Rodent Rates The X-Files... An Ongoing Thread

S1: Ep18: “Miracle Man”

Monster of the week episode.
An apparent Faith Healer called Samuelwas a prodigy when he was a boy when he actually healed someone who had been pronounced dead from horrific injuries.
After living his life with his adopted Father, he comes to the attention of Mouldy and Skullface when one of his “patients” dies mysteriously shortly after being “cured”, and then Samuel disappears.
Regular episode this one with the monster of the week thing going on but we’re treated to a decent story of murder mysteries and conspiracies surrounding Samuel and his adopted family… with Mulder driving Scully nuts with his far-out theories.
R.D Call is a nice casting though.

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S1: Ep19: “Shapes”

Monster of the week episode. Native American magic and shapeshifting mysteries when a Native American is shot and killed on a Montana farm after a number of animals were mutilated by an apparent wolf.
Mulder and Scully comparing the case to the first ever X-File based around werewolves.
Another standard episode, with the backdrop this time of American Indians and Cowboy types at loggerheads with the duo disagreeing about what the cause of the deaths of animals and farmers is.
Unfolds nicely and has the typical is-it/isn’t-it thing going on.

S1: Ep20: “Darkness Falls”

Monster of the week episode.
This was the first ever episode I ever saw way back when. One of my favourites too.
Loggers in the American wilderness vanish, and a group of rescuers also disappear while looking for them. It turns out other large groups of people have vanished in that area in the past… but what Mulder and Scully discover in the woods is something much more terrifying than they hoped.
Great episode, has a touch of environmentalism going on but still much more a horror episode with the creatures involved and the atmosphere built around the wooded mountainous settings. Unfolds slowly so the viewer gets to see how the duo and their Ranger friends figure out what's going on.

S1: Ep21: “Tooms”

Monster of the week episode.
Eugene Victor Tooms, the mutant we saw in “Squeeze” is back.
He’s been released from prison, and the Mulder isn’t happy about it, and Tooms has his own plans for Mulder and Scully.
Brilliant follow up to the classic 3rd episode. Well written, expands Tooms’ legend, and we get to see a rivalry between Mulder and Tooms’ too. Scully conducting her own investigation on the case while Mulder follows Tooms everywhere and gets on his nerves.
And… first time we meet Skinner!!! Bit of a bureaucrat in this one though.

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Yeah I wore out my VHS of your Mom's home movies, had to find something else to watch till I can find the DVD.

Miracle Man is actually one of my favourites of the Season. Not sure why, most think it is among the weakest i think.

I like how you are listing them as Monster of the Week, Alien Conspiracy, etc. I think most of the time i preferred the Monster of the Week ones but there are plenty of greats in the storylines.

I think this is how i'd rank the First Season:

01.Ice
02.Eve
03.Beyond the Sea
04.Darkness Falls
05.Squeeze
06.E.B.E
07.Miracle Man
08.The Erlenmeyer Flask
09.Deep Throat
10.Roland
11.Tooms
12.Fallen Angel
13.Pilot
14.Lazarus
15.Shapes
16.Born Again
17.Fire
18.Conduit
19.Jersey Devil
20.Shadows
21.Young At Heart
22.Gender Bender
23.Space
24.Ghost in the Machine

S1: Ep22: “Born Again”

Monster of the week episode.
A little girl called Michelle is found on the street, apparently lost. When being asked a few questions by a Police Officer, the Officer unexpectedly commits suicide.
Mulder and Scully are brought in as according to the Officer’s partner, “There’s something odd” about the child. Even Michelle’s Mother is weary around her.
Another solid episode using psychic/mind controlling kids. Unfolds nicely, but a bog standard episode on terms of screenplay. Still an intriguing discovery when Mulder starts to dig into either possible telekinesis, reincarnation or another possible Ghost story.

S1: Ep23: “Roland”

Monster of the week episode.
A bunch of murders take place in an Aerospace Testing Lab, and Mulder and Scully are called in because the mentally handicapped Janitor may be being controlled by telepathy to carry out the murders.
Unfolds nicely, has an air of mystery around Roland as well as to how he’s able to do the things he does. Mulder’s usual far-out theories driving Scully mad. I wasn't totally enthralled by this one, but it works as an X-Files episode.
Some future famous faces in this one again.

S1: Ep24: “The Erlenmeyer Flask”

5th in the Alien Mythology episode.
An experimentation with Gene-Therapy using unknown DNA is thrown in Mulder’s lap by Deep Throat. Mulder of course follows the clues that start with a fugitive who was apparently shot by cops, but evaded capture… and somehow bled a green substance at the scene of his shooting.
Fantastic end to the Season. Opening load of questions, and adding more depth to the Mythology… Mulder and Scully doing their own separate investigations, Mulder doing his far-out theory thing and Scully conducting medical research to get the solid facts and coming up with some shocking results.

Season 1 Roundup.
A lot of these episodes come under the “classic” rating due to the following and how long they’ve been around.
The season started very strong, had a couple misfires in the middle with things like Ghost In The Machine and The Jersey Devil, though they’re still decent episodes, and then ended strongly with the last 3-4 episodes.
X-Files, rightly, garnered a solid following and reviews when it first came out, and 20 odd years later is still revered.
Season 1 is a great start so far.

My Top 10 favourites in order:
1. Squeeze and Tooms, both part of a separate arc to the Mythology
2. The Erlenmeyer Flask
3. Beyond The Sea
4. Ice
5. Eve
6. E.B.E
7. Darkness Falls
8. Deep Throat
9. Pilot
10. Fallen Angel

Shout outs to “Born Again”, “Shadows”, “Conduit” and “Fire”


Season 2 starts tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know right? When I go back to the early episodes it always surprises me what a douche Skinner was. He really was part of the system that Mulder was railing against


As for my favourite episodes I'd choose something along the lines of -

1. Beyond the Sea
2. Ice
Eve
Darkness Falls
Squeeze
Tooms
Deep Throat
Pilot
E.B.E
Fallen Angel

after the top 2 the order is random

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Our top 10 is basically the same

Season 2!!!

S2: Ep1: “Little Green Men”

6th in the Alien Mythology of the series.
After Mouldy and Scaly were shut down on the X-Files cases at the end of season 1 and reassigned, Mulder has become depressed and Scully has been acting odd too. Mulder is doubting himself and his beliefs after Deep Throat’s assassination, and now reassigned to bog standard fraud cases and basically acting as a Tea-Boy for the FBI. He’s also suffering visions and flashbacks of his Sister’s abduction.
Mulder receives knowledge of possible Alien contact from the Voyager Probe that was sent out in the 1970s from a US Senator… and given 24 hours to investigate.
Great start to season 2. Well written, follows continuity, unfolds nicely and adds more depth to the Alien Mythology.
Starts season 2 off with a bang. Great stuff.

S2: Ep2: “The Host”

Monster of the week episode.
A man is killed in the bowels of a Russian ship by an unknown assailant, and a short while later his body is found in a Newark sewer. Mulder is sent in by Skinner.
Mulder thinks this case is punishment for what happened in episode 1, but makes a remarkable discovery about the mystery assailant with Scully helping out by checking out the dead body.
Fantastic episode, one of my favourites. One of the first ones I saw too.
Good mystery and discovery, great creature, one of the best and most original in any creature feature tbh, and written nicely too.
Great episode after all the downbeat (although epic) Alien Mythology episodes of late.

Little Green Men is fantastic, top five of the season for me. The Host is very good too.

S2: Ep3: “Blood”

Monster of the week episode.
Mulder is called in when it appears a spree of murders is connected to messages that people receive on electronic devices. What’s even odder is that the people who receive these messages are the ones who carry out the killings, but had no prior history of violence and were revered members of the public.
Nice investigation with Mulder this time doing the standard thing rather than just going far-out with his theories, but uses that as a backup for solving the case and Scully feeling just as confused about what’s going on.
Decent X-Files episode.

S2: Ep4: “Sleepless”

Monster of the week episode.
A massive fire overtakes Dr Saul Grissom’s apartment, and he calls 911. When the fire crew arrive, they find Dr Grissom dead, but no sign of fire at all. Mulder is called in and asks Scully for help… but another FBI Agent called Alex Krycek is already on the case, and Mulder and Krycek come to loggerheads when Mulder goes behind Krycek’s back and conducts his own investigation.
Niiice! The intro of Krycek! I never saw this episode before, but I know the history of the character from other episodes. Great to see his intro in such a fashion too.
Nicely played out, with some character depth too between the two Agents at war setting up some of the future of the series and some decently written mystery behind the case they’re working on.

Feels a bit dated nowadays, but I think that's in my top 5 monster of the week episodes and def in my top 10.

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S2: Ep5: “Duane Barry”

7th in the Alien Mythology of the series.
Duane Barry, a psychiatric patient of 8 years who is terrified of Alien abductions, takes his Doctor hostage and tries to head back to where he was first abducted. Mulder and Krycek are called in, and Mulder calls Scully in to investigate Barry’s past.
Great episode with Mulder being brought in to act as a friend to the increasingly twitchy Barry and driving his superiors nuts because he actually believes Barry’s story instead of acting as a fake friend/negotiator.
Adds huge weight to the future of the series Alien Mythology once Scully is on board.
Steve Railsback as Barry is another piece of casting genius too. Chris Carter’s debut at directing as well.

S2: Ep6: “Ascension”

8th in the Alien Mythology of the series. Follows on from the last episode.
Duane Barry has kidnapped Scully… and Mulder is hot on their tracks and has to account for what happened in the last episode. Mulder though is taken off the case by the bureaucratic Skinner because of the personal connection Mulder has with the case.
Fantastic follow up to “Duane Barry”. Mulder’s personal feelings in this one while Scully is in danger drives the plot brilliantly. A real edge-of-the-seat episode, and unfolds brilliantly as Mulder turns his back on protocol to save his friend.
The “friend in the FBI” known only as X makes another important appearance on this one too.