Folie a Deux

Season 5, Episode 19, Aired
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Episode Summary

Mulder is held hostage inside an office where a man claims his boss is a monster and has clouded all their minds while he turns them into zombies one by one, which is disbelieved until Mulder opens his mind and allows himself to see it too.
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Fan Episode Reviews (7)

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  • Mulder gets taken hostage and sees a strange creature.

    8.7
    "Great"
    By JaCkKbAuEr2424, Mar 10, 2011 Report Abuse
    I'm not sure why, but the end of Season 5 seems to have hit a streak that was missing from around midway through all the way up until now. Every episode felt as if it was phoned in, but the last few episodes have really gotten me ready for the finale. Mulder and Scully have gotten into some crazy situations before, and there's certainly been more dangerous things they've done than this episode, but there was just something about the way Mulder seemed completely helpless (and insane) that made the episode so exciting.

    Mulder hears about a case in Illinois where a man sent an anonymous tape to the FBI claiming he's seeing a monster that is turning his co-workers into zombies. The episode is tricky and clever in the way it gets us to believe the episode will go one way and quickly take us in a different direction. Mulder visits the guy's workplace who sent the tape and is quickly taken hostage as the worker threatens to unveil the monster. However, what at first seems like a crazy man rant turns into the truth as Mulder sees the same monster the guy sees.

    What is the monster exactly? I couldn't really figure it out, and I think that's what makes it so haunting. Mulder sees these sketchy bug apparitions that nobody else can see but him, which makes him look absolutely crazy. We've seen this situations before in X-Files, but the fact that we don't really learn all that much about this mysterious monster and the fact that writer Vince Gilligan waits so long for us to learn whether or not this is a hallucination or not really amps up the suspense.

    As we head into the season finale/the first X-Files movie, I feel like Season 5 has slowly been redeeming itself.moreless

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  • great

    10
    "Perfect"
    By KennyRogersLove, Jun 06, 2010 Report Abuse
    One of my favourite episodes. I love how the story twists and turns. What I really think makes this episode great is the idea of the monster - turning people into zombies and nobody seeing it except the lucky - or is it unlucky?? - few. It worked really well, the sense of paranoia Lambert had and the twist when Mulder sees it made the second half take off. Mulder being put in the nut house was very funny as well - and the monster approaching when he's tied down and unable to move - oh the suspense! Oh, and the bug special effects, I thought worked really well - how it flickered, that made it so very creepy and original. There really is never a dull moment, from the hostage situation to Mulder in the Hospital, it's a one heck of a ride

    A few slight problems I have - Scully seeing the zombie, how come that happened? Where'd the bug man go at the end? A lose end there.

    But these are minor complaints, I give it 10/10.moreless

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    2 0

  • Scary MOTW episode which almost leaves Mulder at the mercy of the monster.

    10
    "Perfect"
    By mimoji, Jun 24, 2007 Report Abuse
    What intrigued me so much about the episode is the way Mulder is drawn into believing the hostage taker that there is a monster amongst them. At first it doesn't seem like Mulder does really believe him, but then he also sees the monster and now finds himself in the same position that the hostage taker had been in. He knows what's going on but nobody, not even Scully, believes him. Scully only starts realising something is really wrong when Mulder is in hospital, tied up to the bed and she wants to visit him and for a split second sees the nurse she'd been talking to as a dead person, or zombie, if you like. That's when she springs into action and manages in the last second to rescue the tied-up Mulder from the monster.
    Somehow I expected a follow-up episode (like in Tooms) because in the end the producers suggest that the monster managed to escape unhurt.
    Nice Mulder-Angst episode!moreless

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  • One In Five Billion

    8.8
    "Great"
    By Anon67683, Mar 28, 2007 Report Abuse
    An ambitious, interesting episode that packs a lot of material into its 45 minutes. On its face, it seems a rather strange episode to be given the penultimate position in Season Five as it is, after all, a mere MOTW episode. But there is important character development to be enjoyed here and, as such, the episode fits quite nicely within the overall series arc, even though it is not strictly speaking a Myth story.

    The developing theme of Mulder's disillusionment continues here as he scoffs at being assigned yet another monster case by Skinner. "I'm Monster Boy, right?" he asks. Yet, despite his initial cynicism, Mulder keeps his eyes open and discovers that the monster is real. Incidentally, it's a nice touch that Mulder still has his pinky finger in a brace (his pinky was broken in the previous standalone episode, "The Pine Bluff Variant"). This is precisely the kind of detail that engenders trust in the writer and allows the viewer to "buy in" to the episode.

    The episode moves along at a brisk pace. The fluttering sound effects and jumpy cuts to a briefly glimpsed fly-thing were very effective in evoking a sense of dread and paranoia. It helps that the action takes place in a telemarketing boiler-room, which has a nervous energy all its own. There is a wildy distorted, almost bit-crushed-sounding insect sound just before one of the commercial cuts that is amazing. Kudos to Mark Snow and the sound design team.

    The heart of this episode is referenced by its title, "Folie A Deux." As explained during the episode, this is a phenomenon that typically occurs in hostage or other high-stress situations, in which one person (usually the victim) shares in the hallucinations or visions of another (usually the perpetrator). However, the term applies equally to the Mulder-Scully dynamic, which is touchingly commented on by Mulder when he tells her she is his "one in five billion." Despite all the trials and tribulations of Season Five, despite the doubts and second-guessing, it is still Mulder and Scully against the world and they need to remain united in their mutual madness if they are to succeed. This is the true payoff of this episode and the skillful manner in which it is done makes this a great episode.moreless

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    3 0

  • Another example of excellent tension, guest casting, and acting by our stars.

    8.9
    "Great"
    By qbeanz, Jan 14, 2007 Report Abuse
    This episode is just a great example of the X-Files, tying in all the elements of a stand-alone episode flawlessly. First, we have the brilliant and consistent acting of our two co-stars, David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson. It's clear that since Redux, the agents have been on light duty as well as having steered clear of alien assignments (because of Mulder). The light duty is obviously chafing at Mulder, as evidenced by his bitter conversation with Scully in the beginning of the episode, referring to himself as "Monster Boy" with derisive humor. The easy joking between Mulder and Scully, her taking the case more seriously at first than Mulder and his having to bring her in for help, it all ties in nicely to the overlying themes of their relationship and their overarching ordeal as they try to identify with their separate journeys. In the second act of the episode, where Mulder launches off to investigate Pinkus, we are treated to the opposite side of their relationship. The counterpart to their easy camaraderie and respect is their annoyance at each others' faults. Mulder is annoyed by Scully's initial unwillingness to accept his theories, her closed-mindedness, and her refusal to perform the autopsy. Scully, of course, is annoyed by Mulder's perceived need to leap into uncharted territories on barely any evidence at all. His penchance for "assigning" duties to her, such as shipping the body to Quantico without her assent, for an autopsy. Once again, when blinded by the pursuit Mulder runs rampant over her feelings and independence. If the writers had left it at that, I don't believe I would have been as happy with this episode as I am. The conflict between the two is nicely bookended by Mulder's confinement in the hospital, strapped down and drugged. His apologetic demeanor and his "one in five billion" line bring it all to the main theme - Mulder can be crazy, and Scully gets annoyed. But she's the only one in the world who understands him, and he needs her. Very well done.
    Second, usually I would be turned off by the apparent two-tiered story structure. The conflict was over, and then another quest is begun. But in this case, the story flowed evenly and rationally from one to the other. I particularly enjoyed the hostage situation. The staging was great, and the atmosphere was tense and stifling. Mulder's demeanor throughout, and his sly attempts at getting to his gun were so extremely well placed and executed. His subtle anger at having his plan foiled by Lambert's discovery was also quite the convincing bit of character acting. Third point, the guest casting in this episode was particularly great. Pinkus gives off just the right amount of dubious credibility and wide-eyed disbelief that makes you believe him in the first half and then suddenly turn into a suspicious character in the second. Lambert was simply great. He played the tension, the nervous breakdown, and the ensuing hostage situation so well. It really shows because you don't notice it, you're so wrapped up in the moment of the show. Nothing hurts more than when the guest actor is so terrible that he sticks out like a sore thumb, and even worse is when our main stars have trouble acting off of them because of it. Anyway, no such problems here. It was all very good.
    Lastly, I did have a slight problem with one aspect of this episode. What in the world was Agent Rice doing? I know his name was an homage to Vince Gilligan's girlfriend but if I was his girlfriend I wouldn't want my name attached to such an idiot. What a bumbling excuse for an FBI agent. What sort of a SWAT hostage situation was he running? "Let's call the agent inside and compromise his position." "Let's send some guys on top of the roof to loudly drill a hole in the ceiling with no idea of what's going on in the room." "Let's crash blindly through the wall and hope for the best." What a pathetic idiot. What about sending it some agents to adjoining rooms, or down the hallway and threading some microscopic cameras through the cracks of the door hinges? How about keep calling the general phones, in the hopes that he picks up? It's just odd that Vince Gilligan would write in such a hopeless agent in charge who clearly had no idea what he was doing. Unrealistic.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

    ADD TRIVIA
    • At one point Mulder mentions Helsinki syndrome which is, in fact, an incorrect name for Stockholm syndrome. Edit
    • 16:26 The wires for the explosive packs - "Squibs", is visible on the floor. Edit

  • Notes

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    • Brian Markinson, who plays Gary Lambert, also plays another character in the X-Files, Tony Fiore in "Born Again". Edit
    • The monster suit on-set wasn't scary at all. Some serious post-production work had to be done to up the scare-level of the monster and avoid the episode becoming a comedy. Edit
    • Some good use of continuity: Mulder's fingers, which were injured in the previous episode, "The Pine Bluff Variant", are still bandaged in this episode. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Gary Lambert: Who are you, anyway? Mulder: My name is Mulder. Gary Lambert: You said that already. What are you doing here? Mulder: Applying for a job. Gary Lambert: Oh man, did you come to the wrong place. Mulder: I get that. Edit
    • Mulder: "To hide in the light" or "hiding in the light" -- some form of that. I think it's in an old case file somewhere that I've got hidden away. Scully: Which one? There's hundreds. Mulder: I'm not sure, but- I appreciate it. Edit
    • Skinner: Agent Mulder, think very carefully about the next words that come out of your mouth. Edit

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