The Cutprice Guignol

When it comes to the worst Monster of the Week episode of The X-Files’ second season, the choice is a remarkably easy one. Season two was a giant leap forward for the show: the mythology was established enough to start growing into some of the most exciting event television of the nineties, and the Monsters of the Week became more creative and unique. A typical weak episode of season two is one where not everything hangs together: such as Fearful Symmetry, Aubrey, and Our Town. They aren’t disasters – due to the to the chemistry of Mulder and Scully, the confidence of the writers, and in many cases, the cinematic presentation of each episode. I dare you to find a more brilliantly directed show in the nineties than The X-Files, especially in this confident second season.

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Season two of The X-Files does what every second season of a show should do: it expands the scope of the show’s universe, explores the main characters in greater detail, and throws off the training wheels of its first year.

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With a show as diverse in its storytelling as The X-Files, it would be a shame to only focus on its best moments. As much as I love the show, even the most die-hard of fans will admit that it’s far from perfect. For every excellent Monster of the Week, there is a dud, a flop, or one that just plain doesn’t work. Just as Beyond the Sea helped us understand what makes a truly great Monster of the Week episode, it’s only fair that we also look at another season one episode to investigate the exact opposite. 

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