• Scully Gets to Work Her Own Case
• “Chinga” Works As a Classic Monster-of-the-Week Episode
• The X-Files Episode Delivers On Its Central Relationship

With over two decades’ worth of content, not every The X-Files episode will hit home for audiences. The monster-of-the-week series created by Chris Carter has famously had peaks and valleys, particularly following David Duchovny’s departure from The X-Files. But even in its heyday, some episodes have not met the mark, even with the help of a published author. In Season 5, Episode 10, entitled “Chinga,” prolific horror writer Stephen King wrote an episode for the series. In classic horror fashion, the episode follows the activities of the titular evil doll in the hands of a young girl named Polly. Naturally, misfortune follows her wherever she goes.

King was a fan of the series at the time and had expressed an interest in writing an episode. Despite his pop culture presence, “Chinga” is not always viewed favorably. Many fans have decried that the concept is tired, and Mulder and Scully were written out of character. But with three decades to ruminate on the episode, there are still some moments worth turning in for.

Scully Gets to Work Her Own Case

The X-Files is largely defined by the push and pull between its two lead actors. Mulder and Scully arguably defined the male-female partnership that became so prevalent in procedurals down the line. Mulder’s belief in the occult contradicts Scully’s skepticism and works wonderfully until the rare occasion when they come together. But now and then, fans are due for a shake-up. Even though Mulder is relegated to barely a supporting role in the episode, Scully gets the chance to take center stage. More often than not, Mulder takes her on a merry chase that is not always fruitful. She is obliged as an FBI agent to follow leads, but her partner always finds a way into the weird, whether she likes it or not. “Chinga” is the rare opportunity where she follows her own instincts into the bizarre – albeit reluctantly.

The episode kicks off with Scully on vacation. She is, of course, in King’s home state of Maine, where she has decided to cool her heels for the weekend. Things almost immediately go awry when she sees a troubled woman exiting a supermarket. Not soon after, the rest of the shoppers exit, bleeding from their eyes. Scully insists that she is on vacation, but she is a professional and has to follow leads where it takes her. It becomes apparent that the culprit is a mystical doll at the center of each crime. The citizens of the close-knit community start to die, all of whom had issues or connections with Polly’s mother, Melissa. With Scully on her own, it gives fans a break from the skeptic vs. believer dynamic. There is only so long a series can string that along. Instead, “Chinga” shows Scully following occult suspicions as Mulder tries to weed information out of her over the phone. Try as he might to join the case, Scully doesn’t let him. She’s on vacation, after all.

Scully still exhibits her classic reluctance in this episode. Fans might call out the episode as being out of character for her, but she still resembles the tenacious woman who demands answers. She follows the trail of bodies until it leads her to the obvious tormenter. There is no question that Chinga is behind these attacks, and the FBI agent has to accept that. This episode is one instance where Scully can’t deny the existence of otherworldly elements. Scully remains suspicious of these events, but it is an important step in her character development throughout the series, nonetheless.

“Chinga” Works As a Classic Monster-of-the-Week Episode

“Chinga” gets attention, particularly because of its celebrity writer. Stephen King has based his career on writing horror, so writing for a genre television series is likely to get attention. The episode may not be the best one ever written, but it is far from the worst. Filler episodes have become few and far between in the era of limited prestige television, but they make The X-Files world go around. “Chinga” works as a monster-of-the-week episode, as many of The X-Files stories do. True to form, this episode of the series takes a well-known concept and makes it its own. It is far from the first time that the series has implemented this. The Season 1 episode aptly entitled “Ice” is a clear homage to John Carpenter’s classic horror film The Thing. “Chinga” takes on the concept of evil dolls and does it with glee. Read More At Comic Book Resources!