files eighth episode ninth season american science fiction television series files originally aired fox network january written directed kim_manners episode monster week episode stand plot unconnected series wider mythology overarching fictional history episode earned nielsen household rating viewed million viewers initial broadcast received positive reviews television critics centers fbi special agents work cases linked paranormal called files season focuses investigations dana_scully gillian_anderson episode reyes takes lead investigating file case surrounding man found skinned alive discovers visions similar thing calls scully expertise help investigation written character darker area episode plot similar mythology surrounding agriculture god create skinned human bodies makeup team sprayed layers latex layers positioned designed resemble actors faux skin created look moist composed pieces plot virginia group led meet members discuss sins tells discovered group past member reilly tells humans unable change destined hell friend tells holland having involving people skinned alive night vision skinned hours later victor murdered asks dana_scully gillian_anderson examine body reyes explains death case terry argument terry later vision similar victor skinned alive night attacked brutally reyes arrive talk detective van allen case time scully contacts medical bodies 1960s skinned manner similar tells scully sheriff time pay attention cases emphasizing victim later killed reyes receive news terry attack arrive local find pigs looking crime scene discovers terry alive terry weakly says local police arrest claims innocent reyes believes admits having similar visions freed having vision holland skinned meantime scully discovers terry born day 1960s murder victims died acting reyes insistence danger stakes house skinned regardless attempts protect reyes admits having flashes victims experiencing tells body coated coal dust seen body reyes head believe dust originated finds skeleton sheriff killed reyes finds newspaper explaining story group miners murdered man murderers souls times brutally skinned soul victim case prominent figure law reyes soon collected skin victims attacked eventually finds unharmed reyes explains murder murders linked case groups reyes believes takes life time order restart series murders reyes calls holland informing fourth victim van allen arrives church stopped reyes later reyes scully past failed stop spirit life managed succeed shot changes dying newborn baby production written supervising producer directed kim_manners entry fourth episode written series season seven rush season invocation executive producer later explained reyes control x-files producers needed drive executive producer frank_spotnitz interested taking character darker area according book complete files episode deals themes idea justice noted episode reyes good person bad person fight evil let evil happen noted episode plot similar mythology surrounding agriculture god mythology represented wearing human skin usually skin hands falling loose production crew tasked building building size warehouse scenes order achieve shots old dairy converted filming slaughter pigs brought sequences rubber pigs skinned human bodies episode created layer latex layer makeup technicians took skin positioned designed resemble actors according effects level detail seen series television makeup staff worked quickly according team literally hour day pull effects faux skin created look moist composed pieces fake veins skin makeup department head claimed seven makeup artists work seven hours person days reception ratings originally aired united_states fox network january broadcast united_kingdom bbc january episode initial broadcast viewed approximately million households million viewers making seventy watched episode television aired week ending january earned nielsen household rating meaning seen nation estimated households reviews received generally positive reviews critics television pity awarded episode writing gave episode positive review complimented exploration reyes character rated wrote overall wonderful unexpected look underlying motivations character drawn audience completely consistent seen added greatest unlikely theme explored officially final season robert_shearman lars_pearson book wanting believe critical guide lone gunmen rated episode stars wrote positively entry plot comparing season episode squeeze fourth season episode field died calling writing subtle praised noting episode contains red shearman pearson praised episode effects calling bodies high point series trading gore book denying truth files called episode unexpectedly entertaining praised script attempts shed light reyes character
Hellbound (The X-Files)