Without (The X-Files)
Encyclopedia
"Without" is the 163rd episode of the science fiction
television series The X-Files
. The episode first aired in the United States and Canada on November 12, 2000 on Fox
and subsequently aired in the United Kingdom. It was written by executive producer Chris Carter
and directed by Kim Manners
. The episode continues from the seventh season finale
, "Requiem", and season eight premiere, "Within
", in which Fox Mulder
was abducted by aliens
who are planning to colonise Earth
.
"Without" follows John Doggett
's FBI taskforce in its continued search for agent Mulder and an alien bounty hunter within their ranks. After the task force is called off, Agent Scully
is surprised to learn that John Doggett, the leader of the team, has been assigned to the X-Files. The episode earned high Nielsen household and syndication ratings in the United States, while getting little attention in the United Kingdom and Ireland. As the previous episode, it was generally well-received by fans and critics alike.
(David Duchovny
) and Gibson Praise are cornered at the edge of a mountain by pursuing agent John Doggett
(Robert Patrick
). Suddenly, Mulder walks off the edge of the cliff and appears to fall to his death; however, when the FBI agents are sent down to retrieve his body, they find that it has disappeared. Dana Scully
realizes that what appeared to be her partner was actually an Alien Bounty Hunter sent to retrieve Praise. The Bounty Hunter, who has returned to the school, continues his search for Praise. Meanwhile, Scully follows a girl (Christine Firkins
) she had previously observed to be Praise's friend throughout the desert until she is able to locate him. After Doggett explains the events on the clifftop to Alvin Kersh
, Walter Skinner
tells him that Kersh is setting him up to fail. Shortly afterwards, the Bounty Hunter (now disguised as agent Scully) attacks agent Landau. Skinner and the real Scully eventually manage to drive the alien away.
After Skinner and Scully find and retrieve Praise, Skinner takes him to the nearest hospital, where his friend Thea visits him, closing the door behind her. In search for Mulder in the desert, Scully sees a bright light in the sky which she thinks is a spaceship
, but is later revealed to be a helicopter
. The helicopter lands and Doggett insists Scully travels with him to the hospital; she reluctantly accepts. At the hospital, two other FBI agents assure the two agents that nothing has happened to Praise; however, they soon discover that he has vanished. Scully leaves to search for Praise, while Doggett stays in an attempt to catch the intruder. He checks the ceiling space, where he finds Skinner badly injured. Meanwhile, Scully finds Praise, along with Skinner, who claims to be protecting the boy. Skinner (actually the Alien Bounty Hunter) soon attempts to kill her but Scully grabs her gun and shoots him in the neck, killing the Bounty Hunter. The episode ends with Mulder, still held in captivity.
towards the end of seventh season
as a way of allowing the actor to leave the series. Duchovny fulfilled his contractual obligations after the seventh season and felt that there was not much else to do with the character following the previous seven years.
Production designer
Cory Kaplan explains how she was attracted to the idea of using primitive materials when she states, "We all see super-tech now, but the idea of low-tech was much more interesting to me, much more visual. So you take elements of rock and steel and chisel them interesting shapes." She also describes the creation of the set by stating, "I found the backdrop from Alien
, and Bill Roe lit it very dimly and put it behind. And it was just this rotating platform with this humongous dental piece that could rotate around as well and pull his face apart." According to Makeup Supervisor Cheri Montasanto-Medcalf, Matthew Mungle helped in the creation of the alien torture machine by making the cheeks and putting the hooks in. The makeup supervisor adds that the hooks would actually stretch out and that David Duchovny "sat pretty good through all that."
Unusual filming techniques were also used. Visual Effects Supervisor John Wash recalls, "We devised a laser effect where a device is going into his mouth and some other weird lens effects that were going over the scene to give it an alien, other-world-like quality." On the subject of using not only a challengingly minuscule method of filming but also additional sound effects, Supervising Producer Paul Rabwin recounts, "I had to set up a very, very highly magnified lens to try to get this little device coming right at us. It was very, very scary. We ended up putting some really cool sound effects in there, little servos and motors."
The sequence in which multiple Alien Bounty Hunters appear involved the use of motion control, a method in which a motion-control camera on a computerized module is repeatedly run through the same motion while elements are continually added. The shot, according to John Wash, was one of the few times in the series in which the production crew was able to use motion control and therefore presented a slight challenge. In the filming of the sequence, both a blank plate, for just the set, and lighting elements, that were in the set, were shot before the production crew filmed five different passes, each one with the Alien Bounty Hunter in a different position. The production crew were finally able to clone the Bounty Hunter by blending all the passes together.
of 9.0, with a 13 share. It was viewed by 9.198 million households and gathered a total of 15.150 million viewers in the United States
alone. On November 12, 2000 the episode premiered on American and Canadian television on Fox
(both nations) and Global Television Network
(Canada) the same time and day as Fox did. In the United Kingdom
and Ireland
, it made its first appearance on British television on February 18, 2001 at 20:00 o'clock on Sky1. The episode did not make it to the list of the ten most watched television shows that week on the channel.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television series The X-Files
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
. The episode first aired in the United States and Canada on November 12, 2000 on Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
and subsequently aired in the United Kingdom. It was written by executive producer Chris Carter
Chris Carter (screenwriter)
Christopher Carl Carter is an American screenwriter, film director and producer. He is the creator of The X-Files and Millennium.- Ten Thirteen Productions :...
and directed by Kim Manners
Kim Manners
Kim Manners was an American television producer, director and child actor best known for his work on The X-Files and Supernatural.-Early life:...
. The episode continues from the seventh season finale
The X-Files (season 7)
The seventh season of The X-Files commenced airing in the United States on November 7, 1999, concluded on May 21, 2000, and consists of twenty-two episodes. The X-Files is an American serial science fiction-horror-thriller television series. Season seven took place after the destruction of the...
, "Requiem", and season eight premiere, "Within
Within (The X-Files)
"Within" is the 162nd episode and the season 8 premiere of the science fiction television series The X-Files. The episode first aired in the United States on November 5, 2000 on the Fox Network, and subsequently aired in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was written by executive producer Chris...
", in which Fox Mulder
Fox Mulder
FBI Special Agent Fox William Mulder is a fictional character and protagonist in the American Fox television shows The X-Files and The Lone Gunmen, two science fiction shows about a government conspiracy to hide or deny the truth of Alien existence. Mulder's peers consider his theories on...
was abducted by aliens
Colonist (The X-Files)
The Colonists are an extraterrestrial species in the science fiction television show, The X-Files, as well as the first X-Files feature film. The mystery revolving around their identity and purpose is revealed across the course of the series...
who are planning to colonise Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
.
"Without" follows John Doggett
John Doggett
FBI Special agent John Jay Doggett is a fictional character in the American Fox television series The X-Files, a science fiction show about a government conspiracy to hide or deny the truth of alien existence...
's FBI taskforce in its continued search for agent Mulder and an alien bounty hunter within their ranks. After the task force is called off, Agent Scully
Dana Scully
FBI Special Agent Dana Katherine Scully, M.D. is a fictional character and protagonist on the Fox television series The X-Files , played by Gillian Anderson. She also appeared in two theatrical films based on the series...
is surprised to learn that John Doggett, the leader of the team, has been assigned to the X-Files. The episode earned high Nielsen household and syndication ratings in the United States, while getting little attention in the United Kingdom and Ireland. As the previous episode, it was generally well-received by fans and critics alike.
Plot summary
As the episode begins, Fox MulderFox Mulder
FBI Special Agent Fox William Mulder is a fictional character and protagonist in the American Fox television shows The X-Files and The Lone Gunmen, two science fiction shows about a government conspiracy to hide or deny the truth of Alien existence. Mulder's peers consider his theories on...
(David Duchovny
David Duchovny
David William Duchovny is an American actor, writer and director. He has won Golden Globe awards for his work as FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder on The X-Files and as Hank Moody on Californication.-Early life:...
) and Gibson Praise are cornered at the edge of a mountain by pursuing agent John Doggett
John Doggett
FBI Special agent John Jay Doggett is a fictional character in the American Fox television series The X-Files, a science fiction show about a government conspiracy to hide or deny the truth of alien existence...
(Robert Patrick
Robert Patrick
Robert Hammond Patrick, Jr. is an American actor, known for his leading and supporting roles in a number of films and television shows....
). Suddenly, Mulder walks off the edge of the cliff and appears to fall to his death; however, when the FBI agents are sent down to retrieve his body, they find that it has disappeared. Dana Scully
Dana Scully
FBI Special Agent Dana Katherine Scully, M.D. is a fictional character and protagonist on the Fox television series The X-Files , played by Gillian Anderson. She also appeared in two theatrical films based on the series...
realizes that what appeared to be her partner was actually an Alien Bounty Hunter sent to retrieve Praise. The Bounty Hunter, who has returned to the school, continues his search for Praise. Meanwhile, Scully follows a girl (Christine Firkins
Christine Firkins
Christine Lynn Firkins is a deaf actress who starred in the 1997 film Speed 2: Cruise Control as Drew.. , Daily News Christine Lynn Firkins (born July 6, 1983 in Canada) is a deaf actress who starred in the 1997 film Speed 2: Cruise Control as Drew.(25 October 1993). , Daily News (Los Angeles)...
) she had previously observed to be Praise's friend throughout the desert until she is able to locate him. After Doggett explains the events on the clifftop to Alvin Kersh
Alvin Kersh
Alvin D. Kersh is a fictional character in the American Fox television series The X-Files, a science fiction series about a government conspiracy to hide or deny the truth of extraterrestrial existence...
, Walter Skinner
Walter Skinner
FBI Assistant Director Walter Sergei Skinner is a fictional character in the American FOX television shows The X-Files and The Lone Gunmen, two science fiction shows about a government conspiracy to hide or deny the truth of Alien existence...
tells him that Kersh is setting him up to fail. Shortly afterwards, the Bounty Hunter (now disguised as agent Scully) attacks agent Landau. Skinner and the real Scully eventually manage to drive the alien away.
After Skinner and Scully find and retrieve Praise, Skinner takes him to the nearest hospital, where his friend Thea visits him, closing the door behind her. In search for Mulder in the desert, Scully sees a bright light in the sky which she thinks is a spaceship
Unidentified flying object
A term originally coined by the military, an unidentified flying object is an unusual apparent anomaly in the sky that is not readily identifiable to the observer as any known object...
, but is later revealed to be a helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
. The helicopter lands and Doggett insists Scully travels with him to the hospital; she reluctantly accepts. At the hospital, two other FBI agents assure the two agents that nothing has happened to Praise; however, they soon discover that he has vanished. Scully leaves to search for Praise, while Doggett stays in an attempt to catch the intruder. He checks the ceiling space, where he finds Skinner badly injured. Meanwhile, Scully finds Praise, along with Skinner, who claims to be protecting the boy. Skinner (actually the Alien Bounty Hunter) soon attempts to kill her but Scully grabs her gun and shoots him in the neck, killing the Bounty Hunter. The episode ends with Mulder, still held in captivity.
Production
Fox Mulder's abduction was devised by Chris CarterChris Carter (screenwriter)
Christopher Carl Carter is an American screenwriter, film director and producer. He is the creator of The X-Files and Millennium.- Ten Thirteen Productions :...
towards the end of seventh season
The X-Files (season 7)
The seventh season of The X-Files commenced airing in the United States on November 7, 1999, concluded on May 21, 2000, and consists of twenty-two episodes. The X-Files is an American serial science fiction-horror-thriller television series. Season seven took place after the destruction of the...
as a way of allowing the actor to leave the series. Duchovny fulfilled his contractual obligations after the seventh season and felt that there was not much else to do with the character following the previous seven years.
Production designer
Production designer
In film and television, a production designer is the person responsible for the overall look of a filmed event such as films, TV programs, music videos or adverts. Production designers have one of the key creative roles in the creation of motion pictures and television. Working directly with the...
Cory Kaplan explains how she was attracted to the idea of using primitive materials when she states, "We all see super-tech now, but the idea of low-tech was much more interesting to me, much more visual. So you take elements of rock and steel and chisel them interesting shapes." She also describes the creation of the set by stating, "I found the backdrop from Alien
Alien (film)
Alien is a 1979 science fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm and Yaphet Kotto. The film's title refers to its primary antagonist: a highly aggressive extraterrestrial creature which...
, and Bill Roe lit it very dimly and put it behind. And it was just this rotating platform with this humongous dental piece that could rotate around as well and pull his face apart." According to Makeup Supervisor Cheri Montasanto-Medcalf, Matthew Mungle helped in the creation of the alien torture machine by making the cheeks and putting the hooks in. The makeup supervisor adds that the hooks would actually stretch out and that David Duchovny "sat pretty good through all that."
Unusual filming techniques were also used. Visual Effects Supervisor John Wash recalls, "We devised a laser effect where a device is going into his mouth and some other weird lens effects that were going over the scene to give it an alien, other-world-like quality." On the subject of using not only a challengingly minuscule method of filming but also additional sound effects, Supervising Producer Paul Rabwin recounts, "I had to set up a very, very highly magnified lens to try to get this little device coming right at us. It was very, very scary. We ended up putting some really cool sound effects in there, little servos and motors."
The sequence in which multiple Alien Bounty Hunters appear involved the use of motion control, a method in which a motion-control camera on a computerized module is repeatedly run through the same motion while elements are continually added. The shot, according to John Wash, was one of the few times in the series in which the production crew was able to use motion control and therefore presented a slight challenge. In the filming of the sequence, both a blank plate, for just the set, and lighting elements, that were in the set, were shot before the production crew filmed five different passes, each one with the Alien Bounty Hunter in a different position. The production crew were finally able to clone the Bounty Hunter by blending all the passes together.
Reception
The episode earned a Nielsen household ratingNielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
of 9.0, with a 13 share. It was viewed by 9.198 million households and gathered a total of 15.150 million viewers in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
alone. On November 12, 2000 the episode premiered on American and Canadian television on Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
(both nations) and Global Television Network
Global Television Network
Global Television Network is an English language privately owned television network in Canada, owned by Calgary-based Shaw Communications, as part of its Shaw Media division...
(Canada) the same time and day as Fox did. In the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, it made its first appearance on British television on February 18, 2001 at 20:00 o'clock on Sky1. The episode did not make it to the list of the ten most watched television shows that week on the channel.