Score: 7.5/10
Number of episodes: 20
Mythology episodes*: 9
Monster-Of-The-Week episodes: 11
*Mythology episodes refers to episodes that either deal directly with the overall series arc of the search for proof of extraterrestrial life, or with important plot points directly affecting the primary characters Mulder and Scully.
Season 5 hits some highs with some fantastic stand-alone episodes while delivering solid mythology episodes to get ready for the feature film.
Best Episode: 512 - Bad Blood
Worst Episode: 511 - Kill Switch
Bare Minimum Episodes to Be Able To Get Through The Series Quickly - 8 Episodes (Score: 7.4/10):
501 - Redux
502 - Redux II
503 - Unusual Suspects
506 - Christmas Carol
507 - Emily
513 - Patient X
514 - The Red and the Black
520 - The End
The "Best X-Files Experience" - 15 Episodes (Score: 8.0/10):
501 - Redux
502 - Redux II
503 - Unusual Suspects
505 - The Post-Modern Prometheus
506 - Christmas Carol
507 - Emily
508 - Kitsunegari
510 - Chinga
512 - Bad Blood
513 - Patient X
514 - The Red and the Black
516 - Mind's Eye
517 - All Souls
519 - Folie a Deux
520 - The End
Top Five Monster-Of-The-Week Episodes To Pop In Anytime:
1. 512 - Bad Blood
2. 505 - The Post-Modern Prometheus
3. 516 - Mind's Eye
4. 519 - Folie a Deux
5. 510 - Chinga
Honorable Mention: 508 - Kitsunegari (sequel to "Pusher")
501 - "Redux"
Score: 7/10
Original Airdate: 11/2/97
Episode Type: Mythology
Skippable: No
Recurring Secondary Characters: Skinner, Spender, The Lone Gunmen, First Elder
Notable Guess Stars: None
Synopsis:
Thoughts:
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502 - "Redux II"
Score: 8/10
Original Airdate: 11/9/97
Episode Type: Mythology
Skippable: No
Recurring Secondary Characters: Skinner, Spender, The Lone Gunmen, First Elder
Notable Guess Stars: None
Synopsis:
Thoughts:
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503 - "Unusual Suspects"
Score: 9/10
Original Airdate: 11/16/97
Episode Type: Mythology
Skippable: No
Recurring Secondary Characters: The Lone Gunmen, Mr. X
Notable Guess Stars: Richard Belzer
Synopsis:
Thoughts:
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504 - "Detour"
Score: 7/10
Original Airdate: 11/23/97
Episode Type: Monster-Of-The-Week
Skippable: YesShould You Skip It: Either Way
Recurring Secondary Characters: None
Notable Guess Stars: Anthony Rapp
Synopsis:
Thoughts:
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505 - "The Post-Modern Prometheus"Score: 10/10
Original Airdate: 11/30/97
Episode Type: Monster-Of-The-Week
Skippable: Yes
Should You Skip It: No
Recurring Secondary Characters: None
Notable Guess Stars: Jerry Springer
Synopsis:
Thoughts:
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506 - "Christmas Carol"
Score: 6/10
Original Airdate: 12/7/97
Episode Type: Mythology
Skippable: No
Recurring Secondary Characters: None
Notable Guess Stars: None
Synopsis:
Thoughts:
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507 - "Emily"
Score: 7/10
Original Airdate: 12/14/97
Episode Type: Mythology
Skippable: No
Recurring Secondary Characters: Frohike
Notable Guess Stars: None
Synopsis:
Thoughts:
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508 - "Kitsunegari"
Score: 8/10
Original Airdate: 1/4/98
Episode Type: Monster-Of-The-Week
Skippable: Yes
Should You Skip It: No
Recurring Secondary Characters: Skinner
Notable Guess Stars: None
Synopsis:
Thoughts:
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509 - "Schizogeny"
Score: 5/10
Original Airdate: 1/11/98
Episode Type: Monster-Of-The-Week
Skippable: Yes
Should You Skip It: Probably
Recurring Secondary Characters: None
Notable Guess Stars: Katherine Isabelle
Synopsis:
Thoughts:
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510 - "Chinga"
Score: 8/10
Original Airdate: 2/8/98
Episode Type: Monster-Of-The-Week
Skippable: Yes
Should You Skip It: No
Recurring Secondary Characters: None
Notable Guess Stars: None
Synopsis:
Thoughts:
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511 - "Kill Switch"
Score: 5/10
Original Airdate: 2/15/98
Episode Type: Monster-Of-The-Week
Skippable: Yes
Should You Skip It: Probably
Recurring Secondary Characters: The Lone Gunmen
Notable Guess Stars: None
Synopsis:
Thoughts:
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512 - "Bad Blood"
Score: 10/10
Original Airdate: 2/22/98
Episode Type: Monster-Of-The-Week
Skippable: Yes
Should You Skip It: Definitely Not
Recurring Secondary Characters: Skinner
Notable Guess Stars: Luke Wilson and Patrick Renna
Synopsis:
Thoughts:
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513 - "Patient X"
Score: 7/10
Original Airdate: 3/1/98
Episode Type: Mythology
Skippable: No
Recurring Secondary Characters: Krycek, Marita Covarrubias, Alien Bounty Hunter. Well-Manicuired Man, First Elder, Jeffrey Spender
Notable Guess Stars: Veronica Cartwright
Synopsis:
Thoughts:
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514 - "The Red and the Black"
Score: 7/10
Original Airdate: 3/8/98
Episode Type: Mythology
Skippable: No
Recurring Secondary Characters: Skinner, Krycek, Marita Covarrubias, Alien Bounty Hunter. Well-Manicuired Man, First Elder, Jeffrey Spender, CGB Spender (Cigarette-Smoking Man)
Notable Guess Stars: Veronica Cartwright
Synopsis:
Thoughts:
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515 - "Travelers"
Score: 6/10
Original Airdate: 3/29/98
Episode Type: Mythology (in that we get some Bill Mulder backstory)
Skippable: Yes
Should You Skip It: Either Way
Recurring Secondary Characters: None
Notable Guess Stars: Darren McGavin and Garret Dillahunt
Synopsis:
Thoughts:
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516 - "Mind's Eye"
Score: 9/10
Original Airdate: 4/19/98
Episode Type: Monster-Of-The-Week
Skippable: Yes
Should You Skip It: No
Recurring Secondary Characters: None
Notable Guess Stars: Lily Taylor
Synopsis:
Thoughts:
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517 - "All Souls"
Score: 7/10
Original Airdate: 4/26/98
Episode Type: Monster-Of-The-Week
Skippable: Yes
Should You Skip It: No
Recurring Secondary Characters: None
Notable Guess Stars: Emily Perkins
Synopsis:
Thoughts:
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518 - "The Pine Bluff Variant"
Score: 6/10
Original Airdate: 5/3/98
Episode Type: Monster-Of-The-Week
Skippable: Yes
Should You Skip It: Either Way
Recurring Secondary Characters: Skinner
Notable Guess Stars: Daniel von Bargen
Synopsis:
Thoughts:
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519 - "Folie a Deux"
Score: 9/10
Original Airdate: 5/10/98
Episode Type: Monster-Of-The-Week
Skippable: Yes
Should You Skip It: No
Recurring Secondary Characters: Skinner
Notable Guess Stars:None
Synopsis:
Thoughts:
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520 - "The End"
Score: 8/10
Original Airdate: 5/17/98
Episode Type: Mythology
Skippable: No
Recurring Secondary Characters: Skinner, Krycek, CGB Spender, The Lone Gunmen, Well-Manicuired Man, First Elder, Jeffrey Spender, Gibson Praise, Diana Fowley
Notable Guess Stars: Mimi Rogers
Synopsis:
Thoughts:
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