Unrequited retreads on the x-files idea of military personnel seeking revenge on their former commanders from Vietnam. The idea is not new, but the suspense is what makes this episode interesting to watch. The teaser is an idea that the x-files uses from time to time where they show events toward the end of the episode that are usually very tense. You are then left guessing as to how they arrived at that suspenseful moment. I like these kind of teasers. They really grab my attention. A few other things I would like to mention. The bleeding eye scene looked pretty real, and gross. The extras used for the parade scene are, well, extras. It's funny to see average, everyday people trying to act. And when Teager gives his fellow soldier those names, it makes you wonder what that soldier did with them. In summary, this is the third x-files episode about vengeful soldiers, following Sleepless and The Walk. And Sleepless also had a disappearing soldier. Being an old theme, the episode loses some of its charm. But viewed by itself, the suspense is what makes Unrequited a good episode to see.
12 Reviews
Invisibility applies to this episode in more ways than one.
DWilliams108929 August 2010
Season four, though one of the consistently better years of The X-Files, really suffered from helter-skelter scheduling and last-minute episode switching. Thus, a wholly self-contained episode like "Unrequited," airing just weeks after the momentous events in "Memento Mori," seems out of place and pallid in comparison.
The x-file in this case has to do with invisibility, specifically the paranormal ability of a POW escapee to induce some sort of blind spot in the eyes of others. I didn't really get it, and the writers probably didn't either, but the theme is appropriate: this is an episode largely forgotten amongst the season's pinnacles and for good reason.
As with numerous other Howard Gordon episodes, political overtones float around the script with the subtlety of a brick and a window. Nathaniel Teager, a man left for dead in Vietnam, has returned to the US to carry out his agenda to murder the men responsible for his predicament. Excess preachiness notwithstanding, don't forget this is a theme largely borrowed from season three's "The Walk," which featured basically the same scenario with a few blanks filled in differently.
The generals are not likable characters, the character of Teager is never explored (Peter Lacroix has few spoken lines in the entire episode), an opportunity to explore Skinner's character is all but wasted - despite a contrived mentioning of his time in Vietnam slapped onto the end. Somehow Marita Covarrubias shows up in the mess, reminding us how much Gordon likes to shoehorn his deep throats into plots that don't really necessitate their presence. Even Larry Musser, notable for his sheriff roles in "Die Hand Die Verletzt," "Jose Chung's From Outer Space" and "Chinga," falls flat in his static role of Denny Markham. And somehow at the end of the episode, notable for being one of the series' shortest, it is hard to meet the preceding events with anything but indifference.
There is one scene that I did like, when the agents arrive outside of Markham's compound, and Scully, scanning the perimeter, briefly spots Teager standing in the background. This is truly a creepy scene, and adds a distinguished touch that is unfortunately lacking just about everywhere else.
Overall, this is a fairly skippable episode. There are no particularly interesting characters, the plot has been seen in other episodes, the script is filled with political clichés and just seems far too reminiscent of other Gordon episodes. For the forty-something minutes I invested in this, I feel as though my reward was unrequited.
5/10
The x-file in this case has to do with invisibility, specifically the paranormal ability of a POW escapee to induce some sort of blind spot in the eyes of others. I didn't really get it, and the writers probably didn't either, but the theme is appropriate: this is an episode largely forgotten amongst the season's pinnacles and for good reason.
As with numerous other Howard Gordon episodes, political overtones float around the script with the subtlety of a brick and a window. Nathaniel Teager, a man left for dead in Vietnam, has returned to the US to carry out his agenda to murder the men responsible for his predicament. Excess preachiness notwithstanding, don't forget this is a theme largely borrowed from season three's "The Walk," which featured basically the same scenario with a few blanks filled in differently.
The generals are not likable characters, the character of Teager is never explored (Peter Lacroix has few spoken lines in the entire episode), an opportunity to explore Skinner's character is all but wasted - despite a contrived mentioning of his time in Vietnam slapped onto the end. Somehow Marita Covarrubias shows up in the mess, reminding us how much Gordon likes to shoehorn his deep throats into plots that don't really necessitate their presence. Even Larry Musser, notable for his sheriff roles in "Die Hand Die Verletzt," "Jose Chung's From Outer Space" and "Chinga," falls flat in his static role of Denny Markham. And somehow at the end of the episode, notable for being one of the series' shortest, it is hard to meet the preceding events with anything but indifference.
There is one scene that I did like, when the agents arrive outside of Markham's compound, and Scully, scanning the perimeter, briefly spots Teager standing in the background. This is truly a creepy scene, and adds a distinguished touch that is unfortunately lacking just about everywhere else.
Overall, this is a fairly skippable episode. There are no particularly interesting characters, the plot has been seen in other episodes, the script is filled with political clichés and just seems far too reminiscent of other Gordon episodes. For the forty-something minutes I invested in this, I feel as though my reward was unrequited.
5/10
I can't see him. I can't see him.
Sanpaco1317 October 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Unrequited is a pretty solid episode but not amazing at all in its own right. Its about a Vietnam war veteran who was abandoned for dead by the U.S government as a prisoner of war. Him along with a list of many others who were proclaimed dead rather than rescued. He escapes and is now out on a mission to get revenge of the three officers in charge of the decision to leave the Vietnam POWs. As an assassin he is quite adept because he can hide in plain sight due to a natural occurring blind spot which occurs often in the retina. Mulder believes he is able to manipulate this blind spot and hide. One problem I have with this is not necessarily the theory, I mean I've heard crazier stuff on this show, but that they know from the security camera that while he can hide from human eyes, he can not hide from cameras. So in the final scene where they are trying to find him in a crowd and he keeps disappearing, couldn't that have been easily solved by just getting a few cameras to look through? Anyway, in the end the guy is able to kill two of his targets and is shot and captured in his attempt on the third. The episode is pretty good at telling the story it needed to tell. And I thought the guest stars were well casted and acted. But unfortunately, with a major hole in the plot like the camera thing and a not amazingly interesting story, the episode suffers a little. I was also a little bugged by how quickly Scully discounted stuff in this episode without actually getting the facts firsthand. Like saying that the government declared that there were no more POWs and accepting that as fact just because the government said so? Come on Scully have you learned nothing about the government yet? And then when everyone is like "Oh Teager's dead, they have his remains over at that place." then Mulder goes to see them and not only are the only remains they have a few teeth, but the report even says that it is inconclusive as to whether they are actually his remains or not. Good thing Mulder didn't take everyone's scout's honor promise or you would have had three dead generals instead of two. I give the episode a 6 out of 10.
"This guy's a one man threat to national security."
classicsoncall27 June 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Of all the paranormal cases investigated by Scully and Mulder, this is probably the first one that didn't have Mulder's thoughtful insight as to how Sergeant Nathaniel Teager (Peter LaCroix) made himself invisible to people looking directly at him. Mulder did take a stab at it, but his explanation that Teager may have learned something from the Viet Cong's ambush tactics in the jungles of Viet Nam felt like he was grasping at straws. As a result, the entire premise of Teager's ability seemed contrived to this viewer, making this episode almost a throw away of the fourth season.
The theme of disgruntled soldiers was used in prior seasons of the X-Files; 'Sleepless' during the second season and 'The Walk' in the third. This time around, the embittered Teager is seeking revenge specifically on members of a three man commission that left men behind enemy lines to face capture or death during the war. Those who died had their service disavowed and their names removed from official records. Because the scandal was about to bust wide open, the 'unofficial' government policy was not to stand in the way of Teager eliminating the generals involved in the conspiracy.
That was actually a pretty heavy concept for the writers of the episode to explore, placing Mulder in a no win situation whereby his effort to save the lives of a couple generals was doomed for failure. The idea becomes a depressing reminder that no one individual is big enough or smart enough to overcome an entire bureaucracy when it's forces are arrayed against you. In this case, when Teager was eventually put down by an FBI agent to end his rampage, the official cover story changed his identity as if he never existed. Sort of like those aliens that pop up from time to time that no one ever sees.
The theme of disgruntled soldiers was used in prior seasons of the X-Files; 'Sleepless' during the second season and 'The Walk' in the third. This time around, the embittered Teager is seeking revenge specifically on members of a three man commission that left men behind enemy lines to face capture or death during the war. Those who died had their service disavowed and their names removed from official records. Because the scandal was about to bust wide open, the 'unofficial' government policy was not to stand in the way of Teager eliminating the generals involved in the conspiracy.
That was actually a pretty heavy concept for the writers of the episode to explore, placing Mulder in a no win situation whereby his effort to save the lives of a couple generals was doomed for failure. The idea becomes a depressing reminder that no one individual is big enough or smart enough to overcome an entire bureaucracy when it's forces are arrayed against you. In this case, when Teager was eventually put down by an FBI agent to end his rampage, the official cover story changed his identity as if he never existed. Sort of like those aliens that pop up from time to time that no one ever sees.
Veteran's revenge
thebigeasy55510 August 2006
Warning: Spoilers
A hugely interesting and exciting episode from the fourth season from the x-files.A seemingly invisible Vietnam veteran returns to exact revenge on military top brass.Mulder and Scully are assigned to a special task force to protect the general at a military commemoration event where the veteran is expected to appear.But with the ability to appear and disappear from the naked eye with apparent ease it's not an easy task for the agents. The veteran Nathaniel Teager is brilliantly played by Peter Lacroix who appeared in earlier episodes E.B.E and Ascension is given the chance to shine.All the other other supporting characters do a fine job too. The episode climaxes where after botching an attempt to kill the general Teager tries to escape but is shot and his body is in visible form.We also learn that Teager'e existence is denied.A casualty of the war prompting him to come back and gain revenge
Disappointing
JaydoDre7 January 2013
Warning: Spoilers
I liked the premise of Unrequited. The story of militaristic vengeance sounds similar to the themes from Metal Gear series and other such tragedies and has a lot of potential for action.
Unrequited, however, feels like a rough episode largely due to the details of the script and the acting. Skinner character maintains more or less the same expression throughout the whole thing. This is his "concerned" face that dominates his role in X-Files as a whole. And whenever guest actors step in, it goes from bad to worse. The generals feel overly stiff and mechanical. The others just feel bland.
This was also a missed opportunity in terms of action. By this time X-Files should have had a decent enough budget to create quite a few explosions. The antagonist of the show is supposed to be a super trained special forces guy, yet all he does is walk around with a puny old pistol.
Moreover, there is a little backstory of many POWs left behind in enemy territory, yet not much is done with it. Another missed opportunity.
Unrequited, however, feels like a rough episode largely due to the details of the script and the acting. Skinner character maintains more or less the same expression throughout the whole thing. This is his "concerned" face that dominates his role in X-Files as a whole. And whenever guest actors step in, it goes from bad to worse. The generals feel overly stiff and mechanical. The others just feel bland.
This was also a missed opportunity in terms of action. By this time X-Files should have had a decent enough budget to create quite a few explosions. The antagonist of the show is supposed to be a super trained special forces guy, yet all he does is walk around with a puny old pistol.
Moreover, there is a little backstory of many POWs left behind in enemy territory, yet not much is done with it. Another missed opportunity.
Now you see me now you don't.
devonbrown-906491 June 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I enjoyed this episode as it touches on skinners past and the governments war lies to its own people. This story is centred about a captured green berry of the Vietnam war who has come out of captivity and is going after the men who covered up his death all to push a victory narrative.
Ge manages to dispatch two high ranking generals before mulder and his quick thinking manages to learn his secret about hiding in plain sight.
I enjoyed the touch this story had to each of the characters back stories. Skinners story of being a Vietnam pow and Mulders passion to uncover the truth.
But yet again the secret policy makers cover up the evidence with more lies and make dead ends of all evidence.
Ge manages to dispatch two high ranking generals before mulder and his quick thinking manages to learn his secret about hiding in plain sight.
I enjoyed the touch this story had to each of the characters back stories. Skinners story of being a Vietnam pow and Mulders passion to uncover the truth.
But yet again the secret policy makers cover up the evidence with more lies and make dead ends of all evidence.
Turning A Blind Eye To Those Left Behind
AudioFileZ16 May 2013
Warning: Spoilers
The episode "Unrequited" addresses the tragedy of POWS who were left behind...as though a blind eye was turned toward them. However, one is back seeking vengeance from his superiors who were deemed as doing nothing to save their fellow soldiers.
Mulder and Scully come in to a situation where certain military brass are being assassinated mysteriously with only a "death card" being left at the scene of the murder. The card is, of course, a reference to how certain squadrons advertised their lethal fury. But this is almost thirty years later and there is, seemingly, no way this could be happening as the assailant is believed to be a soldier assumed dead due to a few teeth found as remains? Something doesn't add up as now you see him and now you don't...Teager turns invisible at will as if he can produce a "blind-spot" in the viewer's eye.
While the idea of those who survived the war only to languish in a prisoner of war camp is a tragedy, the invisible "ghost-like" specter of Teager really never gels. The character never really has any development on-screen and his vanishing act doesn't really work to create the paranormal "almost" believability it needs to even minimally work up that paranormal zeitgeist needed. In the end, the lesser of approximately three episodes dealing with the politics of the Vietnam war thus far seen in this series. Not a must see or particularly recommended.
Mulder and Scully come in to a situation where certain military brass are being assassinated mysteriously with only a "death card" being left at the scene of the murder. The card is, of course, a reference to how certain squadrons advertised their lethal fury. But this is almost thirty years later and there is, seemingly, no way this could be happening as the assailant is believed to be a soldier assumed dead due to a few teeth found as remains? Something doesn't add up as now you see him and now you don't...Teager turns invisible at will as if he can produce a "blind-spot" in the viewer's eye.
While the idea of those who survived the war only to languish in a prisoner of war camp is a tragedy, the invisible "ghost-like" specter of Teager really never gels. The character never really has any development on-screen and his vanishing act doesn't really work to create the paranormal "almost" believability it needs to even minimally work up that paranormal zeitgeist needed. In the end, the lesser of approximately three episodes dealing with the politics of the Vietnam war thus far seen in this series. Not a must see or particularly recommended.
Nothing to see here
SleepTight66622 November 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Blagh, you know. This episode is actually not that bad, however... I find it so incredibly uninteresting that it just ends up being one of my least favorite episodes up until now. And definitely my least favorite episode of this great Season.
The story has potential, and it's well-executed. The scenes are convincing and the blind-spot explanation is intriguing. But like I said before, it's so slow and they repeat the intro completely. It really feels like a filler episode that doesn't add anything or doesn't have much purpose. It was nice to see Marita appear again but they could have done something with here, it feels like filler just like the rest of the episode.
I'm giving this episode TWO stars. Nothing to see here, really.
The story has potential, and it's well-executed. The scenes are convincing and the blind-spot explanation is intriguing. But like I said before, it's so slow and they repeat the intro completely. It really feels like a filler episode that doesn't add anything or doesn't have much purpose. It was nice to see Marita appear again but they could have done something with here, it feels like filler just like the rest of the episode.
I'm giving this episode TWO stars. Nothing to see here, really.
Unrequitted season 4 episode 16
dawnmgilliam31 July 2016
Warning: Spoilers
I love the X-files. but this episode stuck me as odd and politically stale. Vietnam done to death but that's not what I mean. Scully's pants suit... possibly the ugliest pant suit known to man.. and possibly the pattern on which Hillary Clinton bases all her cloths. I call it "the Chairman Mao". They serve a warrant on the leader of a "right wing" group, 'the right hand'. but never tell him what he's being arrested for while they are serving it. They claim they want to ask him questions and infer they have latitude because the the "new anti-terrorism laws".. but they certainly don't need to arrest people to ask questions. They claim he had weapons only used by a military but only show a rifle and a half....neither rifle any kind of gun that a respectable military would want ...nor that would even be considered illegal in most states. It looked like they were fishing...an illegal practice. They claim later that the charges are possibly treason and conspiracy to overthrow the government but offer nothing but speculation that the charges probably wouldn't stick. Then they say that they will then charge him for gun running because of "the amount of weapons he has..." again not illegal to have weapons even a large number. This is the same flawed logic by which the government tries to claim that carrying money over a certain amount becomes "illegal use of money". Anyone remember the Koresh compound in Waco where Clinton, Janet Reno, and the FBI scandalously killed all members of a group including 35 children because of the number of weapons they reportedly had? Quite draconian.. What next Mulder goose-stepping? The show goes out of it's way to contrive a bases on which to claim right wing = bad.. This is part of the smears and lies about people on the right by Hollywood's propaganda crews that started in the 80's. The story itself was about the antagonists novel ability which was wasted on this episode I'm afraid. The one bright spot was the reappearance of Laurie Holden as the mysterious Marita Covarrubias. I always admired her character and her fashion sense. Thank goodness Scully finds something better to wear in the next episode.
Not a favourite.
Sleepin_Dragon7 August 2022
Vietnam Veteran Nathaniel Teager goes on a killing spree, killing men of high military standing, he has one huge advantage, invisibility.
I found myself struggling a little with Unrequited, Series 4 has offered up so much variety, so much depth, and huge amounts of character development. This one felt like a step backwards, I don't think enough attention was paid to Teager's motives, Teager felt a little underdeveloped, and I felt it was a bit odd that Scully's recent plight wasn't even mentioned.
On the plus side, I liked the way the episode was mapped out, with the snippet at the beginning being returned to.
I didn't particularly enjoy the characters, and some of the military chest beating didn't work.
The weakest episode from Series 4 I think, 5/10.
I found myself struggling a little with Unrequited, Series 4 has offered up so much variety, so much depth, and huge amounts of character development. This one felt like a step backwards, I don't think enough attention was paid to Teager's motives, Teager felt a little underdeveloped, and I felt it was a bit odd that Scully's recent plight wasn't even mentioned.
On the plus side, I liked the way the episode was mapped out, with the snippet at the beginning being returned to.
I didn't particularly enjoy the characters, and some of the military chest beating didn't work.
The weakest episode from Series 4 I think, 5/10.
Right now, I'm flying by the seat of my pants.
bombersflyup15 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Unrequited is about a Vietnam War veteran who's murdering military officials, by somehow becoming invisible.
A man with love and life for his country, but the country cares not for the man. There's certainly a potentially strong story here, but the execution's unevoking and lackluster. The invisible blind spot aspect being not of the supernatural, just doesn't pass muster. There's no depth of characterization and the guest appearances are poor. It's all rather blunt and one of the weakest episodes of the series. Though still much better than "The Field Where I Died," to put into perspective.
A man with love and life for his country, but the country cares not for the man. There's certainly a potentially strong story here, but the execution's unevoking and lackluster. The invisible blind spot aspect being not of the supernatural, just doesn't pass muster. There's no depth of characterization and the guest appearances are poor. It's all rather blunt and one of the weakest episodes of the series. Though still much better than "The Field Where I Died," to put into perspective.
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