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The X-Files
S1.E10
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IMDbPro

Fallen Angel

  • Episode aired Nov 19, 1993
  • TV-14
  • 46m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
7K
YOUR RATING
Scott Bellis in The X-Files (1993)
AdventureCrimeDramaMysterySci-FiThriller

The future of the X-Files project is jeopardized after Mulder secretly infiltrates the government cover-up of a UFO crash.The future of the X-Files project is jeopardized after Mulder secretly infiltrates the government cover-up of a UFO crash.The future of the X-Files project is jeopardized after Mulder secretly infiltrates the government cover-up of a UFO crash.

  • Director
    • Larry Shaw
  • Writers
    • Chris Carter
    • Howard Gordon
    • Alex Gansa
  • Stars
    • David Duchovny
    • Gillian Anderson
    • Frederick Coffin
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.7/10
    7K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Larry Shaw
    • Writers
      • Chris Carter
      • Howard Gordon
      • Alex Gansa
    • Stars
      • David Duchovny
      • Gillian Anderson
      • Frederick Coffin
    • 19User reviews
    • 7Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos49

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    Top cast15

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    David Duchovny
    David Duchovny
    • Fox Mulder
    Gillian Anderson
    Gillian Anderson
    • Dana Scully
    Frederick Coffin
    Frederick Coffin
    • Chief Joseph McGrath
    Marshall Bell
    Marshall Bell
    • Colonel Calvin Henderson
    Scott Bellis
    Scott Bellis
    • Max Fenig
    Jerry Hardin
    Jerry Hardin
    • Deep Throat
    Brent Stait
    Brent Stait
    • Corporal Taylor
    Alvin Sanders
    Alvin Sanders
    • Deputy Sheriff Jason Wright
    Sheila Paterson
    • Gina Watkins
    Tony Pantages
    • Lt. Fraser
    Freda Perry
    • Mrs. Wright
    Michael J Rogers
    Michael J Rogers
    • Lt. Griffin
    • (as Michael Rogers)
    William MacDonald
    William MacDonald
    • Dr. Oppenheim
    • (as William McDonald)
    Jane MacDougall
    • Laura Dalton
    Kimberly Unger
    • Karen Koretz
    • Director
      • Larry Shaw
    • Writers
      • Chris Carter
      • Howard Gordon
      • Alex Gansa
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews19

    7.76.9K
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    Featured reviews

    9thebigeasy555

    U.F.O Ascension

    Usually any episodes of the x-files which involve U.F.O's are comprised of solid acting,quality script and plenty of tension all the way to excite the viewer.This episode from season one is no different.A genuinely interesting character alien abductee Max Fening makes an appearance and appears to be a huge fan of Mulders.Mulder acting on information from the mysterious Deep Throat sets about finding the pilot who crashed an unidentified flying object.The ending sequence has to be seen and is truly fantastic to watch over and over again.The ascension itself is a visual treat and leaves Mulder finally with tangible evidence to back up his beliefs.
    6Sleepin_Dragon

    Always keep your friends close.

    A UFO crashes, releasing a malevolent Alien force, Murder risks his job and the future of The X Files by ignoring restrictions and investigating.

    This episode starts with a bang, it's dramatic, explosive and terrifying, this episode is a bit of a pot boiler though, it's somewhat of a heavy political episode. After a dramatic start, it becomes a little pedestrian in terms of pacing.

    They are becoming guilty of threatening Mulder's career too often. Scully is a little inconsistent here.

    Max Fenig is an interesting character, his scenes with Mulder were great.
    10koalablue_1993

    Max Fenig!

    He was such a cool character, i loved him he was hilarious. He was funny yet sad, and at the end he was a very tragic character.

    Mulder infiltrates to an UFO crash site to investigate and take pictures, but he is captured and put in a cell. That night he meets alien abductee Max Fenig who works for NICAP. Scully arrives the next day to take him out of there. I liked the episode it was really good. Max Fenig's ascension at the end was a really awesome special effect. At the end Deep Throat helps Mulder. The episode does have it similarities with the science fiction movie "Predator" about an invisible alien that kills the military.

    Mulder: You're entitled to the truth!
    9Kendich89

    'Max doesn't believe he was abducted by aliens, I believe he was.'

    The episode opens with a deputy sheriff encountering the crash scene of a UFO near Townsend, Wisconsin, what he believes to be just forest wire. He responds accordingly by asking for a fire screw dispatch to the scene. He gets out of the car to investigate. At the same time the US Space Surveillance Center in Colorado detects the activity and, upon analyzing the data, establish the crashed aircraft to be unidentified due to its nature of manoeuvre prior to the crash. In charge of the military reclamation's division is Colonel Calvin Henderson. Upon the technicians' briefing on the data, and to their bewilderment, the Colonel's orders are clear: 'What you tracked was a meteor. The aberrant movement was obviously to instrument malfunction.' They know the truth and he knows the truth: it's a UFO, but the elephant in the room remains ignored.

    Later Agent Mulder and Deep Throat have a meeting during which Deep Throat advises Mulder to act quickly, suggesting a time frame of just about 24 hours before the Air Force cleans up the scene and seal the evidence.

    Of course Agent Mulder couldn't let this one slip by, so he gets to investigate. He travels to the crash scene, dressed in plain clothes, and equipped with a camera and plenty of film.

    His spying mission gets interrupted as one of the military personnel surprises him from the back.

    Later, in detention, he meets another wannabe reporter by the name of Max Fenig, an odd character and an NICAP (National Investigations Committee On Aerial Phenomena) member, who was also caught sniffing around for some capture. As Scully later arrives to retrieve Mulder, she tells him that FBI Section Chief Joseph McGrath is threatening to shut down the X-Files because of his unauthorized investigation.

    Up until this point it wasn't clear as to what direction the show would take. Of course there was insidious government involvement in shady affairs, and it goes without saying that we were strapped in for an unusual TV show from the get-go. However, the alien stuff didn't really kick in prior to this episode, which, of course, came just in time before the viewers became disinterested. The show had started to develop a theme. Even though it was a preconceived one by the creator Chris Carter, he didn't really succeed initially, but, nonetheless, the spooky ambiance and the premise was there all along.

    In Fallen Angel the aliens conspiracy was kind of beginning to transpire, although we are left to our own imagination and speculation as to what the heck's going on and if there were really any aliens and alien aircraft involved in the first place. This paved the road to further development while keeping the suspense high.

    As with most X File cases this one is filled with speculations and doubts, dubiousness and skepticism against Mulder's theories and beliefs. It doesn't help his case much since we're almost convinced that the truth could be much different. This is what makes The X Files such a great show- the absence of obvious and immediate answer. That's how the real governments work and that's what we've been asking for a long time. The truth is out there, but will we reveal it?
    9Muldernscully

    Beam Me Up, Scotty!

    Fallen Angel is another great episode from season one. It's considered a myth/arc episode because of it dealing with Mulder trying to obtain proof of aliens and UFOs. Fallen Angel introduces us to alien abductee, Max Fennig. He's a very quirky character who's quite likable because of his sincerity. His introduction to Scully is classic, as he refers to her as the "enigmatic Agent Scully". It's a funny joke that the audience gets. Although I don't know how Max would know about Scully's personality from FBI travel expenses records. Anyway, character actor Marshall Bell gives a great performance as Colonel Henderson. The show at this point is still feeling out how it wants to treat the subject of aliens. In this episode, the alien is cloaked. We don't see a cloaked alien again in the series. If you get the chance, check out the special feature from the Season 1 DVD set on how they did the special effect of the cloaked alien scene. It's kind of funny. Fallen Angel is a fun and exciting episode that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

    Related interests

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    James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)
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    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
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    Mystery
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    Sci-Fi
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    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This is the first episode that references the line "Trust no one."
    • Goofs
      When Scully aims at the bathroom door in the motel, the slide of her pistol is moved halfway back, as if it stuck during cocking the gun.
    • Quotes

      [about Mulder using a nickname]

      Fox Mulder: l didn't think anybody was paying attention.

      Max Fenig: Somebody is always paying attention, Mr. Mulder.

    • Connections
      Referenced in Gone Home (2013)
    • Soundtracks
      The X-Files
      (Credited)

      Written by Mark Snow

      Performed by John Beal

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 19, 1993 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Hulu
      • Instagram
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Johnson Space Center - 2101 NASA Rd., Houston, Texas, USA
    • Production companies
      • Ten Thirteen Productions
      • 20th Century Fox Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 46m
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 4:3

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