S1 E6: Shadows

Shadows is a MOTW episode that centers on a poltergeist fixated on a young woman named Lauren Kyte. The agents are called in when two men are killed under mysterious circumstances after a mugging attempt on the woman gone awry.

Monster of the week episodes can live or die based on the supporting cast. In this episode the agents are almost put into a supporting role as a bulk of this episode follows Lauren as she uncovers a scandal surrounding the death of her boss, Howard Graves. As it happens the poltergeist protecting Lauren is Howard Graves, who is also directing her in uncovering that he was in fact murdered by his former business partner and new company boss, Robert Dorlund. There's a whole things with weapons deals too.

What works against this episode is how ineffectual the agents are. More often than not, Mulder and Scully are there to react to the events rather than play a proactive role. This episode centers on Lauren and Howard's relationship, two characters we'll never see again. This isn't a bad episode necessarily. It's serviceable but doesn't amount to a whole lot in the grand scheme of the show.

Episode rating: 2.5/5


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