From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Humbug"
The X-Files episode
Leonard
Episode no.	Season 2 Episode 20
Written by	Darin Morgan
Directed by	Kim Manners
Production no.	2X20
Original airdate	March 31, 1995
Guest stars
Jim Rose as Dr Blockhead Wayne Grace as Sheriff James Hamilton George Tipple as Hepcat Helm Alex Diakun as Curator John Payne as Jerald Glazebrook Alvin Law as Reverend Blair Slater as older Glazebrook Child Devin Walker as younger Glazebrook Child Debis Simpson as Waiter Michael J. Anderson as Mr. Nutt The Enigma as The Conundrum Vincent Schiavelli as Lanny
Episode chronology ← Previous Next → ""Død Kalm"" ""The Calusari""

"Humbug" was the twentieth episode of the second season of The X-Files science-fiction television series created by Chris Carter. It was also designed to be the very first comedy episode in the series, and employs black humor throughout the episode.

Plot

The episode opens with the killing of the "Alligator Man," the latest in a series of killings which match no known patterns. Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) are sent to the town of Gibsonton, Florida to investigate the string of killings.

Mulder's supernatural focus for the episode is the Fiji Mermaid, a sideshow attraction that first appeared in the mid-1800s. During their investigation, Mulder and Scully shift their suspicion around three of the inhabitants of the city, "The Conundrum", a geek who never talks and will "eat anything", "Dr. Blockhead", a "body manipulator" (a "block head" who can drive nails up his nose, as well as a master escape artist), and "Jim Jim, the Dogface Boy", a former performer who later became the local sheriff.

During their investigation, Scully points out to Mulder that the both of them have been wrongly suspicious of many of the "circus freaks" in town simply because of their abnormalities, which could be considered racial profiling of a sort.

The supposed "Fiji Mermaid" ends up being Leonard, the underdeveloped fetus in fetu twin of Lanny (Vincent Schiavelli). Leonard is capable of exiting and then returning into Lanny's body. Lanny mournfully suggests that the motivation behind his brother's attacks is that he is seeking a new brother, as a replacement for the alcoholic Lanny, by attempting to burrow into their side. Lanny later dies from an unrelated drinking problem which severely damaged his liver, and Scully says that his autopsy revealed many differences in the arrangement of his blood system, esophagus, etc. which were almost umbilical in nature.

After Leonard disconnects from Lanny for the final time, he is chased by Mulder and Scully into a circus funhouse, where their attempts to catch him prove fruitless. Mulder and Scully chase Leonard outside, but before they can track him down he disappears. Mulder and Scully immediately observe "The Conundrum" lying on the ground. It is strongly suggested that Leonard attacked "The Conundrum", who ironically ended up eating Lanny's twin.

The episode ends with Dr. Blockhead philosophically commenting to Scully about how what the future really has to worry about isn't abnormal circus freaks like the inhabitants of Gibsonton, but instead everyone turning into people that look like Mulder: buttoned-down suit-and-tie wearing office drones with no individuality. Meanwhile, Mulder observes "The Conundrum" in a state of discomfort, leading Mulder to question him about it. The Conundrum replies that the cause of his discomfort is "Probably something I ate," uttering his first line in the show and leaving confused looks on Mulder and Scully's faces.

Production

The episode originated when Glen Morgan suggested his brother Darin, who had previously portrayed the Flukeman in the episode "The Host" write an episode about circus freaks.^[1] Morgan drew inspiration by watching a tape of the Jim Rose Circus, then cast members of the circus in the roles of Dr. Blockhead and The Conundrum.^[1] Morgan claimed to be uncomfortable initially, stating "One of the reasons I was uncomfortable joining the staff is that I'm a comedy writer and this isn't a comedy show, so I was trying more or less to have an episode with a little bit of humor, without telling anybody what I was doing."^[2]

The Gulf Breeze trailer court was named after the Gulf Breeze U.F.O. sightings, also referenced in the episode "Fallen Angel."^[3]

Reception

This episode earned a Neilsen rating of 10.3, with an 18 share, and was viewed by 9.8 million households.^[4] Robert Goodwin said of the episode "Talk about offbeat. It's very theatrical and grandiose. The trick was being careful that it didn't become like a bad Vincent Price movie, but it worked out well.^[5]

Footnotes

External links

• Humbug at the Internet Movie Database
• Humbug at TV.com