The X-Files (TV Series) Invocation (2000) User Reviews

Pretty darn good

[Kendich89 · 9/10 · 9 November 2017]

I finally got to finishing watching the 8th season through after so many years of stopping right in the first quarter of it.

This probably was due to the absence of Agent Mulder (Duchovny). I don't know why, but the series kind of lost its magnetism for me at that point.

Hopefully, after such a long time, I'm finally able to double-back and give it the chance it deserved.

My first impression is how good Robert Patrick's acting is. Judging by this criterion alone, I'd say, as blasphemous as it may sound to the die-hard Duchovny's fans, that Patrick's acting is better than Duchovny's. Why would I say that? Well you'd have to be honest and completely impartial to see that obvious detail. First of all, Duchovny's disinterest in the show really started to transpire toward the end of the 5th season, and that obviously showed through. I've always wanted to believe that Duchovny in real life was just as, or at least partially, interested in the show's matter as he was as Agent Mulder on screen. You, that gives the extra credibility and substance to any art form. Of course this is not obligatory, or maybe even necessary, because, after all, this is just acting. But it never hurts to be, either.

Of course Davy became frustrated at the fact that most Hollywood celebs were starring in huge blockbusters and harvesting all kinds of awards, and that seemed to have gotten to him. He was 'stuck' with this show, which apparently 'stifled' his career.

But who can blame the guy? He wanted to be more artistic and flexible as an actor and a write, so he pursued that goal of his, which it didn't pan out all that well...

Patrick on the other hand seemed much more involved in the series than Duchovny.

He was intense, focused, and just as head-on as Duchovny was in the beginning, in addition to slightly superior acting skills.

In this episode a 7 years old boy named Billy disappears one day while swaying on an elementary school swing, shouting to his mom over the hustle of the kids and adults conversing in the playground, trying to get her attention for a second for her to see how fast he was going to and fro on that swing. She, of course, pays little attention to her son, being involved in a conversation with another woman. When she turns her attention toward her son the next moment, she sees the swing empty and goes to look for him. Alas, he's gone and will be so... for 10 years.

At first this episode started off as another alien abduction story, at least that was the given impression. As the story moved on, it became sort of confusing as to where it was heading, leaving the viewer to speculation. That would go on right until the end.

To some degree I was disappointed with the outcome, but then again I was glad it turned out the way it did.

This is another open to interpretation episode, so if you're one of those who's always on the prowl for an explanation, you will be let down a tad.

Fear not, though, for wherein it falls short, it does pay off a two- fold. For example, certain lack of explanation was in one way or another conveniently avoided to make it more realistic, and surprisingly, it did.

We do get plentiful of disclosure just to make do with the bigger picture, and not dwell on the unexplained.

You're a trip, man. You know that?

[Muldernscully · 8/10 · 30 August 2007]

Invocation, though not a memorable title, is a very good episode. The story revolves around a boy who was been missing for ten years and he returns exactly the same age as he was when he went missing. It's kind of like an X-Files twist to "Flight of the Navigator".

In the x-files, if there is something wrong with a child, it's pretty much guaranteed he/she will not smile nor display any emotion. He/she will just give you creepy looks. What's up with that? Talk about stereotypes. Identical twin boys were used to play the seven year old Billy Underwood. They kind of look like a very young Joaquin Phoenix.

I like how the entire school staff is just standing around when Billy suddenly appears. That would be one creepy event. Though I think the y overdid it by having all the parents Mrs. Underwood passes look at her strange.

Doggett is very Mulderesque in this episode. He finds a lead that nobody else sees and relentlessly pursues it. He still doesn't believe in the paranormal mumbo-jumbo, but he is still Mulder-like. Billy is a very interesting ghost that can have blood drawn from him. But hey, he senses that his brother will shortly be kidnapped, so he comes along to expose the murderer.

It's difficult to conceive that the mom would be so delusional and so accepting of Billy's condition, acting as if everything is fine now. But, I guess that's why I'm not a mother. I'd be like the father saying that's not the son I know. And I guess the only way to show that the dog senses something is not right is for him to try to attack the boy. Do dogs dislike ghosts that much? It seems a little extreme to have the dog be so vicious towards a little boy.

I know that having Cal Jeppy grab Josh through the horse trailer was done for dramatic effect, but realistically it was very stupid and not very likely. The boy can scream at the top of his lungs and Cal would have to let go, run out of the trailer and catch the boy again.

Scully's speech to Doggett at the end about not being able to prove everything scientifically, draws another parallel to Mulder that I like. Scully is slowly trying to assume the mantle of Mulder and simultaneously she must explain to Doggett what things are like from the traditional "Scully" viewpoint. Also, I like how a subtle clue of Doggett's past about his son are shown, setting up his character and later episodes, giving us a little at a time.

In these first three Monster of the Week episodes of season eight, the writers are trying to wean us off of Mulder, by giving us mentions of him here and there and making comparisons. The great stories shows that the X-Files can still be a quality show without Mulder.

A Warning Just In Time

[andyetris · 9/10 · 1 November 2006]

A child disappears at a fairground and mysteriously reappears ten years later, not having aged at all. Although he isn't talking he IS moving around a lot, and while agent Doggett (Robert Patrick), whose own son was abducted, is obsessed with the case, agent Scully suspects that the boy isn't what he appears to be.

I thought this was a great episode with a solid plot and well-handled red herrings. The child actors were excellent, particularly Colton James as Josh Underwood, although Ryan Pepi as his brother was also very impressive. Rodney Eastman turned in a fine performance as Pennell while Jim Cody Williams did his usual reliable job as the abusive monster of this week's episode.

As a stand-alone story this was fine, and a hopeful sign of quality in the reinvention of the X-Files for the (kind of) post-Mulder season 8. My one complaint is that as was consistently the case since season 4 the story required an utter impossibility in front of too many witnesses. The same concept was handled far better (IMHO) in the season 5 episode "Christmas Carol."

All the pretty little horses...

[Sanpaco13 · 8/10 · 25 August 2007]

I love the music in this episode. Very creepy almost carnival or music box-esquire. As we find out this is the tune for the song sung to the kidnapped children by Ronnie. In the teaser a boy named Billy is kidnapped. Almost immediately he returns years later but he is physically the same age. My first thought is back to "Flight of the Navigator". Then we meet Billy. What a creepy little kid. If I was his father or brother I would be creeped out by him too. "My name is Billy. I like knifes. Will you be my friend? Hehehe..." Man that mom seriously needed to stop pretending that everything was fine. Another important thing about this episode is that we get our first hint of Doggett's son being kidnapped. Other things I liked: The creepy singing on the tape after the psychic going all gift of tongues, Seeing that fat ugly bald molestor get caught, "horsies!", and more. You know I just noticed when watching this but you can actually tell that the pony guy is Cal. Anyway, great episode. 8/10

Creepy vibes ...... Oh Billy ... .

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 27 September 2022]

Ten years after little boy Billy Underwood was taken from a park, he reappears, but doesn't look a day older, but is behaving in a very strange manner.

It's yet another high quality episode, I was led to believe that I'd struggle to enjoy Series 8, but so far, every episode has had something to offer, we got have had suspense, gross, monsters, here we've got more of an implied horror vibe.

Robert Patrick is fantastic as Doggett once again, I genuinely had no idea he was going to be this good, I couldn't contemplate the thought of X Files with no Mulder, but all credit to him, he's been awesome.

My only issue with this episode, the mother, I thought she was a little too.......overly ridiculous, oh Billy honey..... If I'd heard that again, I'd have reached for the mute button.

Once again, hard to find fault here, another very good episode, 8/10.

good episode... but....

[mohanicus · 7/10 · 13 July 2020]

This is a good episode robert patrick is a fantastic addition to the cast... the mother of the kid that reappears 10 years later not aged...the mother is an absolute idiot....total "head in the sand" acting... "it's ok billy" after he tries to kill their other son with a bowie knife... gimme a break.

No monster of the week here

[aurrora_australis · 8/10 · 24 August 2006]

This episode was incredible. It was very suspenseful and very creepy. I still do not understand why the teenager kidnapped Billy in the first place; I also noticed how convenient it was that Billy's brother Josh was kidnapped so easily. And I wish I knew more about the real perpetrator, the guy in the trailer and how many other people he did that to. But aside from that I was enthralled for a solid hour. I love the role reversal with Agent Scully becoming more open minded and being on the other side of the convincing routine. I still miss Mulder and I think it would have made a much better X-File if it were the original agents. However, the quality of this episode was outstanding (in my opinion), especially for one without Mulder.

too many unresolved questions!

[DigitalSensation · 8/10 · 12 December 2006]

I agree that this episode was very good and had lots of suspense however, nothing materialised at the end of it. There are many things that go unexplained in this episode. For example, as the previous poster noted - why were the boys kidnapped? Also, the fact that the boy hasn't aged at all doesn't even seem to phase the parents, especially the mother. We find out that the little boy is dead as we see his remains later on in the episode. If that is the case then what the hell is he? a spirit? a ghost? I love the X-Files and I liked this episode but I just felt let down how absolutely nothing was explained in it, not even possible reasons. I know that the X-Files deal with the unexplained but this was ridiculous! It became clear to me throughout the duration of this episode, that it was made solely to show how Agent Doggett had lost someone similarly and how he goes about investigating a case i.e. illegally opening files etc.

A good, interesting, well-directed episode but too many questions!!

"Everything about this case is impossible!"

[classicsoncall · 8/10 · 15 August 2017]

There appeared to be a number of hints about the true nature of the returning Billy Underwood (Kyle Pepi), but they were subtle enough to hold one's attention until the end of the story. This was the first time since Robert Patrick joined the cast as Special Agent Doggett that his character showed some compassion while interviewing Billy for the first time, but then he blew it by doing that little bait and switch that riled everyone up. I actually thought it was a pretty good tactical move at the time, not knowing of course that the 'spirit' of Billy wouldn't have cared one way or another.

And speaking of bait and switch, the misdirection with Ronald Purnell (Rodney Eastman) was pretty well done also. When Doggett had him on the ropes about having Billy in his car, I thought he was going to finally admit that he killed the boy ten years earlier, but the cutaway led to the capture of that white trash guy Cal (Jim Cody Williams). As strange as this case was, the bigger question mark might be how Ronnie's Mom Marcia (Sheila Shaw) could ever get up close and personal with the fat redneck. Gives me the shivers just to think about it.

The wrap up to the story was handled well with Scully trying to convince Doggett that he actually succeeded by capturing Cal Jeppy, even if all other aspects of the case were 'impossible' to explain or understand. By this time it should have been old hat for Scully, and it does appear that she's assuming the role of Mulder more and more with each episode as Season Eight rolls along. One tantalizing hint dropped in this story had to do with Doggett's son at an early age, so once again, the writers dangle a hook to entice viewers who weren't happy with Duchovny's departure to hang around.

Creepy ep, but odd friction

[BibChr · 8/10 · 4 December 2011]

The episode itself was creepy and suspenseful. I really had no sure idea where we were going, from the start; and the denouement was not completely expected — which is good. I can enjoy a good formulaic tale, but I prefer some creativity and mixing-it-up.

What was jarring, however, was how much Scully got on Doggett's case.

Now, in any Scully vs. Anyone match-up, I'm likely to side with Scully, at least to some degree. But in this, it was just unexpected and odd. I find myself warming to Doggett (I originally stopped watching X-Files just before Mulder left the show), and thought the intensity with which she went off on him was unwarranted and jarring.

Worse, it forgets continuity. Just the week before, she'd unwisely gone off alone, unwisely gotten herself spine-deep in serious trouble, and Doggett had saved her life. You could even be forgiven the pun: he had her back.

She even apologized.

Yet here, all that is forgotten, and she's all over him for (as far as I can tell) simply trying to be a good cop.

So I'll give the ep an 8 on its own rights, but I'd give a 4 to growing Scully's relationship with this new character comprehensibly.

I could have sworn I wrote a review of this

[XweAponX · 10/10 · 27 February 2022]

This is the third X-Files case of John Doggett's. If you don't think he was pulling his hair out by the roots before this, think again.

It appears that John has the same problem that the kid played by Rodney Eastman (Ronald Purcell) has- neither of them can deal with the fact that a kid named Billy, (Kyle and Ryan Pepi) is even walking around. "Ronald" knows why, but cannot come right out and say it. Because he doesn't believe it, just like Doggett. But for different reasons, Doggett is trying to deal with this case as if it were a normal child abduction case... but it is far from that.

Skully, of course, can blurt it right out. But even she can't come to grips with what this case represents. She has not seen anything like this either, so she is also woefully unprepared. This is a conundrum that Billy's mother, Kim Greist from "Manhunter" and "Brazil" cannot face either. Speaking of "Conundrum", the father, played by Erich Anderson, was in the Star Trek: next generation episode of that title as "Cmdr Kieran MacDuff". So the entire cast was pretty well selected, solid background in the supernatural or weird.

The main purpose of this episode appears to be to drive Doggett bugsputz. It was also a good way to introduce his past working child abduction cases- he gives the impression that he has had a lot of experience, but this is far beyond his expertise.

Rodney Eastman appeared a couple of years previously in a 1st season episode of Chris Carter's other show Millennium, where he plays an "angel" named Sammael. As he had aged a bit since then, he was still able to portray a younger version of himself as well as the older version that Doggett deals with. But he plays this kid basically the same way as he played the angel, with a tight lip.

Nothing is really explained, I think this was mostly provided to get us to think about what happened and why. And to give Doggett something really intense to chew on. Remember, Doggett is the guy that when presented with evidence that says a certain thing happened, even when he sees it right in front of his face, he simply cannot believe it. And because of this, he cannot ask the "Ronald" character the right questions: because Ronald does not believe it either: they are both alike in this regard.

One final thing that we can dredge out of this episode is that Ronald knew what had happened, although he could not talk about it, or name his mother's boyfriend "Cal"- (Jim Cody Williams- who ironically is going to be in the first episode of season 4 of Westworld. I had never looked up his filmography, he's had a lot of great parts, even in Traffic (2000), and a stuntee in ID4). There is a lot of untold history between Ronald and Cal. The fact that they don't mention any of it, gives us more to think about.

It's the part of the story that is not said, that gives us most of the answers that we are looking for.