Paint the Town with Rocket Fuel

Episodes 12 & 13 of The X-Files season 1 offer quite the contrast of tones for the series.

Fire was for some reason once seen as particularly frightening, but we both had a grand time re-watching this episode. Not sure it was supposed to be quite as funny as we found it. Among the weird revelations on this rewatch was the easily overlooked detail that the villain is literally using cans of rocket fuel while repainting a house.

Also so much Sculder content for those so inclined. You might not have made it to series regular, Phoebe, but you certainly spurred things on.

Beyond the Sea by contrast is a much more sombre affair and our first Scully-focused episode. The heady mix of Silence of the Lambs, Exorcist III and Zodiac is pretty effective all things considered. And of course, this would not work without Brad Dourif as guest star.

Also our first Twin Peaks cast member in Don S Davis as William Scully.

...wait, do Mulder and Scully both have fathers with the same first name?

And for the first time, no Kim's Conspiracy Corner. No aliens, no hint of government involvement. Unless Nick's bizarre theory about Cecil L'Ively being the origins of the Fire Nation in Avatar: The Last Airbender somehow pans out.

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