X-Files: 17 Comedy Episodes—which made YOU laugh the most?
Exploring the funniest episodes of the monster investigator show!
“Eventually, someone around the writers room got it in their head, why not try to make an entire episode that’s intended to be more funny than scary?”
Which are your FAVORITE “X-Files” episodes? Tell us in the comments below!
There’s so much to love about The X-Files, one of the longest-running genre shows in TV history. Over 11 seasons (so far?), X-Files followed FBI agents exploring the weird cases that often involve monsters, extraterrestrials, and other bizarre events.
While government officials claimed these off-the-wall reports were fake, the X-Files investigators did their best to find the truth. (No matter how “out there” the truth was.)
Created by Chris Carter, the show was a genre mash-up that would pull together elements of horror fiction, the paranormal, and science fiction—plus crime dramas, mysteries, and all that stuff about conspiracies. Most of the episodes featured believer Fox Mulder (played David Duchovny) and skeptic Dana Scully (played by Gillian Anderson).
During the show’s history, there was often a dividing line—with X-Files fans regularly choosing one side or the other:
Wanting episodes about the serial Mythology Arc, or
Wanting episodes with the Monster of the Week.
To be clear, I’m completely a Monster-of-the-Week man. Even more so, I’m all about “let’s re-watch one of the funny episodes.” While the show generally offered fans all kinds of drama, my favorite episodes were those few that were hilarious. HILARIOUS.
Want a list of X-Files comedy episodes? Here are 17 of them—including some that I just want to watch again and again...
Click on a title to jump directly to a specific episode:
To be clear, most of these episodes are ranked based on a number of factors. (Mainly, based on how they ranked on some other lists—but a couple episodes were bumped up because I wanted to.) That said, I actually saved the “Clyde Bruckman” episode for last because I wanted to end with one of the best episodes from X-Files ever.
Also on this page…
THE LIST: X-Files: The Comedy Episodes (Other Fans’ Picks May Vary)
1
#1 “Humbug” (2.20)
“Well, why should I take offense? Just because it’s human nature to make assumptions about people purely on the basis of their physical appearances?”
The first episode to wander away from the normal vibe, “Humbug” shows Mulder and Scully searching for a killer in a Florida town inhabited by sideshow performers. (Some of the guest stars were actual sideshow performers.) While Mulder assumes the murderer is the mysterious “Fiji mermaid,” Scully argues that’s just a fraud—simply a “humbug.”
“I’ve been referring to The X-Files as a horror show, and I will continue to do so, but that’s not all it is. It’s more often than not very, very funny, mostly due to David Duchovny’s deadpan quips. So eventually, someone around the writers room got it in their head, why not try to make an entire episode that’s intended to be more funny than scary. And while not all of them were hits, the good funny episodes are often counted among the best.” (I Want to Review)
X-Files creator Chris Carter:
“I didn’t understand what the range of the show could be or was until I think the second season and into the third season. I think when you look at shows like ‘Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose’ [S3, Ep4], when you look at episodes like ‘Home’ [S4, Ep2] or ‘Squeeze’ [S1, Ep3] or ‘War of the Coprophages’ [S3, Ep12], or ‘Humbug’ [S2, Ep20] that you see the range, not just of the stories you tell, but the range of the actors, and their comedic ability was great.” (The Companion)
In addition to being the first funny episode of the show, “Humbug” was also the first one written by Darin Morgan. (His episodes will show up a few times on this list). The episode was nominated for an Edgar Award for “Best Episode in a Television Series” and a Cinema Audio Society Award for “Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for a Series.”
2
#2 “Triangle” (6.3)
“Save your own ass, sir.”
Mulder boards the wreck of a legendary missing WWII ship that suddenly appeared in the Bermuda Triangle. The ship turns out to be a time portal—now, Scully must use all her wits to try and get the unwilling FBI to help her save him.
“[‘Triangle’] is the first of, well, quite a few episodes in Season 6 that strike me as officially stamped productions of fanfic. Brilliant fanfic, mind you, but fanfic nonetheless. And I mean this as the best possible sort of compliment.” (Musings of an X-Phile)
“A masterpiece X-Files episode. When it aired it was a huge deal-boiler as an event episode of TV. Not only did it look big budget and fast paced but it had humor, charm and looked fantastic. There’s a brilliant split screen sequence showing what is happening simultaneously—and then Gillian Anderson somehow crosses herself in the split screen.” (ResetEra)
Mulder finds himself on a luxury passenger liner that mysteriously appeared in the Bermuda Triangle. Soon, he discovers he traveled back in time to September 3, 1939—the outbreak of World War II.
German soldiers have boarded the ship in search of “Thor’s Hammer,” something that could ensure victory in the coming conflict. Scully, after being informed of Mulder’s disappearance by The Lone Gunmen, rushes through the J. Edgar Hoover Building, looking for someone who can help find her missing partner.
“Triangle” was filmed in a style inspired by the 1948 Alfred Hitchcock movie Rope, with many scenes edited to appear as single takes. Also, several cast members played their contemporary characters—but also as distinctly different characters from 1939 on board the luxury liner.
3
#3 “Jose Chung’s From Outer Space” (3.20)
“That’s a bleepin’ dead alien body if I ever bleepin’ saw one.”
Mulder and Scully must sort through differing stories while investigating a couple who claim to have been abducted by aliens. Wading through the Rashomon effect, they hear different accounts from all the witnesses. As such, we watch events over and over as seen from different angles.
“While on the surface this episode is hilariously funny, it is also deeply sad. The Truth is unknowable; all we have is our truth. The search for our truth, however, alienates us from each other and leaves us, ultimately, alone.” (Doux Reviews)
Another one written by Morgan, this episode’s guest stars included Charles Nelson Reilly as an author who wrote a book about the incident. (Chung returned on an episode of the show Millenium.)
“Like ‘Once More, With Feeling’ from Buffy or ‘The Monster at the End of This Book’ (and all subsequent meta-episodes) from Supernatural, this episode was a foray into some fourth-wall-bending (hey, I found the idea for the next Avatar series!) shenanigans that only work when characters are well-established and well-loved. It was a bit of a risk to take in 1996, when the X-Files was only in its third season, but it paid off, showing some real versatility in the writing and acting.” (Geekly Inc)
Also guest-starring in the episode were Jesse Ventura and Alex Trebek. (Seriously, if you haven’t seen this, you should check it out.)
BONUS: “Jose Chung’s Doomsday Defense” on Millennium (2.9)
“Goopta hit the lecture hall circuit, always preaching to standing-room only, for he shrewdly refrained from providing chairs.”
So, Jose Chung returned on the show Millennium. Also created by Chris Carter, the show starred Lance Henriksen as ex-FBI agent Frank Black working for an organization named the Millennium Group.
For this episode, author Jose Chung (played again by Charles Nelson Reilly) is dealing with the weird cult Selfosophy. (Which, frankly, looks an awful lot like a real-life religious organization.)
“Fun is rarely an adjective one would use to describe an episode of Millennium, but ‘Jose Chung’s Doomsday Defense’ is a sharp self-parody of the series, written with the precision of a peak era Simpsons episode.” (Revisiting Millennium)
“Darin Morgan brings his creation Jose Chung into Frank Black’s orbit. Like the classic X-Files episode that features the character, this story is funny, satiric, and of course, because it’s Millennium, has a bit of a downbeat ending. A classic, and very funny episode, this one should be required viewing back to back with ‘Jose Chung’s From Outer Space.’ Morgan gets the characters, but also knows how to lovingly skewer them while giving us a great episode in the process.” (The Mind Reels)
Reilly was nominated for an Emmy for this episode. Meanwhile, the studio reportedly received some concerned calls from Scientologists.
4
#4 “Je Souhaite” (7.21)
“It’s like giving a chimpanzee a revolver.”
Two brothers have a less than helpful genie who grants their wishes with disastrous consequences. Mulder comes into possession of the same genie, and his wishes garner similar results.
“The last stand-alone episode prior to David Duchovny’s departure from the show, which is probably why there’s so much freaky, weird, and wonderful stuffed in forty-five minutes. While it may never rank among the top 10 or 20 greatest X-Files episodes of all time, this story about a somewhat mean-spirited genie certainly has memorable and hilarious comedic moments.” (Screen Rant)
“One of the highlights of this episode is Scully’s total delight over performing an autopsy on an invisible man…who wished to become invisible and then got hit by a truck that didn’t see him crossing the street. Scully makes him visible again by covering his entire body in yellow powder; it’s probably the most fun she has in all 11 seasons of the show.” (Ranker)
In the episode “Je Souhaite” (the title means “I Wish” in French), Mulder and Scully encounter a man and his physically disabled brother who lead the agents to an indifferent genie whose willingness to grant wishes belies a deeper motive.
Written by Vince Gilligan, the genie episode was also his directorial debut for the show. The original plan for the story to be “stark and scary,” but Gilligan decided to go in a different direction. The look of the episode involved digital technology, doctoring stock footage, plus a scene that required blocking off eight blocks of downtown Los Angeles.
5
#5 “Mulder and Scully Meet the Were-Monster” (10.3)
“Mulder, the Internet is not good for you.”
Mulder and Scully have to figure out who or what is responsible for a dead body in the woods. They consider whether it was a serial killer… an animal attack… or that strange creature witnesses keep talking about…
Eventually, Mulder meets Guy Mann—who, well, is actually a monster that’s now been turned into a human. The character was played by perfect guest star Rhys Darby. (Seriously, Darby might be my favorite guest star for the whole series.)
“Intentionally or not, Morgan’s work deconstructed the premise of a series that seemed to depend on po-faced belief, and in doing so, helped transform it. Self-awareness is a risky turn for any narrative, but by acknowledging the fundamental stupidity of alien abduction and government conspiracy theories, Morgan opened the series as a whole to a wider variety of storytelling.” (AV Club)
“Objectively the best entry in the show’s 2016 reboot, this episode is brilliant because it stars Rhys Darby and a pre-ripped Kumail Nanjiani, and because it twists the monster-of-the-week formula into something new, surprising, charming, and totally hilarious.” (Junkee)
Great episode! Written and directed by Morgan, the story had been originally written for the short-lived reboot Night Stalker. But when it turned out that X-Files was coming back, Morgan rewrote the script for Mulder and Scully. (It’s been said he also added in various easter eggs.)
6
#6 Arcadia (6.15)
“Woman, get back in here and make me a sandwich!”
Posing as a married couple, Mulder and Scully go undercover at a high-class planned community where several couples have gone missing. They learn that members of the community strictly abide by every single subdivision rule—no matter how inconsequential that rule sounds.
“Doesn’t boast an extremely compelling supernatural narrative, but what it does offer (in spades) is an amusing Stepford-like parody of planned communities and homeowners associations to which many (including myself) can completely relate. Plus, it’s just a whole lot of goofy Mulder/Scully fun.” (Awards Daily)
“There are two levels of humor in this episode. The two seem to settle a little too easily into married couple bickering, with Mulder getting a kick out of Scully’s discomfort. The episode is also a perfect parody of life in planned communities and all the little petty rules Homeowners Associations dictate to maintain conformity. It’s bliss watching Mulder subvert the rules in order to rock the boat.” (The Robot’s Voice)
The episode was written by Daniel Arkin, a first-year staff writer for the show. His script was inspired by an incident in his life which involved, well, a planned community. A fan favorite, it’s less about the mystery of the story, and more about Duchovny and Anderson relying on their chemistry developed over six seasons.
7
#7 “The Lost Art of Forehead Sweat” (11.4)
“And that’s how I started the The X-Files. That’s right—we used to be partners!”
Examining how groups of people remember alternate history (called the Mandela Effect—or is that the Mengele Effect?), Mulder and Scully discover how the X-Files may have actually originated.
“I knew this was an episode written by Darin Morgan. There were high expectations… ‘The Lost Art of Forehead Sweat’ still blew those expectations out of the water. Watch this episode! It’s one of the best episodes The X-Files has ever produced.” (Geek'd Out)
“[The episode’s] best creative meander is when it inserts Reggie into a series of vintage X-Files episodes, as well as the show’s iconic opening credits, illustrating the character’s faux (or are they?) memories of being an FBI agent. At last, that Grenada reference in ‘Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose’ paid off!” (Gizmodo)
“‘The Lost Art of Forehead Sweat’ [is] a perfect example of how the show manages to poke fun at itself while also paying due respect to the creative team and the audience. Overall, this episode is a must-watch for a lot of fans because it exemplifies what made the show a hit in the first place.” (CBR)
I love this episode so much! (Seriously, it’s where I grabbed the images for the banner at the top of this article.)
Kicking off with a black-and-white segment that resembles a clip from Twilight Zone, the episode spotlights a stranger who somehow knows Mulder and Scully and some of their secrets.
Eventually, he claims to actually be their forgotten partner—leading to a serious of flashbacks from previous episodes. (Somehow, he’s also in those flashbacks.)
Seriously, you have to see it to believe it. (I really enjoyed that surprise line toward the end from FBI Assistant Director Skinner.)
8
#8 “X-Cops” (7.12)
“So apparently, we’re on the lookout for someone whose hair matches her fingernails. Bubblegum pink. That’d be a good color for you, Scully.”
A Los Angeles police officer being filmed for the show Cops is attacked by a strange monster. Now, Mulder and Scully are investigating the case. Scully is wary of having their faces put on national television, but Mulder welcomes the publicity.
“Mulder addresses the camera in ‘X-Cops,’ an in-universe excuse for breaking the fourth wall. The episode was written by Cops fan Vince Gilligan, shot on video, and used some of the show’s crew as well as a number of real sheriff’s deputies as extras to give it authenticity.” (The Companion)
“A masterclass in satire. This episode also does a great job mocking Mulder and Scully’s work without making it seem too obvious or fake.” (CBR)
When Mulder and Scully show up on the Fox reality show Cops (well, as part of this story), Mulder at first thinks they’re hunting down a werewolf. Then he discovers the monster is actually feeding on fear. With them investigating all this as part of a TV show, Mulder is happy with the publicity. Of course, Scully is frustrated with the crew around them.
Reportedly, when Gilligan pitched the crossover idea, the staff at first had mixed feelings about it. When it did get approval, the X-Files episode—to look like an actual episode of Cops—was shot on videotape. They even worked with some actual members of the Cops staff.
9
#9 “Bad Blood” (5.12)
“Begin autopsy on white male, age sixty, who is arguably having a worse time in Texas than I am. Though not by much.”
Also a very strong episode! Following a questionable event, Scully and Mulder must each share their version of events that led Mulder to drive a stake through the heart of a teen who he claimed was a vampire. As the agents recount different versions of what happened, they realize they each saw things from different perspectives.
“‘Bad Blood’ was smart and fun, earning it near-universal praise from critics and fans. What makes it even cooler, is the way that it managed to adapt a classic trope from the 1950 samurai film Rashomon.” (CBR)
“A highlight is Luke Wilson as the local sheriff, who is a handsome romantic interest in Scully’s account but a buck-toothed, Cletus-like simpleton in Mulder’s memory.” (Cracked)
Written by Vince Gilligan, the story was reportedly inspired by an episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show. The episode explored the dynamics of the relationship between Mulder and Scully.
10
#10 “Dreamland” (6.4 + 6.5)
“Don’t you ever just want to stop? Get out of the damn car, settle down, and live something approaching a normal life?”
Mulder and Scully’s lives are profoundly altered after witnessing the flight of a mysterious craft at the infamous “Area 51.” But while Mulder struggles to return his life to normal, Scully begins to suspect there are other reasons behind his strange behavior…
“Seeing Mulder navigating such unfamiliar territory is both awkward and funny.” (Collider)
“I like the opening in the car, Scully trying to convince Mulder to stop seeking aliens and just live his life. It’s a blunt, but effective, way to setup the themes the next two episodes will explore.” (I Want to Review)
The only non-mythology story that was two episodes, “Dreamland” sees Mulder have a Freaky Friday—you know, a body-switch—with Fletcher, a member of the Men in Black. Since Garry Shandling was unavailable, the guest role went to Michael McKean.
There’s a hilarious friction between Scully and pretending-to-be-Mulder, especially as she loses lose patience with him.
“Angry Scully is the best.” (Ranker)
The two-part episode was written by Vince Gilligan, John Shiban, and Frank Spotnitz. When Mulder-as-Fletcher sees his reflection, he starts mimicking the dance from the 1933 movie Duck Soup, which starred the Marx Brothers. To film the scene—where you see both characters at the same time—that meant Duchovny and McKean had to perfectly synchronize their movements.
11
#11 “Hollywood A.D.” (7.19)
“If I’m carrying Marilyn Monroe's purse, do you assume I slept with JFK?”
Mulder and Scully watch a movie where a couple of the characters are them—and are thoroughly disgusted at how they, and their case, are portrayed on the big screen. They recount how, 18 months earlier, they had been followed around by a Hollywood producer while investigating a case concerning a mythical piece of pottery.
The episode “Hollywood A.D.” was written and directed by Mulder star David Duchovny! This was his second X-Files writing and directing credit.
“This whole episode is a gem, and David Duchovny has a real talent, especially for humor as we’ve seen from the Unnatural as well.” (SFF Chronicles)
“This is the episode that features the infamous three-way bubble bath phone call about zombies (my favorite kind of conversation).” (Criminal Element)
For the episode, a Hollywood producer shoots a movie based on the X-Files. However, Mulder and Scully are unhappy with how it’s turning out.
The actors playing the movie versions of Mulder and Scully were Garry Shandling and Téa Leoni (who, at the time, was married to Duchovny). The episode also included a number of in-jokes and Easter eggs.
12
#12 “Small Potatoes” (4.20)
“I just think it’s funny. I was born a loser, but you’re one by choice.”
Five unrelated women in a small town give birth to babies with small tails—which turns out to mean they all have the same father. The prime suspect, Eddie Van Blundht, is a man who can shape shift into whomever he wants. Then, during the investigation, Mulder suddenly begins acting overly friendly with partner Scully…
“Mulder and Scully are at peak teamwork in this episode, and their banter is great… sending millions of shipper hearts soaring.” (Ranker)
“We’re not supposed to analyze the hell out of this episode, but I think there’s a message here that can’t be ignored. Take advantage of your advantages, folks. Don’t be Eddie Van Blundht, who indulges in small, meaningless pleasures through manipulation and deception. Live a little. Treat yourself. Or at the very least, have a glass of wine with the Scully in your life every once in a while.” (The Review is Out There)
“Small Potatoes” was written by Vince Gilligan. When a small town is “blessed” by babies being born with tails, Mulder and Scully encounter suspect Eddie Van Blundht (actually played by Darin Morgan), who proves nearly impossible to identify. Although Gilligan had written X-Files episodes before, this was his first largely comedic episode.
“While Darin Morgan is generally credited with the comedic relief of the early seasons… the writer responsible for the later funny episodes was Vince Gilligan.” (Cracked)
Gilligan’s previous episodes for the show had been serious. He wrote the lighthearted episode “Small Potatoes” to avoid a reputation of only writing dark stories. And for that guest star role playing Eddie Van Blundht, Gilligan was actually thinking of Darin Morgan—the same guy who wrote several other episodes on this “X-Files comedy” list.
13
#13 “Rain King” (6.8)
“I’ll build the ark. You gather the animals.”
When Mulder and Scully investigate a mercenary rainmaker in a drought-stricken town, they encounter a force more powerful than the weather.
“I must be a sap, because I really liked this episode, for all the loser relationshipper reasons which the producers were undoubtedly counting on. It was so thoroughly un-subtle as to be quite amusing: every single person Mulder and Scully met assumed they were romantically involved if not married.” (Little Review)
“This is an incredibly schmaltzy episode that fans either love or hate, depending on whether they were ‘shippers or not. What makes it fun isn’t the mystery; it’s the characters, who, despite being rather dim collectively and individually, all seem to be in on the big central joke—the assumption that Mulder and Scully are a couple. The whole episode plays coy and, yes, a bit cutesy with what everybody seems to know except the agents themselves. But, by this point it was a running joke–six years running, in fact. Nothing to break the (sexual) tension like a laugh.” (Geekly Inc)
“The Rain King” was written by Jeffrey Bell—his first script for X-Files. Mulder and Scully are asked to investigate the strange weather phenomena occurring in a small town. They find a man who claims to produce the rain. But they discover that the rains are actually being caused by someone else entirely…
14
#14 “The Amazing Maleeni” (7.8)
“As far as I can tell, this body has been dead for over a month. I see signs of refrigeration.”
“And, yet, he performed yesterday. What a trooper.”
When a small-time magician performs a trick—where he appears to turn his head all the way around—he is soon found dead with his head removed. As Mulder and Scully Investigate the murder, they get caught up in an intricate scheme involving an angry ex-con, a rival magician, the victim’s twin brother, and a planned bank robbery.
“This isn’t a story about the paranormal—it’s about wackiness and misdirection, but I guess it’s a weird enough case to the point where two FBI agents who work on strange cases would be called in. It is kind of fun to watch the two magicians’ scheme unfold and also fun to watch Mulder and Scully puzzle through everything. They seem genuinely delighted, and again, it is always nice to see these two having fun.” (Apt 42 Revisited)
“One of many episodes that falls into the category of ‘okay,’ only to be elevated by the chemistry between Duchovny and Anderson. It feels like it drew a lot of inspiration from Season Two’s outstanding ‘Humbug’, and while it doesn’t hit those heady heights, it’s still plenty of fun.” (Rolling Stone)
The episode “The Amazing Maleeni” was written by Gilligan, John Shiban, and Spotnitz. But the story idea itself came from executive producer Spotnitz, who had spent a few seasons wanting to make an episode with “magic and illusion.”
The character of Maleeni was played by real-life stage magician Ricky Jay.
15
#15 “War of the Coprophages” (3.12)
“Mulder—are you sure it wasn’t a girly scream?”
In another episode written by Morgan, a town is attacked by killer cockroaches. But when Mulder discovers they’re actually complex robots, he wonders whether they come from extracurricular invaders…
“It is very odd to describe any Darin Morgan episode as ‘underrated.’ And yet, despite that, ‘War of the Coprophages’ feels like the underrated Darin Morgan teleplay. And yet, in its own way, ‘War of the Coprophages’ as an incisive and well-constructed commentary on The X-Files as a television show while allowing Morgan to tackle his recurring themes about society and humanity, and whether the world is what we would like to think that it is.” (the m0vie blog)
“It’s fun to see how Scully spends her evenings for one thing. She cleans her gun, eats dinner while watching the news, gives Queequeg a bath, reads a little Truman Capote and eats a tub of ice cream by herself. It’s so hilariously domestic considering she spends her working hours chasing flukemen and such.” (Musings of an X-Phile)
In this episode, Mulder investigates a small town plagued by deaths in which the bodies are found covered in cockroaches. Working from home, Scully has scientific explanations for all of them, but Mulder—at the crime scene with an attractive bug expert—suspects the insects may not be organic, or earthly.
To show the cockroach infestation, they used like 300 actual cockroaches—plus extremely detailed rubber cockroach props and lots of fake crap. (Fake actual crap.) The title of the episode is a reference to the classic H.G. Wells novel The War of the Worlds, as well as the landmark 1938 radio adaptation by Orson Welles.
The character Dr. Berenbaum is named for entomologist May Berenbaum.
16
#16 “The Goldberg Variation” (7.6)
“It’s all right. My ass broke the fall.”
Mulder and Scully get caught in a real-life Rube Goldberg device when they meet Henry Weems, who just may be the luckiest man on earth—but everyone around him doesn’t seem so lucky.
“Writing a not-lame X-File with a happy ending has to be similar to constructing a Rube Goldberg machine: lots of things have to happen in the right order for it to work. ‘The Goldberg Variation’ manages to be narratively precise and a genuinely feel-good watch at the same time.” (Head Over Feels)
“Mulder has a lot of fun moments in this episode, but my favorite is when he asks the crime-scene photographer, who’s taking pictures of the thug hanging from the ceiling fan, ‘So, you get many of these?’ Welcome back, plain-white-T-shirt Mulder. I missed you.” (‘90s Flashback)
“The Goldberg Variation” was written by Jeffrey Bell, and featured guest appearances by Willie Garson and Shia LaBeouf. In this episode, Mulder and Scully investigate a mysterious man named Henry Weems, who appears to be the luckiest man in the world. The title is a dual reference to Rube Goldberg machines and the Goldberg Variations by Johann Sebastian Bach.
Reportedly, Bell’s original draft of the episode opened with a man falling thirty-thousand feet from an airplane and walking away unharmed. But that idea would have cost a lot of money—so the intro was later changed to a man falling out of a building.
17
#17 “Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose” (3.4)
“I’d like to see both of your badges again. Right now.”
Wanting to end this article on a high note, the final entry on this list is one of the best X-Files episodes EVER. Tracking a serial killer of fortunetellers, Mulder and Scully meet with a reluctant man with the ability to foresee how people are going to die.
The character of Clyde Bruckman was played by Peter Boyle, who won an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. The episode also won an Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series.
“Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose” was also one of Rolling Stone magazine’s picks for “The 100 Best TV Episodes of All Time.” This was a list that also had landmark episodes from TV projects like Roots, Friends, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Mad Men, Black-ish, Cheers, Twilight Zone, Twin Peaks, Atlanta, Game of Thrones, Taxi, and more.
“There were different kinds of X-Files adventures—mythology episodes about the alien conspiracy, Monster of the Week thrillers, Scully/Mulder shipper-bait—but fans have a special reverence for the comic gems penned by Darin Morgan. ‘Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose’ is not just his greatest hit but the series’ emotional and dramatic peak… It explores The X-Files’ big themes: death, isolation, wanting to believe.” (Rolling Stone)
Since the story involves a character who commits suicide, Morgan at first tried to avoid giving the story its funny spin. In the end, he simply went with making the episode as dark as possible.
“Mulder is excited to meet someone with psychic abilities, but his questions only annoy the world-weary Bruckman. To shut Mulder up (or just have a little fun with him), Bruckman casually mentions that auto-erotic asphyxiation is one of the most undignified ways to perish. ‘Why are you telling me that?’ Mulder asks. ‘Forget I mentioned it, it's none of my business,’ Bruckman replies. That’s just one example of the perfectly dark humor of ‘Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose.’” (Ranker)
“The interactions between Mulder, Scully, and Clyde give off vibes of the grumpy old uncle annoyed by the incessant questioning of his young niece and nephew. It doesn’t take long to grow attached to Clyde’s character. Furthermore, the exchanges between the local police and the two agents cause more hilarity as the investigators heading the case are two clueless detectives.” (Collider)
“Boyle played the character with such a dry, sarcastic wit that his lines and performance make this one of the funniest episodes of the series.” (The Robot's Voice)
By the way, one of the episode’s predictions—that Agent Scully won’t die—eventually led to what happened in the season six episode “Tithonus.”
20
Those 17 X-Files Comedy Episodes in Broadcast Order
Season Two
“Humbug” (2.20)
Season Three
“Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose” (3.4)
“War of the Coprophages” (3.12)
“Jose Chung’s From Outer Space” (3.20)
Season Four
“Small Potatoes” (4.20)
Season Five
“Bad Blood” (5.12)
Season Six
“Triangle” (6.3)
“Dreamland” (6.4 + 6.5)
“Rain King” (6.8)
“Arcadia” (6.15)
Season Seven
“The Goldberg Variation” (7.6)
“The Amazing Maleeni” (7.8)
“X-Cops” (7.12)
“Hollywood A.D.” (7.19)
“Je Souhaite” (7.21)
Season Ten
“Mulder and Scully Meet the Were-Monster” (10.3)
Season Eleven
“The Lost Art of Forehead Sweat” (11.4)
21
More online about The X-Files
Darin Morgan’s Weird And Wonderful ‘X-Files’ Episodes Are The Ones You Can’t Miss (Decider)
It’s Time We Admit That The X-Files Was A Great Comedy (Junkee)
The Laughs Are Out There: The 10 Funniest X-Files (Screen Rant)
Every Funny X-Files Episode, Ranked (Cracked.com)
Vince Gilligan on Finding the Funny in The X-Files (Cracked.com) ‘
The Funniest Episodes of The X-Files That Still Make Fans Laugh (Comic Book Resources)
How The X-Files Learned to Love Comedy Episodes (The Companion)
10 Funny Episodes of The X-Files To Watch Over and Over (Collider)
16 Episodes That Prove 'The X-Files' Is Secretly A Comedy (Ranker)
The 10 Funniest X-Files Episodes (The Robot’s Voice)
The Humor is Out There: Funniest X-Files Episodes (GeeklyInc)
The X-Files: Behind-the-Scenes of the Monster Investigator Show (Monster Complex®)
X-Files: ‘Scully Effect’ Inspired Generation of Women in Science (Monster Complex®)
Swamp Monsters from X-Files, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and more (Monster Complex®)
The X-Files Novels in Order (Monster Complex®)
Quiz: Was that monster on X-Files Or Buffy The Vampire Slayer? (Monster Complex®)
22
Top 20 Best X-Files Episodes (WatchMojo.com)
23
The X-Files 30th Anniversary Series Retrospective (JB’s Spooky Review)
Speaking of X-Files: Reboot update from Sinners director Ryan Coogler
It’s been a while since news came out that filmmaker Ryan Cooglar—who directed movies like Creed and Sinners and Black Panther—was called on to reboot X-Files. Following a long wait (because he’s been, you know, busy), Coogler has confirmed that the revival is next on his list.
“I’m in deep now,” he was quoted on Collider.
The filmmaker’s take on X-Files might lean more heavily into the scarier possibilities. “Some of those episodes, if we do our jobs right, will be really [f***ing] scary. We’re gonna try to make something really great, and really be something for the real X-Files fans, and maybe find some new ones.”
If you’re a fan of the original show—which, of course, is why you’re reading this article in the first place—you’ll be happy to know that Coogler has even been connecting with the original series’ executive producer Vince Gilligan for guidance as he develops this new version of the show.
Also, it turns out that Coogler’s mother is a big fan of the original series—and she likes what she’s seen of his prep for this reboot.
Let’s just hope his mom wants her son’s new X-Files to have some funny episodes, too…
More from Monster Complex®
Was ‘The Munsters’ inspired by Marvel Comics? 13 surprising parallels
Terry Pratchett: When Death Came to Discworld—and Never Left
Army of Darkness (1993): How the zombie comedy went so far from its origins
Talking about ‘Real Ghostbusters’—including the show’s history and impact
Zombie detective Dead Jack: Interview with horror author James Aquilone
Warm Bodies (2013): How the warmhearted zombie comedy embraces survival
Zombie Q&A—Isaac Marion: “George Romero tried to touch on the humanity of the zombies.”
When ‘Outer Limits’ did that comedy episode with a time travel / murder mystery / love story
Hilarious Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. Book Series by Kevin J. Anderson In Order
Exploring LOST BOYS: The History Behind the Beloved Vampire Horror Comedy
Making ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN: Behind the scenes of the classic movie
Anna and the Apocalypse: Go behind the scenes of the holiday zombie musical
While X-Files regularly touched on horror and conspiracies and the like, there were also several episodes that made us laugh. Including some episodes that I just want to watch again and again.