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Lunch » Tags » Tv Shows » Reviews » The X-Files: Humbug/Anasazi

The X-Files: Humbug/Anasazi

1 rating: 5.0

Horror, Science Fiction & Fantasy, and Television TV show

Humbug Original Broadcast Date : 03/31/95 Written by Darin Morgan & Kim Manners Directed by Kim Manners Mulder and Scully are called in to investigate the unexplainable death of a retired escape artist and … see full wiki

Tags: Tv Shows, Television, Horror, Science Fiction & Fantasy

1 review about The X-Files: Humbug/Anasazi

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"Humbug" is one of the best episodes of a television series I have ever seen

Sep 15, 2008

by CharlesAshbacher

Rating:

Until recently, I had never seen an episode of "The X-Files" and when I watched a tape with two episodes, I had only a vague idea of what was going on. The storyline was heavily dependent on the context established by previous episodes, so it was difficult to understand.
Happily, that was not the case for the "Humbug" episode. It was very easy to understand and is an example of something that would at first appear impossible. It is an intense murder mystery involving a bizarre serial killer, yet it is also humorous. It closes with one of the best lines of dialog ever uttered, even though it is a cliche.
Mulder and Scully are on the trail of a serial killer that gouges out a large section of the victim's abdomen. Their travels take them to a trailer park inhabited by ex-sideshow acts. The people have deformities such as a skin condition, a tattooed man that eats anything, including bugs and raw fish, an escape artist who engages in self-mutilation, a dwarf and a man with a conjoined twin.
Even though Mulder and Scully are staying there, the murders continue and they seem poised to be the next victims. The murderer seems capable of unrestricted movement; it is able to enter buildings through the tiniest of spaces. However, they finally determine the identity of the murderer, although in a bizarre twist, they never make an arrest.
The second episode on this tape, the end of the second season cliffhanger, is one where some knowledge of previous episodes is needed. Mulder seems on the verge of becoming unhinged, punching his superior, and unable to sleep. When he is handed Top Secret files regarding government knowledge of alien visitations, the "smoking man" is on his trail. In a bizarre yet logical sequence, Scully is forced to shoot Mulder. The episode ends with the apparent death of Mulder at the hands of the smoking man. My wife Kathy watched the tape with me and she has now given me instructions that I need to acquire the subsequent episode so that we can find out how Mulder managed to escape.
I am now four episodes into my viewing of the "X-Files" series and am beginning to be hooked. As I learn more about the context, it is becoming more intriguing and I really enjoy the dialog and the complexity of the story lines.

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