Reviews

This show was sold to me as a really weird and absurd piece of meta-fiction that would embrace the weirdness of its premise. It has certainly done that in a very smart way, but it hasn't really felt like the show was going to do anything that would be out of the ordinary, except focusing on a bunch of pretty strange characters. I was ready for the finale to be another example of that and simply end it all with a nice bow that would make the audience feel like they'd seen something that was really good, but more accessible than expected. But instead of that, the creators decided to really embrace the absurd in the finale and give us a totally unexpected, yet thematically beautiful note to end the show on. It's sure to bring up some issues with people as it feels largely disconnected from the rest of the show, but looking at it for what it is, this episode feels like the perfect ending to a show that never really followed the norms and would constantly make fun of its own basis. A show that dappled in depth now goes deeper than ever before, and it is pretty much a perfect finale.

The episode has an interesting structure, immediately separating itself from the rest of the show as it is set a while after the previous episodes. The time jump makes room for some new developments to have happened off-screen that have implications on what happens later on in the episode. The second half is pretty much all dedicated to Asher being stuck on the ceiling of the house and Whitney going into labor, giving birth to their child. It may not make a lot of logical sense, but it makes a lot of sense that the show would end on this quite brilliant note.

These characters have always wanted to be in control of the situation, but it has never worked. Now, they're totally not in control of something that is out of their hands entirely, yet follows their roles pretty aptly. Asher has always been there, but no one seems to really want him around, so this episode pretty much tries to get him out of the way constantly, while Whitney feels stronger on her own, which she is for the majority of the episode. However, it comes at a terrible time, which makes it so much more tragic.

They end the show high on emotions. All of the actors really give incredible performances in this, and it's worth noting that the heightened tension makes for some truly great chemistry between all of them. Nathan Fielder has surprised tremendously in this show, showing off some great acting skills, despite often referring back to his usual brand of comedy. Emma Stone is a great actress, and her performance here really showed a different side of her, although she used her usual charm to really hit it home. And Benny Safdie also ends it on a truly emotional note that really worked.

"Green Queen" ends the show on its most absurd note; and yet it's also the show's most emotionally satisfying and endearing moments without a doubt. The thematic depth is all over this episode, and despite its absurdist nature, it truly hits a homerun and works in favor of all its characters and storylines set up.

Walter Skinner was one of those characters that really had to grow on me after his first few appearances on this show. He came across as the typically skeptical boss character who would constantly be a thorn in the side of our heroes as they were trying to uncover this conspiracy throughout the show. However, the writers decided to go a different route and surprise and probably a lot of other viewers as they began to really develop Skinner into one of the show's most important supporting characters. That has been done through the mythology episodes, but with a couple of Skinner-focused episodes, used to provide some real character development to him and show him from a different angle. This episode comes off the heels of a decision that he made a couple of episodes ago and the entire thing is basically showing the consequences of that decision and the deal that he ultimately made. And while the episode's relevance to the overarching mythology can be debated, it shouldn't be up to debate whether or not this episode is awesome or not, because the simple answer there is that it is, easily beating out the previous season's Skinner-focused episode in pacing and in its tension.

This episode is the payoff of an entire season's setup with the first episode introducing us to this bee farm, which starts wreaking havoc in this episode. At first, Skinner finds himself on the side of trying to cover up any involvement by the Smoking Man and his cabal. As the episode ends, he realizes what side he is standing on and makes a decision that could have fatal consequences. The episode is full of great tension and the writing is truly excellent as it flawlessly furthers the character development of Skinner, while also adding small things to the mythology.

While the previous season's episode focused on Skinner and his relationships, this is an episode that really shows how lonely this man is at his core. He is caught in this situation that he has put himself in and there's no one who can help him. He doesn't have anyone living at home with him anymore and he's also working in the field alone. Skinner is a very tragic character who is getting more and more light shone on him and all the things that make him sympathetic. He's had a long way, but it's one that we truly appreciate.

Mitch Pileggi is an actor who didn't really get the praise he deserved for this role, but he really is a core part of this show's conscience. He's the voice of reason whenever Mulder and Scully go off on their missions, and while we like to follow them and root for them, it's difficult to not see Skinner's perspective. Pileggi has done a phenomenal job showing this man's versatility, and while he doesn't get a moment as emotional as his previous solo episode, he truly plays into the character's inherent anger, which prompts some truly great moments from this man.

"Zero Sum" is light on Mulder and Scully, but heavy on tension and great payoffs to season-long mysteries and storylines that were set up earlier. It focuses, again, on Skinner and continues to develop a character who has really grown into one of the show's most valuable players, not in the least because of Pileggi's portrayal.

It's not that unusual for people to be born with defects, but some people are just lucky to have them in a way that they can't be seen. It's a little different when you're actually born with a tale, and people are able to make out that there's something visibly wrong with you. That's sure to create some problems for you and the relationships that you form with people. In "The X-Files," that is used as a source of weird comedy in an episode that feels a lot like some of the best Darin Morgan-penned episodes from the previous seasons. And therefore, it's only fitting that Morgan himself is actually in this episode, making his first appearance as an actor on the show as this week's main antagonist. The episode itself was actually written by Vince Gilligan, who shows a different skill set than what he has used before, writing an episode that is almost purely comedic. And it is one of the very best of this season, mostly because of how weird and strange it is, but also because of the amazing chemistry between its lead actors, which reaches a new height in this episode and gets a great comedic performance from David Duchovny.

At the core of this episode lies a very thorough look at what makes Mulder into the character that we know and love. It's clear that his personality is a big plus for us, because even though it was Duchovny's face, he plays the mannerisms so differently when he's playing the antagonist Eddie Van Blundht, really showcasing why this character is so inept with us. Blundht's version of the character really lacks that, and through this, Gilligan has given us a great look at what makes Mulder such a great character and such a favorite with the audience and fans.

This episode feels like the most inconsequential and unimportant the show has ever been, but it's so refreshing as the show has really kicked up its mythology this season. To have an episode that doesn't really care about furthering any kind of storyline or character arc is not just refreshing, but it's needed. This feels like an episode that Morgan would have written if he was still on the show, but sprinkled in with that Gilligan dialogue that we all know and love, and really feeling patient and sympathetic towards these characters, finding it important to show a different side.

This further proves that this show is so great and diverse in terms of its storytelling. It doesn't have to simply be one thing, nor does it have to rely heavily on its mythology to further the story. This kind of episode is the perfect example of the versatility that these writers have, bringing a completely unique and hilarious tone to a show that excels whenever it does something different. It's not the only comedy episode this show has had, but it's one of the best that shows how important it is to be able to contribute different things sometimes.

"Small Potatoes" is a perfect example of how to work different tones into this show and how this show excels when it changes up the formula. Gilligan's writing is sharp and profound, with the episode's premise being utterly ridiculous, yet continuing to fully show why we love these characters and the things that make them.

The trouble with these kind of shows is that the events of the "monster-of-the-week" episodes can often contradict or misrepresent what is going on the series as a whole. That is a threat that has been lurking under the surface for this show, but they have managed to make good use of both of these ideas and not gotten into much trouble with the direction of the show. A trick is to keep moving the pieces forward all the time, and it seems like this show is doing everything it can to make Scully's cancer journey undeniable. It's not something that will follow her forever (as the show did run for many seasons after this), but it will have an impact on her. And it's nice seeing all the writers coming together to form an episode that will ultimately shape the remainder of the show going forward, with her struggle being pretty undeniable right now. And this episode does provide some of the most emotional storytelling that we've had so far with this show, often going the emotional route and managing to beautifully splice together two different storylines that all have the same purpose and leads to an incredible episode finale; a definite series best.

I've always liked shows where protagonists who fight against the supernatural all the time are taken down by something ordinary and human. As a character who doesn't believe in a lot of supernatural elements, it feels right that Scully would be the one going through this, despite the audience's obvious disdain towards it. It certainly brings these characters to the most desperate place they've been throughout the whole show and it feels right in a very morbid way. It's cool that they're taking this chance and it provides some wonderfully honest and emotionally resonant scenes between the show's two leads.

The episode doesn't really feature any antagonist in the form of a sentient being - with the exception of a persistent assassin - and it feels like time itself is the real enemy. There is a ticking clock idea going on throughout and mostly with Mulder's subplot which is both tense, yet also entertaining because of the show's use of the Lone Gunmen. And what that story leads to is another interesting addition to the mythology and a very cool opportunity to take into use in future seasons, if the writers want to take Scully there. If not, it's a cruel tease.

The performances of both leads have been at a series high during this season, with David Duchovny really proving his dramatic skills. However, Gillian Anderson is also upping her game significantly and gives a passionate speech at the end about how she will fight the disease on her own terms, which brought tears to my eyes. These two work best when they bring out the best in each other, and this season has fully utilized the characters as great oppositions, but has been even better at using their sensibilities as partners and knowing how to be the best of themselves.

"Memento Mori" is truly a reminder that none of us are mortal, and it's nice to see the show doing that in a realistic way. This sets a tone for the rest of the season, and it's difficult to see them keep up with that, but in the end, there is a chance of pure greatness coming.

A lot of people know how it feels to be in a situation that has such an impact on your life that you want to somehow commemorate it. It may be as a reminder of how good a time you had in your happiest moments alive, or something that constantly tells you not to make the same mistakes again and learn from them. However, it's rare that the things you do to commemorate it actually ends up trying to kill you or tell you to kill others. I know a lot of people who got a tattoo as a reactionary thing, but never anyone who was then inspired to go and kill someone because of it. However, since it is "The X-Files," it would be reasonable to suggest that such a thing could happen and would be the basis of an episode, and maybe even one written by series veterans Glen Morgan and James Wong. And this is an episode that continues to give a little more focus to Scully and work on her character, giving David Duchovny a backseat, in a story that is directly influenced by things she learned about herself earlier, which might have given her impulses to explore a new side.

Apparently, this episode was originally supposed to air before the "Leonard Betts" episode, which would have been a fatal mistake. It would have definitely put a lid on Scully's motivations here, and it would have made her feel very out-of-character. However, with that decision in place, the cancer reveal in the previous episode primarily serves as the basis for her more human approach this time, which is a perfect way to give us some of Scully's darker impulses and it provides a nice clean pallet for a character who has been very by-the-books so far, and gives her some edge.

It also provides some of Gillian Anderson's most interesting work as this character in a while. She has some very good emotional moments in the previous episodes, but she is given an onslaught of those moments here, in particular a scene where she gets a tattoo, which may have actually been the most emotionally resonant moment of the episode. She's a great actress and can do a lot more than what she's allowed to on the show, so it's nice to see that they're giving her a good trajectory like this, allowing for more emotions to finally emanate from her.

The episode was originally supposed to be directed by Quentin Tarantino, but Rob Bowman ended up helming it, and he gives the show some much-needed flare in an episode that is darker in terms of its lighting than usual, but also has some very impressive cinematography, utilizing long shots that often take us between many different rooms and up and down apartment stairs, really giving us a rollercoaster ride through the filmmaking. It's nice to see show switch up the style sometimes and give us these interesting rides instead of doing the same old, same old for every single episode.

"Never Again" is a great Scully-centric episode that wonderfully works off of the development that she went through last episode and Anderson truly shines through. It's a darker depiction of the character, but it's one that truly shows her as a real human being and not as the classic suit-wearing agent that we've been following.

Our body is a truly mysterious thing. It provides us with a husk to live our life through and it gives us the ability to do all the things that are needed to truly be able to know what it feels like to be alive. We're a unique species because of our bodies and how we're able to experience it; in contrast to many other creatures who will never get the full potential out of life through their bodies. However, it's also an organism that will constantly come up with new and improved ways to try and kill you; almost like your soul is the disease and your body provides a virus to kill the disease. But in classic "X-Files" fashion, the show now wants to provide an alternative. An alternative that brings all of these things together and suggests that if you live with all of them in perfect harmony, you will actually be able to live forever. It provides the backdrop for one of the most interesting episodes of the show, not necessarily because it does anything new, but because it puts such a different spin on its case, as well as providing us with some truly creepy and scary scenes throughout it.

The first place the episode does something different is in terms of its antagonist. Leonard Betts is not necessarily an interesting character on the surface, but it's the underlying idea behind him. This is a guy who kills, not because he wants to, but because he needs to in order to survive. There is a biological evolution that allows him an extraordinary ability to cheat death, but it needs something to survive. It forces him to tap into his animalistic senses, bringing him back in the evolutionary food chain, which is a very fascinating contrast to bring up inside Betts.

It's the most human approach to a character that has been presented so far when it comes to their "antagonists." He has a very human will to survive and he wants to go on living, not really with any goal in mind, but the chance of life, but he has been reduced to doing this in order to actually get there. I love the guts of the writers to take him in such a deranged direction, yet still manage to find the sympathetic side of him and constantly present that to the audience instead of making him scary yet again.

It also presents an exciting new direction for the show, providing Scully with some insane character development. In a season that has been very heavy on the Mulder character arc, it's nice to see that they're tapping into an area that is going to be very critical for Scully going forward and for their relationship as well. It's also a big way of ending the episode, and using the "monster-of-the-week" model to also incorporate important information into the main storyline of the show. It'll be interesting to see where it goes and what it brings along for these beloved characters.

"Leonard Betts" is a different kind of "monster-of-the-week" episode and it works as one of its best because of its approach to its central "monster." It's a much more sympathetic approach, and it goes throughout the entire episode, with the ending reveal being one of the most gut-wrenching things to come out of the show.

A show has balls when it decides to throw a wrench in the wheel of its own basis halfway through and change up everything that we thought we knew. The entire show began with Dana Scully being introduced to Fox Mulder who had been assigned to the X-Files due to his interest in extraterrestrial activity, all of which because he wanted to figure out more about his sister's disappearance, which he thought had happened because of aliens. That has been the story that we have gone with for the last three and a half seasons, so it wouldn't make sense for the creatives to do something that would make us question everything at this point, would it? That's why this show is so brilliant, because it decides to do just that and gives us an alternative option for Samantha's disappearance; one that is way more possible, but also way more morbid and crazier. Leave it up to Vince Gilligan to brilliantly shake up things with an episode that is so overwrought with emotion that gets some of the best performances out of our leads in a long time, as well as giving us a creepy "monster-of-the-week" that is so different than anything we've seen before.

The episode simply asks us to put aside the alien abduction idea and proposes that maybe she was abducted and killed by a serial killer. This doesn't necessarily fit in with the show's overarching narrative, but it paints a very painful picture for Mulder and his personal development, giving him an episode that ups the ante for him as a character. It's a brilliant piece of storytelling and character development for someone who has had a great season, but has needed some closure for the entire show, so to tease him with it here is both cruel and morbidly brilliant.

Gilligan has always been great at the cat-and-mouse game between protagonists and antagonists, so to utilize this here - like he did in the brilliant "Pusher" episode - seems right up his alley, and it achieves such amazing results here. The play between Mulder and John Lee Roche is delicious and adds tension to every scene that the two share, which are a lot. It builds the momentum for the episode throughout and leads the audience to an incredible climax that serves up some sweet justice for a character who simply got what was coming to him and what he deserved.

Tom Noonan does great work in his appearance as Roche, constantly delivering his lines with such chilling effects, making me uneasy every time he appears on screen. We didn't get a large sample of him here, but he sold all of his scenes with great effect. At the same time, David Duchovny deserves a lot of praise, not just for his performance here, but for what he's doing this entire season. He has added a lot to his emotional register over the last season and it comes to play here, in which he has definitely delivered his best work so far.

"Paper Hearts" changes up the storyline for a well-directed entry that maybe doesn't add to the overall mythology, but introduces a nice hypothetical to the mix. It's full of great emotional stakes, while also featuring some great tension, mostly because of the incredible cat-and-mouse game between Duchovny and Noonan who both excel with their performances.

In a show that is all about conspiracy theories, it definitely felt like it would be only a matter of time before we actually started to incorporate real-life theories into the plot. It felt strange that they hadn't properly tried to include the theories into the larger scope of this show and actually make connections to certain things that have gone down into legend. And the perfect character to do that through is William B. Davis' Cigarette Smoking Man who has constantly been a thorn in the side of our protagonists, but who has never actually gotten an episode dedicated to developing him as a character and a force for our leads to properly recon with. So as I was reading up on this season, I fell upon an episode with this title and thought that it had to be developing his backstory, and even joked about certain events that actually ended up happening. And this is one of the more self-ironic episodes of the show that fully dives into the idea of conspiracy theories, putting CSM in many situations throughout time that have been covered up in some way, only to brilliantly make the audience question whether any of the things are actually true.

This entire episode puts the viewer into the mindset of a conspiracy theorist and takes us on a journey throughout the story of a man that may not actually be true. However, it's not important whether or not what's told is true, but that the audience sees the possibilities that lie within CSM and who he actually is. He doesn't have to have done the things told here, but the mere idea of them immediately sets him up as a real threat, which suddenly makes him feel much more terrifying, yet also human in a very weird and morbid way.

The most impressive feat of this episode is that it manages to humanize a character that has not been given a lot of actual development, and whose only real character trait was his intense love for cigarettes. It's a very darkly humorous, yet tragic tale that reveals a lot about this man and shows us a picture of someone who has ambitions and dreams outside of his chosen field, but doesn't have the luck to actually go ahead with it. Whether or not it's true is another matter, but the presentation in this episode of it all is quite brilliant.

The episode also has its tone perfectly balanced, with scenes that are serious and really feels like they're weighted down by a lot of emotion, while other sequences are clearly having fun with the idea of this Syndicate being in charge of every single conspiracy theory in the world. There is a particular scene in this episode that makes them feel like the Stonecutters from "The Simpsons." Glen Morgan's writing is really capturing the beauty of what his brother - Darin Morgan - brought to the show, and it's nice to see that it still has fun with its own outlandish premise.

"Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man" is the perfect encapsulation of the entire show, as it manages to brilliantly convey what the show is about. It's not about whether or not any of this is true, but about the power of belief and how believing in something can sometimes make it feel much more dangerous.

Amongst this show's greatest writers is - in my opinion - Darin Morgan, who wrote some of the most tonally different episodes of the show and leaned into the comedic chops of the actors and the overall comedic undertones of the show. However, before him, his brother Glen Morgan would write some of the most memorable episodes of the show with James Wong, a lot of them influenced by horror. They knew how to tap into the show's scary elements and made some episodes that were genuinely terrifying or had undertones of the absurd and occult. They eventually came back to the show for its fourth season, having left it after season two, and immediately went to work on one of the most gruesome episodes of television history; an episode that would be so controversial that some fans of the show even questioned their desire to continue watching. Others praised the show for going in darker directions, and personally, this episode doesn't feel like anything else the show has produced before. It is profoundly messed up and features some of the show's most gruesome imagery, but all of it is quite brilliant, primarily because of its unique nature and how it couldn't have ever been made today.

There's nothing like a show that commits itself to telling a darker story. While this certainly still features the unique camaraderie between Mulder and Scully, there's no doubt that the severity of this case influences their relationship throughout the episode and makes them approach it with a more serious tone. The episode never relies heavily on scare tactics, but is purely able to horrify because of its imagery, with certain shots being amongst some of the scariest I've ever seen committed to film. A big shoutout to Jon Joffin and Ron Stannett for their amazingly creepy cinematography throughout the episode.

It brilliantly captures the idea of the idyllic small town with a dark secret that either no one knows about, or no one wants to admit to knowing about. It doesn't pull any punches in its depiction of the macabre and the theme of incest will always be a theme that a lot of people will immediately feel a disdain towards, so in many ways, this episode was not a difficult sell as a piece of horrific "X-Files." I'm just amazed that the people behind the show actually went for it and got away with some of these things ultimately.

It also ends on a very difficult note. It's not the usual semi-happy "X-Files" ending that leaves you with questions, but a feeling of positive thinking inside. This is fully dedicated to making you feel like you're watching something awful. There's no resolution to the story, and it seems to indicate larger things at stake. However, it also comments on the fact that this is an issue that we'll never fully understand or get rid of. We'd have to put ourselves into this mindset, and that is something that a lot of people cannot and will not do to themselves.

"Home" is an hour of television that I will not soon forget, nor will I want to revisit when I do the eventual series rewatch. However, as a piece of horror, this episode may be one of the most effective things that has ever been committed to television and it will probably never be surpassed.

The sins of our parents is something that we all hope never to repeat or face the consequences of while we are alive. But when your parents were involved in a big conspiracy to cover up alien activity, which directly contradicts the work that you are doing, then it can be pretty difficult to not pull a lot of skeletons out of the closet. At this point, it seems like everything is against Mulder and that everything he knew about his family has been a lie, which has directly influenced his own search for the truth and an answer as to what actually happened to his sister. Those answers have been gradually answered during the show's run, but there are still a lot of questions as to how deep this all goes, with this episode directly implicating Mulder's mother in things as well. It's a question as to whether he will save the people that he loves despite their many secrets, or if he will continue to search for the truth through the very thing that everyone in his life is fighting against. Mulder is the heart of this show and it always gets complicated when the heart is involved, but it sets the stage for an absolutely explosive finale that easily outdoes what has happened before as it sets up a new interesting being in this universe and features some excellent emotional moments, as well as sets up the coming season with a perfect cap-off that will keep people guessing about many characters' fates.

The episode's title refers back to a story from the Bible where Jesus healed a bleeding woman, which ties into the new introduction who is Jeremiah Smith, a very interesting character, not necessarily because of his powers, but because of his involvement in what's happening. He's not the usual opposition for the duo, but rather someone who wants to help, adding a nice twist to the "monster-of-the-week" idea and hopefully setting up a character that won't simply appear in this episode and the next and then be done. Hopefully, this one will stay around for a little while longer.

This show is very good at barking the same words, but not making it feel like we've heard it before. It changes up the game once in a while and decides to put a different twist on the mythology. There are a lot of ideas here that aren't new to the show, but are explored in a new way. The interrogation scene has been praised for how it subverts those expectations, yet still fuels our urge to know more, and that's a testament to the great writing, with Chris Carter showing that he's still one of the show's most interesting writers.

There's also the interesting details of creating a world where we all live side-by-side by colonization, which isn't necessarily something that the show hasn't tried to convey before, but it gives a new meaning to all these X-files cases, with much of the work here giving some answers to questions we may have had in the past. It does create new questions, though, that the show may or may not decide to give us the answers to. No matter what, they continue to set up exciting ideas for us to hold on to and probably enjoy when the answer comes.

The mythology of this show seems to be coming to a big head soon, which may prove to be the show's biggest gamble, but because of all the many details that we want to tie up, there's a lot riding on the fact that all of this works. So far, they've gone a great job of making it tie together, and this episode isn't an outlier there. This definitely makes all the mythology elements work and adds the new spice to the mix, finding ways properly continue the storyline with great storytelling with the goal of bringing the endgame closer.

"Talitha Cumi" is not light on its religious connections, but makes sure that it stays in the realm of this universe, adding to the mythology. A lot of new details are conveyed through excellent exchanges and storytelling, with a finale that clearly works as superior to the previous ones, both in terms of conception and execution.

There has been a thought on my mind over my time watching this show, and that is: "when was it that this show became great?" I don't think that there's necessarily an easy answer to this, and a lot of people will probably have different answers, but for me, it's actually an answer that is simpler than you would think. The show has always been great, but it was when it began to fill its writing staff with unique and interesting voices that all had different approaches to their material that it began to really get great. There's no reason for this show to feel like it's the same thing over and over, and with the unique set of writers, it quickly became a show that adhered to the strengths of them all. Darin Morgan, especially, has proven to be one of the show's most unique voices, always sprinkling in his episodes with a level of realism and a big amount of humor. In terms of his fourth overall episode - "Jose Chung's From Outer Space" - he has put the realistic nature of his work in the backseat and has really upped his humoristic tendencies, making for a different, yet remarkably essential piece of "X-Files" history. This episode may be one of the greatest examples of why this show is so unique and why it's able to do what it does so brilliantly, with a storyline that isn't entirely consequential to the overall mythology, but still stays true to the spirit and direction of the show.

This is one of those episodes that is easily skippable, and a lot of smaller "X-Files" fans would probably not watch this on a second watchthrough. But it feels essential in selling the spirit of the show; a show that isn't nailed down to one thing, but has the opportunity to actually spread out its wings and provide an episode that is virtually without consequences and simply based on heavy humor that works. It's nice to see a show take the opportunity for a bit of breathing room and not furiously attach itself to serious and gloomy all the time.

The story is quite interesting though, and the episode utilage of the unreliable narrator is quite fun to try and dissect. If you look too deeply into the episode, it's actually quite confusing and doesn't really leave you with a sense of satisfaction by the end, but that's the exact point of it. It's not based on providing a narrative that has a satisfying conclusion, but rather a setup for this fun bit of banter between Scully and Dr. Jose Chung, who I've gotta say is one of the more fun additions to the show's roster of guest characters.

The writing for this episode is quite brilliant, not just because of the unreliable narrator, but because it so vividly plays to the strengths of the actors. There is such a comedic genius hidden under David Duchovny's layers of seriousness, and the comic bits that he has in this episode are brilliant. The overall execution of the episode is quite brilliant, and the guest stars all have their moments where the audience gets a chance to laugh in happiness or surprise because of what came out. There certainly hasn't been a more entertaining episode in this show so far than this.

And it further adds to the idea that these "monster-of-the-week" episodes are such a great way of levitating between the show's more serious tone in the mythology arcs and having more fun with these monsters. They're mostly serious as well, but Morgan has added a levity to the show that it desperately needed because of its more dreary and upsetting parts. It can get dark and gloomy, but these are spaces where that isn't a necessity to further the story, and Morgan has brilliantly tapped into that and continues to provide some truly great and different episodes of this great show.

"Jose Chung's From Outer Space" is not just great because of its levity, but because it flawlessly uses its medium to just have some fun. There's no need to constantly add to the mythology, and even though this episode does deal with aliens, it does it in a very unique and satisfying way.

A lot of my initial interest in watching "The X-Files," while certainly stemming from my appreciation and love for the sci-fi genre, actually came from Vince Gilligan's involvement. In many ways, this was the show that actually gave him his big break and made him a big name, which then made AMC turn to him and make the show that really made him a household name. His first credit was in the second season of this show, and while that episode was certainly one of the season's more interesting outputs as it would often retort back to the same schtick, it wasn't the big debut that I expected it to be. It was certainly a good episode, but it didn't remind me of his bigger achievements in terms of his writing career. However, a lot of people were saying that it was actually his next effort that became his big break, and that came in the form of the third season episode "Pusher," which features a cat-and-mouse game between Mulder and a killer with the ability to bend people to do what he wants them to. A very interesting premise and something that could definitely prove to be one of the show's best efforts yet. And while I can't say that it definitely is, it's certainly one of the most interesting ideas that the show has tackled in a while, and it features some expertly crafted scenes of tension, especially the film's climactic scene featuring Mulder, the killer, and an intense game of Russian roulette.

This episode feels like it gets more into the emotions than previous ones. It's not really based on the detective work as the reason for Mulder and Scully's inevitable handling of the case, but the simple fact that Mulder bears a huge grudge against a man who doesn't take human lives seriously. It's a great new approach to the detective story and it makes the cat-and-mouse game a lot more fun to watch, because you know that it's not going to go the way that it should, which leads to a genuinely surprising and effective climax.

That also makes room for the bond between the lead characters to grow a little bit, which feels like a nice sentiment given the fact that they've been at odds with each other for the last few episodes. This show works best when they complement the best parts of each other, and this episode fully embraces that idea again, not putting them on opposite sides of each other, and actually granting them a piece of emotional connection in a scene where Scully finally acknowledges that Mulder has had a point in his investigation, which rarely happens, but when it does, it truly means something.

It's one of the best single antagonists that we've gotten, and the idea of someone being able to control your will is scary enough on its own, but they manage to make it even creepier through an intense performance that Robert Wisden gives. He is truly terrifying and perfectly portrays a man who has nothing left to lose, so the only thing for him is just to cause havoc with these new abilities he acquired. It puts him right on the line with Mulder, and his back-and-forth with David Duchovny is truly one of the highlights of this episode.

It's nice to see the humble beginnings of some people. It's annoying when those humble beginnings are excellent, so I'll take this time to shout out Vince Gilligan who is just one of the most impressive creators out there. Not just because of his immense talent, but also because of his diverse approach to everything he does. This episode has a lot of familiar elements to his other works, but it still feels so unique because of how it's all set in this universe. I'm glad that he's not handling the mythology episodes, and hope that his future is bright with this kind of episodes.

"Pusher" is a brilliantly constructed episode that goes deep in the emotional state of the characters, pushing Mulder to his limit with this week's antagonist. It's a great concept that really fulfills all of its promise through excellent writing, brilliant performances, and a climax that is one of the best this show has produced.

There's nothing in this world that scares me as much as the natural things that could potentially kill us. I don't have arachnophobia, but the idea that there are huge spiders that could kill a person is something that scares me more than the possibility of a nuclear war. These are creatures that are right on our doorsteps and for some people, inside their homes. Luckily, I live in a country where the closest animal that could do major harm is behind bars in a zoo, but nature is still full of things that we don't fully understand. The idea that this is the thing that centers this "X-Files" episode may be what makes it one of the scariest episodes of the show so far. This episode is a totally comprehensible episode about killer cockroaches, which sounds insanely stupid if it had been the premise of any other show, but for a show that balances the strange with the scary so well, it makes for a horrifying storyline. The episode fully explores our relationship with the natural world and the fears we have for what it could do to us, which ends up in kind of a riot that spreads across a small town, and it also makes for an incredibly terrific hour of television. This is another Darin Morgan episode, which means that it's full of some campy moments mixed in with genuine and terrifying scares that puts the threats we face right in the middle of something that we know all too well.

What worked so well about his previous installment in this third season was how he used the idea of memory and knowledge as the threat. Here, he decides to make the threat a physical thing, but a thing that we face almost every day. He crafts this familiar dread and speaks to our natural fears of pretty much everything. Cockroaches are not inherently scary, but if you suddenly give them the ability to kill you in many different ways, it'd make someone look more than twice whenever they find one or see one, which is crazy but also very effective.

The episode is full of Morgan's campy touch with running jokes, including one where Mulder constantly calls Scully, only to be told that he is wrong and hanging up. It's great to know that this show is also able to see the absurdity of its storyline and make a little fun of how serious it takes itself. This episode is definitely not an attempt to show the serious side of the show, and it more importantly puts a focus on the camp, despite the very natural and terrifying threat that it portrays, making it the best of both worlds.

The episode also ends on a more unclear note. While some could see this as lazy writing, it may also simply be a commentary on the fact that we don't always get to know the aspects of nature. There's no such thing as clear answers when it comes to the things that we live around everyday. We get used to it being one way, so when it changes, it can be scary. However, sometimes, nature just changes and there's nothing that we can do about it; although we'd hope that it changes in a way that would still keep us alive.

It's interesting to see where this show is taking its leads. They seem to be more and more at odds with each other, constantly challenging each others' beliefs. That probably comes from the bomb that was dropped a few episodes ago which brought back Mulder's entire system, but also in the last episode where Scully's more religious beliefs came to the surface. There's a clear rift between them here, and it's going to be fascinating to see how they make up for that, and if they ever will have the same relationship that we fell in love with originally.

"War of the Coprophages" is not only a clever title, but a very clever episode that makes the threat something that we know too well. It's a mix of brilliant terror and fun camp that makes this an unforgettable episode and one that actually understands what this show is and should be going forward.

There are a couple of ways of looking at this show. It's certainly a show that is about entertaining its audience and the mysteries are perfect fodder for the hungry people watching the TV every night to get some good storytelling and some nice narratives, which this show has in big amounts. However, there's also a way of looking at this show as a show that deals with the possibility of facing the truth and getting a chance to face the government and what they're doing. We know that there are a lot of secret projects about bioweapons and chemical experimentation of regular people. It's not a big secret. There are even world leaders who have used these weapons against their own people. It feels like Chris Carter is trying to take up these issues and ask us what we would do in order to actually achieve some sort of clarity about what is going on under our noses. We are all supposed to be in the shoes of Mulder, and while we may not necessarily believe that aliens and spaceships are actually a real threat to us, it covers the larger truth under a sci-fi blanket that we can all watch and have fun with. This episode, in particular, puts that aside to give us an hour of intense storytelling that always feels like it's a run against the clock and an impending doom that will prove difficult for our protagonists to get out of, while they continue to uncover the conspiracy they're facing.

The writing for this episode is particularly terrific, because it knowingly splits up the episode in two narratives that both compliment the sensibilities of our lead characters. Mulder is caught on a train with a possible otherworldly being and an assassin, while Scully is presented with evidence of what is actually going on in the form of something that she would be able to understand. It would have been interesting to see what they would have done had their places been reversed, but it feels like the episode is specifically designed to adhere to the beliefs of these two characters.

However, the episode is also meant to set back the audience in their expectations of what is actually going on. It's clear that Mulder is facing an existential crisis here as he is approached by facts that contradicts his own struggle to find the answers that he truly believes he's going to find. Watching characters have these crisis of faith moments are always heartbreaking, but Mulder is both strong and stubborn, so it's clear that he will get back on the horse again and go forward still trying to convince us (and himself, maybe) about the existence of otherworldly beings.

The conception of this episode is really impressive and how Rob Bowman handles directing duties is honestly quite inspiring. There is a race happening against the clock, and Bowman finds ways to make the episode feel tense, and all the slow moments feel like a waste of time for the characters as well, which only makes us worry about the possible outcome even more. We know that nothing is going to happen to our leads, but we've also seen things occur that set them back, and Bowman directs this episode as if we should hold out for another big tragedy.

It leads the mythology of the show in a very interesting direction, and a darker one as well. None of what we've seen really supports the idea that this is not somehow connected to extraterrestrial beings, but the episode is very clear in its distinction from that, and therefore, the mythology feels vastly changed afterwards. And that is in a good way, because to trick us and take us along for the ride like that is always a plus for me, so it's going to be extra special to see what they'll do to get this train back on track.

"731" puts a new spin on the show and brings a new side of the mythology to life; one that may be darker than ever. It's full of great tension and features some iconic character moments, as well as being one of the more interestingly made episodes in terms of its approach to the narrative.

The question of whether or not we'd like to know how we die is one that has been thought about many times. It'd be morbidly interesting to know what actually happens to us and how we are to meet our ending someday, but on the other hand, it's the constant fear of death that keeps us going, so the uncertainty is actually the best way to keep living. To know that we're meant to do something big with our lives or to know that we'll go through it without really achieving anything of value; none of those things seems like something I'd like to be sure of, so therefore I don't wish to know how I will eventually leave this world. In "The X-Files," we're introduced to a character who doesn't really get a choice, but is forced to live with the certainty of how everyone will die. This is a character who feels like he has been cursed, and that would honestly be my reaction to it as well. There's not a lot of hope attached to a fate like that, but maybe - just maybe - you will be visited by the FBI and asked to help them with a murder investigation that they can't solve. That makes way for one of the show's very best episodes and introduces a character to the lore of "The X-Files" that has become quite iconic, mostly because of his usage during the episode, but also because of a truly remarkable guest performance from Peter Boyle as Clyde Bruckman.

It's rare that a guest actor can come into a show that just owns every single second they have on screen, but Boyle really manages to do that. He has such a pessimistic attitude, but it just boosts the likability of Clyde because of his bluntness, yet also his desire to help out and find some meaning in his unlucky life. He works so well in the framework of this episode, and it's sad that we'll likely not see him again, but it's also a great episode to have on your resume, even if it's only the one you have.

It's one of the darker episodes of the show, and it's therefore great that Darin Morgan decided to add a goofy aspect to it as well. Dealing with themes like these are tough, but when you add the Stupendous Yappi into the mix, it makes it a little easier to digest. It's just generally a very smartly written episode with a lot of small gags that have very interesting outcomes, and an interesting aspect of navigating something that also deals with the future and events that are to come, yet occurs in ways that we probably didn't entirely expect them to.

The show is set in such a tight atmosphere, and it seems to rarely come up with answers for its strange antagonists, but it always has a great way of playing around with the abilities they possess and tries to make them feel like they're somehow placed in reality. There are fun things done here with Clyde's powers, but the reason behind them provides some of the most heartbreaking material this show has given us in a while, with a very heartfelt speech about the obsession with death and coincidence, which is an interesting piece of social commentary too.

It also doesn't feel like it needs to tie into the mythology of "The X-Files," and is just priding itself on being a good episode. The writing is spectacular and David Nutter's direction is also remarkable as he constantly keeps the audience on their toes and makes them speculate wildly about what will happen. The editing is very smart, especially during the first act where it constantly plays with our idea of what we're seeing, easily turning the episode into a piece of suspense rather than sci-fi. Nonetheless, it provides one of the greatest episodes of the show so far.

"Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose" has the distinct honor of being one of the show's funniest episodes, but also one of its darker and more heartbreaking installments. It features note-perfect writing in terms of its structure and its suspense, and features an all-time great guest performance from Peter Boyle, who beautifully brings the titular character to life.

There is a clear advantage in doing something like "The X-Files" on television and not having it be an epic film series. This show is able to do a lot of big things on a very small scale; the passing of a huge alien spacecraft over the heads of our heroes followed by a raid on an old military installation is only one of those great examples. The show is big in its scope, but it never veers away from being a personal show that is focused on giving you something to care for in these characters. They're up against something that is much bigger themselves, but they're able to handle it on a human level and actually go toe-to-toe with something that is much larger than them. It works well for a show that is all set up about being the little guy versus the big power in control. They're up against a mass conspiracy that is meant to cloud the world from knowing the truth about what is actually out there and what they're doing to their fellow human beings. This show's conspiracy element has always been really fascinating, but they continue to up the ante with each season, and this is no different. This episode takes the conspiracy to insurmountable levels and gives our protagonists a huge disadvantage from the start, but it still works flawlessly in providing us with a great narrative that is accomplished through quite visceral and effective storytelling with heads budding and a lot of epic line deliveries.

This episode is a great capper for this three-episode arc that has been unfolding, and it does by revealing a lot of things that will be important for our perception of the show going forward. The alien threat is very real, and it's sold with a great sense of dread and certainty here. A lot of things have happened in real-life that we can't explain, and it makes sense for this show to include those things and tie in an alien element to them, truly selling the horrific idea that something is indeed out and ready to strike down whenever.

There are plenty of iconic and great moments to go around in this episode, with the entire second act at the mining facility being one. The idea of presenting the scope of this issue through a file storage is very subtle, yet the perfect way for this show to go about it. It does a smart move by still keeping Scully at an arms' length from the truth, while Mulder is facing it straight-on, a move that stays true to the characters that we originally fell in love with, although one can't help but to truly question Scully's skepticism now.

There's a continuation in terms of the development of these characters, and even three seasons in, there is still new ground that they have yet to explore. Duchovny continues to vividly impress this season with a very deep conversation with his mother, while Anderson has her most devastating blow yet, and the pain in her eyes when she has to keep cool about it is so evident. They don't even know how to react to everything that they are seeing here and it could easily be that they won't know how to deal with it when it actually comes time to.

The episode does feature some aspects that could be questioned, but it manages to put a lot of those problems aside by just providing an incredibly intense hour of television. There are questions that we still have about the conspiracy and where it's actually going, but the show is probably going to give us some of those answers as we go along. And there are definitely some answers that it won't, but everything we can get at this point would be great, because it's so vast that it feels like anything we hear could potentially be really good news.

"Paper Clip" succeeds in providing an explosion of questions and showing how vast the conspiracy is, adding a lot of possibilities for the coming future. It's an instantly iconic episode with some of the show's best scenes, and some of the greatest performances we've seen so far from the show's leads.