The X-Files (TV Series) Release (2002) User Reviews

Well ... every problem has got a solution, right?

[Muldernscully · 8/10 · 3 December 2007]

With the series quickly coming to an end, the X-Files writers decided to tie up all the loose side story lines. Release ties up Doggett's personal story about the abduction and murder of his son.

I've always admired the X-Files' willingness to mix things up. They add the element of titles to various scenes of the episode; namely, The Tip, Ashes, A Message, and Release. It's almost as if they're dividing the episode into chapters of a book.

Mark Snow adds a beautiful piano score to this episode that is very touching. I wish it could have been used in more of the episode. The man is a master. Kim Manners, who directed this episode, has some very poignant shots, especially of Cadet Hayes' apartment. His direction is very fine in this episode.

The guest character of Cadet Rudolph Hayes is very intriguing and interesting. His facial expression is very unique, as if he is purposely trying to keep his mouth shut, whenever he's not talking.

Barbara Patrick, Robert Patrick's real life wife, plays his ex-wife of the same name. She does an all right job, nothing spectacular. The one line of hers I didn't like is when she tells Scully that Doggett could have something with Reyes but he won't let her in. Why would Doggett's ex-wife know anything about his relationship with his female co-worker and why say anything to Scully? The writers just wanted to do one final reference to Doggett and Reyes' relationship. The line doesn't fit and shouldn't have been used.

I felt that the resolution to Doggett's storyline was rushed because of the decision to end the series. Was Follmer meant to be a part of this storyline from the beginning? Maybe this was intentional by the writers, but Cadet Hayes said that he had another message, then he asks to be taken back to the institution. We don't see him again or hear what the message was. Maybe Hayes told Doggett where to find Regali. It felt too abrupt how Hayes left.

Release is a very fine episode resolving Doggett's son storyline. Robert Patrick does a great job, especially when telling the story of his son to Cadet Hayes. However, I felt that this storyline needed to be fleshed out a bit more for it to have more of an emotional impact. As it is, Doggett finally receives closure with his son's death and that's all that matters.

One of Doggett's Best

[alex_united2 · 9/10 · 2 August 2008]

What a class episode. I know the last 2 seasons of the X-Files have taken their fair share of knocks (not from me!), but you have to agree that although he is no Mulder (the man's a legend!), Doggett bring's something totally new to the series. At the start of season 8, it takes some getting used to seeing him as the main male lead, but after time you get to see that he is not just a typical hard-nosed cop, he has some subtle qualities that makes u warm to him. Robert Patrick does a fine job portraying all sorts of emotions when the wound of who killed his young son is re-opened, ranging from frustration and pain at having to re-live the whole event one more time, to the 'release' and closure he shares with his ex-wife after a great twist at the end means the killer is finally brought to justice in the only way that would deem satisfactory to the viewers (after the death of his son is revealed to be all the more horrific). Would it be more satisfying if the twist was sacrificed and Doggett was the man who pulled the trigger??? Fair play to the T-1000 for holding his own!

"You're done when I say you're done."

[classicsoncall · 8/10 · 30 August 2017]

Apparently Assistant Director Follmer (Cary Elwes) wasn't intimidated by Nicholas Regali's (Sal Landi) threat that the Washington Post would find out about his past corruption should anything happen to the mobster. We'll never know if that information got to The Post, but it hardly matters with the series about to wind up. Regali might just as well have told Agent Doggett that he killed Doggett's son instead of going into that whole 'businessman' story. He as much as admitted it outright.

I thought FBI Cadet Rudolph Hayes (Jared Poe) was a fascinating character, and wished the story had been written without having him come out as a former mental patient. I think it would have been just as effective by qualifying his ability as something of an X-Files case. When the FBI team arrived at his apartment to make the arrest, the disappearance of all his forensic photos seemed like an unnecessary gimmick. The guy actually did have some kind of unique ability.

The inclusion of Robert Patrick's real life wife in the role of Mrs. Doggett was a nice touch. For those reviewers who thought her idea about Doggett getting together with Agent Reyes came out of left field, I would contend that Doggett would have had plenty of time over the course of his partnership with Reyes to inform his ex of her working on cases with him. The murder of Doggett's son took place ten years earlier and both had moved on, but as I surmised in my review of 'Audrey Pauley', his avoidance of a relationship might have been based on something holding him back. In this case it becomes clear that it was Doggett's guilt over not solving the case a decade earlier.

The really uncomfortable moment in this episode occurred when Agent Reyes came right out and accused her immediate superior of corruption when they both worked at the NYPD. But at the same time, that all sounded rather forced, as why would Reyes bring the issue up now and not years earlier when the corruption surfaced? The way that was written seemed rather sloppy. But at least Agent Doggett can finally find some closure with the death of Regali, and a chance at a new perspective on life should he decide to make a go of it with Agent Reyes.

Fabulous!

[BRFyFasan · 8 March 2012]

-- Release --

One of my all time favourite X-Files episodes.

For all those who are complaining about season 9, I recommend them watching the four last episodes (William, Release, Sunshine Days & The Truth) - they are all some of the episodes I remember best from this brilliant TV series.

This episode is not about aliens and UFOs, it's a kind of mystery/detective episode - where Dogget is trying to find a serial killer. Everything in this episode is so well made, the acting is brilliant and the story is truly fascinating. And then it's the music...

.. simply one of the best classical scores I've heard. I get goosebumps whenever I hear the classical anthem in this episode.. it should probably have been played even more. It get's you into the right mood right from the very beginning to the last emotional scene..

I recommend Release highly, even for those who don't like X-Files as well.... Full score from me. A must see!

Release is an inceasingly rare gem late in the series.

[NoisySnails · 10/10 · 22 December 2015]

Season 9 was always going to be rough. When my Series Cast comrades and I set off to watch and review every X-Files episode before the series 2016 resurrection I was dreading the day when it arrived. I vaguely remembered my adolescent rage towards an absentee Mulder, limited Scully and replacements that I deemed entirely unfit to carry the torch. Needless to say I was not looking forward to a single minute of this often reviled season.

Maybe it's the acceptance that comes with getting older, maybe a touch of Stockholm Syndrome, but to my great surprise one Season 9 episode managed to blow my expectations out of the water. Even more unexpectedly it is an episode that focuses on the story of Agent Doggett.

'Release' further explores the often referenced murder of Agent Doggett's son Luke. Robert Patrick once again proves me wrong in what was surely his finest work on the series. The episode is hardly an X-File with the only possible supernatural element surrounding a young agent in training, Rudolph Hayes (Jared Poe). Hayes has an eerie knack for criminal profiling, and his awkward demeanor makes for a very compelling character.

As suspected we also learn that A.D. Brad Follmer (Cary Elwes) is exactly the scumbag he seems to be. While unsurprising, the revelation of past corruption and the connection to the tragedy of Agent Doggett's son really worked for me. My jaw dropped when Follmer ultimately steals Doggett's chance at revenge, but unwittingly saves the incorruptible Doggett from himself.

I'm genuinely pleased that the writers were not afraid to steer clear of the revenge fantasy and instead tackle this with a very complex resolution that left me feeling for the character. In what was a season with low peaks and deep valleys 'Release' was welcome relief towards the end of a long and winding road.

Jared Poe is Brilliant

[XweAponX · 10/10 · 29 April 2021]

I've seen the kid on an episode of Firefly as well. Here, he was born to play this part. I haven't seen him much after 2014, I always wonder what became of actors like this, who basically got their breakthrough parts accidentally.

We were introduced to John Doggett's son in season eight's "Invocation" with the equally brilliant Rodney Eastman ("Sammael" from the Millennium episode "Powers, principalities, thrones and dominions"). All we knew from that episode, was that Doggett had a son who had passed away, sparking Doggett's special interest in children's cases, which was part of his work when he was a cop in New York.

Poe is apparently an FBI cadet "Rudolph Hayes" who has special insight into violent crime, he can piece together a profile from microscopic pieces of evidence garnered from things like bodies and photographs of murder scenes. Even the dirt underneath a corpses fingernails, with this person every detail paints a larger picture, The smaller the detail, the larger the picture.

As we go along we realize that this person is highly obsessive, there is a reason for this.

The lid is also blown off of A. D. Follmer's relationship to a New York City mafia thug who apparently never gets charged with any crime worse than jaywalking even though he is constantly involved in heinous crimes. There is a reason for this as well, and as Monica Reyes was dating Follmer during that time, she starts piecing together things that she has seen, and it paints another ugly picture.

But all things being equal, nothing is as it seems. Not Hayes, not Follmer, and not this case, where a tip sent to Doggett is the very small beginning of a huge avalanche.

This episode is the culmination of a slow burn introduction that over the course of several episodes in season eight and nine, we get told the entire story about Doggett's son and the grisly circumstances and people surrounding his death. This was cleverly seeded in episodes like "Invocation", "Empedocles" and "John Doe". And because the story was told over a length of time and in small pieces, it gives this episode revelatory power, which would have failed if the wrong actor had been selected to play Hayes. Everything about the portrayal was perfect, Poe added a permanent scowl to the character of Hayes which gives an impression of seriousness. And when the doors are blow off of this case, we find out exactly how serious.

Robert Patrick's real life wife Barbara appears as John Doggetts ex-wife, and this little bit of reality adds more believability.

An incredible episode

[brian-wiz · 10/10 · 27 May 2019]

After almost finishing season 9 I can say whole heartedly that we were not fair to Robert Patrick, John Doggett or season 9. This episode solidified that for me.

Fantastic characters, especially Cadet Hayes....

Cracking story for Agent Doggett.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 30 November 2022]

Agent Doggett gets a lead about the death of his son, a student of Scully's helps out, putting the pieces together.

I have to take issue with some of the fans that told me I'd loathe series nine, there have been some excellent episodes, and this is yet another. A very, very good, action packed episode, fast paced and gritty, it felt as though we get some resolution for Agent Doggett.

Very, very well written, and immaculately produced, it's hard to pick fault here with anything, more along the lines of a thriller this one.

Robert Patrick was fantastic here, what a great actor he is, he's been terrific this series, he gave a wonderful performance in particular in this episode.

Jared Poe was awesome a Hayes I thought, what a fascinating character, a shame we didn't get to see more of him, but having just checked, the show is very close to its original end.

8/10.

Kim Manners knocks it outta the park.

[atcaver · 9/10 · 10 February 2023]

Well, what should have been a much longer running thread barring the early cancellation of the series in the mystery of Luke Doggett's murderer was resolved, I feel, pretty satisfactorily. Yes, it was rushed, but then again everything after episode 11 of this season feels that way thanks to the axe dropping at Fox.

Despite the flaws in pacing, I felt that the inclusion of A. D. Follmer in the intrigue around Luke's death was a nice touch, bringing his and Monica's time together at the New York field office back around for added flavor.

Jared Poe did a damn fine job in his role as cadet "Hayes" and I was sad to see his acting credits run so short, with nothing in the last 10 years. He seems like he has a knack for bringing that off-putting energy in a believable way without terribly overacting.

Kim Manners' directing on this one was absolutely stellar, honestly what took this from an 8 to a 9 for me. The opening shot with the pan down from the street lamp gave the best classic noir vibes, and he managed to keep those vibes through the episode without turning it into a straight noir fest. The shots in "Hayes'" apartment, the one of John looking at the box of Luke's ashes, the final confrontation in the bar between Doggett and Regali...all just solidified how great of a filmmaker Manners truly is.

And Robert Patrick had a tour de force in this one. Can't get over the emotions he displayed when he was telling "Hayes" about Luke's case, when he was confronted with Regali's truth, and then when he scattered Luke's ashes at the end. I had always just known him as the T-1000 since I was a kid, but seeing his chops on full display in this last season has given me a real appreciation for him as an actor.

Only things keeping it from being a 10/10 are the lack of explanation from Follmer on why he shot Regali since he obviously couldn't have heard the conversation in the bar, and then the weird line between Barbara and Scully when she pushes the Doggett-Reyes relationship angle, seemingly as nothing more than fan service since the show was ending. They could have used the minute or so from the latter scene to give the former some much needed context.

Still, definitely a high point for this season.

Like I said, obvious.

[Sanpaco13 · 6/10 · 21 May 2010]

I don't really have a lot to say about Release. They had introduced the story of Doggett's son being abducted and then they never really had time to get around to addressing it much other than a few episodes where it turned out to be non-related. So now we get the conclusion to Doggett's "Samantha story" and I have to be honest, at first I was really confused by what the episode is trying to say. All I can really figure out is that some guy who was in with the mob kidnapped Doggett's son and then the mobster guy killed him so he wouldn't be able to be a witness in any sort of upcoming trial. Fullmer was then paid off to keep quiet about it, but years later he can no longer live with the guilt and in the end he kills the alleged murderer and then we never see him again (Fullmer I mean). The strangest part is the addition of the schizophrenic guy posing as an FBI profiler student who is obsessed with details and in particular, Doggett's case. Anyway, those are the basic elements that make up the story. I think the music is great and some of the presentation is really well done, but overall the actual story doesn't quite cut it for me. I can only give this episode a 6 our of 10.

Another could-have-been-better-but-wasn't-that-bad season nine episode

[RuthAkien · 6/10 · 6 May 2010]

I can't quite bring myself to think of having 'favourites' from season nine (mainly because even in fun eps they still don't know what to do with the three-agents dynamic and usually end up with Scully as a third wheel). But this is OK.

The good:

• It's nice that D's ex-wife still seems to really care about him, but it's a bit random to tell his co-worker (who you've only just met) who he should date. I found this kind-of funny (in face I lmao).

• Closure for D.

• Thought RP's real-life wife was pretty good in this.

• Liked the character of the forensics/trainee agent. Would have enjoyed more of him in a better ep. Would have enjoyed him being in the rest of the ep.

• Cool that D was going to kill, but I'm glad he didn't.

• great acting when D is hoping his ex will make the ID.

The less good:

• On the D & R note: can't we go one ep without pushing their romance (why can't it just be about D's son?). If you have to keep having characters TELLING us, then it doesn't work.

• Didn't buy the Brad Follmer thing: it was out of the blue that he happened to be linked to Luke's disappearance, but I would have bought it if he was the meddling bad-ish guy were promised he would be at the start of season nine. This was something I looked forward to but it never materialised.

• Not enough Scully.

• Didn't believe forensics/trainee agent would have to gone to all that effort to get his lead heard. D might have believed him if he'd brought evidence about other cases, but if f/ta brought it to R she'd have believed him no question (she'd have had feelings about it).

• Follmer mob-money thing out of nowhere as hadn't previously had this impression of the type of 'bad-guy' he is.

An OK ep, but considering it brought closure to one of the characters, should have been one of the best.

Unbelievable

[pmicocci-18908 · 1/10 · 30 July 2021]

Once again it seems that the FBI will take just about anybody, including former psychiatric patients who lie about their names.

Oh, and you can apparently collect crime scene photos as a hobby, even if you don't have any official connection with law enforcement.

Like Putin talking about his scandal

[film_weaver · 4/10 · 1 November 2020]

This episode is just like Putin when you ask him about the Russian doping scandal. He will talk sublimely for three-quarters of an hour, but you won't learn anything about it except that the two main witnesses are already dead.