Criticism isn't intended just to tear things down. It's to deconstruct to better understand, and, in some cases, to make future endeavors more successful.

This is the only episode I will refuse to ever watch again. They didn't even have character interactions to save it from itself. Scully's freeform science-by-the-seat-of-her-pantsuit cannot be overlooked for how terrible it was. Chris Carter, you can't just keep connecting plot points with science that isn't fast or…

That was such a problem, as that finale was basically designed to be a series finale. They walked it back in a very bad way for season 3. I can only imagine something similar will be deployed here :(

He didn't exactly sell there being a looming plague or threat was dangerous enough to sell her soul over in that moment.

The way the immune system shutdown is "activated" off screen and still not clearly, is problematic. You're totally right that this would have played better with hints of the pandemic starting up being dropped throughout the six episodes.

I'm fascinated by how many people are saying that this episode would have been a better start to the season, but have it be a two part opener so the shit could be less manic and mostly explained but the conclusion of hour 2. Then just ride out the season with the MOW/William drama we got. That really would have been…

This…was some inexcusable dreck for a series that had too much time to develop itself into something great or, at minimum, thoroughly enjoyable.

I want to believe, but I've seen things I cannot deny.

I'm not a betting man, but I'd totally put money down right now that these episodes are going to be remembered just as facilitators for the Were-monster.

Season 2 is very good.

Season 1 is very procedural crime focused (but way way darker than what you're expecting), Season 2 is basically a long meditation on the end of the world and having the devil stalk you (and much much less procedural), and then Season 3 is a weird relapse into Season 1 storytelling methods while the show makes a week…

It's more fun if you read it like A-lien D-N-A, similar to Dino D-N-A ala Jurassic Park.

They were smart. They made the right decision. That pilot was rough stuff.

I'm not going to call into question your tastes, but know that you are greatly in the minority in terms of favored episodes. To each their own.

You're forgetting that pilot he made for Amazon not 3 years ago.

Oh, it totally has it's place in the larger picture of music. I just have no place for juvenile rock in my library or my listening.

It's in that EW link you posted!

Don't you think it's weird that Carter explicitly states that William is going to be addressed in the finale as "the big spotlight," but nothing about the previews or promo images make a mention of him? Once again, this is why it would have been better for Founders Mutation to have properly aired as the 5th episode.

There were very endearing elements of that episode to make it worth watching. It's not a garbage episode at all.

Because that's not an X-File case, the fact that the bomber had a change of heart is completely underdeveloped, and for some reason the show decided to wade into a hot political and culture topic but then failed to actually give a reason for going there.