The Lone Gunmen

Planet of the Frohikes: A Short History of My Demeaning Captivity

Season 1, Episode 7, Aired 4/6/01

Episode Summary

The Lone Gunmen receive an email from a monkey that has been subjected to secret government tests. The gunmen are shocked to find out that their contact is in fact a genetically altered, super monkey, who requires their help.

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Cast & Crew

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Tom Braidwood

Melvin Frohike
Dean Haglund

Richard "Ringo" Langly
Bruce Harwood

John Fitzgerald Byers

Fan Episode Reviews (1)

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Monkey Business

8.0

"Great"

By Anon67683, Sep 11, 2007 Report Abuse

Yes, it's implausible and the ending is somewhat poorly executed, but you have to laugh when you are presented with a roomful of monkeys banging away at keyboards, one of whom is typing in Shakespeare's "Hamlet" accompanied by Edward Woodward's narration.

Vince Gilligan is one of the X-File's most consistent, intelligent and talented writers and here he makes the most of a rather wacky premise. I love how Peanuts express mails himself to the zoo, even though on reflection I realize that this is physically impossible.

I'm baffled as to the choice of title. Why choose Frohike's name over the others? Inside joke? It would have been funny to include some overt reference to Planet Of The Apes in the episode, perhaps a character named Charlton or a "damn dirty ape" line.

Anyway, the ending is a bit convoluted and seems to rush by too quickly to allow one to gain a firm grasp of what is going on. I had to rewatch the ending to see whether the action really makes sense and I'm still not sure. It just seems a stretch for dimwitted Jimmy to have understood Peanuts' plan all along such that he is able to assist in its execution.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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Trivia
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- In the opening scene, the recording being played (and transcribed by Peanuts) is from Hamlet's famous "to be or not to be" soliloquy from Shakespeare's Hamlet. Edit
- Yves' anagrammatic alias for this episode was Sara Lee Wheyvold. Edit
Notes
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- Forbes Angus, (French Trade Minister) previously played a government scientist in The X-Files episodes "Soft Light", the doc who removes Scully's implant in "The Blessing Way", the Funeral Director in "Bad Blood", and a security guard in "Small Potatoes." He also appeared in the Millennium episode "Sense and Antisense" as Doctor Pettey. Edit
- The Official X Files Magazine for Spring 2001 has a Lone Gunmen cover, and a few spoiler photos for this episode, including Langly hog-tied through a tire swing, and two of Jimmy Bond with chimps. Edit
Quotes
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- Dr. Hasslip: How could you possibly know his name?
  Jimmy: Whose name?
  Dr. Hasslip: My missing chimpanzee. He contacted you, didn't he? He emailed you?
  Jimmy: Wow. That would be some trick, huh? Seeing as how I don't have email. Edit
- Peanuts (via voice synthesizer): Please stop addressing me by my slave name.
  Yves: How do you prefer we address you?
  Peanuts Simon White-Thatch Potentloins: By the name I have given myself: Simon White-Thatch Potentloins. Edit
- Jimmy: He said they named him Peanuts. If I had a monkey, I'd name him Peanuts. Or maybe Admiral Peanuts. Edit
Allusions
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- Boulle Behavioral Institute: The research institute that holds the monkeys is named after Pierre Boulle writer of the novel Planet of the Apes. Edit
- Title: The title of this episode is a very obvious tip of the hat to the Planet of the Apes movies staring Charlton Heston. Edit