Arcadia

Season 6, Episode 15, Aired
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Episode Summary

On their first official case back on the X-Files, Mulder and Scully go undercover as a married couple at a prestigious planned community where several residents have recently disappeared after failing to comply with the rules and regulations.
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Fan Episode Reviews (28)

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  • Mulder and Scully's first X-File back is going undercover.

    8.5
    "Great"
    By JaCkKbAuEr2424, Apr 29, 2011 Report Abuse
    Following the "Monday" episode, this is another strong addition into Season 6. After a mid-section that felt boring as heck, this episode is a nice step to redemption. Of course, it has the usual amount of wackiness that has plagued this season, but it also has a classic X-File premise and finds that nice balance between fun and scary that Darin Morgan episodes had. Plus, seeing Mulder and Scully pretend to be married has some pretty good jokes.

    The episode revolves around a gated community that has strict rules about how you are to live. If people disobey the rules... well, that's what the episode looks at. Neighbors who don't seem to follow the rules disappear into thin air and new neighbors move in quickly after. The second we see Mulder and Scully move into the neighborhood, we're almost rooting for them to start trouble just to see what will happen. The funniest part of the episode comes when Mulder goes outside and kicks his mailbox over, throwing orange juice all over it... a funny episode with its fair share of dark moments.

    The show actually, for once, creates a somewhat compelling villain, and for the first time in awhile, I was excited to see how Mulder and Scully would solve the case. I'd say between this episode and "Monday," the show seems to have found its way.moreless

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  • "Woman, get in here and make me a sandwich!"

    5.1
    "Mediocre"
    By BurntSiena, Mar 02, 2011 Report Abuse
    Mulder and Scully go undercover as a married couple in a picture perfect gated community called The Falls At Arcadia. A couple has disappeared under mysterious circumstances and the agents move into their house to solve the crime. We're in another world here... Diego County. And a world where Mulder wears Izods. The community is full of Stepford like perfection and rules that would make Caligula blush.

    The main appeal (and only appeal really) of this episode is seeing Mulder tease his straight-laced partner. He hams it up, acting the part of lovey dovey spouse. There are some cute moments between them, but that doesn't make "Arcadia" a good episode. For one thing, the mystery itself is flat, and the killer's motives are poorly developed. I hadn't realized until I watched this episode, but Mulder's character is defined in part by his old fashioned g-man look. Duchovny does more for a suit than anyone since Cary Grant. So seeing him in domestic mode, in running suits and Izods, ruins the effect. He isn't the same character. Some will argue that this sight gag is one of the episode's appeals, I would say it stops me cold from embracing it.

    And, on a continuity note, why no mention of Jeffrey Spender's fate? This is three episodes after "One Son" and still no mention of him.moreless

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  • This episode is great because we see Mulder and Scully trying to pretend to be a married couple!

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By sophdoph13, Mar 02, 2011 Report Abuse
    Mulder and Scully go undercover to a suburb terrorised by mysterious disappearences. They pretend to be a married couple buying thier first house. The same house is the house that belonged to a couple that disappeared. It is great seeing the interaction between Mulder and Scully as the try to act as though they are married which is really funny. The idea of the monster is not so great. I mean a monster made out of mud and rubbish? But the episode is really good and is one of the lighter episodes. My favourite part is where Mulder and Scully are talking in the kitchen. Thats great!moreless

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  • Attack of the landfill Monster...

    8.7
    "Great"
    By CaptainHarkness, Aug 22, 2008 Report Abuse
    I didn't know what to think about this episode at first. I thought it would be Mulder and Scully on a boring old staekout with nothing to do. Boy was I wrong. It seems that people have been killed in the community that Mulder and Scully are staying. I couldn't live in a place like that. They don't let you do anything. Everything has to be "Up to Code." Some might say that this episode was a ltlle pointless but it was freaking hilarious. There were two parts where I actually burst out laughing. The first is when Mulder says to Scully "Get back in here woman and make me a sandwich!" The second part is when Mulder wrecks the mail box and to top it off he throws his orange juice on it. I mean who does that? Oh, right, Mulder. I wish we could have more episodes like this one. But not with giant landfill monsters that have OCD.moreless

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    1 0

  • I thought this episode was good due to the interaction between Scully and Mulder as husband and wife.

    9.1
    "Superb"
    By Gilmoregirl999, Aug 21, 2008 Report Abuse
    I thought this episode was good due to the interaction between Scully and Mulder as husband and wife.

    It was clear dat Scully went all the way when she has to play the wife, with the night mask and the nagging about the toilet seat, the cloths and the toothpaste. It were the stereotypes of men all in one package (not saying that they are all true;-) )

    Mulder on the other hand just was himself, although he made fun of the situation and maybe he also abused the situation.

    Monster who wanted everything to be perfect (sounds a little like my mother sometimes).moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

    ADD TRIVIA
    • When Mulder first discovers the hole in his neighbour's lawn and is lifting the grass, camera equipment is visible on the right side of the screen. Edit

    • When Scully is doing her videoing, she mentions that Skinner had suggested they go undercover as 'prospective homebuyers'. Yet I don't know of any community - perfect or not - that allows 'prospective' buyers to move in with all their furniture and other bits and pieces. They even have the mailbox changed to show their names. And they certainly wouldn't be able to dig up the lawn for a reflection pool if they didn't own the property! Especially given the rule-heavy nature of this community.
      EDIT: The case could've begun with them posing as prospective homebuyers to make the undercover more believable. I doubt they just picked out the community and immediately moved in.

      Edit
    • When Cami gets up from dinner to walk the dog, you can see clearly that it is bright with daylight outside. When they get outside, however, it's nighttime. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • The Ubermenscher is actually a Tulpa, a Tibetan thoughtform that is brought to life through mysticism. Edit
    • The Name 'Ubermenscher' is very close to the German word 'Übermensch', which means 'super human'. Edit
    • The name "Polizzi" painted on one of the neighborhood mailboxes is in honor to Lauren Polizzi, one of the art directors on The X-Files. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Gene Gogolak: Rules are rules. It may not sound like anything - a simple basketball hoop - but from there, it's just a few short steps to spinning daisy reflectors and a bass boat in the driveway. Mulder: In other words, anarchy. Edit
    • (Scully is holding up a video camera, documenting the case) Mulder: (Walking up to Scully) You ready to make that honeymoon video now? Scully: (Shuts off video camera) Rob and Laura Petrie? Mulder: (Correcting Scully's pronunciation) "Pee-trie." Scully: Mulder, if we ever go undercover again, I get to choose the names, okay? Mulder: Fine. Scully: This tells me that you're not taking this seriously. Mulder: No, I'm taking it seriously, I just don't understand why we're on it. I mean it's our first catch back on the X-Files. This isn't an X-File. Scully: Sure it is. It's unexplained. What do you want, aliens? Tractor beams? Mulder: Wow. Admit it, all you want to do is play house. Woman! Get back in here and make me a sandwich! (Scully throws a rubber glove at him) Mulder: Did I not make myself clear? Edit
    • Scully: (Taking off her coat) You ready? Mulder: Let's get it on, honey. Scully: (Holding up latex gloves) All right then. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • The Dick Van Dyke Show: Mulder and Scully use the pseudonyms Rob and Laura Petrie while undercover on this job, which are the names of the main characters on The Dick Van Dyke Show. Edit
    • Episode Title: Arcadia
      In ancient Greek, Arcadia was the name of a district famous for its rustic peace and simplicity. Edit
    • Movie: The Colony This episode is reminiscent of the 1995 movie The Colony starring John Ritter. The premise of the movie is about a secluded, planned community with outrageous rules and regulations which hides a dark underbelly where the so-called 'safe and secure' feature involves hidden cameras throughout the homes, and several residents are killed because of their knowledge of this; similar in the way that the residents of 'The Falls' are killed for not following the rules. Edit

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