x-files seventeenth episode fourth season american science fiction television series files premiered fox network march directed written frank_spotnitz series creator chris_carter featured guest appearances brien saw return alien episode helped explore overarching mythology fictional history x-files earned nielsen household rating watched million people initial broadcast title translates latin time flies centers fbi special agents fox_mulder david_duchovny dana_scully gillian_anderson work cases linked paranormal called files episode old acquaintance mulder found dead following airplane crash mulder believes caused ufo attempting episode plot continuing episode max conceived series special effects supervisor constructed elaborate rig capable crashing airplane carter expanded idea crash bring character seen season fallen angel received mixed positive critical reception earned production crew emmy award nominations including win outstanding sound editing series plot seen traveling airplane flight flies upstate new_york watches man plane following man heads plane bathroom gun comes airplane begins shaking bright light flashes outside showing plane encountering ufo emergency door max seat opened fox_mulder david_duchovny dana_scully gillian_anderson celebrate scully birthday approached woman named claims max sister tells max planned deliver mulder flight washington crashed agents head crash site new_york attend meeting flight final shown mulder plane forced aliens attempting max team led chief investigator dismisses claims mulder scully survey crash site realize minute crash time victims indicating missing time mulder believes max abducted plane body found man black posing investigator steals gun assassin body face acid passenger sat max found alive injuries indicate exposure radiation confronted scully denies max brought radioactive substance aboard plane actually max sister gives details underground life scully subsequently tells mulder max worked environmental energy plant colorado alias believes caused crash bringing board mulder believes max taken plane ufo injuries caused exposure craft scully informs mulder max body pulled crash site abducted hotel room identifying max body mulder finds stolen victims official explanation malfunction cause crash doubtful true cause found happened minutes missing time agents visit air traffic controller duty crash denies unusual happened agents leave colleague argue reveal truth flight demise finding hotel room mulder meets tells door pulled plane outside flight later finds colleague dead faked suicide group arrive capture escapes goes mulder scully telling lied commanding officer ordered track plane coordinates intercepted second aircraft seconds later explosion plane disappeared radar mulder believes aircraft ufo approached plane destroyed second aircraft causing flight crash agents leave soon chased returns crash site encounters ufo finds nearby having returned scully returns washington mulder heads great lake searching crashed ufo scully brings local bar run fellow fbi agent man black soon enters bar seeking kill accidentally shooting instead mulder arrives lake finds team men searching crashed ufo underwater finds craft including alien body production writing production season special effects supervisor constructed elaborate mock boeing airplane order able simulate crash series creator chris_carter decided use rig fourth season episode desire add fox_mulder emotional involvement having knew board led writers bringing character person previously portrayed season episode fallen angel auditioned roles interim rejected producers character felt memorable met series star david_duchovny gym times learnt character max considered episode episode writer frank_spotnitz want appearance came idea kill episode felt bold choice filming rig required gallons hydraulic fluid construct designed multiple axes order better simulate rotate degrees way length feet fuselage opened intervals feet better allow cameras record inside producers wanted plane crash site investigation authentic possible official act technical advisor episode ensure properly recreated officials noted site authentic way smell carter noted level left crew members frightened work director admitted episode exceeded given budget noting carter defend fox studio officials angry production costs abduction scene character door airplane achieved pulling actor airplane rig harness additional coverage achieved repeating notes pulled rig lot harder broadcast reception premiered fox network march broadcast united_kingdom bbc january episode earned nielsen household rating share meaning roughly percent television equipped households percent households watching television tuned episode total million viewers watched episode original airing episode received mixed positive reviews critics zack_handlen writing rated handlen praised effectiveness cold open noted episode highlighted particularly ruthless series recurring cast noting mortality rate helps create mood doom darkness swallow mulder scully scenes symbolic literal paula_vitaris writing cinefantastique rated half stars describing gripping lots action vitaris felt use guest star waste discovery alien corpse end story ambiguity robert_shearman lars_pearson book wanting believe critical guide lone gunmen rated episode stars calling best conspiracy episode seen nearly years shearman felt told clearly remarkably little baggage praised acting guests brien members post production crew won emmy award outstanding sound editing series work episode received nomination outstanding sound mixing drama series
Tempus Fugit (The X-Files)