Vince Gilligan's Top "X-Files" Episodes: A Sci-Fi Homecoming

Dive into the Extraordinary: Gilligan's "X-Files" Gems Await!

"Small Potatoes": Where Humor Meets the Unexplained

Often, "The X-Files" truly shined when it injected humor into its narrative, moving beyond its usual suspense and horror. "Small Potatoes" stands out as one of the series' most amusing installments. In this episode, FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully investigate an unusual case involving infants born with tails, which leads them to a highly successful fertility clinic. The investigation uncovers a perpetrator with an extraordinary ability, which he uses in an attempt to woo Scully while disguised as Mulder\u2014a tantalizing scenario for fans who rooted for a romantic connection between the partners.

"Bad Blood": A Humorous Clash of Perspectives

Another brilliantly funny episode, "Bad Blood" is cleverly structured around Mulder and Scully recounting their conflicting accounts of an incident to Assistant Director Walter Skinner. Mulder is convinced he encountered and staked a vampire in a small Texas town, believing Scully was too preoccupied with an attractive cowboy sheriff to grasp the supernatural truth. Scully, however, maintains that no paranormal activity occurred, asserting that she alone successfully solved the case. This episode offers a comical examination of the agents' core dynamic and the enduring appeal of vampire lore.

"Dreamland" Parts 1 & 2: A Body-Swapping Adventure

Gilligan frequently delighted in teasing fans with scenarios where characters impersonating Mulder would flirt with Scully. "Dreamland," a rare two-part episode not focused on the series' mythology, features a bizarre event at Area 51 that results in Mulder swapping bodies with Morris Fletcher, a base leader portrayed by the acclaimed Michael McKean. Fletcher embraces his new identity with relish, while Mulder struggles with Fletcher's tumultuous personal life and desperately seeks a way to revert to his original self. McKean and Gilligan later collaborated again on "Better Call Saul."

"Monday": Trapped in a Relentless Time Loop

It's a common trope for long-running genre shows to feature a time-loop episode, and "The X-Files" was no exception. Co-written by Gilligan and John Shiban, "Monday" plunges Mulder and Scully into a repeating cycle of dying during a botched bank robbery. While most time-loop narratives focus on protagonists trying to break free, "Monday" centers on Pam, the robber's girlfriend, as she endeavors to disrupt the endless loop. Gilligan cleverly included a nod to "Dreamland," with the recurring day commencing due to a leak from the waterbed Fletcher had acquired while inhabiting Mulder's body.

"Hungry": The Monster's Tale Unveiled

In "Hungry," "The X-Files" adopts a "Columbo"-esque approach, presenting the story from the monster's viewpoint rather than that of Mulder and Scully. The episode follows Rob Roberts, a fast-food employee who harbors an insatiable craving for human brains. He attempts to suppress his urges with diet pills and by attending Overeaters Anonymous meetings. Mulder's relentless pursuit of Rob highlights his often-perceived eccentricities, making him appear more unhinged than ever.