We begin with Scully having lunch with an old colleague from the FBI Academy, Agent Tom Colton, who asks for her help in solving a series of murders in the Baltimore area. In all cases, the victims were found dead in a completely locked room with their liver removed. Colton is immediately established as a self-promoter, dedicated to raising himself through the ranks of the FBI, suggesting his ultimate role in the episode, as an obstacle to Scully and especially Mulder. While investigating the scene of the latest murder, Mulder discovers an elongated fingerprint, which he matches to ones discovered at murder scenes in 1963 and 1933. Mulder establishes that every 30 years, beginning in 1903, five murders are performed, always with the liver taken from the victims. Based on the fingerprints, he believes that the same person is responsible for all of the killings.
Scully suggests to the agents in charge of the investigation that the killer may return to the scenes of previous murders, so a stakeout is called. Mulder arrives and discovers a man crawling out of an air duct, who is arrested and identified as Eugene Victor Tooms. Tooms passes a polygraph test and is released, with Colton and the other agents dismissive of Mulder's insistence that Tooms is responsible for both the current and past murders. The continued attitude of disrespect toward Mulder by other agents is clearly intended to show the audience firsthand what had previously only been alluded to - the degree to which Mulder is looked down upon by the rest of the FBI - but it grows tiresome quickly. Continuing to investigate, Mulder discovers that Tooms' fingerprint is a match for the elongated one found at the scene of the murder. That night, Tooms strikes again, revealing his ability to contort his body into impossibly small spaces.
Seeking further evidence, Mulder discovers Tooms' name on a census record from 1903, listed as living in the same apartment building as the first victim. Scully theorizes that the 1903 Tooms is the present-day Tooms' ancestor; Mulder remains convinced the murders were all carried out by the same person. The agents then seek out an interview with Frank Briggs, a detective who investigated the murders in 1933. Briggs, played by Henry Beckman, is a highlight of the episode, telling a chilling story of his investigation into the murders. He gives Mulder and Scully evidence he collected regarding the 1963 murders, including photographs of Tooms, who has not aged in 30 years. The agents investigate Tooms' old apartment building, where they find a nest constructed of rags and newspaper held together with human bile. Mulder speculates that Tooms is a genetic mutant who hibernates in the nest, awakening every thirty years to consume five livers for survival. Mulder and Scully leave, unaware that Tooms has marked Scully for his next victim.
Mulder and Scully order a stakeout on Tooms' residence, but Colton calls it off without telling them. Scully returns home and attempts to contact Mulder, while Tooms enter her apartment. Mulder arrives for the stakeout and discovers Scully's pendant in Tooms' nest, at the same time as Tooms attacks Scully (the image of the crazed Tooms diving out of a heating vent is nothing if not memorable). Mulder arrives at Scully's apartment in time to fight off and apprehend Tooms. Mulder and Scully later consult outside of Tooms' jail cell, where he has already begun building a new nest. Scully reveals that Tooms' possesses skeletal and muscular abnormalities, as well as a declining metabolism, while Mulder philosophizes about how peoples' best efforts to keep themselves safe in their homes are useless against a creature like Tooms. The agents depart, and Tooms is left to contemplate escape.
"Squeeze" is the first episode of The X-Files to divert from the overarching alien conspiracy plotline, establishing that there are many more strange and paranormal elements at work in the X-Files universe. Tooms himself remains a memorable monster, thanks in large part to Doug Hutchison's quietly sinister performance. Finally, the episode allows Scully to show her loyalty to Mulder, defending him against the ruthless career advancer Colton.
Seeking further evidence, Mulder discovers Tooms' name on a census record from 1903, listed as living in the same apartment building as the first victim. Scully theorizes that the 1903 Tooms is the present-day Tooms' ancestor; Mulder remains convinced the murders were all carried out by the same person. The agents then seek out an interview with Frank Briggs, a detective who investigated the murders in 1933. Briggs, played by Henry Beckman, is a highlight of the episode, telling a chilling story of his investigation into the murders. He gives Mulder and Scully evidence he collected regarding the 1963 murders, including photographs of Tooms, who has not aged in 30 years. The agents investigate Tooms' old apartment building, where they find a nest constructed of rags and newspaper held together with human bile. Mulder speculates that Tooms is a genetic mutant who hibernates in the nest, awakening every thirty years to consume five livers for survival. Mulder and Scully leave, unaware that Tooms has marked Scully for his next victim.
Mulder and Scully order a stakeout on Tooms' residence, but Colton calls it off without telling them. Scully returns home and attempts to contact Mulder, while Tooms enter her apartment. Mulder arrives for the stakeout and discovers Scully's pendant in Tooms' nest, at the same time as Tooms attacks Scully (the image of the crazed Tooms diving out of a heating vent is nothing if not memorable). Mulder arrives at Scully's apartment in time to fight off and apprehend Tooms. Mulder and Scully later consult outside of Tooms' jail cell, where he has already begun building a new nest. Scully reveals that Tooms' possesses skeletal and muscular abnormalities, as well as a declining metabolism, while Mulder philosophizes about how peoples' best efforts to keep themselves safe in their homes are useless against a creature like Tooms. The agents depart, and Tooms is left to contemplate escape.
"Squeeze" is the first episode of The X-Files to divert from the overarching alien conspiracy plotline, establishing that there are many more strange and paranormal elements at work in the X-Files universe. Tooms himself remains a memorable monster, thanks in large part to Doug Hutchison's quietly sinister performance. Finally, the episode allows Scully to show her loyalty to Mulder, defending him against the ruthless career advancer Colton.
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