"The X Files" Humbug (1995)

User Rating:

8.7/10   

Director:

Kim Manners

Writers:

Chris Carter (creator)
Darin Morgan (written by)

TV Series:

"The X Files" (1993)

Original Air Date:

31 March 1995 (Season 2, Episode 20)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Plot:

The strange death of a circus sideshow attraction in Gibsonton, Florida, leads Mulder and Scully on...

Plot Keywords:

Freakshow | Bed Of Nails | Title Spoken By Character | FBI | FBI Agent

Cast

David Duchovny	...	Fox Mulder
Gillian Anderson	...	Dana Scully
Jim Rose	...	Dr. Blockhead
Wayne Grace	...	Sheriff Hamilton
Michael J. Anderson	...	Mr. Nutt (as Michael Anderson)
The Enigma	...	The Conundrum
Vincent Schiavelli	...	Lanny
Alex Diakun	...	Curator
John Payne	...	Jerald Glazebrook
Gordon Tipple	...	Hepcat Helm
Alvin Law	...	The Reverend

Runtime:

Argentina:60 min | USA:60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:13

Company:

20th Century Fox Television

Trivia:

Scully takes a grasshopper out of a jar and supposedly eats it, only later to show Mulder that she really palmed the insect and faked the eating. However, in the outtakes, it is revealed that Gillian Anderson really did put the live grasshopper in her mouth (much to David Duchovny's disgust).

Quotes:

Scully: Have you ever had any dealings with a cow?
Mulder: Agent Scully, just exactly WHAT are you implying?

Movie Connections:

References "60 Minutes" (1968)

Soundtrack:

Frenzy

There's a sucker born every minute.

Humbug is one of the best episodes of season two. It is the first of four Darin Morgan comedy episodes. Humbug is also the X-Files first foray into comedy. It's not a straight-out comedy like some later episodes, but it has a lot of comedic elements to it. Humbug is littered with great guest star performances, including the late Vincent Schiavelli, The Enigma, and Jim Rose. Humbug is superbly directed by Kim Manners. I love when Scully goes into the museum of curiosities and you never get a straight on shot of the curator's disfigured face. It's either seen in a mirror, a reflection of a pot, his profile, or some other abstract way. I was debating whether to drop this episode to a 9 for the puppet used to play Leonard. It looked a bit fake at times. But I figure it wasn't bad enough to drop this episode a full point. Humbug is so well-rounded with the script, sets, and acting, that you I can't justify knocking off a point. Humbug is a truly excellent episode. When you view it though, be sure to leave an extra five dollar donation.