Take Two: THE X-FILES Season 7 (Part 1)

August 29, 2023 by Marisa Roffman

Credit: Fox

On Friday, September 10, 1993, Fox debuted THE X-FILES. Now, ahead of the show’s 30th anniversary, Give Me My Remote is looking back at all 11 seasons (and the two feature films) in a new daily series Take Two.

If you’ve read About Last Night, this will be formatted in a similar way: Each episode will get its own subsection/reaction, though in this case there may be slight spoilers or alluding to what comes ahead in the series. In the event a major spoiler is discussed, there will be a warning to be extra safe. Each Take Two will cover approximately 5 episodes and will wrap up the Friday before the show’s 30th birthday.

(I’ll also note how I’m watching the episodes, because some of the streaming platforms have utilized syndicated cuts of this show.)

Today, we’re starting season 7!

(These were viewed on the original season 7 DVD set—released back in 2003. The episodes are also streaming for free on Freevee or with a Hulu subscription.)

“The Sixth Extinction”:

Yeah, unfortunately, the Scully storyline has just never gotten more engaging or interesting. Mulder channeling his inner Gibson is interesting, in part because it brought Skinner and Kritschgau together.

Also, machetes are never fun.

“The Sixth Extinction: Amor Fati”:

This episode resonated and resonates the most with me out of the season 6 ending/season 7 opening trilogy, because we get to see a lot of truly messed up people doing, well, messed up things.

CSM’s “I am your father” reveal to Mulder is very Darth Vader, and also deeply twisted given what he did to Spender. He’s not actively trying to kill Mulder here, but he’s significantly more apathetic about it than a father should be. Especially since CSM put his neck on the line multiple times to keep Mulder alive.

Part of the problem the show has always had is that it’s engaging and interesting to see David Duchovny and William B. Davis bounce off each other; it’s not realistic that Mulder and CSM would spend a lot of time together. This at least gives them a little more wiggle room.

I really wish I remembered at what point it became clear to me during my first viewing that the Mulder stuff was all his dream. The Deep Throat reunion feels obvious, in hindsight, but the “good” thing about the show faking out so many deaths is that it wasn’t entirely out of the realm of possibility it could have been real. But it’s interesting the reveal of Samantha was when the show officially tipped its hand that what was going on was all in Mulder’s head.

(There were so many episodes in season 6 that didn’t actually happen; it’s an interesting choice they went back there so soon in season 7.)

And then, of course, there’s the Fowley (and the Scully/Fowley) of it all. We knew Fowley was up to shady stuff and Scully thought as much, too—though how much was justified concern versus jealousy is a fair question—and Scully got her proof here…right as Fowley sacrificed herself to save Mulder.

I think the idea of Fowley was ultimately more interesting than the character herself—and I don’t know if they were financially (or time) limited with Mimi Rogers, who was great in the role, but getting her for an extra episode or two would have given the arc more depth. But I do appreciate that in the end she sacrificed herself for Mulder.

Skinner acknowledging he’s compromised has to go against the rules of BEING compromised, right?
Mulder and the boy are bittersweet. IKYK.
Feels fitting that as the world is falling apart and everyone is aging/dying, CSM looks the same.
I don’t really buy Scully would be absent from Mulder’s dream—unless you’re arguing he only dreamed about Fowley and CSM because he literally heard them—but I do love how even in his own mind she was pushing him.
“You were my friend, and you told me the truth. Even when the world was falling apart, you were my constant; my touchstone.” I’m sorry, the king and queen of being romantic AF (okay, and dramatic AF) in grand, sweeping ways.

“Hungry”:

I don’t know, I think if you’re that terrible to a fast food employee, you probably deserve that kind of murder. (At the very least, you’re asking for spit in your food.)

This is a problem in other episodes, but Mulder is so suspicious out of nowhere. He’s smart! But it also flips around to give Scully’s skepticism extra weight.

The episode is fine, with Mulder and Scully’s absences really glaring. It was interesting to get insight into the “monster” and live with them that way—and how Rob really desperately tried to not indulge the hunger that was tearing him apart. I think in some ways this might have been better served to air later in the season; we had just had two-plus episodes of Mulder and Scully fairly separate, and they’re together here, but barely present.

I am 100% sure that it’s the wrong takeaway to want a (veggie) burger after watching this episode.
Oh, hey Mark Pellegrino!

“Millennium”:

I’m saying straight-up I actually never watched MILLENNIUM. Somehow that has not changed since this episode first aired. Perhaps my feelings about it might be different if I had watched it.

As it stands, do you know how lackluster the case itself has to be for me to rarely rewatch an episode where Mulder and Scully kiss for the first time?? (For context, I was surprised, again, by Octavia Spencer being in the episode. I really don’t think I’ve watched this episode since my last full rewatch in 2015.)

Even with the kiss, I think the episode as a whole still makes my top 5 least fave episodes of the season. Sigh.

Okay, but, yes, the kiss. The Kiss.

“The world didn’t end.”

“No, it didn’t.”

The world didn’t end. We survived 2000. We survived these two lovestruck dummies—I say with love—finally kissing. For as much as a New Year’s Eve kiss remains a cheat (because it can mean as much or as little as the show wanted it to, and we don’t get follow-up for a while), it’s also perfect. Both seem aware of their feelings, both want to make a move, but they’re stagnant; weighed down by the importance of each other in their life, by the Big Quest they’re on, and a billion reasons to not take the risk. This is a way to figuratively dip their toes in the water of change without taking a running leap.

(I still wish the episode was better overall, though.)

“Rush”:

In many ways, this feels like an episode that could have aired in season 2 or 3, in the “Død Kalm” and “Syzygy” world. It’s a perfectly fine episode; again, the kind of episode you can easily put on while you’re half-paying attention on the weekend.

(Okay, but it is a little funny how cute and flirty Mulder and Scully are.)
Hey, Ann Dowd!

“The Goldberg Variation”:

Yeah, I know the “bigger” person, now, is Shia LaBeouf, but Willie Garson forever. He brings such heart to Henry, an unnaturally lucky man who just wants to save the neighbor he adores.

Technically, some of the sequences must have been an absolute nightmare (and hopefully a bit of fun) to stage—I’m sure a lot of it was clever camera staging tricks, but the sequences when Henry avoids being shot are gorgeously done.

“My ass broke the fall.”
“I like baseball, too.” OH, DO YOU, SCULLY???

What did you think of these THE X-FILES episodes?

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