Mulder: There’s another possibility. Behold– an ordinary household quarter. I’m going to take the quarter from my right hand and place it into my left hand. Where is it?
Scully: It’s in your right hand.
Mulder: Oh, no, no, no.
Scully: Ah… That’s not bad.
Mulder: Blow your nose, Scully.
Scully: Mulder…
Mulder: Blow your nose.
Scully: Ah-choo.
Mulder: Ta-da.
Scully: Amazing!
Mulder: The Great Muldeeni.
Written by: Vince Gilligan, John Shiban & Frank Spotnitz
Directed by: Thomas J. Wright
Original Air Date: January 16th, 2000
Principal Setting: Santa Monica, California
Episode Summary:
Mulder and Scully investigate the apparent murder of a magician who was decapitated just minutes after he was able to perform his greatest trick ever of turning his head around 360 degrees. The agents are perplexed when Scully discovers during the autopsy that the deceased died well before he performed his final trick.
Personal Commentary:
This one is fun with a lot of magic and misdirection. I mean the entire episode’s plot is one big misdirection. I like the supporting cast, as well as all the twists that don’t get wrapped up until the very end. There’s a lot more than meets the eye with the agenda of the magicians and it brings more layers than I expected.
The writers also have to show that Mulder is always right as he outsmarts even the magicians, which brought a smile to my face.
Episode Grade: B
Favorite Scene:
I just like this quick scene because of how cute Scully is taking off the magician’s hat.
Fun Facts:
- Ricky Jay and Jonathan Levit are magicians in real life.
- At approximately 28:15, a banner for Craddock Marine Bank is visible behind the agents, a reference to the episode “Monday”, which takes place at a branch of this bank on 8th St in Washington DC.
- Malini taking a magician’s name and then spelling it different is a reference to Houdini. He got his name from the French magician Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin whom he later discredited.
- Max Malini The Amazing Maleeni was named for real-life magician Max Malini (1875 – 1942). Famous for relying on his own skill rather than props, Malini performed for Kings, Queens, and Millionaires.
Faces You May Recognize:
- Ricky Jay has played another magician in The Prestige, and has also starred in Tomorrow Never Dies as Henry Gupta and in Boogie Nights.
*Episode art created by the very talented JJ Lendl. More X-Files art and other pop culture posters can be found here: https://www.jjlendl.com/xfilesposterproject.
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