sea thirteenth episode season american science fiction television series files written executive producers directed episode monster week story unconnected series wider mythology episode aired united_states january despite mediocre nielsen rating compared episodes season sea received generally positive reception critics centers fbi special agents fox_mulder david_duchovny dana_scully gillian_anderson work cases linked paranormal called files plot episode sees scully father die skepticism test prisoner death row claims psychic powers episode showed protagonists reversing usual roles believer time introduced theme father figures continued series critical commentary noted parallels character dana_scully silence plot dana_scully gillian_anderson parents shortly christmas leave falls asleep hours later wakes father sitting speaking telephone rings looking phone finds chair answers mother tells father died heart attack hour earlier north_carolina young couple kidnapped man dressed police officer days later scully partner fox_mulder david_duchovny discuss case mulder office fbi headquarters mulder relates case work repeat reason believe couple killed matter days tells scully serial killer helped years claimed psychic revelations kidnapping offered help police exchange death sentence mulder unusually skeptical claims later agents visit prison makes revelation kidnapped couple based piece evidence mulder shirt satisfied lying pair prepare leave scully looks sees vision father speaking singing song played funeral sea tell mulder pair discuss possibility orchestrated kidnapping partner avoid execution fake newspaper declares couple found hoping trick contacting accomplice fall trick gives agents vague clues case scully acting finds warehouse couple held later leads mulder agents holding couple girl rescued shoots mulder escapes boyfriend convinced involvement kidnapping prison warden rules kind speaks scully claiming able contact father offers relay message attend execution gives information new location warning avoid blue devil scully leads agents location gave brewery able rescue kidnapped boyfriend scully chases flees stops tracks runs beneath brewery logo blue devil gives way falls death led execution sees scully attended scully visits mulder hospital recovering gunshot wound come believe mulder assertion arranged mulder asks refused chance hear father tells need hear knew father said production sea written x-files executive producers long time writing partners fourth script series episode directed morgan explained episode written response criticisms initially limited characterization scully said gillian_anderson needed talents perfect opportunity notions scully believe time character grow kind thing executives fox vetoed idea times carter told network cast agent scully father actors appear series davis returned breath season played scully mother margaret wife executive producer returned episodes role morgan fought hard veteran film actor play role concerns cost hiring files creator chris_carter called president thanksgiving dinner convinced let cast asked appear episode days preparation originally refused producers gave extra week prepare getting character takes deep breathing exercises turned face bright purple episode favorite creator carter calls favorite episode season actress gillian_anderson writer morgan praises script proud director says episode think accomplished piece directing actors able think episode difference audience looks scully think brought lot dimension character person definitely lot impact cultural references continuity episode title sea references song played funeral scully father appearance greatly resembles names inspired real life serial killer character mentioned character scene episode hat episode fallen angel seen hanging mulder office scully father nicknames taken nautical novel references novel appear later series second season episode breath season episode themes analysis episodes prior sea protagonists x-files firmly established roles believer mulder rational scientist scully sea episode roles reversed scully vulnerable death father persuaded apparent psychic ability mulder refuses believe serial killer evidence favor consider rational explanations according scully inclined believe identifies understand pressure high family expectations scully strongly desired father proud despite fulfilling expectation doctor killing family hoped kill expectations judgment contrast mulder relationship parents based resentment failure protect sister themes developed later series makes unwilling identify scully follows instinct case mulder gets shot ends hospital doubts skepticism according episode progresses scully personality like mulder narrative purposes mulder entire episode according role reversal partners represents blending mulder scully characters present series scully option usual role demonstrates complexity character strongly influenced scientific background religious faith notes episode directly religion shows visions scully experiences series later visions appear episodes directly related religion scully faith breath souls episode faith father ultimately proves stronger belief paranormal refuses tempted offer help contact father scully visits partner hospital sea episode explore central theme scully character development attraction conflict authoritative men career fbi experiences conflict figures fourth season episode expresses long held fascination father figures theme introduced guilt need approval following father death sea continues later episodes including irresistible small potatoes bad blood theme father figures explored x-files relation mulder scully fathers number characters play paternal role agents later episodes including senator protagonists deep rooted family issues episode beginning exploration story arc motif employed doubling scully relationship father dealt sea mirrored mulder father named william dies end second season comparisons drawn character dana_scully fbi student silence note similarities appearances positions working environment sea particular parallels seen like scully emotional connection need prove dead father death daughter particularly concerned proud end episode scully come terms father opinion worries later series fears ashamed actions connection shown scully encounter apparently helpful serial killer echoes relationship serial killer broadcast reception sea broadcast united_states january fox network original broadcast watched million households million viewers according nielsen ratings system received rating share viewers meaning percent households percent people watching television time viewed episode author rated episode sixth best episode seasons book guide writer listed sea best stand episodes saying acting remarkably chilling noted episode center gillian_anderson character showed signs scully vulnerability popmatters ranked episode best monster week episodes felt greatest monster week characters saying spend minutes presence alien abduction like blessing writers ign named episode second favourite stand episode noting favourably established dynamic mulder scully encyclopedia science fiction fantasy described episode highly regarded stand episodes retrospective season entertainment_weekly gave sea noting scully praising casting zack_handlen graded episode praising wondered specifically intentions despite liking fact scully focus episode praising anderson performance thought main flaw way handled moral crisis opining appeared weak
Beyond the Sea (The X-Files)