The X-Files (TV Series) Founder's Mutation (2016) User Reviews

A violent and heart-breaking old-school monster of the week

[rodrigoquinan · 9/10 · 26 January 2016]

The season 10 continues with "Founder Mutation". After dedicating mostly of the great premiere "My Struggle" in getting the band back together, now the X-Files are open again we can get back to the classic "monster-of-the-week" format and this one here works just like the good old days.

"Founder Mutation" wouldn't be out of place in the first three seasons of X-Files. It's weird, dark and very, very violent. Possibly the most graphic violent X-File since "Chinga" in Season 5.

It brings successfully back many elements of the early years of the show - the characters Mulder and Scully met in the case are lonely, damaged, outsider people; there are flashlight investigation moments; there are autopsyes; a crime happening in an office; scary hospitals, mutants. All done with a modern tone, touching on current subjects, adjusting itself to 2016 without any issue.

David and Gillian are again the best thing here. Their chemistry is unbelievable. You can never go wrong with Mulder and Scully and are truly heart-breaking moments in the episode.

It's only getting better

You Don't Like Cats?

[Muldernscully · 7/10 · 26 January 2016]

Founder's Mutation is the first Monster of the Week (MOTW) of season 10, written and directed by James Wong, who also directed season 4's Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man, along with having many other writing credits with writing partner Glen Morgan. James Wong doesn't disappoint and gives us a solid entry in the X-Files catalog.

Mulder and Scully are investigating their first case after the X-Files has been reopened and they don't miss a beat. Mulder dives right back into old habits, stealing evidence from crime scenes, not once but twice, during the episode. The first time, Scully unwittingly provides the diversion necessary for Mulder to steal the victim's cell phone, as she appears shocked but not surprised by Mulder's action.

As the episode deals with children with genetic abnormalities and/or special abilities and the possibilities of the studies of a particular doctor being government-sanctioned using alien DNA, Mulder and Scully cannot help but think how it is possibly connected to their son, William. We are then treated to a daydream each from Scully then Mulder where they fantasize about a pleasant interaction with a school-aged William. But, each of their fantasies take a frightful turn, leaving them both to ponder whether a normal relationship would have been possible with their special and gifted son.

James Wong shows that he stills understands these two characters and their motivations towards their job and with each other, exhibited through their touching interaction about their son. Even though Wong was not around later during the William years, he has a good grasp on their struggle.

Mulder and Scully experience unhelpful local law enforcement, mysterious doctors, government cover-ups, paranormal activity (even Scully in Mulder's presence!) by weird kids who disappear, and nothing to show for it but a vial of blood. Just like old times! The classic X-Files feel is back with creepy visuals, haunting music, and great guest characters. All we need now is some rain and some trench coats.

A little bit of everything.

[kathrynfraser-29590 · 8/10 · 26 January 2016]

By that I mean there is mystery, some creepiness, some disturbing scenes and some emotional ones. The mystery is around the death of a scientist, the how and the why. Which leads to other mysteries. There are some disturbing scenes of deformed children who are locked away from the rest of the world (supposedly for their own good, of course).And there is a classic, gory, supernatural death which was a little hard to watch. As Mulder says afterward, "Believe me, you can't unsee that". The emotional scenes relate to Scully and Mulder's son, William. When talking to a woman who had lost her son, Scully says' "A mother never forgets". Mulder and Scully have a discussion about William, Mulder says he has had to put his son behind him. They both separately have little "What if" visions of living their lives with William. Taking him to school, watching TV together, etc. I have to say, Mulder's visions made me cry. Maybe because it shows that he hasn't put it all behind him, maybe because William would have given Mulder a normal life. Another solid episode.

"I'm Familiar with Edward Snowden"

[XweAponX · 10/10 · 25 January 2016]

It is evident now that Chris Carter really needed Morgan/Wong to pull this off. I respected "John Gilnitz" (John Shiban, Vince Gilligan and Frank Spotnitz) - But sometimes they just seemed to get bogged down. They did occasionally produce some outstanding episodes of The Original X-Files Series. Or actually of this series, as I don't consider the 14 year hiatus. Morgan and Wong (And of course Darin Morgan) had an extreme creative streak that always benefited any show they worked on, and I think they are as intrinsically attached to The X-Files as Carter himself.

At first I thought this was related to Mulder's experience in "Biogenesis" (1999-S6E22) when he came into contact with a piece of metal from an Alien Spaceship that happened to have a verse from Genesis carved into it. What happens here to Dr Sanjay (Christopher Logan) is almost exactly like what happened to Mulder. And then Mulder has it happen, but no piece of Metal. Something else is going on.

People who had written other reviews for S10E01 were worrying that our beloved Mythos had been Deconstructed. Well, fear no more, many of the facets of Mulder and Skully's previous experiences are referred to and reflected, and even repeated, especially experiences with the De0partment of Defense, locking down their investigations.

Darin Morgan had used the name "Gupta" (IE, Juggernaught Onan Goopta) in the excellent MillenniuM Season 2 episode "Jose Chung's Doomday Defense", Wong uses it here, maybe this is a private joke between them- Too Bad Jose Chung would not be able to appear in any of these episodes, as he was killed off in that MillenniuM episode! Heh. But small details like this, that can erupt from just the mention of one character's name, are what makes this new collaboration between Carter and Morgan/Wong great.

Now, to the details, of course it is all a Macguffin, Mulder is being played, he does not know by who. We are brought through hospital wards filled with extremely deformed children. And we hear the stories of some of them in the course of this X-File. Some of this relates directly to Skully's abduction. I don't think she has ever forgotten Emily, her possible daughter from her abduction, and I'm sure she has not ever forgotten her son William. In fact both Skully and Mulder seem to have flashbacks of how life would have been with William, but it always ends the same way with both of them, William is himself abducted at the end of these visions, in much the same way Samantha Mulder was.

So I don't think Carter has re-written the Mythos one bit, not one iota. In fact, I think this short series gives him the opportunity to answer some of these questions, for us. And maybe even ask some new ones.

Some people might be shocked by some of the graphic scenes in this episode, but what's the problem, don't you watch Walking Dead? And that show is run by "John Gilnitz" even. Enjoy the uniqueness of each of these humble offerings, and some of the earlier X-Files seasons were just as graphic, it's just the state of realism is much better in Season 10. And of course, Mulder is appearing to be much smarter than he had been previously, this time making sure that there are "traces" of the X-Files saved.

Very good episode, X-files like it used to be

[rlaine · 9/10 · 27 January 2016]

After the somewhat lacking first episode, this was a lot better. I watched the two first episodes back to back, so I was expecting episode two to continue from where the episode one left, but it didn't. It took me a while to figure out that this was actually one of the "monster of the week" episodes and in that matter it took quite a jump from the episode one. In my opinion the jump was a bit of a stretch. In episode one they are pretty much detached from the days of x-files at FBI, but in this episode they are almost like nothing had ever happened in between. So watching this as a part of season 10 is not as rewarding as watching it as a stand alone MOTW episode.

Having said that, the script does fill out Mulder's and Scully's story quite a lot. At least from my point of view, I'm not as familiar with the seasons 7-9 as I am with the earlier seasons. All in all very very enjoyable episode, but worth noting that the main plot is not (necessarily) connected to the mythology at all. I got a bit distracted before I figured it out.

This could become one of the classic x-files episodes. The production values were good. The episode was somewhat gory, but it's kind of "90s gory", not too real looking.

Old School X Files, classy production.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 21 February 2016]

Mulder and Scully are called in when Doctor Sanjay, a Scientist and employee of the D.O.D behaves extraordinarily and randomly commits suicide while trying to access protected files. Directly before Sanjay died he experienced a deep, painful, high pitched sound, Mulder experiences the same situation when the pair enter his property. They begin the search for 'Founder's mutation,' the case also brings back some painful memories for the two.

I enjoyed the opening episode to the new series, but I thought this beat it hands down, it felt like old school X Files, darker, and more harrowing, the suicide scene set the tone for the episode. Loaded with powerful imagery and immaculate performances, I thought this was excellent throughout.

Very thought provoking, packed full of emotional, there's a case for deeming this episode the best there's been for several years, not just since the show's return.

9/10

Great monster of the week episode with some memorably creepy imagery.

[TouchTheGarlicProduction · 9/10 · 25 January 2016]

This episode was a very solid standalone episode which will be remembered best for its disturbing imagery. Right off the bat, the opening scene has you pretty creep-ed out. It's a standard episodic hook, but a well executed one. From there, the plot and a lot of the twists are pretty standard, but the visual storytelling and the characters are so compelling here that you get wrapped up in it and forget to critique it. Some of the shots from this episode won't be leaving me soon. Especially the final shots of the second last scene. Real nightmare fuel. The ending to this final sequence cut off in a way that felt slightly anti- climatic, but it was used for a good moment of humour.

The only really weak link in the episode is the scene that explains some of what happened between Mulder and Scully in the time gap. What should have been a heart-wrenching story left me grinding my teeth in disappointment at how stale it seemed. The actors also didn't seem to really be in it. I just wish it had been executed a little better, since it is such blatant foreshadowing to a twist in future mythology episodes. In the end, it's just one scene that felt a little out of whack in an otherwise masterfully balanced episode. Written and directed by X-files alumni James Wong, this is in my opinion better than "My Struggle", an excellent episode.

Blast from the past

[radamanthe · 9/10 · 27 January 2016]

Excellent episode reminiscent of old times. Mulder and Scully investigate a case of genetic abnormalities in children and the revelations are incorporated competently to the main story of the rebooted series. The dialogue is improved compared to the first episode and there is palpable chemistry once again between the two actors. The writers don't bother explaining how the X-Files are reopened and Mulder and Scully work together again, i guess this is something fans of the show might have to take for granted in order to enjoy the remaining episodes. Nevertheless, what i found interesting in this episode are the two separate daydreams of Mulder and Scully concerning their son William and life with him. It was a nice way of showing the differences of their personalities and their common anxiety and concern for their adopted son. My vote is nine.

Bad things happen when the birds gather

[Sanpaco13 · 10/10 · 31 January 2016]

What a great way to springboard the MOTW style of episodes. I found myself cheering after a great teaser because I was so excited that The X-Files seemed to have indeed returned in true style. Jim Wong did a great job writing and directing this episode and did something I never thought possible: he made me care about Mulder and Scully's child William.

The episode deals with children who are dealing with genetic mutations and are in a program to try and solve their ailments. The doctor in charge of these treatments is secretly using alien DNA to try and cure these children and we find out in the episode that he has done tests on his own children, giving them supernatural abilities.

The episode begins with us seeing one of the scientists on the research team apparently being affected by some sort of loud screeching sound. These sounds lead him to searching for information on the lead scientist's location (the founder) and ultimately stabbing himself in the earlobe with a letter opener to stop the sound. As Mulder and Scully investigate, Mulder begins to hear the same sounds but reports that amidst the screeching he could perceive the words "find her" being repeated.

They seek out contact with the founder and ultimately find out that his wife is in a mental hospital for having allegedly killing her unborn son. This son, as it turns out, is Kevin, who was separated from his family at birth and is now seeking reunion with his sister Molly. Kevin is the source of the screeching and Molly appears to have her own abilities and is being kept prisoner by her father at the lab. They ultimately find each other and use their powers together to escape and murder their father.

The episode has a very Stephen King like feel to it where these children with telekinetic powers are able to take revenge on their captors. Think Carrie mixed with The Shining and maybe even Firestarter.

The episode connects on another level in the form of alternate reality dream sequences showing Scully and Mulder separately envisioning what their lives with William growing up might have been like. These sequences reveal a lot about Mulder and Scully's characters. They show the things that each would have truly enjoyed participating in with William. Scully imagines taking him to school and taking care of him when he hurts himself, likely drawing a lot on her background in medicine. Mulder imagines sharing his love of Sci-Fi classics and creating model rockets. They each also show their deepest fears and anxieties as well. Scully's are seeded in her fears of William having alien DNA while Mulder's are seeded in the loss of his sister Samantha. What's also interesting is that this episode allows for series to take on a new dynamic, where the original series dealt a lot with Mulder's obsession to find his sister, the questions about William bring him into this role which places both Mulder and Scully in the situation of their judgment being called into question on these types of cases.

Some observations: Two ape movies shown in the episode: possibly a reference to the leaps in evolution depicted in these movies? They managed to cram politics and product placement into a short two minute scene, I'm totally not buying a Ford now. Lol at Mulder almost getting a bj. "The truth is in here!" So the actor the played the founder was on Firefly and when he died by bleeding out like that I couldn't help but think "two by two, hands of blue..." Why didn't Scully ever hear the sound?

#1 Show in America

[opusbaker · 10/10 · 30 January 2016]

True to the original X-Files theme, because Chris Carter is back at the helm. Number 1 show in America. Just like wine, it gets better over the years and this is true to the new episodes. Outstanding. I see a full season coming up.

The ratings are beyond excellent for a TV Show, 93 million viewers, 2nd episode 97 million.

Thanks for bringing it back. I am glued to the TV once again.

I am also glad to see they used the same intro as the old series. I think a new intro would have ruined the persona of the new series.

I hear FTSP is already looking into expanding beyond the 10 episode order.

A big improvement over "My Struggle"

[skiop · 28 January 2016]

I'll echo the consensus here that this episode was better than Chris Carter's first episode. Sure, it's not any more original. Where "My Struggle" was largely an inferior redo of season 5's "Patient X", "Founder's Mutation" redoes season 2's "Red Museum".

I'm not ready to count this as a purely MOTW episode. Like "Red Museum", it does seem at least partially connected to the mythology, though the events of "Red Museum" never really panned out, so maybe both of these are standalone episodes merely containing elements from the mythology. Either way, it's a fast and fun episode.

This really does a better job of showing the emotional states of Mulder and Scully than "My Struggle" did. William is mentioned prominently, which perhaps could be setting up his return to the mythology. I thought from the beginning that the best direction for the series now would be to feature William forming a resistance against the alien invaders, so perhaps Chris Carter will redeem himself after the ridiculous new direction of "My Struggle".

Hopefully, the third episode will move past these two "best hits" episodes and do something original.

I Really Hope the Series Continues in this Direction!

[delgrandemark · 9/10 · 2 March 2017]

I wanted to give it a 10/10.

The only thing keeping me from that is it doesn't seem like they're sure how they want to pursue the series, whether going with the stand-alone monster of the week or keep on with the series mythology.

I personally would like to see a continuance of the mythology, though there's that problem of an alien colonization having supposedly happened, or the fact the cigarette smoking man is skulking around when we saw Apache helicopters blow him out of a cave in the desert the last time the series wrapped up....

What got me with this episode was the tearjerker at the end. Man, seeing Mulder envisioning raising his son, then sitting at his kitchen table looking at a baby picture, I about lost it.....OK, I did lose it.

Keep up the good work X-Files!

"Welcome back, you two."

[classicsoncall · 8/10 · 2 September 2017]

If this didn't feel like a two part story when it ended so abruptly, I don't know what would. The writers shrugged off the case of Kyle (Jonathan Whitesell) and Molly (Megan Peta Hill) by conveniently stating that they simply disappeared following the hospital incident. But think about it, both teens were guilty of murder in their own way. Stuff like this wouldn't have passed muster in the pre-Code era when all crimes had to go solved and punished. Goes to show how far we've come in bringing entertainment into the Twenty First Century.

And speaking of that, who would ever have considered a mention of oral sex on The X-Files during it's original run in the late Nineties? Wasn't that locked room scene something? Credit Mulder for maintaining equanimity during that encounter, someone more hotheaded might have beaten the tar out of Gupta (Vic Sahay).

With the series rebooting, one has a palpable sense that abductions, government conspiracies and genetic manipulation will all be part of the story lines moving forward. Augustus Goldman's (Doug Savant) daughter Molly herself was one of the Founder's Mutations of the title, but one has to wonder. If she was able to break free of her confinement when long lost brother Kyle found her, why wasn't she able to do that on her own at any time she felt like it? I guess you'd have to chalk it up to the stressful presence of Scully and Mulder on hand to confront Goldman.

With the respective reveries of both Scully and Mulder regarding their son William, it's more than apparent that there's some wistful longing for what might have been relative to a more normal life divorced from The X-Files. That seems more apropos for Scully, whereas Mulder's obsession was decidedly a conscious choice. Looking ahead, one might expect that by now, teenage son William might pop up in the show with enhanced abilities of his own. Have to wait and see.

I'm not quite sure how the two movie clips in the story related to the present case. The first was from 1971's "Escape From the Planet of the Apes", the second one in which Mulder was explaining his definition of the monolith to William came from "2001: A Space Odyssey". I guess you'd have to take Mulder's own advice on that one, and apply your own meaning when you figure it out.