ROTTEN TOMATOES: Kim Newman's Guide to The X-Files

Kim Newman's Guide to The X-Files

by Kim Newman

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SQUEEZE
Season 1, Episode 3; 1993.

After a couple of 'UFO' stories, The X-Files really showed how strange it could be with its third episode, featuring Eugene Victor Tooms (Doug Hutchison), a long-lived liver-eating mutant who resembles Reed Richards gone wrong as he stretches and contorts through tight places. He returned in a sequel 'Tooms', and later mutants ate cancer, brains, fat and melanin...

ICE
Season 1, Episode 8; 1993.

A miniature of The Thing (or a throwback to 1960s Doctor Who), with a small cast trapped in an arctic base which has been wiped out by larval worms which prompt psychotic behaviour.

BEYOND THE SEA
Season 1, Episode 13; 1994.

The first show to concentrate on Scully's backstory -- a recently-deceased father (Don S. Davis, formerly of Twin Peaks, later of Stargate SG1) -- and give her character more to do than trot out a soon-disproved rational explanation. Brad Dourif creepily homages his role from Exorcist III as a psychic on death row.

DUANE BARRY
Season 2, Episode 5; 1994.

The first part of a two-episode story (followed by 'Ascension') and, as is often the case, much better in the build-up than the resolution. Guest star Steve Railsback offers a possible glimpse into Mulder's future as a former X-Files agent who has cracked up completely and become a gun-waving hostage-taker.

The X-Files - Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose

CLYDE BRUCKMAN'S FINAL REPOSE
Season 3, Episode 4; 1995.

Peter Boyle is brilliant as Bruckman, who has the unhappy knack of foreseeing the circumstances of everyone's death -- including his own. A serial killer is targeting seers, fortune-tellers and psychics. Often classed as one of the 'comedy' episodes, it has a surprisingly affecting finish.

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(1-13 of 13 posts) | Reply

reapermad writes:
on Jul 31 2008 11:01 AM

The X Files is still the greatest telecision show in history. Prove me wrong, y'all, I freakin dare ya!

(Reply to this)

jaredisme writes:
on Jul 31 2008 11:51 AM

reapermad, you are 110% right! there will never be another show quite like it....

(Reply to this)

Archivist writes:
on Jul 31 2008 12:24 PM

I would hasten to add Bad Blood and Triangle to this list.

(Reply to this)

Archivist writes:
on Jul 31 2008 12:25 PM

I would hasten to add Bad Blood and Triangle to this list.

(Reply to this)

the_reasons writes:
on Jul 31 2008 01:14 PM

A fine list.

(Reply to this)

cgcbooks writes:
on Jul 31 2008 03:21 PM

Never watched it.

(Reply to this)

wakeman490 writes:
on Jul 31 2008 04:53 PM

In reply to this comment (#1940144)
The Simpsons is the greatest TV show ever, at least the first 10 seasons are, and they have an X-Files episode, which was awesome. Mulder has a picture of himself in the nude inside his wallet! Hilarious.

(Reply to this)

Joe Utichi writes:
on Jul 31 2008 05:18 PM

Archivist: Agreed. Kim actually said it was a hard list to come up with because there were so many exceptional episodes.

Personally I'd add Arcadia and War of the Coprophages.

(Reply to this)

JHE writes:
on Jul 31 2008 07:09 PM

twin peaks is the greatest =D

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nevermachine writes:
on Jul 31 2008 09:15 PM

yeah, X-files is awesome. i vote for bad blood too. and the Host! both very awesome episodes. i dont know where any of you people out there in internet land live or how you feel about walmart, but my local walmart has one HELL of a deal on buying these shows. What originally cost upwards of $100 per season is now only going for $20 per season. when i saw the sale for the first time i felt like a crack head finding a big ol pile of crack rocks. i spent $80 on the spot and have gone back and spent $60 more. one hell of a sale, FYI.

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vdominick writes:
on Aug 01 2008 12:27 AM

I would replace Jose Chung, X cops, and Hollywood AD with
Bad Blood
War of the Corpophages
Small Potatoes

(Reply to this)

jimgysin writes:
on Aug 01 2008 10:21 AM

I agree that there should be room here for WAR OF THE COPROPHAGES, and I also believe that any list that excludes GROTESQUE is a fatally flawed list.

But let's face it. This was one of a very few exceptional shows in which it truly is difficult to narrow things down to a top ten.

(Reply to this)

dirtygerman03 writes:
on Sep 02 2008 05:23 PM

I'd say Twin Peaks is #1 with X-files being a VERY close 2nd. Both phenomenal shows.

(Reply to this)

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