"The X Files" Improbable (2002)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Chris Carter

Writers:

Chris Carter (creator)
Chris Carter (written by)

TV Series:

"The X Files" (1993)

Original Air Date:

7 April 2002 (Season 9, Episode 13)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Plot:

Reyes, Doggett, and Scully are pulled into a bizarre serial murder case involving the number '3', numerology on a whole, and an eccentric man who likes to play checkers. |

Plot Keywords:

Title Spoken By Character | FBI | FBI Agent | Alien | X Files

Cast

Gillian Anderson	...	Dana Scully
Robert Patrick	...	John Doggett
Annabeth Gish	...	Monica Reyes
Mitch Pileggi	...	Walter Skinner
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Shannon Maureen Brown	...	Pretty Blonde
Amy D'Allessandro	...	Amy Sheridan Aufsbergher
Nick DeMarinis	...	Pizza Guy
Ernesto Gasco	...	Heavy Italian Man
Ellen Greene	...	Vicki Louise Burdick
John Kapelos	...	Special Agent Fordyce
Kelly Knox	...	Dancer
Ray McKinnon	...	Mad Wayne
Benito Prezia	...	Old Italian Man
Burt Reynolds	...	Mr. Burt
Travis Riker	...	Baby William
Larry Udy	...	Middle-Aged Man
Angelo Vacco	...	Guido / Bartender
Beth Watson	...	Woman

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:13

Company:

20th Century Fox Television

Quotes:

Mr. Burt: What's this about numbers?
Dana Scully: Will you just...!
Mr. Burt: I'm very good with numbers.
Monica Reyes: The killer is driven by an impuls we believe is numerological.
Mr. Burt: Of course, he's a serial killer.

Soundtrack:

I Love You for Sentimental Reasons

Wots, uh, the deal

I didn't like this one. It's based on a very interesting idea, that the enormity and complexity of the universe can be reduced to a single, simple equation. Nowadays they'd build a whole series around that concept. Unfortunately that idea got lost in an impenetrable storyline that left me decidedly flummoxed by end credits. Let me admit right here that a big part of my attraction to the X-Files is its plot contrivances and normally vague resolutions. I think anyone who really likes the show must feel the same way, especially if you stayed tuned in through the last couple seasons. But this episode takes the usual confusion associated with the program to another level. I would wager anything that none of the actors, Gillian Anderson, Annabeth Gish, nor Robert Patrick (and certainly not Burt Reynolds), could make heads or tails of this mess if you asked them about it, even as they were shooting it. In fact, I would challenge even the writers of the show to articulate exactly what's going on here. You see, I cannot give any concise summary of the episode because its impossible. Of course I did rather enjoy the playful tone of the episode. However it would take a lot more charm than Mr. Evening Shade could ever offer to distract from the inanity of the plot. Actually I don't know if I should even call it a plot. And I doubt anyone disagrees because to this point no one else has posted anything about 'Improbable'. For fans willing to sit through the episode it's hard to acknowledge how bad it is.