“Schizogeny” – Season 5 Ep. 9

Mulder: (voiceover) Abuse exists, as does the blindness that accompanies it. The pleading cries in the night followed by the disturbing denial of culpability: “If something bad happened, I didn’t see it.” As witness to a horrific event, I am forced to question the frequently blurred line between right and wrong to weigh the guilt of one man’s act against another’s to decide if justice was served or if a grievous injustice has prevailed. And if pressed on the subject of what happened that last night in the orchard, I will speak as truthfully as I can: If something bad happened, I didn’t see it.

Written by: Jessica Scott & Mike Wollaeger

Directed by: Ralph Hemecker

Original Air Date: January 11th, 1998

Principal Setting: Coats Grove

Episode Summary:

Scully and Mulder investigate the death of a man who seems to have been buried alive. The main suspect is the man’s stepson as the two of them had a argument the evening the man dies. The autopsy reveals the dead man had over 12 pounds of dirt in his stomach and it’s obvious that he was buried alive. What’s not so obvious is how the stepson could have done it. When a second parent is killed, this time after an argument with his daughter, the FBI agents begin to believe there is something far more sinister going on especially after a school counselor tells them both of the children were being abused.

Personal Commentary:

Maybe it’s the new writers and director or the fact that this episode has so many plot holes, but this episode is terrible and so confusing. Not much to say other than that.

Episode Grade: F

Favorite Scene:

Fun Facts:

• “Schizogeny” is the scientific term for asexual reproduction.

Faces You May Recognize:

Nobody I could recognize, but it could have been due to not paying too much attention to this bad episode.