The return of Reyes and Doggett…

Dirk Maggs has quite a bit of filling in to do for the script for this new episode, based on issue 18 of the Season 10 comic by Joe Harris, part of which comes from reusing the audio of the two agents’ disappearance from the previous set. This also conveniently deals with a question mark over the flashback from the comic which showed the shape-shifter Doggett killing people in Wyoming. This way we stay inside what the agents themselves know.

Maggs has also dealt along the way with one criticism of the original comics, in which Reyes and Doggett’s disappearance wasn’t really brought up after it had happened. We’ve had various scenes where their absence has been discussed, which makes Skinner’s reaction when news finally surfaces more credible.

We’ve become used to the presence of familiar voices in this X-Files series – not just Duchovny and Anderson, but also Mitch Pileggi, William B. Davis and the Lone Gunmen actors all returning – so the lack of Robert Patrick and Annabeth Gish is disconcerting for a few moments, but that really is all it is. We accept quickly that these are Doggett and Reyes (unfortunately I can’t find anywhere that specifically lists the actors who play the roles – will happily add it in here if anyone does have that information!) and understand their predicament.

Verdict: A neat tidying up of a longstanding issue. 8/10

Paul Simpson