1x03 Squeeze

The first ever "monster-of-the-week" episode and the precursor of a long line of stand-alone episodes, which mainly focused on subjects that were completely unrelated to the Alien Mythology arch, was successful in introducing "The X-Files" to a more mainstream audience due to its procedural nature and its honest attempt to branch out into the realm of horror. Still, the writing credits wouldn't go to the show's creator, Chris Carter, this time around, but to James Wong and Glen Morgan instead, a pair of writers that would become long-time collaborators on the show. Even though it was meant to be directed by Harry Longstreet, who was mostly recognized for his work on "Alien Nation", this episode had to be completed during post-production by writer James Wong and director Michael Katleman, given the fact that both cast and crew members had reported several issues with the original director during the filming of "Squeeze". Surprisingly enough, the end result was nothing short of remarkable, as this turned out to be one of "The X-Files" most memorable outings to date and managed to deliver a genuinely creepy and exciting story surrounding the hunt for a mutant with a taste for human liver. The episode begins as Special Agent Scully is approached by a former classmate from the FBI Academy at Quantico, Special Agent Tom Colton, played by a young Donal Logue, and asked to convince Special Agent Mulder in assisting with the investigation of a series of ritualistic murders that had been occurring within the Baltimore area. It turned out that the particular circumstances of these serial killings and the lack of an entry point at each crime scene appeared to be very similar to the ones found on an old X-File from the 1960s, so Mulder became very interested in this case. However, as it became clear that their efforts were being vastly ignored, Mulder and Scully eventually decided to conduct an investigation of their own, despite having been instructed to merely assist and observe. In terms of character development, this was the perfect way to show viewers how much Mulder is actually considered to be an embarrassment and a nuisance to the Bureau and how he is scorned and rejected by his peers, not just for his wild ideas, but for his unusual methods too. It also portrayed the politics of careerism quite well, as most agents appear to be more concerned with securing convictions and climbing the ladder, rather than pursuing the truth. Nevertheless, the real treat here is Doug Hutchison's performance as Eugene Victor Toombs, one of the most fascinating and iconic characters ever created for this show, which contributes heavily towards making this one of the best episodes of the season.