The Staff Writers

In this installment I look at episodes written by members of the show’s writing staff, who, for various reasons, had only one episode produced. These episodes are Oubliette, Schizogeny, Orison, Kitten, Familiar, and Nothing Lasts Forever. They run the gamut from underrated, to not quite there, to if only we had another season.

Oubliette 3×08

Oubliette, written by Charles Grant Craig. I read two versions, blue (9/27/95) and goldenrod (10/5/95). The original draft was 9/25/95, just two days before the earlier version I read. Craig was a producer/writer in the 3rd season, although he left the show shortly before Oubliette was produced. This is his only episode. Craig wrote Mulder very well, character-wise, allowing him to show empathy for both Amy and Lucy. The biggest criticism I hear about the episode, however, is that Scully seems very out of character, taking the side of local law enforcement against Mulder.

There are some dialogue changes in the later version which I’m guessing are from Chris Carter. They add depth, which I associate with him. And Mulder’s line, “not everything I do or say or think or feel goes back to my sister” is not in either version. I have read that David contributed that line, and it appears that’s true. 

The episode was also restructured so that Mulder was on his own in the early scenes, with Scully arriving later. I wondered whether Gillian had a schedule conflict. I found that she did an episode of Eek the Cat around that time. It’s possible/likely she needed time off to do that.

Schizogeny 5×09

Schizogeny, written by Jessica Scott and Mike Wolleager. I listened to an interview with Mike Wolleager on Sammensvaergalsen en dansk X-Files Podcast. Both he and Scott had worked on the show in season 4, he was Howard Gordon’s assistant and she was Chris Carter’s researcher, and they were promoted to writers for season 5. They pitched the idea and revised the pitch several times, then it was approved. It was supposed to be episode 10 but last minute was pushed to episode 9, so the first draft was written in only 3 days. They did a couple rewrites as it was in production, then Chris Carter took over. These circumstances explain the major differences between the versions of the script, and the mid-production note that the script was being rewritten.

I read 4 different versions of this script, each significantly different: blue revision (11/21/97), pink (11/24/97), green (11/26/97), and yellow (the copy I have is undated). The first thing I noted was that, while the tree climbing scene was in all of them, Mulder’s “boyish agility” line wasn’t in any of them. I can picture David thinking he has to say something as he’s climbing the tree, just to keep it interesting, and ad libbing that.

The script was heavily rewritten. The last act especially. In the green version there’s a note in the 4th Act: THE REST OF THE SCRIPT IS BEING REWRITTEN

This was obviously during production. Not something that usually happens, but not unheard of in a network TV schedule.

Wollaeger said their goal was a really scary episode, but he doesn’t think they achieved it. They needed a paranormal element, so they just declared that Karin controlled the trees, but they never explained how, so he was unsatisfied with that.

When I watched the episode, I noted that there were three scenes added after the latest version of the script that I read, all exposition intended to explain what’s happening and why. And Mulder’s voice over at the end was completely rewritten. It seems clear that these were Chris Carter’s contributions. 

The change in the voice over was really interesting. As it aired, Mulder talks about forensic analysis of the soil, and Karin’s medical records. It’s impersonal, and it sounds like something Mulder would put in a case report. 

Before the rewrite, the voice over actually fits what we saw, everyone looking away as the man who just killed a woman with an axe walks off. But it’s kind of shocking to hear Mulder admit that’s what he’s doing.

I’ve always been fascinated by this episode, because Mulder is so quintessentially Mulder in it. It seemed like the writers knew him really well. They just didn’t know a lot about writing an episode of TV. That’s another thing I learned in the interview, it was their first script to be produced.

Finally, since we know that Chris Carter did a lot of rewrites, I can surmise that either Chris or David came up with the boyish agility line. My money is still on David. 

Orison 7ABx07

Orison, by Chip Johannassen. I have the original draft (10/6/99) and the yellow revision (10/15/99), as well as the shooting schedule (10/18/99). Johannassen was a staff writer on Chris Carter’s sister show, Millennium, rather than The X-Files, but I think his episode belongs in this category. Carter had pulled the plug on Millennium after three seasons, ironically just short of the millennium, but wanted to wind up the story. I’ve read critique that Johannassen should have been asked to write the Millennium episode of The X-Files, to bring that story to a close. But that’s not what happened. Instead, Frank Black (the main character of Millennium) was plugged into a very X-Files-y story written by Vince Gilligan (who never wrote for Millennium) and Frank Spotnitz, and Johannassen was tasked with creating a monster of the week episode.

The first draft differs in a lot of ways from the episode as produced. Most significantly, there’s no Donnie Pfaster. The main villain is an escaped prisoner who found he could stop time after attending a Bible study with Reverend Orison. Carter and Spotnitz liked the premise, but they wanted to revisit an earlier monster for Season 7, so they worked Pfaster into the story.

Act One begins with Scully on the phone trying to get her money back for a piece of exercise equipment she bought. It’s a funny bit, but it seems so unlike Scully. A good example of an experienced screen writer, inexperienced in writing for The X-Files.

Anyway, Scully is put on hold, and the hold music is Don’t Look Any Further, setting up this plot element.

OMG can you imagine Mulder saying “panties”?!!! 

When Scully talks to Orison in the hospital, he refers to a scene at the start of Act One, when Jehovah’s Witnesses came to her door, repeating what they said as he moves his finger in a “slow hypnotic beat” and Scully “finds it difficult to move”. Then she hears the song coming through a speaker. She silent screams, frozen in terror, as Orison escapes. She then goes into convulsions and has to be medicated and hospitalized. 

This was obviously reworked significantly, with the US Marshal being hypnotized and allowing the escape, rather than Scully. Again, I’m reminded that this writer doesn’t know the characters very well.

Scully suggests Orison was sent to her, that he was doing God’s work. Mulder ridicules her, saying it’s just a coincidence that she heard the song a few times. This carries through to the episode, although Scully’s response is more forceful here: “No one knows how God works, Mulder. Certainly not you.”

Scully’s connection to the song is quite different. It’s told with a flashback to her high school choir, with Scully’s voice over describing the effect the song had on her.

She says something happened when she heard the song, as we see teenage Scully sobbing. “Something overwhelmed me…I alone was hearing the music.” She falls to the floor, convulsing. Mulder notes, “The same reaction you had in the hospital.” Scully tells him, “God tried to contact me that day, and it scared me.” After that, science became her passion, because it would make everything understandable. But over the years, she’s longed for what she passed up that day. “I’m painfully aware that a miracle was offered me and I foolishly rejected it, and I believe that after all these years Orison has been sent to offer me a second chance.” Mulder is skeptical, tries to convince her not to fall for Orison’s tricks.

This is a bit much. It’s treating Scully as if she’s a one-off character, using a back story to explain the case, rather than thoughtfully reflecting on Scully’s character as it’s developed over the past 6 seasons. I can see why Carter et al made some changes.

During this conversation Mulder gets a call saying the escaped prisoner has been located. For some reason Mulder goes off to help capture him without Scully, his partner.

While Mulder is at the scene looking for the prisoner, Scully puts together some clues from the pamphlet left by the Jehovah’s Witnesses. She heads out, just missing Mulder’s phone message that he had found evidence that Orison killed all the escaped prisoners. Orison’s not a prophet, he’s a murderer.

In Act Four, Scully drives to the location she figured out, and is attacked, while Mulder returns to her apartment. He figures out where she’s gone, after receiving a call from her phone.

Back with Scully, she’s bound, as is Orison, while held at gunpoint by the prisoner. Orison is preaching, the prisoner gets mad and tears Scully’s blouse open (why?!!), finding that her cellphone is on, connected with Mulder’s. He realizes Mulder is tracing the call and smashes the phone.

Mulder arrives just as the prisoner is about to drive off with Scully. Car chase, foot chase. Scully breaks free. Prisoner aims at her, fires, as Mulder shouts “Sculllaaaay” (ok, the script just says “Scully” but I know how David would shout it). The prisoner stops time like he did in the teaser, except Mulder can still move. He rushes to Scully, pushes her out of the bullet’s path (very similar to what happens in Rush). Cops rush in and catch the bad guy. 

Back to Scully’s apartment, where she’s listening to Don’t Look Any Further. Mulder enters. Scully actually, I kid you not, says “Don’t worry Mulder, I know it’s just a song. I’m sorry I was so wrong about everything.”

Then there’s this:

Which is pretty romantic, and ties back to their earlier discussions about faith. But it isn’t very consistent with Mulder’s character. 

So I can see why Carter and Spotnitz liked the basic premise of the story, and I can absolutely see why they thought it needed some rewriting in order to be an X-Files episode.

I realize that it’s possible I’m finding Mulder and Scully to be out of character in some of these early drafts by one-timers just because I’m so used to watching the episodes as they aired. But I really think it’s true that some of these writers didn’t know the characters or the show well enough. So far, the Orison draft strikes me this way the most.

And in fact, every bit of dialogue between Mulder and Scully was rewritten. Even when the conversations are conveying the same information, the words are different. In the later version Scully’s lines have the complexity and thoughtfulness we expect from her. And Mulder has a balance of skepticism for the religious aspects and compassion for Scully’s experiences throughout, rather than the wild swings from one extreme to the other.

By the yellow revision, not only had Donnie Pfaster been added, but the writers portrayed him as a literal demon, pure evil. This was a change from Irresistible, where his nature was more ambiguous, the image of demons metaphorical even. I read that Rob Bowman was upset about Scully shooting Pfaster at the end, essentially in cold blood. Making Pfaster a demon allowed the show, and Mulder, to suggest that it was a righteous killing.

The description of Scully’s struggle is very powerful: “Great intention warring with great restraint. Morality and religion and all that is right and wrong warring with some kind of deep, primitive, natural sense of law.” Scully is waiting for a sign and Pfaster starts to smile. “And then everything goes black…. shattered by a loud gunshot.”

The final conversation between Mulder and Scully had not yet been written in the yellow revision. It’s described as “Sitting on her bed, talking about evil, the devil. And don’t look any further.”

Kitten 2AYW06

Kitten, written by Gabe Rotter. I have the green revision (11/2/17). The original production draft was 10/2/17.

The revival episodes provide a nice contrast to Season 1. Even one-timers had the opportunity to be closely versed in the show and the characters, given its legacy. 24 years had passed by this point, and The X-Files remained a cultural touchstone, worthy of two revival event series (or at least a second chance at a good one). 

Gabe Rotter, it turns out, had lots of experience with the show. He started as a PA right out of college at the end of Season 7. Rotter admitted in an interview with The X-Files Fan Retrospective that he wasn’t very familiar with the show when he started the job, but he started borrowing VHS episodes, watching every episode in a very short time, and he fell in love with the storytelling and the characters. Rotter said that Frank Spotnitz invited him to sit in on writers meetings, which was an incredible learning experience. He was then promoted to writer’s assistant in Season 9 and even had a character named after him in the episode Scary Monsters. Kitten wasn’t the first script Rotter wrote for The X-Files. He also wrote an untitled episode for Season 10, but it was never produced. 

Kitten came about after Mitch Pileggi jokingly complained that Skinner didn’t have enough to do in Season 10. Rotter kept thinking about that conversation and took it as a challenge to come up with an episode which featured this beloved character. He looked back through early episodes that touched on Skinner’s backstory and found some bits that seemed worth exploring. He pitched the idea to Chris Carter, Glen Morgan, and Darin Morgan, who were excited about it as well, and it went from there.

Two themes he wanted to explore were why hadn’t Skinner risen higher in the ranks of the FBI and the fact that after all these years “we still know precious little about Walter Sergei Skinner”. Rotter wanted to convey the understanding that Skinner would do it all over again because he believed in Mulder and Scully and their cause.

Rotter talked about his writing style in an interview with X-Files News. He learned to blend comedy and drama from the likes of Vince Gilligan, John Shiban, and Frank Spotnitz. He said he loves writing Mulder, because he’s a wise-ass. Although Rotter typically leans more toward humor, this episode had to be a lot darker than originally planned, to convey the worry Mulder and Scully had for Skinner. I have read Rotter’s unproduced script, and it had a lot of humor. 

From the teaser this script attempts to show us what kind of person Skinner is–the way he tries to comfort John James when they’re ambushed, the way he risks himself (and possibly the mission) to rescue the man who’s been shot, the guilt over what happened to John, even though he couldn’t have prevented it. It’s more overt than we’ve seen in the past. I can tell Rotter’s aim is to shed some light, while staying true to what’s been hinted at before. Only someone intimately familiar with the show could do that successfully. 

Act One opens with the scene in Kersh’s office. He’s trying to get information from Mulder and Scully, but they answer every one of his questions with a question. This is nicely done, bringing to mind Mulder’s meeting with Blevins in Redux II. Very in character. Then Kersh throws it back at them, saying “let me be unambiguous…”. Very Kersh, like when he dresses Scully down at the end of Drive, or his frustration at the end of One Son when he actually says to Mulder “what the hell is that supposed to mean?” I’ve heard criticism that Kersh’s antagonism toward Mulder and Scully here seems to ignore the fact that the last time we saw Kersh (in The Truth), he was helping Mulder escape after being sentenced to death. But I think it makes sense he would help then, when what was happening was clearly wrong, and still be the same Deputy Director Kersh who finds Mulder to be a thorn in his side in the current situation.

This is where Kersh tells Mulder and Scully that Skinner’s career stalled because of his blind loyalty to them, setting up this theme for the episode. 

We get some funny wisecracks from Mulder while they search Skinner’s apartment. One too many apparently, because there was a Van Gogh joke after they found the ear that was deleted (good call IMO). 

A script note: “Another gorgeous 2018 Ford creeps to camera and stops.” I’ve noticed a few notes like this in Season 11 scripts, little jokes about the obvious product placement they’re incorporating.

The Vietnam flashback scene shows us visually what Skinner told Mulder about in One Breath. Probably the biggest criticism I’ve heard of this episode is that there was no need to show this, Skinner’s story in Season 2 was enough, this retread didn’t add anything we didn’t already know. But it does add John James/Kitten. That aspect of the story is built up in this episode to tell us more about Skinner than we knew before. I personally don’t feel that using the story here takes away from the impact of it in One Breath. 

When Davey tells Skinner his father called him “babykiller” we see “the remark bites Skinner deep. It shakes his cool.” We know that this incident has stayed with Skinner. It’s shaped the choices he’s made in his life. But hearing it used to define him hits hard. This feels real to me. It’s a good bit of characterization, consistent with what we know from the past and building on it.

Then we learn that Skinner testified against John at his court martial, but he withheld testimony about the gas John was exposed to, because those were his orders. He has felt responsible for John’s fate ever since. It “has tormented him for a long, long time.” That’s also believable. 

After seeing Skinner in the deer cam video, Mulder and Scully talk about Skinner, what they know about him, what they see as different about his behavior lately. It serves the story, the season even. But it doesn’t necessarily feel like a conversation they would have. Not that it’s out of character exactly, there’s just nothing about it that makes me think it’s them. 

This line from Mulder was cut: “I think we need to consider the real possibility that he’s become resentful of the effect we’ve had on his career. Based on his conduct here in Mud Lick I’d take it a step further and say we need to consider that he’s lost it. That he’s no longer the man we thought he was.” I’m glad this was deleted. It services the plot at the expense of character. I don’t think Mulder would believe or say this.

Here’s a script note from the final scene with Mulder, Scully, and Skinner that I love: Mulder suggests that Skinner call Kersh as soon as they get somewhere with phone signal. Skinner, “sensing there’s more to the suggestion than he’s saying, [asks], ‘Something you want to share?’ Mulder and Scully look sheepish. Like kids being confronted by their dad about an awkward subject.” This is clearly written by someone who understands the dynamic.

And then this one: “He has more to say, but it’s personal and difficult for the typically guarded Skinner.” Love love love this.

And then we get the beautiful speech from Skinner, which is just so perfectly Skinner. And Mulder telling him “We’re with you” is the perfect response.

My feeling about Kitten is that it’s a perfectly serviceable episode of The X-Files, written by someone who knows the characters and understands the show. It’s not a stand out, but it’s good. I think that if there was another season of The X-Files, Rotter wouldn’t be a one-timer. 

Familiar 2AYW09

Familiar, written by Benjamin Van Allen, directed by Holly Dale, also a one-timer director. I have the yellow revision (11/30/17). Production draft was 11/17/17. 

Van Allen said in an interview with The X-Cast that he was too young to watch the first seasons of The X-Files when they aired, but he started watching around season 7. He clearly recalled seeing Hungry. After film school, he worked as a PA on The After, a pilot Chris Carter produced for Amazon. He continued to work as Carter’s assistant prior to the X-Files revival, and he was brought on as a writer’s assistant for Season 10. He said that Carter was really good at involving people in the story process, and let him pitch ideas.

Van Allen was promoted to staff writer on Season 11. He was told he’d be writing an episode and to come up with ideas to pitch. Chris was familiar with his abilities and knew he could handle it. The same was true for Gabe Rotter, while Wollaeger, who was also a staff writer, said he had to come up with an idea (Schizogeny) before he was assigned an episode. Carter gave each of them the opportunity to write their first episode of television, though. Van Allen said, “I was completely ecstatic, especially since the first episode I’ve written for television is an X-File. It still blows my mind. It can’t be real, right?”

Van Allen wanted to do something old school, for the fans, as much like a traditional X-Files monster of the week as possible. Familiar is a throw back to earlier episodes, by design.

The teaser was the first idea he had, the one thing that didn’t change during the process. He said after coming up with that, he thought of every cool thing he wanted to happen and put them in an outline. Then he worked on connecting the dots. Once the outline was finished, he looked for ways to develop the themes. 

Van Allen showed his outlines to Gabe Rotter first, then revised them based on Rotter’s input. Once he had the episode boarded, he presented it to the other writers, who suggested changes. Then he wrote the whole script on his own. Chris read it, gave him notes for a couple of rewrites, then it was approved. 

Familiar was written and filmed to be the 9th episode of the season, mostly to accommodate James Wong’s schedule for directing Nothing Lasts Forever, which was going to be episode 8. But once both episodes were finished, the production staff realized that the personal scenes between Mulder and Scully in Nothing Lasts Forever were better suited to the penultimate episode, and Familiar was moved to the 8th slot.

Van Allen said it was easier to write Mulder, who believes in hell hounds and witches and “the fun stuff.” Scully was harder to write because she is the science of the episode, but her profiling and her desire to find the killer grounds the episode. I don’t actually know whether it made sense for Scully to do the profiling. That seems separate from the science and medicine which is her expertise, whereas Mulder is the profiler. But it worked for Scully to be following up on this profile while Mulder investigated his theories, so it’s not a huge problem.

Van Allen said David and Gillian brought a lot to the characters that wasn’t in the script. David ad libbed the line where Mulder calls Scully his homie. Van Allen said it was exciting to be on set, listening through headphones, hearing something unexpected and just knowing it was gold. 

Van Allen said one of his biggest goals with this episode was to create a monster that could live on as an iconic X-Files monster that people recognize right away, and he felt he accomplished that with Mr. Chuckleteeth. I have to agree! Here’s how Mr. Chuckleteeth is described in script: “A MAN wearing a DINNER SUIT and a WHITE FACE MASK with a LARGE TOOTHY GRIN. Is he comical or creepy?” Van Allen said the character turned out just as he envisioned. 

This is the last line from the teaser: “Andrew’s fingers sticking up through the leaves as we pan off to find the dismembered head of the Mr. Chuckleteeth doll. Grinning at us.” Yep, that’s the way you do it!

There’s a character named Emily in this episode. I saw some complaints about that on Twitter when the episode aired, arguing that that name was already taken by a significant character and was no longer available for use in The X-Files. Actually, Andrew’s mother was named Diana in the script but changed to Diane for the episode. I wonder if this is the reason for the change.

From the start Scully is the voice of reason. When local law enforcement suggest Andrew was killed by coyotes, she points out that coyotes rarely attack humans. LLE says there’s talk of a new predator called a coywolf. Mulder, of course, knows what this is, but “Scully is dubious.” When Mulder asserts FBI jurisdiction over the killing of the immediate family of a law officer, “Scully glances at Mulder knowingly–she knows that’s not why he’s here.” But when Scully points out evidence to LLE that this could be murder, Mulder backs her up.

Van Allen definitely did what he set out to do. He captured the feel of a traditional Monster of the Week episode, with the perfect dynamic between Mulder and Scully. 

But then, there’s this: In the episode, when Mulder leaves the morgue to talk to Emily, because she was an eyewitness who hadn’t been interviewed, Scully says he’s wasting his time. The script describes this, “But it’s said to Mulder’s back as he exits and is gone.” The script then goes on, “Scully (to herself): And now you’re wasting mine.” This last line was cut. I’m glad. It seems a bit harsh, and a bit out of character.

In the next scene, Mulder tries to question Emily, but she remains focused on the TV, and the script notes, “Maybe Mulder is wasting his time.” It’s a nice balance to the earlier scene with Scully. 

Van Allen mentioned that William was a theme throughout the season, and he worked a mention into this episode. Anna asks Mulder if he has kids, and Mulder says his son is grown. Then this note: “It’s an evasion of course. But it still strikes a chord.” I like Mulder’s response a lot. It tells us that Mulder considers himself a father, even under the circumstances as we know them. 

Ultimately, Mulder’s instincts about talking to Emily prove correct. In the script, Emily points to the TV when Mr. Chuckleteeth comes on screen, and Mulder’s curiosity is piqued. End scene. In the episode, when Emily points at the TV, she says, “He was in the forest”, a much needed clarification. It even sounds like the line was looped in later, so possibly the need for this line wasn’t recognized until the editing process. 

The memorial service for Andrew isn’t yet written in the script I have. It’s an important scene, where we see the dynamics of the townspeople, and where Eggers learns Scully’s theory that a sexual predator killed his son.

In the script, after Scully meets with Chief Strong, they see Eggers speed past in his patrol car. They follow him to the house of a known sex offender. Scully and Chief Strong confront Eggers, who says he found the “piece of garbage” Scully was talking about. In the episode, a scene was added, prior to Scully’s conversation with Chief Strong, showing Eggers searching the sex offender database and finding the suspect’s name and address before he goes tearing off. This bit of context made the episode stronger.

Van Allen said that one of the themes he wanted to explore was mob justice v. the presumption of innocence, using witch hunts to tie it to the setting and story.

Mulder tells Scully he doesn’t think the sex offender they’re investigating is the guy who killed Andrew, but he admits he’s not sure of anything. We ultimately learn that he’s not the killer, but he’s convicted by the mob and executed by Eggers anyway. 

I remember reading criticism of Mulder in this scene for taking the side of the sex offender and refusing to believe the guy was guilty, and by extension criticism of the episode for making Mulder right. As a career defense attorney, I take great issue with the notion that the guy should be presumed guilty based on his past. On the other hand, the guy failed to register, which is a condition society requires for protection, he’s working as a birthday party clown, which is a serious violation, and there’s enough in his house to warrant an investigation. 

Does it undermine the seriousness of sex offenses to write a scene where a past offender turns out to be innocent of the present crime (which as far as I can tell does not involve a sex offense)? Is Mulder wrong to question guilt in this particular case? It’s an interesting question and a complex issue. In any event, I have no criticism of Van Allen’s writing.

Mulder is bothered by the rush to judgment and mass hysteria, the mob convicting the man for the sins of his past. Mulder makes a good point, in my opinion. The scene is a bit longer in the script, with Mulder saying that focusing on a scapegoat allows people to ignore their own sins (this was worked into the courtroom scene later). He’s still concerned that the guilty party is someone closely connected to the victim, a possibility that is currently being ignored.

Then, when Scully asks, “So who do you like as the killer?” Mulder answers, “I like Mr. Chuckleteeth.” Ha! Way to make his rational speech sound crazy! This line was obviously deleted.

In the woods, after Emily’s body is found, Mulder confronts Strong about closing Andrew’s case and hiding evidence of witchcraft, like the salt on Andrew’s body. I love this note: “As Mulder stands over Chief Strong,… Strong remains weak.”

And this: “SCULLY (dependably dubious)…” at Mulder’s claim that he saw a hell hound.

Missing from the script is the super creepy “Mr. Chuckleteeth will send you straight to hell” scene!  The version I have is only 50 pages, which is shorter than the usual script, so it was still a work in progress. 

I’m not sure why, but I didn’t fully appreciate this episode at first. During my most recent rewatch, though, I finally grasped why so many people love it. Van Allen wanted to write an episode in the most traditional X-Files way possible, and he accomplished that. It’s creepy and scary, the characters and mystery are compelling, and Mulder and Scully have some great interactions. 

Like Gabe Rotter, Ben Van Allen could have become one of the regular writers if The X-Files continued beyond season 11.

Nothing Lasts Forever 2AYW08

Nothing Lasts Forever, written by Karen Nielsen. I have the goldenrod revision (11/19/17). Production draft was 11/2/17. Nielsen worked as script coordinator on Seasons 10 and 11 of The X-Files, working closely with the writers. In an interview with The X-Cast, Nielsen said Glen Morgan was familiar with her work making short films, which he shared with Chris Carter. Carter was impressed, and he asked Nielsen to write a script for Season 11.

Nielsen felt a lot of pressure writing for The X-Files. It was her first hour of network television, on one of the biggest shows of all time, and she was one of a few female writers. And she didn’t even know as she was writing it that it would be the last stand-alone episode of the show! But everyone on staff was so supportive, and Carter was “so chill.” 

She collaborated closely with Glen Morgan, and with James Wong, who directed the episode. Nielsen told The X-Cast that having guidance from two people who were there since day 1 was integral to making sure she captured the voice of the characters.

For this episode, Nielsen wanted to go as far as she could with the horror/gore elements, to “embrace the weird.” She commented that for Morgan and Wong, “it’s never too much” because they always push the envelope on gross. She said people can’t handle gore when it’s just gratuitous, but when it’s in character and story-driven, it’s accepted. So, with that in mind, she didn’t hold back.

Nielsen said there were a few calls from Standards & Practices as they saw the dailies, but not too many. They pretty much know what to expect from The X-Files. The pancreas lick caused a lot of concern, though. 

Here’s how it’s described in the script: “Dr. Dave pulls the pancreas out of the victim’s body with his left hand and lifts it towards his face as if for a closer look… He tugs his surgical mask down exposing his mouth then lifts the pancreas to his mouth. Dr. Dave extends his tongue and licks the entire organ. Then, like a sommelier, considers the taste…” 

That causes me concern too! But it certainly helped set the tone for the episode. To be sure, Nothing Lasts Forever is perhaps the goriest episode of the revival (possibly surpassed by My Struggle IV’s “sploded heads”). But, even though I’m pretty squeamish about the gross stuff, it’s all integral to the story, as Nielsen intended, and I find the episode so entertaining that I don’t mind it.

Another of Nielsen’s goals in writing the episode was to have character driven moments, which she felt would organically lead to exploring where Mulder and Scully were emotionally in the season. They were going through so much, and Nielsen knew it was time for their relationship to move forward and for them to talk about it. She was clear about wanting to include those scenes, and she was supported by the rest of the writers. 

Act One starts with Scully in the cathedral, receiving communion. Then she looks at stained glass depicting “a narrative from the bible. Mary witnesses her son’s ascension to a life eternal. CAMERA PUSHES IN on Scully as she looks with a sense of foreboding.”

This didn’t make it to the episode. Scully doesn’t appear to be looking at the stained glass, and we never get a clear view of any of it in the scene. But I find this description very intriguing. Is her sense of foreboding related to Jackson/William? What does she know or sense or suspect is in store for him? Also, it’s very cool how this ties in with the case Scully is about to investigate, just as the words spoken by the priest during communion do.

The two young FBI agents at the scene of the first murder are Colquitt and Bludworth, names we remember from CSM’s novel in Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man. We can tell who was collaborating with Nielsen!

Nielsen described the fun David and Gillian had on set, which led to them contributing lines for their characters. For instance, Scully shouting “Gout!” was all David and Gillian. 

There are other little changes to the dialogue in this scene as well. When Mulder drives Colquitt and Bludworth away with his speech about expecting a wooden stake made from “the three types of wood used in Christ’s crucifixion cross”, Scully accuses him of doing that on purpose. The script has Mulder respond “You’re right, Scully”. In the episode, it’s a much more sassy “Ya think?” And another one: when Mulder talks about fans of Hammer Horror films, his “of which I am one, guilty” wasn’t scripted. And the “Did you get your hair cut? Are you kidding me?” exchange isn’t in the script I have, either.

I love this description of Dr. Luvenis in the script: “His skin is too tanned. His hair is an unnatural golden yellow. The result of a Transhumanist experiment.” I had to look this up. According to Science Digest, “Transhumanism is the position that human beings should be permitted to use technology to modify and enhance human cognition and bodily function, expanding abilities and capacities beyond current biological constraints.” So yeah, that’s what’s going on there.

The Barbara Beaumont show clips are really wonderful, so completely believable as a 1967 sitcom! Nielsen is writing a show within a show, completely different genres, and doing an awesome job of it.

This speech from Barbara about what they’re doing and why was deleted:

 It’s interesting, and gives us some insight, but I kind of like the episode better without it. We’re left wondering a little longer just WTF is going on. 

In the first scene in the Bronx church, Scully tells Mulder she needs some time, they can meet later or he can wait. Here’s Mulder’s response: “Sensing something up with her, Mulder shakes his head as if ‘No. I want to be with you.’ She nods…” This is so beautiful! I love how this script examines their relationship and accounts for where they are after all these years, all they’ve been through.

Oh, this is interesting! There’s some deleted dialogue when Mulder and Scully are sitting in the church pew: Mulder asks, “Why the renewed … interest? You said after the ‘scandals’ that you could never go back.” Scully averts her eyes, acknowledging that she did. Then Mulder continues, “I mean, they handled all that like the Vatican put Cancer Man in charge of the cover up…”

This exchange is completely unnecessary to the story and therefore expendable. I think I’m glad it was cut. There’s no need to remove Scully from her faith so explicitly. 

Then this: after Scully says she’s not sure she believes in miracles, but she needs strength from faith like her mother had, or what Mulder has, she says “I have no answers in my life. For William. For what I want. Or what I need.” This last line is deleted.

In the episode, Mulder responds, “All we have are the results of every choice we ever made. And you hope that at the end, you did the right thing.” The script takes it further, “There’s no higher being that will judge you. (beat) I won’t, Scully.”

With a couple of lines deleted, the conversations stays a little lighter, in keeping with the puppy story, while still allowing Scully to wrestle with her faith and Mulder to add his perspective. 

Glen Morgan brought the song The Morning After to the table. It was the first and only choice for Barbara Beaumont to sing. And what a memorable scene! It plays out exactly as scripted, with the actions interspersed with the lyrics. This is how it’s described in the script, after Warren has stabbed himself: “BARBARA gives another nod of permission with a variety show smile…THE GROUP hungrily swarms to Warren’s body and kneels as the blood pumps over his stomach and onto the floor. Still alive, Warren’s eyes roll up into his head like a fish on a dock.” And all through this, Barbara keeps singing. So gruesome! And “with a variety show smile” is pure gold!

When Scully and Mulder meet Barbara but don’t believe she’s actually THE Barbara Beaumont, there’s a whole rant about IMDB (and Wikipedia too) that was deleted:

This and an earlier reference to Barbara’s son who died from an overdose was also cut from the episode.

When Scully falls through the trap door, Mulder yells “Sculllllaaayyy!” The script actually just says “SCULLY!” but even though this is the first time he’s done so since Existence, David still knew what to do!

Then we come to the last scene. The one where Mulder and Scully finally talk about their relationship. I love this scene. I think Nielsen is right, it feels good, it feels organic, it feels earned, and it feels like them. But there were some complaints about it.

In the episode, after questioning whether they’re together, Scully says she fled. Mulder responds, “If only you’d fled earlier … left that basement office before I even needed glasses.” This caused quite the uproar, with fans pointing out that Mulder was literally wearing glasses in the basement office the moment they met!

I have to come to Nielsen’s defense here. She knew that. The line as she originally wrote it acknowledged that:

But “when I had regular prescription glasses” doesn’t trip off the tongue quite as easily. So here we are.

And that brings us to the whisper moment. Nielsen said she always intended that to be a private moment, and she was surprised how outraged people were to not know what was said. She felt it made sense that Scully would keep it private, in a sacred place. Again, it felt organic. Nielsen wanted the audience to be engaged, needing to think about what Scully might have said.

Here’s how it was scripted:

This works for me. I don’t know if I’ve ever heard a suggestion about what Scully whispered that quite fits with what they said next, but I love to think about it. Let me know if you have a line you think is perfect!

All in all, I think Nielsen wrote a truly gruesome X-File which organically led to Mulder and Scully talking about their feelings. Safe to say, I would definitely want to see more from her.

In the next installment I’ll take a look at episodes written by people who were members of The X-Files family, but not as writers…