cigarette smoking man cigarette smoking man seventh episode fourth season science fiction television series files premiered fox network united_states november written directed featured guest appearance appearing younger smoking man cigarette smoking man earned nielsen household rating watched million people initial broadcast episode received positive reviews television critics centers fbi special agents fox_mulder david_duchovny dana_scully gillian_anderson work cases linked paranormal called files mulder believer paranormal skeptical scully assigned debunk work episode finds tell tale magazine story supposedly revealing history smoking man episode illustrates possible involvement historical events reliability source unresolved end episode executive producer frank_spotnitz later noted parts cigarette smoking man factual majority actual canon production episode require extensive use duchovny anderson screen voice heard appears archival footage davis portrayed title character pleased episode confused contradictions script directly series overarching mythology episode involves events characters plot smoking man armed sniper rifle surveillance equipment spies meeting fox_mulder dana_scully lone gunmen claims discovered information smoking man mysterious past stating father executed communist spy mother died lung cancer causing raised midwest narrative changes smoking man army captain stationed fort north_carolina talks friend fellow soldier shows photo infant son fox smoking man summoned attend meeting general strange men suits assign assassinate president posing hunt smoking man shoots kennedy frames cigarette pack previously given years later smoking man writes novel entitled chance jack adventure pen hearing speech criticizing america attitude distribution wealth home social revolutions abroad smoking man meets group men including smoking man convinces group king assassinated volunteers perform task shortly publishing company rejects novel smoking man meets subordinates discussing orchestration hill controversy king trial orders buffalo bills win super bowl reveals soviet ensure outcome miracle ice hockey match smoking man subordinates invites family dinner smoking man declines invitation states scheduled visit family way meeting christmas presents receive gift gift striped tie seen walking past fox_mulder office later home smoking man receives urgent phone meets near site ufo wreck alien ufo alive smoking man multiple times changed course history flip coin tasked kill alien survivor loses reluctantly shoots alien months later march smoking man attends meeting scully assigned x-files agents meeting receives letter telling novel serialized magazine roman types resignation letter finds magazine finds ending changed bitter smoking man sits bench homeless man giving monologue life like box tears resignation letter leaves magazine bench present tells mulder scully told based story found magazine leaves verify story leaves smoking man clear shot decides kill quotes line unpublished novel kill today production writing episode inspired unauthorized biography stated wanted episode smoking man dangerous human alive episode originally intended end smoking man killing executive staff vetoed idea episode contains references morgan series space including smoking man novel chance reference classified addition played actor appeared quoted reference carter birthday production company editor buys smoking man novel reference 20th century fox executives smoking man ambition novelist based davis happy episode contradictions script having assassinate concerned minor keeping buffalo bills winning super bowl chris_carter said speak bill times spent hours telephone talking character actor felt episode character wasn tried explain think jim trying express mission life destroyer hope mind creator sudden clearly makes sort silly person filming davis later said big help lot stage directions point jim told play let situation play scene difficult prepared time approach jim toss worked fine portrayed spent time watching davis ensure like later appeared young version smoking man episode demons son episode series feature mulder featured scully archival footage pilot episode intended actors week ended way duchovny pleased producer coordinated sequence smoking man filmed downtown vancouver location doubling plaza costume designer contacted costume designer film borrowed reproduction pink suit film presidential ridden kennedy created picture vehicle coordinator reception cigarette smoking man premiered fox network november episode earned nielsen rating share meaning roughly percent television equipped households percent households watching television tuned episode viewed million viewers earned emmy nomination outstanding directing drama series episode later lost viewers picked notion events episode necessarily factual story editor frank_spotnitz said closing scene tells mulder scully story read magazine lot people didn pick subtlety thought factual history far concerned true mind cigarette smoking man received positive praise critics entertainment_weekly gave episode noting wonder extent episode intended information extent sheer entertainment spoke positively episode saying love watching ultimately gave episode wrote great transforms living ghost walking dead dangerous robert_shearman lars_pearson book wanting believe critical guide lone gunmen named episode true awarded stars praised morgan combination mythological story elements dry dark humor furthermore shearman pearson wrote positively episode authenticity noting answers viewers handed large plate delicious parody paula_vitaris cinefantastique gave episode glowing review awarded stars praised way viewer able barren emotional landscape tone script furthermore vitaris applauded esque calling comic high point verbal venom reviews positive author critical episode rating fifth favorite episode seasons criticized entry having half relying assassination furthermore unhappy fact viewers way knowing content episode happened criticized episode inconsistent x-files pointing fact episode canon established season episode furthermore derided closely plots movie apocalypse
Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man