With the suspenseful ending of season 4, leading us to believe that Mulder is dead, Redux quickly gives us relief, letting us know that Mulder is indeed alive. We find out that Mulder killed the man in self-defense and that he asks Scully to pretend that the dead man is him. We already know that Gillian Anderson is a good actress. What we find out in this episode is that Dana Scully has a future in Hollywood. First, she is able to tearfully confirm Mulder's body. Then, she goes in front of an FBI panel and reconfirms Mulder's death, all choked up. It was interesting to see a reappearance of Holly, Skinner's secretary from Pusher. Apparently, she got reassigned after beating up Skinner. The strong point of this episode is its story and its visuals. The story is very interesting, as the plot behind the deception of Mulder and Scully begins to unravel. The strong visuals of tables of fake alien bodies and secret experimentations also keep it interesting. What brings this episode down a couple of points is the stock footage used while Kritschgau explains everything to Mulder, which depending on the person, might be better than just watching them walk down the hall. But the big thing about this episode is the amount of voice-overs. Mulder and Scully are doing voice-overs left and right which really slows the episode down. But, like I said, the strong visuals that are shown while the voice-overs are happening, help keep my interest. I still like Redux a lot for its intriguing story, it just could've gone lighter on the voice-over work.
12 Reviews
I've seen aliens. I've witnessed these things.
Sanpaco1317 November 2009
Warning: Spoilers
I find this episode to be a slightly better than Gethsemane. I think its actually kind of interesting how these three episodes (Gethsemane, Redux, and Redux II) all seem to center around that little dim room and that one scene with Scully announcing Mulder's death. We see this scene like three times at least, yet each time we get a little bit more of the story. It is kind of interesting. We were left at the end of Season 4 with an insane cliffhanger of Scully announcing Mulder's death. This episode wastes no time in giving out more details. We see Mulder in his apartment, seemingly contemplating suicide as he is realizing he has been believing a lie all these years. He soon receives a call however, and is tipped off about a man upstairs watching him. A gun goes off and we now have a dead body and a Mulder in hiding. He waits for Scully in her apartment and lets her in on what is going on, and tells her she has to lie to him until he can figure out who in the FBI ordered surveillance on him. From here the story gets a little drawn out, with a lot of voice overs as Scully does ambiguous chemistry stuff on the alien DNA trying to match it to her cancer cells, and Mulder wanders around mischievously in the DoD level 4 halls, looking for a cure for Scully's cancer. Mulder finds a small tube of de-ionized water and Scully gets a nose bleed right before accusing Skinner of being a mole, and the episode ends. All in all, a pretty decent episode, the story drags a little bit with and all the voice overs while somewhat annoying at first, are actually quite beneficial to trying to help actually explain the mythology a little bit. I enjoy some amazing little things Mulder runs into in the Pentagon also like the big room of alien corpses and the scenes when he is getting "chased" around the halls by the army guys. The episode does a good job in keeping the story going forward and I think it leads nicely into Redux II. I give the episode a 9 out of 10.
"All Lies Lead to the Truth"
classicsoncall7 July 2017
Warning: Spoilers
In the tradition of the best super-hero comic book revelations, we find out Mulder is not really dead in this episode that kicks off Season Five of the 'X-Files'. Not that we could have believed it anyway, but it was gratifying to learn that the rumors of his death were greatly exaggerated. With Mulder confronted with the knowledge that the existence of extraterrestrials is a hoax, and that Agent Scully was dealt a deadly cancer on purpose, he decides to fight the lies with lies, and enlists Scully's aid in smoking out the person within the agency responsible for deceiving him.
The best part of this episode for me had to do with the way the writers weaved the Roswell incident into a plot to further a government plan to keep the American public distracted in order to pursue a war-time footing with it's enemies. Mulder is supplied the details by Department of Defense employee Michael Kritschgau (John Finn), after breaking into the DOD with the ID card of the man he killed in self defense in the apartment above his own which was being used for surveillance. What was interesting to me was one of the project names dropped by Kritschgau to identify some of the internet sites trafficking in UFO conspiracy. One of them was Project Blue Book, which you can look up yourself, as part of the National Archives.
Proving that the government knows no bounds in promoting it's alien conspiracy agenda, Mulder discovers a huge biological quarantine lab that houses a huge number of phony 'aliens', along with specific medical information on virtually everyone born since 1945. At the same time, Scully is being called on the carpet by her superiors at the FBI for her knowledge about Mulder's purported death. A further shadow is cast upon the integrity of Assistant Director Skinner (Mitch Pileggi), who's section received a series of phone calls from the agent surveilling Mulder.
But there are those who don't believe Mulder is dead, among them the mysterious Cigarette Smoking Man (William B. Davis), who's involvement with Mulder's family goes all the way back to World War II. He has a sentimental moment upon seeing a picture of Mulder and his sister when they were just kids, stoking memories of a conspiracy dating back a period of five decades. For all that time, he had been instrumental in what Kritschgau tried to explain to Mulder - "You've seen what they wanted you to see."
The best part of this episode for me had to do with the way the writers weaved the Roswell incident into a plot to further a government plan to keep the American public distracted in order to pursue a war-time footing with it's enemies. Mulder is supplied the details by Department of Defense employee Michael Kritschgau (John Finn), after breaking into the DOD with the ID card of the man he killed in self defense in the apartment above his own which was being used for surveillance. What was interesting to me was one of the project names dropped by Kritschgau to identify some of the internet sites trafficking in UFO conspiracy. One of them was Project Blue Book, which you can look up yourself, as part of the National Archives.
Proving that the government knows no bounds in promoting it's alien conspiracy agenda, Mulder discovers a huge biological quarantine lab that houses a huge number of phony 'aliens', along with specific medical information on virtually everyone born since 1945. At the same time, Scully is being called on the carpet by her superiors at the FBI for her knowledge about Mulder's purported death. A further shadow is cast upon the integrity of Assistant Director Skinner (Mitch Pileggi), who's section received a series of phone calls from the agent surveilling Mulder.
But there are those who don't believe Mulder is dead, among them the mysterious Cigarette Smoking Man (William B. Davis), who's involvement with Mulder's family goes all the way back to World War II. He has a sentimental moment upon seeing a picture of Mulder and his sister when they were just kids, stoking memories of a conspiracy dating back a period of five decades. For all that time, he had been instrumental in what Kritschgau tried to explain to Mulder - "You've seen what they wanted you to see."
A quality opener.
Sleepin_Dragon19 August 2022
Scully continues to give evidence at the hearing, Mulder breaks into a facility, in the hope of finding a cure for Scully's cancer.
I enjoyed series four, it had a different vibe to previous runs, I thought this first episode of that fifth series had the exact same vibe, I liked it, liked it a lot.
There is a degree of complexity about it I think it's fair to say, it's not one a casual viewer would easily pick up, it does need a good history of the show. That depth really does appeal to me, I loved the way recent plot twists and intricacies came to fit together.
Judging by the importance of Mulder's standing in things, I do think that The Governing powers were perhaps a little quick to believe Scully's identification.
Great acting here from Anderson once again, she's been so impressive throughout the story of her illness.
Strong start to the new series, 9/10.
I enjoyed series four, it had a different vibe to previous runs, I thought this first episode of that fifth series had the exact same vibe, I liked it, liked it a lot.
There is a degree of complexity about it I think it's fair to say, it's not one a casual viewer would easily pick up, it does need a good history of the show. That depth really does appeal to me, I loved the way recent plot twists and intricacies came to fit together.
Judging by the importance of Mulder's standing in things, I do think that The Governing powers were perhaps a little quick to believe Scully's identification.
Great acting here from Anderson once again, she's been so impressive throughout the story of her illness.
Strong start to the new series, 9/10.
The best underrated episode in Season 5 of The X-Files for me!
ivo-cobra827 February 2016
Redux (The X-Files) the first episode in Season 5 is the best one for me, but It is an underrated episode of the premiere with two part of the mythology. I seriously love this episode which is a big start of Season 5. I am huge fan of The X-Files and after 14 years they finally re open the case and they are filming the 10th season of this awesome TV Show. I have all six seasons of The X-Files on DVD I really don't need them on Blu-ray, but anyway I decide to re watch Season 5 because I only saw it once. Season 1 - 4 are always my favorite Seasons that I have re watched it over again, but the last six seasons I wasn't happy about it, they were not my couple of tea. Re watching this Season again Redux part I and part II, I must say I am stunning from the acting performance and how both of the parts are good conspiracy episodes. So I love them both equal. I know a lot of people will disagree with me and put my review down, but I don't care. Great start of the episode.
Plot: Mulder accesses a facility that may hold a cure for Scully's illness. Scully performs an experiment in hopes of determining the origin of the disease.
So this was the last season that was filmed in Vancouver, Canada and I seriously love Season 5. The first episode of the two is brilliant. Scully's genetically altered DNA brings her closer to the brink of death, government agent Michael Kritschgau helps Mulder in the search for a cure, partly to atone for his own involvement with perpetrating the alien hoax. I love that Mulder kills Scott Ostelhof in self defense and fakes his own death to find out who was behind this hoax, who set them up both. Mulder enters the Department of Defense by his card of a death government agent who was were listening to his his conversations, his apartment was under electronic surveillance for two months. He enters facility that may hold a cure for Scully's illness in the Department of Defense of Level Four who enters in a room with full fake alien bodies while he is searching for the cure of Scully's illness. I love the narration from David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson. I love William B. Davis returning as Cigarette Smoking Man. I love the Lone Gunman on the end of the episode. I seriously love Charles Cioffi returning with his character Section Chief Scott Blevins from the pilot episode. I Love that is everything explained what happened in the end of Season 4 and what happened really for the past 4 years that Mulder and Scully worked together.
Redux I plays as a collection of voice-over monologues transposed over sequences of Mulder wandering through corridors in the Pentagon. One immediately wonders how the Department of Defence could have staged such a complex and convincing hoax against the American people when they cannot find one lost FBI agent inside the Pentagon. The drab setting makes for a shockingly dull episode; the majesty of the Yukon Mountains is lost, replaced by long sequences of grey walls and red doors. Redux I has more than a few interesting ideas, but its structure is a mess. Sitting between Gethsemane and Redux II, the episode has no clear sense of purpose or momentum; no drive or ambition or excitement.
Overall: I love this episode and I love the cast in here. I am the only one of the reviewers here who gave this Episode 10 and I have watch Redux and Redux II second time in the row. I love both of the episodes they are awesome and they are mine favorite Episodes from Season 5 which is my personal favorite! With the most exiting stories, this show is great for any Sci-fi lovers out there and drama lovers this show can make you laugh cry and scare you to death you are going to be joining a wild ride!
"Redux" is the collective name for the two-part fifth season premiere of the science fiction television series The X-Files. "Redux I" first aired on November 2, 1997 on Fox in the United States, with "Redux II" airing on November 9. Both episodes subsequently aired in the United Kingdom and Ireland
10/10 Grade: Bad Ass Seal Of Approval Studio: Twentieth Century Fox Starring: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Mitch Pileggi, William B. Davis, Charles Cioffi, Bruce Harwood, John Finn, Don S. Williams Director: R.W. Goodwin Producers: Chris Carter, Joseph Patrick Finn, Paul Rabwin, Lori Jo Nemhauser Screenplay: Chris Carter Rated: R Running Time: 44 minutes
Plot: Mulder accesses a facility that may hold a cure for Scully's illness. Scully performs an experiment in hopes of determining the origin of the disease.
So this was the last season that was filmed in Vancouver, Canada and I seriously love Season 5. The first episode of the two is brilliant. Scully's genetically altered DNA brings her closer to the brink of death, government agent Michael Kritschgau helps Mulder in the search for a cure, partly to atone for his own involvement with perpetrating the alien hoax. I love that Mulder kills Scott Ostelhof in self defense and fakes his own death to find out who was behind this hoax, who set them up both. Mulder enters the Department of Defense by his card of a death government agent who was were listening to his his conversations, his apartment was under electronic surveillance for two months. He enters facility that may hold a cure for Scully's illness in the Department of Defense of Level Four who enters in a room with full fake alien bodies while he is searching for the cure of Scully's illness. I love the narration from David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson. I love William B. Davis returning as Cigarette Smoking Man. I love the Lone Gunman on the end of the episode. I seriously love Charles Cioffi returning with his character Section Chief Scott Blevins from the pilot episode. I Love that is everything explained what happened in the end of Season 4 and what happened really for the past 4 years that Mulder and Scully worked together.
Redux I plays as a collection of voice-over monologues transposed over sequences of Mulder wandering through corridors in the Pentagon. One immediately wonders how the Department of Defence could have staged such a complex and convincing hoax against the American people when they cannot find one lost FBI agent inside the Pentagon. The drab setting makes for a shockingly dull episode; the majesty of the Yukon Mountains is lost, replaced by long sequences of grey walls and red doors. Redux I has more than a few interesting ideas, but its structure is a mess. Sitting between Gethsemane and Redux II, the episode has no clear sense of purpose or momentum; no drive or ambition or excitement.
Overall: I love this episode and I love the cast in here. I am the only one of the reviewers here who gave this Episode 10 and I have watch Redux and Redux II second time in the row. I love both of the episodes they are awesome and they are mine favorite Episodes from Season 5 which is my personal favorite! With the most exiting stories, this show is great for any Sci-fi lovers out there and drama lovers this show can make you laugh cry and scare you to death you are going to be joining a wild ride!
"Redux" is the collective name for the two-part fifth season premiere of the science fiction television series The X-Files. "Redux I" first aired on November 2, 1997 on Fox in the United States, with "Redux II" airing on November 9. Both episodes subsequently aired in the United Kingdom and Ireland
10/10 Grade: Bad Ass Seal Of Approval Studio: Twentieth Century Fox Starring: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Mitch Pileggi, William B. Davis, Charles Cioffi, Bruce Harwood, John Finn, Don S. Williams Director: R.W. Goodwin Producers: Chris Carter, Joseph Patrick Finn, Paul Rabwin, Lori Jo Nemhauser Screenplay: Chris Carter Rated: R Running Time: 44 minutes
FBI vs Mulder and Scully.
devonbrown-9064924 June 2023
Warning: Spoilers
So many more questions than answers in this episode.
Why did CSM alert mulder go ?
How did scully conveniently faint as she was going to provide evidence of the alien human hybrid experimentation that caused her cancer?
What's Skinners role in all of this ?
Why was just water stored in the filing cabinets in the DOD?
How did they not revoke the keycard of a dead man?
How long will scully's lies hold up for ?
Overall a great episode that is leading up to some big reveals. It seems the alien propaganda was just a front allowing the government to do tests right in the DoD killing then in the process.
Skinners seems so on edge I wonder what he's protecting. His allegiances has always bounced between CSM and his direct reports.
Why did CSM alert mulder go ?
How did scully conveniently faint as she was going to provide evidence of the alien human hybrid experimentation that caused her cancer?
What's Skinners role in all of this ?
Why was just water stored in the filing cabinets in the DOD?
How did they not revoke the keycard of a dead man?
How long will scully's lies hold up for ?
Overall a great episode that is leading up to some big reveals. It seems the alien propaganda was just a front allowing the government to do tests right in the DoD killing then in the process.
Skinners seems so on edge I wonder what he's protecting. His allegiances has always bounced between CSM and his direct reports.
Alien bodies in the mythology
NightmareOnElmStreetFan25 June 2019
Redux I and Redux II inherit their own problems. Kinda boring episode but the second episode in my opinion was really terrible, but I hope next episodes in season 5 are getting better. In contrast, Redux I lacks the same sense of intimacy or energy. The episode slows down considerably, allowing the audience's scepticism to kick into gear. Instead, the show indulges in Chris Carter's purplest prose, as Mulder and Scully go on and on and on about the emotional consequences of their pursuit of the truth. Kritschgau sits opposite Mulder and tells him that this is all a plot to justify defence budgets, there are any number of counter-arguments that Mulder and Scully could make.
While they may not know that the Alien Bounty Hunter is alien in origin, the fact that he can change his face and dissolves into a pile of toxic green sludge suggests that this whole secret plot to rule the world might have more to it than the number of zeroes appearing in the Defence Department budget. Really not my favorite episode a lot better than Part II.
While they may not know that the Alien Bounty Hunter is alien in origin, the fact that he can change his face and dissolves into a pile of toxic green sludge suggests that this whole secret plot to rule the world might have more to it than the number of zeroes appearing in the Defence Department budget. Really not my favorite episode a lot better than Part II.
After a while I only could hear blahblahblah
SleepTight66610 January 2009
Warning: Spoilers
A suspenseful, wonderful looking, brilliantly acted and absolutely well done episode that unfortunately has cringe-worthy, frustrating and repetitive dialog.
I'm a big fan of voice-overs, and I think that they were very well done in this episode. But after a while I only could hear blahblahblah, they kept talking about how they were led to believe in a lie, which feels insulting to go there to begin with. I mean, this show has gone on for five years, is there ANYONE who actually believed that it was all a hoax? It was nothing but frustrating and time wasting.
The worst part is that once again, SKINNER was made to be a suspect. How many times has he proved to be one of the good guys? It's just really insulting and the repeated scenes did not make it any better.
I'm giving this episode THREE stars because it was a quality episode in everything BUT the dialog.
I'm a big fan of voice-overs, and I think that they were very well done in this episode. But after a while I only could hear blahblahblah, they kept talking about how they were led to believe in a lie, which feels insulting to go there to begin with. I mean, this show has gone on for five years, is there ANYONE who actually believed that it was all a hoax? It was nothing but frustrating and time wasting.
The worst part is that once again, SKINNER was made to be a suspect. How many times has he proved to be one of the good guys? It's just really insulting and the repeated scenes did not make it any better.
I'm giving this episode THREE stars because it was a quality episode in everything BUT the dialog.
Yes A Boring Episode Indeed
ddeboer19 July 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Another reviewer had posted that this episode was boring. The same reviewer, like me, is also watching the X Files on DVD from beginning to end in sequential order. I suspect that this is one of those episodes that held up well when it first came out but hasn't stood the test of time for those like me who are revisiting each episode. Like so many of the arc/mythology episodes the success of this episode seems to rely more on the excitement around the theme rather than anything that actually happens. You know it is bad when you watch Gethsemane and Redux I in a row and see the same scene repeated 4 times (Scully's testimony). Scully testifying again..... Mulder getting out of a pinch somehow yet again.... Implausible occurrences.... plot holes... and too many damn voice overs all with that slow, depressing and monotonous drivel. I am convinced that this episode was great when it first came out on TV and you had to wait a whole week to find out what really happened. Without the element of cliff hanger there isn't much going on here. A lot of it feels like filler.
A very slow start to Season 5
injury-6544728 May 2020
Ok, it was enjoyable enough to watch the episode and get a little recap on the story so far. Also nice to see the answer to the season 4 cliffhanger (which I actually guessed wrong , I thought it actually had looked like mulder's corpse but it was going to be an alien clone or something- the actual answer made more sense).
What's frustrating is the glacial pace of the episode! I really don't need to see so many sequences of army men pacing down drab hallways. It's just not visually interesting! Also it seemed somewhat repetitive, with certain plot points being overexplained or re-explained again and again. We get it: the military are bad guys, don't really need all the detail.
I honestly felt like it was just back and forth, back and forth between leaden monologues by Mulder & Scully. These monologues didn't really seem to be delivered with any kind of excitement or passion. At times it was like listening to a lecture. Couldn't they have added a bit of excitement?
It's not the easiest thing in the world to keep all of the mythology pieces making sense in your head as you watch the ongoing mythology. Can get frustrating.
I appreciated seeing Skinner & CSM at least as I don't think they were in the season 4 finale.
Anyway. I guess it's a decent, functional bridge between Gethsemane & a hopefully more exciting Redux Part 2. But as a stand alone episode Redux is entirely unremarkable.
What's frustrating is the glacial pace of the episode! I really don't need to see so many sequences of army men pacing down drab hallways. It's just not visually interesting! Also it seemed somewhat repetitive, with certain plot points being overexplained or re-explained again and again. We get it: the military are bad guys, don't really need all the detail.
I honestly felt like it was just back and forth, back and forth between leaden monologues by Mulder & Scully. These monologues didn't really seem to be delivered with any kind of excitement or passion. At times it was like listening to a lecture. Couldn't they have added a bit of excitement?
It's not the easiest thing in the world to keep all of the mythology pieces making sense in your head as you watch the ongoing mythology. Can get frustrating.
I appreciated seeing Skinner & CSM at least as I don't think they were in the season 4 finale.
Anyway. I guess it's a decent, functional bridge between Gethsemane & a hopefully more exciting Redux Part 2. But as a stand alone episode Redux is entirely unremarkable.
What a terrible episode...
BamboozleBallet18 May 2008
Warning: Spoilers
I'm currently watching the X-files on DVD from beginning to end and I must say this is the most excruciatingly boring episode so far.
The endless voice overs left nothing to the imagination and towards the end were insulting to the viewer's intelligence.
The story was filled with suspense and revelations, the closest the viewer has got to the 'truth' so far, it should have been exciting... much more exciting than it was... instead, we have endless wandering though corridors, over explanation and those wretched voice overs which remind me of the Harrison Ford voice-over from Blade Runner.
The way CSM seemed sad to see the evidence of Mulder's demise was the episode highlight for me, giving a tentative glimpse of more to their relationship than I first suspected.
Other than that, the episode should be the dictionary definition of anticlimactic... if that was the intent, then 10 out of 10. I suppose Redux 2 will probably redeem it, but why should one episode have to be so bad in order to make the next redemptive?
The endless voice overs left nothing to the imagination and towards the end were insulting to the viewer's intelligence.
The story was filled with suspense and revelations, the closest the viewer has got to the 'truth' so far, it should have been exciting... much more exciting than it was... instead, we have endless wandering though corridors, over explanation and those wretched voice overs which remind me of the Harrison Ford voice-over from Blade Runner.
The way CSM seemed sad to see the evidence of Mulder's demise was the episode highlight for me, giving a tentative glimpse of more to their relationship than I first suspected.
Other than that, the episode should be the dictionary definition of anticlimactic... if that was the intent, then 10 out of 10. I suppose Redux 2 will probably redeem it, but why should one episode have to be so bad in order to make the next redemptive?
Oh yeah, right!
lynnwengland8 August 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I have to readily concur with other reviewers: this series is boring! We were supposed to believe that a principal (Mulder) killed himself? No one bought that Spock was dead either. I am only watching it due to the urging of two friends, one a doctoral level engineer and the other a computer scientist. I'm still waiting for something, ANYTHING! to grab my interest. So far, nothing. Perhaps this was exciting stuff 20 years ago but it just is not working in the 21st century. This particular episode contained so many voice-overs that it became down-right annoying. I could many times say the words with the actors it was so obvious. Many reviewers sing the praises of the acting abilities of the principals. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Having directed children's theatre, I can attest that I have had 6 year olds with better delivery and energy. Both of these two sound like they are reading aloud form the phone book. These "reviles" are so vague and contradictory (and repetitive)that I am getting ready to let this whole mess alone and leave it to the "X"-ites in their reliving of their respective childhoods. these is one pretty "reviling" aspect of these reviews: they "revile" an abhorrent lack of paying attention in composition class.
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