Vienen
Encyclopedia
"Vienen" is the 179th episode and the eighteenth episode of the eighth season
of the science fiction
television series The X-Files
. The episode first aired in the United States and Canada on April 29, 2001 on the Fox Network
, and subsequently aired in the United Kingdom. It was written by staff member Steven Maeda
, and directed by Rod Hardy
.
"Vienen" follows Fox Mulder
(David Duchovny
) disobeying orders to stay away from the X-File
s. Mulder finds himself stranded on a quarantined oil rig with John Doggett
(Robert Patrick
) where the crew have been infected by an alien virus that he has encountered many times before. While the episode received a high Nielsen household and syndication rating when compared to other episodes of the season, it received generally mixed to positive reviews by fans and critics alike.
is stabbed to death by another crew member, Simon. Simon starts destroying the radio equipment but is stopped by another crew member, Bo Taylor, whose body begins to glow. At the X-Files office
Fox Mulder
(David Duchovny
) tells John Doggett
(Robert Patrick
) about the murder, saying the victim had 90% burns on his body which seem to be radiation burns, not caused by an explosion as the oil company claims. Mulder speculates that it had something to do with the black oil
.
Mulder and Doggett meet Mr. Ortega, the Galpex Petroleum VP, in Alvin Kersh
's office. He reveals that Galpex has just found a huge oil reserve in the Gulf of Mexico
, which Ortega thinks Mexico may claim. Kersh sends Doggett to investigate, but when he arrives, Mulder is already there. They meet Taylor, who claims Simon went berserk and tried to blow up the rig, killing Ed. Scully, however, finds black oil in Simon's skull during an autopsy - but the oil is dead, as if irradiated.
Eventually finding proof of the black oil, Doggett and Mulder quarantine the rig, but one crewman is missing - Simon's friend Diego Garza. Ortega threatens to bring back the crew unless the agents can prove an infection exists. Doggett and Mulder search for Diego, who is a mestizo, like Simon. Mulder and Doggett later finds out that somebody has set the communications room on fire. As the agents tackle the fire, Diego attacks Doggett, knocking him out. Regaining consciousness, he finds Diego cutting his arm to check for black oil.
Meanwhile, Kersh tells Dana Scully
(Gillian Anderson
) that he is lifting the quarantine of the oil rig. While Scully is against the idea, she has no other choice than to obey. Scully then realises that the first victim was immune to the black oil, and because of it he suffered from radiation burns instead of infection. After proving to Simon that he is not infected by the black oil, Doggett leaves to find Mulder, but he is attacked by Taylor. Mulder shows up and overpowers the attacker. The two then barricade themselves into the communication room, and try to relay a message, whilst the rig crew surround them.
Scully gets their message, and tells them that Kersh has broken the quarantine. Mulder then destroys the radio, so that the black oil-infected rig workers won't be able to communicate with the aliens. Suddenly, the rig workers stop their attack, making their way outside instead. Doggett and Mulder then go to the surface of the oil rig, to only jump off when they realize that the crew members are going to destroy the oil rig. Mulder and Doggett are rescued by the helicopters Kersh sent to break the quarantine. Back at the Bureau, Mulder reveals to Doggett that he has been suspended from the FBI.
and directed by Rod Hardy
. Filming on the oil rig
lasted only for a day. "Vienen" was shot in three different locations, the first being in a studio in Los Angeles, California
, the second being an oil refinery
and the third being the actual oil rig. During the filming of this episode, Gillian Anderson
was at location in Los Angeles, meaning that she got few scenes in the episode because of it. Robert Patrick
and David Duchovny
were flown back and forth for the three locations. Since Anderson was stranded in Los Angeles, she, Patrick and Duchovny had no scenes with each other, with the exception of the opening teaser.
This episode also marked the last appearance of the black oil
in the series. Molasses
and chocolate syrup
was used for the visual effects of the black oil. The scene with the black oil coming out of the eyes, ears and mouth was mostly done on a visual effects stage. It was shot nine takes to get the oil to spill on the right places.
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...
of the science fiction
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 April 29, 2001 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. It was written by staff member Steven Maeda
Steven Maeda
Steven Maeda is an American television writer and producer. He has written episodes of television series such as Harsh Realm, The X-Files, CSI: Miami, Lost, and Day Break. He has also served as a supervising producer on Lost and CSI: Miami...
, and directed by Rod Hardy
Rod Hardy
Rod Hardy is an Australian television and film director.His interest in film began before the age of 12, when he shot several short films on his brother’s 8 mm film camera...
.
"Vienen" follows 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:...
) disobeying orders to stay away from the X-File
X-file
On the television series The X-Files, an X-File is a fictional case that has been deemed unsolvable by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The files constitute an unassigned project outside the Bureau mainstream that is more or less concerned with unexplained phenomena. -First X-Files:The very...
s. Mulder finds himself stranded on a quarantined oil rig with 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....
) where the crew have been infected by an alien virus that he has encountered many times before. While the episode received a high Nielsen household and syndication rating when compared to other episodes of the season, it received generally mixed to positive reviews by fans and critics alike.
Plot summary
Ed Dell, a crew member of the Galpex-Orpheus oil rigDrilling rig
A drilling rig is a machine which creates holes or shafts in the ground. Drilling rigs can be massive structures housing equipment used to drill water wells, oil wells, or natural gas extraction wells, or they can be small enough to be moved manually by one person...
is stabbed to death by another crew member, Simon. Simon starts destroying the radio equipment but is stopped by another crew member, Bo Taylor, whose body begins to glow. At the X-Files office
X-file
On the television series The X-Files, an X-File is a fictional case that has been deemed unsolvable by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The files constitute an unassigned project outside the Bureau mainstream that is more or less concerned with unexplained phenomena. -First X-Files:The very...
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:...
) tells 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....
) about the murder, saying the victim had 90% burns on his body which seem to be radiation burns, not caused by an explosion as the oil company claims. Mulder speculates that it had something to do with the black oil
Black Oil
Black Oil may refer to:* Black Oil , an alien virus in the X-Files episode The Colonist* a sunflower variety...
.
Mulder and Doggett meet Mr. Ortega, the Galpex Petroleum VP, in 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...
's office. He reveals that Galpex has just found a huge oil reserve in the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
, which Ortega thinks Mexico may claim. Kersh sends Doggett to investigate, but when he arrives, Mulder is already there. They meet Taylor, who claims Simon went berserk and tried to blow up the rig, killing Ed. Scully, however, finds black oil in Simon's skull during an autopsy - but the oil is dead, as if irradiated.
Eventually finding proof of the black oil, Doggett and Mulder quarantine the rig, but one crewman is missing - Simon's friend Diego Garza. Ortega threatens to bring back the crew unless the agents can prove an infection exists. Doggett and Mulder search for Diego, who is a mestizo, like Simon. Mulder and Doggett later finds out that somebody has set the communications room on fire. As the agents tackle the fire, Diego attacks Doggett, knocking him out. Regaining consciousness, he finds Diego cutting his arm to check for black oil.
Meanwhile, Kersh tells 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...
) that he is lifting the quarantine of the oil rig. While Scully is against the idea, she has no other choice than to obey. Scully then realises that the first victim was immune to the black oil, and because of it he suffered from radiation burns instead of infection. After proving to Simon that he is not infected by the black oil, Doggett leaves to find Mulder, but he is attacked by Taylor. Mulder shows up and overpowers the attacker. The two then barricade themselves into the communication room, and try to relay a message, whilst the rig crew surround them.
Scully gets their message, and tells them that Kersh has broken the quarantine. Mulder then destroys the radio, so that the black oil-infected rig workers won't be able to communicate with the aliens. Suddenly, the rig workers stop their attack, making their way outside instead. Doggett and Mulder then go to the surface of the oil rig, to only jump off when they realize that the crew members are going to destroy the oil rig. Mulder and Doggett are rescued by the helicopters Kersh sent to break the quarantine. Back at the Bureau, Mulder reveals to Doggett that he has been suspended from the FBI.
Production
The episode was written by Steven MaedaSteven Maeda
Steven Maeda is an American television writer and producer. He has written episodes of television series such as Harsh Realm, The X-Files, CSI: Miami, Lost, and Day Break. He has also served as a supervising producer on Lost and CSI: Miami...
and directed by Rod Hardy
Rod Hardy
Rod Hardy is an Australian television and film director.His interest in film began before the age of 12, when he shot several short films on his brother’s 8 mm film camera...
. Filming on the oil rig
Drilling rig
A drilling rig is a machine which creates holes or shafts in the ground. Drilling rigs can be massive structures housing equipment used to drill water wells, oil wells, or natural gas extraction wells, or they can be small enough to be moved manually by one person...
lasted only for a day. "Vienen" was shot in three different locations, the first being in a studio in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, the second being an oil refinery
Oil refinery
An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where crude oil is processed and refined into more useful petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt base, heating oil, kerosene, and liquefied petroleum gas...
and the third being the actual oil rig. During the filming of this episode, 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...
was at location in Los Angeles, meaning that she got few scenes in the episode because of it. 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....
and 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:...
were flown back and forth for the three locations. Since Anderson was stranded in Los Angeles, she, Patrick and Duchovny had no scenes with each other, with the exception of the opening teaser.
This episode also marked the last appearance of the black oil
Black Oil
Black Oil may refer to:* Black Oil , an alien virus in the X-Files episode The Colonist* a sunflower variety...
in the series. Molasses
Molasses
Molasses is a viscous by-product of the processing of sugar cane, grapes or sugar beets into sugar. The word molasses comes from the Portuguese word melaço, which ultimately comes from mel, the Latin word for "honey". The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or sugar beet,...
and chocolate syrup
Chocolate syrup
Chocolate syrup is a chocolate flavored condiment. It is often used as a topping for various desserts, such as ice cream or mixed with milk to make chocolate milk.-Basic ingredients:...
was used for the visual effects of the black oil. The scene with the black oil coming out of the eyes, ears and mouth was mostly done on a visual effects stage. It was shot nine takes to get the oil to spill on the right places.