files variation sixth episode seventh season science fiction television series files premiered fox network united_states december written directed featured guest appearances episode monster week story unconnected series wider mythology variation earned nielsen household rating watched million people initial broadcast episode received mixed positive reviews 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 mulder scully investigate mysterious man named appears man world title dual reference machines bell original draft episode opened man falling thirty thousand feet airplane walking away unharmed budgetary reasons intro later changed man falling building appeared season episode walk cast breaking long standing rule recast previous actors cut episode minutes time insert shots new scenes filmed order compensate plot chicago man wins playing poker named appears ignorant basic rules poker cheated attempts kill throwing 29th story building lands access hatch basement stands right walks away completely agents car stationed outside witness event eventually tell fox_mulder david_duchovny dana_scully gillian_anderson promptly case mulder initially believes man ability cure scully thinks lucky landing pile laundry right access hatch agents track apartment building refuses testify fascination machines apartment filled meeting concludes file mulder believes luck question agents begin leave complex comes kill assassin dies cascade events reminiscent machine distracted mulder forgot car keys accidentally shoots lamp knocks board trips board ends getting fan agents rush stairs find unscathed notes sole survivor commuter jet crash killed people december placed seat flight lucky numbers picks lottery ticket wins learns months money throws ticket away man picks ticket trash hit truck warned avail bad happen later mulder comes question comes kill bullet pocket knife barely mulder arm hits kills confesses trying find way pay expensive medical treatment illness boy apartment building named attempts getting money brought radar later hit car appears henry lucky streak reached end kidnaps mom stop henry turns let instead plan kill execute basement held partner killed bizarre turn events unharmed mulder arrives backup end turns surprise organ donor perfect match gets treatment lives toy machine earlier production writing episode title pun refers cartoonist famous drawings incredibly complex machines everyday objects performed rudimentary tasks piece elaborate created physical examples machines episode writer noted wanted episode function device wrote story revolve ideas good luck bad luck originally episode opening scene featured falling thirty thousand feet airplane walking away unscathed bell pitch met enthusiasm writers producers cautious realized episode humorous moments executive producer frank_spotnitz explained episode lot humorous moments afraid people like funny ones hate funny ones eventually episode green pushed later season according wanted scare hell everybody episodes bell began crafting script adding mafia related sub plot replacing airplane drop fall building budgetary reasons biggest episode crafting machine bell extra time write script art department given head start crafting gillian_anderson later explained working machines required lot patience multiple takes filmed order sure went planned casting director broke long standing rule cast appeared season episode walk noted literally best person job post production episode finished filming footage entered long period editing series creator chris_carter noted episode wasn cutting things didn work resultant footage reworked acceptable episode minutes time order compensate additional filmed scene featuring mulder scully discussing episode story filmed months rest episode required anderson wear wig hair style substantially changed episode finally finished aired highly enjoyed x-files cast crew carter called entry tight funny touching quirky series writer impressed episode noted episode represented seventh season explained seventh season money best took storytelling risks previous years broadcast reception variation aired united_states december episode earned nielsen rating share meaning roughly percent television equipped households percent households watching television tuned episode viewed million viewers episode aired united_kingdom ireland april received million viewers making fifth watched episode week episode received mixed positive reviews book examinations gave episode largely positive review favorably compared episode sixth season episode rain king noted rain king written simply season hardly came surprise enjoyed entry season seven cute light hearted little happy ending boot den geek writer named episode finest stand episode season seven wrote files roots horror feel good episodes far appear perfect feel good files episode harsh right mix gangster deaths saving cute kid paula_vitaris cinefantastique gave episode moderately positive review awarded stars called episode praised characterization wrote positively episode writing variation clever witty standout recent run x-files episodes todd_vanderwerff awarded episode called fun entry shows series emotional palette felt episode successfully managed convey clever feel good man monster episode particularly scary felt works end reviews mixed awarded episode stars noted despite episode funny stuff ultimately little uneven overall robert_shearman lars_pearson book wanting believe critical guide lone gunmen rated episode stars despite calling episode piece work explained story fine episode set piece work plot shearman pearson ultimately concluded premise meaning little want intent
The Goldberg Variation (The X-Files)