ninth episode fifth season science fiction television series files premiered fox network january written directed featured guest appearances episode monster week story unconnected series wider mythology earned nielsen household rating watched million people initial broadcast episode received mixed negative reviews critics calling worst episode x-files 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 convinced greater evil community teenager suspected murdering father written year staff writers scott known killer tree episode cast crew scenes shot filmed real orchard named farms near small town british_columbia episode utilized post production techniques order clear vocal issues censor line fox standards practices department issues plot michigan teenager stepfather finishing lawn work outside house bobby runs nearby orchard gives chase bobby mother follows orchard discovers body partially buried seemingly drowned mud kneeling bobby eyes wide terror fox_mulder david_duchovny dana_scully gillian_anderson assigned case scene scully bobby dug pit trapped stepfather speculates accomplice tells scully point view appeared bobby attempting help orchard pit died reveals son anger management issues undergoing therapy years mulder scully meet bobby describes bobby victim physical abuse mulder expresses belief bobby blame death bobby tells fellow student stand father lisa returns home window explodes arm like grabs father throat demands stop seeing bobby body discovered lying ground outside house scully concludes died result pushed window mulder discovers evidence suggesting pulled outside force later agents learn lisa patients mulder finds small splinter fresh wood embedded neck matches fragment tree outside home short time later agents approached man named claims trees dying bad man invites lisa stay home aunt pick following day lisa bedroom argument male voice descends root cellar discovers skeletal body man terrified lisa turns door door close lock mulder discovers father pulled mud orchard years earlier tells death brought end affecting trees later mulder finds filled roots body missing lisa aunt arrives house retrieve niece attacked killed unseen force tree branches sway wind enters root cellar revealed source male voice lisa heard earlier having personality disorder brought abuse father mulder scully search house come corpse belonging father root cellar find lisa frightened unharmed kitchen drives bobby house chases orchard suddenly bobby dragged downward mud attempting rescue teenager mulder simultaneously encourages break cycle fight voice inside head like root snakes mud begins drag mulder downward appears axe hand killing mulder bobby released unseen force production conception writing written year staff writers previously worked x-files non writing jobs episode tree based eventually known killer tree episode cast crew executive producer frank_spotnitz noted underwent lengthy writing process edited times later said episode went incarnations versions title reference scientific term reproduction casting came time cast character played medical drama chosen portrayed daughter production designer x-files portrayed lisa aunt previously appeared season episode lines episode recorded post production editors feared rich voice hard viewers understand saying brought record dialogue dubbed footage addition scene mulder tells scully bobby nickname school original version featured mulder saying fox standards practices department change required david_duchovny dub line set score scenes shot filmed real orchard named farms near small town british_columbia shots involving sinking mud scenes shot fitted trees mud pit large tank filled moss mud water mixture heated actors uncomfortable sinking scenes shot called body sink mud required stunt woman slowly lowered pit crew found necessary supply oxygen shot depth pit art department created props episode including moving tree roots skeletal remains father sets chosen proximity large trees lisa house instance built large willow additional tree limb feet long attached real tree menacing feel tree limb attacked mulder car branch massive tree fallen nearby plot public land producers secured permission canadian government hoisted tree crane dropped police cruiser series car coordinator able cruiser later episode kill switch composer series particularly proud music wrote episode noting story dark tale wonderful credits ominous feel instruments broadcast reception premiered fox network january episode earned nielsen rating share meaning roughly percent television equipped households percent households watching television tuned episode viewed million viewers episode received mixed negative reviews critics reviewers dubbing worst episodes series referred weaker episodes fifth season reviewer todd_vanderwerff gave wrote worst episode x-files noting tone episode furthermore vanderwerff felt scott try continue explaining tie idea child abuse power tragedy want run best worst episodes villains series named killer trees worst monster week wrote proved writers come completely dry scary critical myth gave episode praising interesting concept episode concluded filled odd inconsistencies definitely better episodes season robert_shearman lars_pearson book wanting believe critical guide lone gunmen rated episode half stars wrote positively episode noting director brings fore makes honest truth scary slice offered ages shearman pearson argued episode references lack explanation result episode approaching nonsense paula_vitaris cinefantastique gave episode mixed review awarded stars wrote plot episode paranormal root system underneath lies powerful themes
Schizogeny