beginning files beginning episode sixth season science fiction television series files premiered fox network united_states november united_states episode written chris_carter directed kim_manners episode helps explore series overarching mythology beginning earned nielsen household rating watched million people initial broadcast episode received mixed 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 mulder scully hunt deadly creature arizona desert find support mulder revived belief aliens agents reassigned opened files taking instead beginning episode series filmed vancouver canada production moved los_angeles behest lead actor david_duchovny episode follows directly x-files feature film writers sought bring characters featured movie played pivotal role fifth season plot phoenix arizona scientist working exposed black oil alien virus alien bursts body morning hours death worker arrives house attacked killed newborn alien washington agent fox_mulder appears fbi panel experiences antarctica smoking man reports syndicate alien phoenix confident able kill assistant director walter_skinner tells mulder working restoring burned files mulder scully denied x-files mulder seek left desk old office mulder goes discover assigned x-files feeling betrayed leaves taking smoking man seeks gibson praise undergoing brain surgery moment mulder scully head home alien finding alien nail wall smoking man arrives soon gibson tells alien longer nuclear power plant alien kills person mulder scully denied access returning car find gibson inside escaped smoking man later night tells mulder offered x-files protecting interest mulder leaves gibson scully heads mulder believe alien seeking heat nuclear power plant inside find organic material ground cooling pipes scully brings gibson hospital determined alien virus blood scott kidnaps soon brings power plant find alien attacks gibson witnessed mulder outside locked door mulder scully ordered associate x-files reassigned assistant director visited smoking man office mulder continues work restoring x-files told scully report reflect happened scully tells mulder alien virus dna human dna gibson dna active power plant gibson trapped inside alien sheds skin revealing traditional grey alien form production pre production beginning episode filmed los_angeles california instigated david_duchovny portrayed mulder order ease opportunity find movie work chance nearer wife series creator chris_carter opposed fox network officials eventually decision film california shot episode long look sun intended carter announce arrival southern_california result episode featured largely new group crew members hired carter frank_spotnitz new executive producer crew spend weeks material vancouver film crew unpopular members cast crew series director kim_manners gillian_anderson supported vocally duchovny shift fans series alienated different tone taken los_angeles fans accused hollywood adding notable guests stars making plots simpler enjoyable mass audiences addition reported fans loved moody filming vancouver lent series seasons sixth season reportedly lacked writing filming found main problem developing episode movie necessarily viewers seen writers sought bring characters like movie addition writers wanted bring elements seen movie like alien carter claims thinking episode years prior working developing files movie character sandy killed teaser sequence played casting director request carter later joked spent shoot cell phone casting individuals files episodes nuclear power plant workers named homer reference main characters animated fox television series simpsons nuclear power plant episode filmed facility run california heat wave scenes ended filmed temperatures degrees lines later recorded actors scenes arizona suburb filmed california producers wanted underwater scenes alien filmed tank frequently filming scenes power plant proved troublesome sequences alien shot multiple times skin effects creature problems nuclear power plant set certain scenes finished late october nearly months principal filming ended broadcast reception beginning aired united_states november episode earned nielsen rating share meaning roughly percent television equipped households percent households watching television tuned episode viewed million viewers second highest rated episode sixth season episode aired united_kingdom ireland march received million viewers making second watched episode week fox promoted episode tagline new beginning episode later included volume colonization dvd collection contains episodes involved alien plans earth critical reception episode divided reviews ranged largely positive negative book end beginning official guide x-files vol author noted fans critics responded positively beginning notably episode functioned particularly effective way launch series new season era book examination unauthorized look seasons files wrote positively episode saying beginning pretty good premiere episode pleased chris_carter took season finale movie tied things season fresh start todd_vanderwerff gave praised performance noting acting shit despite called episode lackluster noted isn great episode works vanderwerff main issue entry chose close events fifth season finale little expand revelations series feature film vanderwerff criticized fact scully paranormal saw reviews positive robert_shearman lars_pearson book wanting believe critical guide lone gunmen rated episode star writing beginning opens witty offers viewer substance better season opener poor paula_vitaris cinefantastique gave episode largely negative review awarded half stars derided episode plot noting episode mile aliens pulp novel science dissolved complete
The Beginning (The X-Files)