For the fans that had been waiting patiently or impatiently for 5 1/2 years for answers, they received a lot of them in Two Fathers. Two Fathers does a unique approach to this episode in that it is framed throughout with the Cigarette Smoking Man(CSM) unraveling the details of the alien conspiracy to an unknown person. I like the different approach. Using this storytelling style, the episode is interspersed with several flashback scenes detailing how the syndicate came to be. It's odd but refreshing to finally have all these answers given to us about the plans for colonization, especially since it comes from CSM's mouth. Before he dies, Dr. Openshaw tells CSM that a man shouldn't live long enough to see his children or his work destroyed. It's interesting because it foreshadows future events. Krycek appears as CSM's right-hand man in this episode. Krycek talks about CSM needing a successor to continue the work of the syndicate when he passes on. CSM tells Krycek that he's already chosen a successor. You can tell this disappoints Krycek, since he wanted to be the one. An interesting deleted scene shows Krycek expounding to CSM how great he thinks he is, doing a huge kiss-up job. Two Fathers lacks a little bit in the action department, but what makes it so good is all the answers we finally get. It holds your attention from beginning to end, not wanting to miss a word of all the information that is being dispensed, by none other than the Cigarette Smoking Man.
6 Reviews
A pretty monumental episode.
Sleepin_Dragon17 September 2022
Agent Spender finally gets his chance to remove Mulder and Scully out of The FBI, but he finally learns exactly what his father is up to, and his plan.
This has to be one of the most revealing episodes, so much is explained here. It feels as though the jigsaw pieces have been shaken up, and some, not many, lined in place. The cliffhanger, has to be one of the best I've seen.
We get to learn a lot about Smoking Man, his reason for being, but we also learn exactly what the black oil substance is. It's such a rewarding and revealing episode.
One of the main questions you'll be asking throughout, is just who is it he's talking to, the revelation may not have come as a big surprise, but it will certainly be interesting.
The visuals are incredible, once again it's an episode that features film like production values, it truly looks incredible, it's so harrowing, I loved the Alien race, they were amazingly well realised.
Excellent,
9/10.
This has to be one of the most revealing episodes, so much is explained here. It feels as though the jigsaw pieces have been shaken up, and some, not many, lined in place. The cliffhanger, has to be one of the best I've seen.
We get to learn a lot about Smoking Man, his reason for being, but we also learn exactly what the black oil substance is. It's such a rewarding and revealing episode.
One of the main questions you'll be asking throughout, is just who is it he's talking to, the revelation may not have come as a big surprise, but it will certainly be interesting.
The visuals are incredible, once again it's an episode that features film like production values, it truly looks incredible, it's so harrowing, I loved the Alien race, they were amazingly well realised.
Excellent,
9/10.
"Treachery is the inevitable result of all affairs."
classicsoncall26 July 2017
Warning: Spoilers
If anyone got lost along the way during the prior five and a half seasons or so, the Cigarette Smoking Man (William B. Davis) lays it all out on the line in this episode, with an able assist from Alex Krycek (Nicholas Lea) in conference with the Syndicate. I'm probably wrong on this, but this is the first time I actually heard the Syndicate called 'The Syndicate' by that name, courtesy of the Smoking Man. Anyway, we get the entire story here of how extraterrestrials are attempting to take over the planet via their alien/hybrid project, supported by the Syndicate, while at the same time that same group is developing a serum that they hope will prove detrimental to the plan for Earth's conquest. Also, can't forget about the faceless rebels, those 'other' aliens who stand in the way of the colonizing forces that have marked Earth for takeover.
Whew! I think if you were a casual, or even a close follower of the X-Files when it originally aired, it was pretty tough to stay on top of what was going on, particularly with events occurring that negated prior events in stories dealing with the mythology arc. Here it's all pretty straightforward, with only loose ends to get wrapped up in part two of this story line.
If one thinks about it, and I guess one's not supposed to, but in all the years growing up, how is it that Spender (Chris Owens) never had the occasion to witness his mother Cassandra (Veronica Cartwright) experience a cut, no matter how minor. The green blood would have been an immediate giveaway, and he wouldn't have spent all those years convinced that his Mom was a conspiracy minded lunatic. I guess I overthink some of this stuff, but that's what I do as a matter of routine watching stuff like this. I think it makes things more fun.
So all the while Cigarette Man is spilling his guts about the project, one wonders who he's talking to. Turns out it's Agent Fowley (Mimi Rogers), the only one left to confide in once he knows his own son has betrayed him in deference to his mother. Spender's replacement of Mulder on the X-Files was meant to insure the project continued unchallenged, but as it turns out, while Cigarette Man was scheming, life and the faceless rebels had other plans. What had to be the ultimate put-down for Spender occurred when 'C.B.G.' Spender declared to his own son - "You pale to Fox Mulder."
Whew! I think if you were a casual, or even a close follower of the X-Files when it originally aired, it was pretty tough to stay on top of what was going on, particularly with events occurring that negated prior events in stories dealing with the mythology arc. Here it's all pretty straightforward, with only loose ends to get wrapped up in part two of this story line.
If one thinks about it, and I guess one's not supposed to, but in all the years growing up, how is it that Spender (Chris Owens) never had the occasion to witness his mother Cassandra (Veronica Cartwright) experience a cut, no matter how minor. The green blood would have been an immediate giveaway, and he wouldn't have spent all those years convinced that his Mom was a conspiracy minded lunatic. I guess I overthink some of this stuff, but that's what I do as a matter of routine watching stuff like this. I think it makes things more fun.
So all the while Cigarette Man is spilling his guts about the project, one wonders who he's talking to. Turns out it's Agent Fowley (Mimi Rogers), the only one left to confide in once he knows his own son has betrayed him in deference to his mother. Spender's replacement of Mulder on the X-Files was meant to insure the project continued unchallenged, but as it turns out, while Cigarette Man was scheming, life and the faceless rebels had other plans. What had to be the ultimate put-down for Spender occurred when 'C.B.G.' Spender declared to his own son - "You pale to Fox Mulder."
Our job was to secretly prepare the way for their invasion.
Sanpaco1328 June 2009
Warning: Spoilers
This episode seems to really pick right up where Patient X/The Red and the Black left off. We find out what happened with Cassandra Spender, what happened to Marita Covarrubias, we're back to the faceless aliens and Jeffrey Spender dealing with his mother and all that same old jazz. Cassandra is found again in a train car where doctors have finally turned her into "The One". The first successful alien human hybrid. This is seen by the viewer through an interesting sequence in which she is cut open with a laser and the wound self heals. She of course immediately wants to speak to Agent Mulder who unlike his previous appearance has rekindled his belief in extra terrestrials. The story of the episode really seems to be more about Jeffrey Spender and his father as he deals with performing henchman tasks and ultimately finding out that he has been working for the very people he thought he was working against. I was led to wonder about CSM's motives in sending Jeffrey to kill the imposter alien. He says that it was his last chance to carry on his legacy, but I don't quite see how having Jeffrey kill an alien carries on CSM's legacy. The only thing I could come up with is that by finally convincing his son of the truth about extra terrestrials that he would in fact become fully convinced of the importance of his father's work and follow in his footsteps. But of course Krycek decides to throw a wrench in the workings as always and reveals the full truth to Jeffrey about his mother and he ends up turning against his father instead. The episode ends with Cassandra escaping from the hospital and frantically begging Mulder to shoot her so that "they" can't get her. I have to admit the ending was a little hokey and unbelievable. I sincerely doubt that Mulder honestly would have shot her or even been tempted to as is implied. And for some reason Cassandra just bugs me. I mean she really is kind of a nut even if she is telling the truth about everything. Another thing I didn't quite understand was the significance of the picture of Bill Mulder and CGB Spender together. Didn't they know since a long time ago that Bill Mulder was part of the syndicate? Anyway. I give the episode a 7 out of 10
The Cigarette-Smoking Man Tells All
andyetris19 October 2006
Part I of two. Patient X, Cassandra Spender, reappears as does "the syndicate" and the "alien rebels." C.G.B Spender, aka cancer man, explains the conspiracy to his secret agent at the FBI as the "mythology" seems to be heading to a climax. Cassandra isn't the only one convinced that she is the key to the aliens plans as Mulder and Scully scramble to protect her from those who want her dead... and those who want her alive!
After more than five seasons of developing suspense, it's a tad frustrating to have it all just laid out cold! Even as a stand-alone thriller, this is just too much explanation that should have been woven into a story whose climactic event, dealing with the rebel alien, is simply ridiculous in terms of what "the Syndicate" has been capable of before.
After more than five seasons of developing suspense, it's a tad frustrating to have it all just laid out cold! Even as a stand-alone thriller, this is just too much explanation that should have been woven into a story whose climactic event, dealing with the rebel alien, is simply ridiculous in terms of what "the Syndicate" has been capable of before.
Lots of information
jodi-445287 March 2019
This was an okay episode. But I am not impressed with the pace and action. We found out a lot but nothing earth shattering.
What I don't understand about the premise of this show is why a group of Americans would volunteer themselves and everyone else on the planet to a hostile group of aliens. It doesn't make sense.
What I don't understand about the premise of this show is why a group of Americans would volunteer themselves and everyone else on the planet to a hostile group of aliens. It doesn't make sense.
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