed to be both "a very funny hour", as well as possess serious "sadness".[13]
Jordan Farley from SFX magazine named the episode the eighth of the "Top Groundhog Days" episodes. Farley applauded the show's gall to seemingly kill one of the leads in the teaser and appreciated the entry's mix of humor—during the scenes with Mulder and his water bed—and its alternative scenarios in the bank.[14] Natalie Prado from Just Press Play gave the episode an A– and wrote, "The episode is well-written and tense. As an audience, we become increasingly frustrated that the two people that we know can solve the problem are unaware that it exists, which makes the payoff when they finally find a way out much more satisfying. There are a few leaps in logic, especially towards the end, but overall it’s solid and enjoyable."[3] Jamie Jeffords, writing for the Dallas Morning News, awarded the episode four out of five stars and praised Hamilton's performance, saying, "What makes 'Monday’ is the performance of Hamilton [...] When she is killed in the end, she almost possesses a quiet glee when she realizes her death never happened before, so maybe it is over now. Her performance is haunting. Very powerful."[15] Michigan Daily writer Melissa Runstrom, in a review of the sixth season, said "Monday" was "well made and entertaining."[16] Paula Vitaris from Cinefantastique gave the episode a largely positive review and awarded it three-and-a-half stars out of four.[17] Vitaris called the episode "ingenious and heart-wrenching," and noted that David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson's acting was the best of the season.[17] Furthermore, she praised Kim Manners' directing style, calling the same scenes shot in different ways "new".[17] UGO Networks listed the episode as number 95 in a countdown of the "100 Greatest Moments in Time Travel".[18]
References in other media[edit]
In the episode "All the Way", the fifth episode of the sixth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Warren Mears (Adam Busch) makes a reference to the episode, referring to the entry as the one "where the bank kept exploding".[19]
References[edit]
Footnotes
1.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, pp. 182–194
2.^ Jump up to: a b c d Meisler, p. 194
3.^ Jump up to: a b Prado, Natalie. "Groundhog Day and the Time Loop Legacy". Just Press Play. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
4.Jump up ^ Carter, Chris, et al (1999). The Truth Behind Season 6 (DVD). Fox Home Entertainment.
5.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Meisler, p. 195
6.^ Jump up to: a b Harrisson, Juliette. "A look back over The X-Files’ finest stand-alone episodes". Den of Geek. Retrieved December 29, 2011.
7.Jump up ^ Kim Manners, et al. (booklet). The X-Files: The Complete Sixth Season (Liner notes). Fox.
8.Jump up ^ Meisler, p. 294
9.Jump up ^ "BARB's multichannel top 10 programmes". barb.co.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2012. Note: Information is in the section titled "w/e June 7–13, 1999", listed under Sky 1
10.Jump up ^ Monday (Promotional Flyer). Los Angeles, California: Fox Broadcasting Company. 1999.
11.Jump up ^ Kessenich, p. 47
12.Jump up ^ Cressey, Earl (5 November 2002). "X-Files: Season Six". DVD Talk. Internet Brands. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
13.^ Jump up to: a b c Handlen, Zack (15 September 2012). "'Monday'/'Matryoshka' | The X-Files/Millennium | TV Club | TV". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
14.Jump up ^ Farley, Jordan (15 August 2011). "Top 12 Groundhog Days – The X-Files – Monday". SFX (Future Publishing). Retrieved 27 July 2012.
15.Jump up ^ Jeffords, Jamie (March 26, 2011). "X-Files--"Monday"". Dallas Morning News (A. H. Belo Corporation).
16.Jump up ^ Runstrom, Melissa (27 November 2002). "'X-Files' DVD showcases highs, lows of season six". The Michigan Daily (University of Michigan). Retrieved 6 August 2009.
17.^ Jump up to: a b c Vitaris, Paula (October 1999). "Sixth Season Episode Guide". Cinefantastique 31 (8): 26–42.
18.Jump up ^ Patches, Matt (30 December 2010). "X-Files – Mulder, Scully and a Random Chick Can't Escape a Mobius Timeline". UGO Networks. IGN Entertainment. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
19.Jump up ^ Miles, Pearson, and Dickson p. 227
BibliographyKessenich, Tom (2002). Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 1-55369-812-6.
Meisler, Andy (2000). The End and the Beginning: The Official Guide to the X-Files Season 6. HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-107595-7.
Miles, Lawrence; Lars Pearson; Christia Dickson (2003). Dusted. Mad Norwegian Press. ISBN 0972595902.
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: TXF Season 6
"Monday" at the Internet Movie Database
"Monday" at TV.com

[hide]
­v·
 ­t·
 ­e
 
The X-Files episodes


­Seasons: 1·
 ­2·
 ­3·
 ­4·
 ­5·
 ­6·
 ­7·
 ­8·
 ­9
 

Season 6
­"The Beginning"·
 ­"Drive"·
 ­"Triangle"·
 ­"Dreamland"·
 ­"How the Ghosts Stole Christmas"·
 ­"Terms of Endearment"·
 ­"The Rain King"·
 ­"S.R. 819"·
 ­"Tithonus"·
 ­"Two Fathers"·
 ­"One Son"·
 ­"Agua Mala"·
 ­"Monday"·
 ­"Arcadia"·
 ­"Alpha"·
 ­"Trevor"·
 ­"Milagro"·
 ­"The Unnatural"·
 ­"Three of a Kind"·
 ­"Field Trip"·
 ­"Biogenesis"
 

 

Categories: The X-Files (season 6) episodes
1999 television episodes
Screenplays by Vince Gilligan



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Arcadia (The X-Files)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

"Arcadia"
The X-Files episode
A man and a woman stand in a doorway. The man is smiling and waving.
Mulder and Scully posing as the fictional Rob and Laura Petrie. Many critics praised the episode's parody of planned community life.

Episode no.
Season 6
 Episode 15
Directed by
Michael Watkins
Written by
Daniel Arkin
Production code
6ABX13
Original air date
March 7, 1999
Guest actors

Peter White as Gene Gogolak
Abraham Benrubi as Big Mike
Tom Gallop as Win Shroeder
Marni McPhail as Cami Shroeder
Debra Christofferson as Pat Verlander
Tim Bagley as Gordy
Tom Virtue as Dave Kline
Juliana Donald as Nancy Kline
Mark Matthias as Mover[1]

Episode chronology

← Previous
 "Monday" Next →
 "Alpha"

List of The X-Files episodes
"Arcadia" is the fifteenth episode of the sixth season of the American science fiction television series The X-Files. It premiered on the Fox network on March 7, 1999. The episode was written by Daniel Arkin and directed by Michael Watkins. The episode is a "Monster-of-the-Week" story, unconnected to the series' wider mythology. "Arcadia" earned a Nielsen household rating of 10.5, being watched by 17.91 million people in its initial broadcast. The episode received mostly positive critical reception, with many reviewers praising the episode's humor.
The show centers on FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called X-Files. Mulder is a believer in the paranormal, while the skeptical Scully has been assigned to debunk his work. In this episode, several disappearances at an idyllic planned community lead Mulder and Scully to go undercover as a married couple. They find that the members of the community strictly abide by every single subdivision rule, no matter how inconsequential a rule may seem. What Mulder and Scully soon discover is that the ruler of this small community has enforced his rule with a Tulpa creature from Tibet.
Arkin, a first-year staff writer for the show, was inspired to write the episode based on an incident in his life that involved a planned community. The episode heavily utilized special effects, with various make-up and digital effects inserted into the final film to give the episode an appropriate feel.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot
2 Production 2.1 Inspiration and writing
2.2 Casting and design
2.3 Effects
3 Broadcast and reception
4 References
5 External links
Plot[edit]
At the Falls of Arcadia, a planned community near San Diego, disgruntled homeowner Dave Kline arrives at home to find a package from an unknown person. The package contains a tacky whirligig, which Kline puts on his roof to annoy the neighbors. While in bed that night, Kline hears an intruder in the house. He goes to investigate while his wife, Nancy, stays in bed. A mysterious creature attacks and kills the Klines.
Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) investigate the Klines' disappearance, going undercover as new homeowners under the aliases Rob and Laura Petrie. As Mulder and Scully are moving into the Klines' former home, neighbor Win Shroeder nervously tucks away Mulder's basketball hoop into the garage, telling him that it is against the community's CC&Rs. Settling in, the agents begin searching the house and find what appears to be blood on a blade of the ceiling fan. When Big Mike, another neighbor, wants to let the "Petries" in on the "consequences" of breaking the community rules, homeowner association president Gene Gogolak describes him as "a weak link" to be dealt with. That night, the creature seemingly kills him. While taking a walk, Scully later finds the Schroeder's dog Scruffy and Big Mike's necklace in a storm drain. Scruffy's face is covered in a substance that looks like blood.
Mulder and Scully discuss possible motives for the Klines' presumed murders, and Scully decides to have the substances analyzed in San Diego. Mulder decides to test his theories that noncompliance with the community rules is the motive by sticking a plastic flamingo in the yard, among other antics. Mulder later finds a note in his mailbox that says, "Be like the others... before it gets dark" After dark, Mulder brings out his basketball hoop, and Shroeder runs over to frantically argue with Mulder to put it away. Meanwhile, something comes out of the grass at Mrs. Shroeder, who screams. Mulder chases it away, but they all notice their light has burned out.
Shroeder confronts Gogolak, accusing him of trying to kill his family. Instead Schroeder is told "Rob Petrie" is the real problem. Meanwhile, Mulder believes the creature that kills the homeowners moves through the yard, under the grass. Scully shares her lab results: the "blood" on the ceiling fan and on the dog is actually grime, as the neighborhood is built on top of an old landfill. Mulder believes the Klines were buried in their yard, so the next day he gets a backhoe to dig up the front yard, telling the neighbors he's putting in a "reflecting pool," which is not against the community rules. They don't find the Klines, but they do find the tacky windmill that had been mysteriously delivered to the Klines before they died. The windmill bears a label from Gogolak's company.
As Scully calls for a forensic team to come out there immediately, she hears something in the house. She goes for her gun in the dresser drawer, but finds it missing. As the creature comes up the stairs, a bloodied Big Mike grabs Scully and tells her to get out, that "it's coming" for her. He shoves Scully in the closet, and fights with the creature. Meanwhile, Mulder confronts Gogolak about marking the Klines for death by giving them the tacky windmill. Mulder says the creature is a Tulpa, a Tibetan thoughtform, that Gogolak conjured to assure compliance with the HOA rules. Mulder arrests him, handcuffs him to a mailbox, and goes to find Scully. Cuffed to the mailbox, Gogolak begs for help, knowing the creature is coming. The creature attacks Gogolak and, as he dies, it disintegrates into dirt. Scully comes outside too late to see the creature, the remnants of which are at Mulder's feet.[1]
Production[edit]



 "Arcadia" was inspired by life in planned communities.
Inspiration and writing[edit]
Daniel Arkin, a first-year staff writer for the show, was inspired to write the episode based on an incident in his life. In 1991, Arkin had moved into a co-op apartment in Greenwich Village. His movers showed up late, so the crew began unloading around 4 o'clock in the evening. Because he had not read the co-ops "three hundred page"-long CC and Rs, Arkin was later fined one thousand dollars for moving in after 5.[2] In the subsequent years, many of Arkin's friends moved from homes and apartments into co-ops, a situation he describes as "kind of frightening."[2]
The story went through many variations. Originally, Arkin wanted to have the main antagonist be some sort of notorious individual that was terrorizing the neighbor and becoming a sort of metaphorical "bogeyman."[2] Series creator, Chris Carter convinced Akrin to re-write his story and replace the human with an actual monster.[2] Arkin quickly re-wrote his story, and included elements of the Tulpa myth to create a literal monster.[2] The idea to "marry" Mulder and Scully came from a writers meeting.[2] Everyone thought "Arcadia" would be a good story to allow Mulder and Scully to go undercover.[2]
Casting and design[edit]
Abraham Benrubi, more noted for his work as Jerry Markovic on the NBC hospital drama ER, was cast by Rick Millikan to play Big Mike.[2] Benrubi's appearance on the show coincided with one of the final George Clooney episodes filmed for ER and the NBC production staff was hesitant to allow him to appear on the show, for fear of muddling the already-narrow production schedule.[2] Millikan later explained, "there was a small window—he had a few days off—and we were able to squeeze him in there."[2][3]
Cheri Montesanto-Medcalf, the make-up department head for The X-Files, was responsible for making Benrubi appear mauled and bloody.[3] It took four hours to get all of his make-up on him, which included prosthetic appliances and a "head-to-toe" application of dirt and a thickening agent, giving him a "cracked and crusty" appearance.[3] Benrubi wore the make-up for almost twelve hours straight.[3] Costume designer Christine Peters was tasked with designing the outfits for Mulder and Scully.[3] Mulder's outfit was composed largely of "Lacoste Izod alligator shirts, Dockers, Bass Weeguns," and Scully's outfit was "jeans and a sweatshirt [or] khakis and sneakers."[3] Peters noted that Scully's outfit was harder to design because Scully's character has "a 'look' that she doesn't want to give up."[3]
Effects[edit]


The problem was that although the basic concept was good, no one could really envision what this strange beast—a psychological manifested compilation of garbage—should look like.
—Bruce Carter, discussing making the monster[2]
When it came down to making the monster (The Ubermenscher), the staffers were torn.[2] Bruce Carter, the assistant director, explained that the two choices were either to make the creature that had created itself through Gene Gogolak's personality, or make a more conventional garbage creature covered in "banana peels and coffee grounds."[2] Makeup supervisor John Vulich eventually came up with a design for the monster that was, effectively, a foam suit.[2] The suit was made out of urethane to give it a bubbly appearance.[2] Shredded rubber was then attached to the suit and it was submerged in "gunk" to create the garbage effect.[2] As the film was eventually edited, however, more and more of the monster was cut, until it became more of an "unseen" menace.[2] Various X-Files staffers later gave the character a variety of nicknames, including "Gumby on Steroids," "Mr. Butterworth," "Fecal Fred," and "The Shit Monster."[2]
Digital effects supervisor Bill Millar was asked to edit Scully's "evidence video" the Friday before the episode aired.[3] He explained that "they wanted Scully's point of view rather than the Handicam's point of view."[3] Fortunately, the camera was in the trunk of the video playback operator's car, which was parked near Millar's editing facility, giving Millar time to edit.[3] The complete special effect sequence took roughly six hours to complete.[3]
Broadcast and reception[edit]
"Arcadia" premiered on the Fox network on March 7, 1999. This episode earned a Nielsen rating of 10.5, with a 16 share, meaning that roughly 10.5 percent of all television-equipped households, and 16 percent of households watching television, were tuned in to the episode.[4] It was viewed by 17.91 million viewers.[4] The episode aired in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Sky1 on June 20, 1999 and received 1.02 million viewers, making it the most watched episode that week.[5] Fox promoted the episode with the tagline "Mulder and Scully married! This could be the scariest 'X-Files' ever!"[6]
The episode received mostly positive reviews from critics. Rob Bricken from Topless Robot named "Arcadia" the tenth funniest X-Files episode and noted the two levels of humor in the episode—the "blatantly hilarious" pairing of Mulder and Scully as husband and wife, and the "perfect parody" of the planned community way of life.[7] Timothy Sexton from Yahoo! News named "The Arcadia Garbage Monster" as one of "The Best X-Files Monsters of the Week".[8] Robert Shearman and Lars Pearson, in their book Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen, rated the episode four stars out of five and noted that the inherent draw of the episode was "seeing Mulder and Scully go under-cover as a yuppie married couple."[9] Despite the general praise for the episode, however, the two slightly criticized the ending, calling the final scene "rushed."[9]
Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club awarded the episode a "B–" and called it "a solid example of the show’s mid-period form".[10] However, he noted that the episode is not one of the series bests, unlike the way many fans portray it—due largely to the fact that "it allows us to see what it would be like if Mulder and Scully were a happily married couple"—and that "the episode’s monster is a little hard to figure out".[10] Other reviews were more mixed. Tom Kessenich, in his book Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files gave the episode a more mixed review, writing "after watching 'Arcadia', I feel like I just had a couple slices of pizza for dinner on Thanksgiving. Not bad, but hardly the feast I have come to expect."[11] Paula Vitaris from Cinefantastique gave the episode a mixed review and awarded it two stars out of four.[12] Vitaris, despite praising David Duchovny's performance during the scenes wherein he "rebels against the rules", called the episode's main villains "stereotypes of self-indulgent, insulated suburbanites."[12]
References[edit]
Footnotes
1.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, pp. 158–168
2.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Meisler, p. 168
3.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k Meisler, p. 169
4.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, p. 294
5.Jump up ^ "BARB's multichannel top 10 programmes". barb.co.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2012. Note: Information is in the section titled "w/e June 14–20, 1999", listed under Sky 1
6.Jump up ^ Arcadia (Promotional Flyer). Los Angeles, California: Fox Broadcasting Company. 1999.
7.Jump up ^ Bricken, Rob (13 October 2009). "The 10 Funniest X-Files Episodes". Topless Robot. Village Voice Media. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
8.Jump up ^ Sexton, Timothy (20 June 2008). "The Best X-Files Monsters of the Week: No Aliens Allowed". Yahoo! Voices. Yahoo!. Retrieved 17 March 2012.
9.^ Jump up to: a b Shearman and Pearson, pp. 180–181
10.^ Jump up to: a b VanDerWerff, Todd (22 September 2012). "'Arcadia'/'Forcing the End' | The X-Files/Millennium | TV Club | TV". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
11.Jump up ^ Kessenich, p. 43
12.^ Jump up to: a b Vitaris, Paula (October 1999). "Sixth Season Episode Guide". Cinefantastique 31 (8): 26–42.
BibliographyKessenich, Tom (2002). Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 1-55369-812-6.
Meisler, Andy (2000). The End and the Beginning: The Official Guide to the X-Files Season 6. HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-107595-7.
Shearman, Robert; Pearson, Lars (2009). Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen. Mad Norwegian Press. ISBN 0-9759446-9-X.
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: TXF Season 6
"Arcadia" at the Internet Movie Database
"Arcadia" at TV.com

[hide]
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The X-Files episodes


­Seasons: 1·
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 ­8·
 ­9
 

Season 6
­"The Beginning"·
 ­"Drive"·
 ­"Triangle"·
 ­"Dreamland"·
 ­"How the Ghosts Stole Christmas"·
 ­"Terms of Endearment"·
 ­"The Rain King"·
 ­"S.R. 819"·
 ­"Tithonus"·
 ­"Two Fathers"·
 ­"One Son"·
 ­"Agua Mala"·
 ­"Monday"·
 ­"Arcadia"·
 ­"Alpha"·
 ­"Trevor"·
 ­"Milagro"·
 ­"The Unnatural"·
 ­"Three of a Kind"·
 ­"Field Trip"·
 ­"Biogenesis"
 

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1999 television episodes


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Alpha (The X-Files)

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"Alpha"
The X-Files episode
A dog with glowing red eyes barks menacingly.
The Wanshang Dhole. The creature was the impetus for the episode, but was derided by several critics for being boring and uninventive.

Episode no.
Season 6
 Episode 16
Directed by
Peter Markle
Written by
Jeffrey Bell
Production code
6ABX16
Original air date
March 28, 1999
Guest actors

Andrew Jordt Robinson as Dr. Ian Detweiler
Melinda Culea as Karin Berquest
Thomas F. Duffy as Jeffrey Cahn
James Michael Connor as Jake Conroy
Michael Mantell as Dr. James Riley
David Starwalt as Officer Frank Fiedler
Tuan Tran as Fong
Yau-Gene Chan as Woo
Dana Lee as Yee
Lisa Picotte as Stacey Muir
Mandy Levin as Angie
Treva Tegtmeier as Peggy
Adrienne Wilde as Nurse[1]

Episode chronology

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 "Arcadia" Next →
 "Trevor"

List of The X-Files episodes
"Alpha" is the sixteenth episode of the sixth season of the science fiction television series The X-Files. It premiered on the Fox network on March 28, 1999 in the United States. The episode was written by Jeffrey Bell, and directed by Peter Markle. The episode is a "Monster-of-the-Week" story, unconnected to the series' wider mythology. "Alpha" earned a Nielsen household rating of 10.1, being watched by 17.7 million people in its initial broadcast. The episode received mostly negative reviews from critics.
The show centers on FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called X-Files. Mulder is a believer in the paranormal, while the skeptical Scully has been assigned to debunk his work. In this episode, Mulder and Scully investigate several killings blamed on an Asian dog called the Wanshang Dhole, thought to be extinct. Mulder and Scully join an obstinate Sheriff, a seemingly eccentric hunter, and a reclusive canine expert to find it. However, there is more mystery to the expert than meets the eye.
"Alpha" was based on a single motif—"Scary dogs in the City"—written by Jeffrey Bell onto a notecard. The episode went through several drafts before being readied right before filming began. Several of the scenes featuring the Chinese freighter were created either through digital technology or through the combination of matte paintings and actual filmed footage.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot
2 Production 2.1 Writing
2.2 Casting and filming
2.3 Alternate ending
3 Broadcast
4 See also
5 References
6 External links
Plot[edit]
On a freighter in the South Pacific, two Chinese men inspect a crate with an animal inside. When the ship reaches port the authorities find the two men in the crate and the animal missing. After Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) receives word of the attack from the mysterious Karin Berquist (Melinda Culea), an expert on canine behavior, he and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) investigate the incident on the ship with the help of San Pedro officer Jeffrey Cahn (Thomas F. Duffy). Meanwhile, in Bellflower, California, a man hears his dog barking in the backyard and lets it in the house. He hears another dog in his backyard and chases it off. After returning to his house he finds his pet dead and is attacked by the mystery dog, who is seen to have glowing red eyes.
Mulder and Scully arrive at the port and talk to the owner of the dog Dr. Ian Detweiler (Andrew Robinson), a cryptozoologist. Detweiler says the dog is a Wanshang Dhole, a species thought to be extinct. The two agents soon receive news of the other attack and, after investigating, Mulder believes the Dhole has near-human intelligence. Mulder and Scully visit Berquist, who tells them that the breed they are looking for is extinct. Meanwhile a dog catcher is chasing a stray through a warehouse when a man enters the building. He promptly transforms into the murderous dhole and attacks the catcher. Mulder and Scully soon arrive at the scene, followed by Berquist. She finds a paw print with five toes, one more than regular canines.
Later that night, Detweiler arrives at a vet's office to get tranquilizers and leaves. The vet goes to the back and is attacked by the Dhole but he locks the room before it can cause any harm. The dog catchers arrive and open fire on the wrong dog. While the vet tries to operate on the hurt dog Scully enters the building and begins to hear screaming in the back room. She discovers that the vet has been attacked. After Scully leaves, the hurt animal transforms into the dhole, revealing that the dog can mimic any shape.
Scully begins to question Berquist's motives, noting that she was the reason Mulder decided to look into this investigation. Mulder, however, begins to suspect Detweiler after learning that he had been at the vet's office; Mulder believes that he is the dhole and is tranquilizing himself in an attempt to stop murdering. Mulder asks Cahn to confront Detweiler, but Cahn is attacked and severely injured by the Dhole and placed in the hospital. Mulder then visits Berquist and says he thinks she has not been honest with him. Berquist reveals that she first suspected Detweiler when she saw him and that he will try to kill her. Mulder worriedly tells Scully, who remains skeptical.
Later Berquist, while locking one of the outside kennels at her house, hears something in the woods. She goes upstairs and gets a tranquilizer gun, although when Detweiler, in the guise of a dhole, enters Berquist's bedroom and attacks her, she sets it aside and challenges the dhole. He attacks, causing them to both fall out the window behind her. Mulder and Scully arrive and find Detweiler's and Berquist's bodies, the former impaled on a fence spike. Back at the office, Mulder receives a package from Berquist; it is her "I Want to Believe" poster, a replacement for the one he lost in a fire and last seen hanging on her home office wall.[1]
Production[edit]



 Producer Frank Spotnitz proposed the idea that Mulder and Berquist would be drawn to each other.
Writing[edit]
"Alpha" was based on a notecard, penned by first year writer Jeffrey Bell, that read "Scary dogs in the City."[2] Bell explained that he got the inspiration for the story after seeing a pack of wild dogs: "Nobody owns [wild] dogs," he noted, "yet these dogs are somehow surviving."[2] After pitching the idea, it was later chosen as the sixteenth episode of The X-Files sixth season. Bell had several discarded ideas before he settled on the Dhole storyline. Initially, the story was going to be a "reversal" of 1963 movie The Incredible Journey, featuring "a desperate family [that] moves three thousand miles to get away from their killer pet—who's waiting for them at their new house, really pissed."[2] The second story idea would feature a child who released his anger through the dogs at a local animal shelter. In this version, the dogs functioned as a manifestation of the child's id. Bell scrapped both of these ideas because they lacked "really cool visuals."[2]
After discarding two drafts, Bell approached producer Frank Spotnitz for help. Spotnitz suggested that the dog could escape from a ship and go on a killing spree. In addition, Spotnitz also came up with the idea for Mulder and Berquist to develop a quasi-romance before the latter is killed at the end of the episode. Bell began to write the script on January 2, 1999, a mere three weeks before pre-production was scheduled to begin. The episode ended up being re-written right up to the start of shooting on February 2.[2]
Casting and filming[edit]
In order to successfully bring the episode to life, dozens of trained dogs were auditioned to play the part of the Wanshang Dhole, a process executive producer Michael Watkins later called "a nightmare."[3] Casting director Rick Millikan noted that he auditioned "many, many women" for the part of Karin Berquist. Melinda Culea, the wife of Peter Markle—who happened to direct the episode—was later cast in the role. Although Culea was chosen because she was affiliated with Markle, a majority of the cast and crew "deemed [her] to have done a fine job."[3] Two Cantonese Chinese-speaking immigrant actors were cast to play the parts of Woo and Yee, the sailors who are killed by the Wanshang Dhole in the beginning of the episode.[3]
Due to the fact that the show was operating on a strict budget, shots of the Chinese freighter were almost entirely created by digital technology or other special effects. For the opening scene of the ship at sea, a matte painting of a boat based on a toy model was superimposed onto a film strip of an empty ocean. Several scenes featuring the boat in port were created by filming an empty harbor and then superimposing a ship via digital technology. Special effects makeup supervisor John Vulich created a latex appliance that enabled the veterinarian to have his throat bitten out.[3]
Alternate ending[edit]
On the season six DVD, an alternate ending to "Alpha" is included. In this version, Mulder receives Berquist's "I Want to Believe" poster and hangs it on his wall. The scene then cuts to Officer Cahn who is recuperating in a hospital bed. When the attending nurse closes the curtains around him, his eyes flash red, insinuating that he now possesses the Wanshang Dhole's morphing abilities.[4]
Broadcast[edit]
"Alpha" first aired in the United States on March 28, 1999.[5] This episode earned a Nielsen rating of 10.1, with a 15 share, meaning that roughly 10.1 percent of all television-equipped households, and 15 percent of households watching television, were tuned in to the episode.[6] It was viewed by 17.7 million viewers.[6] The episode aired in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Sky1 on June 20, 1999 and received 1.02 million viewers, making it the most watched episode that week.[7] Fox promoted the episode with the tagline "Sit. Stay. Kill."[8]
Critical reception to the episode was mostly negative. Zack Handlen of The A.V. Club awarded the episode a "C" and called it a "muddled, tepid bit of television that never really seems to know what story it’s trying to tell".[9] He noted, that while the episode is built around a distinctly "old structure" that harkens back to the show's earlier seasons, the plot becomes predictable quickly.[9] Ultimately, however, he concluded that the episode is compromised by its story which "would’ve been a dud even if it had aired back in 1993".[9] He did, however, compliment the character of Karin Berquist, but wished the episode would have focused more on her and Mulder's relationship.[9] Robert Shearman and Lars Pearson, in their book Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen, rated the episode one star out of five, and noted that "no matter how good the effects, there's a limit to the number of times a dog with glowing red eyes pouncing on a human can be interesting."[10] The two also were critical of the romantic connection between Mulder and Karin Berquist, calling the sub-plot "an attempt to instill a bit of emotion into this repetitive and formulaic tale [that] fails utterly."[10]
Paula Vitaris from Cinefantastique gave the episode a negative review and awarded it one-and-a-half stars out of four.[11] Vitaris called the episode a "run-of-the-mill monster-of-the-week episode" and noted that David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson had "very little energy".[11] Furthermore, she noted that several of the secondary characters were only in the plot "to be killed, nothing more".[11] Cyriaque Lamar from i09 sarcastically labeled the dhole as the "The Were-St. Bernard" and called the episode one of "The 10 Most Ridiculous X-Files Monsters".[12]
Not all reviews were negative, however. Tom Kessenich, in his book Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files gave the episode a more positive review, writing "Perhaps I am alone in sensing the off-beat love story I found to be at the heart of 'Alpha'. But it reached out and grabbed me and I found it to be touching, interesting and worthy of analysis."[13]
See also[edit]
List of unmade episodes of The X-Files
References[edit]
Footnotes
1.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, pp. 196–208
2.^ Jump up to: a b c d e Meisler, p. 208
3.^ Jump up to: a b c d Meisler, p. 209
4.Jump up ^ Alpha Scene 76 - Alternate Ending (DVD). The X-Files: The Complete Sixth Season: Fox Home Entertainment. 1999.
5.Jump up ^ The X-Files: The Complete Sixth Season (Media notes). Fox. 1998–1999.
6.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, p. 294
7.Jump up ^ "BARB's multichannel top 10 programmes". barb.co.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2012. Note: Information is in the section titled "w/e June 14–20, 1999", listed under Sky 1
8.Jump up ^ Alpha (Promotional Flyer). Los Angeles, California: Fox Broadcasting Company. 1999.
9.^ Jump up to: a b c d Handlen, Zack (September 29, 2012). "'Alpha'/'Saturn Dreaming of Mercury' | The X-Files/Millennium | TV Club | TV". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
10.^ Jump up to: a b Shearman and Pearson, pp. 181–182
11.^ Jump up to: a b c Vitaris, Paula (October 1999). "Sixth Season Episode Guide". Cinefantastique 31 (8): 26–42.
12.Jump up ^ Cyriaque, Lamar (1 June 2011). "The 10 Most Ridiculous X-Files Monsters". i09. Gawker Media. Retrieved 17 March 2012.
13.Jump up ^ Kessenich, p. 53
BibliographyKessenich, Tom (2002). Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 1-55369-812-6.
Meisler, Andy (2000). The End and the Beginning: The Official Guide to the X-Files Season 6. HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-107595-7.
Shearman, Robert; Pearson, Lars (2009). Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen. Mad Norwegian Press. ISBN 0-9759446-9-X.
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: TXF Season 6
"Alpha" at the Internet Movie Database
"Alpha" at TV.com

[hide]
­v·
 ­t·
 ­e
 
The X-Files episodes


­Seasons: 1·
 ­2·
 ­3·
 ­4·
 ­5·
 ­6·
 ­7·
 ­8·
 ­9
 

Season 6
­"The Beginning"·
 ­"Drive"·
 ­"Triangle"·
 ­"Dreamland"·
 ­"How the Ghosts Stole Christmas"·
 ­"Terms of Endearment"·
 ­"The Rain King"·
 ­"S.R. 819"·
 ­"Tithonus"·
 ­"Two Fathers"·
 ­"One Son"·
 ­"Agua Mala"·
 ­"Monday"·
 ­"Arcadia"·
 ­"Alpha"·
 ­"Trevor"·
 ­"Milagro"·
 ­"The Unnatural"·
 ­"Three of a Kind"·
 ­"Field Trip"·
 ­"Biogenesis"
 

 

Categories: The X-Files (season 6) episodes
1999 television episodes


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Trevor (The X-Files)

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Jump to: navigation, search

This is a good article. Click here for more information.

"Trevor"
The X-Files episode
The message "I Want What's Mine" is burnt into a door.
Mulder examines the drastically burned face of one of Pinker's former acquaintances. Although many reviews derided the plot, Cinefantastique praised the show's fake corpses.

Episode no.
Season 6
 Episode 17
Directed by
Rob Bowman
Written by
Jim Guttridge
 Ken Hawryliw
Production code
6ABX17
Original air date
April 11, 1999
Guest actors

John Diehl as Wilson 'Pinker' Rawls
Catherine Dent as June Gurwitch
Tuesday Knight as Jackie Gurwitch
Frank Novak as Superintendent Raybert Fellowes
David Bowe as Robert Werther
Lamont Johnson as Whaley
Keith Brunsmann as Bo
Jerry Giles as Security Guard
Jeffrey Schoeny as Trevor
Cary Pfeffer as Anchorman
Terri Merryman as Newscaster
Jerry Giles as Security Guard
Lee Corbin as Guard
Christopher Dahlberg as State Trooper
Robert Peters as Sergeant[1]

Episode chronology

← Previous
 "Alpha" Next →
 "Milagro"

List of The X-Files episodes
"Trevor" is the seventeenth episode of the sixth season of the science fiction television series The X-Files. It premiered on the Fox network on April 11, 1999 in the United States. The episode was written by Jim Guttridge and Ken Hawryliw, and directed by Rob Bowman. "Trevor" is a "Monster-of-the-Week" episode, unconnected to the series' wider mythology. "Trevor" earned a Nielsen household rating of 10.4, being watched by 17.6 million people in its initial broadcast. The episode received mixed reviews from critics.
The X-Files centers on a pair of FBI Special Agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who work on cases usually, but not exclusively, linked to the paranormal, called X-Files. Agent Mulder is a believer in the paranormal, while the skeptical Agent Scully has been assigned by the FBI to debunk his work. However, the two have developed a close friendship. In "Trevor", Agents Mulder and Scully search for an escaped convict in Mississippi who was suspected of killing his prison warden under mysterious circumstances. They then set out to find and apprehend him, but in doing so, Agents Mulder and Scully quickly discover that he has the uncanny ability to pass through solid, conductive materials.
"Trevor" was co-written by Ken Hawryliw and Jim Guttridge, who developed a partnership after working on the television series Millennium. The episode was originally supposed to be set in Oklahoma, but was changed to Mississippi for budgetary reasons. In addition, many of the special effects used in the episode were created by conventional methods in order to not exceed the budget of the show; this included the removal of a scene that would have shown Pinker moving through the walls in a motel.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot
2 Production 2.1 Writing
2.2 Casting and filming
3 Reception
4 See also
5 References 5.1 Footnotes
5.2 Bibliography
6 External links
Plot[edit]
At a prison farm in Jasper County, Mississippi, the prisoners are being made to prepare and fortify the prison for a series of devastating tornadoes, which are due to pass through within the next few hours. An argument breaks out between Wilson "Pinker" Rawls (John Diehl) and another inmate, causing Pinker to pin the other prisoner's hand to a wall with a nail. After reporting to the prison warden for the incident, Pinker is made to sit through the tornado in a tiny shack, referred to as "the box" by the prisoners and guards. After the tornadoes pass through the county, the prisoners and guards emerge from their shelters and discover that "the box" has been totally destroyed. One of the prison guards later finds the prison warden's body split in half around the waist, propping his office door shut from the inside.
Fox Mulder (David Duchovny), Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) soon arrive to investigate. Scully performs an autopsy and concludes that the severing of the torso and severe burn marks could have been caused by the weather conditions at the time and that a substantial amount of the torso is missing from the severing. The prison guard that found the warden's body insists that it was the work of Pinker, but cannot bring himself to explain how Pinker did it. Mulder finds that a wall in the office has become extremely brittle and crumbles at the slightest touch.
Meanwhile, a woman and her boyfriend are watching the television when a news report describes the tornado killing Pinker as it hit the prison. The woman is visibly disturbed by the news. Elsewhere, it is revealed that Pinker is alive and has broken into a clothing store. He is confronted by the strip mall's private security guard and handcuffed. However, Pinker quickly slips out of the handcuffs and escapes, stealing the security guard's car. Later, Mulder inspects the handcuffs and finds that they too have become brittle like the wall at the prison, crumbling into dust. Meanwhile, Pinker begins to ransack the house of an old friend looking for something when the occupant returns. After a brief discussion with Pinker requesting the whereabouts of their mutual ex-girlfriend - the woman from earlier watching the television report - the man pulls a gun. However, as he tries to shoot Pinker, the bullets merely pass through him and Pinker kills him by apparently burning his face off. Mulder and Scully arrive shortly thereafter; Mulder examines the bullets embedded in the wall and finds that they, too, crumble into dust when compressed. He muses that Pinker, after being struck by lightning, must have developed the ability to pass through solid objects. Scully argues that Pinker cannot possibly defy the laws of chemistry.
Evidence leads the agents to track down the lady who was upset over Pinker's death, June. June's sister, Jackie, tries to warn her, but Pinker accosts her and her son Trevor. Mulder and Scully later discover Jackie, who tells the agents that Pinker has the ability to walk through walls. June changed her last name to avoid Pinker; the agents find her living with her new boyfriend and convince her to go into witness protection. Pinker, who was hiding in the agents' car, leaves a charred message on June's house wall, but the agents discover that glass, acting as an insulator to electricity, repulses Pinkers abilities. Scully deciphers a doctor's note and learns that Pinker is actually in search of his son, who he has not met yet.
June is placed into witness protection at a motel by the Mississippi Highway Patrol. However, Pinker kidnaps June after killing the state trooper assigned to guard her. Pinker discovers his child is actually Trevor, who has been living with Jackie for the past several years as her child. Pinker attempts to kidnap Trevor, but is confronted by Mulder, who is armed with a shotgun loaded with rubber bullets. Pinker manages to evade Mulder and continues to chase after Trevor and Scully, whom he quickly corners. Scully, using Mulder's glass insulator hypothesis, locks herself inside a telephone booth with Trevor. After failing to break into the telephone booth, Pinker sees his son trembling before him. Realizing that he does not want to scare his son anymore, Pinker decides to walk away. However, June appears and hits Pinker with her car; he passes through the metal components of the car, but not its glass windshield, and is cut in half as a result, killing him instantly.[1]
Production[edit]
Writing[edit]


Pinker is a crazed killer, but not a monster. [...] I mean, in truth, the real villain of the piece is June—an upwardly mobile woman who basically sold out her boyfriend, then gave up her son so she would be more attractive as a single woman. I think that makes an interesting contrast to Pinker—a man who'd do anything to get out of prison and be with his son.
—Rob Bowman, on the nature of Pinker[2]
"Trevor" was co-written by Ken Hawryliw and Jim Guttridge. Hawryliw had been The X-Files' property master from 1993 to 1998 while the show was filmed in Vancouver. Over the years, he had written several scripts but had never submitted them to The X-Files writing staff. Eventually, he moved on to work on Millennium, where he developed a friendship with Guttridge. Guttridge showed Hawryliw a script he had been writing that he wanted to submit for The X-Files. Although the story was not written like an X-Files script, Hawryliw enjoyed the premise. The two decided to form a partnership: Guttridge would craft the basic story and script and Hawryliw would help to craft it into an X-Files script.[2] Hawryliw later explained that the idea to make Pinker search out his son: "There's this unique man who can walk through walls. Now, who would this ability best apply to? Well, a convict obviously—a guy in prison. But then we had to give him an even stronger, more compelling reason to want his freedom, and that was where his son came from".[2]
After the episode was submitted, several re-writes were requested. Originally, the story was supposed to take place in Oklahoma, noted for being the center of Tornado Alley. For budgetary reasons, the episode was relocated to Mississippi. Another scene, originally scripted to take place at a motel, featured Pinker taking a short cut through a wall. This scene was cut not only because of budgetary reasons, but also because the writers and producers wanted to shift the episode from a supernatural focus to an emotional one.[3]
Casting and filming[edit]
To play the part of Pinker, cast director Rick Millikan read a number of actors. At the last minute, Millikan decided to make a call to noted actor John Diehl, famous for his work in Nixon, Stargate, and Miami Vice.[3] Millikan explained that, "[Diehl] had been on my list to put into the show since Day One. [...] It turned out the producers like him too—he'd read for us a couple of times already—and we were able to get him in without even a reading".[3]
In order to film the episode without exceeding the budget, director Rob Bowman used a combination of "clever camera angles, strategic use of breakaway cement, and—in the case of Mulder's trunk lid—the miracle of auto-body repair substance Bondo".[3] Bowman was most proud of the scene where Mulder pushes on the prison's walls, only to have it crumble in the shape of a man. He explained that, "the first time we did it, all we got was a big square hole [...] but we didn't want it to look like Bugs Bunny with his ears sticking out, either".[3] Eventually, the crew was able to create a breakaway section that "suggested, rather than outlined perfectly", the shape of a human body.[3] Finally, hair department head Dena Green was instructed to sweep Diehl's hair to the back of his head during any scene that featured him after he had walked through a solid object.[3]
Reception[edit]
"Trevor" first aired in the United States on April 11, 1999.[4] This episode earned a Nielsen rating of 10.4, with a 16 share, meaning that roughly 10.4 percent of all television-equipped households, and 16 percent of households watching television, were tuned in to the episode.[5] It was viewed by 17.6 million viewers.[5] The episode aired in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Sky1 on June 27, 1999 and received 0.73 million viewers.[6] The episode was the third most watched episode that week, being beaten by The X-Files episode "Milagro".[6] Fox promoted the episode with the tagline "The walls are alive! How can Mulder and Scully chase a killer who can pass through anything?"[7]
Critical reception to the episode was mostly mixed. Robert Shearman and Lars Pearson, in their book Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen, rated the episode two stars out of five, calling it "The X-Files at its most generic".[8] The two noted that the episode had only one good visual gimmick; the ability for Pinker to walk through walls, which, they argue, was never exploited to its full extent.[8] Ultimately, the two conduced that, "'Trevor' is just a bit too disposable and routine to hold much interest".[8] Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club awarded the episode a "C" and wrote that the story "almost works", but that it "focuses too much on the 'monster' and not enough on Mulder and Scully."[9] He called the finished product "something that has a very manufactured quality to it".[9] Furthermore, he criticized the name of the episode, noting that, since half-way through the episode no one has turned up with the name Trevor and the antagonist is obviously motivated by something instead of money, Pinker "must have a son".[9] VanDerWerff did, however, positively compliment the death sequences as well as the corpses, calling the latter "nicely gruesome".[9] In a comparative list between Fringe episodes and The X-Files episodes, UGO Networks writer Alex Zalben named "Trevor" as the least effective "walking through walls" story, being beaten by the Fringe episode "Safe".[10]
Not all reviews were completely negative. Paula Vitaris from Cinefantastique gave the episode a moderately positive review and awarded it two-and-a-half stars out of four.[11] Vitaris, despite criticizing the shaky science behind the tornado with the ability to allow someone to pass through matter, called the episode's special effects "superb": she later cited the "fake corpses" as the best examples.[11] Tom Kessenich, in his book Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files wrote positively of the episode, writing, "With 'Trevor' [the show] offered solid proof to those who thought otherwise that The X-Files can still deliver a powerful [Monster-of-the-Week] when the mood strikes."[12]
See also[edit]
"Monster-of-the-Week"
References[edit]
Footnotes[edit]
1.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, pp. 210–221
2.^ Jump up to: a b c Meisler, p. 221
3.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Meisler, p. 223
4.Jump up ^ Kim Manners, et al (booklet). The X-Files: The Complete Sixth Season (Liner notes). Fox.
5.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, p. 294
6.^ Jump up to: a b "BARB's multichannel top 10 programmes". barb.co.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2012. Note: Information is in the section titled "w/e June 21–27, 1999", listed under Sky 1
7.Jump up ^ Trevor (Promotional Flyer). Los Angeles, California: Fox Broadcasting Company. 1999.
8.^ Jump up to: a b c Shearman and Pearson, p. 182
9.^ Jump up to: a b c d VanDerWerff, Todd (7 October 2012). "'Trevor'/'Darwin's Eye' | The X-Files/Millennium | TV Club | TV". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
10.Jump up ^ Zalben, Alex (5 April 2010). "Fringe vs. The X-Files: Which Does Weird Science Better?". UGO Networks. IGN Entertainment. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
11.^ Jump up to: a b Vitaris, Paula (October 1999). "Sixth Season Episode Guide". Cinefantastique 31 (8): 26–42.
12.Jump up ^ Kessenich, p. 53
Bibliography[edit]
Kessenich, Tom (2002). Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 1-55369-812-6.
Meisler, Andy (2000). The End and the Beginning: The Official Guide to the X-Files Season 6. HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-107595-7.
Shearman, Robert; Pearson, Lars (2009). Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen. Mad Norwegian Press. ISBN 0-9759446-9-X.
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: TXF Season 6
"Trevor" at the Internet Movie Database
"Trevor" at TV.com

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Milagro (The X-Files)

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"Milagro"
The X-Files episode
A man holds his beating heart.
Phillip Padgett rips out his own beating heart. The sequence utilized a rubber heart. Later shots of beating hearts were created with air pumps.

Episode no.
Season 6
 Episode 18
Directed by
Kim Manners
Teleplay by
Chris Carter
Story by
John Shiban
Frank Spotnitz
Production code
6ABX18[1]
Original air date
April 18, 1999
Running time
44 minutes[2]
Guest actors

John Hawkes as Phillip Padgett
Nestor Serrano as Ken Naciamento
Angelo Vacco as Kevin
Jillian Bach as Maggie[3]

Episode chronology

← Previous
 "Trevor" Next →
 "The Unnatural"

List of The X-Files episodes
"Milagro" is the eighteenth episode of the sixth season of the American science fiction television series The X-Files. It originally aired on the Fox network on April 18, 1999. The episode's teleplay was written by Chris Carter from a story by John Shiban and Frank Spotnitz, and directed by Kim Manners. The episode is a "Monster-of-the-Week" story, unconnected to the series' wider mythology. "Milagro" earned a Nielsen household rating of 9, being watched by 15.2 million people upon its initial broadcast. The episode received mixed reviews from television critics; while many approved of it, others felt that it used a stereotype to portray Scully as weak-minded.
The show centers on FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called X-Files. Mulder is a believer in the paranormal, while the skeptical Scully has been assigned to debunk his work. In this episode, Mulder and Scully investigate a series of murders takes place where the heart has been removed from the victims. A writer that lives next door to Mulder is writing a novel about the murders before they actually happen and soon, Scully finds herself confused and drawn to the writer, who has a romantic interest in her.
"Milagro" was inspired by the idea of someone thinking of something so much that it becomes a reality, a topic Shiban later noted was "familiar" to anyone who had written a script. The part of Phillip Padgett had been written specifically for the actor John Hawkes. In addition, the production for "Milagro" was decidedly low-budget due to its "intimate and personality-driven" nature. The episode's title means "miracle" in Spanish. The episode has been analyzed for its use of symbolism, its exploration of motive, and the role reversal of Mulder and Scully.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot
2 Production 2.1 Writing and casting
2.2 Filming and effects
2.3 Music and cultural references
3 Themes
4 Broadcast and reception
5 References 5.1 Footnotes
5.2 Work cited
6 External links
Plot[edit]
Phillip Padgett (John Hawkes), a fledgling author, sits at a desk, suffering from writer's block. He eventually retires to the bathroom to discard a spent cigarette. Without warning or concern, the man suddenly reaches into his chest and removes a bloody heart. Later, he walks down metal stairs into a cluttered basement, and opens the door of an incinerator. Noticing a beating heart amidst the flames, and unfazed by the vision, he nonchalantly tosses in a paper bag.
Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) later encounters the stranger as she walks into an elevator. Both ride in silence up to the fourth floor, with Scully somewhat unsettled by the experience. At Fox Mulder's (David Duchovny) apartment, Mulder and Scully begin discussing a case the pair are working on, wherein the heart of the victim had been removed with the absence of any significant physical evidence. Mulder believes the heart was removed with a technique known as psychic surgery. Meanwhile, Padgett, who is Mulder's neighbor, stands on a chair with his ear to an air vent, listening to the conversation.
Later that night, two teenagers get into a fight in the woods. The girl, named Maggie (Jillian Bach), runs into the woods to be alone and Kevin (Angelo Vacco), her boyfriend, gives chase. However, he is attacked and his heart is removed. Meanwhile, the writer intensely transcribes the event on his typewriter. The next day, Mulder and Scully discuss this latest incident via phone. An unmarked envelope is discovered by Scully in the office containing a milagro, a type of pendant. While she examines the pendant, a voice-over from the writer describes Scully's most intimate feelings as she examines the unsolicited gift.
Scully later runs into the author at a church. He admits sending Scully the pendant and discusses with her the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She leaves, visibly shaken. Scully meets Mulder and relays her most recent encounter with the writer to Mulder. Later, Padgett woos Scully into his apartment with more character revelations. Mulder bursts in and arrests him based on accurate descriptions of the case murders in his novel, which he secretly read after discovering it in the mail. While Padgett is in custody, Maggie is murdered in the same fashion as Kevin. This establishes a de facto alibi for the author. Lacking concrete and connective evidence to the murders, and hoping Padgett might lead them to his partner in crime, Mulder releases Padgett from custody.
Back at his apartment, Padgett converses with the killer from his book, a deceased Brazilian surgeon named Ken Naciamento (Nestor Serrano). It is revealed that through some sort of psychic connection, Padgett's Naciamento has come back to life and has been removing hearts from victims. The two discuss motivations for the killings. Realizing that his novel prognosticates Scully's murder, Padgett heads to the incinerator to destroy his novel. Mulder intercepts him, thinking Padgett is instead simply destroying incriminatory evidence. Meanwhile, Naciamento accosts Scully. After hearing gunshots, Mulder runs toward his apartment and shockingly finds Scully on the ground, covered in blood but alive. The episode closes with a voice over from the author, explaining his final actions. The stranger lies stricken on the basement floor in front of the incinerator, his beating heart in hand, having "... given what he could not receive".[3]
Production[edit]
Writing and casting[edit]

A man in a black shirt with a mustache looks into the camera.

 The part of author John Padgett was written for John Hawkes, who was chosen for his "dignity and simplicity".[4]
The idea behind the episode occurred during a conversation between John Shiban and Frank Spotnitz. The two were discussing about the particular stress of their jobs. The episode's theme of someone thinking of something so much that it becomes real was "familiar" to anyone who had written a script, Shiban later explained.[5] Shiban and Spotnitz created a rough draft for the episode and then sent it to series creator Chris Carter, who was busy shooting the pilot for the new television series Harsh Realm. Carter re-wrote portions of the script, including the ending, to show that the writer, although confused, does indeed have love in his heart.[5]
Spotnitz later called the episode "personal".[6] He noted that the cards that hang on Padgett's wall were put up to emulate the original writing style of The X-Files, saying, "in fact, that the cards that are on the writer’s wall are the same format that we wrote The X-Files in. We would use those same cards when figuring out stories for the series."[6] Later, Spotnitz noted that the cards were also in his handwriting "because the prop guy couldn’t do it as well as we could because that’s really the way we did it. It’s a very emotional love story and it’s really about our love for these characters as writers".[6][7] The writers eventually settled on the title of "Milagro," which means miracle in Spanish.[8]
The part of John Padgett had been written specifically for the actor John Hawkes. Several weeks before the casting for "Milagro" began, Hawkes had auditioned for the part of Pinker Rawls in the episode "Trevor". Both Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz felt that Hawkes was not right for the part; however, they believed he possessed a "dignity and simplicity" that would prevent the main character in "Milagro" from becoming a simple caricature.[4] Therefore, the script was written to suit Hawkes' characterization.[4]
Filming and effects[edit]
The production for "Milagro" was decidedly low-budget due to its "intimate and personality-driven" nature.[4] Director Kim Manners sought to film most of the episode "very simply", because he wanted "the characters to carry it".[9] Manners wanted to frame the opening scene in a way that told "the story […] in a series of images", and so, he utilized quick cuts between shots.[10] Many of the scenes, such as the opening pan, were created by means of a crane shot.[11][12]
The sequence wherein Mulder runs was shot on a motorcycle. Manners recalled that, because Duchovny had been able to outrun two horses in the fourth season episode "Tunguska", he needed something faster to film the scene with.[13] Several locations that were scouted for the episode proved difficult to use.[4] Two churches that had been selected for the episode pulled out just before filming began and replacements had to be found immediately.[4] The scenes in the woods were filmed at Griffith Park in Los Angeles. The location was chosen because it possessed "probably the only pine trees in Los Angeles".[14] Due to the fact that the actual park is rather sparsely populated by brush, the foliage was all created by the crew of the series.[15] Manners shot several of the forest scenes with a 200 millimeter lens, so that the lights of Los Angeles would be disguised in the distance.[16] Padgett's furnace was filmed on a set called the red/blue room. It had originally been created for the sixth seasoner opener "The Beginning".[17] The jail set was constructed in a large warehouse by a different production company.[18] The X-Files rented the space for several days for filming, for five thousand dollars.[19] Finding a graveyard with "old-fashioned vertical tombstones" proved a challenge for locations manager Ilt Jones. Eventually one was found in Altadena, California, east of Los Angeles.[4] The fog in the cemetery was created by burying small "misters" that produced water vapor. The vapor was cold so that it would stay low to the group and emulate the properties of actual fog.[20]
The sequence in which Hawkes rips his heart out was created by using a rubber heart. The fact that the faux blood begins leaking through his shirt was added to "hide the fact that [the crew was] doing a little sleight of hand".[21] The image of the beating heart in the furnace was created by overlapping a shot of a fake beating heart and a shot of actual fire. The two were then merged in post-production by animator John Wash, due to the fact that the fire would have melted the actual heart model.[22] The beating of the hearts of Naciamento's victims was created via a pump that was operated off-screen.[23] The actual milagro prop was crafted several times because, according to Manners, the face was particularly difficult to get right.[24] In fact, the second time the medallion appears in the episode, it is a different prop.[25]
Music and cultural references[edit]
For his score, Mark Snow used the sound of recorded human heartbeats to go along with the conceit of the episode.[26] During the graveyard scene, one of the tombstones is marked "Salinger," with the names "Nicholas" and "Diana" visible underneath, a reference to the parents of Charlie, Bailey, Julia, Claudia, and Owen in the Fox television series Party of Five.[27][28] The date on the tombstone reads 1994, the date the series premiered.[28] P.K. Simonds, writer and executive producer for the show was initially unaware that the tombstone made an appearance.[27] Others, including Spotnitz, believed the tombstone to be a joking reference to famous author J.D. Salinger.[26]
Themes[edit]

The image is of a small gold medallion with religious symbols carved on it.

 A medallion featuring the Sacred Heart; the symbol serves an important part in the episode.
Margaret Kaner, in the book The X-Files and Literature, notes that, instead of merely utilizing symbolism, "Milagro" makes "symbolism as a subject".[29] Kaner points out that the Christian symbol of the burning human heart is infused into the episode in a variety of different ways—hearts are both removed from human victims, as well as burned in furnaces. The episode's plot and the Christian symbol are connected when Padgett leaves Scully the milagro charm.[29]
The concept of motive is also explored.[30][31] When confronting Padgett, Mulder asks him why he is murdering his victims. Padgett, in turn, admits that he cannot answer the question. Kaner suggests that Padgett is representative of a version of Mulder, and that there is a direct parallel between being a criminal profiler—who must think like the criminal—and a writer—who must think like his characters.[30] In the end, however, Padgett sacrifices his personal quest—his manuscript—in order to be free. This presents a distinct contrast to Mulder, who will never truly give up his obsession.[31][32] Michelle Bush, in her book Myth-X, also notes that the episode sheds light on Scully's motive throughout the series: she wants to gain Mulder's attention, something she feels she does not have. Padgett eventually realizes this, and sacrifices himself for her love.[31]
The episode also presents a temporary role reversal for Mulder and Scully. When discussing the lack of evidence at the crime scenes, Scully points out that "a crime is only as perfect as the man […] Even if he made not one mistake, there still is a motive. If you find his motive, you find the murderer". Kaner argues that this logic is more in line with what Mulder has subscribed to throughout the series.[29] Furthermore, after Mulder discovers Padgett's manuscript, he arrests him "without a second thought".[30] By relying on empirical logic, Mulder is acting in the way Scully normally thinks.[30]
Broadcast and reception[edit]
"Milagro" first aired in the United States on April 18, 1999.[1] This episode earned a Nielsen rating of 9, with a 14 share, meaning that roughly 9 percent of all television-equipped households, and 14 percent of households watching television, were tuned in to the episode.[33] It was viewed by 15.2 million viewers.[33] The episode aired in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Sky1 on June 27, 1999 and received 0.85 million viewers, making it the second most watched episode that week.[34] Fox promoted the episode with the tagline "Someone's trying to steal Scully's heart... literally."[35]
Manners was also pleased with the episode; he noted that he "felt it was a very interesting character study".[36] He later called it "one of my favorite episodes".[37] Spotnitz considers "Milagro" to have been an "underappreciated" episode. For this reason, it was later included on the X-Files Essentials DVD compilation, along with seven other episodes.[6] However, the episode received mixed reviews from television critics. Tom Kessenich, in his book Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files gave the episode a positive review, writing "The power of ['Milagro's] revelations was stunning. As was the episode."[38] The character of Ken Naciemento has been listed as one of the best guest roles of the series, with TV Guide and UGO Networks both listing him amongst the greatest monster-of-the-week characters in The X-Files.[39][40] Robert Shearman and Lars Pearson, in their book Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen, rated the episode five stars out of five, calling it "a study of overwriting with all the mistakes left in" and "one of the most remarkable" episodes of the series.[41] Shearman and Pearson also felt that Anderson's performance was "revelatory", and also praised guest star Hawkes as "both sinister and sympathetic".[41]
Zack Handlen gave the episode a "B–" and wrote that "works far better than it deserves to", due largely to the performance of Hawkes and the "bat shit weirdness" of the plot.[42] He was particularly critical of the "self-serious" and "pompous" tone of the episode, as well as its portrayal of Scully with "ill-defined contempt".[42] Handlen concluded that the episode was "like watching someone's fan fiction getting brought to life".[42] He did, however, write that "there is something strangely fascinating about" the premise; in particular, he was pleased with the conclusion, calling it the moment when "things pick up".[42] Paula Vitaris from Cinefantastique gave the episode a negative review and awarded it one-and-a-half stars out of four.[43] Vitaris, despite noting the potential in episode's theme of the relationship between writer and their characters, felt that "Milagro" betrayed Scully's personality and featured her doing things that were out of character.[43]
Much of the criticism that was leveled at the entry accused the show of using a stereotype to portray Scully as weak-minded. Handlen argued that the episode reduces Scully "to a victim waiting to find out which handsome man will rescue her."[42] Elyce Rae Helford, in her book Fantasy Girls: Gender in the New Universe of Science Fiction and Fantasy Television, accused the show of "reinforc[ing] the stereotype […] of independent women as lonely, neurotic, and nostalgic for sexual attention from men."[44] Anderson herself felt that the character needed to "loosen up".[44] She was once approached by a fan who applauded Scully as the "epitome of womanhood" because she is a character who "not only can kick ass but she […] works with Mulder without jumping him."[44] Anderson, in return jokingly replied, "So the epitome of womanhood is sexual restraint? […] I don't think so."[44] The episode was particularly analyzed by fans of the show. The fact that Scully was almost seduced provoked "lively internet discussion".[44]
References[edit]
Footnotes[edit]
1.^ Jump up to: a b Kim Manners, et al (booklet). The X-Files: The Complete Sixth Season (Liner notes). Fox Broadcasting Company.
2.Jump up ^ "The X-Files, Season 6". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
3.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler (2000), pp. 224–235
4.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Meisler (2000), p. 236
5.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler (2000), p. 235
6.^ Jump up to: a b c d "Frank Spotnitz on 'The X-Files Essentials'". Fortean Times (Dennis Publishing Ltd). Retrieved January 2, 2012.
7.Jump up ^ Spotnitz, Frank (September 12, 2012). "Oh, Milagro". BigLight.com. Retrieved October 13, 2012.
8.Jump up ^ "Meaning of 'Milagro'". MyDictionary. Retrieved January 23, 2012.
9.Jump up ^ Manners, 12:46
10.Jump up ^ Manners, 0:32–0:40
11.Jump up ^ Manners, 0:14
12.Jump up ^ Manners, 27:56
13.Jump up ^ Manners, 35:20–35:32
14.Jump up ^ Manners, 6:33–6:44
15.Jump up ^ Manners, 7:51–7:57
16.Jump up ^ Manners, 7:26–7:33
17.Jump up ^ Manners, 2:35–2:43
18.Jump up ^ Manners, 31:15–31:35
19.Jump up ^ Manners, 36:10–36:27
20.Jump up ^ Manners, 33:30–33:40
21.Jump up ^ Manners, 2:02–2:17
22.Jump up ^ Manners, 2:50–3:11
23.Jump up ^ Manners, 8:07–8:12
24.Jump up ^ Manners, 11:25–11:34
25.Jump up ^ Manners, 20:30–20:35
26.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler (2000), p. 237
27.^ Jump up to: a b "Simonds Interview". TKTV. June 1999. Retrieved January 2, 2012.
28.^ Jump up to: a b Bianculli, David (June 23, 1999). "Extras, Read All About 'em Readers Looking Sharp With Batch Of In-Jokes". New York Daily News (Mortimer Zuckerman). Retrieved January 2, 2012.
29.^ Jump up to: a b c Kaner (2007), p. 237
30.^ Jump up to: a b c d Kaner (2007), p. 238
31.^ Jump up to: a b c Bush (2008), p. 86
32.Jump up ^ Bush (2008), p. 87
33.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler (2000), p. 294
34.Jump up ^ "BARB's multichannel top 10 programmes". barb.co.uk. Retrieved January 1, 2012. Note: Information is in the section titled "w/e June 21–27, 1999", listed under Sky 1
35.Jump up ^ Milagro (Promotional Flyer). Los Angeles, California: Fox Broadcasting Company. 1999.
36.Jump up ^ Manners, 5:40–5:45
37.Jump up ^ Manners, 10:35–10:37
38.Jump up ^ Kessenich (2002), p. 58
39.Jump up ^ "Ken Naciemento (The Brazilian Psychic Surgeon) – Top X-Files Monsters". UGO Networks. IGN Entertainment. July 21, 2008. Retrieved March 1, 2012.
40.Jump up ^ "X Files Scariest Monsters Pictures, Milagro Photos – Photo Gallery: The Scariest X-Files Monsters". TV Guide. United Video Satellite Group. Retrieved March 1, 2012.
41.^ Jump up to: a b Shearman and Pearson (2009), pp. 183–184
42.^ Jump up to: a b c d e Handlen, Zack (October 13, 2012). "'Milagro'/'Bardo Thodol' | The X-Files/Millennium | TV Club | TV". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved October 13, 2012.
43.^ Jump up to: a b Vitaris, Paula (October 1999). "Sixth Season Episode Guide". Cinefantastique 31 (8): 26–42.
44.^ Jump up to: a b c d e Helford (2000), p. 73
Work cited[edit]
Bush, Michelle (2008). Myth-X. Lulu. ISBN 9781435746886.
Helford, Elyce Rae (2000). Fantasy Girls: Gender in the New Universe of Science Fiction and Fantasy Television. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9780847698356.
Kaner, Margaret (2007). "Believing the Lie". In Yang, Sharon. The X-Files and Literature: Unweaving the Story, Unraveling the Lie to Find the Truth. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. ISBN 9781847182395.
Kessenich, Tom (2002). Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 9781553698128.
Manners, Kim (2005), "Milagro": Commentary (DVD), The X-Files: The Complete Sixth Season: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Meisler, Andy (2000). The End and the Beginning: The Official Guide to the X-Files Season 6. HarperCollins. ISBN 9780061075957.
Shearman, Robert; Pearson, Lars (2009). Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen. Mad Norwegian Press. ISBN 9780975944691.
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: TXF Season 6
"Milagro" at the Internet Movie Database
"Milagro" at TV.com

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The Unnatural (The X-Files)

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"The Unnatural"
The X-Files episode
The Unnatural TXF.jpg
The Alien Bounty Hunter and the alien meet

Episode no.
Season 6
 Episode 19
Directed by
David Duchovny
Written by
David Duchovny
Production code
6ABX20[1]
Original air date
April 25, 1999
Running time
44 minutes[2]
Guest actors

Daniel Duchovny as Piney
Frederic Lane as young Arthur Dales
M. Emmet Walsh as Arthur Dales
Jesse L. Martin as Josh Exley
Walter T. Phelan, Jr. as Alien
Brian Thompson as Alien Bounty Hunter
Paul Willson as Ted[3]

Episode chronology

← Previous
 "Milagro" Next →
 "Three of a Kind"

List of The X-Files episodes
"The Unnatural" is the 19th episode of the sixth season of the American science fiction television series The X-Files, which first aired on April 25, 1999, on the Fox network. "The Unnatural" was written by lead actor David Duchovny, and it marked his debut as a television director. Although it concerns an alien, the episode is largely unconnected to the wider mythology of The X-Files, and functions as a "Monster-of-the-Week" story. "The Unnatural" earned a Nielsen household rating of 10.1, and its first broadcast was watched by 16.88 million people. The episode received overwhelmingly positive reviews from television critics and members of the cast and crew, most notably from series creator Chris Carter and co-star Gillian Anderson.
The series centers on FBI special agents Fox Mulder (Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Anderson) who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called "X-Files". Mulder is a believer in the paranormal, while the skeptical Scully has been assigned to debunk his work. In this episode, Arthur Dales (M. Emmet Walsh), the brother of a previously recurring retired FBI agent with the same name, tells Mulder the story of a black baseball player who played for the Roswell Grays in Roswell, New Mexico in 1947 under the pseudonym "Josh Exley" (Jesse L. Martin). Exley was actually an alien with a love of baseball, who was hiding among humans. Exley is later tracked down by the Alien Bounty Hunter (Brian Thompson) and executed for betraying his people.
Duchovny was inspired to write the story after connecting the history of baseball in Roswell and the 1947 Roswell Incident. Jesse Martin was first considered for the lead guest role as Exley after Duchovny noticed him in an episode of Ally McBeal. Originally, Darren McGavin was cast to play the part of Arthur Dales but, after he suffered a stroke, he was replaced by Walsh. Many of the outdoor baseball scenes were filmed at Jay Littleton Ballfield, an all-wood stadium located in Ontario, California. The episode has been critically examined for its use of literary motifs, its unique structure, and the overriding themes of racism and alienation.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot
2 Production 2.1 Conception and writing
2.2 Casting
2.3 Filming and post-production
3 Themes
4 Broadcast and reception 4.1 Ratings
4.2 Reviews
5 References 5.1 Footnotes
5.2 Bibliography
6 External links
Plot[edit]
In 1947, a group of white and black baseball players play a game in Roswell, New Mexico. One of the players, Josh Exley (Jesse L. Martin), hits a foul ball. Some of the players think Exley has the ability to play in the Major Leagues, but he does not want to, as he is unwilling to draw attention to himself. Suddenly, a group of Ku Klux Klan (KKK) members arrive on horseback, seeking Exley. Players from both teams fight back and when the mask of the KKK leader falls off, it reveals the face of an alien.
In 1999, agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) look through Roswell newspapers from the 1940s. Mulder spots an article showing a young Arthur Dales (Frederic Lane)—the original investigator of the X-Files division—Josh Exley and the Alien Bounty Hunter (Brian Thompson). When he seeks out Dales at his Washington, D.C. apartment, Mulder finds out that Dales has moved to Florida. Instead, Mulder meets his brother (M. Emmet Walsh), who is also named Arthur.
Dales tells Mulder of when he met Exley back in 1947. At this point, the episode jumps back in time. Dales (portrayed as a young man by Frederic Lane), a member of the Roswell Police Department, has been assigned to protect Exley, who is hesitant about the idea. That night on the bus with Exley and his teammates, Dales sees the sleeping Exley reflected in a window: Exley's reflection has the face of an alien. The next day, during a game, Exley is hit by a pitch and starts uttering a strange language before returning to his senses. Dales sees green ooze where Exley's bleeding head had rested.
Dales investigates Exley's hometown of Macon, Georgia, and finds out that a boy with Exley's name had vanished about five years previously. When scouts for the New York Yankees arrive at one of Exley's games, he deliberately plays badly, then denies doing so when Dales approaches him about it. That night at the hotel, Dales hears noises from Exley's hotel room. He breaks in and sees Exley in his true form, that of an alien. Exley tells Dales that he is forbidden from intermingling with the human race, but he fell in love with the game of baseball and remained on Earth. Meanwhile, the Alien Bounty Hunter, who is pursuing Exley, takes his form and murders a scientist investigating the green ooze that Dales found. Dales warns Exley that he is now wanted by the police for supposedly murdering the scientist, and Exley goes into hiding.
The narrative returns to the events at the start of the episode. The KKK leader is revealed as the Alien Bounty Hunter, who tells Exley that he must die. He demands that Exley revert to his true form before he dies, but Exley refuses. As Dales arrives, the Bounty Hunter kills Exley and, to the surprise of both, Exley bleeds human blood instead of alien blood. Back in 1999, Mulder invites Scully to hit baseballs with him on an empty field.[3]
Production[edit]
Conception and writing[edit]



 "The Unnatural" was written and directed by series co-star David Duchovny.
"The Unnatural" was the first episode of the series that Duchovny wrote on his own. He had previously co-developed the story for the second season finale "Anasazi" with series creator Chris Carter, and received teleplay credits for the third season episode "Avatar" and the fourth season installment "Talitha Cumi".[4] As The X-Files entered its sixth season, Duchovny decided that it was an appropriate time to try writing a full episode. Before then, he had felt that he did not have the skills necessary; he said, "I didn't have the surety, the confidence in my mind, that I could write a teleplay ... It took me to the sixth year of the show to actually sit down and write one of my ideas."[5] In late 1998, Duchovny met with series creator Carter and they agreed that Duchovny would write a late-season installment for the series.[6]
Both Duchovny and Carter had wanted to write an episode about baseball for several years.[5] Duchovny conceived his premise during the home run race in 1998 between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. He had read a newspaper report about Joe Bauman, a baseball player who never made it to the Major Leagues, but hit 72 home runs during the 1954 season which, at the time, was more home runs than any other professional player. Bauman played for the Roswell Rockets, a team from Roswell, New Mexico, so he immediately connected the two baseball stories with the 1947 Roswell Incident. Duchovny said, "I just made the association ... What if this guy was an alien? and I just started working on that idea."[6][7] Duchovny later said that "these happy chronological coincidences" facilitated the development of the story.[8] Duchovny worked on his idea alone, later stating, "The satisfying thing about [the episode] it is that I had no help at all."[5]
Duchovny decided the lead guest character should be black because, in the 1940s, Jackie Robinson became the first black player in the Major Leagues.[7] Duchovny set the story before the integration of the baseball leagues because "the story wouldn't make any sense if it took place after the integration of baseball, because [Exley] would be discovered".[5] While Duchovny was working on the script, Chris Carter added additional plot points, such as the inclusion of the Alien Bounty Hunter and retired FBI agent Arthur Dales.[6] The episode title is a play on the novel and movie The Natural.[6] The tagline for this episode is "In the Big Inning," which differs from the usual tagline "The Truth is Out There", and serves as a pun on the phrase, "In the beginning".[6]
Casting[edit]

  
Darren McGavin (left) was originally slated to appear in the episode as Arthur Dales, but M. Emmet Walsh (right) took the role after McGavin had a stroke.

Jesse L. Martin was the first actor considered to play the lead guest role of Exley in the episode. Duchovny had initially noticed Martin in a production of the musical Rent, and later during a guest appearance on Ally McBeal. It was during the latter performance that Duchovny decided that Martin's portrayal had the "right feel" for the lead role.[7] Nevertheless, Duchovny said in an interview that he did not have much to do with the casting process, since the most important characters in the episode were recurring characters.[7]
Originally, Darren McGavin was cast in the role of Arthur Dales; the character had previously appeared in the episodes "Travelers" and "Agua Mala".[6][9][10] However, two days after filming began, McGavin suffered a stroke, forcing the producers to remove the few scenes that he had shot from the episode and replace him with M. Emmet Walsh.[6] Executive producer Frank Spotnitz later noted, "It was a great sorrow that we did that, because we were all such huge fans of Darren McGavin", largely due to his role in the 1972 film and television series Kolchak: The Night Stalker."[11] However, Spotnitz also noted that Duchovny "cleverly cast M. Emmet Walsh ... as his brother, also named Arthur Dales."[11] The two scenes that were filmed with McGavin included the sequence in which Mulder quizzes Dales about "all the great ones" being aliens, and a scene in which Mulder asks Dales why he joined the FBI. McGavin later allowed the scenes to be included on the sixth season DVD as a bonus features.[11]
Actor Frederic Lane had previously appeared in the fifth season episode "Travelers," playing the younger version of McGavin's character.[9] Since McGavin was written out of the episode, Lane played the younger version of Walsh's character.[3] Los Angeles Dodgers radio announcer Vin Scully, whose name was the original inspiration for Dana Scully's name, played the baseball announcer in this episode. The announcer was initially unable to appear due to budgetary issues, but he later agreed to record his part for free.[6] Daniel Duchovny, David's brother, appeared in this episode in a minor guest role as a bench jockey.[1][6][7]
Filming and post-production[edit]


It was just a wonderful experience and something I'm forever grateful for, to be able to cut my teeth directing in such a safe environment. And yet it was difficult. Difficult because it was ambitious, but also safe in that these people were all going to do their jobs, and the show was going to get made, and it was going to look like an X-Files even if I just showed up and drooled for 24 hours a day.
“
”
—David Duchovny talking about his introduction to directing.[8]
"The Unnatural" was the first episode of the series to be directed by Duchovny.[12] While Duchovny was working on plot points with Carter, the two agreed that "The Unnatural" would serve as Duchovny's directorial debut. The episode is largely a flashback, which meant that Duchovny could focus on the episode's pre-production, as it would not heavily feature his character, Fox Mulder.[5][6] This narratological method also gave Anderson a minor respite from her work.[7]
During the production process, Duchovny experienced severe anxiety because of the stress of both writing and directing. He said, "I woke up one morning, and I just said, 'I can't do it. I don't know what I'm doing. I quit.' You're trying to have every shot ... in your head at one time, so your head feels about the size of a beach ball as you're walking around [on the set]."[13] However, when the process was finished, Duchovny was pleased; he later said: "When I got out there, [the result] was great."[13]
While the first five seasons of the series were mainly filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, production of the show's sixth season was based in Los Angeles, California.[14][15] Jay Littleton Ballfield, an all-wood stadium located in Ontario, California, which had previously been used for spring training for the minor-league Los Angeles Angels, was the setting for the Roswell Baseball Stadium. The show's producers advertised in local newspapers and on local radio for fans to attend the game dressed in 1940s clothing.[6] During the filming, a raffle was held in between takes, and signed copies of the The X-Files movie, soundtracks, and a film poster were given away to the crowd.[16] The scene featuring Mulder teaching Scully how to play baseball was filmed at Cheviot Hills Park in Los Angeles. The park was also used in the eighth season episode "Three Words" and the ninth season episode "Lord of the Flies".[17]
Costume designer Christine Peters designed the 1940s baseball uniforms after going to Sports Robe, a Hollywood costume house. Dena Green from the hair department cut the hair of attendees waiting outside the ballpark in 1940s styles. Car coordinator Kelly Padovich rented two 1947 model Flexible buses for the Roswell Greys on-bus scenes. Additional 1930s- and 1940s-era cars were rented for the episode. Researcher Lee Smith worked with the Baseball Hall of Fame to ensure the accuracy of the statistics used in the episode. The props department developed from scratch the Peter Rosebud Bank that Dales shows Mulder; it was one of the most expensive props of the season. The score by Mark Snow, the show's composer, was recorded with musicians rather than synthesizers for the first time in the series' history; slide guitar player Nick Kirgo and harmonica performer Tommy Morgan assisted Snow with the music.[6]
Themes[edit]

A book cover, with the words "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell" written on the cover.

 Mulder invokes one of William Blake's "Proverbs of Hell" from his 18th-century book The Marriage of Heaven and Hell in an argument with Scully.
The episode contains literary motifs, which have been studied by various critics. Near the beginning of the episode, Mulder uses one of William Blake's "Proverbs of Hell" from his 18th century book The Marriage of Heaven and Hell in an argument with Scully: "The road to excess leads to the palace of wisdom."[18] Sharon R. Yang, in her essay "Weaving and Unweaving the Story," writes that this is an example of the character using affluent literature to "justify his passionate dedication to questing for knowledge in arcane areas scored by mainstream intellectual authority".[18] In addition, Robert Shearman and Lars Pearson, in their book Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen, argue that the episode functions as a fairy tale; this is most notably illustrated in the happy ending, which features Exley bleeding red blood as he lays dying, granting the "alien his wish" to become human.[19][20] In addition, the meta nature of the episode is similar to the way fans would often react to new episodes of The X-Files. For instance, the two note that, as Dales is telling his story, Mulder is attempting to "tie up everything he's hearing into the established myth arc like a diehard fan".[19]
Ideas of racism and segregation permeate the episode, and several writers have commented on the theme. Sara Gwenllian-Jones in her book Cult Television argues that, throughout the entry, "the blacks are equated with aliens," turning them into a certain type of "other" that is "never allowed to fit in or feel safe".[21] Gwenllian-Jones highlights the scene in which Dales, late one night on the team bus, wakes to see Exley's sleeping body reflected as an alien in a window as an example of the racial comparison. She points out that, despite coming to Earth, Exley has moved from one segregated society—that of the aliens—into another. She points out that Exley, after revealing his true form to Dales, says that "my people guard their privacy zealously. They don't want our people to intermingle with your people".[21] This expresses a similar sentiment to the segregated mentality of the 1940s.[21]
Broadcast and reception[edit]
Ratings[edit]
"The Unnatural" first aired in the United States on April 25, 1999, on the Fox network.[1] The episode was viewed by 16.88 million viewers and ranked as the 17th most-watched television program for the week ending April 25.[22][23] It earned a Nielsen household rating of 10.1, with a 15 share. Nielsen ratings are audience measurement systems that determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the U.S. This means that roughly 10.1 percent of all television-equipped households, and 15 percent of households watching television, were tuned in to the episode.[22] In the United Kingdom, the episode was first broadcast on Sky1 on July 4, 1999.[24] In this nation, it was watched by 870,000 viewers, making it the channel's second-most watched program for that week, after an episode of The Simpsons.[24]
Reviews[edit]

  
Both Chris Carter (left) and Gillian Anderson (right) were pleased with the episode.

The cast and crew of the show were pleased with the finished episode. Carter said, "I think that David, a person who has a very intimate understanding of the show, made the best of his opportunity to tell a very different kind of X-File, and expand the elastic show that it is." Anderson said, "I was proud of David for writing the script. I thought it was wonderful. He was kind and gentle and respectful and humble, and always tried to do his best."[6]
Initial reviews saw the episode in a positive light. Eric Mink from the New York Daily News, in a pre-premiere review, said that it "ingeniously grafts classic X-Files story elements and wry, self-mocking wit onto a delightfully fresh premise".[25] The Lexington Herald-Leader's review was mostly positive, saying that the writing was clever and the "show was full of visual delights".[26] Sarah Stegall awarded the episode five points out of five, complimenting Duchovny's analysis of "bigotry from two angles" and his ability to tie the "ongoing X-Files conspiracy arc ... into a comic tragedy like this".[27] Stegall also called Duchovny's direction "innovative and interesting", and said a transition scene, in which the camera apparently moves through a television screen, was "a wonderful visual metaphor for The X-Files itself".[27]
Paula Vitaris from Cinefantastique gave the episode a largely positive review, awarding it four stars out of four.[28] Vitaris praised the episode's exposition, and wrote, "above all, 'The Unnatural' is about the power of storytelling. We don't really know if Dales' story is true or if it's the liquor-fueled ramblings of a broken-down man, but in the end, this is irrelevant."[28] Melissa Runstrom from Michigan Daily called it a "charming independent story," but "the episode, though, seems to say more about the human condition than about any extraterrestrial plot".[29] Tom Kessenich, in his book Examinations: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files wrote, "In his entertaining debut as an X-Files writer/director, Duchovny took us down a very familiar path this season: [humor]. But unlike some previous navigators, Duchovny stayed on course, made sure we saw all of the spectacular landmarks along the way and, when we reached our final destination, I found I thoroughly enjoyed the ride."[30]
Contemporary reviews have also applauded the episode. Shearman and Pearson rated the episode five stars out of five, and described it as "[a] delightful ... comic fable".[19] Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club awarded the episode an "A–" and wrote that it "works because it takes this very silly idea and proceeds to take it seriously."[31] He criticized the program for its corniness and its reliance on the "magical black guy" stereotype, but he concluded that it was successful "because it embraces this side of the show’s profile [that] could do something sweet and lovely and moving".[31] VanDerWerff complimented Martin's performance, calling his acting terrific.[31] Cynthia Fuchs from PopMatters called Duchovny's directing debut excellent.[32]
The final scene, featuring Mulder teaching Scully to play baseball, was well received by critics. Shearman and Pearson wrote that the scene "is especially delightful, and gives this sentimental episode an extra warm glow."[19] Jean Helms of The Mobile Register named the final scene as one of the "Top 10 X-Files Clips We'd Like to See in the Official Video of Bree Sharp's 'David Duchovny' ".[33] Vitaris called the scene "one of the most charming finales in an X-Files episode" due to its "utterly endearing" qualities and its "unspoken subtext".[5] Since its debut, the episode has been ranked as one of the best episodes of The X-Files. Kessenich named it one of the "Top 25 Episode of All Time" of The X-Files, ranking it at number six.[34] The Vancouver Sun listed "The Unnatural" on their list of the best standalone episodes of the show, and said that the story was heartbreaking.[35]
References[edit]
Footnotes[edit]
1.^ Jump up to: a b c Kim Manners, Rob Bowman, et al (booklet). The X-Files: The Complete Sixth Season (Liner notes). Fox.
2.Jump up ^ "The X-Files, Season 6". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
3.^ Jump up to: a b c Meisler (2000), pp. 253–261.
4.Jump up ^ Hurwitz and Knowles (2008), p. 236–240.
5.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Vitaris, Paula (April 2002). "Creating Episodes that Re-Think The X-Files". Cinefantastique 34 (2): 54–55.
6.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m Meisler (2000), pp. 262–263.
7.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Morris, Peter (2000). "David Duchovny Interview". BBC News (BBC). Retrieved August 9, 2009.
8.^ Jump up to: a b Hurwitz and Knowles (2008), p. 167.
9.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler (1999), pp. 198–211.
10.Jump up ^ Meisler (2000), pp. 170–180.
11.^ Jump up to: a b c Frank Spotnitz (1999). Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary by Frank Spotnitz: Scene 17A – Darren McGavin Instead of M. Emmet Walsh (DVD). The X-Files: The Complete Sixth Season: Fox Home Entertainment.
12.Jump up ^ Shapiro (2000), pp. 229-240.
13.^ Jump up to: a b Weintraub, Joanne (September 8, 1999). "'X-Files' Star in Character for Interview". The Washington Times (News World Communications). Retrieved September 15, 2012. (subscription required)
14.Jump up ^ Carter, Chris, Rabwin, Paul and Manners, Kim (2000). The Truth About Season Six (DVD). 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.
15.Jump up ^ Vitaris, Paula (October 1998). "X-Files: A Mixed Bag of Episodes and a Feature Film Pave the Way for Season Six". Cinefantastique 30 (7/8): 27.
16.Jump up ^ Fraga (2010), p. 84.
17.Jump up ^ Fraga (2010), p. 82.
18.^ Jump up to: a b Yang (2007), pp. xii–xiii.
19.^ Jump up to: a b c d Shearman and Pearson (2010), pp. 184–185.
20.Jump up ^ "'Fairy Tale' – Definition and More". Merriam-Webster. August 31, 2012. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
21.^ Jump up to: a b c Gwenllian-Jones (2004), pp. 136–138.
22.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler (2000), p. 294.
23.Jump up ^ Associated Press (April 27, 1999). "Prime-Time Nielsen Ratings". Associated Press Archive. Retrieved September 15, 2012. (subscription required)
24.^ Jump up to: a b "BARB's multichannel top 10 programmes". barb.co.uk. Retrieved January 1, 2012. Note: Information is in the section titled "w/e June 28 – July 4, 1999", listed under Sky 1
25.Jump up ^ Mink, Eric (April 23, 1999). "Red-Letter Sunday for 'X-Files'". New York Daily News. Mortimer Zuckerman. Retrieved August 9, 2009.
26.Jump up ^ X-Files Hits a Homer. Lexington Herald-Leader (The McClatchy Company). April 30, 1999. Retrieved August 9, 2009
27.^ Jump up to: a b Stegall, Sarah (1999). "Straight Over the Top – Review of 'The Unnatural'". The Munchkyn Zone. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
28.^ Jump up to: a b Vitaris, Paula (October 1999). "Sixth Season Episode Guide". Cinefantastique 31 (8): 26–42.
29.Jump up ^ Runstrom, Melissa (November 27, 2002). "'X-Files' DVD Showcases Highs, Lows of Season Six". The Michigan Daily (University of Michigan). Retrieved August 9, 2009.
30.Jump up ^ Kessenich (2002), p. 59.
31.^ Jump up to: a b c VanDerWerff, Todd (October 20, 2012). "'The Unnatural'/'Seven And One' | The X-Files/Millennium | TV Club". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved October 22, 2012.
32.Jump up ^ Fuchs, Cynthia (April 15, 2005). "House Of D". PopMatters. Sarah Zupko. Retrieved August 9, 2009.
33.Jump up ^ Helms, Jean (August 24, 1999). "'X-Files' Scenes We'd Like to See". The Mobile Register (Advance Publications). Retrieved September 15, 2012. (subscription required)
34.Jump up ^ Kessenich (2002), p. 219.
35.Jump up ^ "A Look Back on Some of the Best Stand-Alone Episodes From the X-Files Series". The Vancouver Sun (Postmedia Network Inc.). July 25, 2008. Retrieved August 9, 2009.
Bibliography[edit]
Fraga, Erica (2010). LAX-Files: Behind the Scenes with the Los Angeles Cast and Crew. CreateSpace. ISBN 9781451503418.
Gwenllian-Jones, Sara (2004). Cult Television. University of Minnesota Press. ISBN 9780816638314.
Kessenich, Tom (2002). Examinations: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 9781553698128.
Hurwitz, Matt; Knowles, Chris (2008). The Complete X-Files. Insight Editions. ISBN 9781933784724.
Meisler, Andy (2000). The End and the Beginning: The Official Guide to the X-Files Volume 5. Harper Prism. ISBN 9780061075957.
Meisler, Andy (1999). Resist or Serve: The Official Guide to The X-Files, Vol. 4. London: HarperCollins. ISBN 9780061073090
Shapiro, Marc (2000). All Things: The Official Guide to the X-Files Volume 6. Harper Prism. ISBN 9780061076114.
Shearman, Robert; Pearson, Lars (2009). Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen. Mad Norwegian Press. ISBN 9780975944691.
Yang, Sharon R. (2007). "Weaving and Unweaving the Story". The X-Files and Literature: Unweaving the Story, Unraveling the Lie to Find the Truth. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. ISBN 9781847182395.
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: TXF Season 6
"The Unnatural" at the Internet Movie Database
"The Unnatural" at TV.com

[hide]
­v·
 ­t·
 ­e
 
The X-Files episodes


­Seasons: 1·
 ­2·
 ­3·
 ­4·
 ­5·
 ­6·
 ­7·
 ­8·
 ­9
 

Season 6
­"The Beginning"·
 ­"Drive"·
 ­"Triangle"·
 ­"Dreamland"·
 ­"How the Ghosts Stole Christmas"·
 ­"Terms of Endearment"·
 ­"The Rain King"·
 ­"S.R. 819"·
 ­"Tithonus"·
 ­"Two Fathers"·
 ­"One Son"·
 ­"Agua Mala"·
 ­"Monday"·
 ­"Arcadia"·
 ­"Alpha"·
 ­"Trevor"·
 ­"Milagro"·
 ­"The Unnatural"·
 ­"Three of a Kind"·
 ­"Field Trip"·
 ­"Biogenesis"
 

 

Categories: The X-Files (season 6) episodes
1999 television episodes




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Three of a Kind (The X-Files)

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Jump to: navigation, search

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"Three of a Kind"
The X-Files episode
Three men stand in front of a hotel/casino during night in Las Vegas.
The Lone Gunmen, (from left to right) Frohike, Langly, and Byers, in front of the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino. Several days were actually spent filming at the famous Las Vegas hotel.

Episode no.
Season 6
 Episode 20
Directed by
Bryan Spicer
Written by
Vince Gilligan
John Shiban
Production code
6ABX19
Original air date
May 2, 1999
Guest actors

Tom Braidwood as Melvin Frohike
Dean Haglund as Richard Langly
Bruce Harwood as John Fitzgerald Byers
Signy Coleman as Susanne Modeski
Charles Rocket as Grant Ellis
John Billingsley as Jimmy the Geek
Jim Fyfe as Timmy the Geek
Jeff Bowser as Redhead Geek
Jason Felipe as Bald Geek
Phil Abrams as Little Fritz
Brian Reddy as Big Fritz
Richard Zobel as Al
Michael McKean as Morris Fletcher
Kalena Coleman as Bus Driver
Rick Garcia as News Anchor
George Sharperson as Guard[1]

Episode chronology

← Previous
 "The Unnatural" Next →
 "Field Trip"

List of The X-Files episodes
"Three of a Kind" is the twentieth episode of the sixth season of the science fiction television series The X-Files. It premiered on the Fox network on May 2, 1999 in the United States. The episode was written by Vince Gilligan and John Shiban, and directed by Bryan Spicer. The episode is a "Monster-of-the-Week" story, unconnected to the series' wider mythology. "Three of a Kind" earned a Nielsen household rating of 8.2, being watched by 12.9 million people in its initial broadcast. The episode received mixed reviews from critics, with many noting that the episode served as a stop-gap.
The show centers on FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called X-Files. Mulder is a believer in the paranormal, while the skeptical Scully has been assigned to debunk his work. In this episode, The Lone Gunmen run into the enigmatic Susanne Modeski. After deceiving Scully into joining them, the trio soon find out that Susanne's fiancé is planning to use her new brainwashing drug for political assassinations.
"Three of a Kind" functions as a sequel of sorts to the fifth season episode "Unusual Suspects", concluding the story of The Lone Gunmen and Susanne Modeski, the woman who led to the creation of the trio. While Mulder played a supporting role in "Unusual Suspects", the concept is reversed in "Three of a Kind", with Scully helping out The Lone Gunmen.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot
2 Production 2.1 Background and writing
2.2 Filming
3 Broadcast and reception
4 References
5 External links
Plot[edit]
During a high stakes poker game Lone Gunman John Fitzgerald Byers (Bruce Harwood) is thrown out after being exposed as a fraud at a government convention in Las Vegas. Unbeknownst to Richard Langly (Dean Haglund) and Melvin Frohike (Tom Braidwood), Byers is still harboring an attraction to Susanne Modeski, a fellow conspirator who mysteriously disappeared almost ten years ago. Byers hopes that he will meet her at the convention.
The Gunmen cleverly trick Agent Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) into coming to Las Vegas using a text to speech program. Their friend Jimmy uses his special technique for gaining access to a secret meeting room where he believes he will learn about new assassination techniques employed by the government. However, Jimmy is discovered and injected with a mystery drug which forces him to kill himself. Meanwhile, Byers discovers that Susanne is alive and well, but has seemingly become a secretive government agent.
Scully and Langly are performing Jimmy's autopsy when they are attacked by an agent who injects something into Scully, who collapses. After being confronted by Byers, Susanne reveals that she is pretending to have switched sides so she, along with her fiancee Grant Ellis, can slow progress on the government's harmful initiatives. She works alongside the Gunmen to set up Grant, whom she discovers has been lying to her.
Timmy, the late Jimmy's friend, asks Langly to attend a Dungeons & Dragons game in Jimmy's honor. The game, however, is a setup to inject Langly with a drug that effectively controls the subject's mind, much like Scully and Jimmy. Frohike finds an extremely flirtatious Scully at the bar with a large cluster of men around her. He takes her back to the suite where Susanne recognizes the effects of the drug, which she identifies as anoetic histamine. She reveals that she had not actually made the compound, except for a small batch accessible only to her and Grant, confirming his betrayal.
Susanne counteracts the weapon's effect on Scully as Langly returns. Langly reports to Timmy the next morning and is given his instructions: Enter the meeting room using the provided pass and fire three rounds into Susanne Modeski. Scully attempts to enter the meeting hall but is stopped by security outside. Langly draws a gun and shoots Susanne Modeski three times in the chest during the break. Scully comes in with the guard and has him call for an ambulance. Byers and Frohike arrive as the EMTs and take her away on a stretcher. It is revealed that Susanne realized Langly had been injected and counteracted the drug's effect on him. Together, Scully, Susanne, and the Lone Gunmen orchestrated an elaborate ruse to allow Susanne to escape. Unfortunately the ruse fails, as Timmy Landau tastes the "blood" on the floor and realizes it is just corn syrup.
Grant Ellis is taken to Susanne Modeski by Scully so she can confront him about why he gave the drug to the government. She is furious as she could have been killed had she not checked Langly the night before. Ellis admits that he only betrayed her because the government threatened his own life. Timmy arrives, guns down Grant Ellis, and takes Susanne to the Lone Gunmen's suite.
Timmy prepares to gun down Langly and Frohike, but is injected with the mind control drug by Byers. As it takes hold of him and he collapses, and the Lone Gunmen successful mind control him into turning himself in. Byers explains to Susanne Modeski that, for all intents and purposes, she is deceased and that she has a new identity. She asks Byers to go with her to start a new life, but he explains he has to keep up the fight. She kisses him goodbye and hands over a wedding ring meant for Grant Ellis.[1]
Production[edit]



 The episode featured on-location filming at Monte Carlo Resort and Casino in Las Vegas
Background and writing[edit]
"Three of a Kind" functions as a sequel of sorts to the fifth season episode "Unusual Suspects", concluding a minor story-arc featuring The Lone Gunmen and Susanne Modeski, the woman who led to the creation of the trio.[2] At the time of filming for "Three of a Kind", David Duchovny, who portrays Fox Mulder, was unavailable for filming because he was preparing his directing debut, "The Unnatural".[3] Only David Duchovny's voice appears in the episode, during a scene when The Lone Gunmen electronically synthesize it in order to convince Scully to travel to Las Vegas.[4] In order to compensate for this loss, co-executive producers Vince Gilligan and John Shiban decided to write an episode based around The Lone Gunmen. The two wanted to bring back several characters and unresolved plot lines, mostly notably the disappearance of Susanne Modeski.[3] Gilligan explained, "I'd been thinking a lot about what happened to Susanne Modeski—what happened to her after she drove off with X in that mysterious car at the end of 'Unusual Suspects'".[3] Gilligan and Shiban soon formulated a plot that revolved around the Lone Gunmen in Las Vegas.[3] "Las Vegas just seemed a really good place to put these guys. First of all, because the idea of them running through a casino is instantly hilarious. But the other thing [...] is that Las Vegas is in some ways the most watched city in the world".[3] Furthermore, Michael McKean, who portrayed Morris Fletcher in the two-part episode "Dreamland", makes a brief cameo as one of the men flirting with Scully.[4][5]
The entire sub-plot featuring Susanne Modeski caused a minor continuity error that had to be retconned. Bruce Harwood, the actor who portrayed Byers, originally wore a wedding ring when he first portrayed the character, noting, "I'd worn my wedding ring [during the first part of the series] so I imagined a married life for Byers".[2] During the filming of "Unusual Suspects"—an episode that would largely feature Byers feeling a romantic connection to Susanne—Harwood removed his wedding ring, deducing that in 1989, when the episode took place, Byers had not been married yet. However, "Three of a Kind"—which takes place in 1998—features Byers once again romantically drawn to Susanne. Harwood explained, "And then [the producers] brought back the character Suzanne [sic] Modeski back in season six, and that was supposed to be in the present. So I had to redo my back story; I said Byers had been divorced".[2]
Filming[edit]
Despite budgetary constraints, the crew of The X-Files were given the green-light to film on location in Las Vegas. This would make Las Vegas only one of the few cities to effectively "play itself" in the series. However, only two days were scheduled for Las Vegas, and most of the scenes were filmed in California at the Century Plaza and Park Hyatt, two hotels relatively close to the Fox studio. Furthermore, Gillian Anderson never had to leave Los Angeles to film the episode.[3] Location manager Ilt Jones noted that The X-Files crew's desire to film on location at various hotels in Las Vegas caused a bidding war, "We went down this list of forty or fifty hotels known to be film-friendly. [...] At first, the reaction was sort of luke-warm, then all of a sudden someone realized that this was The X-Files, for heavens sake, seen by I-can't-tell-you-how-many millions [...] then this huge bidding war broke out".[3] Eventually, Monte Carlo Resort and Casino was selected for shooting. In exchange for a special billing denoting "Production Assistance Provided by" and several shots of the hotel's name appearing in the episode, The X-Files crew received fee-free permission to film anywhere in the hotel during day hours, full access to the hotel's illuminated message board.[5]
Broadcast and reception[edit]
"Three of a Kind" first aired in the United States on May 2, 1999.[6] This episode earned a Nielsen rating of 8.2, with a 12 share, meaning that roughly 8.2 percent of all television-equipped households, and 12 percent of households watching television, were tuned in to the episode.[7] It was viewed by 12.94 million viewers.[7] The episode aired in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Sky1 on July 4, 1999 and received 0.87 million viewers, making it the second most watched episode that week.[8] Fox promoted the episode with the tagline "What's gotten into Scully? Tonight, when Scully hits Vegas, you'll see a side of her you've never seen before."[9]
The episode received mostly mixed reviews from critics, with many noting that the episode served as a stop-gap. Robert Shearman and Lars Pearson, in their book Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen, rated "Three of a Kind" two-and-a-half stars out of five, calling the episode "likeable and good-natured, and utterly redundant, this passes forty-five minutes pleasantly enough, but you'll be hard pushed to remember them afterwards".[10] Paula Vitaris from Cinefantastique gave the episode a moderately positive review and awarded it two-and-a-half stars out of four.[11] Vitaris noted that the episode did "an adequate job, but all in all, this is a filler episode, more substitutes than the real thing".[11]
Tom Kessenich, in his book Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files wrote that, "'Three of a Kind' took the premise [of the Lone Gunmen] and ran with it, offering up a quasi-entertaining effort that indulges [the trio]'s paranoia, banishes Mulder from sight and offers up a very flirtatious Dana Scully. It was all cute and harmless. Kinda like The Lone Gunmen themselves."[12] Zack Handlen of The A.V. Club awarded the episode a "B+" and called it "the second part of a story which didn’t really need one" but also noted that the "laid-back, let’s just hang out and have some fun vibe" of the episode made the entry "very, very easy to watch."[13] Furthermore, he praised the scene wherein Scully is drugged, calling it "hilarious" and "glorious".[13]
References[edit]
Footnotes
1.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, pp. 238–250
2.^ Jump up to: a b c Hurwitz and Knowles, p. 167
3.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Meisler, p. 250
4.^ Jump up to: a b Bryan Spicer (director); Vince Gilligan and John Shiban (writers) (2 May 1999). "Three of a Kind". The X-Files. Season 6. Episode 20. Fox.
5.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, p. 251
6.Jump up ^ Kim Manners, et al (booklet). The X-Files: The Complete Sixth Season (Liner notes). Fox.
7.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, p. 294
8.Jump up ^ "BARB's multichannel top 10 programmes". barb.co.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2012. Note: Information is in the section titled "w/e June 28 – July 4, 1999", listed under Sky 1
9.Jump up ^ Three of a Kind (Promotional Flyer). Los Angeles, California: Fox Broadcasting Company. 1999.
10.Jump up ^ Shearman and Pearson, p. 185
11.^ Jump up to: a b Vitaris, Paula (October 1999). "Sixth Season Episode Guide". Cinefantastique 31 (8): 26–42.
12.Jump up ^ Kessenich, p. 64
13.^ Jump up to: a b Handlen, Zack (October 27, 2012). "'Three of a Kind'/'Nostalgia' | The X-Files/Millennium | TV Club". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved October 28, 2012.
BibliographyHurwitz, Matt; Knowles, Chris (2008). The Complete X-Files. Insight Editions. ISBN 1-933784-80-6.
Kessenich, Tom (2002). Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 1-55369-812-6.
Meisler, Andy (2000). The End and the Beginning: The Official Guide to the X-Files Season 6. HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-107595-7.
Shearman, Robert; Pearson, Lars (2009). Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen. Mad Norwegian Press. ISBN 0-9759446-9-X.
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: TXF Season 6
"Three of a Kind" at the Internet Movie Database
"Three of a Kind" at TV.com

[hide]
­v·
 ­t·
 ­e
 
The X-Files episodes


­Seasons: 1·
 ­2·
 ­3·
 ­4·
 ­5·
 ­6·
 ­7·
 ­8·
 ­9
 

Season 6
­"The Beginning"·
 ­"Drive"·
 ­"Triangle"·
 ­"Dreamland"·
 ­"How the Ghosts Stole Christmas"·
 ­"Terms of Endearment"·
 ­"The Rain King"·
 ­"S.R. 819"·
 ­"Tithonus"·
 ­"Two Fathers"·
 ­"One Son"·
 ­"Agua Mala"·
 ­"Monday"·
 ­"Arcadia"·
 ­"Alpha"·
 ­"Trevor"·
 ­"Milagro"·
 ­"The Unnatural"·
 ­"Three of a Kind"·
 ­"Field Trip"·
 ­"Biogenesis"
 

 

Categories: The X-Files (season 6) episodes
1999 television episodes
Screenplays by Vince Gilligan


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Field Trip

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

For the class outing, see field trip.
This is a good article. Click here for more information.

"Field Trip"
The X-Files episode
Field Trip TXF.jpg
Mulder and Scully, trapped underground by a giant mushroom. The scene required David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson to be covered in faux-fungal "goop" and remain underground for hours.

Episode no.
Season 6
 Episode 21
Directed by
Kim Manners
Teleplay by
John Shiban
Vince Gilligan
Story by
Frank Spotnitz
Production code
6ABX21
Original air date
May 9, 1999
Guest actors

Robyn Lively as Angela Schiff
David Denman as Wallace Schiff
Jim Beaver as Coroner
Mitch Pileggi as Walter Skinner
Tom Braidwood as Melvin Frohike
Dean Haglund as Richard Langly
Bruce Harwood as John Fitzgerald Byers[1]

Episode chronology

← Previous
 "Three of a Kind" Next →
 "Biogenesis"

List of The X-Files episodes
"Field Trip" is the twenty-first episode of the sixth season of the science fiction television series The X-Files. It premiered on the Fox network on May 9, 1999 in the United States and Canada, and subsequently aired in the United Kingdom on Sky1 on July 18. The episode was written by John Shiban and Vince Gilligan, from a story by Frank Spotnitz, and was directed by Kim Manners. The episode is a "Monster-of-the-Week" story, unconnected to the series' wider mythology. "Field Trip" earned a Nielsen household rating of 9.5, being watched by 15.40 million people in its initial broadcast. The episode received largely positive reviews from television critics.
The show centers on FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called X-Files. Mulder is a believer in the paranormal, while the skeptical Scully has been assigned to debunk his work. In the episode, the mysterious discovery of two skeletons leads Mulder and Scully to investigate. What they discover is a giant fungal growth that causes the agents to have two separate hallucinogenic episodes that eventually merges into one, shared, hallucination. The two are saved thanks to an FBI rescue team led by Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi).
The episode was written to give the audience a chance to see Mulder and Scully's separate viewpoints during their hallucinations. Members of the cast and crew, as well as reviewers, noted that the episode was a more serious version of the season five episode "Bad Blood". In order to prepare for the episode, various information on mushrooms, fungi, human decomposition, and cave geology was researched by the series' crew members. Furthermore, the episode has been critically examined due to its themes pertaining to alternate reality and its use of abductive reasoning.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot
2 Production 2.1 Writing
2.2 Research, filming, and effects
3 Themes
4 Broadcast and reception
5 References 5.1 Footnotes
5.2 Bibliography
6 External links
Plot[edit]
Wallace (David Denman) and Angela Schiff (Robyn Lively) return home after a day out hiking in the fields of North Carolina. Angela gets a headache and, whilst taking a shower, thinks that she sees images of a yellow substance running down the walls. Angela and Wallace head off to bed in one another's arms but as the camera pans out the scene shifts to their skeletal remains in the same position in the middle of a field. FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) investigate Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) and after closer examination of the bones, the two find a strange yellow substance covering the underside of the skeletons which was missed in the original examination. Mulder, believing that bodies are a result of the famous Brown Mountain Lights, heads out to the scene of the discovery while Scully stays behind with the coroner (Jim Beaver) to perform more tests.
As Mulder arrives in the fields, he inadvertently drives over a patch of mushrooms which releases a cloud of hallucinogenic spores. Mulder—unbeknownst to the viewer—begins to hallucinate. He soon discovers Wallace and Angela in a cave, and the two claim they were abducted by aliens, who covered up their disappearance with false skeletons. Later, Scully arrives at Mulder's apartment and he explains to Scully what happened. He shows her an alien that he captured at Brown Mountain. Scully, however, accepts his reasoning without question and Mulder begins to doubt his surroundings. Eventually, after seeing the yellow substance, much like Angela saw, Mulder awakens in the cave he followed Wallace into earlier, covered in the yellow secretion, being digested alive.
Meanwhile, Scully has discovered that the yellow substance mainly consists of organic material found in digestive juices, although it appears plant-like. Arriving at the field, Scully accidentally steps on another mushroom, and begins hallucinating. Scully and the coroner start to look for Mulder, only to find his skeletal remains. Back at the coroner's office, Scully identifies Mulder's remains from his dental records but finds no evidence of the secretion on the skeleton. Later, at Mulder's wake Mulder shows up, clearly alive. Suddenly, the wake congregation disappears. As Mulder and Scully discuss what has happened, they both begin to realize that they are still in the cave being digested by the substance while they are comatose; somehow, they are sharing the same hallucination. As the realization occurs, they both awaken, deep in the cave and Mulder fights his way out of the ground dragging Scully behind him to safety.
Later, in Walter Skinner's (Mitch Pileggi) office, Mulder begins to doubt once more that they are free at all, asking Scully to name any sort of drug that causes its effects to halt once the user knows they are hallucinating. Scully is in disbelief until Mulder proves his point by shooting Skinner in the chest; the yellow substance oozes out of the bullet wounds. Once again, their surroundings melt away as they awaken underground again in the cave. Mulder manages to stick his hand through the earth ceiling as Skinner and a team of rescue staff manage to locate them and drag them out and haul them to the safety of an ambulance. Once inside the ambulance, Mulder and Scully weakly hold hands.[1]
Production[edit]
Writing[edit]



 The episode was written by executive producer Frank Spotnitz.
"Field Trip" was written by executive producer Frank Spotnitz, who described the writing process as "an experience".[2] The script went through several phases; originally, the script was supposed to feature Mulder trapped in a cave with a mysterious monster.[2] Then, the script was changed so that both Mulder and Scully would be trapped in the cave.[2][3] Finally, the story was altered so that both Mulder and Scully only believed that they two were trapped in a cave, with only Mulder beginning to realize what was actually going on.[3]
Spotnitz noted that the episode's conceit got many crew members excited: "We'd never really done an X-Files like this. We could explore Mulder's and Scully's differences by seeing the extremes of their two hallucinations—a serious version of what we did comically last season in 'Bad Blood'".[3] This presented an opportunity for Mulder to confront his partner with the fact that he is normally right, resulting in a response from Scully, affirming the fact.[3]
Spotnitz called the episode a "wonderful mind game" but was worried that the convoluted story and pace would confuse the viewer. In order to placate these concerns, the teleplay was assigned to be finalized by John Shiban and Vince Gilligan. Once the script was finished, Spotnitz felt the story had become much more understandable; he was particularly pleased with the way Shiban and Gilligan showed Mulder and Scully stepping on the mushrooms as a way to subtly cue their initial exposure to the hallucinogenic mushroom. Gilligan noted that "another really important thing we did was making sure that the audience didn't think that Mulder and Scully weren't really in jeopardy—that it was all a dream, like that whole season of Dallas a few years back. That's why we made sure they realized that the goo from the mushroom would kill them".[3]
Research, filming, and effects[edit]



 Lee Smith, a researcher for the series, consulted a body farm to see how remains decompose underground.
Lee Smith, a researcher for the series, was tasked with researching various cases of large mushrooms. Smith consulted with researches at the body farm, a 30-acre facility operated by the University of Tennessee's Department of Anthropology. The facility buried human body parts from donated cadavers and studied the different conditions in which human bodies decompose.[4]
Special effects coordinator John Vulich was tasked with designing "spidery, eight-foot tall" fiberglass mushrooms. Production designer Corey Kaplan wanted Vulich to design the mushrooms to look "organic and earthbound" as opposed to "alien".[4] Members of the art department consulted various geological text books to properly create the stalagmites and stalactites for the cave scenes.[5] Once the pods and cave set were finished, they were moved to a sound stage on the Fox Studio lots.[4] The opening to the cave was filmed at Bronson Canyon, most notable for being the location of Bruce Wayne's Batcave in the Batman television series that aired in the 1960s.[5]


Oh my God, that was so sick. I remember being covered in yellow goop and then being pulled through the earth, and then being covered in a layer of dirt on top of that. It was kind of fun and kind of just completely disgusting at the same time.
—Gillian Anderson, on the fungal "goop"[6]
In order to create the effect of Mulder and Scully "melting", special effects producer Bill Millar captured video of Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny in three-dimensional high-definition video—the two actors were scanned with a special laser at Glendale, California and the results were manipulated by a computer.[5] Millar noted that, "when we looked at our first test, we realized we couldn't melt Mulder and Scully without some degree of difficulty [...] They had to melt like movie stars [...] without turning Gillian into Margaret Thatcher and David into John Hurt as The Elephant Man".[5] In order to compensate for the difficulties, Millar used a "leading edge" melting effect that melted parts of the actors' faces, keeping their facial features intact until the "goop" overtook them. For other shots, Anderson and Duchovny had to endure hours of being covered by a vegetable-derived food thickener with yellow food coloring that stood in for the fungal secretion. In addition, Anderson and Duchovny were literally buried under the earth for the final scene: large pits were dug and scaffolding was constructed inside of them. The two actors then wore wet suits and were covered in the vegetable fluid and soil.[5]
Themes[edit]
The idea of alternative realities had been explored in previous entries of The X-Files in ways that M. Keith Booker called "relatively conservative […] that allow for recuperation of the alternatives as a single 'real' reality."[7] He cites the third season episode "Jose Chung's From Outer Space" as an example of a faulty narrator, and the sixth season episode "How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" as an example of a comedic alternate reality.[7]
Jerold J. Abrams and Elizabeth F. Cooke, in the book The Philosophy of TV Noir argue that the episode stresses abductive reasoning, a type of logic that goes from data description of something to a hypothesis that accounts for the reliable data and seeks to explain relevant evidence. Abductive reasoning follows the logic: a surprising fact, C, is observed (Result); If A, the hypothesis, were true, C would make perfect sense (Rule); Thus, there is reason to suspect that A is true (Case).[8][9] An example that has been given is: the lawn is wet. But if it is raining, then it would be unsurprising that the lawn is wet. Therefore, it is raining.[10] This logical method is favored by Mulder throughout most of the show.[8] In this episode, however, it is Scully who first uses the method. She takes three separate facts—the massive size of some types of mushrooms, the hallucinogenic properties of some fungi, and the carnivorous nature of certain types of plants—and formulates an abductive conclusion: she and Mulder are trapped underground, experiencing a hallucination, and slowly being digested.[11]
Abductive logic has three parts. First, there is the surprising fact—also called the result—that both Mulder and Scully are hallucinating, despite not taking any drugs. Second, there is Scully's hypothesis—the rule—that, if it were true the hallucination "would be a matter of course". Third, there is the conclusion—the case—that "there is a reason to suspect [Scully's hypothesis] as true."[11] This abduction, Abrams and Cooke point out, is an example of creative abduction, because Scully manages to pull three, separate ideas "creatively" together.[11] Mulder, however, next makes an abductive conclusion. While discussing the events with Skinner, he states that he is not convinced, due to the fact that drugs do not wear off only when one notices their effects. This abduction also has three parts. The result is the surprising fact that Mulder and Scully's escape seems problematic. The rule is that Mulder and Scully only think that they have escaped, but they really are still underground and being digested. Finally, the case states that "there is reason to suspect that" Mulder and Scully have not escaped from the mushroom.[11] This type of logic is an example of undercoded abduction, because it is the most plausible rule among many.[11]
Broadcast and reception[edit]
"Field Trip" premiered on the Fox network on May 9, 1999.[12] This episode earned a Nielsen rating of 9.5, with a 15 share, meaning that roughly 9.5 percent of all television-equipped households, and 15 percent of households watching television, were tuned into the episode. It was viewed by 15.38 million viewers[13] as well as 9.4 million households.[14] "Field Trip" was the nineteenth most-watched television program for the week ending May 9.[14] The episode aired in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Sky1 on July 18, 1999 and received 0.58 million viewers, ranking as the third most-watched episode that week.[15] Fox promoted the episode with the tagline "It seduces your mind... And feeds off your flesh. Tonight, Mulder and Scully stumble onto a plant with a taste for human flesh."[16]
The episode received praise from critics. Todd VanDerWerff from The A.V. Club called the episode one of the "10 must-see episodes" of the series and cited it as an example of the series' subtle shift "from a collection of monster tales to something more akin to an attempt to explain the dark underbelly of America’s obsession with pulp narratives."[17] He ultimately concluded that "Field Trip" showed "how the series would never be as good as its best seasons again, but could still be remarkably effective."[17] In a subsequent review, VanDerWerff awarded the episode an "A" and called it "one of my favorite episodes of The X-Files' sixth season" due to its analysis of what Mulder and Scully each desire from the world, and the fact that the episode argues that the "mysteries can only be solved if both of these people are working to solve them."[18] Robert Shearman and Lars Pearson, in their book Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen, rated the episode five stars out of five.[19] The two positively compared the episode to the episode "Bad Blood", noting that the episode "[is] a retread of those 'Bad Blood' themes".[19] Furthermore, however, Shearman and Pearson noted that, "[the episode is] not merely poking fun at the conventions of the long running sci-fi show, but inviting its audience to question the truths around us we take for granted".[19]
Earl Cressey from DVD Talk called "Field Trip" one of the "highlights of season six".[20] Tom Kessenich, in his book Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files wrote positively of the episode, saying "[Mulder and Scully's relationship in the episode] goes far beyond love, respect or friendship and transcends even the touch of their hands which symbolizes their ultimate union at the end. […] Their connection is so strong, so powerful they even share the same narcotic induced hallucinations. Soul mates indeed".[21] Kessenich later named the episode one of the "Top 25 Episodes of All Time" of The X-Files, ranking it at number 25.[22] Paula Vitaris from Cinefantastique gave the episode a moderately positive review and awarded it two-and-a-half stars out of four.[23] Despite noting that the episode "doesn't do much with is [sic] reality/hallucination premise", Vitaris praised Duchovny and Anderson's acting, noting that their performances were "the prime pleasures" of the episode.[23]
The episode's main antagonist, the field mushroom, was met with mostly positive reviews from critics, with a few detractors. Connie Ogle from PopMatters ranked the "giant underground mushroom thingie" among the "best" monster-of-the-week, describing it as "too crafty to end up on a pizza".[24] Timothy Sexton from Yahoo! Voices named "The Giant Mushroom" as one of "The Best X-Files Monsters of the Week", writing, "In the X-Files episode Field Trip things are simply not what they seem. [...] But when I claim that a giant mushroom is one of the most memorable X-Files monsters of the week, you can bet I'm being serious".[25] Not all reviews were so positive. Cyriaque Lamar from i09 called the mushroom one of "The 10 Most Ridiculous X-Files Monsters" and wrote, "Mulder and Scully conquer this mycological nightmare by jointly fighting it during a drug trip — some real astral plane shit, brah. Love the 1990s CGI".[26]
References[edit]
Footnotes[edit]
1.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler (2000), pp. 264–274
2.^ Jump up to: a b c Meisler (2000), p. 274
3.^ Jump up to: a b c d e Meisler (2000), p. 275
4.^ Jump up to: a b c Meisler (2000), p. 276
5.^ Jump up to: a b c d e Meisler (2000), p. 277
6.Jump up ^ Hurwitz and Knowles (2008), p. 169
7.^ Jump up to: a b Booker (2005), p. 170
8.^ Jump up to: a b Abrams and Cooke (2008), p. 187
9.Jump up ^ Bergman and Paavola (2003), pp. 203–204
10.Jump up ^ Shapiro (1995), p. 623
11.^ Jump up to: a b c d e Abrams and Cooke (2008), p. 189
12.Jump up ^ The X-Files: The Complete Sixth Season (Media notes). Fox. 1998–1999.
13.Jump up ^ Meisler (2000), p. 294
14.^ Jump up to: a b Associated Press (11 May 1999). "Prime-Time Nielsen Ratings". Associated Press Archive. Retrieved 15 September 2012. (subscription required)
15.Jump up ^ "BARB's multichannel top 10 programmes". barb.co.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2012. Note: Information is in the section titled "w/e July 12–18, 1999", listed under Sky 1
16.Jump up ^ Field Trip (Promotional Flyer). Los Angeles, California: Fox Broadcasting Company. 1999.
17.^ Jump up to: a b VanDerWerff, Todd (20 July 2012). "10 must-see episodes of The X-Files". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved 20 July 2012.
18.Jump up ^ VanDerWerff, Todd (3 November 2012). "'Field Trip'/'Via Dolorosa' | The X-Files/Millennium | TV Club". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
19.^ Jump up to: a b c Shearman and Pearson (2010), pp. 185–186
20.Jump up ^ Earl, Cressey (5 November 2002). "X-Files: Season Six". DVD Talk. Internet Brands. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
21.Jump up ^ Kessenich (2002), p. 65
22.Jump up ^ Kessenich (2002), p. 216
23.^ Jump up to: a b Vitaris, Paula (October 1999). "Sixth Season Episode Guide". Cinefantastique 31 (8): 26–42.
24.Jump up ^ Ogle, Connie (28 July 2008), "The X-Factor: A Look Back at 'The X-Files' Greatest Monsters", PopMatters (Sarah Zupko), retrieved 28 December 2011
25.Jump up ^ Sexton, Timothy (20 June 2008). "The Best X-Files Monsters of the Week: No Aliens Allowed". Yahoo! Voices. Yahoo!. Retrieved 17 March 2012.
26.Jump up ^ Cyriaque, Lamar (1 June 2011). "The 10 Most Ridiculous X-Files Monsters". i09. Gawker Media. Retrieved 17 March 2012.
Bibliography[edit]
Abrams, Steven; Skoble, Aeon (2008). The Philosophy of TV Noir. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 9780813124490.
Bergman, Mats; Paavola, Sami, ed. (2003). "Retroduction". The Commens Dictionary of Peirce's Terms (3 ed.). Helsinki University.
Booker, M. Keith (2002). Strange TV: Innovative Television Series from The Twilight Zone to The X-Files. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 9780313323737.
Hurwitz, Matt; Knowles, Chris (2008). The Complete X-Files. Insight Editions. ISBN 1933784725.
Kessenich, Tom (2002). Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 1553698126.
Meisler, Andy (2000). The End and the Beginning: The Official Guide to the X-Files Season 6. HarperCollins. ISBN 0061075957.
Shapiro, Stuart (1995). Knowledge Representation and Reasoning Logics for Artificial Intelligence. University at Buffalo.
Shearman, Robert; Pearson, Lars (2009). Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen. Mad Norwegian Press. ISBN 097594469X.
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: TXF Season 6
"Field Trip" at the Internet Movie Database
"Field Trip" at TV.com

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Biogenesis (The X-Files)

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"Biogenesis"
The X-Files episode
BiogenesisXFiles.jpg
An alien shipwreck on the beach in Côte d'Ivoire. The episode questioned whether or not aliens were involved in past great extinctions, the creation of religion, and the development of the human race.

Episode no.
Season 6
 Episode 22
Directed by
Rob Bowman
Written by
Chris Carter
Frank Spotnitz
Production code
6ABX22
Original air date
May 16, 1999
Guest actors

Mitch Pileggi as Walter Skinner
Nicholas Lea as Alex Krycek
Mimi Rogers as Diana Fowley
William B. Davis as Cigarette Smoking Man
Michael Chinyamurindi as Dr. Merkmallen
Murray Rubinstein as Dr. Sandoz
Michael Ensign as Dr. Barnes
Floyd Westerman as Albert Hosteen
Bill Dow as Charles Burks
Chef Grissom as Detective
Sheila Tousey as Native American Nurse
Warren Sweeney as Geoff Harriman
Samuel Kwaku Minta as Yelling Man
Ayo Adeyemi as African Man
Benjamin Ochieng as Second African Man
Marty Zagon as Landlord

Episode chronology

← Previous
 "Field Trip" Next →
 "The Sixth Extinction"

List of The X-Files episodes
"Biogenesis" is the twenty-second episode and the sixth season finale of the science fiction television series The X-Files. The episode first aired in the United States and Canada on May 16, 1999 on the Fox Network, and aired in the United Kingdom and Ireland on July 25, 1999 on Sky1. It was written by executive producers Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz, and directed by Rob Bowman. "Biogenesis" earned a Nielsen household rating of 9.4, being watched by 15.86 million people in its initial broadcast. The episode received mixed reviews from critics.
The show centers on FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called X-Files. Mulder is a believer in the paranormal, while the skeptical Scully has been assigned to debunk his work. In the episode, Mulder and Scully investigate a bizarre rock inscribed with Navajo writing found in Côte d'Ivoire, and the death of the African scientist involved. While its appearance in Washington begins to affect Mulder’s mental health, leading him to turn to Agent Fowley for help; a disturbed Scully – determined to disprove the theory that life on Earth began with aliens – heads to New Mexico and finds a dying Albert Hosteen – who has discovered that the rock includes passages from the Bible, and a map of the human genome. While Mulder breaks down in a mental institution, Scully journeys unexpectedly to Africa.
"Biogenesis" was a story milestone for the series, along with "The Sixth Extinction" and "The Sixth Extinction II: Amor Fati," and introduced new aspects to the series' overarching mythology. The episode was written due to series creator Chris Carter's fascination with the possibility that extraterrestrials were involved in the great extinctions that had happened millions of years ago.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot
2 Production
3 Reception
4 References 4.1 Footnotes
4.2 Bibliography
5 External links
Plot[edit]
On a beach in Côte d'Ivoire, a metallic artifact with inscriptions is discovered by Solomon Merkmallen, a biology professor. When he takes it to his office and places it together with a similar artifact, the two suddenly fuse and fly across the room, becoming embedded in a Bible. Merkmallen then travels to the United States to meet with Steven Sandoz, an American University biologist who has a third artifact. However, he is murdered by a man posing as Sandoz; when the real Sandoz finds the body, he flees.
Walter Skinner assigns Fox Mulder and Dana Scully to investigate Sandoz's disappearance, giving them a rubbing of Merkmallen's artifact. Mulder tells Skinner that both Merkmallen and Sandoz espoused panspermia, a theory suggesting an extraterrestrial origin to life on Earth. Mulder begins suffering from a headache and is unable to hear Scully speak, a condition seemingly caused by the rubbing. At the university, the agents meet Dr. Barnes—the man who posed as Sandoz—who professes disbelief in his theories. Mulder's condition worsens, but he refuses to go to the hospital and, due to seeming telepathic abilities, realizes that Barnes murdered Merkmallen. Later, in Mulder's office, Chuck Burks tells them that the symbols on the artifact are from Navajo.
In Sandoz's apartment, Mulder and Scully find a picture of him with Albert Hosteen; they also find Merkmallen's dismembered body in a trash bag. The agents report to Skinner, with Mulder believing that Sandoz is being framed and that the artifact emits galactic radiation. He also seems to know that someone else is involved on the case, but Skinner remains silent. However, after the agents leave, Skinner hands a video tape of their conversation to Alex Krycek, who later provides it to Barnes. Scully travels to New Mexico and discovers that Hosteen is dying of cancer; Scully runs into Sandoz and corners him. Sandoz claims that Albert was helping him translate the artifacts, which had included passages from the Bible. Meanwhile, Mulder goes to the university to tail Barnes, but is overcome by his headache and passes out in the stairwell.
Scully contacts Mulder, who is now resting at home. He believes that the artifact proves that humanity was created by aliens. Diana Fowley, who is with Mulder, contacts the Cigarette Smoking Man. A healing ceremony is held for Albert, but Scully is forced to leave when Skinner contacts her, telling her Mulder is in the hospital. Mulder is being held in a padded cell and is displaying abnormal brain activity. Scully, after learning that Skinner knows about their earlier conversation with Burks, calls him and Fowley liars and leaves. Scully is about to find a surveillance camera in the X-Files office when she is called by Sandoz telling her that the artifact contains information on human genetics. Sandoz is killed by Krycek shortly afterwards. Scully then heads to the West African Coast where she discovers that the artifact is part of a large spacecraft partially buried in the beach.[1]
Production[edit]



 Series creator Chris Carter (right) with executive producer Frank Spotnitz (left), the writers of "Biogenesis."
The episode started a new mythology for the series questioning the origin of human life. Series creator Chris Carter claimed to be interested in the subject for a while, citing the possibility of extraterrestrial involvement in great extinctions that had happened millions of years ago.[2] Carter claimed that early in the show he had met with a man who was one of the people responsible for leading the project of mapping the human genome and that he was interested enough in the subject to tie it into the show's alien mythology.[3] The scientific basis for extraterrestrials pursued the writers to help Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully's (Gillian Anderson) beliefs come together, which was furthered in the later seasons of the show.[2] Frank Spotnitz claimed that the ideas used in this episode had been discussed between him and Carter for a few years, and had become easier to bring up after clearing away elements of the conspiracy in the episodes "Two Fathers" and "One Son". Carter developed the script in Vancouver, Canada while working on the pilot for his series Harsh Realm, providing pages to the production crew via the fax machine.[2]
Professor Solomon Merkmallen was portrayed by Michael Chinyamurindi, who had moved to the U.S. ten years earlier and had previously tried out for the episode "Teliko" in season four. A number of Los Angeles, California based African immigrants were used for the fishermen on the African coast.[2] Duchovny expressed anxiety during filming due to the imminent birth of his first child, who was born two days after filming concluded.[2]
The University scenes were shot at UCLA.[2] The African coastline was filmed at Leo Carillo State Beach. Conditions meant that the crew only had approximately 45 minutes per day for filming there. The spacecraft was created digitally and the effect ended up costing approximately $150,000.[2] The extraterrestrial writing on the artifacts was based on the Kecksburg Incident, where an extraterrestrial object appeared in a small town in December 1965.[2] Hosteen Etsity, who previously assisted with the episode "The Blessing Way" oversaw the Navajo symbols and religious ceremonies in the episode.[2]
A large portion of the episode was based on the ancient astronaut theory, which proposes that intelligent extraterrestrial beings have visited Earth in antiquity or prehistory and made contact with humans.[3] Frank Spotnitz later remarked that he was astounded at how little negative fan mail the show received, despite the fact that the "Biogenesis"/"The Sixth Extinction"/"Amor Fati" story arc heavily hinted that aliens were the originators of the notion of God and religion.[4] He credited the manner in which the show handled this delicate subject, saying, "Often in the past, we've done stuff where I was sure we would get angry letters. But we rarely do. And the reason is because of the way we handle things. In 'Amor Fati' we treated the religious side with respect."[4] The ancient astronaut themes were later revisited in the two season nine episodes "Provenance" and "Providence."[5]
Reception[edit]
"Biogenesis" first aired in the United States on May 16, 1999.[6] This episode earned a Nielsen rating of 9.4, with a 14 share, meaning that roughly 9.4 percent of all television-equipped households, and 14 percent of households watching television, were tuned in to the episode.[7] It was viewed by 15.86 million viewers.[7] The episode aired in the United Kingdom on Sky1 on July 25, 1999 and received 0.55 million viewers and was the eighth most watched episode that week.[8] Fox promoted the episode with the tagline "You've heard every theory about how man evolved... except for one."[9] The episode was later included on The X-Files Mythology, Volume 3 – Colonization, a DVD collection that contains episodes involved with the alien Colonist's plans to take over the earth.[10]
Tom Kessenich, in his book Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files gave the episode a positive review, writing "'Biogenesis' gave us a Mulder gone mad, duplicitous allies and enemies, a rising body count, and Scully on the brink of an amazing discovery. It was pure X-Files and a terrific conclusion to a standout sixth season."[11] Den of Geek writer Nina Sordi ranked "Biogensis," along with "The Sixth Extinction" and "The Sixth Extinction II: Amor Fati," as the fifth best episode of the series, writing, "it is evident that as [The X-Files] progressed, the episodes surrounding those storylines and the breaking points Mulder and Scully endured push them further and further towards total, irreversible defeat. This is especially poignant when viewing this anxiety inducing trio of episodes."[12] Monica S. Kuebler from Exclaim magazine called "Biogenesis", along with "The Sixth Extinction" and "Amor Fati", one of the "best" episodes during the show's "colonization" phase.[13] Michigan Daily reviewer Melissa Runstrom said "Biogenesis," along with "One Son" and "Two Fathers," were the highlights of the sixth season.[14]
Zack Handlen awarded the episode a "B" and called it "crazy enough at the end that, if nothing else, I really want to know what happens next".[15] He enjoyed the basic premise, involving the idea that aliens were active in the development of humanity—comparing it to Stanley Kubrick’s film 2001: A Space Odyssey and Ridley Scott’s movie Prometheus. However, Handlen, since he was reviewing the series retrospectively, was slightly disappointed that the plot was dropped in subsequent season. In the end, he noted that the entry was "ambitious, but it doesn’t exactly make sense, which is pretty much where [The X-Files' mythology] is at now."[15]
Other reviews were more critical. Robert Shearman and Lars Pearson, in their book Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen, rated the episode two stars out of five.[16] The two heavily criticized the episode for recycling story lines, writing, "With the Syndicate destroyed, this episode was widely touted as the beginning of a fresh new mythology for the show. So why does watching it give such a strong sense of déjà vu?"[16] Paula Vitaris from Cinefantastique gave the episode a largely negative review and awarded it one-and-a-half stars out of four.[17] Vitaris summarized the episode as "if someone took the script to 'Anasazi'—one of the best X-Files episodes ever—changed the plot a bit, and then stripped it of virtually all human interest."[17]
References[edit]
Footnotes[edit]
1.Jump up ^ Meisler, pp. 279–290
2.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i Meisler, pp. 290–291
3.^ Jump up to: a b Hurwitz and Knowles, p. 169
4.^ Jump up to: a b Shapiro, pp. 28–29
5.Jump up ^ Hurwitz and Knowles, p. 202
6.Jump up ^ The X-Files: The Complete Sixth Season (Media notes). Fox. 1998–1999.
7.^ Jump up to: a b Meisler, p. 294
8.Jump up ^ "BARB's multichannel top 10 programmes". barb.co.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2012. Note: Information is in the section titled "w/e July 19–25, 1999", listed under Sky 1
9.Jump up ^ Biogenesis (Promotional Flyer). Los Angeles, California: Fox Broadcasting Company. 1999.
10.Jump up ^ Kim Manners, et al. The X-Files Mythology, Volume 3 – Colonization (DVD). FOX.
11.Jump up ^ Kessenich, p. 70
12.Jump up ^ Sordi, Nina (22 September 2009). "Top 10 X-Files episodes". Den of Geek. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
13.Jump up ^ Kuebler, Monica (October 2005). "The X-Files Colonization". Exclaim! (Ian Danzig). Retrieved 21 June 2012.
14.Jump up ^ Runstrom, Melissa (27 November 2002). "'X-Files' DVD showcases highs, lows of season six". The Michigan Daily (University of Michigan). Retrieved 6 August 2009.
15.^ Jump up to: a b Handlen, Zack (November 17, 2012). "'Biogenesis'/'Goodbye to All That' | The X-Files/Millennium | TV Club". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
16.^ Jump up to: a b Shearman and Pearson, p. 187
17.^ Jump up to: a b Vitaris, Paula (October 1999). "Sixth Season Episode Guide". Cinefantastique 31 (8): 26–42.
Bibliography[edit]
Hurwitz, Matt; Chris Knowles (2008). The Complete X-Files. Insight Editions. ISBN 1-933784-72-5.
Kessenich, Tom (2002). Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 1-55369-812-6.
Meisler, Andy (2000). The End and the Beginning: The Official Guide to the X-Files Season 6. HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-107595-7.
Shapiro, Marc (2000). All Things: The Official Guide to the X-Files Volume 6. Harper Prism. ISBN 0-06-107611-2.
Shearman, Robert; Pearson, Lars (2009). Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen. Mad Norwegian Press. ISBN 0-9759446-9-X.
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: TXF Season 6
"Biogenesis" at the Internet Movie Database
"Biogenesis" at TV.com

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The X-Files (season 7)

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The X-Files (season 7)
Xfilesseason7.jpg
Region 1 DVD cover

Country of origin
United States
No. of episodes
22
Broadcast

Original channel
Fox
Original run
November 7, 1999 – May 21, 2000
Home video release
DVD release
Region 1
May 13, 2003
Region 2
September 22, 2003
Region 4
October 20, 2003
Season chronology

← Previous
Season 6
Next →
Season 8

List of The X-Files episodes
The seventh season of the American science fiction television series The X-Files commenced airing on the Fox network in the United States on November 7, 1999, concluded on May 21, 2000, and consists of twenty-two episodes. The season would be the last to feature co-star David Duchovny in full-time capacity. He would return in later seasons as an intermittent main character.
Season seven takes place after the destruction of the Syndicate, which marked the end of their long-running story arc. This season marks the end of various other story lines, most notably the revelation of Samantha Mulder's fate to her brother, Fox Mulder. In addition, because sister show Millennium was cancelled in 1999 without concluding any of the shows extended plot lines, Chris Carter felt he needed to bring closure for his cancelled show. As a result, the episode "Millennium" was written and produced.
The seventh season premiere "The Sixth Extinction", debuted with a Nielsen rating of 10.6 and was viewed by 17.82 million viewers, marking a noticeable drop in viewership since the sixth season. The series fell from number 12 to number 29 for the 1999–2000 television year. In addition, the show's seventh season received mixed to positive reviews from critics; many felt that the show still produced good episodes, but that it was the weakest of the Duchovny and Anderson seasons of the show. Before the broadcasting for the season began, David Duchovny sued Fox and announced his decision to leave the show. The season would be the last to feature the original opening sequence for the series, as the two later years changed the opening sequence in an attempt to renew and revive the series.

Contents
  [hide] 1 Plot overview
2 Production 2.1 Background
2.2 Development
2.3 Lawsuit
2.4 Crew
3 Reception 3.1 Ratings
3.2 Reviews
3.3 Accolades
4 Cast 4.1 Main cast
4.2 Recurring cast 4.2.1 Also starring
4.2.2 Guest starring

5 Episodes
6 DVD release
7 Notes
8 References
9 External links
Plot overview[edit]
See also: Mythology of The X-Files
After the events of the season six finale, Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) and Michael Kritschgau (John Finn) are desperately attempting to find the truth behind the so-called alien object. Meanwhile, Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) is still imprisoned by his own frenetic brain activity. Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) and Skinner are unaware of FBI Special Agent Diana Fowley's (Mimi Rogers) duplicity—she is working for The Smoking Man (William B. Davis). Scully then travels to Africa to unravel the secrets of the alien artifacts, finding something that looks like a spaceship buried under the shoreline off the Côte d'Ivoire coast. The object may prove that life originated elsewhere, and all religion is based on the Navajo contact with alien life.[1][2] Unsuccessful, Scully returns from Africa to revisit Mulder in Washington, D.C., but instead she finds out that he has disappeared. She contacts Kritschgau and Skinner to find her partner. The Smoking Man has taken Mulder to a place where all his problems seem to have disappeared. Fowley helps Scully locate Mulder, which leads to her death at the hands of The Smoking Man.[3][4]
While investigating a bizarre disappearance of a young girl from her home, Mulder becomes obsessed with the number of children who have vanished in similar circumstances. Scully fears that he is emotionally involved due to his sister’s disappearance.[5][6] At the same time it is revealed to him that his mother, Teena Mulder (Rebecca Toolan), committed suicide. He then tries to prove that his mother did not take her own life, but is ultimately forced to accept that his mother's death was by her own hand. He is led by a man whose son disappeared years earlier to another truth—that his sister may be among the souls taken by "walk-ins", saving the souls of children doomed to live unhappy lives. Together they locate evidence that proves that Samantha was abducted by The Smoking Man, and was forced to live in a now-abandoned US Army base. It is later revealed that Samantha had become a "walk-in" spirit.[7][8]
Mulder and Scully investigate a case which leads them back to Oregon, the site of their first case together. With a series of Alien abductions taking place, Mulder and Scully are contacted by Billy Miles (Zachary Ansley). Scully falls ill during the investigation and returns to Washington, D.C. The Smoking Man contacts Marita Covarrubias (Laurie Holden) and Alex Krycek (Nicholas Lea), in an attempt to revive the government conspiracy. With Covarrubias unwilling to assist, and Krycek seeking revenge, they contact Mulder after he visits an alien crash site. Skinner and Mulder return to Oregon, while Scully is hospitalized in Washington, D.C. Mulder becomes trapped by an alien device, and is abducted by an Alien Bounty Hunter (Brian Thompson) together with Miles and several others. Skinner returns to Washington, D.C. where Scully informs him that she is pregnant.[9][10]
Production[edit]
Background[edit]
After five seasons in Vancouver, Canada, production of The X-Files moved to Los Angeles, California. The X-Files' sixth season was the first season of the show to be filmed in the new location. The move was instigated by David Duchovny, who portrayed Mulder, in order to facilitate his work in films as well as to give him a chance to be nearer to his wife, Téa Leoni. Series creator Chris Carter opposed the move, but Fox network officials eventually made the decision to film in California.[11] Although the move was unpopular with some members of the cast and crew, both series director Kim Manners and actress Gillian Anderson supported the move, although less vocally than Duchovny.[11][12] Many fans accused the show of "Hollywood-izing" by adding notable guests stars as well as making the plots simpler and more enjoyable for mass audiences. Furthermore, the move to Los Angeles also meant a drastic increase in production costs.[13]
Development[edit]

  
Gillian Anderson (left) and William B. Davis (right) wrote their first—and only—episodes of The X-Files during the seventh season.

Originally, the mythology for season seven was supposed to continue on from and show the ramifications of the "Two Fathers"/"One Son" story arc. Frank Spotnitz, in an interview, explained that the mythology episodes for season seven would feature "characters you saw in 'One Son' coming back" and explore "what happens now that the conspiracy has been destroyed, what are the politics of the new landscape that exists. […] There are aliens from outer space, two different races that are warring with each other."[14] In addition, he said that the then-planned series finale would feature "the big idea that Chris [Carter] had in the beginning."[14] However, these ideas never came to pass, and the season finale, "Requiem", segued directly into the eighth season premiere "Within".[15] Duchovny later revealed that, had the show ended, the final three episodes would have been devoted to the myth-arc.[16]
While filming was underway for the seventh season, many members of the crew felt that the show had entered into its final season. Executive producer Frank Spotnitz later explained, "There was a pretty strong sentiment inside and outside the show that it was time to call it a day."[12] Because the show's producers felt that the show was nearing its end, many story arcs were ended in the season. The fourth episode, "Millennium" was written as a way to bring closure to the recently-cancelled Carter-created series of the same name.[17][18] The episode features Lance Henriksen reprising his role as Frank for the last time.[19] The eleventh episode, "Closure", features Mulder discovering what happened to his sister. The idea to close the story arc received mixed reactions from various production and crew members. However, many of the show's producers realized that the time had come to answer one of the show's biggest questions. Paul Rabwin noted that, "It's been seven years. I don't think any of us are going to miss Samantha Mulder. That device and motivation were very strong in the early years of the show. But as the years have gone by, the speculation kind of melted away."[20] As the season progressed, however, the idea of producing another season emerged. Paul Rabwin explained that, "we found ourselves starting to get energized again. [...] As we got toward the end of the season, everyone was kind of hopeful."[21]
The season also saw several of the show's cast write their own episodes. Series co-star Gillian Anderson directed and wrote her first episode of the series, "all things". Anderson originally approached Carter about writing and directing an episode of the series during the sixth season.[22] Anderson crafted a script that would see Scully pursuing a "deeply personal X-File, one which in [she] is taken down a spiritual path when logic fails her".[22] Anderson had only a rough outline of the script until one day she wrote a majority of the story in one sitting. She explained, "A certain concept began to form, [and] I just wrote the entire outline for 'all things' right then and there. It all just kind of came together on the page".[22] The next day, Anderson pitched the script to Carter, who approved of the "personal and quiet" characteristics of the story.[22] In addition, series regular William B. Davis wrote his only episode, "En Ami". Davis approached Carter with his idea about The Smoking Man trying to seduce Scully with medical knowledge, and Carter, who was intrigued, responded positively to the idea. He assigned executive producer Frank Spotnitz to work with Davis and craft a full-fledged script.[23] The script went through many revisions. Because The Smoking Man was able to manipulate Scully, Carter later referred to the "En Ami" as "the creepiest episode of the year."[24]
Lawsuit[edit]
Before the season aired, David Duchovny filed a lawsuit against 20th Century Fox. Duchovny was upset because, he claimed, that Fox had undersold the rights to its own affiliates, thereby costing him huge sums of money. Originally, in the contract, Duchovny was eligible for an estimated five percent, but, according to him, he "had seen only a fraction" of the money.[25] Eventually, the lawsuit was settled, and Duchovny was awarded a settlement of about $20 million.[25] The lawsuit put strain on Duchovny's professional relationships. Although his lawsuit never called Chris Carter a defendant, their friendship was notably impacted. One anonymous source noted that "the whole lawsuit thing revealed that Carter knew (Duchovny) was getting screwed and didn't warn him. Carter proved where his loyalties lay with his actions."[25]
Neither Carter nor Duchovny were contracted to work on the series beyond the seventh season, however, Fox entered into negotiations near the end of season in order to bring the two on board for an eighth season.[25] After the airing of "Requiem", Duchovny expressed his intentions to leave the series. He explained, "I was kind of a free agent after season seven, and to me, there was not much else to do in terms of the character. So it was really about me wanting to pursue other parts of my career as a writer, director, and actor."[12] Rumors began spreading—and were eventually confirmed—that, since Duchovny had not expressed an interest to appear as a main character in the eighth season, that another character would take Mulder's place. Many fans on the internet believed that Mitch Pileggi, who portrayed Walter Skinner, would take the role; Pileggi later called this guess "ridiculous."[26]
Crew[edit]
Series creator Chris Carter also served as executive producer and showrunner and wrote six episodes. Frank Spotnitz continued as executive producer and wrote five episodes. Vince Gilligan continued as co-executive producer and wrote six episodes. John Shiban was promoted to supervising producer and wrote two episodes. David Amann was promoted to co-producer and wrote two episodes. Jeffrey Bell was promoted to story editor and wrote two episodes. Cyberpunk novelists William Gibson and Tom Maddox returned to write their second of two episodes for the series. Cast member David Duchovny wrote two episodes in the season, while other cast members Gillian Anderson and William B. Davis also wrote an episode each. New writers in the seventh season included Steven Maeda and Greg Walker, who wrote one episode; and Chip Johannessen who wrote a single freelance episode. Other producers included Paul Rabwin and Bernadette Caulfield, and Michelle MacLaren who joined as co-executive producer.[27]
Producing-directors for the show included producer Rob Bowman, supervising producer Kim Manners, and co-executive producer Michael Watkins, who directed the bulk of the episodes for the season. Bowman directed two episodes for his final season on the series, Manners directed seven, and Watkins directed three. Cast members David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson each directed one episode each.[27] Series creator Chris Carter directed a single episode, while series writer Vince Gilligan made his television directorial debut.[27][28] Other directors for the season included Thomas J. Wright who directed three episodes, with Robert Lieberman, Cliff Bole, and Paul Shapiro each directing one.[27]
Reception[edit]
Ratings[edit]
The seventh season of The X-Files debuted with "The Sixth Extinction" on November 7, 1999. This episode earned a Nielsen rating of 10.6, with a 16 share, meaning that roughly 10.6 percent of all television-equipped households, and 16 percent of households watching television, were tuned into the episode.[29] The episode was viewed by 17.82 million people, an increase from the sixth season's finale, "Biogenesis", which was viewed by 15.86 million viewers.[29][30] However, the debut marked a decrease from the sixth season debut, "The Beginning", which garnered 20.34 million viewers.[30] As the season continued, however, ratings began to drop.[29] The season hit a low with the eighteenth episode, "Brand X", which was viewed by 10.81 million viewers.[29] The season finale, "Requiem", earned a Nielsen rating of 8.9, with a 14 share, and was viewed by 15.26 million viewers,[29] marking a 14 percent drop in viewers when compared to the season premiere,[nb 1] and a 4 percent drop in viewers when compared to the previous season finale.[nb 2] The series was ranked at number 29 during the 1999–2000 television season,[31] finishing with an average of 14.2 million viewers.[32]
During 2000, companies were paying Fox $225,000 for every 30-second spot that would air between acts of The X-Files. Many Information technology (IT) companies were buying commercials during the show, largely due to the fact that "many ['coders IT geeks'] get their weekly fix of science fiction from this prime-time show."[33]
Reviews[edit]
The seventh season received moderately positive reviews from critics, although increasingly critical reviews were more common this season. While critics enjoyed many of the episodes, many also felt that, as a whole, the season was the weakest of the show's original seven. Eric Mink of the New York Daily News praised the season, noting that it was "proof that The X-Files still has more than enough creative life in it to justify an eighth season".[34] He called many of the stand-alone episodes "wonderfully creepy" and noted that the season possessed a "terrific bunch of episodes this season".[34] Thomas Doherty from Cinefantastique gave the season a mixed review and noted that the series was hurt by the partnership between Mulder and Scully "settl[ing] into the comfortable groove of a modern two career marriage—supportive, professionally rewarding, and utterly sexless."[35] Further, he noted that "the most entertaining episode lately have been the self parodies, where killer cockroaches scurry and living dead roam, or where (in the Duchovny written and directed episode) Scully and Mulder are played by Téa Leoni and Garry Shandling in a motion picture only slightly more ludicrous than a 1998 motion picture called The X-Files."[35] Doherty argued that the "self-parody" style of the series caused viewers to not take it seriously anymore, explaining that, "No longer going for the big chill, Carter and company are winking at their audience, as if to say: even we can't pretend to believe in this muddled mishmash anymore."[35] Tom Kessenich, in his book Examination: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6–9 of the X-Files, was positive towards the first half of the season, but soon saw the episodes in more of a negative light. He wrote, "A season that began with such hope ended with a sense of sorrow given the end result of the season-long backstage wheeling and dealing [a reference to David Duchovny's lawsuit]. Not even the magnificent season finale […] could erase the nagging doubts I had that a series that had been so amazing for so long would soon embark upon a new course wrought with pitfalls and turmoil."[36] The A.V. Club noted that while the first eight seasons of The X-Files were "good-to-great", the seventh season of the show was "flagging" and possessed "significant problems.[37]
The episodes themselves received a variety of reviews. Some were positively received: several reviews praised the episode "X-Cops", the show's highly promoted cross-over with the police reality show COPS. One review from the New York Daily News called the outing "exceptionally clever"[34] whereas Starpulse named the episode the funniest of the series.[38] The Duchovny-penned "Hollywood A.D." was praised for its self-reflexive comedy by several reviews.[35][39][40] Other episodes were more harshly received. Anderson's writing debut, "all things" was critiqued for being "dull" and "heavy-handed".[41][42] "Brand X", on the other hand, was called "a waste of an episode."[43]
Accolades[edit]
The seventh season earned the series six Primetime Emmy Award nominations, with three wins. The episode "First Person Shooter" won for Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Drama Series and Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series. The episode "Theef" won for Outstanding Makeup for a Series.[44] Other nominations included Mark Snow for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Dramatic Underscore) for "Theef", the episode "First Person Shooter" for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series, and "Rush" for Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series.[44][45] The series, as well as Gillian Anderson, won a Teen.com Entertainment Award for Best Drama Series and Best Actress in a Series, respectively. Other nominations included two Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, an Environmental Media Awards nomination for "Brand X", and an International Monitor Award nomination for "Rush".[44]
Cast[edit]
The following actors and actresses appear in the season:[nb 3]
Main cast[edit]
David Duchovny as Special Agent Fox Mulder
Gillian Anderson as Special Agent Dana Scully
Recurring cast[edit]
Also starring[edit]
Mitch Pileggi as Walter Skinner (11 episodes)
William B. Davis as The Smoking Man (4 episodes)
Nicholas Lea as Alex Krycek (2 episodes)
Guest starring[edit]
Tom Braidwood as Melvin Frohike (3 episodes)
Bruce Harwood as John Fitzgerald Byers (3 episodes)
Dean Haglund as Richard Langly (3 episodes)
Rebecca Toolan as Teena Mulder (3 episodes)
John Finn as Michael Kritschgau (2 episodes)
Mimi Rogers as Diana Fowley (2 episodes)
Nick Chinlund as Donnie Pfaster (1 episode)
Jerry Hardin as Deep Throat (1 episode)
Laurie Holden as Marita Covarrubias (1 episode)
Roy Thinnes as Jeremiah Smith (1 episode)
Brian Thompson as Alien Bounty Hunter (1 episode)
Floyd Westerman as Albert Hosteen (1 episode)
Episodes[edit]
See also: List of The X-Files episodes
Episodes marked with a double dagger (double-dagger) are episodes in the series' Alien Mythology arc.[nb 4]
The X-Files season 7 episodes

No. in
 series
No. in
 season
Title
Directed by
Written by
Original air date
Production
 code[27]
U.S. viewers
 (millions)

140
1 "The Sixth Extinction"double-dagger Kim Manners Chris Carter November 7, 1999 7ABX03 17.82[29]
Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) and Michael Kritschgau (John Finn) work desperately to attempt to discover what is wrong with Fox Mulder (David Duchovny), who is imprisoned by his own frenetic brain activity, but they are unaware of Agent Diana Fowley’s (Mimi Rogers) duplicity. In the meanwhile, Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) is hunting for an ancient artifact in Africa. 
141
2 "The Sixth Extinction II: Amor Fati"double-dagger Michael Watkins David Duchovny & Chris Carter November 14, 1999 7ABX04 16.15[29]
Returning to Washington to find Mulder gone, Scully joins Kritschgau and Skinner—who is still being forced into betrayal by Alex Krycek (Nicholas Lea)—to find her partner. However, the Cigarette Smoking Man (William B. Davis) has taken Mulder to a place where all his problems are gone and Fowley is forced to make a choice about her loyalties. 
142
3 "Hungry" Kim Manners Vince Gilligan November 21, 1999 7ABX01 16.17[29]
In an episode told from the point-of-view of the “monster”, a fast-food employee with unusual cravings becomes the focus of an FBI investigation. The victims appear with no brain and a suction hole in the forehead. 
143
4 "Millennium" Thomas J. Wright Vince Gilligan & Frank Spotnitz November 28, 1999 7ABX05 15.09[29]
An associate of the Millennium Group, which believes the apocalypse will happen on the new year of 2000, resurrects the dead for use in the bringing about of the apocalypse, and Mulder and Scully have to ask the help of criminal profiler Frank Black (Lance Henriksen), a man who has former experience with the shadowy group. 
144
5 "Rush" Robert Lieberman David Amann December 5, 1999 7ABX06 12.71[29]
When a school student becomes the prime suspect in the bizarre murder of a police officer, Mulder and Scully are sent to investigate. They discover that the boy and a couple of friends have been playing with the ability to accelerate their movements to a frequency the human eye can’t perceive. 
145
6 "The Goldberg Variation" Thomas J. Wright Jeffrey Bell December 12, 1999 7ABX02 14.49[29]
After being thrown off a building and surviving, Henry Weems, who appears to be the luckiest man in the world, attracts the attention of Mulder and Scully. But, if he is so lucky, why is he on the run from the mob, and why is everyone around him so unlucky? 
146
7 "Orison" Rob Bowman Chip Johannessen January 9, 2000 7ABX07 15.63[29]
Reverend Orison releases Donnie Pfaster, Scully’s former kidnapper, as seen in the second season episode "Irresistible", from jail in the hopes of passing judgment on him. What he discovers instead is that he has released pure evil, and it’s headed for Scully. 
147
8 "The Amazing Maleeni" Thomas J. Wright Vince Gilligan & John Shiban & Frank Spotnitz January 16, 2000 7ABX08 16.18[29]
The Amazing Maleeni, a small-time magician, performs an amazing feat to impress a heckler—he turns his head 360 degrees. So when he is later found without a head at all, Mulder and Scully arrive on the case and discover an angry ex-con, an unimpressed rival, and Maleeni’s twin brother all seem to have something to do with the plan to rob a major bank. 
148
9 "Signs and Wonders" Kim Manners Jeffrey Bell January 23, 2000 7ABX09 13.86[29]
When a small town church is the site of a number of ritualistic-like murders, fingers are pointed to the Church of God with Signs and Wonders, a church where the Bible is read literally, and punishment is dealt deftly. But soon the agents realize that the difference between the peaceful religious and the fanatics may not be very much at all. 
149
10 "Sein und Zeit"double-dagger Michael Watkins Chris Carter & Frank Spotnitz February 6, 2000 7ABX10 13.95[29]
While investigating the bizarre disappearance of a young girl from her home, Mulder becomes obsessed with a number of children who have vanished in similar ways. Scully's fears that he is emotionally involved due to his sister's disappearance 27 years earlier are heightened when Mulder's mother dies, apparently of suicide. 
150
11 "Closure"double-dagger Kim Manners Chris Carter & Frank Spotnitz February 13, 2000 7ABX11 15.35[29]
As Mulder is forced to accept that his mother’s death was by her own hand, he is led by a man whose son disappeared years earlier to another truth—that his sister may be among the souls taken by ‘walk-ins’, saving the souls of children doomed to live unhappy lives. Together, they embark on a journey that will reveal to Mulder the truth about his sister’s disappearance. 
151
12 "X-Cops" Michael Watkins Vince Gilligan February 20, 2000 7ABX12 16.56[29]
A filming of an episode of COPS gets in the way of the collaborative effort between the FBI and the local police department. Mulder later finds out that the monster feeds on fear. While Mulder embraces the publicity, Scully is not so sure of it. The episode was filmed as if it was an authentic episode of the TV series COPS. 
152
13 "First Person Shooter" Chris Carter William Gibson & Tom Maddox February 27, 2000 7ABX13 15.31[29]
The Lone Gunmen summon Mulder and Scully to the headquarters of a video game design company when the new virtual-reality game, which the Gunmen helped design, is taken over by a bizarre female computer character whose power is much more than virtual. 
153
14 "Theef" Kim Manners Vince Gilligan & John Shiban & Frank Spotnitz March 12, 2000 7ABX14 11.91[29]
After a prominent doctor discovers his father-in-law dead and the word "Theef" written on the wall in blood, Mulder suspects hexcraft may be the source of threats against the doctor's family. 
154
15 "En Ami"double-dagger Rob Bowman William B. Davis March 19, 2000 7ABX15 11.99[29]
After a young boy with cancer, whose parents do not believe in medical treatment because it is against God’s will, recovers miraculously, Scully is intrigued. What she soon discovers is that his cure is not miraculous, but scientific. Eager, if wary, to learn of the truth behind his secrets, Scully agrees to travel with the Cigarette Smoking Man to get the cure to all mankind’s diseases. 
155
16 "Chimera" Cliff Bole David Amann April 2, 2000 7ABX16 12.89[29]
Mulder investigates what appears to be a missing case of a woman from a small town, but soon turns out to be a murder by a spirit summoned from the underworld. Scully, meanwhile, must endure an uncomfortable stakeout. 
156
17 "all things" Gillian Anderson Gillian Anderson April 9, 2000 7ABX17 12.18[29]
While Mulder is away in England, Scully is led by coincidences, chance, fate and possibly a higher power to a married man with whom she had an affair during medical school, and a look at the life she didn’t choose, forcing her to make choices about her future. 
157
18 "Brand X" Kim Manners Steven Maeda & Greg Walker April 16, 2000 7ABX19 10.81[29]
While protecting a man due to testify against the Morley cigarette company, Skinner is horrified when the witness dies mysteriously. What the agents soon discover is that a new brand of cigarette has a dangerous secret. 
158
19 "Hollywood A.D." David Duchovny David Duchovny April 30, 2000 7ABX18 12.88[29]
An entrepreneurial Hollywood producer and college friend of Skinner picks up the idea for a film based on the X-Files division, however the agents find that the level of realism in their fictional portrayal is somewhat questionable. 
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