1274:
449:"; and felt that the "on-the-nose" approach to the environmental themes worked well. Matt Haigh, writing for Den of Geek, felt positively about the episode's ambiguous resolution, feeling that its "open-ended treatment" lent the episode "a real mysticism and strength" and finding that the episode held a sense of "weight, credibility, and intrigue". Writers for
336:. Spinney suspects that an organism that was dormant in the tree for centuries was disturbed when the tree was illegally cut down. Humphreys hikes down to Moore's truck but is killed by the swarm at nightfall. In the cabin, everyone else is kept safe by the light. The next morning, Spinney convinces Mulder to let him hike to his colleagues with
376:, a subject that involves analyzing annual growth rings found in non-tropical tree species, as he believed that trees that were "thousands of years old" might end up acting as "time capsules" that would shed light on past events or species. Carter also credits the episode's ominous ending with his experience growing up in the era following the
343:
The night passes with only a single light bulb lighting the cabin, going out just as morning arrives. Mulder, Scully and Moore hike down to the truck with a busted tire from camp, hoping to patch it, put on the spare and escape. They find
Humphreys' cocooned body. Spinney returns with the Jeep,
429:
on April 15, 1994. This episode earned a
Nielsen rating of 8.0 with a 14 share, meaning that roughly 8 percent of all television-equipped households and 14 percent of households watching television were tuned in to the episode. It was viewed by 7.5 million households.
380:, having spent his life coming to profoundly mistrust the government. The green insects in this episode were primarily computer-generated and added in during the post-production process. The close-up shots of the bugs were done using microscopic photography of
412:
had to be filmed at a later date to finish the episode. Delays were also caused by the inaccessibility of the location, as only generators, camera equipment, and first aid crew were able to stay on-site, and time was wasted commuting staff in each day.
417:, who played Ranger Larry Moore, was a childhood friend of David Duchovny and helped convince him to pursue an acting career. The camaraderie between the two actors is said to have helped lighten the mood during the episode's difficult production.
399:, in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve, known as the Seymour Demonstration Forest. The atmosphere amongst many of the crew had grown quite tense towards the end of the shooting schedule, and it culminated in a heated argument between director
327:
While repairing one of the generators, Humphreys catches an eco-terrorist named Doug
Spinney. He tells the group that there's a deadly swarm of insects in the forest and that they must avoid darkness to stay alive. The next morning, they find an
391:, meaning that it would be an episode that would be based in a single location and help save money, but bad weather plagued production, and it was one of the toughest episodes of the season for the crew. The episode was shot on location in
344:
telling the others his friends are all dead. The Jeep hits another caltrop left in the ground, and
Spinney is killed when he leaves the Jeep after dark. Moore and the agents are engulfed by the insects, which enter the vehicle through the
403:
and first assistant director
Vladimir Steffof, after which Napolitano did not appear on location again. "Darkness Falls" was the last episode of the series that Napolitano directed. The weather delayed production at the site so much that
320:, forcing them to walk the rest of the way. Upon arriving at the camp site, Mulder and Scully find the cabins abandoned and the communication equipment destroyed. Searching the forest, they find a corpse encased in a large
1303:
272:, a subject that involves analyzing annual growth rings found in non-tropical tree species. Carter credits the episode's ominous ending with his experience growing up in the era following the
453:
named the episode their fifth-favorite standalone episode of the show, finding that it "boasts several interesting twists" and noting positively the episode's "smart" environmental themes.
1323:
234:. "Darkness Falls" earned a Nielsen household rating of 8.0, being watched by 7.5 million households in its initial broadcast, and received mostly positive reviews.
979:
445:, called "Darkness Falls" an "excellent" episode that "hits the right notes". He praised the episode's setting, comparing it to the earlier first-season episode "
439:, "Darkness Falls" was rated a B, with the episode being called an "eerie outing" set against a "torn-from-today's-headlines backdrop". Zack Handlen, writing for
308:
a photo of the missing loggers, telling her that another group of loggers disappeared in the forest in 1934. The two agents head to the forest, where they meet
1313:
1298:
360:
in the hopes of eradicating the insects. Mulder asks the scientist what will happen if the efforts fail, but is simply told "that is not an option."
296:
flee through the woods, trying to escape from an unseen force. They are eventually killed by a large swarm of small glowing green insects. Later, at
460:
in 1994, winning in the "Television
Episodic Drama" category. The plot for "Darkness Falls" was also adapted as a novel for young adults in 1995 by
1318:
1267:
340:
so he can return with a Jeep to pick them up. Scully and Moore confront Mulder, since this will leave them with little fuel for the generator.
952:
456:
Although Carter claims "Darkness Falls" was not written with an environmental message in mind, the episode was honored at the fourth annual
261:. In this episode, Mulder and Scully are called-in to investigate when a team of loggers disappear without a trace. Initially suspecting
312:
employee Larry Moore and Steve
Humphreys, head of security for the logging company. While driving through the forest, their truck hits
1134:
972:
1308:
1099:
904:
885:
864:
843:
784:
1328:
920:
738:
238:
623:
1120:
1062:
678:
1277:
965:
708:
1197:
1176:
993:
184:
1183:
369:
215:
69:
1155:
457:
1211:
1239:
426:
297:
231:
211:
289:
285:
230:. The episode is a "Monster-of-the-Week" story, a stand-alone plot that is unconnected to the series' wider
1190:
1127:
1113:
1106:
1073:
1068:
1253:
1246:
1218:
1204:
1083:
1056:
1051:
1046:
1041:
1029:
1024:
1019:
1014:
1009:
618:
613:
590:
528:
435:
405:
349:
197:
174:
150:
1148:
1092:
646:
409:
309:
1169:
1035:
1162:
1141:
934:
900:
881:
860:
839:
808:
780:
686:
446:
377:
329:
273:
396:
373:
345:
333:
269:
254:
357:
201:
265:, the agents find themselves trapped by a seemingly ancient menace lurking in the woods.
833:
400:
388:
246:
227:
219:
125:
59:
1292:
875:
854:
776:
769:
742:
655:
441:
317:
262:
352:, where one of the scientists tells Mulder that the forest is being bombarded with
519:
Carter, Chris. "Chris Carter Talks about Season One
Episodes: 'Darkness Falls'".
989:
946:
586:
524:
414:
392:
305:
250:
223:
206:
116:
34:
716:
764:
461:
353:
301:
242:
812:
348:
vents. They are found soon after and brought to a quarantined facility in
804:
337:
930:
957:
313:
293:
276:, having spent his life coming to profoundly mistrust the government.
258:
707:
Collura, Scott; Fickett, Travis; Goldman, Eric; Seghers, Christine.
1232:
268:
Carter was inspired to write this episode based on an interest in
214:
on April 15, 1994. "Darkness Falls" was written by series creator
162:
381:
332:
cut down with an unexplained band of green contained within its
321:
961:
712:
450:
372:
was inspired to write this episode based on an interest in
1304:
Television episodes written by Chris Carter (screenwriter)
897:
The Truth is Out There: The
Official Guide to the X-Files
257:) who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called
614:"X Cyclopedia: The Ultimate Episode Guide, Season 1"
1082:
134:
106:
98:
83:
75:
65:
55:
42:
23:
768:
741:. Environmental Media Association. Archived from
709:"IGN's 10 Favorite X-Files Standalone Episodes"
856:X Marks the Spot: On Location with The X-Files
1324:Television episodes set in Washington (state)
973:
817:based on the teleplay written by Chris Carter
679:"Revisiting The X-Files: Season 1 Episode 20"
18:20th episode of the 1st season of The X-Files
8:
980:
966:
958:
853:Gradnitzer, Louisa; Pittson, Todd (1999).
433:In a retrospective of the first season in
20:
581:Mandel, Robert; et al. (1993–1994).
567:
565:
651:: "Shapes" / "Darkness Falls" / "Tooms""
514:
512:
502:
500:
498:
496:
494:
472:
583:The X-Files: The Complete First Season
521:The X-Files: The Complete First Season
953:Internet Speculative Fiction Database
626:from the original on October 21, 2012
7:
801:Darkness Falls: a novel (Book, 1995)
222:. It featured guest appearances by
172:
138:
425:"Darkness Falls" premiered on the
196:" is the twentieth episode of the
14:
1314:Television episodes about insects
1299:1994 American television episodes
387:The episode was intended to be a
1273:
1272:
677:Haigh, Matt (December 4, 2008).
645:Handlen, Zack (August 1, 2008).
122:Tom O'Rourke as Steve Humphreys
44:
1:
1319:The X-Files season 1 episodes
838:. Little, Brown and Company.
571:Gradnitzer and Pittson, p.47
559:Gradnitzer and Pittson, p.46
1345:
739:"EMA - 1994 Award Winners"
458:Environmental Media Awards
1263:
1000:
183:
173:
139:
113:
32:
1309:Eco-terrorism in fiction
877:The X-Files Declassified
87:April 15, 1994
1329:Olympic National Forest
771:Darkness Falls: A Novel
421:Broadcast and reception
286:Olympic National Forest
874:Lovece, Frank (1996).
859:. Arsenal Pulp Press.
316:left in the ground by
951:title listing at the
895:Lowry, Brian (1995).
832:Edwards, Ted (1996).
622:. November 29, 1996.
324:hanging from a tree.
1254:The Erlenmeyer Flask
1135:Ghost in the Machine
835:X-Files Confidential
619:Entertainment Weekly
436:Entertainment Weekly
350:Winthrop, Washington
237:The show centers on
210:, premiering on the
719:on October 30, 2011
310:U.S. Forest Service
204:television series
135:Episode chronology
1286:
1285:
1063:I Want to Believe
880:. Citadel Press.
687:Dennis Publishing
378:Watergate scandal
274:Watergate scandal
190:
189:
169:
168:
108:Guest appearances
84:Original air date
1336:
1276:
1275:
1121:The Jersey Devil
982:
975:
968:
959:
931:"Darkness Falls"
927:official website
921:"Darkness Falls"
910:
899:. Harper Prism.
891:
870:
849:
820:
819:
797:
791:
790:
774:
761:
755:
754:
752:
750:
745:on July 19, 2011
735:
729:
728:
726:
724:
715:. Archived from
704:
698:
697:
695:
693:
674:
668:
667:
665:
663:
642:
636:
635:
633:
631:
610:
604:
601:
595:
594:
591:20th Century Fox
578:
572:
569:
560:
557:
551:
548:
542:
539:
533:
532:
529:20th Century Fox
516:
507:
504:
489:
488:Lovece, pp.94–95
486:
480:
479:Lowry pp.145–146
477:
397:British Columbia
374:dendrochronology
346:air conditioning
298:FBI headquarters
290:Washington State
270:dendrochronology
255:Gillian Anderson
218:and directed by
200:of the American
185:List of episodes
141:
140:
109:
94:
92:
46:
21:
1344:
1343:
1339:
1338:
1337:
1335:
1334:
1333:
1289:
1288:
1287:
1282:
1268:Unmade episodes
1259:
1078:
996:
986:
943:
917:
907:
894:
888:
873:
867:
852:
846:
831:
828:
823:
799:
798:
794:
787:
763:
762:
758:
748:
746:
737:
736:
732:
722:
720:
706:
705:
701:
691:
689:
676:
675:
671:
661:
659:
644:
643:
639:
629:
627:
612:
611:
607:
602:
598:
580:
579:
575:
570:
563:
558:
554:
549:
545:
540:
536:
518:
517:
510:
505:
492:
487:
483:
478:
474:
470:
423:
368:Series creator
366:
358:controlled fire
330:old-growth tree
282:
202:science fiction
160:
148:
128:as Doug Spinney
107:
90:
88:
76:Production code
50:
19:
12:
11:
5:
1342:
1340:
1332:
1331:
1326:
1321:
1316:
1311:
1306:
1301:
1291:
1290:
1284:
1283:
1281:
1280:
1270:
1264:
1261:
1260:
1258:
1257:
1250:
1243:
1236:
1229:
1226:Darkness Falls
1222:
1215:
1208:
1201:
1198:Young at Heart
1194:
1187:
1180:
1177:Beyond the Sea
1173:
1166:
1159:
1152:
1145:
1138:
1131:
1124:
1117:
1110:
1103:
1096:
1088:
1086:
1080:
1079:
1077:
1076:
1071:
1066:
1059:
1054:
1049:
1044:
1039:
1032:
1027:
1022:
1017:
1012:
1006:
1005:
1001:
998:
997:
987:
985:
984:
977:
970:
962:
956:
955:
948:Darkness Falls
942:
939:
938:
937:
928:
916:
915:External links
913:
912:
911:
905:
892:
886:
871:
865:
850:
844:
827:
824:
822:
821:
792:
785:
756:
730:
699:
669:
637:
605:
596:
573:
561:
552:
543:
534:
508:
490:
481:
471:
469:
466:
422:
419:
401:Joe Napolitano
389:bottle episode
365:
362:
318:eco-terrorists
281:
278:
247:David Duchovny
228:Titus Welliver
220:Joe Napolitano
194:Darkness Falls
188:
187:
181:
180:
171:
170:
167:
166:
154:
137:
136:
132:
131:
130:
129:
126:Titus Welliver
123:
120:
119:as Larry Moore
111:
110:
104:
103:
100:
96:
95:
85:
81:
80:
77:
73:
72:
67:
63:
62:
60:Joe Napolitano
57:
53:
52:
47:
40:
39:
30:
29:
26:Darkness Falls
17:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1341:
1330:
1327:
1325:
1322:
1320:
1317:
1315:
1312:
1310:
1307:
1305:
1302:
1300:
1297:
1296:
1294:
1279:
1271:
1269:
1266:
1265:
1262:
1255:
1251:
1248:
1244:
1241:
1237:
1234:
1230:
1227:
1223:
1220:
1216:
1213:
1209:
1206:
1202:
1199:
1195:
1192:
1188:
1185:
1184:Gender Bender
1181:
1178:
1174:
1171:
1167:
1164:
1160:
1157:
1153:
1150:
1146:
1143:
1139:
1136:
1132:
1129:
1125:
1122:
1118:
1115:
1111:
1108:
1104:
1101:
1097:
1094:
1090:
1089:
1087:
1085:
1081:
1075:
1072:
1070:
1067:
1065:
1064:
1060:
1058:
1055:
1053:
1050:
1048:
1045:
1043:
1040:
1038:
1037:
1033:
1031:
1028:
1026:
1023:
1021:
1018:
1016:
1013:
1011:
1008:
1007:
1003:
1002:
999:
995:
992:
991:
983:
978:
976:
971:
969:
964:
963:
960:
954:
950:
949:
945:
944:
940:
936:
932:
929:
926:
922:
919:
918:
914:
908:
906:0-06-105330-9
902:
898:
893:
889:
887:0-8065-1745-X
883:
879:
878:
872:
868:
866:1-55152-066-4
862:
858:
857:
851:
847:
845:0-316-21808-1
841:
837:
836:
830:
829:
825:
818:
814:
810:
806:
802:
796:
793:
788:
786:0-06-440614-8
782:
778:
777:HarperCollins
773:
772:
766:
760:
757:
744:
740:
734:
731:
718:
714:
710:
703:
700:
688:
684:
680:
673:
670:
658:
657:
656:The A.V. Club
652:
650:
641:
638:
625:
621:
620:
615:
609:
606:
600:
597:
592:
588:
584:
577:
574:
568:
566:
562:
556:
553:
550:Edwards, p.71
547:
544:
541:Edwards, p.72
538:
535:
530:
526:
522:
515:
513:
509:
503:
501:
499:
497:
495:
491:
485:
482:
476:
473:
467:
465:
463:
459:
454:
452:
448:
444:
443:
442:The A.V. Club
438:
437:
431:
428:
420:
418:
416:
411:
407:
402:
398:
394:
390:
385:
383:
379:
375:
371:
363:
361:
359:
355:
351:
347:
341:
339:
335:
331:
325:
323:
319:
315:
311:
307:
303:
299:
295:
292:, a group of
291:
287:
279:
277:
275:
271:
266:
264:
263:eco-terrorism
260:
256:
252:
248:
244:
240:
235:
233:
229:
225:
221:
217:
213:
209:
208:
203:
199:
195:
186:
182:
179:
177:
164:
158:
155:
152:
147:
143:
142:
133:
127:
124:
121:
118:
115:
114:
112:
105:
101:
97:
86:
82:
78:
74:
71:
68:
64:
61:
58:
54:
49:Season 1
48:
41:
37:
36:
31:
27:
22:
16:
1225:
1156:Fallen Angel
1061:
1034:
988:
947:
941:Novelization
924:
896:
876:
855:
834:
816:
800:
795:
770:
759:
747:. Retrieved
743:the original
733:
721:. Retrieved
717:the original
702:
690:. Retrieved
682:
672:
660:. Retrieved
654:
648:
640:
628:. Retrieved
617:
608:
603:Lowry, p.248
599:
582:
576:
555:
546:
537:
520:
506:Lowry, p.146
484:
475:
455:
440:
434:
432:
424:
386:
370:Chris Carter
367:
342:
334:growth rings
326:
283:
267:
236:
216:Chris Carter
205:
198:first season
193:
191:
176:The X-Files
175:
156:
145:
99:Running time
70:Chris Carter
33:
25:
15:
1212:Miracle Man
1100:Deep Throat
1036:The X-Files
990:The X-Files
925:The X-Files
765:Martin, Les
683:Den of Geek
649:The X-Files
587:Los Angeles
585:(booklet).
525:Los Angeles
427:Fox network
415:Jason Beghe
393:Lynn Valley
306:Dana Scully
251:Dana Scully
224:Jason Beghe
212:Fox network
207:The X-Files
117:Jason Beghe
56:Directed by
35:The X-Files
1293:Categories
1240:Born Again
826:References
749:August 11,
692:August 11,
662:August 12,
630:August 11,
462:Les Martin
408:shots and
364:Production
354:pesticides
302:Fox Mulder
243:Fox Mulder
102:43 minutes
91:1994-04-15
66:Written by
51:Episode 20
723:April 18,
468:Footnotes
232:mythology
1278:Category
1084:Season 1
994:episodes
813:32898476
805:WorldCat
767:(1995).
624:Archived
338:gasoline
314:caltrops
178:season 1
146:Previous
43:Episode
1191:Lazarus
1128:Shadows
1114:Conduit
1107:Squeeze
1004:Seasons
523:(DVD).
410:inserts
406:pick-up
294:loggers
259:X-Files
241:agents
159: →
144:←
89: (
38:episode
1247:Roland
1219:Shapes
1205:E.B.E.
903:
884:
863:
842:
811:
783:
322:cocoon
304:shows
249:) and
151:Shapes
1233:Tooms
1149:Space
1093:Pilot
382:mites
163:Tooms
1170:Fire
935:IMDb
901:ISBN
882:ISBN
861:ISBN
840:ISBN
809:OCLC
781:ISBN
751:2011
725:2011
694:2011
664:2011
632:2011
356:and
280:Plot
226:and
157:Next
79:1X19
1163:Eve
1142:Ice
933:at
923:on
713:IGN
451:IGN
447:Ice
288:in
284:In
239:FBI
45:no.
1295::
1074:11
1069:10
815:.
807:.
803:.
779:.
775:.
711:.
685:.
681:.
653:.
616:.
589::
564:^
527::
511:^
493:^
464:.
395:,
384:.
300:,
165:"
153:"
1256:"
1252:"
1249:"
1245:"
1242:"
1238:"
1235:"
1231:"
1228:"
1224:"
1221:"
1217:"
1214:"
1210:"
1207:"
1203:"
1200:"
1196:"
1193:"
1189:"
1186:"
1182:"
1179:"
1175:"
1172:"
1168:"
1165:"
1161:"
1158:"
1154:"
1151:"
1147:"
1144:"
1140:"
1137:"
1133:"
1130:"
1126:"
1123:"
1119:"
1116:"
1112:"
1109:"
1105:"
1102:"
1098:"
1095:"
1091:"
1057:9
1052:8
1047:7
1042:6
1030:5
1025:4
1020:3
1015:2
1010:1
981:e
974:t
967:v
909:.
890:.
869:.
848:.
789:.
753:.
727:.
696:.
666:.
647:"
634:.
593:.
531:.
253:(
245:(
192:"
161:"
149:"
93:)
28:"
24:"
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.