The paranormal gets even more strange and bizarre in Season 3 of The X-Files. After surviving an attempted assassination Mulder is hot on the heels of the Syndicate; coming ever closer to exposing their plans for colonization. But in the meantime Mulder and Scully continue to look into cases of psychics, astral projection, mass hysteria, mind control, and mythic creatures. With the success of last season’s “Humbug,” the series attempts to add more humor with the classic satiric episodes “Clyde Bookman’s Final Repose” and “Jong Chung’s From Outer Space.” Additionally, the list of guest stars is more impressive than ever; featuring Peter Boyle, R. Lee Ermey, Kurtwood Smith, Ryan Reynolds, Jack Back, Amanda Tapping, and Jesse Ventura. Fast becoming a powerhouse of the Fox network, The X-Files’ third season continues to develop rich and interesting stories and compelling characters that bring in more and more viewers week after week.
I really dislike the way that Trakt.tv names its 1-10 numbered rankings. So, here's my own means of ranking seasons and episodes:
1-2 Poor, 3-4 Fair, 5-6 Good, 7-8 Very Good, 9-10 Excellent
My Season 3 average episode rating: 6.5
My favorite episodes of this season are:
"Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose" (Writer: Darin Morgan) - Monster-of-the-Week episode
"War of the Coprophages" (Writer: Darin Morgan) - Monster-of-the-Week episode
"Pusher" (Writer: Vince Gilligan) - Monster-of-the-Week episode
"Jose Chung's 'From Outer Space'" (Writer: Darin Morgan) - Monster-of-the-Week episode
My 3 least liked episodes of the season are:
"Avatar" (Writer: Howard Gordon, David Duchovny) - Mythology episode
"The Walk" (Writer: John Shiban) - Monster-of-the-Week episode
"Oubliette" (Writer: Charles Grant Craig) - Monster-of-the-Week episode
In my opinion, the third season is the best yet and features a number of the show's greatest episodes. The mythology has now kicked into full gear starting with the second season finale "Anasazi". "Paper Clip" was in particularly one of the great revealing mythology episodes and that entire trilogy of episodes brought the world to greater life. "D.P.O" was an incredibly light hearted but equally enjoyable affair that seemed almost the perfect way for THE X-FILES to return to its monster-of-the-week format. "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose" is arguably as good as television can ever get, an episode that combines horror, comedy, suspense, thrills and genuine drama.
The episodes from "The List" to "Oubliette" are all enjoyable for me even if it is a clear step down from the episodes that preceded it and both "Nisei" and "731" were brilliant continuations of the mythology. The only criticism I have of season three is the stretch of episodes from "Revelations" through to "Grotesque" with the exception of the classic "War of the Coprophages" where the Scully and Mulder dynamic feels somewhat off.
"Piper Maru" and "Apocrypha" introduce the pivotal black oil storyline and are further great mythology episodes. For a season with other amazing high marks like "Jose Chung's 'From Outer Space'", it does have an episode like "Teso dos Bichos" which is widely loathed. All three of Darin Morgan's season three episodes are such different and refreshing changes of pace and the season ends very strongly with "Wetwired", a near perfect amalgamation of MoTW and mythology and finally "Talitha Cumi".
Season three is tremendously exciting. This world that Chris Carter created is finally expanding itself and this season, in my opinion, is Gillian Anderson's best yet and Scully in particular is just wonderful throughout the season. There are very few negatives about the season and with the unfortunate cluttering of "Revelations", "Syzygy" and "Grotesque" where the Scully/Mulder dynamic does not feel properly utilized, this is an amazing season. And thus ends my incredibly pointless review.
Shout by DRNKMNKYBlockedParent2015-07-30T06:49:47Z
I especially like "Paper Clip" (No. 2), "Nisei" (No. 9), "731" (No. 10), "Piper Maru" (No. 15), "Apocrypha" (No. 16) and "Talitha Cumi Apocrypha", the latter three being the best of the MythArc episodes in my opinion.
Additionally "War of the Coprophages" (No. 12) is one of the funniest X-Files episodes.
Season 3 is therefore one of the best X-files seasons there is! Just superb!!!