Although most diehard fans of THE X FILES are in agreement as to the merits of Season’s Three and Four, the 5th year seems to have elicited more of a mixed response. Certainly the season, to which I give an unqualified recommendation, was unique from a number of perspectives.
Most crucially, the chronology of the production was different from any of the previous years. The crew went into production of the X FILES MOVIE in the summer of 1997 immediately after finishing Season 4. For this reason Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny were, for the first time, aware in advance of where the show’s mythology arc would be leading them. It seems impossible that this foreknowledge would not affect their performances; the sustained dramatic intensity characteristic of Season Four was loosened quite a bit in Season Five.
The actors weren’t alone in having a tough time adjusting to this odd schedule. The excellent staff writers, having in the two prior years wrung out the most consistently creative scripts in the history of the show, now had their own work looming as their most formidable obstacle! So, from the writing standpoint it is hardly a surprising that Season Five would present a unique challenge. What is remarkable is that apart from a few notable misses ( and one complete bomb ), this year had so many excellent scripts, especially in the “stand alone” episodes.
In contrast to its immediate predecessor, Season Five’s strengths are weighted toward scripts displaying some of the humorous eccentricities of the 3rd year, most evident in Vince Gilligan’s three contributions ( a sort of equivalent to Darin Morgan’s famed triptych from Season 3 ). His “Bad Blood” is an absolute tour de force for the actors. The script draws on subtle aspects of the Scully/Mulder personalities and then “tweaks” them, presenting their differing recollections of a single case; slightly distorted perspectives from both agents with neither one corresponding exactly to what actually occurred. Gilligan’s knack for characterization also shines in his “Unusual Suspects”, which fleshes out the Lone Gunmen in way that had not heretofore been done. His “Folie a Deux” is not quite at the same level but contains some classic X FILES moments.
John Shiban’s “Pine Bluff Variant” is a tightly scripted espionage thriller, one of the finest examples of his writing. David Duchovny seems to revel in the physicality of this episode.
Chris Carter’s bizarre but touching “Post Modern Prometheus” ( filmed in black and white ) is essentially an X FILES fairy tale, owing as much to David Lynch as to the gothic horror novel written by Mary Shelley.
“Kill Switch” was written by the science fiction authors William Gibson and Tom Maddox. I’m not familiar with their work but the episode, with its blending of computer technology and contemporary “cyberpunk” subculture, is very well done. The beautiful oldie “Twilight Time”, sung by the Platters, is nicely integrated into the framework.
Frank Spotnitz’ “Detour” links with previous episodes ( “Darkness Falls” and “Quagmire” ) in its forest setting and environmental theme. This fun “monster of the week” script ( hellishly difficult to film ) has a beautiful scene with Scully and Mulder stranded together in the woods ( mirroring the “holdout” scenes in the other “forest” episodes ).
“Chinga”, credited to Stephen King and Chris Carter, is easily the weakest episode of the season as well as the worst script I can recall from the first five seasons. Carter obviously had to dress this one up in a way that plays strictly for laughs.
As regards the mythology arc, the two season opening episodes ( “Redux” / “Redux II”) were part of the trilogy linking the previous season’s cliffhanger and features some flashback sequences similar to Oliver Stone’s “JFK”. This two-part script, while quite good, was the first of many future myth episodes that were somewhat self consciously “explanatory” in nature. A heaviness began to set in, with the episodes from mid season ( “Patient X”/”The Red and the Black” ) suffering from increasingly confusing and tangential plot developments. I attribute these problems primarily to the conflicts between the storyline the film would be using, which effectively shut the writer’s out of being able to develop the “A” material for television. Additionally, a tinge of ambivalence crept into David Duchovny’s performances.
In the prior year Scully’s bought with cancer set the stage for the more purely dramatic type of storyline seen in the 5th season’s introspective two-part episode titled “Christmas Carol” / “Emily”. This script features well-known “Scully” themes from prior seasons: her grief and guilt over her murdered sister, the loss of her ability to conceive, the flowering of a previously dormant religious faith, the emotional bond with Agent Mulder. As some of the steam went out of the myth-arc storyline in the following years, the longstanding “Scully” storyline moved into the foreground and grew into a highly complex melodrama focusing on the two agents interdependence. This approach was not without its aesthetic pitfalls but it seems fitting that the unique Scully/Mulder “symbiosis” would dominate THE X FILES in its final seasons.
Finally, the concluding episode of the Fifth Season was appropriately named “The End”, the title reflecting not only the myth arc plotline but also signaling the end of the show’s production in Vancouver. The location in British Columbia furnished so much of the shows ambience that it’s hard to imagine THE X FILES ever becoming the phenomenon it did without it being filmed there. There are clear signs that point to the Vancouver era ( esp Seasons 3 thru 5 ) as the absolute creative apex of THE X FILES. The location, along with the vital and often cited contributions of the actors/writers/crew, played an important role in lifting the show to the heights of its well-deserved success.
Intricacies, subtleties, nuances and BLAM straight in your face, long awaited revelations are what Season Five is all about! All of it leading up to “Fight the Future” which was filmed prior to filming this entire season that leads up to the movie! Simply stated, Chris Carter and his entire staff are geniuses.
Redux - {mythology} - Last seasons “Gethsemane” ended with Fox Mulder appearing to be dead from a self inflicted shotgun blast. Mulder is able to obtain an ID that allows him access to a DOD complex where the CSM allows him to escape with the cure for Scully’s cancer.
Redux II - {mythology} - This is the outstanding conclusion to the mini trilogy. The CSM offers Mulder all the answers. Scully’s cancer is finally in remission thanks to the device that Mulder found. Mulder weeds out the FBI mole, who is shortly thereafter assassinated. The big news, the CSM is shot in his own apartment, yet no body is found. With episodes like these first two, season five continues to prove what an excellent experience The X-Files is.
Unusual Suspects - {mythology} - A beautifully well scripted episode detailing the events in 1989 that brought the “Lone Gunmen” together. This episode also includes a surprise appearance by “X” as well. Surprisingly enough, the events of this episode are what put Mulder and the Lone Gunmen on the quest that they are all on.
Detour - Another well written episode where Scully and Mulder are stuck having to go to team building retreat with a married pair of agents. Fortunately for Mulder’s sanity, they have to stop along the way because of a police road block. They find out that people were coming up missing in the woods in a strange way. This episode has some very touching scenes belying the relationship that is building between Mulder and Scully.
The Post-Modern Prometheus - This episode is an absolutely wonderful, campy black & white episode where The X-Files once again proves that they can lighten up and have a little fun. Jerry Springer stars as himself in the background as Mulder and Scully find themselves in a town full of die hard Springer fans and a monster in “The Mutato.”
Christmas Carol & Emily - {mythology} - Simply stated, these are two of the finest, touching and most heartfelt episodes of not only the season but the entire series! Scully is on Christmas vacation with her family in California and receives what seems to be a phone call from her sister, who was killed in an earlier season. This phone call leads to the discovery of a little girl that Dana believes to be the daughter of her sister! “Emily” brings Mulder into the picture and the real “mythology” aspects of these two spectacular episodes kicks in! These two episodes alone make the entire season!
Kitsunegari - Déjà vu’, Robert Modell from the third season episode “Pusher” is back. He’s survived the bullet that Mulder put in his head and he’s back to “pushing” people into what he wants them to do. This episode is one of the most intriguing of the season.
Schizogeny - This is a particularly intriguing episode about child abuse and the way one woman dealt with her abuse.
Chinga - Written by Stephen King and Chris Carter. This episode certainly qualifies as one of the best of the season and the entire nine year run as producer Chris Carter welcomes the “King of Horror” in Stephen King as a co-writer. This episode has everything that one can expect from King, suspense and horror in full measure. This is certainly a classic X-Files episode that is not to be missed.
Kill Switch - This is a superb episode in both its setup and execution as The X-Files explores Artificial Intelligence in the best way that only they can. This is a perfect “Lone Gunmen” style episode.
Bad Blood - This is another outstandingly funny, yet scary episode that the producers have proven their superiority at. Mulder and Scully find themselves in Texas looking for a vampire and ultimately find much more than they bargained for. The banter between them just keeps getting better and better.
Patient X & The Red and the Black - {mythology} - Two outstanding episodes that serve extremely well to further the mythology of “The X-Files.” Mulder’s lost faith is quite prominent as Scully gains faith in the possibility of aliens. Some of the “facts” that die hard fans have been waiting several years for are beginning to slip from Chris Carter finally. This is also the episode that introduces Agent Spinder, CSM’s son.
Travelers - {part mythology} Travelers is a brilliant prequel episode that first takes us back to 1990, before Mulder’s taking the X-Files, then takes us to a case going back to 50’s and his father working for the State Department.
Mind’s Eye - A beautifully well written episode that is both touching and heartwarming. It is about a woman, blind from birth who has been accused of a brutal murder.
All Souls - This is another breathtaking episode where The X-Files explores Scully’s faith in God.
The Pine Bluff Variant - Agent Mulder finds himself undercover and in the midst of one of the very government conspiracies that he seeks to expose, but finds the truth too shocking to reveal.
Folie a deux - This episode contains the best one liner to date in the series. Mulder is sent to Chicago to discover who is threatening an office with terrorism and finds that he is seeing the same thing that the “madman” was seeing.
The End - {mythology} Another outstanding season finale that leads up to the movie. CSM is back and in full force and doing his thing. This is the episode that introduces Gibson, the child who, born with alien DNA is capable of reading minds. CSM succeeds in having The X-Files closed.
Extra Features - Just as it was with the first four seasons, the special features disk for season five is outstanding. This one finally includes some blooper scenes.
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