Season Seven

139 6th EXTINCTION 7-3

WRITER: CARTER

DIRECTOR: MANNERS

As the second installment of the 3 part cliffhanger this episode like all mid-parters is sadly lacking. Mulder lingers on in the hospital while Scully works on decoding the alien ship to try to find a cure. We learn Mulder has the power to read minds and discovers Skinner is at Krychek’s mercy, and Fowley is involved with the syndicate. Critique: This could have been a 15 minute episode but was stretched too thin to make a 3 parter. D

140 6th EXTINCTION II : AMOR FATI 7-4

WRITER: CARTER/ DUCHOVNY

DIRECTOR: MICHAEL WATKINS

Scully returns from Africa to find her options have run out, leaving her with only prayer with Albert Holstein, but not before she confronts Fowley. Mulder is removed by CSM but Mulder spends the episode in a dreamlike state of his retired life without the X-files. CSM thinking Mulder has the genetic key to the alien/human hybrid virus immunity, attempts to remove that part from his brain to transfer it to his own. Fowley leads Scully to Mulder. Historic Moment: CSM is Mulder’s father , Fowley dies a semi-hero. Critique: The ending while touching, doesn’t save this trilogy from mediocrity. C

141 HUNGRY 7-1

WRITER: GILLIGAN

DIRECTOR: MANNERS

A monster with a taste for brains tries as best he can to control his cravings and to disguise his way into society. Told from the monster’s point of view, Mulder and Scully are merely the annoying law on his trail until he finally succumbs to his inevitable fate at their hands. Critique: A wonderful storytelling device creates sympathy for this man-eater and a perspective rarely seen. Even with very screen time for the leads it’s still a winner. A

142 MILLENNIUM 7-5

WRITER: GILLIGAN/ SPOTNITZ

DIRECTOR:THOMAS J. WRIGHT

With mere days before the new Millennium Frank Black is consulted to try to solve who is involved in the apparent necromancy of dead FBI agents affiliated with the millennium group , who are trying to bring about the apocalypse. He is in a mental hospital an unwilling to get involved for fear of losing his daughter. Scully searches for the necromancer while Mulder is after the walking dead and Scully comes to both his and Frank’s rescue. Historic Moment: Mulder and Scully kiss, finally, at the stroke of midnight. Critique: A silly looking episode, with zombies running around, even the kiss was unpassionate and begs the question why at this moment and not at a more intimate encounter (Amor Fati’s ending). Potentially an intentional write off of this inevitable moment to downplay any future contact. D

143 RUSH 7-6

WRITER :AMANN

DIRECTOR:ROBERT LIEBERMAN

A dead cop draws Mulder to a case of teens with incredible speed gained from a cave with a mysterious vortex. One of the teens has a penchant for killing but the speed is addictive and it’s effect may kill it’s holders unfortunately they can’t seem to live without it. Critique: A very cool ending and this one gets points just for having an original idea after 7 seasons. B-

144 THE GOLDBERG VARIATION 7-2

WRITER:BELL

DIRECTOR: WRIGHT

Named for Rue Goldberg the original inventor of the type of gadgets seen in this episode (also the source of the Muncie, Indiana reference). A man whose life is filled with good luck is all too aware of the cause and effect action of his luck on others as he searches for money for a boy’s liver transplant. Mulder and Scully work to protect him from gangsters and because of Mulder’s fascination with the man’s lucky streak. Critique: Inventive episode but the gangster portrayals were way too cliche`.Plus points lost for January in Chicago with no one even wearing a coat, HELLO!  B-

145    ORISON 7-7

WRITER:JOHANSON

DIRECTOR: BOWMAN

Donnie Pfaster escapes from prison with the help of a mass hypnosis specialist who is also the prison reverend.  Mulder believes Orison, the reverend, helps release prisoners to kill them while Scully believes he thinks he's under orders from a higher power. Critique: Just as creepy the second time around but this episode truly shows how the show and it's actors have grown both technically and dramatically. Plus it ends the way the first one should have. A-

146    THE AMAZING MALEENI     7-8

WRITER: GILLIGAN, SHIBAN, SPOTNITZ

DIRECTOR:WRIGHT

   A magician's decapitation may be his best trick ever until Mulder and Scully look further into him and his apparent heckler. As it is magically revealed these 2 magicians have a larger plan of a criminal nature in the works.  Critique: This one plays out more like an episode of Murder She Wrote than an x-file, disappointing for being a Gilligan project.  B-

147    SIGNS AND WONDERS     7-9

WRITER:BELL

DIRECTOR:MANNERS

   A church and it's parishioners use snakes in their services and that makes it's pastor a prime suspect in some murders by snake bite. Critique: Normal vs. strange and good vs. evil are underutilized in a transparent story that falls way short of it's creepy snake premise possibilities.   C-

148    SEIN UND ZEIT     7-10

WRITER: CARTER/ SPOTNITZ

DIRECTOR: WATKINS

Mulder convinces Skinner to let him work the case of a young girl's kidnapping.  He finds it's connected to another similar case and relates it to his sister after learning of his mother's suicide and her desire to tell him something before she died.  A vision of the girl by her mother leads them to a suspect and the possibility of more victims.  Critique: Another character dies leaving more questions than answers. Most disturbing is an out of shape Skinner barely stopping a suspect who's belly gets more airtime than his face.  Watkins over use of the extreme closeup gets more annoying with every episode he directs. B- 

149    CLOSURE     7-11

WRITER: CARTER/SPOTNITZ

DIRECTOR:MANNERS

Part 2.  Mulder finally gets his closure when he learns of the real story of what happened to his sister, we think.  His mother speaks to him from the beyond with the help of a medium as they learn of Samantha's "escape".   CSM returns as does Scully's skepticism.  Critique: Welcome back X-Files, where have you been all season? Unfortunately this story has more holes than Dunkin Donuts to the serious nitpicker, like why Jeffery never knew CSM yet Cassandra never mentioned raising Samantha until age 14.  Still satisfying enough for an A-

150    X-COPS     7-12

WRITER:GILLIGAN

DIRECTOR:WATKINS

In a brilliant crossover idea, the "Cops" TV show and The X-Files merge into one.  A creature is on the lose in a bad neighborhood, at first it appears to be a werewolf but later is revealed as a creature of fear that preys on it's victims worst fears.  Mulder and Scully inadvertently team up with local police and their tagalong "Cops" film crew to hunt the beast down. Critique: Easily the best of the season and it's one of the best of the series seven year run.  Parody at it's finest, funny from beginning to end, proving Gilligan reigns supreme as The X-Files best writer. Besides any show that includes the phrase "skank ass" deserves an A+

151    FIRST PERSON SHOOTER     7-13

WRITER: GIBSON/MADDOX

DIRECTOR: CARTER

A virtual combat game turns deadly when a character surfaces that can kill for real during game play.  Mulder and Scully are called in by the Lone Gunman who have helped create the game.  As victims pile up Mulder and then Scully enter the game to try to stop the killer.  Critique: Not since the first season's "Space" has there been an episode this bad.  An idiotic story and costumes that help make this whole premise utterly ridiculous.  Viewers wait all season for the Lone Gunman only to see them wasted on this throwaway.  F

152    THEEF     7-14

WRITER:GILLIGAN/SPOTNITZ

DIRECTOR:MANNERS

Hexcraft is at work on a doctor and his family from a Appalachian man who feels the doctor killed his daughter.  Mulder and Scully take the doctor into protective custody to wait for the creepy killer to strike again, only his next victim is Scully. Critique: This episode is a solid one, kind of an old school X-files episode with all the classic elements and solid production talent.  B-

153    EN AMI         7-15

WRITER: WILLIAM B. DAVIS

DIRECTOR: BOWMAN

Under the guise of helping mankind before he dies, CSM  contacts Scully to give her the cure for all disease.  While on their road trip to meet up with the scientist who has this cure, Mulder tries to track Scully down with the help of the Lone Gunman and Skinner.  Upon her return she learns she has just been a tool to get the info, but is convinced she has seen another side to CSM who has not only saved her life but ultimately eliminates what he used her to get.  Historic Moment: CSM reveals he is dying, but we are left to wonder if this was just part of the larger lie.  Critique:  Maybe the X-Files could exist without Carter, but only if William Davis is allowed to take it over.  A very thought provoking episode, very well written.  A

154    CHIMERA    7-16

WRITER: AMANN

DIRECTOR: BOLE

Societies ugly underbelly is exposed as Mulder and Scully pursue two different cases.  Scully is stuck at a stakeout of a seedy nightclub looking for a female serial killer who turns out to be anything but.   Mulder is enjoying the comforts of suburbia while he pursues the killer of two women connected by a raven, broken mirrors, and a cheating husband. Critique: Sadly the creature in this show looks like a cross between the "Jersey Devil" and the garbage monster from "Arcadia" , and like those, none where scary or very interesting.  C

155    all things    7-17

WRITER: GILLIAN ANDERSON

DIRECTOR: GILLIAN ANDERSON

Scully blows off Mulder's crop circles case and explores life's path of fate and choices. Various signs appear to her as she finds an old flame, Daniel, who she left years ago going to the FBI in an effort not to break up his family.  Daniel has developed a heart condition which Scully, upon seeing a vision in a Buddhist temple, believes is curable through alternative means and learns she must help him to right the wrongs he has made.  Historic Moments: A lesbian kiss, Scully's fling with a married man and an odd teaser which leaves itself open to the speculation that Mulder and Scully may have slept together and could have been doing so for a while.  Critique: An excellent first effort at both directing and writing. In the inevitable comparison to Duchovny's first effort Anderson was much more innovative and ambitious in the director's chair with only one awkwardly directed scene (Daniel's recesitation).  The concept and writing was good but the Buddhist angle and lesbian scientist seemed a little over the top.  B++

156    BRAND X    7-19

WRITER: STEVE MAEDA/ GREG WALKER

DIRECTOR:MANNERS

Death by bugs, ick. Tobacco beetles turn deadly after a tobacco company changes the genetics of their food source. One man is immune to the bugs who are transported via his second hand smoke. Skinner and Scully must find this man, and the cure he holds, to save an infected Mulder. Critique: Nasty! This may be the grossest episode ever, but that's a good thing.  Points lost for using Mulder dying, find the cure plotline again. B-

157    HOLLYWOOD A.D.      7-18

WRITER: DUCHOVNY

DIRECTOR: DUCHOVNY

Two FBI agents investigating the paranormal, what a great idea for a movie. Wayne, a writer/producer friend of Skinner’s (The Skinman) joins Mulder and Scully on their investigation of a bomb explosion in a church. A bowl is found at the scene that may contain Christ’s words to raise the dead and may be responsible for the "resurrection" of the bomb victim who thinks he’s Jesus. Wayne then brings Mulder and Scully to Hollywood to see their likenesses in the film version of the case "The Lazarus Bowl" . Creative Casting: Tea Leoni and Garry Shandling play our heroes in the film. Critique: "Associo-poetic"? Who talks like that? A pontificating Duchovny creates a hilarious send up of the show in an all too real version of how Hollywood distorts reality. A real gem that wonderfully breaks the standard X-Files episode structure, but the real side of the investigation was very weak.  B

158    FIGHT CLUB    7-20

WRITER: CARTER

DIRECTOR: PAUL SHAPIRO

Non-fraternal siblings (what?!), who look identical, always seem to end up in the same place with disastrous and violent results whenever they are together.   Mulder and Scully get on the case after the two so called doppelgangers end up fighting over the same man. Critique: It's hard to believe Carter is responsible for this work of crap.  A horrible, nonsensical story. Maybe seven seasons are enough, unless Carter is removed from the writing staff and replaced with his two leads.   F

159    JE SOUHAITE     7-21

WRITER: GILLIGAN

DIRECTOR: VINCE GILLIGAN

3 wishes go to the finder of the genie wrapped in the rug.  The problem is everyone who is granted wishes seems to end up dead.  The genie claims mankind is just wishing for the wrong things.   When Mulder becomes the next wisher he must decide how to break the cycle by "thinking simple".  Critique:  Well written as always by Gilligan whose first directing effort was unnoticeable and didn't pull the eye (that's a good thing).  Repeated viewings make this one more and more enjoyable.  A-

160     REQUIEM     7-22

WRITER: CARTER

DIRECTOR: MANNERS

The gang’s all here for a crash of a u.f.o back in the Oregon woods where it all started seven years ago. A government auditor is all over the X-Files but Mulder and Scully investigate anyway. Krychek and Marita are looking for the ship too under the direction of an ailing CSM. Mulder makes Scully stay in Washington when they think former abductees are at risk, but it’s Mulder who’s going for a ride. Historic Moments: Hmmm, maybe Scully being pregnant! Critique: Official title: "Requiem", Alternate Title: "Oh my God!" because that’s what you can’t stop saying after watching this one. Shocks aside, all the returning cast from the pilot and our conspiracy friends give this one a nice "family" feel. A