After the hilarity of Bad Blood, the X-Files goes serious again with the two parter of Patient X and The Red and the Black. These two episodes don't have as much action as I like my mythology episodes to have, but the heightened drama makes up for it. I find it interesting at the beginning when Mulder is at some kind of alien abduction conference. If he is a disbeliever now, which he has been since the beginning of the season, then why is he attending this conference? It seems strange that he'd still want to attend. Veronica Cartwright is an excellent addition as a guest actor, as Cassandra Spender. She stands firm in her belief even when Mulder dismisses her. I love Scully's lines after she learns of Mulder's actions at the conference, saying that Mulder has invalidated his own work. There's some beautiful piano music by Mark Snow as Scully struggles to deal with learning about implants being in the burn victims, making it personal for her. We are introduced to the character of Jeffrey Spender in this episode. It's a very quiet introduction, considering the larger part he will be playing in the rest of the series. What makes Patient X so interesting to me is the role reversal of Mulder and Scully. You don't see it in the Monster of the Week episodes, even though Mulder has stopped believing since the season premiere. Seeing Scully come around to believing Cassandra's story is quite intriguing. Also, the introduction of the faceless men injects new life into the mythology and piques my interest even more. And, as usual, the cliffhanger leaves you at the edge of your seat.
6 Reviews
"Tell them it's all going to hell!"
classicsoncall13 July 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Our old friend and enemy Alex Krycek (Nicholas Lea) makes a reappearance in this episode of the X-Files, positioning himself against the syndicate by kidnapping a Russian teenager who has seen the beginning of a war by alien rebels against the colonization plan. At a certain point, all of this conspiracy stuff starts to get convoluted and you have a hard time trying to keep the conspirators straight and what side they're on. Take Marita Covarrubias (Laurie Holden) for example. One minute she's in a passionate embrace with Krycek, and then she's skipping out on him with her interests lying in the direction of the syndicate.
And what about the syndicate member that left the meeting to bring Cassandra Spender (Veronica Cartwright) to the gathering on the bridge? Was he human, or was he an alien shape-shifter to begin with, working for the syndicate? After a while your own mind starts to imagine who and what the characters really are, leading one to doubt just about everything, much like Mulder here, who's ready to give up on a five year belief in UFO's and extraterrestrials in favor of a government conspiracy perpetrating a massive fraud to conceal it's own agenda.
With Mulder firm in his new belief, it's interesting to note the dynamic between him and Scully, who's now more or less leaning toward an acceptance of alien abductions, even though her own experience was revealed as part of a government conspiracy. Even the title of this episode might be considered up for grabs, as Patient X could refer to either Cassandra Spender or the Russian teenager Dmitri (Alex Shostak Jr.), just another way the X-Files keeps you guessing and on the fence.
And what about the syndicate member that left the meeting to bring Cassandra Spender (Veronica Cartwright) to the gathering on the bridge? Was he human, or was he an alien shape-shifter to begin with, working for the syndicate? After a while your own mind starts to imagine who and what the characters really are, leading one to doubt just about everything, much like Mulder here, who's ready to give up on a five year belief in UFO's and extraterrestrials in favor of a government conspiracy perpetrating a massive fraud to conceal it's own agenda.
With Mulder firm in his new belief, it's interesting to note the dynamic between him and Scully, who's now more or less leaning toward an acceptance of alien abductions, even though her own experience was revealed as part of a government conspiracy. Even the title of this episode might be considered up for grabs, as Patient X could refer to either Cassandra Spender or the Russian teenager Dmitri (Alex Shostak Jr.), just another way the X-Files keeps you guessing and on the fence.
What I've seen, I've seen because I wanted to believe.
Sanpaco1328 June 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Another mythology two parter. The episode begins in Russia with two teenagers coming across a field of burning cars. As they run around trying to get away, one is caught by a faceless alien who we later find out is the cause of the fire. Marita Covarrubias is called in with the UN to clean up the mess. Meanwhile, Krycek, who is still in Russia apparently since he lost his arm, is also at the scene and takes the surviving boy into custody. We next see Mulder sitting on a sort of debate committee whose purpose it appears is to determine the veracity of the claims of a "Patient X" that she was abducted by aliens as a means of being called as an apostle, to spread the message of peace and happiness that the little green men bring. In other words that the little green men are apparently arriving to spread the gospel of love and peace (about 2000 years too late I might add seeing as how Jesus Christ beat them to it). This is all occurring at a point in the series when Mulder has begun to seriously doubt the existence of Extra Terrestrials. A period I like to call the Mulder Apostasy in which he still believes in a conspiracy, however does not believe in the truth behind any of the actual existence of other life but that it is all a fabrication of those involved as a means of shifting focus. An elaborate lie that is meant to keep others from looking in the true direction for answers. As it turns out, Patient X is none other than Cassandra Spender. Mother of Agent Jeffrey Spender and ex-wife of CGB Spender otherwise known as the Cigarrette Smoking Man. Anyway, before this review gets too long I'll sum up the rest by saying that although Mulder doesn't actually believe in the existence of aliens or that Cassandra was abducted by aliens, his hypothesis that she has only been perpetrating a lie that she was led to believe was the truth turns out to be completely correct. Even when Mulder is wrong he's right. The episode continues with Cassandra trying to get Mulder to believe again and as he resists, Agent Spender tries to keep him from even conversing with his mother at all, and Scully becomes sympathetic to her plight as she was abducted under similar circumstances to her own. The cliffhanger is a group of abductees gathering at "a mountain" for no reason other than that they "were called" a la Close Encounters of the Third Kind. "This means something. This is important." Unfortunately what it means for those who have gathered, including Cassandra and Scully, is faceless aliens burning you alive because they are rebels and trying to sabotage the normal aliens operations and abductions. Not exactly the Stephen Spielberg style light and music show with happy E.T. aliens calling everyone "frieeeeend". Good episode. 9 out of 10.
Patient X - the best in The X-Files my favorite number 1 episode I love Marita Covarrubias to death
NightmareOnElmStreetFan30 June 2019
Patient X is my number 1 favorite episode in the fifth season of the mythology of the alien race. I love Marita Covarrubias to death. The best one in the fifth season. I love Patient X to death! A rebel alien race secretly attacks several groups of former alien abductees, the agents meet Cassandra Spender (Veronica Cartwright), a woman who claims to be a multiple abductee and wants to deliver a positive message about aliens. Agent Mulder, now skeptical about extraterrestrial activity, is disturbed when Agent Scully forms a special bond with the woman.
In this episode we have the roles reverse Mulder (David Duchovny) is now skeptical who dosen't believe in alien race anymore, while Scully (Gillian Anderson) believes this woman Cassandra Spender that she was really abducted by aliens.
Why I love this episode to death and I believe it is the best one in the mythology of The X-Files: We have characters Alex Krycek, Marita Covarrubias, First Elder, Third Elder Alien Bounty Hunter, Well-Manicured Man, Jeffrey Spender and Cassandra Spender in here. We have all the characters returning to this Episode and a great direction by Rob Bowman I miss episodes directing by this director so much. He know what he was doing. We have Black oil an an alien virus.
Returning actors: Nicholas Lea and Laurie Holden which I missed them so much from the previous season. Great performence by Nicholas Lea and sexy beautiful performence by Laurie Holden as Marita Covarrubias I love Holden's character to death. Don S. Williams, John Moore and John Neville also returns from Redux I, II a wonderful performence from the actors. The only one that was missing was William B. Davis as Cigarette Smoking Man but I didn't missed him at all. Brian Thompson from season 4 returns as Alien bounty hunter I love his performence.
Patient X and The Red and the Black is quite clever in how it chooses to handle Spender. It very clearly signposts the character as important, and positions him so that he could be seen as potential replacement for Duchovny. The vaccine is important, as is the fact of Well-Manicured Man's resistance to colonisation and the return of the Cigarette-Smoking Man. However, several significant new threads introduced in Patient X and The Red and the Black - Cassandra Spender, Jeffrey Spender, the rebels - don't actually make it into Fight the Future in any way. Instead, they become quite important in the context of the sixth season.
Gillian Anderson works just as well playing a version of Scully who seems on the edge of a conversion, a character who might finally be able to see the truth that she had never before acknowledged. There is something quite poetic in the way that Patient X and The Red and the Black allows Scully to see the alien ship while Mulder misses it - a nice reversal of the set-up in Paper Clip.
I love the opening sequence in Kazakhstan in which Marita Covarrubias is arguing with Alex Krycek about events what happened last night. I love in which Marita contacts Mulder about a boy Dmitri (Alex Shostak Jr) who was infected with black oil. Marita Covarrubias is my favorite character in The X-Files but Dana Scully is my number 1 favorite characther.
Patient X is my favorite mythology episode with The Red and the Black sequel episode which is my number favorite episode in the Fifth Season. Miles way better than Redux I and II, Christmas Carol and Emilly. I recommend Patient X and The Red and the Black to X-Files fans.
In this episode we have the roles reverse Mulder (David Duchovny) is now skeptical who dosen't believe in alien race anymore, while Scully (Gillian Anderson) believes this woman Cassandra Spender that she was really abducted by aliens.
Why I love this episode to death and I believe it is the best one in the mythology of The X-Files: We have characters Alex Krycek, Marita Covarrubias, First Elder, Third Elder Alien Bounty Hunter, Well-Manicured Man, Jeffrey Spender and Cassandra Spender in here. We have all the characters returning to this Episode and a great direction by Rob Bowman I miss episodes directing by this director so much. He know what he was doing. We have Black oil an an alien virus.
Returning actors: Nicholas Lea and Laurie Holden which I missed them so much from the previous season. Great performence by Nicholas Lea and sexy beautiful performence by Laurie Holden as Marita Covarrubias I love Holden's character to death. Don S. Williams, John Moore and John Neville also returns from Redux I, II a wonderful performence from the actors. The only one that was missing was William B. Davis as Cigarette Smoking Man but I didn't missed him at all. Brian Thompson from season 4 returns as Alien bounty hunter I love his performence.
Patient X and The Red and the Black is quite clever in how it chooses to handle Spender. It very clearly signposts the character as important, and positions him so that he could be seen as potential replacement for Duchovny. The vaccine is important, as is the fact of Well-Manicured Man's resistance to colonisation and the return of the Cigarette-Smoking Man. However, several significant new threads introduced in Patient X and The Red and the Black - Cassandra Spender, Jeffrey Spender, the rebels - don't actually make it into Fight the Future in any way. Instead, they become quite important in the context of the sixth season.
Gillian Anderson works just as well playing a version of Scully who seems on the edge of a conversion, a character who might finally be able to see the truth that she had never before acknowledged. There is something quite poetic in the way that Patient X and The Red and the Black allows Scully to see the alien ship while Mulder misses it - a nice reversal of the set-up in Paper Clip.
I love the opening sequence in Kazakhstan in which Marita Covarrubias is arguing with Alex Krycek about events what happened last night. I love in which Marita contacts Mulder about a boy Dmitri (Alex Shostak Jr) who was infected with black oil. Marita Covarrubias is my favorite character in The X-Files but Dana Scully is my number 1 favorite characther.
Patient X is my favorite mythology episode with The Red and the Black sequel episode which is my number favorite episode in the Fifth Season. Miles way better than Redux I and II, Christmas Carol and Emilly. I recommend Patient X and The Red and the Black to X-Files fans.
Lots of interesting moments.
Sleepin_Dragon2 September 2022
Mulder is sceptical when Cassandra Spender,a woman who claims to have been abducted by aliens multiple times, begins to show symptoms similar to those Scully had.
It's definitely an episode with lots of interest, as soon I saw that it was set in Kazakhstan, it became obvious was thread they were going to return to, and of course they did.
It's intriguing once again, it does feel a little that they're dragging out the black oil storyline a bit, but it always seems to feature on high standard episodes, this being one.
Marita continues to be interesting, I am really keen to understand exactly how she's involved, they are revealing her story very, very spot. It is always great to see Krycek, and again, you don't quite know where you stand with him.
I love the way the show always had villainous Brits popping up.
Visually good once again, I'm looking forward to the next one, 8/10.
It's definitely an episode with lots of interest, as soon I saw that it was set in Kazakhstan, it became obvious was thread they were going to return to, and of course they did.
It's intriguing once again, it does feel a little that they're dragging out the black oil storyline a bit, but it always seems to feature on high standard episodes, this being one.
Marita continues to be interesting, I am really keen to understand exactly how she's involved, they are revealing her story very, very spot. It is always great to see Krycek, and again, you don't quite know where you stand with him.
I love the way the show always had villainous Brits popping up.
Visually good once again, I'm looking forward to the next one, 8/10.
Convoluted, obscure, needles
TheKing213 May 2022
It all went downhill from. Where the Cassandra/Agent Pender tries to rejuvenite the Scully/Mulder digotomy it is a shy and not beliveable attempt. Sure the series needed a new edge on the mythical arc but this didn't work out for me. Kryceck and Covarrubias meeting and making out mid ocean? Why? And how? The story is going nowhere slowly.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
