S.R. 819

Season 6, Episode 9, Aired
EDIT

Episode Summary

Mulder and Scully have 24 hours to save Assistant Director Skinner from being killed by a biologically engineered disease. The disease appears to be created by a shadowy government organisation but in order to save Skinner's life; they must determine who wants him dead, and why. With Skinner's condition worsening Mulder seeks assistance from Senator Matheson who he hopes can provide some answers and help him to find a cure.moreless
8.4
out of 10
EPISODE RATING: Great
235 votes
  • Your Rating: 10
    "Perfect"
  • Your Rating: 9.5
    "Superb"
  • Your Rating: 9
    "Superb"
  • Your Rating: 8.5
    "Great"
  • Your Rating: 8
    "Great"
  • Your Rating: 7.5
    "Good"
  • Your Rating: 7
    "Good"
  • Your Rating: 6.5
    "Fair"
  • Your Rating: 6
    "Fair"
  • Your Rating: 5.5
    "Mediocre"
  • Your Rating: 5
    "Mediocre"
  • Your Rating: 4.5
    "Poor"
  • Your Rating: 4
    "Poor"
  • Your Rating: 3.5
    "Bad"
  • Your Rating: 3
    "Bad"
  • Your Rating: 2.5
    "Terrible"
  • Your Rating: 2
    "Terrible"
  • Your Rating: 1.5
    "Abysmal"
  • Your Rating: 1
    "Abysmal"
Rate It

Watch Online

Netflix
Subscription
Amazon
Buy
iTunes
Buy
Hulu Plus
Subscription
Amazon Prime
Free Trial/Subsc...

Cast & Crew

See All EDIT

Fan Episode Reviews (11)

See All

  • Skinner contracts a deadly virus.

    8.0
    "Great"
    By JaCkKbAuEr2424, Aug 21, 2011 Report Abuse
    Compared to the last episode the show had to offer, this one was much more exciting. We had the show's best supporting character, Skinner, contracting a deadly virus that kills within twenty four hours and a race for Mulder and Scully to try and get the cure to it or at least figure out who is behind it. As it turns out, the episode is pretty good when everybody is looking for who is responsible and pretty lame when we find out who it is (I agree with the reviewer below me who claimed it was a 10 for the first half)

    I always like an episode that puts Skinner at the forefront and gives him proof that Mulder is telling the truth with the stuff he believes in. It's too bad that A.D Kersh is in charge of Mulder and Scully right now, because Skinner is slowly starting to realize that there's some validity to what Mulder and Scully do.

    That being said, it was pretty lame when we learn that Krycek was responsible for both infecting and healing Skinner. Krycek was intriguing when we learned that he was a bad guy in Season 2, but the path that the writers have lead him down has turned him into that random villain that shows up in drama TV shows when the writers need somebody to fall back on for a big reveal.. Krycek is interesting, but ever since he lost his arm in Russia, I've lost any hope I've had for the writers putting his character back on a correct path.moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    1 0

  • Skinner is about to die... again

    5.9
    "Mediocre"
    By Aly358, Aug 13, 2008 Report Abuse
    Well another filler episode. X-Files still not back on track and Skinner is infected with some kind of poison. Or as it turns out some nanotechnology. I sort of liked this episode as it takes you back to previous seasons. But there is one big big error made along the way.

    Previously the paranormal or unexplained phenomena were (at least according to Mulders theories) possible. There was always some kind of justification for a person to squeeze between a 2x4 or someone willing others into suicide. Here however it is said that skinner was infected with a nanotechnological device builing walls in his bloodstream.

    Well aside from the fact that they couldn't multiply as fast or that some vessels must have ruptured under the rising pressure or that organs must have been affected as well or shut down... even if you ignore all this you can't overlook that these deviced simply cannot spontaneously multiply as shown. Were are they getting their pieces from? In one picture there are 20 and in the next there are 40...

    Btw: Why did Skinners heart start up again?moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    0 0

  • This is the X-files as it should be. Investigating unusual phenomenon.

    8.7
    "Great"
    By tvaddict1974, Nov 17, 2007 Report Abuse
    This episode shows a more humane side to both agents Dana Scully and Fox Mulder. In it, they discover that their boss on the X-files has contracted a life threatening virus which they must not only seek out a cure, but also who infected him with the virus. A.D. Skinner starts of at training in a gym doing some rounds of boxing, but later gets transferred to the hospital with his life signs failing. The medics manage to revive him (at the last minute) starting a great storyline which sees a familiar old face return in this episode. I enjoyed this episode greatly and would recommend it to any new X-file viewer.moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    0 0

  • The series returns to form this time with Skinner poisoned and Mulder and Scully racing against time to save him.

    8.5
    "Great"
    By bkuave, Sep 24, 2007 Report Abuse
    The series returns to form this time with Skinner poisoned and Mulder and Scully racing against time to save him.

    After four straight comedic/x-light episodes we get back to the myth arch that keeps me interested and watching.A.D.Skinner is mysteriously poisononed which turns out to be of nano-technology origin.

    This episode seems to help solidify the Skinner/Mulder/Scully triumvirate but with a twist in the end.Senator Matheson reappears for this installment but is more secretive and less helpful than before.

    Overall a good character study of Skinner and his duality of support or denouncement as regards to the X-Files and the agents Mulder and Scully.moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    0 0

  • After the disaster that was The Rain King, this was exactly what was needed. A partial mythology episode with a solid and serious plot, and more importantly Mulder and Scully were in character for a change.moreless

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By fisken25, Jun 30, 2007 Report Abuse
    The backwards time concept has always worked well withing the X-files universe, and it does that this time around as well. The pre-credits scene is one of the best ever, who didn't think it was Mulder the doctors were talking about? It also raised the question what had happened to Skinner (more so than what had happened to Mulder in Triangle), not to mention the special effects with the pulsing veins, which were simply awesome.

    The great work doesn't end there. The beard and hair Krycek was sporting was a great disguise; you could tell it was him if you really looked, but I at least belong to the group who got surprised to see it was him in the end. Even the phone call he made didn't tick me off. Very observant of me, but nonetheless, it was well done.

    While it may not be crucial to the mythology or overall development of the larger plot, the fact that Skinner has nanotechnology in his body was referred to later in the series as well (if I recall correctly). While it wouldn't have been the first time the writers ignored such details, it also wouldn't have been necessary to return to later. So great attention to details.

    This also concerns the return of senator Matheson, who was last seen in season three as an ally of Mulder. Krycek's little scheme put the end to their relationship, since Mulder's trust was broken. At least the amount of trust he can ever have in anyone. Overall it wasn't necessary to understand the plot completely, since there was enough action and excitement to keep one entertained. This is also why S.R. 819 is one of those episodes you can watch several times and not get tired of it.moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    2 0
 

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

See All

  • Trivia

    ADD TRIVIA
    • When Mulder is talking to the forensics guy about who poisoned Skinner and right after he says: don't hate me cos I'm beautiful. Then you can see that the gray car he is collecting evidence from is only half a car. Or in other terms you can't see the back side of the car and instead you see the front side of a police car. Response: This is incorrect. He's standing next to the open front passenger side door, and the police car is in the background facing sideways (picture the police car as the top part of a T, where the car they're gathering the evidence from is the other part of the T). The Gray car has his doors open, so it looks like the car is facing a different direction, but the scene prior is a wide shot and you can tell that the car is whole. Edit
    • When Mulder is talking to the forensics guy about who poisoned Skinner and right after he says: don't hate me cos I'm beautiful. Then you can see that the gray car he is collecting evidence from is only half a car. Or in other terms you can't see the back side of the car and instead you see the front side of a police car. Edit
    • When Skinner is almost shot in the parking garage, he fires two shots and gets out of the car. You can see the slide on his gun is back-as if he is out of ammo. When the camera pans back to him, the slide is forward. Additional comment: Right after Skinner collapses against the car in the parking lot, if you look closely, you can see the slide once again locked back on his pistol. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • Nicholas Lea wasn't credited in the opening act so as not to ruin the surprise of his appearance. Edit
    • A potentially time-consuming and expensive fight scene between Skinner and Krycek was cut due to budgetary reasons. Edit
    • This is the third attempt to break Skinner away from Mulder and Scully. In 'Piper Maru' he was shot by Luis Cardinal, in 'Avatar' they tried to frame him for murder, and here they infect him with a disease which Krycek eventually uses to blackmail him. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Skinner: I've been expecting you to show up. Krycek: You know I can push the button any time. Skinner: What do you want from me? What's this about, Krycek? Krycek: All in good time. Edit
    • Mulder: Tell me what you know, Senator. This is about SR 819, isn't it? What the hell did they put in Skinner? Senator Matheson: I'm sure you already have some idea, Fox. Mulder: It's the same technology that SR 819 will export. Senator Matheson: Technology that the world believes is purely theoretical. Mulder: Nanotechnology. Microscopic, atom-sized machines. Machines can be stopped. Senator Matheson: Your friend is already dead. Mulder: I don't believe that. Senator Matheson: If you pursue this, Fox, they will kill you. Mulder: Not before I expose you and your role in this. Edit
    • Senator Matheson: Who did this to you? Dr. Orgel: Hurry... please. It's... killing me. Senator Matheson: They believe you have exposed them to the FBI - to Walter Skinner. Dr. Orgel: No. I told the FBI nothing. I told them nothing. Please, I promise not to expose anyone. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Skinner: I woke up. Mulder: Alone? Skinner: Yes. Alone. This is a reference to the season 3 episode "Avatar" where Skinner has a one night stand with a women in a bar who turns up dead the next morning and Skinner is accused of her murder. Edit
    • Trainer: Don't telegraph that left, Drey. Stevie Wonder would see that one coming. Steveland Hardaway Judkins best known by his stage name Stevie Wonder is a famous singer who has been blind since birth. Edit
    • Although done in an X Files way, the main thrust of the plot is based on DOA (Dead on Arrival), a film originally made in 1950 with Edmund O'Brien, then remade less successfully in 1988 with Dennis Quaid. In both films, a man discovers he has been incurably poisoned and only has a short length of time to discover who has effectively murdered him. Sadly, as they didn't have Scully to try to find a cure, or Skinner's tormentor pulling the plug, they actually are DOA. Edit

Show Forums

See All
Last Activity
Replies

Watch The X-Files Full Episodes

See All

Related Shows

Season 6 Episodes

See All
Ep 22
Biogenesis (1)
Ep 21
Field Trip
Ep 20
Three of a Kind
Ep 19
The Unnatural
Ep 18
Milagro
Ep 17
Trevor
Ep 16
Alpha
Ep 15
Arcadia
Ep 14
Monday
Ep 13
Agua Mala
Ep 12
One Son (2)
Ep 11
Two Fathers (1)
Ep 10
Tithonus
Ep 9
S.R. 819
Ep 8
The Rain King
Ep 7
Terms of Endearment
Ep 6
How The Ghosts Stole Chris...
Ep 5
Dreamland II (2)
Ep 4
Dreamland (1)
Ep 3
Triangle
Ep 2
Drive
Ep 1
The Beginning
 
The X-Files - Fight the Fu...

Contributors

Become a contributor
More
Less

TV Listings

Full Listings
BROWSE | Shows | Videos | News | Listings | Forums | People | Photos | TV.com Blog

CBS Entertainment | About TV.com | About CBS Interactive | Jobs | Advertise

© 2012 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy | Ad Choice | Terms of Use