Who wants some humanoid fluke?
The X-Files have been shut down. Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) has been reduced to working on surveillance as a punishment and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) is teaching. Despite the shutdown, Mulder continues to get leads on the unexplained. When the government is forced to reopen the X-Files, Mulder and Scully find themselves diving deeper into a cover-up that could be too big to expose.
The X-Files kind of suffers a sophomore slump in season 2. After the first season which had everyone talking, this season had a lot of average episodes. The second half of the season did pick-up with the X-Files being reinstated, but there were some average episodes there also.
I eat anything…really…anything
3 is possibly one of the worse X-Files episodes with a cheesy vampire theme (before vampires were “hip” again). The vampire cult episode doesn’t have Scully and just has Mulder moping around with some vampires. Blood is also pretty weak with people receiving sublimital messages of murder from machines. There are also too many episodes about cults in this season with a witch cult and a voodoo episode falling right after each other. Mr. X (Steven Williams) just isn’t as good as first season’s Deep Throat.
X-Files season 2 does have some really good episodes. “The Host” has the creepy giant humanoid fluke. “Humbug” is one of X-Files‘ best fun monster of the week episodes. A lot of people are hard on Dod Kalm (because the ending is really unrealistic) but it was an interesting story. The Duane Barry episodes that revolve around Scully’s kidnapping and disappearance are also fun. The possible return of Mulder’s sister in Colony also makes Mulder’s family important roles in the story plus introduces the shapeshifting bounty hunter.
X-Files is still a great series. I don’t love this season but it is still better than a lot of stuff on TV. Mulder and Scully really propel this series and it is always a shame when they separate them. The best episodes are when they are working together and there isn’t enough of this in the second season.
The X-Files—Season 2 complete episode guide:
Little Green Men
2.1 Little Green Men Airdate: 09/16/94
The X-Files have been shut down. Scully (Gillian Anderson) is teaching at Quantico and Fox is (David Duchovny) stuck on surveillence duty. As Fox fears his pursuit of the truth might have been in vain, he begins to question the memory of his sister’s abduction. When Mulder’s contact in the government tips off Mulder to a contact from space, Mulder heads to find the source of the signal before agents reach it. Scully learns of Mulder’s disappearance and decides to look for him herself.
The Host
2.2 The Host Airdate: 09/23/94
Mulder is called off his surveillance by Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) and learns he’s been called in to investigate a death in a New Jersey sewer. When Scully examines the body, she discovers a fluke inside of it. When Mulder and Scully begin to investigate another attack, a creature of immense size could be responsible. Mulder and Scully also learn the X-Files might be over, but they have allies in the FBI.
“Blood”
2.3 Blood Airdate: 09/30/94
Mulder is called in to investigate strange murders in a small town that seem to have no motivation. As Mulder investigates, he finds that the murders all seem to be tied to technology, and Scully finds something in the blood might be responsible. When Mulder can’t find any answers, he has to go to the Lone Gunmen for help. When Mulder discovers a spray being used in the community, he’s exposed to the chemical. Scully and Mulder search for the answers, but a man named Edward Funsch (William Sanderson) is on the verge of insanity.
Sleepless
2.4 Sleepless Airdate: 10/07/94
A prominent sleep doctor is killed in his home and evidence points to a fire despite no fire being found. Mulder is tipped off to the case by his mysterious benefactor (Steven Williams) but another agent named Alex Krycek (Nicholas Lea) is assigned to investigate with him. When Mulder and Krycek learn that experiments to keep soldiers from ever sleeping were a success, they must stop a patient named Augustus Cole (Tony Todd) from killing the people he finds responsible.
Duane Barry
2.5 Duane Barry Airdate: 10/14/94
Duane Barry (Steve Railsback) has been haunted by abductions and is institutionalized. When Barry stages a dramatic escape by taking his doctor hostage, Fox Mulder is called in to diffuse the situation. As Fox tries to understand Barry, Scully makes a discovery about Duane’s past that could change everything Mulder thinks he knows about him.
Ascension
2.6 Ascension Airdate: 10/21/94
Dana’s been kidnapped by Duane Barry and now the search is on to find her. As Duane searches for the abduction site, Mulder is ordered to keep off the case. While Krycek tries to keep Mulder stalled for the Cigarette Smoking Man (William B. Davis), Mulder continues to push to locate Scully at a mountaintop location. When Scully disappears, Barry claims Scully is the victim of an abduction
3
2.7 3 Airdate: 11/04/94
Agent Scully is still missing and Skinner has reopened the X-Files. Mulder goes to L. A. to investigate the latest in the series of murders and find that the killers have vampire tendencies. When his suspect is killed by sunlight, Mulder finds himself drawn into a vampire subculture.
One Breath
2.8 One Breath Airdate: 11/11/94
Dana’s mother (Sheila Larken) has Scully declared dead, but Dana shows up at a hospital in critical condition. When Mulder and Dana’s mother learn that Dana has a request to not be kept on life support, Dana’s sister Melissa (Melinda McGraw) tells Fox that she can feels Dana is trying to decide if she should live or die. When the Lone Gunmen are called in for help, they discover biological markers inside of Scully that are poisoning her. As Scully clings to life, Mulder decides he must confront the Cigarette Smoking Man.
Firewalker
2.9 Firewalker Airdate: 11/18/94
An experimental volcano camera goes into an active volcano, but is knocked out by something inside the volcano. Mulder and Scully are called in to investigate the disappearance of the crew and find the survivors claim the head scientist had a breakdown. As the survivors show signs of infection, Mulder and Scully question what is causing the insanity.
Red Museum
2.10 Red Museum Airdate: 12/09/94
A missing boy reappears with words “He is the One” written on him, and Mulder and Scully are brought in to investigate the Church of the Red Museum when possible possession is suspected with more victims. Mulder and Scully find the Church of the Red Museum believes in transcendent souls possessing bodies and that its followers aren’t welcomed in town. Mulder and Scully are forced to turn to a church when they discover a doctor has been injecting people from the town with possible alien DNA. As they get closer to the truth, Mulder and Scully learn that the murderer of Deep Throat could be involved.
Excelsis Dei
2.11 Excelsis Dei Airdate: 12/16/94
A nurse at a nursing home claims to have been attacked by an invisible being and sues the government when she claims the man who attacked her was one of the patients. Mulder and Scully investigate if an experimental Alzheimer’s drug could be tied to the nurse’s claim or if a nurse might have something to do with the strange goings on.
Aubrey
2.12 Aubrey Airdate: 01/06/95
An officer discovers the body of a officer missing for decades in the middle of a field and is unable to explain how she located it. Mulder and Scully find the detective was hunting a serial killer when he disappeared. When B. J. (Deborah Strang) begins to have flashes of the the detective’s murder, Detective Tillman (Terry O’Quinn) realizes new killings are occurring with the serial killer’s M. O.
Irresistible
2.13 Irresistible Airdate: 01/13/95
Mulder and Scully are called to investigate a series of grave desecrations in Minneapolis, and Mulder realizes that the desecrator is getting more aggressive and could turn to killing. When the killer (Nick Chinlund) makes his first kill, Mulder and Scully set out to stop him before he kills again. Scully finds herself having difficulties with the case and doesn’t realize she’s become a target.
Die Hand Die Verletzt
2.14 Die Hand Die Verletzt Airdate 01/27/95
Mulder and Scully are called into a town to investigate a ritual murder and learn that the town has a history of witchcraft. When Mulder and Scully learn that the students were playing a prank, a secret coven of teachers realize the FBI must be stopped.
Fresh Bones
2.15 Fresh Bones Airdate: 02/03/95
A Marine dies after fleeing his home and crashing into a tree with visions of death. Mulder and Scully are called to the case by the wife of the Marine and learn that the Marine works at a base holding Haitian refugees. Mulder and Scully discover that rumors of voodoo have been circulating the camp and investigate a hougan blamed for the crime. When Mulder and Scully find the Marine alive, they question if he could be a zombie or if it could be a bigger cover-up.
Colony
2.16 Colony Airdate: 02/10/95
The crew of a ship witnesses the crash of a UFO in the water. An unidentified man pulled from the wreckage disappears and begins killing abortion doctors that appear identical. As Mulder and Scully track down other possible targets in what could be a cloning program, they learn that a shapeshifting bounty hunter (Brian Thompson) might be responsible for the murders. Mulder receives contact from his parents that something he never expected has happened.
End Game
2.17 End Game Airdate: 02/17/95
The bounty hunter tracks down Scully on his search for Mulder and takes her as a hostage. Mulder’s sister Samantha (Megan Leitch) tells Mulder that the bounty hunter wants her and that she knows the only way to kill him. When the woman claiming to be Mulder’s sister is killed, Mulder discovers that the cover-up may be deeper than he believed and that the bounty hunter might be holding a virus. When Mulder goes in search of the truth, Scully must find him before it is too late.
Fearful Symmetry
2.18 Fearful Symmetry Airdate: 02/24/95
Animals at the Fairfield Zoo in Idaho keep disappearing. Mulder and Scully investigate the zoo and the unexplained pregnancies in the animals that have disappeared. When a gorilla that knows sign language appears to be the next target, Mulder and Scully try to stop the abductions.
Dod Kalm
2.19 Dod Kalm Airdate: 03/10/95
When member of a missing ship are found, doctors discover they have been rapidly aged. Mulder and Scully set out to investigate the occurrence but discover themselves trapped on a ghost ship and suffering the same fate as the castaways.
Humbug
2.20 Humbug Airdate: 03/31/95
Murders in a town full of sideshow performers leads Mulder and Scully to investigate if the Fiji Mermaid could be real and who is committing the brutal murders. Mulder and Scully find themselves deep in the strange world of sideshow performers and wonder if one of them could be responsible.
The Calusari
2.21 The Calusari Airdate: 04/14/95
The death of a young child, leads Mulder and Scully to investigate the boy’s brother. When people tied to the boy begin to die, Mulder and Scully learn that he might be suffering from possession.
F. Emasculata
2.22 F. Emasculata Airdate: 04/28/95
A deadly virus is discovered in the jungle and an experimental testing on a prisoner leads to an outbreak. Mulder and Scully are called in to investigate a prison break and find that an outbreak cover-up involving a drug manufacturer could be occurring.
Soft Light
2.23 Soft Light Airdate: 05/05/95
Dr. Chester Banton (Tony Shalhoub) is caught in a science experiment and finds his shadow has come alive. Mulder and Scully try to track down Banton before Banton accidentally kills more people. When Banton escapes capture, Mulder and Scully find Mr. X wants him in government custody, but Banton fears the darkness inside him.
“Our Town”
2.24 Our Town Airdate: 05/12/95
Mulder and Scully are called in to investigate the death of a health inspector in a small town and wonder if it tied to reports of foxfire. When a mysterious disease shows up among some of people of the town of Dudley, Mulder and Scully question if the chicken plant might have a bigger secret.
Anasazi
2.25 Anasazi Airdate: 05/19/95
A hacker called “The Thinker” uncovers government documents exposing an alien cover-up and contacts Mulder through the Lone Gunmen. When Mulder’s father is killed by Krycek, Mulder finds he must find a way to decrypt the disc and find the links to a buried boxcar in New Mexico.
Related Links:
The X-Files—Season 1 Review and Complete Episode Guide
The X-Files—Season 3 Review and Complete Episode Guide
The X-Files—Season 4 Review and Complete Episode Guide
The X-Files—Season 5 Review and Complete Episode Guide
The X-Files—Season 6 Review and Complete Episode Guide
The X-Files: Fight the Future (1998)
The X-Files—Season 8 Review and Complete Episode Guide
The X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008)
The X-Files—Season 10 Review and Complete Episode Guide
The Lone Gunmen—The Complete Series Review and Complete Episode Guide
