The X-Files, as I'm sure you all know, will be back for an eighth season, with Fox Mulder in only of the 11 episodes. I expected this, but they should have quit while they were ahead. The current season had some very good shows. In fact, the only really bad shows were the ones David Duchovny wrote. But as an actor, Duchovny was sleepwalking through his role as Fox Mulder.

There were only three mythos stories this season: the two-part season opener, which began with some promising new developments that were never followed up on, and which ended with a dream revealing that the Cigarette Smoking Man was Fox Mulder's real father... a revelation without the expected resonance. Then, mid-season, was a sentimental two part episode, "Sein Und Zeit" and "Closure", in which we discovered that Samantha Mulder was not kidnaped by aliens after all. Angels saved her, and the aliens only got a bunch of Samantha clones. And finally, the last episode, which had to hedge its bets, since the negotiations with prima donna Duchovny were not yet final. "Requiem" had to serve as an acceptable last episode, but as an equally plausible lead-in to new developments.

J. Michael Straczynski was placed in a similar situation when he didn't know if Babylon 5 would be renewed for a fifth season or not. The business of television is always at odds with artistic vision and viewer enjoyment.

But there were some wonderfully clever and imaginative episodes, especially "Hungry" and "Signs and Wonders", both of which had really tough endings, and "Fight Club", which was falling down funny.

The Sixth Extinction (***), by Chris Carter
Scully investigates a flying saucer. Religions are alien propaganda.

The Sixth Extinction: Amor Fait (*), by Chris Carter and David Duchovny
Mulder has a dream of alien domination.

Hungry (****), by Vince Gilligan
A cannibal remains true to his nature.

Millennium (****), by Vince Gilligan and Frank Spotnitz
The conclusion of the tv series of the same name. Scully and Mulder kiss.

Rush (**), by David Amann
The X-Files meet The Flash.

The Goldberg Variation (**), by Jeffrey Bell
Henry Weems is a lucky man.

Orison (**), by Chip Johannessen
Donnie Pfaster (from Season Two) finds God.

The Amazing Maleeni (**), by Vince Gilligan, John Shiban, and Frank Spotnitz
Magicians.

Signs and Wonders (****) by Jeffrey Bell
Snake Handlers.

Sein Und Zeit and Closure (***) (two parts) by Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz
The truth about Samantha Mulder.

X-Cops (****) by Vince Gilligan
The X-Files meet Cops

First Person Shooter (**) by William Gibson and Tom Maddox
The X-Files meet cyberpunk.

Theef (**), by Vince Gilligan, John Shiban, and Frank Spotnitz
A Good Ol' Boy takes his revenge.

En Ami (**), by William B. Davis
Cigarette Smoking Man and Scully. Could have been classic with a tougher ending.

Chimera (**), by David Amann
Horror in the suburbs.

all things (**), by Gillian Anderson
Serendipity is all.

Brand X (****), by Steven Maeda and Greg Walker
The platonic anti-smoking commercial.

Hollywood A.D. (*), by David Duchovny
Gary Shandling plays Fox Mulder in the movie.

Fight Club (****), by Chris Carter
Twin sisters from Hell.

Je Souhaite (***), by Vince Gilligan
Three wishes.

Requiem (***), by Chris Carter
Return to episode one.

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