Season five is looked back on in different ways by fans and critics. Many felt the show was running out of steam and becoming stale, while others thought it was doing damn fine, with new angles and developments to carry the show for a few more years. Considering those involved went and made the eagerly awaited motion picture between seasons, it’s amazing they could get everything done. Logically, the fifth season was only twenty shows instead the average of twenty two.

Expectedly, there were a number of hiccups through the year, such as 'Schizogeny' and the Scully-focused two parter 'Christmas Carol'/'Emily', and it’s baffling why perhaps the season’s single worst show, 'The Post-Modern Prometheus' (directed by Carter himself) ended up a critical fave! These all came in the former half of the season, which could have caused viewers to get restless and lose interest. 

Luckily, there were a lot of winners scattered throughout the batch, and two of the best shows of the year came from the pens of famed writers: horror kingpin Stephen King and cyberpunk-er William Gibson. Clever casting was one of the best elements of the run, most notably Lili Taylor in 'Minds Eye', Kolchak himself Darren McGavin in 'Travelers', and Richard Belzer in 'Unusual Suspects'. The mythology stories were of a very high quality, beginning with 'Redux' and 'Redux II', and hit it’s (all time) peek with the shattering 'Patient X' and 'The Red And The Black'. It was in this two part story that we were introduced to a couple of the shows most intriguing recurring characters: alien abductee Cassandra Spender (Veronica Cartwright) and her son, agent Jeffrey Spender (Chris Owens). Another conspiracy figure, played by Mimi Rogers, would surface in the season finale The End.

Despite the massive work load, the X people managed to produce another run of quality shows on the whole. In fact, season five stands as one of the best ever. It was also the season that produced more Emmy nominations than any other in it's entire nine year run.

REDUX

Directed by R. W. Goodwin. Written by Chris Carter.

EPISODE RATING (1 to 4 stars): ***

Following the events of the fourth season finale 'Gesthemane', Mulder is believed to be dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The corpse in his apartment has had his face blown off, but Scully identifies him as Mulder. The body is in fact Scott Ostelhoff, an agent for the Department Of Defense, who was monitoring Mulder. The two clashed, and Mulder killed him. But with Mulder thought dead, he's now able to move around freely to discover why he was so closely watched. After the events of 'Gesthemane', in which he came across an apparently faked alien corpse, Mulder now begins to doubt the existence of aliens and everything surrounding them. He sneaks into the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency using Ostelhoff's security card and bumps into Michael Kristchgau (John Finn), the man who contacted him in the previous episode, and he reveals to our hero what the government's true motives are, and how they've covered up the real truth...which is more frightening than anything from outer space.

This is an impressive season opener that manages to overcome a few flaws in logic (some involving the death of Ostelhoff and Mulder' assuming his identity). One of the best things about this one is the way it's exciting without any shoot outs or typical standoffs. It's a very talky show, but the dialogue is extremely well written, and the information revealed is compelling. The single best scene is the one in which Kristchgau explains what the government has been secretly doing since WWII. Loaded with real images of nuclear tests, wars and political figures, and told with total conviction by the commanding Finn, this sequence is fascinating and plausible. It also reminds me of that superb, lengthy set piece conversation between Kevin Costner and Donald Sutherland in Oliver Stone's JFK.

Scully's scientific investigation into the cells found in the ice core samples in 'Gesthemane' and how it relates to her cancer is fairly interesting too. There's an extra wrinkle thrown in with the agents believing that someone important on the inside of the bureau is aligned with the shadowy conspiracy. Lots of regulars appear; including AD Skinner (Mitch Pileggi), the Cigarette Smoking Man (William B. Davis), the Lone Gunmen (Tom Braidwood, Dean Haglund, Bruce Harwood), the key "Elder" (Don S. Williams), along with Section Chief Blevins (Charles Cioffi), who popped up in a number of first season episodes.

Although not the best X mythology entry of the season (check out 'The Red And The Black' for that), this is terrific way to kick off the fifth year.

REDUX II

Directed by Kim Manners. Written by Chris Carter.

RATING: ***1/2

Hearing of Scully's failing health, Mulder returns to the land of the legally living to join her in her hour of need. Scully warns him that she believes the trader in their midst is Skinner. Scully is close to death in the hospital, surrounded by her mother (Sheila Larkin) and brother (Pat Skipper), and it seems like nothing can be done. Mulder has an outrageous medical theory, while Cigarette Smoking Man tells Mulder that he can save her...for a price. Plus CSM has a surprise for Mulder...his sister Samantha. Finally, Mulder is due to appear in front of an hearing board for his killing of the agent working for the Department Of Defense, and he prepares to name the mole in the bureau.

Fans couldn't ask for a better resolution to this saga than this episode; from beginning to end, it moves at a blistering pace, and tackles a lot of juicy material. It's to the show's credit that the conspiracy plot is perfectly balanced with the more personal Mulder and Scully situations. Anderson and Duchovny do some of their best work here, as both Mulder and Scully go through emotional wringers. Plus there's great moments for Blevins and Skinner as well. As CSM, Davis is at his sneering, cryptic best. We, unfortunately, don't get to see much of John Finn this time, but his one scene is a strong one. The strength of the episode is that there's not a scene or minute that is wasted. The drive and tension is quite overwhelming, building to a startling, dramatic finale that explains much and yet opens more doors.

One thing that doesn't sit right with me is the way the episode goes to extremes to suggest that Skinner is the secret bad guy. His facial expressions and shifty eye movements are just too much considering we all find out soon enough that he's innocent.

Exciting and moving, 'Redux II' is a spectacular installment, and one of the finest hours of the season.

UNUSUAL SUSPECTS

Directed by Kim Manners. Written by Vince Gilligan.

RATING: ***

Baltimore, 1989: a communications convention is the setting for the formation of the conspiracy buffs known as The Lone Gunmen. Byers (Bruce Harwood), Langly (Dean Haglund) and Frohike (Tom Braidwood) are brought together by "Holly" Modeski (Signy Coleman), who requests their aid to locate her missing daughter, kidnapped by her ex-boyfriend. However, Modeski isn't quite what she appears, as the trio learn she's wanted by the law for murder and the bombing of an FBI lab. Claiming she's been framed, Modeski brings them into a scheme involving government bio-weaponry, cover-ups and confrontations with Baltimore PD detective John Munch (Richard Belzer), the menacing Mr. X (Steven Williams) and a young, naive FBI agent named Fox Mulder.

Here's an episode that works on two fronts...it's light in tone for the most part, and can be taken as a comedy. But it still covers some very crucial X-Files ground too: the formation of The Gunmen, and Mulder's realization that the government is up to some truly shady dealings. It's a lot of fun watching two illegal cable suppliers and one "narc" develop into the team we know and love. Likewise is seeing a hopelessly in-the-dark Mulder (complete with a haircut that makes him look 15) get a crash course in conspiracy dealings. The story allows for much humor, but doesn't detract from the more dramatic stuff. In fact, the shift from comedy (such as Langly's Dungeons And Dragon's venture) to drama is pretty much seamless. The earlier scenes...those involving Byers and 

Harwood, Haglund and Braidwood are just wonderful, and effortlessly carry the whole show. But they're well supported by everyone, including Duchovny, who's fun to watch as a paranoid-free, wide eyed G-man. It's great to see Williams reprise his X role, and he's in fabulous, intense form. In some ways, it's actually X who partly responsible for the creation of The Lone Gunmen. But my favorite aspect of this one is the appearance of Belzer as the savvy, cynical Munch, the character he played for years on the astounding series Homicide: Life On The Street, and the later Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Belzer has also played the same role on the original Law & Order, and the undeservedly short-lived The Beat. Coleman also does well as Holly aka Susanne, a interesting character who would resurface in the lives of The Gunmen.

Great casting and smart plotting make 'Unusual Suspects' a nicely surprising sleeper.

DETOUR

Directed by Brett Dowler. Written by Frank Spotnitz.

RATING: ***

Mulder and Scully are on their to an FBI seminar with two fellow, and amusingly annoying agents (Scott Burkholder and J.C. Wendel). However, they come across a state trooper road block and learn that several people have vanished in the nearby woods, with a unusual tracks found in the area. Mulder and Scully decide to team up with several others to locate the missing individuals, and eager to learn what lurks amongst the trees. However, things go wrong and the two agents find themselves alone in the forest with a pair of unnatural creatures who they cannot even see. 

'Detour' is a show that didn't do much for me first time around, but a second screening made me appreciate things more. Although not a comedy episode, this show has a lot of humorous elements that makes the basic scenario (a not particularly compelling one) more interesting, and keeps things offbeat and unpredictable. The best thing here is Duchovny and Anderson, who have some of their warmest scenes together all season. There are a good half dozen moments where they really do come across as incredibly close, especially when they're both standard in the middle of nowhere. As if Mulder forcing Scully to sing 'Joy To The World' wasn't good enough, they also have a nice discussion that reminds one of their classic scene back in season three's 'Quagmire'.

The creatures, or "mothmen" are only seen in brief shots, and as eerie faces in wood and red eyes in the dark, which keeps them effective. There's a suspenseful scene early on in which they show up in a victim's house, terrorizing the wife and son. This episode also looks great...the outdoor day time scenes are exceeding well filmed and lit...on DVD it really looks fabulous. Another merit is the way the comic characters played by Burkholder and Wendel aren't made to be idiots. In fact, they come across as component field agents when they reappear towards the end.

On the downside, the resolution is rather weak. The show just...ends. It's not satisfying. But 'Detour' is still a strong show with a lot to recommend it.