x-files tenth episode season american science fiction television series files premiered fox network december directed written frank_spotnitz featured guest appearances episode helps explore series overarching mythology earned nielsen household rating watched million people initial broadcast centers fbi special agents fox_mulder david_duchovny dana_scully gillian_anderson work cases linked paranormal called files episode mulder risks life train carrying human alien hybrid scully tries uncover truth abduction episode continuing plot previous episode production involved stunts including explosion retired railway car episode production successful members crew earning director photography award nomination work securing job directing series subsequent film adaptation x-files plot west_virginia team soldiers arrives abandoned research compound rounding patients patient hides beneath arrival follows group field nearby watches soldiers shoot patients including apparent alien human hybrids mass grave fox_mulder loses cell phone jumping moving train losing contact dana_scully questioned scully tells analyze saying answers train sister murder mulder enters train finds secret protected security system searches enlisting train conductor help compartment find hand written journals japanese train scully sees tells contains highly advanced technology replicate brain memory functions enable know person thoughts manufacturer chip created west_virginia compound scully travels meeting group deformed patients death squads tells patients experimented departed long ago death squads set massacre shows mass grave killed soldiers arrive capture scully brought elder mulder returns seeing door alien human test subject locked room inside causing conductor lock car claims work bomb car triggered gained entry pass code mulder doesn believe called scully cell phone scully elder similar tells mulder subjects including operated secret railway alien abduction theory confirms bomb car believes patient infected fever fears thousands die disease car explodes mulder finds bomb ceiling car disconnected rest train remote rail siding mulder questions says patient immune biological warfare tried sneak patient country government destroyed let research fall japanese hands sent kill mulder believes patient alien human hybrid help scully mulder successfully door knocked unconscious leave appears shoots realizing bomb explode time save mulder secure patient decides save mulder exits carrying unconscious mulder shortly bomb explodes recovering injuries mulder attempts find information unable scully returns journal found car mulder realizes rewritten substitute real journal translated room smoking man watches production conception writing claimed inspiration episode came having read new_york_times article war crimes committed unit episode named unit responsible human subject research prisoners war civilians inspiration drawn films north northwest train basis episode train car setting noted episode offered writers opportunity set counter series premise allowing character scully maintain skeptical standpoint events paper clip earlier season episode character witnesses group aliens tagline episode switched apology policy filming post production scene start episode duchovny character fox_mulder train car filmed harness car removed digitally post production duchovny performed stunt use double duchovny separately recorded scene williams carries duchovny car explodes blue screen results flipped horizontally aid scene composition superimposed explosion masked actors children laid prop bodies scene mass grave producers built train car interiors car patient kept sleeper cars floated train sets inner tubes create feeling movement seven different cameras director filming train car explosion gallons gasoline black powder bombs effect car obtained vancouver based rail company considered scrap bent explosion recorded bell train recovered distance site physical effects supervisor polished engraved message use scenes featured mulder inside train kept character away centre screen paranoid mindset deliberately contrasted concurrent scene featuring scully speaking mulder telephone shot camera balanced intended leave character balanced confident strong rock gibraltar felt finished episode like movie stated cut episode impressed series creator chris_carter carter offer job directing series film adaptation themes book x-files argues episodes earlier season episode paper clip public trust science proposes scientists ing fabric life causing public faith scientific method fade drastically concern directly addressed x-files episodes notes scientists portrayed x-files depicted connection ancient evil lone exception agent scully earlier scientists japanese scientists worked unit attempts create successful human alien hybrid scientists far factor argues public science practitioners critical opinion noted parts story arc offer alternative explanation events series far romantic outcome ongoing plot elaborate hoax attention government experiments military medical feels explanation speak sadness core x-files mulder find answers forced accept weren looking comparing realization hero don hoax plot device later revisited fourth season finale fifth season opening episodes lesser degree effectiveness reception ratings premiered fox network december broadcast united_kingdom bbc october episode earned nielsen household rating share meaning roughly percent television equipped households percent households watching television tuned episode total million viewers watched episode original airing reviews received positive reviews critics writing reviewer zack_handlen rated episode calling terrific handlen felt version events told scully episode better explanation series mythology eventual resolution noting offered conclusion emotional impact lived intensity early mythology episodes retrospective season entertainment_weekly rated review noted episode strangely tension free derided scully believe series established truth empire named second greatest episode series stating arguably greatest mythology episodes high mix action intrigue production values pacing hollywood blockbuster director called episode time favorites actor felt portrayal episode helped viewers awards director photography earned nomination outstanding achievement cinematography regular series work episode
731 (The X-Files)