(Courtesy of Shane Harvey/FOX)

A tribute to the quirkiness of Jose Chung’s From Outer Space, Fox continues The X-Files: Season 11 with the self-contained standalone Episode 4: The Lost Art of Forehead Sweat. David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson return as the iconic FBI Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully.

Reggie Something (Brian Huskey) warns Mulder that the government has been messing with people’s minds and replacing memories. There is a lost episode of Twilight Zone that has been stripped of everyone’s memory. Reggie warns him of a “Dr. They” who’s responsible for all this.

Mulder can’t find the videotape of the episode in his collection and breaks off his date with Scully. Awhile later, she unexpectedly meets with Reggie in the same garage. He hands her a box of her favorite childhood jello. She doesn’t remember him, but he does.

Together at the garage, Scully, Mulder, and Reggie argue whether they’re dealing with the Mingle or Mandela Effect. No one likes Mulder’s idea that they’re dealing with parallel universes. Just as the two walk away, Reggie yells out, “We were partners!” The government found a way to erase him from their memories.

In an alternate reality, Reggie has been a prominent member of the team since the beginning, in crucial moments. Back to their reality, Reggie makes a run for it after the FBI agents arrive. The FBI agents mock “fat” Mulder, who used to be a rebel in his prime.

Out in public, Mulder meets with Dr. They. There is no more conspiracy because the truth has been distorted so much that no one cares. Reveal the truth Dr. They warns Mulder, but he will only be a laughingstock to the rest of the uncaring world.

Back at the garage, Scully reveals Reggie’s real name. Reggie has been bored with his life since he was discharged from the military. He has been wiretapping Scully and Mulder’s conversations, which is why he knows so much about them.

In the alternate reality, the last case saw the trio meeting an alien on a scooter. The aliens are going to build a wall to prevent the humans from visiting space because they’re nothing but rapists and drug dealers. Mulder realizes are we not alone in the universe, but no one likes us.

Scully hints that she is love with Reggie but she needs to be with Mulder. And that’s how their last case ended. In their reality, Reggie is sent away to a mental institution as Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) walks by.

Mulder reveals he found the videotape but it wasn’t the same re-watching the episode as an adult. Refusing to bite into her childhood jello, Scully mentions they should remember things as they were; instead of recreating the magic.

Season 11 of The X-Files continues Wednesdays at 8pm on Fox.

– By Jorge Solis

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