"The X Files" Schizogeny (1998)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Ralph Hemecker

Writers:

Chris Carter (creator)
Jessica Scott (written by) ...

TV Series:

"The X Files" (1993)

Original Air Date:

11 January 1998 (Season 5, Episode 9)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Plot:

A 16-year-old boy is accused of burying his stepfather alive in the orchard mud. Later, a girl's father is also killed mysteriously near the orchard...

Plot Keywords:

Decapitation | Buried Alive | FBI | FBI Agent | Alien

Cast

David Duchovny	...	Fox Mulder
Gillian Anderson	...	Dana Scully
Chad Lindberg	...	Bobby Rich
Sarah-Jane Redmond	...	Karin Matthews
Katharine Isabelle	...	Lisa Baiocchi
Bob Dawson	...	Phil Rich
Cynde Harmon	...	Patti Rich
Laurie Murdoch	...	Coroner
Myles Ferguson	...	Joey Agostino
Kate Robbins	...	Lisa's Aunt
George Josef	...	John Ramirez
Gardiner Millar	...	Mr. Baiocchi
Christine Anton	...	Teacher

Runtime:

Argentina:60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Certification:

USA:TV-14 | Argentina:13

Company:

20th Century Fox Television

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): The first time he talks to the boy, Mulder translates "Ich bin ein Auslander" as "I'm an outsider" but it actually means "I'm a foreigner" as in "I'm from another country."

Is this demonstration of boyish agility turning you on at all?

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Schizogeny is a good, creepy episode to watch on a dark and stormy night. It has some great visuals to makes you feel a little unsafe where you're sitting. I know Mulder likes to crack jokes, but it still amazes at times when he cracks jokes about the murder victim they are investigating. Like when he talks about Phil Rich taking the term "mud pie" literally. Luckily, he doesn't crack these callous jokes in front of family members. I thought it interesting how they alternated the interview scenes between Mulder and Bobby and Scully and Patti. I guess, to show opposing stories from the son and mom. The visual of the orchard man with the ax at the end of the "tunnel" of trees is nice and creepy. Mulder does his best impression of Sherlock Holmes in this episode. Mulder is always finding clues in episodes, but this time was even more Holmes-like, from him observing the mud on Karin Matthew's shoes to noticing how the broken glass was on the inside of the room. Usually, the funny lines are reserved for Mulder, but Scully gets in a dry one-liner when Mulder is digging up Karin's father's grave and she remarks that they are grave robbing. It's interesting what writers can do when there is no fear of retribution for their characters. The orchard man lops of Karin's head at the end of the episode, apparently not caring whether or not he will go to jail to murder, because he has rendered a service to the community, and it stops the trees from killing Mulder and Bobby. Of course, the episode ends almost immediately, so the writers don't have to deal with it. I just find it interesting. We don't know how Karin and the teenagers were able to summon the trees to their command, but the story and the visuals are entertaining enough to let it slide, and allow us to enjoy the creepy story of Schizogeny.