The X-Files
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Episode Guide
"The Beginning"


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Episode 6ABX01

Title: The Beginning

First Screened in Australia: February 10, 1999
First Screened in the USA: November 8, 1998

the beginning

Credits: Director: Kim Manners
Writer: Chris Carter Starring: Guest Stars: Plot:
The sixth-season opener effectively sums up The X-Files Movie as Mulder faces an FBI review panel to justify reopening the X-files. Without proof, the panel finds his report of man-aided alien global domination and the agents' Antarctic adventure "essentially unintelligible." But the proof/truth is out there, in a hideous form that attacks with deadly sharp claws. A covert assist from Skinner puts them on the trail, but they're unauthorized, and they're not alone: the Cigarette Smoking Man is also after the being, and he has a decided edge after drafting some help.
US TV Guide
As a review panel probes Mulder's claims regarding the existence of aliens and a government conspiracy, the agents hunt down a deadly extraterrestrial creature.
TV Week, Daily Telegraph and sofcom
The agents take on an investigation that gives them a startling new understanding of 'the truth' about extraterrestrial life while replacement 'X-Files' Agents Jeffery Spender (Chris Owens) and Diana Fowley (Mimi Rogers) set out to discredit Mulder and Scully's long-believed theories. Using their instincts and some helpful hints from Assistant Director Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi), Mulder and Scully track down a deadly alien being hiding in a local nuclear power plant. They also make an extraordinary discovery about human and alien DNA, which could change man's outlook on life completely
The X-Files Official UK site
Australian Media Review:
They're baaaaack.

"Using a process that restores the moisture of the documents and by reassembling the fragments, I should be able to rstore large amounts of the case load that was destroyed in my office fire. Agent Scully and I should be able to begin working again on the X-Files." Phew! For a while there, after Mulder's office caught fire and all the X-Files were burned, we thought that was the end of it all. And then when Scully was stung by the bee and Mulder nearly but didn't quite kiss her and she got infected by that alein virus and was spirited away and covered in all that jelly in a spaceship buried under tonnes of snow ... ah, but I digress. That was the movie and this is the first ep of the TV series which follows directly on from where the blockbuster left off. And what a thigh-slapper this episode is, although typically you'll have to say "what's going on?" at least twice during it because that's what the X-Files is all about. I'm also beginning to think that creator Chris Carter may be stretching Scully's credibility a wee bit by having her still question the existence of aliens despite her spell inside the alien jelly blob. "What does it take?" despairs Mulder. "For this thing to come up and bite you on the arse." I think so.
Kate de Brito, The Daily Telegraph

My Rating: 10/10

After reading so many negative reviews from the USA, I was shocked just how good this episode was. It neatly ties together the previous episode "The End" and the movie and advances the plot even further. Personally, it gets 5 stars out of 5 ... the opening is great (the shot of the sun to let everyone know it's now being filmed in sunny LA and the ROUSH van) then there's the Spender/Fowley interplay, the trust factor (Does Mulder trust Skinner? Even though Skinner voted against him, he gave Mulder the all-important file. Does Mulder trust Fowley? Even though Fowley led him to the alien she turned him in and took The X-Files. Does Mulder trust Scully? Even though Scully didn't support him with scientific evidence at the enquiry she gave him the DNA evidence), the Gibson factor (he's very funny), the Cigarette Smoking Man/Spender "loving" father and son relationship, the Mulder and Scully hand hold for all the shippers, the humour ("What's it gonna take Scully?" and Homer in the Nuclear Plant for all The Simpsons fans - there was also an AD Bart!), Spender racing up like a schoolboy to stop M&S entering the crime scene, the alien evolving into a "little green man".

Gee, what else do you want? I really think some fans just want too much. Yes, definitely top marks from me!!

Notable Quotable:
(The review hearing) Assistant Director #2: "These spacelings, Agent Mulder... They weren't something I saw in Men in Black?"
Mulder: (pause) I didn't see Men in Black.
Assistant Director #2: Well, it's a damn good movie.
This is quite funny, considering the X-Files versus Men In Black fight on Celebrity Death Match


(After the review hearing) Mulder: "Next time, I'll wear a clown suit and do balloon tricks."
Scully: "Mulder, I was hoping it wouldn't come up."
Mulder: "The only reason I was in there was because you assured me there was a scientific basis for what we saw."
Scully: "Mulder, let me remind you once again... What I saw was very little.
Mulder: "Look, Scully, that excuse is not going to work this time. You were there and you were infected with that virus.


(Mulder back in his old office) Spender: "Is that something for me? Agent Mulder?"
Mulder: (setting the file down) "Yeah, if you're doing my filing."


(Sandy's house in Phoenix) Mulder: "Aw. Somebody broke a nail."
Scully: "Is it animal?"
Mulder: "It ain't RuPaul."


Mulder: (to Scully, leaving Sandy's house) "What's it gonna take? For this thing to come up and bite you on the arse?"


Scully: (on phone) "Mulder, I found something. I found something you're not going to believe."
Mulder: (on phone) "Ditto."


Scully: "I don't doubt what you saw, Mulder. I don't doubt you. I'm willing to believe, but not in a lie and not in the opposite of what I can prove. It comes down to a matter of trust. (he looks up at her) I guess it always has."
Mulder: "You asking me to make a choice?"
Scully: "I'm asking you to trust my judgment. To trust me."

Where Have I Seen That Face Before?

Wendie Malick (AD Maslin) appears as Nina in "Just Shoot Me". Her movie roles include "The American President" and "Scrooged". On TV she appeared in "Baywatch" for 3 years; had a regular role on the under-rated "Dream On" and "Seinfeld" fans will recognise her from the "Kiss Hello" episode.

James Pickens Jr (AD Kersh) has appeared in movies such as "Bulworth", "Sphere", "How Stella Got Her Groove Back", "Ghosts Of Mississippi", "Sleepers" and "Nixon". On TV he's been in "Brooklyn South" as well as a recurring role on "The Practice".

The Pain Factor

Surprisingly, Scully and Mulder meet with no physical pain in this episode.

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