One Son
Encyclopedia
"One Son" is the 129th episode of the science fiction
television series The X-Files
. The episode first aired in the United States and Canada on February 14, 1999 on the Fox Network
, and subsequently aired in the United Kingdom on Sky1. It was written by executive producers Chris Carter
and Frank Spotnitz
, and directed by Rob Bowman.
"One Son" is a direct continuation of the previous episode, "Two Fathers
". While Cassandra Spender (Veronica Cartwright
) reveals the truth about the alien conspiracy
to Fox Mulder
(David Duchovny
), her ex-husband - the Cigarette Smoking Man - does the same to her son, Jeffrey Spender
in an effort to convince him to work with the conspiracy. But even as Mulder is deceived by Diana Fowley (Mimi Rogers
), Dana Scully
(Gillian Anderson
) stays true to the investigation, and the two find a surprise ally. Meanwhile, the Syndicate reach the climax of their plans, only to find that the end is not as they expected. The episode was generally positively received by fans and critics alike.
", Cassandra Spender demands to be killed by FBI
agent Fox Mulder
. Before Mulder can do anything, the front door is smashed open by a group of people in hazmat
suits, led by Diana Fowley. Mulder, Cassandra, and Dana Scully
are taken to a CDC facility at Fort Marlene. Fowley tells the agents Cassandra Spender is carrying a contagious organism, and that she was called in her son, agent Jeffrey Spender
. Meanwhile, Alex Krycek
reports on Cassandra's escape to the Syndicate
, saying that the alien rebels want Cassandra kept alive. Regardless, the Syndicate decides to turn Cassandra over to the colonists
, and save themselves by commencing colonization.
At Fort Marlene, Mulder runs into the sickly looking Marita Covarrubias (Laurie Holden
). Marita tells Mulder that she was subject to experiments by the Syndicate to create a black oil vaccine and that the colonists will begin colonization if they learn of Cassandra's existence as an alien-human hybrid. Scully, with help from the Lone Gunmen, looks into Diana Fowley's personal history and informs Mulder that Fowley has been collecting data on alien abductees and heading to Tunisia every week, although there is no trace of her activities in FBI records. Mulder still trusts Diana, but goes to her apartment to see her, finding the Cigarette Smoking Man (William B. Davis
) there instead. Held at gunpoint, the Cigarette Smoking Man tells Mulder that he has been betrayed by his son Jeffrey. The Cigarette Smoking Man tells Mulder that the Syndicate agreed by majority vote, against Bill Mulder's objections, to align with the alien colonists in order to delay colonization. The Syndicate were forced to give up members of their family to the colonists in exchange for the alien fetus (seen in "The Erlenmeyer Flask
"). Because Bill Mulder was slow to agree, Samantha Mulder
wasn't taken until after the others. Using the fetus, the Syndicate worked on creating alien-human hybrids who could survive colonization. The Cigarette Smoking Man tells Mulder that colonization will begin once Cassandra is handed over and that Mulder will be able to see his sister again, providing him with an address to the hangar where the Syndicate members will be meeting the colonists.
Jeffrey goes to Syndicate headquarters, finding only Krycek there. Krycek tells him that the Syndicate members are preparing to be given the hybrid genes—except for Spender's father, who has gone to retrieve Cassandra. Diana returns to her apartment, finding Mulder there, and the two head to the hangar at El Rico Air Force Base. Jeffrey arrives at the hospital, finding his mother gone. However, while at the hospital he finds Marita, who tells him how to get to El Rico Air Force Base. A Syndicate surgeon attempting to procure the alien fetus is killed by one of the alien rebels, who takes his form. Mulder contacts Scully and the two try to stop the train car transporting Cassandra to El Rico, failing to do so. Krycek finds the dead surgeon and the fetus missing, and tells Jeffrey that the rebels are going to win. The Syndicate and their families gather at El Rico Air Force Base. Shortly after the Cigarette Smoking Man and Diana Fowley arrive, a white light appears around the base. It is revealed to be the rebels, who kill the entire Syndicate except for the Cigarette Smoking Man and Diana Fowley, who manage to escape in time. The next day Mulder, Scully, Walter Skinner
(Mitch Pileggi
) and Jeffrey report to Assistant Director Alvin Kersh
on the deaths of the Syndicate. Jeffrey tells Kersh that Mulder and Scully could have prevented it. He resigns and recommends that they be reassigned to the X-Files. Heading to the X-Files office in the basement, Jeffrey finds the Cigarette Smoking Man, who then shoots Jeffrey and leaves.
story arc
because it created a "narrative drag", as many questions from the past five seasons were left unanswered. They were also looking to create a new story arc for the series, in the form of the "Super Soldiers", which were created for season eight
and nine
. Co-writer Frank Spotnitz
said that the problem was that episodes where questions are answered are less entertaining for viewers than episodes that present new questions and theories. Spotnitz, however, acknowledged that this episode was necessary to help explain the complex mythology of the show. He called the episode the "biggest chapter we had time to explore in the nine years we were on the air." Chris Carter
stated "I think if there was any trouble with the movie, it was that we promised so much that we didn't deliver all of it. I think we wanted to deliver a lot, and all at once in these two episodes." The main reason behind giving a resolution for the Syndicate
arc was that Carter thought the series was going to be canceled by spring, 2000. While promoting the episode, Carter said it would give many long-waited answers but create new ones.
"A part of the problem" of creating "mytharc"
episodes was that there were so few mytharc-centric episodes each season, forcing the production staff to put as much material as possible into each episode. Diana Fowley's (Mimi Rogers
) apartment, the Watergate Complex
, is a reference to the Watergate scandal
. As the previous episode, "Two Fathers
" was titled after William Mulder (Peter Donat
) and the Cigarette Smoking Man (William B. Davis
), this episode was entitled "One Son" because Fox Mulder
(David Duchovny
) was the only remaining son of either of these fathers (due to the shooting of Jeffrey Spender
(Chris Owens
) and the rejection of Alex Krycek
(Nicholas Lea
)).
has made various compliments to Rob Bowman's direction in this episode. However, he had a problem with the visual effects, going so far as to say that the effects used for the alien rebel landing were among the worst ever created for the show. He continued to say that "It was one of those cases where you just run out of time, sorry to say." Spotnitz later said that the overall production values were fantastic, but that he wished he could have changed some things about the episode. The scene in which one of the Syndicate
members changes into an alien rebel was one of the scenes Spotnitz wished had been done differently .
of 10.1, with a 16 share. It was viewed by 16.57 million viewers in the United States
. The episode debuted in the United States and Canada
on Sunday, February 14, 1999 on the Fox Network
. On May 23, 1999 the episode premiered in the United Kingdom and Ireland
on Sunday. In the United Kingdom
, the episode gathered 860 thousand viewers (from 740 thousand viewers the previous week). The episode was the fourth most watched episode that week, behind ER
, The Simpsons
and Friends
.
Veronica Cartwright
was nominated for an Emmy
for "Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series" for her role in this episode and previous episode "Two Fathers
". The previous episode, "Two Fathers" earned the show's crew the Emmy
for "Outstanding Makeup for a Series". The make-up crew was nominated for an Emmy award in the category "Outstanding Makeup for a Series" and won.
Joyce Millman from Salon magazine said the episode (along with "Two Fathers
") was one "of the most coherent, [...] almost unbearably tense, hours in the series' run." She further stated that the episode gave some long-waited answers, but created new ones such as what has really happened to Samantha Mulder
. Michigan Daily
reviewer Melissa Runstrom said "One Son" along with "Two Fathers" and season finale
"Biogenesis
" were the highlights of the sixth season
.
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 February 14, 1999 on the Fox Network
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 on Sky1. It was written by executive producers 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 Frank Spotnitz
Frank Spotnitz
Frank Spotnitz is an award-winning American television writer and producer, best known for his work on The X-Files television series.-Biography:...
, and directed by Rob Bowman.
"One Son" is a direct continuation of the previous episode, "Two Fathers
Two Fathers
"Two Fathers" is the 128th episode of the series, and the eleventh episode of the sixth season of the science fiction television series The X-Files. The episode first aired in the United States and Canada on February 7, 1999, on the Fox Network and subsequently aired in the United Kingdom on Sky1...
". While Cassandra Spender (Veronica Cartwright
Veronica Cartwright
Veronica A. Cartwright is an English-born American actress who has worked mainly in American film and television. She is best known for her role of Lambert in Alien, for which she won a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress....
) reveals the truth about the alien conspiracy
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...
to 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...
(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:...
), her ex-husband - the Cigarette Smoking Man - does the same to her son, Jeffrey Spender
Jeffrey Spender
FBI Special agent Jeffrey Frank Spender 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. Spender was in control of the X-Files office after Fox Mulder's and Dana Scully's...
in an effort to convince him to work with the conspiracy. But even as Mulder is deceived by Diana Fowley (Mimi Rogers
Mimi Rogers
Mimi Rogers is an American movie actress and competitive poker player.-Early life:Rogers was born Miriam Spickler in Coral Gables, Florida, the daughter of Philip C...
), 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...
(Gillian Anderson
Gillian Anderson
Gillian Leigh Anderson is an American actress.After beginning her career in theatre, Anderson achieved international recognition for her role as Special Agent Dana Scully on the American television series The X-Files. During the show's nine seasons, Anderson won Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen...
) stays true to the investigation, and the two find a surprise ally. Meanwhile, the Syndicate reach the climax of their plans, only to find that the end is not as they expected. The episode was generally positively received by fans and critics alike.
Plot
Continuing the narrative from "Two FathersTwo Fathers
"Two Fathers" is the 128th episode of the series, and the eleventh episode of the sixth season of the science fiction television series The X-Files. The episode first aired in the United States and Canada on February 7, 1999, on the Fox Network and subsequently aired in the United Kingdom on Sky1...
", Cassandra Spender demands to be killed by FBI
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
agent 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...
. Before Mulder can do anything, the front door is smashed open by a group of people in hazmat
Hazmat
Hazmat, HazMat and similar terms can refer to:* Hazardous materials and items—see Dangerous goods** Hazchem—a system of hazardous chemical classification and firefighting modes** A hazmat suit is a type of protective clothing...
suits, led by Diana Fowley. Mulder, Cassandra, and 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...
are taken to a CDC facility at Fort Marlene. Fowley tells the agents Cassandra Spender is carrying a contagious organism, and that she was called in her son, agent Jeffrey Spender
Jeffrey Spender
FBI Special agent Jeffrey Frank Spender 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. Spender was in control of the X-Files office after Fox Mulder's and Dana Scully's...
. Meanwhile, Alex Krycek
Alex Krycek
Alex Krycek is a fictional character in the long-running American science fiction show, The X-Files portrayed by Nicholas Lea. Initially introduced in the second season as a partner for main character Fox Mulder in the absence of his previous partner, Dana Scully, Krycek grew to become one of the...
reports on Cassandra's escape to the Syndicate
Syndicate (The X-Files)
The Syndicate is a fictional "shadow government" group featured in The X-Files television show and feature film created by Chris Carter. They were also known as The Elders, The Consortium, and The Group...
, saying that the alien rebels want Cassandra kept alive. Regardless, the Syndicate decides to turn Cassandra over to the colonists
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...
, and save themselves by commencing colonization.
At Fort Marlene, Mulder runs into the sickly looking Marita Covarrubias (Laurie Holden
Laurie Holden
Heather Laurie Holden is an American-Canadian actress and human rights activist. She is perhaps best known for her roles as Marita Covarrubias in The X-Files, Adele Stanton on The Majestic, Cybil Bennett in Silent Hill, Amanda Dumfries in The Mist, Olivia Murray in The Shield, and Andrea in The...
). Marita tells Mulder that she was subject to experiments by the Syndicate to create a black oil vaccine and that the colonists will begin colonization if they learn of Cassandra's existence as an alien-human hybrid. Scully, with help from the Lone Gunmen, looks into Diana Fowley's personal history and informs Mulder that Fowley has been collecting data on alien abductees and heading to Tunisia every week, although there is no trace of her activities in FBI records. Mulder still trusts Diana, but goes to her apartment to see her, finding the Cigarette Smoking Man (William B. Davis
William B. Davis
William Bruce Davis is a Canadian actor, known for his role as The Smoking Man on The X-Files. He has also appeared in Stargate SG-1 as Damaris, a Prior of the Ori and as Mayor Tate on Smallville...
) there instead. Held at gunpoint, the Cigarette Smoking Man tells Mulder that he has been betrayed by his son Jeffrey. The Cigarette Smoking Man tells Mulder that the Syndicate agreed by majority vote, against Bill Mulder's objections, to align with the alien colonists in order to delay colonization. The Syndicate were forced to give up members of their family to the colonists in exchange for the alien fetus (seen in "The Erlenmeyer Flask
The Erlenmeyer Flask
"The Erlenmeyer Flask" is the 24th episode and the first season finale of the science fiction television series The X-Files. "The Erlenmeyer Flask" introduced several new plot elements which would continue in later seasons and featured the death of recurring character, "Deep Throat"...
"). Because Bill Mulder was slow to agree, Samantha Mulder
Samantha Mulder
Samantha Ann Mulder is a fictional character in the television series The X-Files. She is the sister of FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder and the daughter of Teena and Bill Mulder. As a child, Samantha was abducted, ostensibly by aliens, and was never recovered...
wasn't taken until after the others. Using the fetus, the Syndicate worked on creating alien-human hybrids who could survive colonization. The Cigarette Smoking Man tells Mulder that colonization will begin once Cassandra is handed over and that Mulder will be able to see his sister again, providing him with an address to the hangar where the Syndicate members will be meeting the colonists.
Jeffrey goes to Syndicate headquarters, finding only Krycek there. Krycek tells him that the Syndicate members are preparing to be given the hybrid genes—except for Spender's father, who has gone to retrieve Cassandra. Diana returns to her apartment, finding Mulder there, and the two head to the hangar at El Rico Air Force Base. Jeffrey arrives at the hospital, finding his mother gone. However, while at the hospital he finds Marita, who tells him how to get to El Rico Air Force Base. A Syndicate surgeon attempting to procure the alien fetus is killed by one of the alien rebels, who takes his form. Mulder contacts Scully and the two try to stop the train car transporting Cassandra to El Rico, failing to do so. Krycek finds the dead surgeon and the fetus missing, and tells Jeffrey that the rebels are going to win. The Syndicate and their families gather at El Rico Air Force Base. Shortly after the Cigarette Smoking Man and Diana Fowley arrive, a white light appears around the base. It is revealed to be the rebels, who kill the entire Syndicate except for the Cigarette Smoking Man and Diana Fowley, who manage to escape in time. The next day Mulder, Scully, 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...
(Mitch Pileggi
Mitch Pileggi
Mitchell Craig "Mitch" Pileggi is an American actor. Pileggi is known for playing FBI assistant director Walter Skinner on the long-running popular series The X-Files. He also had a recurring role on Stargate Atlantis as Col. Steven Caldwell...
) and Jeffrey report to Assistant Director 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...
on the deaths of the Syndicate. Jeffrey tells Kersh that Mulder and Scully could have prevented it. He resigns and recommends that they be reassigned to the X-Files. Heading to the X-Files office in the basement, Jeffrey finds the Cigarette Smoking Man, who then shoots Jeffrey and leaves.
Conception and writing
The production staff of the show aimed to create a conclusion for the SyndicateSyndicate (The X-Files)
The Syndicate is a fictional "shadow government" group featured in The X-Files television show and feature film created by Chris Carter. They were also known as The Elders, The Consortium, and The Group...
story arc
Story arc
A story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, boardgames, video games, and in some cases, films. On a television program, for example, the story would unfold over many episodes. In television, the use of the story...
because it created a "narrative drag", as many questions from the past five seasons were left unanswered. They were also looking to create a new story arc for the series, in the form of the "Super Soldiers", which were created for season eight
The X-Files (season 8)
The eighth season of The X-Files commenced airing in the United States on November 5, 2000, concluded on May 20, 2001, and consisted of twenty-one episodes. The X-Files is an American serial science fiction-horror-thriller television series. Season eight took place after Fox Mulder's alien...
and nine
The X-Files (season 9)
The ninth season of The X-Files commenced airing in the United States on November 11, 2001, concluded on May 19, 2002, and consists of twenty episodes. The X-Files is an American serial science fiction-horror-thriller television series. Season nine took place after Fox Mulder's leave after the...
. Co-writer Frank Spotnitz
Frank Spotnitz
Frank Spotnitz is an award-winning American television writer and producer, best known for his work on The X-Files television series.-Biography:...
said that the problem was that episodes where questions are answered are less entertaining for viewers than episodes that present new questions and theories. Spotnitz, however, acknowledged that this episode was necessary to help explain the complex mythology of the show. He called the episode the "biggest chapter we had time to explore in the nine years we were on the air." 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 :...
stated "I think if there was any trouble with the movie, it was that we promised so much that we didn't deliver all of it. I think we wanted to deliver a lot, and all at once in these two episodes." The main reason behind giving a resolution for the Syndicate
Syndicate (The X-Files)
The Syndicate is a fictional "shadow government" group featured in The X-Files television show and feature film created by Chris Carter. They were also known as The Elders, The Consortium, and The Group...
arc was that Carter thought the series was going to be canceled by spring, 2000. While promoting the episode, Carter said it would give many long-waited answers but create new ones.
"A part of the problem" of creating "mytharc"
Mythology of The X-Files
The mythology of The X-Files, sometimes referred to as its mytharc by the show's staff and fans, follows the quest of FBI Special Agents Fox Mulder , a believer in supernatural phenomena, and Dana Scully , his skeptical partner. Their boss, FBI Assistant Director Walter Skinner was also often...
episodes was that there were so few mytharc-centric episodes each season, forcing the production staff to put as much material as possible into each episode. Diana Fowley's (Mimi Rogers
Mimi Rogers
Mimi Rogers is an American movie actress and competitive poker player.-Early life:Rogers was born Miriam Spickler in Coral Gables, Florida, the daughter of Philip C...
) apartment, the Watergate Complex
Watergate complex
The Watergate complex is a group of five buildings next to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of Washington, D.C. in the United States. The site contains an office building, three apartment buildings, and a hotel-office building...
, is a reference to the Watergate scandal
Watergate scandal
The Watergate scandal was a political scandal during the 1970s in the United States resulting from the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the Nixon administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement...
. As the previous episode, "Two Fathers
Two Fathers
"Two Fathers" is the 128th episode of the series, and the eleventh episode of the sixth season of the science fiction television series The X-Files. The episode first aired in the United States and Canada on February 7, 1999, on the Fox Network and subsequently aired in the United Kingdom on Sky1...
" was titled after William Mulder (Peter Donat
Peter Donat
Peter Donat is a Canadian-American actor known for his roles in American television.-Early life:Donat was born Pierre Collingwood Donat in Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada, the son of Marie and Philip Ernst Donat, a landscape gardener. His uncle was British actor Robert Donat...
) and the Cigarette Smoking Man (William B. Davis
William B. Davis
William Bruce Davis is a Canadian actor, known for his role as The Smoking Man on The X-Files. He has also appeared in Stargate SG-1 as Damaris, a Prior of the Ori and as Mayor Tate on Smallville...
), this episode was entitled "One Son" because 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...
(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:...
) was the only remaining son of either of these fathers (due to the shooting of Jeffrey Spender
Jeffrey Spender
FBI Special agent Jeffrey Frank Spender 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. Spender was in control of the X-Files office after Fox Mulder's and Dana Scully's...
(Chris Owens
Chris Owens (actor)
Christopher Bradley "Chris" Owens is a Canadian actor.Owens was born in Toronto, the son of Jeannette, a jazz singer, and Garry Owens, a jazz drummer....
) and the rejection of Alex Krycek
Alex Krycek
Alex Krycek is a fictional character in the long-running American science fiction show, The X-Files portrayed by Nicholas Lea. Initially introduced in the second season as a partner for main character Fox Mulder in the absence of his previous partner, Dana Scully, Krycek grew to become one of the...
(Nicholas Lea
Nicholas Lea
Nicholas Lea is a Canadian actor best known for his portrayal of Alex Krycek on The X-Files and on Kyle XY playing Tom Foss.-Biography:...
)).
Filming and visual effects
All the sets in this episode were created by Corey Kaplan. Bill Roe was in charge of the cinematography. Frank SpotnitzFrank Spotnitz
Frank Spotnitz is an award-winning American television writer and producer, best known for his work on The X-Files television series.-Biography:...
has made various compliments to Rob Bowman's direction in this episode. However, he had a problem with the visual effects, going so far as to say that the effects used for the alien rebel landing were among the worst ever created for the show. He continued to say that "It was one of those cases where you just run out of time, sorry to say." Spotnitz later said that the overall production values were fantastic, but that he wished he could have changed some things about the episode. The scene in which one of the Syndicate
Syndicate (The X-Files)
The Syndicate is a fictional "shadow government" group featured in The X-Files television show and feature film created by Chris Carter. They were also known as The Elders, The Consortium, and The Group...
members changes into an alien rebel was one of the scenes Spotnitz wished had been done differently .
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 10.1, with a 16 share. It was viewed by 16.57 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...
. The episode debuted in the United States and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
on Sunday, February 14, 1999 on the Fox Network
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...
. On May 23, 1999 the episode premiered in the United Kingdom 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...
on Sunday. 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...
, the episode gathered 860 thousand viewers (from 740 thousand viewers the previous week). The episode was the fourth most watched episode that week, behind ER
ER (TV series)
ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
, The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
and Friends
Friends
Friends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004. The series revolves around a group of friends in Manhattan. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
.
Veronica Cartwright
Veronica Cartwright
Veronica A. Cartwright is an English-born American actress who has worked mainly in American film and television. She is best known for her role of Lambert in Alien, for which she won a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress....
was nominated for an Emmy
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
for "Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series" for her role in this episode and previous episode "Two Fathers
Two Fathers
"Two Fathers" is the 128th episode of the series, and the eleventh episode of the sixth season of the science fiction television series The X-Files. The episode first aired in the United States and Canada on February 7, 1999, on the Fox Network and subsequently aired in the United Kingdom on Sky1...
". The previous episode, "Two Fathers" earned the show's crew the Emmy
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
for "Outstanding Makeup for a Series". The make-up crew was nominated for an Emmy award in the category "Outstanding Makeup for a Series" and won.
Joyce Millman from Salon magazine said the episode (along with "Two Fathers
Two Fathers
"Two Fathers" is the 128th episode of the series, and the eleventh episode of the sixth season of the science fiction television series The X-Files. The episode first aired in the United States and Canada on February 7, 1999, on the Fox Network and subsequently aired in the United Kingdom on Sky1...
") was one "of the most coherent, [...] almost unbearably tense, hours in the series' run." She further stated that the episode gave some long-waited answers, but created new ones such as what has really happened to Samantha Mulder
Samantha Mulder
Samantha Ann Mulder is a fictional character in the television series The X-Files. She is the sister of FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder and the daughter of Teena and Bill Mulder. As a child, Samantha was abducted, ostensibly by aliens, and was never recovered...
. Michigan Daily
Michigan Daily
The Michigan Daily is the daily student newspaper of the University of Michigan. Its first edition was published on September 29, 1890. The newspaper is financially and editorially independent of the University's administration and other student groups, but shares a university building with other...
reviewer Melissa Runstrom said "One Son" along with "Two Fathers" and season finale
Season finale
A season finale is the final episode of a season of a television program...
"Biogenesis
Biogenesis (The X-Files)
"Biogenesis" is the 139th episode and the twenty-second episode of the sixth season of the science fiction television series The X-Files. The episode first aired in the United States and Canada on May 16, 1999 on the FOX Network, and subsequently aired in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Sky1...
" were the highlights of the sixth season
The X-Files (season 6)
The sixth season of the science fiction television series The X-Files commenced airing on the Fox Broadcasting Network in the United States on November 8, 1998, concluding on the same channel on May 16, 1999, and contained 22 episodes. The series was developed by Chris Carter, who also serves as...
.