x-files season second season science fiction television series files commenced airing fox network united_states september concluded channel airing episodes series follows special agents fox_mulder dana_scully portrayed david_duchovny gillian_anderson respectively investigate paranormal supernatural cases known files fbi second season x-files takes place closure department following events season finale addition stand monster week episodes episodes alien conspiracy mythology begun form season introduced recurring characters informant mulder mulder partner turned enemy alien bounty hunter shape shifting assassin storylines widely affected pregnancy actress gillian_anderson decided scully kidnapped abducted aliens explaining absence allowing appear episodes later ultimately added mythology season earned seven primetime emmy award nominations premiere little green men debuted nielsen household rating viewed million households marking noticeable increase viewership previous year series rose number number television year addition second season generally received positive reviews television critics plot overview dana_scully gillian_anderson reassigned teach fox_mulder david_duchovny given surveillance assignments investigates extraterrestrial cases observatory puerto_rico mulder given new partner meets secretive informant mulder recruited assist hostage negotiation alien captures people barry eventually kidnaps scully believing brings original abduction site aliens instead mulder follows delayed revealed mole working cigarette smoking man mulder reaches gone barry insists aliens took dies soon interrogation skinner opens x-files claiming conspirators fear scully turns hospital months later explanation got provides mulder information allowing revenge captors mulder instead convinced scully sister visit scully recovers returns work shortly agents later investigate case involving alien biology injected teenagers wisconsin encounter killer killed local sheriff investigating case involving murder identical doctors agents come alien bounty hunter responsible executing series alien clones case grown woman claiming mulder sister samantha appears telling mulder bounty hunter objectives ability identify scully kidnapped bounty hunter mulder forced trade samantha attempt kill bounty hunter samantha killed discovered simply alien clones samantha help mulder pursues bounty hunter submarine arctic mulder nearly killed exposed toxic blood saved scully downloads decades worth classified information aliens digital tape gives mulder finds entire tape written begins searching tape visits mulder father calls mulder shortly reveal mulder murdered scully brings mulder new_mexico introduces code translate digital tape albert grandson shows mulder filled alien corpses man tracks mulder location orders burned production writing development season premiere originally supposed written series creator chris_carter initial pitch mulder sent moscow fact producers wanted film episode russia able secure appropriate arrangements end carter unable complete script idea featured reopening x-files instead executive producers penned opening premiere little green men episode entry actually alien series delay gave carter time write start entry x-files opened series ended season problem arisen producers pregnancy gillian_anderson played dana_scully network executives wanted role recast carter refused considered having scully giving birth alien child producers decided work anderson pregnancy having abducted appearing episodes later described executive producer frank_spotnitz best thing happened series helped form intricate mythology run writers decided close files end season separate mulder scully earlier episodes season hide anderson pregnancy early episodes producers disguised fancy trick angles trench coats scenes seated standing anderson featured episode giving birth daughter time casting season introduced character played replaced mulder informant following assassination season finale originally intended woman cast role replaced williams writers believe right chemistry stars written different intended selfish scared previously appeared small season gender cast originally intended temporary replacement scully abducted grew character seven seasons production season duchovny asked carter wouldn great like alien bounty hunter carter positive idea acted creating character alien bounty hunter episodes colony end game actor auditioned role casting session competing actor carter time cast character knew casting important intended character recurring character thompson chosen according distinctive look notably face mouth appeared colony end game grown clone version return play samantha clones seasons carter want real samantha straight science fiction ridiculous answers star night sought senator little green men mulder father colony end game roles went respectively agreed play x-files founder season crew carter served executive producer showrunner wrote seven episodes executive producers writing team wrote episodes final season regular writers series return consulting producers season supervising producer wrote episodes frank_spotnitz joined series writing episodes cast member david_duchovny collaborated carter episodes receiving story credit younger brother joined series contributing story episode written older brother writing script solo joined series producer wrote episodes wrote freelance episodes joined series writing episode supervising producer returned wrote episode writing partner returned write freelance episode season contributed freelance episode season line producer production manager promoted producer season continued serve producer producing directors included kim_manners executive producer directed season seven manners series creator chris_carter directed episode making directorial debut directed episode cast main cast david_duchovny special agent fox_mulder episodes gillian_anderson special agent dana_scully episodes appear recurring cast episodes episodes marked double dagger episodes series alien mythology arc reception ratings second season x-files debuted little green men september episode earned nielsen household rating share meaning roughly percent television equipped households percent households watching television tuned episode episode viewed million households increase season finale viewed million households little green men time highest rated episode x-files air season continued ratings began grow season hit high fifteenth episode fresh bones viewed million households season hit low episode viewed million households received rating season finale earned nielsen rating share viewed million households marking percent increase households compared previous season finale series ranked number television season significant increase ratings compared season finished number reviews gave season stars calling memorable season review highlighted host ascension cliffhanger finale unforgettable meeting mulder scully families colony breath ign gave season rating reviewer noting improvement started explore little evolution characters makes product shine begun familiar robert_shearman lars_pearson book wanting believe critical guide lone gunmen rated episodes season highly awarding stars little green men breath irresistible die hand die episodes rated poorly considered particularly poor critics considered ascension breath story arc best season shearman singled highlight season noting intimacy sincerity emotion episodes allowed mythology x-files play seven seasons book examination unauthorized look seasons files named story arc episode x-files wrote day remains defining moment series run sprang forth trio episodes sensational accolades second season earned series seven primetime emmy award nominations including outstanding drama series episode received nominations different categories outstanding guest actress drama series chris_carter outstanding individual achievement writing drama series outstanding individual achievement editing series single camera production outstanding individual achievement sound editing series nominations included outstanding individual achievement cinematography series breath outstanding individual achievement editing series single camera production season earn series wins dvd release
The X-Files (season 2)