`The Un-Unofficial X-Files Episode Guide`

Key

Ranks:

Essential. Concerns the Greater Plot, or just that good.

(none) Non-essential. The rest will still make sense if you don't see it.

Must avoid; should never have seen the light of day.

Rating:

The stuff of legends. The bards will sing Chris Carter's name.

This is what TV was made for, and this is why we watch it.

On a Sunday evening, it'll pass the time well.

It's, how should I put this, not good.

Only the darkest evil could produce tripe like this.

`Season 1`

1X79: "The X-File" Very good (especially for a pilot). See Scully in a bra (sell that series, Chris!). Essential for any true fan. 1X01: "Deep Throat" The first episode, also the first Alium spaceships; a must. Mulder meets Deep Throat. 1X02: "Squeeze" One of the three best of the first season. Genuinely frightening. 1X03: "Conduit" Another must; we learn about Mulder's background. Also not a bad episode. 1X04: "Jersey Devil" Neanderthals in the New Jersey forest. Terrible. Save yourself the agony. 1X05: "Shadows" Interesting, with some very grabbing "spirit" effects. 1X06: "Ghost in the Machine" *sigh* All you can say for it is that it's not as bad as 1X08. 1X07: "Ice" "The Thing" tribute (or rip-off). Some good character stuff. 1X08: "Space" The worst yet. Absolutely awful. Do not watch this episode. 1X09: "Fallen Angel" First appearance of the "bright flash" aliums. Great co-star performance. First appearance of the Lone Gunmen. 1X10: "Eve" Almost David Lynch-ian in mood. I liked it. My sidekick didn't. Good thing I'm always right. 1X11: "Fire" Average. If there's nothing else on, go for it. Gross. 1X12: "Beyond the Sea" Very good acting, also Scully development stuff. And the bad guy! Oooh! 1X13: "Genderbender" Um. Weird. In a sort of... unique way. Kinda good, too. 1X14: "Lazarus" Five minutes of potential, forty minutes of dragging it out. 1X15: "Young at Heart" Stock X-Files. Pretty good. 1X16: "E.B.E." Aliens! And the NSA! Can't be missed! 1X17: "Miracle Man" Not bad, not great. Faith healer in the Midwest. 1X18: "Shapes" () Barring one ten second scene, this one is very missable. 1X19: "Darkness Falls" If only there were some way to make some light in a forest. Sigh. 1X20: "Tooms" If you liked "Squeeze"... just watch it. 1X21: "Born Again" This one goes about nowhere. In a hurry. Cool fish tank scene, but that's about it. 1X22: "Roland" An extra half star just for the murder weapon. 1X23: "The Erlenmeyer Flask" Oooh! Ooooh! I'm an instant addict! This one is so cool, it'll freeze your TV tube. First season finale.