The 9th (and final) season of THE X FILES (2001-02) stands, along
with Season 6, as the most consistent of all the years filmed in Los
Angeles and exhibits a number of unique qualities.
First and foremost, the loss of David Duchovny's participation
created the necessity to play off (as in Season 8) his absence.
While the (not insignificant) feeling of contrivance concerning yet
another Mulder disappearance was unfortunate, the writers made full
creative use of this (business related) circumstance. Specifically,
through scripts (mostly "stand alone") that fleshed out new
characters (Agents John Doggett & Monica Reyes) and through the
mythology arc, in which themes from the previous year (and the
series as a whole) were developed.
Secondly, the show regained a sense of equilibrium, its structure a
throwback to the Vancouver years, where the (uniformly interesting)
"mythology" episodes were aired at specific points: early, mid, and
late season. This well-planned strategy mitigated the effect of some
of the more routine "stand alone" efforts while moving inexorably
towards a conclusion illuminating much of Chris Carter's
"underground project".
STAND ALONE EPISODES:
There were several efforts by writers ( relatively ) new to THE X
FILES:
An ambitious attempt to marry characterization to storyline appears
in two of Steven Meada's scripts: both "4-D" and "Audrey Pauley"
share similar sci-fi plots against a backdrop of (implied) romantic
affection shared by Agents Doggett and Reyes. "Audrey Pauley" in
particular, benefits from excellent writing as well as fine
performances from the principles (esp Annabeth Gish) and guests (the
actress playing Audrey was previously seen in the 3rd Season
masterpiece "Oubliette").
Writer Thomas Schnauz also turned in two scripts: "Lord of the
Flies" (the season's only overtly comedic take) is a clever but at
times strained affair. The main attraction is really for diehard X-philes,
since the episode is full of playful allusions to writer Darin
Morgan's classic 3rd season script "War of the Copraphages". More
effective is Schnauz' "Scary Monsters"; while its surface story is
purposely borrowed from THE TWILIGHT ZONE, the whimsical "Mulder vs
Doggett" subplot is a fun spoof. Agent Scully's impromptu "kitchen
autopsy" is also a great bit, harkening back to the classic comedy
of the series' golden years.
Three more scripts, in what could be termed the "Exorcist File"
vein, were seen in Season 9:
"Daemonicus" (written & directed by Frank Spotnitz) features some
eerily creative camera work and a "Hannibal Lechter" type villain
while adding further details to the character of Agent Doggett. The
graphically violent "Hellbound" outlines writer David Amann's
deliberately odd theological juxtaposition: Calvinist predestination
and Buddhist reincarnation. John Shiban's "Underneath" is a
disaster; easily the worst episode of the season.
Chris Carter wrote and directed the superb "Improbable", the latest
in a long line of quirkily humerous yet serious scripts (a la Darin
Morgan) that deal with perennial philosophical issues (free
will/determinism good/evil, et al ). The episode features an
excellent performance by Burt Reynolds; the brilliantly shot street
scenes (and music) are a Carterian homage to Italian "cinema
dell'arte".
Longtime staff writer Vince Gilligan's two contributions are mixed
affairs: the sepia-tone cinematography of "John Doe", coupled with
Robert Patrick's fine acting make this episode enjoyable up until
the oddly strained "crash and bang" finale. "Sunshine Days" is one
of Gilligan's rare missteps; a re-tread of his "Je Souhaite" (Season
7) with an unfortunate undercurrent of saccharine sentimentality.
The ongoing subplot (treated in various episodes of Seasons 8-9)
relating to Agent Doggett's personal tragedy was resolved in
"Release" ( particularly beautiful music by Mark Snow ). It is a
testament to the quality of THE X FILES that in their last season
the staff writers (John Shiban & David Amann) would prepare so
properly respectful a vehicle for Robert Patrick, whose performances
were so vitally important for the series in its final years.
"Jump the Shark" was neither the best nor worst treatment that could
have been prepared as the swan song of the beloved Lone Gunmen.
However flawed the script, the heroic efforts of the three misfits
in this episode were a necessary correction to the idiotic
mischaracterization that shot through the (mercifully short-lived)
series (Spring 2001) that bore their name. In "Jump the Shark" some
of the eccentric nobility of the Lone Gunmen was restored.
MYTHOLOGY EPISODES:
The symbiotic partnership between Chris Carter & Frank Spotnitz
continued with their co-writing of 6 of the 7 myth arc episodes
airing in Season 9 (the finale was penned by Carter alone).
The ambitious 2-part opener ("Nothing Important Happened Today
I/II") fuses the familiar "alien hybrid" concept with the newer
(logically consistent) element of "supersoldiers".
The Orwellian/Kafkaesque atmosphere of "Trust No1" is a compellingly
well-framed continuation of the myth arc as well as a dark
commentary on certain governmental strictures enacted in the wake of
9/11.
An extraordinary degree of openly religious (Christian) symbolism
(in terms of plot, dialogue and cinematography) pervades the mid
season 2-parter titled "Provenance/Providence".
"William" is taut episode creatively directed (and co-written) by
David Duchovny; the clever double twist ending has dramatic
ramifications that extend backward and forward in time. Gillian
Anderson puts forth a customarily moving performance emphasizing
Scully's unique qualities of nobility and loving self-sacrifice.
The grand 2 hour finale ("The Truth") exudes a special glow,
starting out ("in media res") with the return of Mulder, lagging a
bit during the lengthy court-room trial scenes and ending with a
fireworks flourish in which director Kim Manners pulls out all the
stops. The final scene of THE X FILES is a quiet coda; a truly
beautiful moment between Mulder and Scully as they share their
mutual belief that, in spite of all appearances, hope is not lost
and that "the light shines in the darkness" .
Doggett begins his investigation of Deputy
Director Kersh and search for Mulder. He encounters
obstructions at every turn and no one is willing to
cooperate.
Shannon McMahon, a former Marine associate of
Doggett’s, reveals to Doggett that she is a super soldier.
This leads them to a clandestine laboratory where secret
experiments are taking place on board on a naval ship.
With Scully reassigned to the Quantico
Training Academy, Doggett and Reyes investigate their first
X-File together — a series of satanic ritual murders - which
sees their different investigative techniques working
together.
A vicious murderer threatens Doggett and
Reyes and then vanishes, or does he? Doggett is shot and
Follmer discovers that Reyes was the shooter, or was she?
The only thing certain is that someone is one step ahead of
everyone else.
Scully, Doggett and Reyes investigate when a
teenager dies while performing a daredevil feat for a cable
access show, but his death is soon revealed to be caused by
a disturbing family secret. This show includes several
references to former
Pink Floyd frontman
Syd Barrett.
Scully is hopeful about reuniting with Mulder
when a complete stranger offers new information about what
drove him into hiding. Yet her trust in the stranger may
place Mulder in even more danger.
With no knowledge of his identity or his
past, Doggett is found wandering a dusty
Mexican town. While he struggles to piece together his
memory, he finds himself embroiled in a smuggling plot, and
across the border Scully and Reyes attempt to find him.
Guest starring: Mitch Pileggi as A.D. Walter Skinner
Reyes takes the lead while investigating an
X-File case, surrounding a man found skinned alive. When she
discovers that he had visions of a similar thing, she calls
on Scully’s expertise to help on the investigation, which
pays off when they find a link to 1960 - a link which may be
deeper than it seems.
When rubbings from the spaceship resurface,
the FBI hides its investigation from the X-Files. Meanwhile,
Scully is forced to take drastic measures when she discovers
a threat to William.
Distrustful of both Skinner and Follmer,
Scully circumvents the FBI’s investigation into the
kidnapping and does her own, assisted by Reyes and the Lone
Gunmen. Her fears are heightened when she learns Mulder may
be dead, and William is kidnapped by the alien cult.
Awakening in a surreal hospital (which a
companion believes to be Death’s Waiting Room) after being
hit by a car, a comatose Reyes struggles to wake herself up
before her
organ donor card is acted upon. Her only link with the
outside world is a possibly autistic woman named Audrey
Pauley. Outside, Doggett and Scully begin to suspect that
outside forces are conspiring to end her life.
Doggett is determined to find an error in the
DNA evidence that freed the convicted “Screwdriver Killer”
whom he nearly caught in the act 13 years earlier. But as
the case takes several twists, Doggett finds himself at odds
with Scully and Reyes as he attempts to prove his theory.
In the race to catch a serial killer, Scully
and Reyes find themselves relying on
numerology, their powers of deduction, and a mysterious,
card-playing stranger. Meanwhile Doggett attempts to liaise
with the police on the case, and finds that his time on the
X-Files has somewhat changed his opinions.
Agent Harrison takes Reyes and Doggett on a
drive into the mountains, after a woman stabs herself
repeatedly and her widowed husband refuses to let anyone see
their son. When Harrison’s young admirer shows up at
Scully’s door and convinces her to come with him and save
them, they discover that monsters under the bed may be more
than just the product of a young boy’s vivid imagination.
* This episode is the shortest episode of the series, with a
runtime of only 42:29
When Morris Fletcher approaches the agents
with information related to the supersoldiers, they turn to
the Lone Gunmen. But the Gunmen and Jimmy are already
knee-deep in a bio-terrorist’s plot to release a deadly
toxin, and his links to the mysterious Yves Adele Harlow.
Doggett finds a strange disfigured man in the
X-Files office, and - on a whim of Scully’s - they test his
DNA. But the surprising answers they find become even more
surprising when William’s life is put on the line.
Doggett, Reyes, Scully and Skinner stumble on
to a bizarre murder case where the main suspect is a man
with an unusual obsession with
The Brady Bunch. Despite their initial differences -
both in investigative style and love of The Brady Bunch
- the four of them soon learn that the man’s telekinetic
ability is the ultimate, undeniable proof of an X-File.
Mulder is placed under military arrest, but
with the surprising help of Deputy Director Kersh, Scully,
Reyes, Doggett, Marita Covarrubias, Gibson Praise, and
Jeffrey Spender, Mulder's broken out. Mulder and Scully
travel to New Mexico where
Black helicopters destroy a
Pueblo - and the Smoking Man.
