10 X-Files Episodes That Should Have Been Horror Movies
3. Folie à Deux
An often-overlooked gem in the X-Files fifth season, 'Folie à Deux' is a perfect display of the show's ability to balance psychological horror with inventive monster designs.
From the pen of future Breaking Bad scribe Vince Gilligan, the episode begins with callcentre worker Gary becoming increasingly paranoid that his boss, Mr Pincus, is actually a giant mantis-like creature that's slowly turning the workforce into zombies. Deciding he can't take it any more, Gary grabs a gun and takes Pincus hostage, trying to prove to the world that he's not crazy.
Which probably isn't the best way of going about that.
Mulder and Scully manage to save the day, but not before Mulder catches a glimpse of Pincus' true form and becomes his next intended target. It's a classic set-up that lends itself well to the show's format, but would truly excel on the big screen.
The intense paranoia aside, the real scares come from Pincus' monstrous form. A somewhat hokey rubber suit, coupled with some eerie digital effects give him a truly unique appearance that's every bit as unnatural and unnerving as you'd expect from such a beast.
Taken on his own merits, Pincus has all the makings of a horror icon.