x-files fourth episode season american science fiction television series files premiered fox network october written directed featured guest appearance mother abducted teenager centers fbi special agents fox_mulder david_duchovny dana_scully gillian_anderson work cases linked paranormal called files episode mulder scully investigating possible alien abduction teenage girl find missing girl younger brother capable receiving satellite mother party ufo encounter years earlier mulder finds emotionally attached case similarities childhood experiences younger sister samantha abducted home episode directly tied series ongoing story arcs provides information fox_mulder younger sister abducted child plot thread prominent series episode filmed british_columbia lake plot lake sic national park iowa witnesses flash light outside ventures outside find young son kevin claims sister vanished washington fbi division chief informs dana_scully unbeknownst fox_mulder requested travel expenses based tabloid article disappearance shows scully disappearance mulder sister samantha scully asks mulder travel expenses explains lake scene series ufo sightings member girl scout troop witnesses mulder scully travel iowa meet mulder observes kevin writing code piece paper kevin claims coming static television screen submitting kevin code analysis agents meet local sheriff tells juvenile likely ran away meet young woman says gotten pregnant planning run away boyfriend agents unable find bar works boss tells ufo activity lake kevin code revealed satellite transmission agents morris household looking documentation supposedly compromise national security taken custody mulder examines roof prompting head lake agents discover sand turned glass burned tree line indicating presence massive heat source encountering white wolves mulder scully find body shallow grave person find note eventually leads conclude pregnant interrogation confesses killing denies lake night mulder scully return morris house finding deserted discover covered pieces paper laid living room floor forming image face agents return lake find kevin nearby woods motorcycle gang appears mulder rescue kevin wake scully discovers nearby seen hospital bed kevin questioned experience says told unnamed group refuses cooperate given ridicule faced experiences washington scully tape hypnotic sessions mulder recalls night sister vanished mulder sits church crying looks picture sister production episode filmed british_columbia lake crew members lost surrounding area van responsible installing signage got lost mural code designed assistant art director hand wrote numbers mural writer said episode effort play strength character thought interesting place mulder quest sister set tell simple abduction story played shadows wanted create air tension happened wanted explain point explained taken killed boyfriend seeing mother wishes alien abduction theme gordon afraid series creator chris_carter like script carter liked script approved episode wrote gordon praised episode ending saying think proud ending mulder quest established directed beautifully mulder sitting church faith story fueled mulder belief emotional connection case girl taken family way little boy touched aliens essentially mulder little touches fans respond difficult end satisfying came frustration parts creative uncertainty producer felt episode writers better character dramatic sense adding believed episode helped define mulder chris_carter felt episode highlights ending realization scully mulder feeling important establishing point view felt episode proved effective highlighting series told scully point view citing instances character pulling mulder fringe theories emotional attachment broadcast reception premiered fox network october broadcast united_kingdom bbc october episode earned nielsen household rating share meaning percent television equipped households percent households actively watching television watching program viewed million households retrospective season entertainment_weekly rated episode described excellent background series noted duchovny gave performance makes wood look lively writing reviewed episode positively rating feeling episode worked expand motivations lead characters noting work pay later episode seen laying foundation fox_mulder obsession finding missing sister come main plot threads series duchovny portrayal fox_mulder episode cited example character reversal traditional gender roles vulnerability dealing similarities morris case sister casts pattern typically female represents break past emotional balance providing contrast previous male detectives fiction
Conduit (The X-Files)