The X-Files
Australian Conne-X-ion
Episode Guide:
"All Souls"


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Episode 5X18

First screened in Australia: 17 June, 1998
First screened in the USA:26 April, 1998

Title: All Souls

Credits: Director: Rob Bowman
Story: Billy Brown and Dan Angel
Writer: Frank Spotnitz and John Shiban Starring: Guest Stars: Plot:
The unexplained death of a handicapped young girl prompts a priest to ask Scully for help. But her investigation leads her to a mystery she's afraid to understand.
Fox Press Release

My Rating: 8/10

Another religious themed episode where Scully is the believer and Mulder refuses to believe. It's quite hard to figure out why Scully will believe if the hand of God is involved but not if the cause is something equally unexplainable and vice versa for Mulder. Equally puzzling is Father McCue's refusal to belive Scully when she tells him about seing the four-faced man which the priest explains was a seraphim. I guess that's a whole other subject ... as Mulder says, people who talk to God are considered normal but when God talks back they're schizophrenic. Still, it was a good episode, very heavy in symbolism, visions, faith and the unexplained.

The effects, as always are top class and The X-Files is really at the forefront of television special effects done on the (relative) cheap. Things like Scully seeing the devils' horns in a simple shadow is just so effective! It was also a nice touch bringing back Emily in Scully's visions.

Notable Quotable:
Mulder: Look, Scully. I know you don’t really want my help on this, but can I offer you my professional opinion? (Scully nods) You’ve got a bona-fide, super-crazy, religious wacko on your hands.
Scully: What makes you so sure?
Mulder: The mote in the eye, the eyes as windows to the soul, an eye for an eye ... he’s working from ancient scripture ... ancient text ... maybe even the Bible. He may even think he’s doing God’s work.



Mulder: I know people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones, blah, blah, blah, but that guy is paranoid.



Scully: As much as I have my faith, Father, I am a scientist trained to weigh evidence ... but science only teaches us how ... not why.



Mulder: Scully? Aren’t you the secret squirrel.
Scully: What so you mean?
Mulder: Just got a look at that body they wheeled out of here. You’ve been holding out on me.

Where Have I Seen That Face Before?
Arnie Walters (Father McCue) previously appeared in "Christmas Carol". He's also appeared on an episode of Chris Carter's "Millennium". His only other acting work was in two TV movies - "Snowbound" and "No Child Of Mine".

The Pain Factor
Nothing bad happens to Mulder and Scully.

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