24: Little green men
Writers: Glen Morgan / James
Wong
Director:
David Nutter
The
mothballing of the X-Files degrades Scully to
a teaching assistant at Quantico, and Mulder
to a dreary wiretapping detail. He soon goes
AWOL after learning of a satellite -
monitoring station in Puerto Rico that has
just made contact.
Historic moment: First depiction of the
abduction of Mulder´s sister, recalled in a
flashback;
Skinner starts to
concede that Mulder has some
credibility.
Critique: Powerfully depicts both
Mulder´s gnawing sense of defeat and his
bond with Scully, strangely growing stronger
with separation. Otherwise, fairly
standard.
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25: The host
Writer: Chris Carter
Director:
Daniel Sackheim
A Russian
freighter carrying radioactive debris from
the Chernobyl meltdown jettisons a parasitic
worm man ( Fluke Boy, to you ) who seeks
human victims / hosts in American
sewers.
Creative casting: Series writer Glen
Morgan´s brother Darin ( who will go on to
write some of the series´ best episodes ) as
the creature.
Critique: A refreshing instance of a
fully and satisfactorily resolved episode -
like a perfect meal, although you definitely
don´t want to eat during this one.
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26: Blood
Writers: Glen Morgan / James
Wong
Director:
David Nutter
The Government
is at it again, this time sanctioning
experimental insecticide spraying in a sleepy
Pennsylvania community. When the chemical,
called LSDM, is combined with fear -
triggered adrenaline, it compels extreme
homicidal behavior via electronic and digital
displays.
Creative casting: Porn star (Kimberly)
Ashlyn Gere plays an afflicted house
wife;
William Sanderson
as a really disgruntled postal
worker.
Critique: Convoluted premise pays off in
white knuckle tension.
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27: Sleepless
Writer: Howard Gordon
Director:
Rob Bowman
With Scully
still at Quantico, Mulder is saddled with a
new partner Alex ( "Ratboy" )
Krycek. The two investigate Vietnam vets who
were part of a government "sleep
eradication" experiment, which succeeded
in turning them into killing machines. Twenty
- four years later, one of them has acquired
the power to kill through his waking
dreams.
Creative casting: 21 Jump street
grad Steven Williams recurring character X,
Deep Throat´s much less patient
successor.
Critique: Tony Todd´s performance as
Augustus Cole - the wrathful insomniac -
elevates a just - good story into a great
one.
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28: Duane Barry
Writer: Chris Carter
Director:
Chris Carter
Centered on a
gripping hostage siege in a travel agency,
this is the first of a two - part story
leading to Scully´s abduction.Duane Barry,
the culprit, is a former FBI agent, alleged
psychotic, and multiple abductee ( with
implant scars to prove it ).
Historic moment: The most fleshed - out
depiction of an abduction so far as Bary
relates his experiences to Mulder. Mulder in
a speedo.
Creative casting: Steve Railsback ( Helter
Skelter´s Charles Manson ) gives another
mangily manic performance.
Critique: A rough ride for Scully, about
to get rougher.
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29: Ascension
Writer: Paul Brown
Director:
Michael Lange
Barry has
kidnapped Scully in the hopes the aliens will
take her instead of him. In a chase through
the mountains, Mulder pursues the pair,
reluctantly allowing Krycek to tag
along.
Historic moment: Krycek duplicity, via
Cancer Man, becomes clear, after being
convinced by Mulder of the web of deceit
surrounding them, Skinner reopens the X -
Files.
Critique: An expertly paced race against
time as Mulder tries - successfully - to
prevent Scully´s "ascension".
Extra credit for creative use of of a
pregnant Anderson.
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30: 3
Writers:Chris Ruuppenthal / Glen
Morgan / James Wong
Director:
David Nutter
With Scully
gone ( Anderson was giving birth at the time
), a solo Mulder investigates a series of
apparent vampire killings in L.A. where he
meets Kristen, a kinky chic into
bloodsports.
Historic moment: Mulder gets lucky.
Creative casting: Former Duchovny
girlfriend Perrrey Reeves plays
Kristen.
Critique: Scully´s absence didn´t hurt.
The fact that they didn´t exploit this
promising premise did. Besides, L.A.
scenesters as bloodsuckers?
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31: One breath
Writers: Glen Morgan / James
Wong
Director:
R. W. Goodwin
Scully -
inexplicably returned, and free of any
evidence of where she has been - has a
reconcilling encounter with her dead father
as she hovers between life and death.
Meanwhile, Mulder beside himself with grief
and stymied at every turn in his attempts to
find out who is responsible for her
disappearance, hands in his resignation to
Skinner.
Historic moment: An emotional field day
for Mulder, featuring head butting ( with
Cancer Man ) And hand holding ( from Skinner
);
first use of the
masking tape symbol to summon X. Critique:
Absurd symbolism and the introduction of
Scully´s dopey New Age sister ( Melinda
Mcgraw ) detract from, but don´t destroy,
this richly layered installment;
Arguably
Duchovny´s best performance.
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32: Firewalker
Writer: Graham Gordon
Director:
David Nutter
Mulder an
Scully investigate another psychosis -
inducing parasite, this time a silicon -
based spore residing in a volcano.
Critique: Strictly melted "Ice"
( episode 7 ). Insultingly bad, ripping off
not only themselves but Alien.
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33: Red museum
Writer: Chris Carter
Director:
Win Phelps
A Wisconsin
dairy region is the site of kids turning up
in the woods again, their apparent affliction
a kind of mad - human disease. A Peeping Tom,
a devious country doctor, and an extremist,
red turbaned vegetarian sect all figure in
the resultant drama.
Historic moment: A rare instance of
Scully and Mulder eating meal together -
pointedly, a big greasy platter of
ribs.
Creative casting: "70s sitcom
perenial Paul Sand plays the Tom with his
usual sad - sack aplomb.
Critique: Creative if convoluted. And
FYI, this is one of Carter´s favorite
episodes of the season, but not ours.
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34: Excelsius Dei
Writer: Paul Brown
Director:
Stephen Surlik
Entity rape
gets this episode off with a bang, as Mulder
an Scully investigate psychokinetic and
hallucinatory going - on among the Matlock
set at Massachusetts nursing home.
Creative casting: Veteran character
actors eric Cristmas and david fresco as the
malevolent Sunshine Boys.
Critique: Offbeat and cute, largely
because of its focus on a quirky band of
seniors.
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35: Aubrey
Writer: Sara B. Charno
Director:
Rob Bowman
A Predgnant detective´s nightmares evoke
50-year-old serial killings while also
instigating a modern day imitator in the
Missouri heartland.
Creative Casting: Deborah Strang gives a
razor´s-edge performance as B.J. Morrow, the
haunted detective; and Morgan Woodward, as
the original killer, is one chilling
geriatric.
Critique: A wellpaced murder mystery with
an inventive wrap-up.
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36: Iressistable
Writer: Chris Carter
Director:
David Nutter
While
investigating a series of grave desecrations
in wich the hair and fingernails are
beingremoved from young female corpses,
Mulder and Scully find themselves pursuing an
"escalating fetishist," now on the
hunt for live victims.
Creative casting: Nick Chinlund (
Eraser ) as Donnie Pfaster, the tortured
cosmetologist with a collection of hair -
care products to die for. Also in attendance;
Bruce Weitz ( Hill Street Blues ) as a
local FBI Agent.
Critique: An unsettling concept to brgin
with, but Chinlund´s skin - crawling one -
man show puts this one over the top.
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37: Die hand die verletzt
Writers: Glen Morgan / James
Wong
Director:
Kim Manners
The opening
scene - in wich a PTA - like commitee votes
to put the kibosh on a high school production
of Jesus Christ Superstar then
proceeds to offer an satanic prayer - sets
the tone for this tale of devil worship and
murder in a New Hampshire town
Creative casting: Susan Blommaert´s
juicily diabolical take Mrs. Paddock will
confirm schoolkids´ most horrific imaginings
about their substitute teachers. Plus Dan
Butler (Frasier´s Bulldog ) as one of
the concerned parents.
Critique: Mulder and Scully largely step
aside in this wacky, wicked effort chockful
of stunning imagery and wry comment.
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38: Fresh bones
Writer: Howard Gordon
Director:
Rob Bowman
Premiering in
early 95, this then - timely plot depicts
human rights abuses and vodoo - driven
revenge at a North Carolina "processing
center" for Haitian refugees.
Creative casting: Daniel Benzali ( late
of Murder One) as center commander
Colonel Wharton.
Critique: Not one for the ages, despite
some jarring moments.
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39: Colony
Story: David Duchovny / Chris
Carter
Director:
Nick Marck
A succession
of murderred doctor´s - identical
abortionists, no less - leads Scully and
Mulder back into the conspiratorial groove.
Turns out the victims are alien clones sent
to colonize Earth, one of whom is claiming to
be Mulder´s abducted sister, Samantha.
Historic moments: We meet Mulder´s
divorced parents ( Peter Donant and Rebecca
Toolan ) and the shape shifting alien
bounty hunter ( Brian Thopson ), with his
trusty metallic spike.
Critique: Untangling this web of shifting
allegiances and identities requires intence
cincentration. Hang on, though; the payoffs
is worth it.
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40: End game
Writer: Frank Spotnitz
Director:
Rob Bowman
All is
explained ( sorta ) in this - headspinning
conclusion to "Colony" . Scully is
held captive by the nameless alien bounty
hunter but is soon returned in a trade for
Mulder´s "sister". Going full
circle, we then follow Mulder to the arctic
in search of the alien bounty hunter, who
ultiately escapes for - now.
Mistoric momen:t Skinner and X have it
ot.
Critique: An exhausting, essential
chapter, boasting the series´ most visually
stunning finale.
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41: Fearfull symmetry
Writer: Steve de Jarnatt
Director:
James Whitore JR.
An Idaho zoo
is the setting for this rrather heavy -
handed episode concerning man´s destruction
of the planet. Seems aliens are creating a
kind of extraterriastial Noah´s Ark -
abducting and impragnating mammals and
harvesting their embryos in order to ensure
the survival of the animals´ species.
Critique: Aside from a well executed
invisible elephant rampage, this one´s
pretty much on automatic pilot.
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42: Dod kalm
Writers: Howard Gordon / Alex
Gansa
Director:
Rob Bowman
The crew of a
Navy Destroyer escort is decimated by a
strange malady that super - accelrates the
aging process. Mulder and Scully
speculatively invoke meteors, free radicals,
"wrinkles in time", the
Philadelphia Experiment, The Manhattan
Project, and Roswell as they investigate and
nearly perish.
Creative casting: John Savage, as the
freelance seaman who taxis them to the
afflicted vessel.
Critique: Despite clumsy makeup,
isolation pays off again, and Mulder and
Scully get to try a little tenderness.
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43: Humbug
Writer: Darin Morgan
Director:
Kim Manners
Man´s
intolerance of abnormality is the subtext
this comic murder mystery set at a trailer
park populated by gaffes, geeks, a Conundrum
( wrapped in an Enigma ), and other sideshow
habitués.
Creative casting: Everybody.
Critique: Snarkily showcases the series´
increasing confidence with dark humor, much
of it directed at Mulder. The first of four
peerless Darin Morgan scripts.
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44: The Calusari
Writer: Sara B Charno
Director:
Michael Vejar
After
"the howling heart of evil" takes
recidence in a yong boy, his old - country
Romanian grandmother takes a stab at soul
saving.
Critique: An Exorcist / Omen ripp
- off, but a classy one. And that
Opener:
You´ll never
look at kiddie railroad rides the same way
again.
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45: The Emasculatta
Writers: Chris Carter / Howard
Gordon
Director:
Rob Bowman
A deadly
tropical parasite is introduced into a
Virginia prison population. When two infected
cons make a break, Mulder an Scully must beat
clock to prevent an outbreak.
Critique: A good idea is tainted by plot
holes as gaping and disturbing as the
pustular boils you´ll be treated to this
hour.
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46: Soft light
Writer: Vince Gilligan
Director:
James Contner
A physicist´s
botched experiments into dark matter leave
him with a lethal shadow that attracts the
interests of Mulder, Scully - and a curiously
malevolent X.
Creative casting: Tony Shalhoub ( Wings,
Big Night ) as the frazzled, hunted
researcher.
Critique: Gains points for the obscure
subject matter, loses them for the strained
conspiratorial element.
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47: Our town
Writer: Frank Spotnitz
Director:
Rob Bowman
An Arkansas
town with a thriving poultry buisness must
account for the disapperance of an FDA
inspector. Let´s just say therer´s a reason
why the chicken factory´s slogan is
"Good People, Good Food".
Critique: Scary - but mostly because of
what transpires in a chicken processing
plant. Talk about your mystery meat.
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48: Anasazi
Writer: Chris Carter
Story:
David Duchovny / Chris Carter
Director:
R.W. Goodwin
In the first
installment of a three episode arc, an
anarchist hacker breaks in to the MJ
documents ( "the holy grale" ),
detailing the government´s knowledge of
UFO´s for the past 50 years.Mulder´s
acceptance of the documents on a digital tape
creates far - reaching even worldwide -
consquenses and gets him trapped in a brning
boxcar in New Mexico, presumely about to
die.
Creative casting: Chris Carter as an FBI
Agent.
Historic moments: Mulder hits Skinner,
Scully shoots Mulder, Mulderr´s father is
assassinated and that is not even the
important stuff.
Critique: This mind - blowing if
frustrating season ender made fans to fasr -
foward through summer.
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