alpha files alpha sixteenth episode sixth season science fiction television series files premiered fox network march united_states episode written directed episode monster week story unconnected series wider mythology alpha earned nielsen household rating watched million people initial broadcast episode received negative reviews critics 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 investigate killings blamed asian dog called thought extinct mulder scully join sheriff seemingly eccentric hunter expert find mystery expert meets eye alpha based single motif scary dogs city written episode went drafts right filming began scenes featuring chinese freighter created digital technology combination paintings actual filmed footage plot freighter chinese men inspect animal inside ship reaches port los authorities find men animal missing fox_mulder david_duchovny receives word attack mysterious expert behavior dana_scully gillian_anderson investigate incident ship help officer california man hears dog backyard lets house hears dog backyard chases returning house finds pet dead attacked mystery dog seen glowing red eyes mulder scully arrive port talk owner dog says dog species thought extinct agents soon receive news attack investigating mulder believes near human intelligence mulder scully visit tells breed looking extinct dog catcher chasing stray warehouse man enters building promptly transforms attacks catcher mulder scully soon arrive scene followed finds print toes regular later night arrives office leaves goes attacked locks room cause harm dog arrive open fire wrong dog tries operate hurt dog scully enters building begins hear screaming room discovers attacked scully leaves hurt animal transforms revealing dog mimic shape scully begins question motives noting reason mulder decided look investigation mulder begins suspect learning office mulder believes attempt stop murdering mulder asks confront attacked severely injured placed hospital mulder visits says thinks honest reveals suspected saw try kill mulder tells scully remains skeptical later locking outside house hears woods goes upstairs gets gun guise enters bedroom attacks sets aside challenges attacks causing fall window mulder scully arrive find bodies fence spike office mulder receives package want believe poster replacement lost fire seen hanging home office wall production writing alpha based penned year writer read scary dogs city bell explained got inspiration story seeing pack wild dogs owns wild dogs noted dogs surviving pitching idea later chosen sixteenth episode x-files sixth season bell discarded ideas settled storyline initially story going reversal movie incredible journey featuring desperate family moves thousand miles away killer pet waiting new house second story idea feature child released anger dogs local animal shelter version dogs functioned manifestation child bell scrapped ideas lacked cool visuals drafts bell approached producer frank_spotnitz help suggested dog escape ship killing addition came idea mulder develop quasi romance killed end episode bell began write script january mere weeks pre production scheduled begin episode ended written right start shooting february casting filming order successfully bring episode life dozens trained dogs auditioned play process executive producer later called nightmare casting director noted auditioned women wife happened direct episode later cast role chosen affiliated majority cast crew deemed fine job chinese speaking immigrant actors cast play parts sailors killed beginning episode fact operating strict budget shots chinese freighter entirely created digital technology special effects opening scene ship sea painting boat based toy model superimposed film strip ocean scenes featuring boat port created filming harbor ship digital technology special effects makeup supervisor created latex enabled throat alternate ending season dvd alternate ending alpha included version mulder receives want believe poster hangs wall scene cuts hospital bed attending nurse closes eyes flash red possesses abilities broadcast alpha aired united_states march episode earned nielsen rating share meaning roughly percent television equipped households percent households watching television tuned episode viewed million viewers episode aired united_kingdom ireland june received million viewers making watched episode week fox promoted episode tagline sit stay kill critical reception episode negative zack_handlen awarded episode called bit television know story trying tell noted episode built distinctly old structure earlier seasons plot predictable quickly ultimately concluded episode compromised story aired compliment character wished episode focused mulder relationship robert_shearman lars_pearson book wanting believe critical guide lone gunmen rated episode star noted matter good effects limit number times dog glowing red eyes human interesting critical romantic connection mulder calling sub plot attempt bit emotion repetitive formulaic tale fails utterly paula_vitaris cinefantastique gave episode negative review awarded half stars vitaris called episode run mill monster week episode noted david_duchovny gillian_anderson little energy furthermore noted secondary characters plot killed labeled bernard called episode ridiculous files monsters reviews negative book examination unauthorized look seasons files gave episode positive review writing sensing beat love story found heart alpha reached grabbed found touching interesting worthy analysis
Alpha (The X-Files)