The X-Files Miniseries: Founder's Mutation

So, there's no denying that the 2016 X-Files miniseries got off to a great start with last night's opener, My Struggle. While it did have a few issues overall, it was still a great entry which did the premiere a great amount of justice. Now, usually, I always feel that the second episode of a season or show is one of the weaker episodes of the show, especially when it comes after a humongous or Earth-shattering premiere. I had these same exact fears for The X-Files, but maybe I'd be wrong? Does Founder's Mutation keep the quality going?

A researcher at Nugenics Technology, Dr. Sanjay, ends up killing himself after hearing a loud, piercing noise. The death attracts the attention of Scully and Mulder, who come to investigate. The trail of information leads them to Sanjay's home, where they find a wall full of pictures of mutated children. After Mulder experiences the painful noise himself, they go off to investigate the founder of Nugenics, Augustus Goldman, and his experiments on mutated children that just might have a connection with the ongoing conspiracies, and even opening some new ones along the way.

So, in all honesty, Founder's Mutation is a definite boost compared to My Struggle. The episode feels more like a classic X-Files, from the soundtrack, to the way the characters just carry themselves. All the tropes of the classic series are there, and it's so welcome. The cast gives another spectacular performance and all, and the plot and mystery is just so well done. I absolutely loved the whole Prisoners feeling to it, echoing the underrated 2013 film almost perfectly (I'm probably the only one who sees this similarity), and the new story arch it sets up at the end is nicely executed. Extra points also to the William visions that Scully and Mulder both experience, they manage to make you both happy and sad at the same time.

On the down side, there's only a few things, really. First and foremost, the case gets wrapped up a bit too shoddily. Sanjay ends up having no major connection to the case (the only mildly spectacular aspect about him was the fact that he was gay), which means that he's no more than the test subject to the true antagonist. Also, there were far too many clichés to count, such as Mulder getting infected, the big bad doctor type, and the fact that anyone willing to talk MUST DIE. But, none of these things really hamper the episode as a whole.

I'm glad to see that the show is picking up. It's beginning to show a real...flow to itself, making it almost feel as if the show never really left, so I'm gonna be generous and give Founder's Mutation a 5 out of 5 stars, marking it the first extremely spectacular episode for this miniseries, and I really doubt it'll be the last. I can't wait to see what could possibly come next...it's going to be god damn amazing.