The X-Files Season 10 Episode 5 Review: The End Of The World Was Surprisingly Boring (Season Finale)

Was the season (and possible series) finale of "The X-Files" everything you had hoped for? Or were you seriously underwhelmed? Perhaps my expectations for "My Struggles II" were too high. The end of the world proved to be a real snoozefest.

The Cigarette Smoking Man (CSM) returns. He plans is to wipe out most of Earth's population by shutting down their immune systems. Thus leaving them susceptible to everything from smallpox to anthrax to whooping cough thanks to their remnants in everyone's vaccinations. Something called the Spartan virus is quickly spreading.

No One Will See Us Thanks To Our Cloaking Umbrellas

Mulder and Scully are of course on the case. Scully has a top secret meeting with Agent Reyes. We know it's top secret because they're hiding under umbrellas. Reyes has been working for Old Smokie in exchange for her safety during the pandemic. She does a big data download for the audience and explains how CSM survived being blown to bits. She also mentions: conspiracy... top secret... government... aliens... cigarettes... The usual.

Don't Smoke Kids...Or This Could Be You

Agents Einstein and Miller are back. Einstein teams with Scully and Miller with Mulder. I know they are dopplegangers of the main characters but what exactly is their purpose? They're not going to be in a spin off are they? I'm not sure I'm up for that.

Mulder goes to confront CSM (after a great fight scene with some dude). CSM takes off his "snap on nose" and it ain't pretty. That was a great reveal though. CSM likes Mulder (and is possibly his daddy) so he wants him to survive the apocalypse. More talking.

Tad O'Malley returns to the airways to warn people but it's too late. Curse you chemtrails!!! We have to take Tad's word for it that the world is ending. All we see is some people in a hospital and a few traffic jams. Oh and one guy looting in the streets... before Dana shames him into stopping. Love ya Scully!

Let's Make Beautiful Science Together

Mulder is fading fast. Miller tries to rush him back to the hospital. Meanwhile Einstein is also sick. She and Scully doing a lot of scienc-y stuff and Scully is finally able to use her alien DNA to create an antidote for the virus. Now all they have to do is create 8 billion doses of it... STAT!

I'm Going To Take A Nice Nap During This Episode

Miller and Mulder are stuck in a traffic jam. Scully rushes to them. She's an excellent sidewalk driver. Mulder is really bad off. Will he die? He needs stem cells from their alien son William. Say what? Just then a spaceship hovers overhead. William better be driving that thing or we have a problem.

And with that, the episode ends. Instead of reading the usual "The Truth Is Out There", it now says "This Is The End". Seriously? All this talk about William and we never get to see the little freak?

Grade: 3 Monsters (out of 5). I love ya "The X-Files" but this one didnt cut it for me-- especially since it was a season (and possible series) finale. The episode felt very "B movie". The dialogue was at times very strange. Why does Smokie care about "the destruction of the microfauna"?

On a positive note, I am glad "The X-Files" allowed Scully to save the world with her alien DNA. Yes, we get it when her face morphs into an alien at the beginning of the episode. No need to hit us over the head with it. Mulder doesnt get to do much this episode except have a good fight scene and then lay around sick. Dana and Fox were separated from each other for almost the entire episode.

Despite this episode's shortcomings, I'm still anxious for more. I just want them to be episodes that add to the show's mythology and challenge viewers. Chris Carter, the fans at least deserve that. "The Truth Is Still Out There." Now go find it.