Remembering ‘Humbug,’ The X-Files‘ Perfect Blend of Comedy, Poignancy, and Far-Out ’90s Culture

Thirty years ago this month, a landmark episode of The X-Files hit the airwaves: “Humbug.” A quirky twist on the show’s established monster-of-the-week formula, it offered a proper introduction to scripter Darin Morgan, who soon became a fan favorite—and with that, showed that there was room for a sense of humor amid the show’s conspiracy theories and supernatural horrors. “Humbug” debuted March 31, 1995, the 20th episode in the show’s second season. It’s nearly impossible to imagine in our current streaming era, but during The X-Files’ original run from 1993-2002, episode counts ranged from 20-25 per season, with season two topping out at 25. So by the time this entry rolled around, audiences had been entrenched in season two since September 1994’s premiere, “Little Green Men,” an episode furthering the show’s alien mythology written by future Final Destination duo Glen Morgan (Darin’s brother) and James Wong. Season two gave an early tease of Darin Morgan’s storytelling with its th ... Read full article.