The File Room

6.21 - Field Trip

Mulder and Scully get trapped in hallucinations caused by psychedelic spores, while Michaela and Ed complain about it being a bit wet and windy. Who has worse problems? It's impossible to say.

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6.20 - Three of a Kind

We discuss part 2 of the Byers-Modeski tragedy while Michaela watches the sun set and Ed shares his hell-raising day out.

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6.19 - The Unnatural

Just in time for the World Series, Michaela and Ed discuss an episode which posits that loving baseball is the one thing that makes someone truly human, even if they're an alien.

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6.18 - Milagro

Michaela and Ed have one of their biggest disagreements in a while.

6.17 - Trevor

As the relative doldrums of Season Six continue, Michaela and Ed are once again faced with an episode that mostly seems to be derided, but maybe is a bit better than its reputation? Like, just a smidge? They also talk about vans and Oasis, which is about as middle-aged and British and you can get.

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6.16 - Alpha

Mulder manages to get a new 'I Want To Believe' Poster.

6.15 - Arcadia

Mulder and Scully get to live an idyllic* life as a married* couple in this fan-favourite episode, but could the squeaky clean facade of suburbia hide darker forces? Surely not! Michaela and Ed dig into a broadly satirical episode, while also talking about meatballs with arms, and utterly failing to mention the extremely obvious allusion to The Dick Van Dyke Show that is central to "Arcadia."

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6.14 - Monday

Ed and Michaela go around in circles in this one, plus chat about the clepto sea and meta movies. Did we manage to record a perfect podcast episode? You'll have to listen to the very end to find out. Don't skip. We'll know.

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6.13 - Agua Mala

The X-Files goes back to Florida as Mulder and Scully battle a...jelly fish? Agua Mala has a reputation for being one of the worst episodes of the entire show, so Michaela and Ed have to ask, is it really that bad? Is it completely without redeeming features? Did they use enough water? All will be answered in this podcast!

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6.12 - One Son

Michaela and Ed share stories of controlled explosions, and this episode, which closes the original Mythology Arc. Neatly?

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6.11 - Two Fathers

The X-Files finally starts wrapping things up with The Syndicate by having a lot of people talk about how they are wrapping things up with The Syndicate. Michaela and Ed struggle through a very exposition-heavy episode, but also chat about birthdays, camping and Joan of Arc.

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6.10 - Tithonus

Pizza Birthdays, not aging, and knowing when you’ll die... This week we discuss Scully’s immortality, note actors who hated each other, and manage to link the Final Destination franchise to X-Files origins.

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6.9 - S.R. 819

All hot streaks end eventually, and after a season of nothing but great, really good and pretty good episodes, Season 6 hits a hard stop with this one, which squanders a good premise and typically strong technical work with murky plotting and sedate performances. Michaela and Ed dig into it, while also finding time to talk about the World Cup and The Odyssey, which were both extremely fresh topics when they recorded this a month ago.

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6.8 - Rain King

Every Brit's favourite topic: The Weather. PLUS we meditate on taste, high school drama for the middle-aged, and more weather.

6.7 - Terms of Endearment

It's a real testament to The X-Files writers' command of tone at this point in the show's run that they manage to craft a very entertaining and at times moving episode out of a story which involves a frankly excessive amount of child death. Michaela and Ed talk about that, as well as guest star Bruce Campbell's excellent work as the episode's monster, the best things about America, and some '90s bands with Scottish singers.

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6.6 - How the Ghosts Stole Christmas

Michaela explains how heat delays trains, Ed explains the disgrace of Gijón, and then we discuss the small but perfectly formed cast in this episode, that mashes up Christmas and Halloween for a bit of apparition fun.

6.5 - Dreamland II

Mulder is still trapped in another man's body and The X-Files continues to find fun ways to mess with him. Michaela and Ed round out this very entertaining two-parter, and also find time to talk about their recent trip to London, DIY and waterbeds.

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6.4 - Dreamland I

Michaela's living her best middle aged life, Ed shares his bag-flotsam triggered Proustian rush, and then we have some thoughts about this surprisingly divisive episode.

6.3 - Triangle

Mulder gets sent back in time to 1939 (or does he?!?) in a technically remarkable episode, which utilizes both long takes and split-screen to dazzling effect. Michaela and Ed delve into the many impressive visual elements of this episode, as well talk about how good the current series of Taskmaster has been.

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6.2 - Drive

Ed drives almost as much as Mulder in one of the most consequential episode of TV of all time... while Michaela floats with some Jelly fish, and fan-girls.