The Jersey Devil
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| Series: | The X-Files |
| Original Airdate: | October 8, 1993 |
| Production Number: | 1x04 |
| Date(s): | Unknown |
| Written by: | Chris Carter |
| Directed by: | Joe Napolitano |
While investigating a seemingly cannibalistic murderer, Mulder and Scully encounter a beast woman.
Contents |
[edit] Summary
A man, his wife and their children are out for a drive one night in 1947 when they experience a flat tire. When the man gets out to fix it, he is dragged away by a creature.
In the present day, Scully tells Mulder of a similar case involving a homeless man that occurred in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Mulder believes it to be the work of the infamous Jersey Devil, but Scully dismisses it as a tale. Mulder is undaunted and decides to go looking among the city's homeless population for a lead. When he trades places with a homeless man, he witnesses an ape like creature descend on the dumpsters in the alley he is in. However, before he can get a good glimpse at the creature, the police show up and cart him away.
Meanwhile, Scully is on a date with the father of one of the kids from her nephew's party. Unfortunately, Mulder calls from a jail cell, telling her to prove that he is in fact a federal agent. Once she gets there, however, Mulder and the chief get into an argument on why the chief was keeping such a thing private, which was because of the fear of losing tourists. They leave with Scully asking if Mulder managed to "panhandle some change".
The pair then go to an anthropologist, where Mulder describes what he saw. The doctor believes that it is man's "missing link", a creature that is the go-between of the apes and man. When asked where the creature would be on the food chain, the doctor replies, ominously, "near us". After this, they go to the park ranger on duty the night of the disappearance. He says that he has seen many strange things, but not an ape-man. However, when they investigate into the woods, they find rudimentary tools made from glass bottles and rocks.
Then, later that week, police corner the creature in an abandoned warehouse, near the site of the homeless abductions. The anthropologist and ranger in tow, they realize that it is a female looking to feed its young. However, it flees to the woods, wounded after an encounter with the Atlantic City S.W.A.T. team.
Injured and scared, the police, and Mulder and Scully track the creature to its den, where it puts up a last stand before it is killed. After it is killed, the anthropologist remarks that the creature could have had young.
As the body is being taken away in an ambulance, a boy and his father are seen hiking. The boy asks "What was that Dad?" The father replies that he doesn't know, but starts telling the son about the Jersey Devil. The camera then pans to show the creature's young staring at them.
[edit] Background Information
- According to writer Chris Carter, he wanted to focus this episode on an evolutionary relic, rather than a generic hairy creature. In his own words, "the idea was not to make this a monster per se, but almost a missing link".
- For most of this episode, guest star Claire Stansfield was required to run around naked. To prevent the audience from glimpsing more than the television network would allow, Stansfield wore a codpiece and her hair was tied over her breasts.
- In several scenes, Scully meets her best friend, Ellen, and discusses the possibility of dating Mulder. According to Chris Carter, the purpose of those scenes was "to show the life she's passing on. I just wanted to open up Scully a little bit for the audience."
- The Jersey Devil is a well known urban legend found in the southern environs of New Jersey. While the legend varies on the origins of the Devil, there are many that still believe in the creature and have reported sightings right into 2007.
- Bill Dow, who plays the role of Dad in the opening scene, returns later in the series to play Charles Burks.
[edit] Guest Cast
[edit] Guest Starring
- Claire Stansfield as Creature
- Wayne Tippit as Detective Tommy Tomson
- Gregory Sierra as Dr. Diamond
- Michael MacRae as Ranger Peter Brullet
[edit] Co-Starring
- Jill Teed as Glenna
- Tamsin Kelsey as Ellen
- Andrew Airlie as Rod
- Bill Dow as Dad
- Hrothgar Mathews as Jack
[edit] Featuring
- Jayme Knox as Mom
- Scott Swanson as First Officer
- Sean O'Byrne as Second Officer
- David Lewis as Young Officer
- D. Neil Mark as S.W.A.T. Team Officer
[edit] Uncredited
- Rhys Huber as Trent, Scully's Godson
- Jessica Murdoch as Girl
- Lachlan Murdoch as Boy
[edit] References
SEMICOLON-SEPARATED LIST OF ITEMS/LOCATIONS REFERENCED IN EPISODE (BUT NOT LINKED TO IF ALREADY LINKED IN SUMMARY OR GUEST STARS SECTIONS)
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