Pilot:The X-Files

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PLOT: Special Agent Dana Scully, a trained pathologist, is assigned to the "X-Files," a section of the FBI where cases are deemed unsolvable. There, she meets Special Agent Fox Mulder, an Oxford-educated psychologist and a top profiler in the Violent Crimes Unit, who has claimed the X-Files as his own and in turn, receives an unfavorable reputation within the Bureau for being a brilliant but unorthodox maverick agent.

After reading various articles and books surrounding the beginnings of our favorite show, it is nothing short of a miracle that "The X-Files" was ever produced. Just think about it, a show about two government agents investigating UFO's and other paranormal phenomena on a weekly basis does not exactly fit the "hit show" status that many networks look for in a weekly series. Heck, it sounds even comical.

Then, there's the behind-the-scenes politics concerning the casting of Gillian Anderson as the enigmatic Dr. Dana Scully. For some reason, the powers-that-be (TPTB) at Fox thought a gorgeous leggy sidekick ala "Melrose Place," Fox's biggest show at the time, would make the show even more enticing to viewers. There would be easy promotions and who knows, even a Playboy centerfold layout. Fox never thought "The X-Files" would be the darling of media, critics and fans alike as it is today. They just wanted the best ratings possible. It's no small miracle that we have to thank Chris Carter for sticking with Anderson and surviving the initial rocky start.

The pilot is what sets the tone for the series. It starts with Dana Scully being assigned to work with Fox Mulder and the X-Files. Up to this point, Mulder was an excellent profiler/investigator with the Violent Crimes Unit and had a reputation for excellent psychological profiles as well as being nicknamed "Spooky" because of his unorthodox methods for solving cases. Scully is supposed to debunk his outlandish theories and give them a more scientific basis. She is also to supply weekly reports of Mulder's activities to Section Chief Blevins.

Their first case sends them out to the Pacific Northwest to find out why high school classmates are being found dead in an Oregon forest. Each body displays puncture-like marks and nasal implants consistent with victims of alien abduction. Mulder's wry wit is much in evidence from the start as he cracks one joke after another. It's obvious that he doesn't fully trust Scully, but there's an instant respect because of her medical skills and innate ability to keep a level head in most crisis situations. She also admiringly stands up to Mulder's harsh criticisms.

After traipsing around the forest area where the other bodies were found, Scully suddenly finds suspicious-looking marks on her back as she is ready to take a bath. Even though her scientific mind has not figured out exactly what they have found among the evidence, Scully uncharacteristically panics. She instantly goes to Mulder's room to seek his help.

Thus, the infamous "bedroom scene" takes place. It is unusually intimate for Mulder and Scully. She is stripped down to her underwear, and does not hesitate or become embarrassed for an instant as Mulder is viewing the marks at a very close angle. Notice how he appears to take his time (smile). To Scully's relief, they turn out to be mosquito bites. In turn, Mulder suddenly pours out his whole life to Scully in that darkened motel room. He tells her about his sister, Samantha, and her abduction in 1973. He confides his reasons why he wanted to be assigned to the X-Files and begins to trust Scully like no other person before her.

This scene will set the tone for their relationship during the rest of the series. From these humble beginnings, we find out why Mulder is so passionate about the X-Files and why he thinks UFO's have something to do with Samantha's abduction. Not only do we see the two begin to trust each other and start to work as a team, but we also see the beginnings of the Mulder/Scully dynamic. Mulder shows Scully that he does have strange theories but still has brilliant investigative talents, and Scully shows Mulder that she is not a "spy" for the FBI but a competent professional who is not afraid of arguing her point to Mulder. There is also an obvious underlying sexual tension between them that makes their movements and actions mean more than what is actually there or ever spoken.

As for their current case, the town, including the pathologist and the sheriff, is not very accommodating to our duo. They eventually find out that the high school classmates are being abducted but are lacking of physical evidence except for one metal nasal implant from one of the deceased teens. Both of them even undergo a paranormal experience: they lose nine minutes. Scully cannot account for the time loss but does not believe something beyond her scientific knowledge is at work. Thus, Scully's devout skepticism is very pronounced in the pilot but will soften to more of an "open-minded" skepticism as the series moves along.

In the end, their work is considered a waste of time. All their files and reports have mysteriously disappeared. Noone in the Bureau or the local sheriff's office even has a copy. It doesn't look good. Yet Scully had the presence of mind to keep the metal implant in her pocket during their ordeal. It is the only piece of evidence they have from the case. She even had it tested and found out that it doesn't correspond with any known earthly alloy or metal. The implant is physical evidence that allows a reprieve from Section Chief Blevins from just closing the X-Files.

We also meet the dark villain of the series, the Cigarette Smoking Man, who does not utter a word throughout. It would take most of the first season before he says anything, but that comes later. We know that he knows more than he's telling, but our curiosity will have to wait.

Thus, the pilot has started the ball rolling. The episode marked the beginning of Mulder and Scully as present-day cultural icons. It is their adventures which help us try to figure out the secrets that we've all wondered about, both within the government and beyond earth's borders. Though the pilot featured an extra-terrestrial plot, it did not come close to hinting the potential of what the show can provide week after week. Carter just showed us a glimpse, but that was enough for fans (like me) to be instantly hooked.

We have to be glad that Fox took a chance on a rather unorthodox show for prime-time. Considering that very few pilots see life past that stage, it is no small wonder that Fox never gave up on this series even after their own mixed reviews from seeing this pilot episode. It is lucky for us fans, or we would never know that "the truth is out there."

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