Number of Mytharc Episodes per Series

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Documented By Jim Kathan.

I've done some ok research (at best), and I've concluded this:

Season 1 contains a total of 6 Mytharc/Conspiracy related episodes (tho most of them are setting the stage),

Season 2 contains a total of 7 Mytharc/Conspiracy related episodes,

Season 3 contains 8 Mytharc/Conspiracy related episodes,

Season 4 contains 11 Mytharc/Conspiracy related episodes,

Season 5 contains 9 Mytharc/Conspiracy related episodes;

Season 6 contains 5 (maybe 6) Mytharc/Conspiracy related episodes.

So we can conclude some obvious observations:

Whether intended or not, the 4th season (1996-1997) contained the most episodes related to the overall conspiracy and mythology; Mulder's sister, The Syndicate (including CSM), Scully's Abduction, the Aliens, etc. [ Personally this was the time when I really got sucked into the show and became a permanent fan ].

The 1st season (1993-1994) and the 6th season (1998-1999) both compete for the weakest # of Mytharc related episodes. Very interesting. Make your own conclusions. Re: Season 1: Although it can be argued that the "conspiracy" hasn't even begun until almost the beginning of season 2, it can be countered that several key episodes in Series 1 were needed to establish characters, relationships, and set the stage. (Max Fenig is mentioned again in Season 4, etc.)

Seasons 2 (1994-1995) and 3 (1995-1996) are almost identical in # of Mytharc episodes.

Note that from the very beginning and to about season 4 the show kept increasing its # of conspiracy related episodes.. gradually rising in frequency and peaking in Season 4, falling a little in Season 5 and dropping drastically in Season 6. Why? They were exhausted from the movie? The move to Los Angeles? Hmmm..

One thing that made it extrememly hard to catalog all the related episodes was that you can have an episode that is 99% stand-alone, such as the 'Leonard Betts cigarette-cancer loving cannibal dude' episode, but note at the very end he informs Scully she has cancer.. which is totally related to the rest of the Mytharc. In addition, such episodes such as Sleepless, which has nothing at all to do with the mythology, except for the fact that it introduces Alex Krycek, and the last minute of the episode shows that Krycek is under CSM's thumb and informs CSM that something must be done about Scully and Mulder. Obviously this led into Scully's abduction. So I did not include those type of episodes.

I invite all of you to make your own comments, conclusions, etc. It would also be interesting (if someone was up to it), to catalog how many shipper related episodes per season, etc. [ For those that believe theres some kind of more-than-just-friends thing goin on, personally I am one of them and think you are either not a fan of the show or someone quite dense if you disagree. But thats ok. :)

You can email for further comments, info, etc.

P.S. I am cataloging all the conspiracy episodes because I am making a tape series for myself and friends of just those episodes. I am also going to make a mini-edit version of the mytharc tapes that has just enough to keep the story going but cuts out extraenous stuff.

djpubert@geocities.com