"The X Files" Humbug (1995)

User Rating:

8.7/10   

Director:

Kim Manners

Writers:

Chris Carter (creator)
Darin Morgan (written by)

TV Series:

"The X Files" (1993)

Original Air Date:

31 March 1995 (Season 2, Episode 20)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Plot:

The strange death of a circus sideshow attraction in Gibsonton, Florida, leads Mulder and Scully on...

Plot Keywords:

Freakshow | Bed Of Nails | Title Spoken By Character | FBI | FBI Agent

Cast

David Duchovny	...	Fox Mulder
Gillian Anderson	...	Dana Scully
Jim Rose	...	Dr. Blockhead
Wayne Grace	...	Sheriff Hamilton
Michael J. Anderson	...	Mr. Nutt (as Michael Anderson)
The Enigma	...	The Conundrum
Vincent Schiavelli	...	Lanny
Alex Diakun	...	Curator
John Payne	...	Jerald Glazebrook
Gordon Tipple	...	Hepcat Helm
Alvin Law	...	The Reverend

Runtime:

Argentina:60 min | USA:60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:13

Company:

20th Century Fox Television

Trivia:

In this episode, Michael J. Anderson's character, Mr. Nutt, is offended when Mulder mistakes him for a carnival worker. In "Carnivàle" (2003), Anderson plays the head of a traveling carnival.

Quotes:

Scully: Have you ever had any dealings with a cow?
Mulder: Agent Scully, just exactly WHAT are you implying?

Movie Connections:

References "60 Minutes" (1968)

Soundtrack:

Frenzy

We're exhuming... your potato.

Humbug the Limerick:

A circus attraction gone wrong

Sticks his head where it doesn't belong

Making its killings

Now the Enigma its filling

And the Fiji Mermaid has moved along.

Humbug is the first comedy episode of the series written by Darin Morgan who would later bring us a few other great episodes including my favorite overall of the series "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose". A humbug is another word for a sideshow attraction which is exactly what the entire episode is about. The idea of having a trailer park where a bunch of circus freaks all live allows for all kinds of great comedic opportunities. I think one of the things I like most about this is how Mulder's humor is allowed to come out in this episode. Probably one of the better characters is the Conundrum "big jigsaw tattooed naked guy". In other words, great writing and great actors = great episode. 10/10.