* The End (introduces Gibson Praise, Diana Fowley, X-Files closed) * The Pine Bluff Variant (government developing pathogen, testing it) * Patient X / The Red And The Black (introduces Jeffrey and Cassandra Spender) * Christmas Carol / Emily (follow-on effects of Scully's abduction and cancer) * Unusual Suspects (background on Lone Gunmen) * Redux I & II (resolves Scully's cancer storyline) * Gethsemane (Mulder questions his faith) * Demons (Mulder's true memories of Samantha's abduction) * Zero-Sum (introduces bees, elaborates Skinner's deal with CSM) * Leonard Betts / Memento Mori (Scully's cancer) * Tunguska / Terma (return of Krycek, black oil) * Musings Of A Cigarette-Smoking Man (background on CSM, Deep Throat) * Herrenvolk (introduces Marita Covarrubias)
* Talitha Cumi (introduces Jeremiah Smith, return of Alien Bounty Hunter) * Piper Maru / Apocrypha (introduces black oil, resolution of Scully's sister storyline) * Nisei / 731 (experiments in train cars, Scully discovers other abductees with cancer) * The Blessing Way / Paper Clip (introduces chip in Scully neck, death of Scully's sister) * Anasazi (big mythology storyline, relationship between Bill Mulder and CSM)
Emasculata (important scenes between Mulder, CSM and Skinner) * Colony / End Game (introduces Mulder's family, the Alien Bounty Hunter) * Irresistible (Scully emotional trauma post-abduction) * Duane Barry / Ascension (Scully's abduction, X-Files re-opened) * The Host (example of non-X-Files case, introduces Mr. * Little Green Men (Mulder and Scully continue working together)
* Beyond The Sea (introduces Scully's family, first time Scully believes) * Ice (first time Mulder and Scully have to really trust each other) * Conduit (elaborates on Samantha's abduction) * Squeeze (first non-UFO/alien case, Scully chooses to stay with Mulder) * The X-Files Pilot (introduces Mulder, Scully, CSM and the X-Files) The idea is you could watch this list, it would make sense (as much as possible) and you wouldn't feel like there were missing or superflous pieces. I'm trying to capture the episodes that add something essential to the ongoing plot, and discard anything else, no matter how 'good' the episode may be. I know this has been done before - but I've never been satisfied with any of those lists. Likewise, there's very few 'monster of the week' episodes - only those that add something else to the ongoing story - the rest too are better off experienced on their own. Keep in mind, it doesn't include any 'comedy' episodes, because I feel that they are too different in tone and better watched on their own. This is what I've come up with, and I'd be keen to get some feedback. Hi - I've been playing around for a while trying to create a definitive list of mythology episodes - not only the averarching conspiracy plotline but also the ongoing narrative and character development.