Home
| Search
| Site Index
| Now Playing
| Top Movies
| My Movies
| Top 250 |
TV
| News
| Video |
Message Boards
Register
| 
RSS
| Advertising
| Content Licensing
| Help
| Jobs
| IMDbPro
| IMDb Resume
| Box Office Mojo
| Withoutabox
| Follow us on Twitter
International Sites: IMDb Germany
| IMDb Italy
| IMDb Spain
Copyright © 1990-2009
IMDb.com, Inc.
Terms and Privacy Policy under which this service is provided to you.
An 
company.
Own the rights?
Buy it at Amazon Rent it at Blockbuster.comDiscuss in Boards Add to My Movies Update Data
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotesOverview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv scheduleAwards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsPlot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotesFun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQOther Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDeskPromotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo galleryExternal Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clipsIMDb user comments for
"The X Files" Zero Sum (1997)
15 out of 15 people found the following comment useful :-
Vague Assurances, 21 September 2006
Author: Muldernscully from Washington Terrace, Utah
Zero Sum is the second Skinner-oriented episode in the x-files. Avatar was the first and the story for this episode continues on the theme from Avatar, of Skinner being blackmailed by the cigarette smoking man. The storyline, however, continues on from Memento Mori, dealing with Scully's cancer. Scully(Gillian Anderson), actually takes a break from this episode and we never see her. Mulder says that she is undergoing testing in the hospital. An episode just isn't the same without her. Even so, Zero Sum is a tight, suspenseful episode, leaving you on the edge of your seat, wondering whether Agent Mulder will discover Skinner's part in the cover-up of the x-file. The music by Mark Snow sets the mood very well. Mitch Pileggi does an excellent job when asked to take on the bulk of the acting. He's doing unethical things in order to help out Scully. The cigarette smoking man also has a larger part in this episode. It is quite interesting to see the slow deterioration in his relationship with the syndicate. You see it begin in earlier mythology episodes, and it continues in Zero Sum, which leads to certain events in a later mythology episode. I like to see continuity like that. It's not often that you see the cigarette smoking man rattled, but Skinner manages to do that to him. Overall, Zero Sum is carried well by Skinner and Mulder with absence of Scully, helping us delve even deeper into the mind of Skinner, and see what lengths he'll go to to help out his friends.
Great Episode Despite No Scully, 18 July 2009
Author: ddeboer from United States
I am not exactly a huge fan of the arc only because they can be slow moving, depressing, and they tend to add more elements than they solve. Nevertheless, we take a break from clones, bounty hunters, and black oil to return to the killer bees. Infestation is one of the staple X Files themes although not one of the more common ones and they work it quite well in this episode. Skinner who usually just shows up to look crabby and pinched gets to be in full range here (like he was in Avatar) and we also get a nice view of him in his tighty whities....who knew he had a killer bod? It's nice watching Mulder get closer and closer to the truth because you know from the get go that this is one major act of betrayal. We have a few more cold blooded deaths of innocents (pray you never find yourself an innocent bystander in an X File episode), gruesome looking cadavers, and Marita Covarrubias looking and talking as seductively as ever (was she a perfume model in the past?). Great episode for an arc without Scully in it.
You'll find it's not that easy to walk away from, Mr. Skinner., 4 July 2009
Author: Sanpaco13 from Sandy, UT, United States
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
What a wonderful episode. Zero Sum is a very unique episode for two reasons. Not only is it one of only two episodes in the entire series that does not have Scully in it at all. But it is also one of only two episodes that are centric to the character of Walter Skinner. I think that's right as far as numbers. I'm pretty sure Scully is in all but this and "3". And the only Skinner centric episodes I can think of are this and "Avatar". I enjoy this one because of the mystery in the beginning of the episode. We are shown about 11 minutes of Skinner cleaning up evidence from a crime scene and posing as Fox Mulder. Ultimately we learn that he is working for the Smoking Man who uses Skinner's weapon to murder a police officer who was asking questions. The case that this all pertains to is all about bees and the secret smallpox testings that the syndicate have been secretly testing on the public. As Skinner deals with his duties to the Smoking Man, he is at the same time trying to hide from Mulder the fact that he has been the one covering his tracks and he also is carrying out his own investigation trying to figure out the story behind the bees. The scene at the elementary school is very haunting to me. Scenes like this convince me that the Syndicate is just completely wrong in everything they do. CSM can smooth talk all he wants, they are bad. They heartlessly unleash a swarm of bees onto a group of children playing at recess who watch as their teacher is attacked and killed by the bees. I also love watching Mulder's reaction when he learns that Skinner is the one who was posing as him. Its almost like Skinner was the last person he ever thought would betray him and he is so deeply disturbed in that moment. Oh and I LOVE the scene where CSM is taunting Skinner to shoot him or leave and Skinner unloads three rounds and it takes the camera about 20 seconds to pan around and show us that all three rounds went into the wall just past CSM's head. And he just stands there peeing his pants as the phone continues to ring. Awesome! Well I think that is at least a confetti of a review. I give the episode a 10 out of 10.
The Killer Bee storyline is one of my favorite parts of the Mythology, 6 December 2008
Author: SleepTight666 from Netherlands
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
Perhaps a bit slow moving and moody (which can be tiresome, especially if you're already tired). But still, it's one of the many strong episodes of Season 4.
The Killer Bee storyline is one of my favorite parts of the Mythology, I find it much more interesting than alien colonization and bounty hunters etc.
The bee attacks were some excellent scenes, they were very well executed and looked quite real. I like the idea behind the small pox disease being carried by the bees.
Skinners part of the episode is also very strong, this is probably the best Skinner-centric. I respect the guy, especially after scaring the Cancer Man. I just loved CSM's face after he was shot upon.
FOUR stars for this one, strong and well done.
Add another comment
Related Links