"I'm afraid. I'm afraid to believe"
ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 7th January 1994
EPISODE NUMBER: Season 1, Episode 13
WRITTEN BY: Gleo Morgan & James Wong
At first glance, Beyond The Sea doesn't seem like a particularly unique episode of the show. The monster-of-the-week format is still present and notable, although the monster is less literal in this case, taking the form of a Death Row convict with psychic abilities, who claims he can help with a current case in exchange for release. But one of the things it's notable for is that it takes the usual X Files formula, and subverts it, with Scully ending up in the role of believer and Mulder as the skeptic.
Why the reason for this role reversal? The case comes at a particularly vulnerable time for Scully, who has just lost her father. The idea that the serial killer might be able to contact the deceased gives her hope. On the other hand, Mulder is too blinded by his disgust of the man to believe anything he says.
Brad Dourif is amazing as Boggs, exerting an unnerving creepiness, even without the aspect of his "gift". Boggs' rendition of the titular tune really stays with you. His relationship with Scully mirrors Clarice and Hannibal's. As with many of the best X Files episodes, the mystery is inconclusive, and there's evidence for multiple interpretations. The line between coincidence and paranormal blurs, leaving the audience and Scully at a crossroads, not knowing what to believe.
An important episode for Scully's character, and one of the most memorable of the series.
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