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

[The Rodent]

Ok, I bought the box set the yesterday and have been working my way through it in order.


And yes, that means when it comes time for the films, they too will be fully reviewed like one of my regular reviews.


S1: Ep1: "Pilot" rating_4_5
Intro for our characters and how they met. Background dialogue setting up Mulder's history.
Also starting out as they meant to go on with Aliens as the basis of the story.
Doesn't feel like a pilot though. Solidly written and executed though with some experimental stuff going on in the odd scene.
It's also the first of the "Alien Mythology" of the series.


S1: Ep2: "Deep Throat" rating_5
The second in the Alien Mythology of the series.
Another solid Alien and UFO outing, and again doesn't feel like a 2nd-in-a-series episode. It's solidly written and executed and acted and has some tweaking done to the writing and photography too.


S1: Ep3: "Squeeze" rating_5
My favourite episode so far, and the first "monster of the week" episode. Full of intrigue and another solidly executed episode with an open ending.
The unfolding of discovery of what the creature is, is tops. Setting a precedent for what to expect later.


S1: Ep4: "Conduit" rating_4
Works on a similar premise to what happened to Mulder and his Sister when they were kids. Has a personal touch to proceedings.
I wasn't totally drawn in though. I think it was lacking more emotional content in Mulder's character. Some of it was there, but should have been more.
Still solidly pieced together though.


S1: Ep5: "The Jersey Devil" rating_3_5
Kinda hokey, with the monster of the week being a sort of cross between Big Foot and a caveman. Another one that didn't really draw me in.
Still solidly executed though, not much else wrong apart from the subject matter. I guess they were still trying to find their feet with what sort of creatures and monsters they were experimenting with in the writing.


S1: Ep6: "Shadows" rating_4
Another good episode, but more of the experimentation with what sort of creature they were going for.
Much more a fantasy episode as it features a possible ghost.
Nicely put together though, I enjoyed the whole mystery and discovery as the story went on around the character of Lauren and her Boss.


S1: Ep7: "The Ghost In The Machine" rating_3
This one has aged a lot as it used computers as the monster-of-the-week.
I wasn't transfixed, but I found it fun in a sort of humorous way. Kinda like watching The Lawnmower Man again.
Still, the unfolding of the story was another solidly pieced together episode.


S1: Ep8: "Ice" rating_5
Another favourite. Reminded me of The Thing.
The duo stuck in Icy Cape in Alaska and an Alien discovery infects everyone there and they all get paranoid at each other.
Solid episode across the board.


S1: Ep9: "Space" rating_3_5
Involving Alien influences on a NASA controller and a mission to Mars, but isn't tied to the Alien Mythology of the series.
Kinda felt out of place this one. Not sure what it was, but an Alien possession story just felt, well, let's say you don't really get to caring about the characters involved to care if they figure out what's going on or not.


S1: Ep10: "Fallen Angel" rating_4_5
The third in the Alien Mythology of the series.
A crashed ship, a mysterious figure roaming around and Mulder upsetting various military guys and his own superiors, and peeing off Scully too, trying to figure it out.
Good episode, and has some good stuff that broadens the Alien story that we get to enjoy later.

[The Rodent]

S1: Ep11: "Eve" rating_5
Full of mystery when a father is killed and it's discovered that his daughter looks exactly like the daughter of another man who was killed in exactly the same way.
Unfolds brilliantly as Mulder and Scully uncover a dark secret. Good characters too.
Solid episode. Possibly one of the best written tbh.

[Camo]

Will be following this Rodent :up:. I just rewatched Season 1 a few months back and i think Ice or Eve was my favourite. The Ghost in the Machine was easily the worst, as you said that ep is horribly dated.

[The Rodent]

Thanks man! I'm just watching "Fire" now. Will be the last one today. My discs have 4 episodes per disc, so I'll be doing 4 a day from now on :D
Maybe 8, depending on time.

[The Rodent]

S1: Ep12: "Fire" 4.5
Another monster-of-the-week episode, with Smoulder and Skullcap tracking an apparent arsonist. Mulder receives a tape recording which brings him into the case.
Unfolding brilliantly when the history of the arsonist is revealed and a blast from the past for Mulder while he’s trying to solve the case and Scully actually seems a little jealous at times too.
Some good special-effects in this one as well.




That's all for today.
More to come tomorrow :D

[Camo]

Fire was a good episode but the guy playing the arsonist was pretty awful i thought. Then again bad acting is The X FIles trademark :D

[The Rodent]

Def in season 1 anyways. I think finding their feet and also not being that huge at the start affected the casting. They get better as they go on though.

[The Rodent]

S1: Ep13: “Beyond The Sea” 5
Monster of the week episode. Brad Dourif stars :D :up:
Scully’s Father has died, and she has a vision of him. The role reversal between Scully and Mulder is nice to see when Luthor Lee Boggs (Dourif) appears as an apparent psychic who is helping out on a missing person’s case. Boggs is also a convicted mass murderer. Mulder believes he’s full of crap, but Boggs’ “powers” put Scully to the test.
Great episode. Possibly the best one and most revered too. Fantastic writing, unfolds brilliantly, and Dourif’s casting is a work of genius.

[The Rodent]

S1: Ep14: “Gender Bender” 3.5
Monster of the week episode.
Mulder and Scully are brought in to investigate a string of deaths in strange circumstances, possibly connected to a religious sect… and a person who can seemingly change their gender at will, to get what they want. The main problem is if they sleep with someone, that person then dies from an overdose of pheromones.
Interesting take on the “people who have lived for a long time” thing and using sexual relations and gender as a backdrop… story unfolds ok, but kind of a “generic X-Files” episode in terms of screenplay.
The cast is good though, some future famous faces in this one, and the religious sect is spooky.

[The Rodent]

S1: Ep15: “Lazarus” rating_4
Monster of the week episode.
Scully and her old partner Agent Jack Willis, are caught up in a bank robbery, Jack is shot and near dies, and the bank robber, Warren Dupre, is shot and killed by Scully.
But after Jack is revived on the operating table, he begins showing signs that his body may have been possessed by the soul of Dupre.
Great episode, with Scully having a personal connection with her old Agent partner and Mulder throwing in his usual far-out theories.
Unfolds nicely, and well pieced together with a mystery behind who Dupre is/was.

[The Rodent]

S1: Ep16: “Young At Heart”rating_3
Monster of the week episode.
A series of robberies takes place, seemingly conducted by someone called John Barnett, and Mulder and Scully are brought in to investigate.
The reason the duo is called in, is that Barnett is a criminal from a case that Mulder worked on years ago… a man with a distinctly deformed hand, but he apparently died several years ago.
Kinda weak episode. Could have been more solid using the “this guy died years ago” thing, and Mulder having his past come back to haunt him, but it’s not executed well, it was kinda boring at times. It’s interesting though to see Mulder’s chequered past and a story of genetic testing and government involvement.




That's it for today... more tomorrow :)

[JayDee]

Wow you're really not taking your time and savouring them are you? :D You're flying through

Anyway with the X-Files being my favourite ever show I'll definitely keep an eye on this thread. Always fancied doing write-ups for the show myself at some point actually

Season 1 was a great start for the show. It was a little rough around the edges with a few episodes that were a bit trashy and cheap but overall great stuff. It actually has an incredible start in terms of the first few episodes. I think its pilot remains one of the best I've ever seen. Deep Throat is a great episode, as is Squeeze. Doug Hutchison is really good as Tooms; so creepy. And it's fun to see a young Seth Green in Deep Throat. I like Conduit as well though I generally liked any that had a UFO/alien abduction connection. Loved the reveal of the image in amongst all of the numbers the boy was writing.

The next few episodes (Jersey Devil through Ghost in the Machine) are more examples of those rough episodes I mentioned but all enjoyable in their own way with some great moments. In fact there's barely an episode of the show I don't enjoy to some degree. Ice is a classic, my 2nd favourite of the season and one of the best of the whole show. In complete contrast Space is one of the series' weakest. Eve is excellent as is Beyond the Sea. The latter I'd say is my favourite of the season. Dourif is tremendous as Luther Lee Boggs. Gender Bender is pretty trashy and lurid but I liked the cult stuff and it's fun to see Nicholas Lea pop up before returning to the show later on as Krycek

I'm trying to remember what other gems are still to come in season 1. E.B.E. is very good, while Darkness Falls and Tooms are both favourites. Have you seen the show before Rodent or is this your first time going through it?

[The Rodent]

A little of both tbh. I watched when they were aired in the 1990s, but being a kid who never had satellite, I had to make do with the sporadic airings channel 4 would put on.
Some I've seen and some not and the ones I've seen were years ago, so it's like I'm rediscovering them :D


I'll be doing a write up at the end of each season as well I think to show my favourites of each season :up:


So far it's Deep Throat, Squeeze, Ice, Eve. Will see if that changes as I get further into season 1.

[The Rodent]

I forgot to say actually, I am savouring them :D
I'm watching the episode, then writing up on it then watching the next one and so on.


I'm enthralled tbh. Being someone who has seen a few of them and loved them, but haven't seen all of them, this is a new experience. Especially being a TV series and the only TV series that has ever captivated me.

[Sexy Celebrity]

S1: Ep12: "Fire" rating_4_5
Another monster-of-the-week episode, with Smoulder and Skullcap tracking an apparent arsonist. Mulder receives a tape recording which brings him into the case.
Unfolding brilliantly when the history of the arsonist is revealed and a blast from the past for Mulder while he’s trying to solve the case and Scully actually seems a little jealous at times too.
Some good special-effects in this one as well.

This is the only episode of The X-Files that I strongly remember/know the basic plot of. I've seen others but they all kinda blur together. This one, though, kinda stayed with me for some reason.

[Sexy Celebrity]

It's probably because of the bad guy.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=23612&stc=1&d=1452366562

[Sexy Celebrity]

Brad Dourif stars :D :up:

As someone who once met him, this is nothing to be excited about.

[Sexy Celebrity]

S1: Ep14: “Gender Bender” rating_3_5
Monster of the week episode.
Mulder and Scully are brought in to investigate a string of deaths in strange circumstances, possibly connected to a religious sect… and a person who can seemingly change their gender at will, to get what they want.To me, this is the ultimate superpower. This is why I love Mistique from X-Men -- what could be better than having the power to turn into anyone? This is why I'm a TransMoFo.

The main problem is if they sleep with someone, that person then dies from an overdose of pheromones.

WTF?

[The Rodent]

That's what happens in the plot :D

[The Rodent]

S1: Ep17: “E.B.E” 5
4th in the Alien Mythology episode.
A UFO is downed in Iraq, and a while later another one is spotted in the USA.
Mulder and Scully follow up the USA sighting, working alongside 3 UFO nutcase friends of Mulder’s who call themselves “The Lone Gunmen”.
Fantastic episode. Got everything from UFOs, classic characters being introduced, part of the Alien Mythology of the series, Mulder conducting experiments using stopwatches, pens with tracking devices in them, Mulder getting a Top Secret file from the mysterious character Deep Throat, and is well written and pieced together from the start with varying shady government types trying to halt the duo’s investigations and spy on them.
One of the most enjoyable and classic episodes.

[The Rodent]

S1: Ep18: “Miracle Man” 3.5
Monster of the week episode.
An apparent Faith Healer called Samuel was 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.

[The Rodent]

S1: Ep19: “Shapes” 3.5
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.

[The Rodent]

S1: Ep20: “Darkness Falls” 5
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.

[The Rodent]

S1: Ep21: “Tooms” 5
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.

[Sexy Celebrity]

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=23623&stc=1&d=1452462187

The Young Guns UFO
isn't very happy that you're spending all your time watching The X-Files.

It's come to take you back to your home planet of Young Guns.

Prepare to be probed.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=23624&stc=1&d=1452462338

[The Rodent]

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.

[Camo]

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

[The Rodent]

S1: Ep22: “Born Again” 4
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.

[The Rodent]

S1: Ep23: “Roland” rating_3_5
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.

[The Rodent]

S1: Ep24: “The Erlenmeyer Flask” 5
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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[JayDee]

.
And… first time we meet Skinner!!! Bit of a bureaucrat in this one though.

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

[The Rodent]

Our top 10 is basically the same :D

[The Rodent]

Season 2!!!

S2: Ep1: “Little Green Men” 5
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.

[The Rodent]

S2: Ep2: “The Host” 5
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.

[Camo]

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

[The Rodent]

S2: Ep3: “Blood” 4.5
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.

[The Rodent]

S2: Ep4: “Sleepless” 4
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.

[AboveTheClouds]

S2: Ep3: “Blood” rating_4_5
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.

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.

[The Rodent]

S2: Ep5: “Duane Barry” 4.5
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.

[The Rodent]

S2: Ep6: “Ascension” 5
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.

[The Rodent]

S2: Ep7: “3” 3.5
Monster of the week episode.
Scully is still missing, and the gloomy Mulder takes on a case in which a spate of killings points to a Vampiric cult called The Unholy Trinity.
Nice break from the past two episodes, which adds more depth to Scully’s disappearance as she’s not seen at all, which makes Mulder’s behaviour a little more personal.
Unfolds nicely, Mulder making waves in the LAPD when he arrives on scene and explains he knows who the killers are, and some mystery around who the 3 killers are.

[The Rodent]

S2: Ep8: “One Breath” 5
9th in the Alien Mythology of the series.
Scully is presumed dead, she hasn’t been seen since her kidnapping/abduction in “Ascention”, and her Mother has even laid out a gravestone for her… but Scully mysteriously reappears in a comatose state. Mulder pulls out all the stops to find out where she’s been, and the truth behind her abductors. But the mysterious “X” is on Mulder’s tracks.
Another great part of the Scully Abduction Arc and the Alien Mythology… this episode has everything from the regular Mulder-Far-Out theories, Aliens, The Lone Gunmen, X, The Smoking Man… rounds up the story that started with Duane Barry nicely, and sets up the future of the Alien Mythology perfectly too with some unanswered questions.

[Sexy Celebrity]

When are you gonna be done?

[The Rodent]

4 eps a day if I can do it... I might skip some days or do more than 4...


202 episodes, 2 movies. So like, 50 days altogether. Give or take.

[The Rodent]

Been slacking the past couple days. Will commence again soon. Had a lot of pool matches on, new season started.

[JayDee]

Going by the incredible pace of the first day or two I thought you were going to be finished in time for the new episodes.

Anyway I think you see a real step up in class with season 2. I think you can see the film was rewarded with a higher budget and that those involved obviously gained a lot of confidence from the first season's success. You're only 8 episodes in and already you've had some classic mythology episodes (Duane Barry/Ascension in particular is excellent) and an absolute classic MotW episodes in The Host. Only one episode ("3") I'd say isn't that great.

[The Rodent]

I kinda liked 3. It gave a depth of time to Scully's disappearance and a nice break for the Alien Mythology.
I think if it were placed in a different area of the series it wouldn't have worked as well. It's a decent production choice I think.

[The Rodent]

More coming soon!
Just about to watch Season2, Episode 9.


I held the thread off until after the MoFies.
I might do a bunch tonight instead of just 4 :D

[Sexy Celebrity]

I saw Season 1 on Blu-Ray for kinda cheap and I thought about getting it... but........ I figure I won't rewatch it much. Probably. I dunno. We'll see.

[The Rodent]

S2: Ep9: “Firewalker” 3
Monster of the week episode.
When a Volcanologist is killed, Mulder and Scully investigate as the terms of his death are weird at best.
They discover something remarkable, and also disturbing.
Nice break again from the Alien Mythology stuff and Scully’s disappearance. As an episode though, it’s not great :(
Kinda poor in the writing and story, using a scientific research program discovering new forms below the surface of the Earth sort of thing.
It works as a basic buffer between Alien Mythology episodes but it was nice to see Scully’s abduction referenced when Mulder asks her if she’s sure she’s physically and mentally ready for a field trip.
Reminds me of the episode “Ice” though, just not as well written.
Some future famous faces again in this one with Shawnee Smith and the brilliant Leland Orser.

[The Rodent]

S2: Ep10: “Red Museum” 4
10th in the Alien Mythology of the series.
An area of Wisconsin is suffering a spate of kidnappings, and when a bunch of teens are discovered wandering the wilderness, half naked, confused, scared and with writing on their backs saying “He is one” and “She is one”, Mulder and Scully investigate.
The local Sheriff blames a nearby Cult calling themselves The Church Of The Red Museum.
Pretty cool episode, it’s an Alien Mythology episode, but also plays out like a Monster Of The Week at the same time.
Mark Rolston is pretty solid as Odin, the leader of the Cult and an apparent “brain washer”… but with something else behind his actions.
Unfolds nicely, has tons of mysterious stuff going on, and adds to the Alien Mythology nicely too.

[The Rodent]

S2: Ep11: “Excelsis Dei” 3.5
Monster of the week episode.
A Nurse in an old people’s hospital is raped, and Mulder and Scully are brought in to investigate as it appears the culprit is invisible.
Interesting use of the plot from The Entity (1982).
Decently written episode, pretty spooky at times, and unfolds nicely, and there’s more to it than just an apparent ghost story. Which is nice to see as ghosts were getting a bit samey for Monster Of The Week.
Bit-part actress Frances Bay, one of favourite underrated actresses, is a nice addition to the cast too.
Also, my DVD menu has the episode spelled “Exelsius” instead of “Excelsis” lol! I checked on Google and it’s a physical production mistake. I worked in the factory where these DVDs were made too and I checked with some friends of mine… I know the man responsible :D

[The Rodent]

S2: Ep12: “Aubrey” 4.5
Monster of the week episode.
An FBI Agent disappeared 50 years ago and a Cop finds his body. The Cop, it turns out, is currently working on a serial killer case, and it turns out the FBI Agent had also been working on an absolutely identical case when he disappeared in 1942.
To complicate matters, the Cop says she knew where the body was, as she saw it in a psychic vision.
Decent episode dealing with genetics and psychic connections and psychopathy. Unfolds nicely, has some good mystery about it, some good character dynamics between Lieutenant Tillman and Detective Morrow.
It’s the characters of this one that really drive the episode along tbh. They’re well written too which is a good thing.
Another interesting thing is Terry O’Quinn as Lt Tillman. O’Quinn went on to play a different character in season 9 in 2001, and also in the first X-Files movie in 1998.

[The Rodent]

S2: Ep13: “Irresistible” 5
Monster of the week episode.
When fresh graves begin getting dug up and the bodies are discovered to be desecrated, Mulder and Scully are brought in as FBI Agent Bocks believes it to be similar to UFO cattle mutilations.
However, Mulder digresses that the culprit is probably “death fetishist”, or even a necrophiliac. However, a short while later a prostitute is abducted and murdered and her body is mutilated in the exact way the dead bodies were.
The duo has to track the guy down but Scully is disturbed by the case, and is beginning to suffer PTSD from her own abduction a few episodes back.
Brilliant episode, no paranormal stuff in this one at all and is a seriously needed break from all the recent shenanigans with Alien Mythology, ghosts and psychic stuff.
Decently written, unfolds nicely, solidly acted. It also delves into some uncomfortable ideas with the lead villain, Donnie Pfaster.
Fox Broadcasting even had the script rewritten before it was filmed, as it was originally too dark and disturbing.
Scully’s arc with her abduction and the effects it’s having on her own sanity is a nice touch as well.
We’ve also got an actor who became a rent-a-baddie, Nick Chinlund, playing the antagonist Donnie Pfaster, and he’s absolutely brilliant.
One of the best episodes of Season 2.

[The Rodent]

S2: Ep14: “Die Hand Die Verletzt” 3.5
Monster of the week episode.
A teenager dies in mysterious circumstances when he and a bunch of friends practice some Black Magic in the woods.
Apparently, a Cult, originally into Devil Worship, resided in their town, but they stopped their practices years ago.
Mulder and Scully are brought in when it appears that the Devil himself has appeared, and is exacting justice on the Cult for turning their back on him.
Not a great episode, but not a bad episode either, especially when the final act is revealed and the truths behind all the weird stuff is “explained”. Raining frogs, plagues of rats, plus other Biblical stuff going on is fun to watch. But there’s a darker side to the story when one of the girls explains some of the things she remembers from her childhood and Mulder throwing out his far-out theories and examining the townsfolk and teachers to make his theories hold weight is good too.

[The Rodent]

S2: Ep15: “Fresh Bones” rating_4
Monster of the week episode.
A Marine crashes his car into a tree and dies. Mulder and Scully are called in as the tree, strangely, has a Voodoo symbol carved into it. The Marine was also suffering hallucinations before his death. The duo is brought to an INS base, where Haitian refugees are held, as there has been another Marine die in odd circumstances. But when Scully gets to the morgue, the Marine’s body is gone, and in its place is the body of a dog… and they uncover a Black Magic cover-up.
Another solid episode, and one of those is-it-isn’t-it endings too. Mysterious, unfolds pretty solidly and has a decent twist as well. Could have been kinda hokey with the subject matter, but is handled well and doesn’t get too cheesy.
We also get to see X make an appearance, even though this isn’t a Mythology episode.

[The Rodent]

S2: Ep16: “Colony” 5
11th in the Alien Mythology of the series.
Mulder has been up to something… all we know is he’s airlifted to intensive care in an Arctic Hospital, he’s in a comatose state and has hypothermia… and Scully is telling the doctors that they must keep his body in cold water to keep him alive.
Intro of… The Alien Bounty Hunter!!!!
A doctor is killed by The Alien Bounty Hunter, and Mulder receives obituaries him, and for more deaths… and all the dead men are seemingly identical, and all work in abortion clinics.
Fantastic episode. Flashback style this one that has that scene at the start, and then goes flashback to tell what happened to Mulder.
Seriously well-made and definitely the best one so far out of all of the episodes tbh. There’s huge backstory, huge history and future set-ups, massive depth added to the Alien Mythology and Mulder’s Sister.
A must see episode.

[The Rodent]

Well, after a break from it... may as well carry on with the rest of season 2.


S2: Ep17: “Endgame” 4.5
12th in the Alien Mythology of the series.
Following on from Colony, and that brilliant cliff-hanger… an American submarine picks up a signal in Alaskan waters and ends up stranded under the ice… meanwhile, the appearance of Mulder’s sister and the kidnap of Scully by The Alien Bounty Hunter, cause Mulder to dig up some shocking truths behind his sister’s reappearance.
Another great episode. I’m loving these Mythology arcs of late, they’re making for some great cliff-hangers and two-parters.
Unfolds nicely, adds more depth to the Mythology and is pretty exciting too. Was hard to follow Colony though but they just managed it. I liked the use of the Bounty Hunter’s shape changing that causes a load of paranoia too.

[The Rodent]

S2: Ep18: “Fearful Symmetry” 3.5
Monster of the week episode.
After a construction worker is killed and a ton of damage is reported all over Fairfield in Idaho, an escaped elephant is blamed… but the problem is, is that no animal was seen when the damage and death occurred… Mulder and Scully are brought in and they uncover something odd at the nearby zoo.
Decent mystery on this one, and a nice break from the Mythology episodes.
Invisible animals, possible alien testing and stuff going on with Mulder throwing his theories around again.
Some dodgy animatronics and man-in-suit going on though, but the animal handlers with the real animals were good. Lance Guest is a nice casting too as an animal rights activist.

[The Rodent]

S2: Ep19: “Død Kalm” 3
Monster of the week episode.
The USS Ardent is in crisis… and the crew abandon ship. A couple days later they are picked up in their lifeboat… oddly though, they have all aged decades. Mulder and Scully are brought in, and Mulder falls foul of whatever “ageing phenomena” overtook the crew of the Ardent.
Half-decent episode, with good mystery and unfolds well, has the usual X-Files odd-stuff going on and a history of missing ships and a connection to Roswell.
I read that the makeup effects were hammered by critics too. I kinda agree, as an aged version of our duo wasn’t great to look at tbh but the episode overall was ok.

[The Rodent]

S2: Ep20: “Humbug” 4
Monster of the week episode.
A series of murders in Florida point toward a nearby circus and some sideshow “freak” attractions. Mulder believes it to be the “Fiji Mermaid” but Scully thinks it’s simply a circus “freak” playing on people’s fears by using his appearance.
One of the first I ever saw again. Yep, my original viewings were sporadic thanks to British telly in the 90s being crap.
Still though, one of my favourite episodes. Plays out nicely with the duo and their usual differing theories and is a relatively fun episode in that you get to meet a different circle of people for Boulder and Cuttlefish to play off against.

[The Rodent]

Onto the last 5 episodes of season 2 now...


S2: Ep21: “The Calusari” 3
Monster of the week episode.
A 2 year old boy called Teddy is killed in an “accident”, and it appears a photograph taken just before his death shows a possible supernatural occurrence, and a little later another death in the family occurs, Mulder and Scully put in some research and uncover something strange about the older brother of Teddy, possible poltergeist activity, and an ancient society of Romanian Cultists.
Not a bad episode, but stems back to the ghostly/psychic/evil-kid stuff we’ve seen before and it feels kinda samey and there’s some plot discrepancies after Chris Carter was forced into recutting it after completion.
Still, unfolds ok if a bog-standard sort of X-Files episode especially with the “weird kid” thing going on too. Lilyan Chauvin is a nice addition to the cast though.

[The Rodent]

S2: Ep22: “F. Emasculata” 3.5
Monster of the week episode.
A mysterious illness kills some prison inmates and two other inmates escape, and they are possibly spreading the disease across the country.
Mulder and Scully are brought in, with Scully doing her medical thang to discover what the disease is, and Mulder is tracking the escaped convicts.
Yummy episode to watch while eating :D
Pus-filled boils and exploding cysts all over the place and some decent horror behind the disease and excitement with the chase as well while the duo are doing their separate investigations.
Charles Martin Smith is a guest actor in this one, great addition.

[The Rodent]

S2: Ep23: “Soft Light” 4.5
Monster of the week episode.
When a number of disappearance is reported, but there are absolutely no clues left behind, Scully is called in by an old student called Kelly. Scully of course brings Mulder along, who starts throwing around his outlandish theories of spontaneous combustion. The truth though, is far more outlandish.
Great episode, one of my favourites and one of the first I ever saw.
Brilliant concept as well with the shadows and stuff and unfolds nicely as the duo conduct their investigation. Pretty cool as well with the idea/cause behind the incidents.
Tony Shalhoub guests in this one as well and is pretty good as the desperate “monster”.

[The Rodent]

S2: Ep24: “Our Town” 2.5
Monster of the week episode.
Mulder and Scully investigate a disappearance/murder in a small Arkansas town, but what appears initially as a case of secret society, small town cultism, and a handful of sightings of strange lights in fields, turns out to be something much more disturbing.
Another bog-standard episode with the usual small-town-inner-circle thing going on. Mulder and Scully doing the regular investigations and unfolding in the usual X-Files manner. Really a sort of non-episode tbh, more of a filler than anything else. Still, the story unfolds ok with only a couple surprises and has an interesting theme in a Soylent Green sort of way ;)
Probably the weakest of the entire series so far tbh due to being a case of seen-it-all-before.

[The Rodent]

S2: Ep25: “Anasazi” 5
13th in the Alien Mythology of the series.
Mulder’s mental health is on the brink again, and our favourite duo Moody and Scummy come into possession of a tape containing Top Secret information… and an odd corpse, possibly (probably) an alien, is discovered in New Mexico in a Navajo Reservation.
El ‘Aaniigoo ‘Ahoot’e.
Huge episode that shows how widespread some of the Mythology goes in the shady underworld of conspiracies, and The Syndicate, and adds huge weight to Mulder’s arc.
Mulder even loses his sh*t and belts Skinner!!!!
Great ending episode for season 2, and a nice change from the Monster episodes too as they were getting a bit tiresome and worn-out.
There’s also a near ensemble cast on this one with the regular guests of William B David, Nicholas Lea, Mitch Pileggi, Chris carter himself as an FBI Agent, The Lone Gunmen… and Bruce Harwood, Bernie Coulson and Byron Chief-Moon and Floyd Red Crow Westerman also making a showing.


Season 2 Roundup.
Nice to have a few more Alien Mythology episodes this time round. They bumped it from 5 in season 1, to 8 in season 2. Makes season 2 more interesting than just a series of unconnected stories.
The other thing, is that “we have a friend in the FBI” called “X” first seen in “The Host” is a nice connector that ties most of the episodes together even though some are separate stories (monster of the week).
Scully’s abduction arc over 4 episodes and what will be a continuing arc is a great piece to the stories.
What was good with the monsters of the week in season 2, is they were more realistic and mysterious, rather than paranormal stuff like ghosts, psychics and fiery people with exception to the episode The Calusari.
I guess the X-Files department being shut down allowed for scope into more realistic “monsters” this time round with proper investigations rather than way too much weirdness.


My Top 10 favourites in order:
1. The Host
2. Duane Barry
3. Anasazi
4. Colony
5. Humbug
6. Ascension
7. Soft Light
8. One Breath
9. End Game
10. Irresistible


Shout outs to “Aubrey”, “F. Emasculata”, “Sleepless”, “Blood”, “Red Museum” and “Little Green Men”

[Sexy Celebrity]

Yesterday, I watched some of the first episode of the brand new season that just started.

Have you watched any of the new season yet?

[The Rodent]

No not yet. I missed it last night.


Might wait for the DVDs tbh as I'm sort of rediscovering the original 9 seasons.

[Sexy Celebrity]

I found it not really my kind of thing anymore, though it didn't seem terrible. It made me feel glad that I didn't buy the first season the other day. What's kinda cool about the new season is that it looks like they kept the exact same opening credits that they had in the past. Like nothing had changed.