files second episode eighth season science fiction television series files episode aired united_states canada november fox subsequently aired united_kingdom february written executive producer chris_carter directed kim_manners episode helps explore series overarching mythology continues seventh season finale requiem season premiere fox_mulder abducted aliens planning earth episode earned nielsen rating united_states seen million viewers previous episode generally received critics detractors criticized plot points centers fbi special agents fox_mulder david_duchovny dana_scully gillian_anderson work cases linked paranormal called files episode continues search mulder attempts uncover alien bounty hunter ranks task force called scully surprised learn leader team assigned x-files heavily featured elements mulder abduction aliens new sets designed create alien ship mulder imprisoned production crew x-files designed set decidedly low tech interesting manner addition unusual filming techniques special lenses motion control order achieve desired footage plot background fbi special agent fox_mulder david_duchovny currently missing having abducted aliens seventh season finale requiem partner dana_scully gillian_anderson working agent order locate consulting trio conspiracy scully finds evidence mulder arizona receives news boy potentially extraterrestrial dna hiding arizona walter_skinner mitch_pileggi task force fbi agents arrive searching find mulder praise corner mountain events episode begins mulder edge mountain pursuing agent suddenly mulder walks edge cliff appears fall death fbi agents sent retrieve body find disappeared dana_scully realizes appeared partner actually alien bounty hunter sent retrieve praise bounty hunter returned school continues search praise scully follows girl previously observed praise friend desert able locate praise explains events walter_skinner tells setting fail shortly bounty hunter disguised agent scully attacks agent skinner real scully eventually manage drive alien away skinner scully find retrieve praise skinner takes nearest hospital friend visits closing door search mulder desert scully sees bright light sky thinks spaceship later revealed helicopter helicopter lands insists scully travel hospital reluctantly accepts hospital fbi agents assure agents happened praise soon discover vanished scully leaves search praise stays attempt catch checks ceiling space finds skinner badly injured scully finds praise skinner claims protecting boy skinner actually alien bounty hunter attempts kill scully grabs gun shoots neck killing bounty hunter reports case assigned file division scully episode ends showing mulder held captivity alien bounty hunters look production fox_mulder abduction devised chris_carter end seventh season way allowing actor leave series duchovny fulfilled contractual obligations seventh season felt character following previous seven years production designer explains attracted idea primitive materials states super tech idea low tech interesting visual elements rock steel interesting shapes describes creation set stating found backdrop alien lit rotating platform dental piece rotate pull face apart according makeup supervisor helped creation alien torture machine making putting hooks makeup supervisor adds hooks actually stretch david_duchovny sat pretty good unusual filming techniques supervisor recalls devised laser effect device going mouth weird lens effects going scene alien world like quality subject method filming additional sound effects supervising producer recounts set highly lens try little device coming right scary ended putting cool sound effects little motors sequence multiple alien bounty hunters appear involved use motion control method motion control camera module repeatedly run motion elements continually added shot according times series production crew able use motion control presented slight challenge filming sequence blank plate set lighting elements set shot production crew filmed different passes alien bounty hunter different position production crew finally able clone bounty hunter blending passes reception premiered american television november fox episode earned nielsen household rating meaning seen nation estimated households viewed million households million viewers fox promoted episode tagline great story takes turn expect tonight episode later included volume colonization dvd collection contains episodes involved alien plans earth episode met relatively positive reviews critics robert_shearman lars_pearson book wanting believe critical guide lone gunmen rated episode stars praised episode plot citing abduction search mulder components arcs brilliance shearman pearson noted final scene featuring mulder surrounded alien bounty hunter created beauty emotion horror collision x-files best shows zack_handlen wrote form great way pick cliffhanger ending previous season pair episodes work introduction new narrative status quo awarded entries noted nearly came strained manages general alien bounty hunter television pity gave episode rare previous episode received grade making episodes x-files receive rating site ken_tucker entertainment_weekly positive episode season premiere awarding episodes praised episode noted dynamic hunt fox_mulder worked strengths positively commented scully conversion believer writing regardless aliens pizza delivering vampires x-files phenomena don stand face rational explanations took long time like mulder scully eventually came accept things heaven earth philosophy reviews positive paula_vitaris cinefantastique gave episode mixed review awarded stars vitaris criticized scully believer sky turning helicopter gimmick notes gotten way old book examinations wrote relatively negative review episode noted remind hollow shell long fox_mulder alien table pony holds absolutely appeal whatsoever
Without (The X-Files)