The Great 'X-Files' Rewatch: season 1, episode 21, 'Born Again'

First, a few addenda to the "Tooms" recap: I forgot to mention that FBI Assistant Director Skinner, who will show up in a recurring role, makes his first appearance in the episode. And it is also the first time we hear the Smoking Man say a line.
  Now, to episode 21. Thank G-d this episode had nothing to do with proselytizing Southern crazies like "Miracle Man" did (it was 150 times better, too). Think of "Born Again" as Chris Carter's second chance with a tasty kernel morsel of an idea—the one from episode 14, "Lazarus," which, as you might remember, I gave a so-so rating to (as an episode) but thought had a creative premise (with a good lead actor).
  In terms of the rewatch, I didn't initially remember watching this episode; hell, it's been 16 years. But then, as if in a dream, there was a specific scene involving a tiny statue of a diver at the bottom of a saltwater fish tank, and voila! A flash came over me, and I was 14 years old again, sitting on the couch on a Friday night, goosebumps rising on my arms, completely freaked out.

  What an amazing episode "Born Again" is (and was)! It takes "Lazarus" and brings it a step further: What if a crooked cop, who was murdered unjustly in the past, is reincarnated in the form of a little girl (at conception)? As I've mentioned in the past, The X-Files exploited (in a thematic sense, not a stalkerly one) little kids to the hilt. I mean, little kids, like clowns, if used effectively, are extremely creepy (see: Children of the Corn, The Shining, etc.). And the little actress who plays the reincarnated cop, avenging his/her own murder (one perp at a time), fits that profile perfectly.
  This is a must-watch, through and through, from the solid acting performances to the great dramatic effects and non-cheesy digital ones (despite the obviously dated technology—computers, phones, cars—used in the episode, this could've been made yesterday). A special shout-out also goes to actress Maggie Wheeler, who does such a great job playing a ragged Buffalo cop in Detective Sharon Lazard, a tour de force for any young actor. She melds well, chemistry-wise, with Mulder and Scully, too. Exceptional casting, if you ask me.
  As we wind down season 1, it's pretty obvious why Fox execs had faith in the show despite its less-than-stellar ratings: It has the feeling, even so early on in the series, that it will be spoken in the same breath with shows like The Twilight Zone. It's just that good.

See all X-Files recaps here.