9x12 Scary Monsters
Synopsis
Monsters hiding under a little boy's bed may be more than just the product of a vivid imagination when agents Harrison, Doggett and Reyes investigate. They find out that there is more to the story of the mysterious death of the child’s mother who apparently stabbed herself repeatedly. Meanwhile Scully conducts an autopsy on a dead cat.
Writer/s: Thomas Schnauz
Director: Dwight Little
Originally aired: 14th April 2002 (in the US) - 13th December 2002 (in Australia)
Quotes
Gabe Rotter: Gabe... Rotter. I'm a friend of Leyla Harrison.
Scully: Do you know what time it is?
Gabe Rotter: Hey, I just do as I'm told. Enjoy.
Scully: Whoa. What the hell is that?
Gabe Rotter: A dead cat.
Scully: Come again?
Gabe Rotter: Yeah, his name's Spanky. Leyla said you're helping her out on a case and you needed it ASAP, so... hey, you're welcome.
Scully: I am going to be exceptionally polite. Leave. Now. Leave now and take that with you.
Leyla Harrison: What would Agents Mulder and Scully do if they were in this situation?
Doggett: Agents Mulder and Scully aren't in this situation. Agents Doggett and Reyes are. I don't know about Agent Reyes but Agent Doggett's going to sit his tired ass down.
Leyla Harrison: I really do have to commend you, Agent Doggett. You solved this case. If it weren't for you ... I don't even like to think what would have happened. I have to say, it's clear to me now that you were better- equipped for this challenge than even Agent Mulder would have been. Absolutely. I mean your lack of imagination saved our lives.
Links
Episodes: Fanpop and SideReel.
Transcripts: Episode transcript.
Screen captures at: Chrisnu.com
Episode related fanfic: Page 1
Season 9 Gag Reels: Part 1 and Part 2
Mods thoughts and discussion attempts
Overall I do like this episode. I’m always a fan of the creepy kids. This one perhaps wasn’t the creepiest but was still good. I really like the ending with scary!Doggett and the fire. Why did it feel so much like Terminator 2? Oh HAI!! Doggett! HAI!! Mr. Robot!!! I have to say, in the kids imagination, Doggett is so much cooler. If he had tried to set fire to more children, I may have wanted to watch more.
I love Scully in the ep, she really makes me laugh - even though she’s been reduced to a pretty b-grade storyline. I love how she’s so put off from eating her sandwich when Leyla shows her the crime scene photo. WTF Scully? It makes me giggle because I think of Bad Blood where she was dreaming of pizza while cutting open a stomach, such a strange turn around. But I think the dead cat delivery is priceless and then the autopsy. Though Scully answers the phone while still wearing the gloves. Ew.
Things I loved most:
Mulder’s fish tank! I loved seeing it in Scully’s apartment throughout season 9. It so means they’re married.
Scully having Mulder’s ID badge ... and obviously out where other people can see it. I’m sure she looked at it for hours every night.
Scully’s apron. A gift from Mulder … y/y??
The nostalgia of all the Mulder talk! Agent Harrison might be totally annoying, but at least she reminded us that Mulder is indeed The X Files man and he did actually exist once.
Extra
While Scully was doing an necropsy on "Spanky", Tommy's rotting pet cat, her apron clearly sports the words "something smells goooood!"
In this episode we find Tommy uttering the famous phrase "I made this" while showing a drawing he made to Reyes. This is also the phrase spoken over the TenThirteen logo after the credits on every X Files episode.
Jolie Jenkins makes her second appearance on The X-Files on this episode. Her premiere was in "Alone" in the 8th season. She plays an agent that is obsessed with the X-Files, Mulder and Scully.