The X-Files (season 2)

The X-Files season 2
Region 1 DVD cover art
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	25
Broadcast
Original channel	Fox
Original run	September 16, 1994 (1994-09-16) – May 19, 1995 (1995-05-19)
Home video release
DVD release
Region 1	November 28, 2000 (2000-11-28)
Region 2	April 30, 2001 (2001-04-30)
Region 4	April 20, 2001 (2001-04-20)
Season chronology
← Previous Season 1 Next → Season 3
List of The X-Files episodes

The second season of the science fiction television series The X-Files commenced airing on Fox in the United States on September 16, 1994, concluded on the same channel on May 19, 1995, after airing all 25 episodes.

The second season follows Federal Bureau of Investigation special agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, portrayed by David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson respectively, who investigate paranormal or supernatural cases, known as X-Files by the FBI. In addition to stand-alone "Monster-of-the-Week" episodes, the season continued the alien conspiracy mythology begun by the first season. The season introduced the new recurring characters of X (Steven Williams), Alex Krycek (Nicholas Lea), and the Alien Bounty Hunter (Brian Thompson).

The storyline of the season was widely affected by the pregnancy of actress Gillian Anderson; it was decided that Scully would be kidnapped and abducted by aliens early in the season and appear comatose two episodes later, which ultimately added more intricacies to the mythology. The season earned seven Primetime Emmy Award nominations.

Production

The season premiere, "Little Green Men" was re-written for David Duchovny—his version of "Beyond the Sea"—that would make Mulder question himself and his beliefs. Instead of Puerto Rico, the original location was supposed to be Moscow, Russia. Series creator Chris Carter wanted to film the episode there, but was not able to secure arrangements.^{[citation needed]} The discrepancies of Samantha's abduction between this episode and the pilot were unintentional, but Carter has attributed this to the unreliability of Mulder's hypnosis-induced memories. Fox executives did not like this episode at first viewing and wanted them to make a completely different one.^{[citation needed]}

Chris Carter could not complete his opening extravaganza in time, where the X-Files were originally re-opened. So instead he and co-executive producers Glen Morgan, James Wong and Howard Gordon wrote four episodes to replace the planned premiere—with the X-Files closed, which gave Carter time to write "Duane Barry", the start of the first two-parter where the X-Files are re-opened. Morgan and Wong were asked to come up with a lower-key for Carter's opening episodes, but their "Little Green Men" was nevertheless the first episode to actually show an alien and got the show's best ratings thus-far (with a 19% audience share).

As the series ended its first season, a problem had arisen for the producers: the pregnancy of Gillian Anderson, who played Dana Scully. Some network executives wanted the role recast, which Carter refused to do. Though they considered having Scully giving birth to an alien child, the producers decided to work around Anderson's pregnancy by having her abducted and appearing comatose several episodes later. This was described by executive producer Frank Spotnitz as "the best thing that ever happened to the series" as it helped form the intricate mythology that would run throughout the show. The writers decided to close the X-Files at the end of the first season and thus separate Mulder and Scully in the earlier episodes of the season. To hide Anderson's pregnancy in the early episodes, the producers disguised it with "very fancy trick angles, trench coats, and scenes where she is seated rather than standing". Anderson was not featured at all in the episode "3", as she was giving birth to her daughter at the time.

Casting

The season introduced the character X (Steven Williams), who replaced Deep Throat as Mulder's informant, following Deep Throat's assassination in the first season finale, "The Erlenmeyer Flask". X was originally intended to be a woman with Natalija Nogulich already cast in the role, but was replaced by Williams as the writers did not believe she had the "right chemistry" with her co-stars. X was written to be different than Deep Throat; Deep Throat had been selfless, while X was intended to be selfish and scared. Nicholas Lea, who had previously appeared in a small part in the season one's "Gender Bender", was cast as Alex Krycek. Krycek was originally intended to temporarily replacement for Scully when she was abducted, but grew into a character that would last seven seasons on the show.

During the production of the season, Duchovny asked Carter "wouldn't it be great if we had like an alien bounty hunter?" Carter was positive towards the idea and acted upon it, creating with Spotniz the character of the Alien Bounty Hunter for the two-part episodes "Colony" and "End Game". Actor Brian Thompson auditioned for the role in a casting session, where he was competing with another actor. Spotnitz and Carter did not have much time to cast the character, but they knew this casting would be important since they intended the character to become a recurring character. Thompson was chosen according to Spotnitz because he had a very "distinctive look" about him, most notably his face and mouth. Megan Leitch also appeared in "Colony" and "End Game" as a grown-up clone version of Samantha Mulder, and would return to play Samantha or one of her clones over the other seasons. Carter did not want it to be the real Samantha, since that would have been "straight science fiction" and it was too "ridiculous" to give too many answers. Darren McGavin, star of Kolchak: The Night Stalker, was sought out for the part of Senator Matheson in "Little Green Men" and Mulder's father in "Colony" and "End Game", but the roles went to Raymond J. Barry and Peter Donat respectfully, while McGavin agreed to play X-Files founder Arthur Dales in later seasons.

Cast

Main cast

• David Duchovny as Special Agent Fox Mulder
• Gillian Anderson as Special Agent Dana Scully (Does not appear in "3")

Recurring cast

• Mitch Pileggi as Walter Skinner (9 episodes)
• Steven Williams as X (7 episodes)
• William B. Davis as The Smoking Man (6 episodes)
• Nicholas Lea as Alex Krycek (4 episodes)
• Tom Braidwood as Melvin Frohike (4 episodes)
• Bruce Harwood as John Fitzgerald Byers (4 episodes)
• Dean Haglund as Richard Langly (3 episodes)
• Peter Donat as William Mulder (3 episodes)
• Sheila Larken as Margaret Scully (2 episodes)
• Megan Leitch as Samantha Mulder (2 episodes)
• Steve Railsback as Duane Barry (2 episodes)
• Brian Thompson as Alien Bounty Hunter (2 episodes)
• Raymond J. Barry as Richard Matheson (1 episode)
• Nick Chinlund as Donnie Pfaster (1 episode)
• Don S. Davis as William Scully (1 episode)
• Lindsey Ginter as Crew Cut Man (1 episode)
• Melinda McGraw as Melissa Scully (1 episode)
• Rebecca Toolan as Teena Mulder (1 episode)
• Floyd Westerman as Albert Hosteen (1 episode)

Crew

Writers and producers

Series creator Chris Carter also served as executive producer and showrunner and wrote seven episodes. Co-executive producers and writing team Glen Morgan and James Wong wrote five episodes for their final season as regular writers for the series, although they would both return as consulting producers for part of season four. Supervising producer Howard Gordon wrote five episodes. Frank Spotnitz joined the series, writing two episodes. Cast member David Duchovny collaborated with Carter for two episodes receiving story credit. Glen Morgan's younger brother Darin Morgan joined the series, contributing the story for an episode written by his older brother and James Wong, and writing another script solo. Paul Brown joined the series as a producer and wrote two episodes. Sara B. Charno wrote two freelance episodes. Vince Gilligan joined the series, writing one episode. Former supervising producer Alex Gansa returned to co-wrote one episode with writing partner Howard Gordon. Chris Ruppenthal returned to write one more freelance episode after last season. Steve De Jarnatt also contributed one freelance episode for the season. Line producer and production manager Joseph Patrick Finn was promoted to producer with this season. Paul Rabwin continued to serve as co-producer for the show.

Directors

Producing-directors for the show included Rob Bowman, David Nutter, Kim Manners and co-executive producer R. W. Goodwin, who all directed the most of the season; Bowman with seven, Nutter with five, and Manners and Goodwin each with two. Series creator Chris Carter directed one episode, making his directorial debut, while Daniel Sackheim, Michael Lange, James Contner, James Whitmore, Jr., Michael Vejar, Nick Marck, Stephen Surjik and Win Phelps each directed one episode.

Reception

The DVD Journal gave the season four out of four stars, calling it a "memorable season". The review highlighted "The Host", "Duane Barry" and "Ascension", the cliffhanger finale "Anasazi", the "unforgettable" "Humbug", and meeting Mulder and Scully's families in "Colony" and "One Breath".

The second season earned the series seven Primetime Emmy Award nominations, including its first for Outstanding Drama Series. The episode "Duane Barry" received four nominations for different categories; CCH Pounder for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series; Chris Carter for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing for a Drama Series; James Coblentz for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Editing for a Series – Single Camera Production; and for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Sound Editing for a Series. Other nominations included John S. Bartley for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Cinematography for a Series for "One Breath" and Stephen Mark for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Editing for a Series – Single Camera Production for "Sleepless". This season would also earn the series its first of three wins for the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Drama.

Episodes

Episodes marked with an asterisk (*) are broadly part of the series' mytharc. Episodes with a double asterisk (**) are primary episodes in the series' Alien Mythology arc.

See also: List of The X-Files episodes

№	#	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	Production code	U.S. households (millions)
25	1	"Little Green Men"**	David Nutter	Glen Morgan & James Wong	September 16, 1994 (1994-09-16)	2X01	9.8
With the X-Files shut down, FBI agent Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) finds his own belief in the truth waning. So when an old political ally (Raymond J. Barry) gives him a new reason to believe, he goes alone to an abandoned SETI program site—Arecibo Observatory—in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. Concerned for his safety, fellow FBI agent Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) has to track down his whereabouts before someone or something else does.
26	2	"The Host"*	Daniel Sackheim	Chris Carter	September 23, 1994 (1994-09-23)	2X02	9.3
When a man’s decomposed body is found in the sewers of Newark, Mulder is given the supposed “grunt” work. But after Scully’s autopsy turns up a parasite living inside the body and a sewer worker is attacked and bitten by something, it opens up a whole new can of worms. Guest starring Darin Morgan.
27	3	"Blood"	David Nutter	Teleplay by: Glen Morgan & James Wong Story by: Darin Morgan	September 30, 1994 (1994-09-30)	2X03	8.7
Apparently prompted by messages from digital appliances with instructions to kill, several residents of a small farming community suddenly turn violent and dangerous. Guest starring William Sanderson and John Cygan.
28	4	"Sleepless"*	Rob Bowman	Howard Gordon	October 7, 1994 (1994-10-07)	2X04	8.2
An audio cassette hidden in his morning paper brings Mulder to request the case of a scientist's death consistent with burning, despite the lack of any evidence of any flames or burns. He is given his request ... along with a new partner, Agent Alex Krycek (Nicholas Lea). Guest starring Tony Todd.
29	5	"Duane Barry"**	Chris Carter	Chris Carter	October 14, 1994 (1994-10-14)	2X05	8.5
An ex-FBI agent (Steve Railsback) escapes from a mental hospital and holds several people hostage in a travel agency. Mulder and Krycek are sent in to help with the negotiations since the man claims to have been a UFO abductee.
30	6	"Ascension"**	Michael Lange	Paul Brown	October 21, 1994 (1994-10-21)	2X06	9.2
Continuing from the previous episode, Mulder races to Scully's house after listening to the recording of her attack on his answering machine. Duane Barry (Steve Railsback) has kidnapped Scully, determined to offer her to the aliens in his place.
31	7	"3"	David Nutter	Chris Ruppenthal and Glen Morgan & James Wong	November 4, 1994 (1994-11-04)	2X07	9.0
Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) reopens the X-Files, but Mulder is finding it difficult to work without the missing Scully. When he recognizes a Los Angeles killing as the work of the Trinity murderers, a trio of killers with a fetish for drinking blood, it gives him work in which to immerse himself. Guest starring Perrey Reeves.
32	8	"One Breath"**	R. W. Goodwin	Glen Morgan & James Wong	November 11, 1994 (1994-11-11)	2X08	9.1
When Scully mysteriously re-appears comatose in a hospital, Mulder drives himself crazy trying to find the people responsible. Though his quest for vengeance could make him exactly like those whom he despises.
33	9	"Firewalker"	David Nutter	Howard Gordon	November 18, 1994 (1994-11-18)	2X09	8.6
A malfunction in a robot designed for volcanic exploration yields evidence of a lifeform living in the caves. When this lifeform seemingly causes the death of a member of the research team, Mulder and a newly recovered Scully are flown out to the site in The Cascades to investigate before anyone else dies. Guest starring Bradley Whitford and Leland Orser.
34	10	"Red Museum"**	Win Phelps	Chris Carter	December 9, 1994 (1994-12-09)	2X10	9.9
Several Wisconsin teens are found wandering in the woods in their underwear with “He Is One” scrawled on their backs. Mulder and Scully travel to investigate this aberrant behavior, though the strangest thing in this meat-producing area is a cult of vegetarian “walk-ins.” The Crew Cut Man (Lindsey Ginter) returns this time working alone. Several relics from the mythology like purity control and Deep Throat (Jerry Hardin) are revisited here.
35	11	"Excelsis Dei"	Stephen Surjik	Paul Brown	December 16, 1994 (1994-12-16)	2X11	8.5
Mulder and Scully's latest case begins with the rape and battery of a nurse (Teryl Rothery) in a Massachusetts convalescent home. What makes it an X-File is her claim that her attacker was invisible. But upon their arrival, they discover that the unrest is not limited only to the live in residents.
36	12	"Aubrey"	Rob Bowman	Sara B. Charno	January 6, 1995 (1995-01-06)	2X12	9.7
When a detective mysteriously uncovers the remains of an FBI agent who disappeared in the 1940s while investigating a murder case similar to a modern-day one she is investigating, Mulder and Scully believe that the original killer had passed his genetic trait of violence to his grandchild. Guest starring Terry O'Quinn and Deborah Strang.
37	13	"Irresistible"	David Nutter	Chris Carter	January 13, 1995 (1995-01-13)	2X13	8.8
Someone is excavating graves in Minneapolis, removing body parts from the corpses. Mulder and Scully are contacted because the agent on the case believes the crimes to be related to incidents of cattle mutilation. Mulder quickly dismisses the idea that the case is an X-File, profiling the perpetrator as a fetishist. Guest starring Nick Chinlund and Bruce Weitz.
38	14	"Die Hand Die Verletzt"	Kim Manners	Glen Morgan & James Wong	January 27, 1995 (1995-01-27)	2X14	10.2
New Hampshire teenagers feign an occult ritual in an attempt to score and inadvertently cause the murder of one of their group. When Mulder and Scully are called to look into the matter, the town’s real worshipers attempt to hide their tracks, though they fear that the boys’ attempt to “get some” got them more than they thought. Guest starring Susan Blommaert.
39	15	"Fresh Bones"	Rob Bowman	Howard Gordon	February 3, 1995 (1995-02-03)	2X15	10.8
One morning Private Jack McAlpin crashes his car into a tree after two separate hallucinatory incidents. The tree has a voodoo symbol drawn on it and this is the second death of a soldier in two weeks that has featured that symbol. The soldiers are guarding a processing centre for Haitians and suspicion falls on one of the Haitians identified by the colonel in charge.
40	16	"Colony"**	Nick Marck	Teleplay by: Chris Carter Story by: David Duchovny & Chris Carter	February 10, 1995 (1995-02-10)	2X16	9.8
At the beginning, a frozen Mulder is brought to a hospital. The episode flashes back to a scene two weeks before, where the crew of a research vessel find the wreckage of a UFO in the Beaufort Sea. The pilot who survives this crash walks out of the hospital and kills identical-looking doctors in various abortion clinics. Guest starring Peter Donat, Brian Thompson, Megan Leitch and Dana Gladstone.
41	17	"End Game"**	Rob Bowman	Frank Spotnitz	February 17, 1995 (1995-02-17)	2X17	10.7
An alien bounty hunter kidnaps Scully and wants to trade her for Mulder's sister, Samantha Mulder (Megan Leitch). Mulder asks for Skinner's help in making the trade, and has the FBI Director set up a sniper to take down the bounty hunter. Guest starring Peter Donat, Brian Thompson and Megan Leitch.
42	18	"Fearful Symmetry"	James Whitmore, Jr.	Steve De Jarnatt	February 24, 1995 (1995-02-24)	2X18	9.6
The death of a federal construction worker and the destruction of various property can only be tied to an escaped elephant, yet the witnesses claim to have seen no animals which might have caused the turmoil. Soon, Mulder and Scully discover the local zoo whose claim to fame is that they've never had a successful animal birth.
43	19	"Død Kalm"	Rob Bowman	Teleplay by: Howard Gordon & Alex Gansa Story by: Howard Gordon	March 10, 1995 (1995-03-10)	2X19	10.2
Mulder and Scully are called in when a boatload of survivors from a U.S. Navy destroyer are found. What particularly catches Agent Mulder's attention is that all of these Sailors appear to have aged many decades in the course of a few days. Mulder and Scully travel to Norway where they find a civilian fisherman who is willing to take them to the destroyer's last known position. Guest starring John Savage, David Cubitt and Vladimir Kulich.
44	20	"Humbug"	Kim Manners	Darin Morgan	March 31, 1995 (1995-03-31)	2X20	9.8
Mulder and Scully must find the paranormal among the abnormal when they are sent to investigate a long standing series of ritualistic killings which match no known patterns. The latest of which was the death of the “Alligator Man,” just one of many sideshow acts around which the town of Gibsonton, Florida, is built.
45	21	"The Calusari"	Michael Vejar	Sara B. Charno	April 14, 1995 (1995-04-14)	2X21	7.9
A photograph taken just before the death of a two year old boy yields evidence of some supernatural intervention which piques Mulder’s curiosity. When another death in the family occurs, the grandmother of the remaining child requests the aid of some Romanian ritualists (called "căluşari" or “horsemen”) in order to cleanse the home of evil. Guest starring Helene Clarkson, Joel Palmer, Ric Reid, Lilyan Chauvin and Kay E. Kuter.
46	22	"F. Emasculata"	Rob Bowman	Chris Carter & Howard Gordon	April 28, 1995 (1995-04-28)	2X22	8.5
After several men in a prison die of a mysterious illness, Scully tries to discover the cause while Mulder attempts to find two escapees who could potentially spread the disease.
47	23	"Soft Light"	James Contner	Vince Gilligan	May 5, 1995 (1995-05-05)	2X23	8.1
An ex-student of Scully's (Kate Twa) asks the agents to help her with her first investigation concerning a number of disappearances with very few clues. Mulder ponders the idea of spontaneous human combustion but rethinks it when they find a man (Tony Shalhoub) who is afraid of his own shadow. The man is Dr. Banton, a scientist researching dark matter. Guest starring Kevin McNulty and Steven Williams as X.
48	24	"Our Town"	Rob Bowman	Frank Spotnitz	May 12, 1995 (1995-05-12)	2X24	9.0
Dudley, Arkansas, is the site of the latest investigation for Mulder and Scully, who are sent to find a missing poultry inspector. The case takes a twist when another poultry worker is shot after she goes insane, giving Mulder a hunch that the townsfolk really are what they eat.
49	25	"Anasazi"**	R. W. Goodwin	Teleplay by: Chris Carter Story by: David Duchovny & Chris Carter	May 19, 1995 (1995-05-19)	2X25	9.6
The trust that Mulder and Scully have is sorely tested when Mulder begins acting strangely. His aberrant behavior is compounded when the Lone Gunmen direct him to a hacker who managed to break into some very closely guarded files. The files are encoded in Navajo and need to be decoded by a former Navajo code talker.

Footnotes

References

• Edwards, Ted (1996). X-Files Confidential. Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 0316218081. 
• Hurwitz, Matt; Knowles, Chris (2008). The Complete X-Files. Insight Editions. ISBN 1933784806. 
• Lovece, Frank (1996). The X-Files Declassified. Citadel Press. ISBN 080651745X. 
• Lowry, Brian (1995). The Truth is Out There: The Official Guide to the X-Files. Harper Prism. ISBN 0061053309. 

External links

• Season 2 on The X-Files Wiki, an external wiki
• List of The X-Files episodes at the Internet Movie Database
• List of The X-Files episodes at TV.com