Existence (The X-Files)
| "Existence (The X-Files)" | |
|---|---|
| Running time | 43 min. |
| Guest appearances | |
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"Existence (Part 2)" is the 181st episode and the eight season finale of the science fiction television series The X-Files. The episode first aired in the United States on May 20, 2001 on FOX, and subsequently aired in the United Kingdom. It was written by executive producer Chris Carter, and directed by Kim Manners. The episode continues from the previous episode, "Essence", where they learn about these new Aliens called the Super Soldiers programmed to destroy any traces of Alien involvement on Earth.
"Existence" was a story milestone for the series. It introduced the story arc which would continue throughout ninth season. The story starts with Billy Miles arriving at the FBI Headquarters, Fox Mulder, John Doggett, Walter Skinner and Alex Krycek helps Dana Scully to escape with Special Agent Monica Reyes who drives her to a remote farm. Shortly after Skinner kills Krycek, Scully delivers an apparently normal baby while the alien Super Soldiers surround her. Without explanation, the aliens leave the area as Mulder arrives. While Doggett and Reyes report to the FBI Headquarters, Mulder takes Scully and her newborn baby back to her apartment.
Plot overview
The episode begins with a metal box being brought in and the coroner examining it. He then notices a small piece of metal, and pulles a piece of metal from the remains of Billy Miles. After the men have left the room, the piece of metal begins to spin, each time, growing into what looks like the beginnings of a spine. Meanwhile, Dana Scully and Monica Reyes pull into the place where Special agent John Doggett in Georgia.
Alex Krycek has been seated in a chair, in Assistant Dircetor Walter Skinner's office, where he is shown a videograph from the mourge, with Skinner telling him that, like shown in the picture, Billy Miles is somehow alive, and is still out to get Scully and her unborn child. Suddenly Agent Gene Crane comes up to Doggett, telling him that there is a person - Knowle Rohrer - who wants see him, with issues concerning Billy Miles, and Scully. This leaves Fox Mulder and Skinner to interrogate Krycek. Rohrer tells Doggett that Billy Miles is part of some kind Military Project.
Krycek gets up from his chair in Skinner's office and starts running through the doorway. Skinner chases after him, then turns around and sees Billy Miles behind him. Skinner just manages to escape with Krycek, but Billy Miles' hand breaks through the elevator, but then slips out. Agent Doggett and Mulder are in the hospital where Skinner is. Mulder distrusts what Dogget has been told by Knowle Roher, and the to of them set off to find out how trust worthy Knowle really is. Reyes has put together a organized and marvelous place for the birth, but as she and Scully stand there, Reyes sees someone running off and follows whoever it is. There, a car pulls up, and she meets a trooper, who agrees to help with the birth. Mulder and Doggett pull into the garage, and find Krycek and a passenger, who just happens to be Rhorer, pulling in. Mulder reasons that Knowle and Krycek are in it together. Doggett pursues Knowle, where he learns Rhorer has an accompliace: Agent Crane.
Mulder's own problems arouse, when his phone rings and Krycek dissapears from his car. Mulder, having just been told Crane is in on it, reasons that Crane gave Krycek access to the FBI. Suddenly, a hand smashes through the car window and tosses his cell phone on the ground, then Krycek pulls a gun at Mulder, and tells him to get out. Krycek is just about to pull the trigger, when a bullet hits him in the arm, and Skinner calmly walks in. Krycek tries to pick up his gun, but Skinner shoots his hand. Krycek pushes his gun over, then tells Skinner to shoot Mulder. Instead, Skinner raises his gun and shoots Krycek in the head.
Production
The first scene with the vertebrae was all CGI, the only way for the CGI effects to work was to placed excatley were it was supposed to be. The car scene with Gillian Anderson and Annabeth Gish was shoot at Keynan Road, Malibu. Gish and Gilian sat in what is known as a insert car, the crew sat in a pickup car infront of them. The birth scene was filmed at the old Paramount Movie Ranch. According to Kim Manners himself, the hardest scene was the elevator scene with Mitch Pileggi and Nicholas Lea.[1]
Gish had never worked much with guns before joining the The X-Files cast, so the producers got a retired LAPD officer to teach her more about firearms. So she did some shooting practices before returning to set. The FBI garage scenes was shoot in Century city and took a total of four days to be finished. "Existence" was written during filming, which led to Manners helping with the script, as with the whole action scene at the FBI headquarter was Manners idea. Alex Krycek was killed by a CGI bullet straight through his face, which again was Manners idea. When John Doggett was running from Knowle Rohrer and Gene Crane, they did a mistake when he was running through the staircase.[1]
The last scene is the birth of the new X-Files without David Duchovny (portrayed Fox Mulder) and the introduction of Monica Reyes as a main character as she is Scully's replacement at the X-files office. At the end, several allusions to the story of the birth of Jesus are in this episode including, Mulder following a star to find Scully, and The Lone Gunmen bringing gifts for the baby at the end (as the Three Wise Men). Scully's child was portrayed by executive producer son Jerry Shiban, who is the son of John Shiban, a producer who worked on the The X-Files as well as The Lone Gunmen. He was the first of seven babies who represented the character and the only one who featured solely as Baby William in a single episode. This would also become the last scene with Gillian and Duchovny alone.[1]
Reception
The episode earned a Nielsen household rating of 8.4, with a 13 share. It was viewed by 8.332 million households and gathered a total of 13.573 million viewers in the United States alone.[2] In the United Kingdom, "Existence" received 65 thousand viewers, placing The X-Files number three in the top ten broadcasts for Sky1 that week behind Star Trek Voyager and The Simpsons.[3]
References
- ^ a b c Manners, Kim. Audio commentary for "Existence" (DVD). FOX Home Entertainment.
{{cite AV media}}: Unknown parameter|year2=ignored (help) - ^ "The X-Files Compilation: Nielsen Ratings". Compilation. Retrieved July 5, 2009.
- ^ "BARB's multichannel top 10 programmes (Go on w/e June 25-July 1, 2001, and scroll down to Sky 1)". barb.co.uk. Retrieved August 2, 2009.
External links
