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Aubrey (The X-Files)

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"Aubrey (The X-Files)"

"Aubrey" is a 1995 episode of The X-Files television series. It was the twelfth episode broadcast in the show's second season. Aubrey features a detective discovering the body of an FBI agent who disappeared investigating a series of murders 50 years ago; murders that start occurring again soon afterwards.

Plot

In Aubrey, Missouri Detective BJ Morrow tells Lt. Brian Tillman (Terry O'Quinn), whom she's having an affair with, that she's pregnant. He requests she meet him at a motel later that night. While waiting for him she has a vision that leads her to a field where she digs up the remains of an FBI agent. Agent Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) head to Aubrey to investigate. The body was that of agent Sam Cheney, who was investigating three murders in Aubrey in 1942 with partner Sam Ledbetter, both of whom disappeared. The agents find discrepancies in BJ's story but Tillman defends her. Mulder tells Scully of the case the agents were investigating, which involved three women raped and murdered with the word 'SISTER' slashed on their chest. Discovering similar cuts on Cheney's chest the autopsy reveals it to spell 'BROTHER'. BJ admits her affair and pregnancy to Scully.

Tillman reveals that a new murder has occurred where a woman had the word 'SISTER' slashed on her chest. BJ claims to have seen the victim in her dreams. She tells the agents of her vision, involving a man with a rash on his face and a monument that Mulder recognizes as the Trylon and Perisphere from the 1939 Worlds Fair. Searching mug shot photos, BJ recognizes the man from her dream as Harry Cokely, who was arrested for raping a woman named Linda Thibedeaux and slashing 'SISTER' on her chest. Scully believes that BJ recognized the case since her father was a cop and may have discussed it. The agents visit Cokely, now released and requiring an oxygen machine. Cokely insists he was at his home when the murder occurred.

BJ awakens from a nightmare covered in blood, the word 'SISTER' slashed into her chest. She sees a young Cokely in the mirror. She heads to a basement and tears away the floorboards, revealing a body within that is revealed to be Ledbetter's. Cokely is arrested, who denies attacking her. Scully tells Mulder that blood on the latest victim belonged to Cokely. The agents visit Thibedeaux who describes the rape in the 1940s and shows the agents a photo of her at the 1939 Worlds Fair. She reveals that the rape resulted in a child, which she put up for adoption. The FBI tracks down the child, which was BJ's father.

Mulder believes that BJ is the killer. At that moment BJ attacks Thibedeaux, but stops when she sees 'SISTER' on her chest. After seeing Thibedeaux the agents head to Cokely's house, believing he'll be her next victim. BJ cuts Cokely's respirator and attacks him with a razor. When the agents arrive BJ attacks Mulder but when Cokely dies she stops. BJ is placed in Shamrock Women's Prison Psychiatric Ward where she is put on suicide watch after attempting to abort her baby.[1][2]

Production

Writer Sara Charno began with the concept of 50 year old murders and the transfer of genetic memory.[3] This was combined with a separate concept about a female serial killer.[3] Glen Morgan and James Wong provided additional contributions to the script.[3] The script was revised shortly before shooting, such as the scene where BJ attacks Mulder.[3]

Morgan and Wong suggested casting Woodward as Harry Cokely, who had previously performed work for them on their series 21 Jump Street.[3] Actor Terry O'Quinn later appeared as a different characters in The X-Files movie (1998) and the ninth season episode "Trust No 1". He later had a recurring role as Peter Watts on the spin off series Millenium.

Chris Carter said of the episode "I think it came out great, and the casting was terrific. Deborah Strang, who played B.J. was top notch, and we put her in for an Emmy nomination. Morgan Woodward was excellent as well. Rob Bowman came through for us and gave us an excellent job."[4] Director Rob Bowman was proud of the sequence where BJ wakes up with blood on her chest and had high praise for Deborah Strang's performance.[4]

Reception

This episode earned a Nielsen household rating of 10.2, with a 16 share.[5] It was viewed by 9.7 million households.[5]

Footnotes

  1. ^ Lowry,Brian (1995). The Truth is Out There: The Official Guide to the X-Files. Harper Prism. pp. 188–189.
  2. ^ Lovece, Frank (1996). The x-Files Declassified. Citadel press. pp. 138–140.
  3. ^ a b c d e Lowry,Brian (1995). The Truth is Out There: The Official Guide to the X-Files. Harper Prism. p. 189.
  4. ^ a b Edwards, Ted (1996). X-Files Confidential. Little, Brown and Company. pp. 109–110.
  5. ^ a b Lowry,Brian (1995). The Truth is Out There: The Official Guide to the X-Files. Harper Prism. p. 249.
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