140. The Sixth Extinction (part 2)guests: Mitch Pileggi (Assistant Director Walter Skinner) Mimi Rogers (Agent Diana Fowley) Michael Ensign (Dr. Barnes) Jo Nell Kennedy (Amina Ngebe) Conrad Roberts (Primitive African Man) John Finn (Michael Kritschgau)
While Scully travels to Africa to piece together the meaning of the symbols on the spaceship beached on the Ivory Coast, Mulder is imprisoned by his own frenetic brain activity. He manages to get a message to Skinner who finds Kritschgau and together they try to understand what is happening to Mulder before it is too late.
141. The Sixth Extinction II: Amor Fati (part 3)
guests: William B. Davis (Cigarette Smoking Man) Nicholas Lea (Alex Krycek) Mitch Pileggi (Assistant Director Walter Skinner) Mimi Rogers (Agent Diana Fowley) Jerry Hardin (Deep Throat) Martin Grey (Agent Flagler) Rebecca Toolan (Teena Mulder) Floyd "Red Crow" Westerman (Albert Hosteen) John Finn (Michael Kritschgau)
Scully frantically searches for a way to help her ailing partner without having anyone to turn to for help, while a catatonic Mulder's dreams lead him away from his mission and the X-Files to a place which he believes is a better life.
NOTE: Amor Fati means "Love of Fate". It can be a religious term, having to do with our lives being divinely willed (thus we are supposed to love our lives). A relatively famous phrase, it was written about by Nietzsche ("Amor Fati: let that be my love henceforth").
The tagline for this episode is changed to the subtitle: "Amor Fati".142. Hungry
guests: Chad E. Donella (Rob Roberts) Mark Pelligrino (Derwood Spinks) Judith Hoag (Dr Mindy Rinehart) Lois Foraker (Sylvia Jassy)
A monster who feeds on human brain matter tries to lead a normal life but he soon cannot control his feelings of hunger.
NOTE: The original aspect of this episode is that it is told from Rob's point of view. Mulder and Scully's investigation is not the main focus and they only appear for brief periods throughout.
In keeping with writer Vince Gilligan's habit of putting his girlfriend's name (Holly Rice) in each episode he writes, the manager of the fast-food store is named Mr. Rice. Another employee is named Lucy, which is Holly's real first name.
The private detective who looks remarkably like Mulder is Steve Kiziak, playing himself, and is also David Duchovny's stand-in. He will appear again in 'Fight Club' as the man who looks like Mulder alongside Arlene Pileggi, who is Gillian Anderson's stand in and also AD Skinner's secretary. 143. Millennium
guests: Mitch Pileggi (Assistant Director Walter Skinner) Lance Henriksen (Frank Black) Holmes Osborne (Mark Johnson) Colby French (Deputy) William Forward (Funeral Director) Brittany Tiplady (Jordan Black)
As the year 2000 draws closer, the agents are up against a man from the Millennium Group who believes that he can bring about the end of the world on the 31st of December if he resurrects 4 former members from the dead. To gain more insight into the group and its practices, Mulder and Scully enlist criminal profiler Frank Black to assist them in the investigation.
NOTE: This is the only explicit "crossover" with the cancelled Millennium show. A previous character crossover featured Scully´s favourite writer, José Chung (author of "From Outer Space"), in the Millennium episode "José Chung´s Doomsday Defense", both episodes written by Darin Morgan.
Vince Gilligan's tradition of including his girlfriend's name (Lucy "Holly" Hartwell Rice) in all his episodes continues here - much of the episode takes place in Rice County, Maryland, and the institution where Frank stays is the Hartwell Psychiatric Hospital (in Virginia - Vince's home state).
After watching the ball drop on New Years' Eve we see the second on-screen kiss between Mulder & Scully. 144. Rush
guests: Rodney Scott (Tony Reed) Scott Cooper (Max Harden) Nicki Lynn Aycox (Chastity Raines) Ann Dowd (Mrs. Reed) Tom Bower (Sheriff Harden)
A young man who has gained the ability to move faster than the eye can see begins to use his new power to kill his enemies, including the local sheriff who happens to be his father.
145. The Goldberg Variation
guests: Willie Garson (Henry Weems) Alyson Reed (Maggie Lupone) Ramy Zada (Joe Cutrona) Tony Longo (Dominic)
Mulder and Scully get caught in a real-life Rube Goldberg device when they meet Henry Weems, who just may be the luckiest man on Earth - except everyone around him don't seem to be that lucky.
146. Orison
guests: Scott Wilson (Reverend Orison) Nick Chinlund (Donald Pfaster) Steve Rankin (US Marshal Daddo) Emilio Rivera (Brigham) Lisa Kushell (Lady in Red)
Reverend Orison hopes to save Donnie Pfaster's soul by helping him break out of prison, but he is very wrong though, when Donnie immediately plans to go after the victim that once escaped him--Scully.
NOTE: The definition of 'Orison' is "A Prayer".
Among the words scrawled on the prison chapel's walls is the phrase "Sheep go to Heaven, Goats go to Hell". This is the chorus line of the song "Sheep go to Heaven" by the band Cake - one of Gillian Anderson's favorite bands. 147. The Amazing Maleeni
guests: Ricky Jay (Herman & Albert Pinchbeck) Jonathan Levit (Billy LaBonge) Robert LaSardo (Cissy Alvarez)
When a small-time magician performs a trick where it appears that he turns his head all the way around but is then found in his van dead with his head neatly sawn off, Mulder and Scully suspect he was murdered and get caught up in an intricate scheme planned by two magicians trying to rob a bank.
NOTE: Billy LaBonge is named for the Second Unit Director of Photography, Bob LaBonge.
148. Signs and Wonders
guests: Randy Oglesby (Reverend Samuel Mackey) Tracy Middendorf (Gracie) Michael Childers (Reverend Enoch O'Connor) Eric Nenninger (Jared Chirp) Beth Grant (Iris Finster)
Snakes are killing the unrighteous, but Mulder and Scully doubt that this is a case of divine intervention.
NOTE: 'Signs and Wonders' is a common biblical phrase used to describe the acts used to convince followers of the nature of Christ and his apostles, for example:
Second Corinthians 12:12: "The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles."
149. Sein und Zeit (part 1)
guests: Mitch Pileggi (Assistant Director Walter Skinner) Mark Rolston (Bud LaPierre) Rebecca Toolan (Teena Mulder) Shareen Mitchell (Billy LaPierre) Megan Corletto (Amber Lynn LaPierre) Spencer Garrett (Bring) Kim Darby (Kathy Lee Tencate) Martin Grey (Agent Flagler) Randall Bosley (Ed)
A young girl unexplainably disappears from her home and Mulder requests the case even though it is a full FBI matter, not just an X-File. When Mulder takes some outrageous leaps to convince the girl's parents that she will be found, Scully fears that Mulder is becoming too personally involved with the case because of his sister's abduction.
NOTE: 'Sein Und Zeit' means "Being and Time" and is the title of a rather famous 1927 philosophy book by world renowned philosopher Martin Heidegger. It deals with our existence - being.
In the episode's teaser, Bud LaPierre is watching Harsh Realm (Chris Carter's short-lived and grossly un-promoted drama series) on television. Mr. LaPierre commented to Mulder that he didn't know what it was called (probably since it wasn't well promoted by Fox), but that it was good. On a related note, the actor playing Mr. LaPierre was in the 2nd episode of Harsh Realm as a bounty hunter.
Tencate and LaPierre are both last names of two of Chris Carter's former girlfriends.
Amber Lynn LaPierre is named for Amber Woodward, Chris Carter's assistant on Harsh Realm. 150. Closure (part 2)
guests: William B. Davis (Cigarette Smoking Man) Mitch Pileggi (Assistant Director Walter Skinner) Anthony Heald (Harold Piller) Stanley Anderson (Agent Lewis Schoniger) Rebecca Toolan (Teena Mulder)
After arresting the murderer of Amber-Lynn LaPierre and discovering a mass gravesite containing the bodies of dozens of missing children, a man comes to Mulder and claims to have had visions of other victims who aren't buried at the site. Despite Scully's objections, he takes Mulder on a journey which reveals what truly happened to his sister.
NOTE: This episode's tagline changes to 'Believe to Understand', signifying Mulder's realisation of his sister's demise.
The song playing at the end when Mulder encounters his sister's spirit is "My Weakness" from the Album "Play" by Moby. 151. X-COPS
guests: Judson Mills (Deputy Keith Wetzel) Dee Freeman (Sergeant Paula Guthrie) Perla Walter (Mrs Guerrero) J.W. Smith (Steve) Curtis C. (Edy)
A Los Angeles police officer who is being filmed for the show COPS is attacked by a strange monster and Mulder and Scully are investigating the case. Scully is wary of having their faces put on national television but Mulder welcomes the publicity.
NOTE: As always, Vince finds a way to get his girlfriend's name (Holly) into his episodes. In this case, the police first find Mulder and Scully on Holly Street.
This episode is filmed by real life COPS cameraman and soundman Daniel Emmett and John Michael Vaughn. 152. First Person Shooter
guests: Krista Allen (Jade Blue Afterglow/Maitreya) Jamie Marsh (Ivan) Constance Zimmer (Phoebe) Billy Ray Gallion (Retro) Tom Braidwood (Frohike) Dean Haglund (Langly) Bruce Harwood (Byers)
The Lone Gunmen call Mulder and Scully to a Virtual Reality development lab where they learn that one of the program testers was killed inside the computer generated game environment by the digital image of a woman. Needing to get his yah-yah's, Mulder enters the game to fight the woman but Scully must step in to save him.
NOTE: 'Maitreya' means "loving one" in the Buddhist religion.
Maitreya says "Watashiga korekara surukotowo yurushitene" to Musashi just before she kills him - it is Japanese for "Forgive me for what I am about to do."
The door that leads to the "game world" was supposed to appear heavier, but the actors forgot to fake it while filming. 153. Theef
guests: Billy Drago (Mr. Peattie) James Morrison (Dr Robert Wieder) Kate McNeil (Nan Wieder) Cara Jedell (Lucy Wieder) Tom Dahlgren (Dr Irving Thalbro) Sage Allen (Landlady) Pamela Gordon (Proprietor)
Mulder and Scully suspect that hexcraft is the source of threats against a doctor's family.
NOTE: The name of the reporter covering the flesh-eating disease story is John Gillnitz, marking the 5th appearance of the name in an X-Files episode. This long-running in-joke is a combination of the names of the writers John Shiban, Vince Gilligan, and Frank Spotnitz.
Dedication: In Memoriam, Rick Jacobson 1951-2000. Rick Jacobson was president of Twentieth Television (the syndication arm of Fox) who died of cancer in March of 2000.
James Morrison is yet another member of the Space: Above and Beyond cast to appear in the X-Files, he played Lt. Col. Tyrus Cassius McQueen.
154. En Ami
guests: William B. Davis (Cigarette Smoking Man) Mitch Pileggi (Assistant Director Walter Skinner) Michael Shamus Wiles (Black Haired Man) Louise Latham (Marjorie Butters) Tom Braidwood (Frohike) Dean Haglund (Langly) Bruce Harwood (Byers)
The Cigarette Smoking Man offers to show Scully the cure for all diseases if she travels with him, but on one condition: Mulder must not know about her trip.
NOTE: 'En Ami' is French for "as a friend", somewhat ironic since phonetically it sounds like "enemy".
This is the last X-Files episode to be directed by Rob Bowman who has directed over thirty episodes since season 1, including the feature movie.155. Chimera
guests: Mitch Pileggi (Assistant Director Walter Skinner) Michelle Joyner (Ellen Adderly) Gina Mastrogiacomo (Jenny Uphouse) F. William Parker (Dr. Blankenship) John Mese (Sheriff Phil Adderly)
As Mulder investigates a missing person case with a key feature being a menacing raven, he learns to enjoy the creature comforts of a well-tended home while Scully must tough it out on an uncomfortable stakeout.
NOTE: Writer David Amann's wife Michelle Deschamps is mentioned in this episode. The little girl in the teaser is named Michelle, and the psychiatric hospital featured is the Deschamps County Hospital.
156. all things
guests: Colleen Flynn (Colleen Azar) Stacy Haiduk (Maggie Waterston) Stephen Hornyak (Dr Paul Kopeikan) Nicolas Surovy (Dr Daniel Waterston)
A series of coincidences leads Scully to a married man she had an affair with during medical school but left him to protect his family.
NOTE: Mulder's hat, at the end of the episode, reads "Stone Henge Rocks", a possible homage to the fact that some people believe Stone Henge was created by alien forces.
MOBY's song "The Sky is Broken" was the main song for this episode. Another song of MOBY's titled "My Weakness" was used in the episode "Closure."
"all things" is the only episode to have the actors actually react to the music being played in the background. In this episode, Scully has a dream where she walks into the hospital room and she finds herself laying on the bed. There is music being played in the background. Once Scully gets close to the bed, she looks at herself lying in the bed and she mouths "Speak to me"; the same words being played in the bg! :)
"all things" is the only episode (so far) to write it's title with no capital letters.
Colleen Flynn (Colleen Azar) previously appeared in "Detour" as the Search and Rescue team leader investigating the disappearances in the forest.
Stacy Haiduk (Maggia Waterson) appeared in "SeaQuest DSV" as Lieutenant-Commander Katie Hitchcok (Season 1)157. Brand X
guests: Mitch Pileggi (Assistant Director Walter Skinner) Dennis Boutsikaris (Dr. Peter Voss) Richard Cox (Daniel Brimley) Tobin Bell (Daryl Weaver) Shannon O'Hurley (Anne Voss)
When an employee of Morley Tobacco Co. is apparently killed by tobacco beetles, Mulder suspects that the beetles have hatched inside his lungs and found their way there through inhalation of smoke from an experimental cigarette.
NOTE: Morley is, of course, the cigarette brand our most beloved villain, Mr. CGB Spender aka Cigarette-Smoking Man aka Cancer Man, is famous for inhaling.
158. Hollywood A.D.
guests: Mitch Pileggi (Assistant Director Walter Skinner) Garry Shandling (Himself) Téa Leoni (Herself) Harris Yulin (Cardinal O'Fallon) Wayne Federman (Wayne Federman) Paul Lieber (Micah Hoffman)
Mulder and Scully watch a movie with themselves as characters and are thoroughly disgusted at how they and their case are portrayed on the big screen. They recount how 18 months earlier they were followed around by a Hollywood producer while investigating a case concerning 'The Lazarus Bowl' a mythical piece of pottery reputed to have inscribed on it the words that Jesus Christ spoke when he raised Lazarus from the dead.
NOTE: If you look closely as the camera pans over the audience in the theater, you can see Chris Carter, actors Minnie Driver and David Allen Grier and several crew members watching the movie.
David Duchovny and Tea Leoni were married on 6th May 1997 and Tea gave birth to their daughter Madelaine West on 24th April 1999.
A few references to Duchovny's "real life" include Scully's assertion that Tea Leoni likes him, as well as the assertion that Shandling likes him too (A cute reference to David's appearances on Garry Shandling's Larry Sanders Show as himself, but with a crush on Larry).
Scully is described as "Jodie Foster's foster child on a Payless budget" - referencing the fact that Agent Scully was indeed originally modeled on Foster's character from Silence of the Lambs.
Mulder is described as a "Jehovah's Witness meets Harrison Ford's Witness" - Harrison Ford's Witness is the answer David Duchovny got wrong on "Who Wants to be A Millionaire".
If you look very closely you'll see that in the scene in which the characters which are "loosely" based on Mulder and Scully roll down the hill it's actually David Duchovny and not Gary Shandling who's rolling downhill with Tea Leoni.
Mulder chose Richard Gere to play him in Federman's movie, because David Duchovny was often compared to Gere during the early years of his career. 159. Fight Club
guests: Randall "Tex" Cobbs (Burt Zupanic) Art Evans (Argyle Saperstein) Jack McGee (Bob Damphouse) Robert Szatkowsky (Burt's Wrestling Opponent) Gene LeBell (Bartender) Kathy Griffin (Betty Templeton/Lulu Pfeiffer)
Mulder and Scully cross paths with two women who are identical and have followed each other across 17 states in the last 3 years causing chaos and mayhem wherever they are.
NOTE: 'Fight Club' is also the title of the 1999 film starring Brad Pitt and Edward Norton.
Scully tells Mulder "That's why they put the 'I' in FBI." Mulder said the same thing to her in the series Pilot episode.
Saperstein says "Ma nish ta na" when Mulder mispronounces his name, which is Hebrew. The basic English translation is "So what else is new?".
The doppelgangers for Mulder and Scully are Steve Kiziak and Arlene Pileggi, who are also the stand-ins for the actors. Steve Kiziak appeared as himself in 'Hungry' and Arlene Pileggi (wife of Mitch Pileggi) has appeared in several episodes as Skinner's assistant. 160. Je Souhaite
guests: Mitch Pileggi (Assistant Director Walter Skinner) Paula Sorge (Jenn) William Sasso (Lesley Stokes) Kevin Weisman (Anson Stokes) Paul Hayes (Mr. Gilmore)
Mulder and Scully discover a genie in a rug who, after 500 years of granting wishes, has come to the conclusion that people are still as greedy and self-centered as they always have been and she begins to corrupt the wishes she grants if they are not 'specific' enough.
NOTE: 'Je Souhaite' is French for "I Wish"
Mulder comments that Henry Flanken's death was on April 4th, which is also the birthdate of Gilligan's girlfriend, Holly.
Mulder and Scully watch Caddyshack at the end of the episode, a reference to David Duchovny's first date with Tea Leoni, where they watched Caddyshack together and "just howled". 161. Requiem
guests: William B. Davis (Cigarette Smoking Man) Nicholas Lea (Alex Krycek) Mitch Pileggi (Assistant Director Walter Skinner) Leon Russom (Detective Miles) Zachary Ansley (Billy Miles) Andy Umberger (Agent Short) Laurie Holden (Marita Covarrubias) Tom Braidwood (Frohike) Dean Haglund (Langly) Bruce Harwood (Byers) Brian Thompson (Bounty Hunter) Sarah Koskoff (Teresa Hoese) Gretchen Becker (Greta) Darin Cooper (Deputy Ray Hoese) Eddie Kaye Thomas (Gary) Judd Trichter (Richie)
Mulder and Scully return to the town of their first X-Files investigation where a UFO has crashed in the forest. CSM arranges for Krycek to be released from prison in order for him to make contact with the aliens and begin rebuilding the 'Project', while Scully's health appears to be taking a turn.
NOTE: Mulder and Scully recognise the X that Mulder painted on the road after experiencing 'missing time' in the pilot episode. It's hard to believe that normal spray paint would last for seven years, given road usage and the weather.
A 'requiem' is a mass for a deceased person, or a musical composition for such a mass. It is a hymn, composition, or service for commemorating the dead.
In Chris Carter's original script, there was no revelation about Scully's pregnancy. Instead it has Mulder lying on a table aboard the alien ship and his father coming to him and comforting him.
SCULLY: Yes, it looks like it.
MULDER: What is that? Next to it. Is that, uh... oh, my... ugh. Is that brain? Is that brain matter there?
SCULLY: No, I'd say that's ground beef.
MULDER: Ground beef.
SCULLY: Yeah.
