Zero Sum (27 Apr. 1997)
"The X Files" Zero Sum (original title)

A swarm of bees mysteriously kill a postal worker in an enclosed restroom. Assistant Director Skinner covers up the evidence. Mulder investigates Skinner's apparent involvement with the crime.

Director:

Kim Manners

Writers:

Chris Carter (creator), Howard Gordon,

Stars:

David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Mitch Pileggi

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
David Duchovny	...	Fox Mulder
Gillian Anderson	...	Dana Scully (credit only)
Mitch Pileggi	...	Walter Skinner
William B. Davis	...	Cigarette Smoking Man / CGB Spender
Laurie Holden	...	Marita Covarrubias
Nicolle Nattrass	...	Misty Nagata
Paul McLean	...	Special Agent Kautz
Fred Keating	...	Detective Ray Thomas
Allan Gray	...	Dr. Peter Valedespino
Addison Ridge	...	Bespectacled Boy
Don S. Williams	...	Elder #1
Lisa Stewart	...	Jane Brody
Barry Greene	...	Dr. Emile Linzer
Christopher Newton	...	Photo Technician (as Christopher J. Newton)
Morris Panych	...	The Grey-Haired Man

Storyline

Mulder is contacted by a local police detective who thinks he has an x-files type case for him to look into. A U.S. postal worker who had sneaked into the washroom for a cigarette was killed by numerous bee stings, though there were no bees to be found. Before Mulder can even begin to look into the case, someone is going around erasing the evidence in the washroom and even some of the blood samples taken from the victim. The person doing the erasing however is Assistant Director Skinner who seems to have made a pact with the Cigarette Smoking Man.

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Plot Keywords:

postal worker | swarm of bees | phone ringing | beehive | royal jelly | 

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 April 1997 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Stage 2, North Shore Studios, North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

20th Century Fox Television, Ten Thirteen Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

Vague Assurances

Zero Sum is the second Skinner-oriented episode in the x-files. Avatar was the first and the story for this episode continues on the theme from Avatar, of Skinner being blackmailed by the cigarette smoking man. The storyline, however, continues on from Memento Mori, dealing with Scully's cancer. Scully(Gillian Anderson), actually takes a break from this episode and we never see her. Mulder says that she is undergoing testing in the hospital. An episode just isn't the same without her. Even so, Zero Sum is a tight, suspenseful episode, leaving you on the edge of your seat, wondering whether Agent Mulder will discover Skinner's part in the cover-up of the x-file. The music by Mark Snow sets the mood very well. Mitch Pileggi does an excellent job when asked to take on the bulk of the acting. He's doing unethical things in order to help out Scully. The cigarette smoking man also has a larger part in this episode. It is quite interesting to see the slow deterioration in his relationship with the syndicate. You see it begin in earlier mythology episodes, and it continues in Zero Sum, which leads to certain events in a later mythology episode. I like to see continuity like that. It's not often that you see the cigarette smoking man rattled, but Skinner manages to do that to him. Overall, Zero Sum is carried well by Skinner and Mulder with absence of Scully, helping us delve even deeper into the mind of Skinner, and see what lengths he'll go to to help out his friends.