The Unnatural

The X-Files is my favorite show of all-time. It never fails to draw me in through the combination of nostalgia and overall quality. I consider this Sixth Season to be the apex of the entire show, and I'm also an enormous baseball fan. All of those factors converge into an utterly perfect 42 minutes of television drama.

For a very basic overview, "The Unnatural" tells the story--through flashbacks told to Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) by former FBI agent Arthur Dales (M. Emmet Walsh)--of Josh Exley (Jesse L. Martin), a pre-integration black baseball player whose origins may not be from this particular sphere.

The key to the greatness of this entire episode might be the tag "written & directed by David Duchovny". At the time, he was "just" Mulder--only the most iconic character on weekly network TV. But since X-Files, Duchovny has proven himself a remarkable comic, author, and even musician. A man absolutely brimming with creative talents, and they all show here. The way he is able to weave traditional X-Files elements in with baseball themes is remarkable.

Even if you don't consider yourself an X-Files fan, this episode can still be enjoyed if you have a heart for the national pastime whatsoever. In other words, it is very much a stand-alone hour. Sure, nuanced fans can and will appreciate an appearance from the alien bounty hunter (Brian Thompson) and some of the extraterrestrial stuff, but baseball fans will easily be drawn in by Duchovny's--and show creator Chris Carter's--obvious love for the sport.

If all the above isn't enough, the final scene of the episode is as perfect a moment as anything I've ever seen reflected out from a television screen. As Mulder & Scully (Gillian Anderson) take some batting practice, quite literally everything that made the show such a rousing success is showcased: Mulder's witty banter, a hint of the supernatural, and even the subtlest of romantic overtures. Simply perfection.

This is an episode I watch every year before the start of the baseball season. Each viewing I pick up something new and marvel at the elements that make this installment stand out about the rest even within a show that usually utilizes much darker alien, UFO, or conspiracy fare.

I think this is one of those episodes where you depend entirely on finding the right person to play the part. They just hit the nail on the head with Exley, this guy is so charismatic, I was hooked. Of course, baseball is the most north-american sport to have ever been invented, so I can't say I relate to it, but I can get over that, for the most part. It's a nice change of pace from the usual stories, and I can see why some people have an issue with it, but to me, this was always the best part of the show: you can have funny episodes, you can have dramatic ones, action packed ones, I mean, it's not always taking itself seriously. Some plot holes are there, but it's nothing too bad in this type of stand alone episode. I just have a bit of an issue because the show is so white, and this episode kind of tries to be all like "we are not racists" but, after mister x died, there were zero black recurring stars (Kersh had a minuscule part, it doesn't count). I could never get over the fact that CCH Pounder never had another appearance, she was amazing and totally deserved it, and would be an awesome addition to the show's more suspenseful episodes. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I didn't buy the trying to be "we are all inclusive" when the show was, unfortunately, not.

okay, let me begin with saying I don't know baseball - well, in fact I didn't know it until now. off course I had heard about it, but I never really cared to search anything that's got to do with it. then, the episode 'The Unnatural' started, and wow man, these baseball images were so fascinating! I want to know more and more about baseball. thank you, Chris Carter, for letting David write and direct this episode. it's very obvious David liked baseball and he managed to make a good tequila mix of baseball and science fiction. yes, the story was a bit like all the other X-Files episodes I've seen till now, but it was original using baseball in the series, even if it was only this episode. it changed my habits. Baseball rules!

This episode is hilarious, not just the dialogue but the entire premise. Beginning with Arthur Dales's brother also being named Arthur.

If this is an example of David Duchovny's writing, I need to start reading the books he published recently.

Every time I saw Jesse Martin on "Law and Order" in later years, I forever remembered him as the alien baseball player I first saw on "The X-Files."

"Useless but perfect"-that could describe tv shows as well as the game of baseball. We seem to spend a lot of time on both.

The Mulder-Scully scenes at the beginning and end of the episode are both funny and endearing. Looked like the actors were having fun.

In the 90's I really didn't watch any TV so I am still sort of catching up now by binge watching. The series is decent, lots of fun and compelling story lines but the Unnatural is so far my favorite episode. The acting was great, the writing was great(I am told that David Duchovny actually wrote it????????) and the twist was nicely done and not too hokey. The friendship between Exley and Dales rival that of Mulder and Scully and that is saying something. This was the first episode that I wished had been longer. I am hoping there will be more episodes like this in the next 3 seasons if not then maybe in the upcoming miniseries.