Director: Kim Manners
Mulder and Scully are called in to investigate a number of deaths at the town high school in Comity by local detective Angela White, who is convinced that evil is stalking the local high school students. Three high school boys have been murdered in as many months. Mulder and Scully arrive in Comity in time for the funeral of the latest victim and witness the coffin bursting into flames during the service. Adding more fuel to the rumours of the involvement of a Satanic cult.
And when two high school girls, Terri Roberts and Margi Klienjan who witnessed the death of the last boy both recant the same story of satanic abuse and voice their fear that the local cult wants to sacrifice blonde virgins. Mulder is convinced that the local townsfolk are right about a satanic cult being involved, despite Scully's reminder that an exhaustive FBI investigation in to satanic cults found no conclusive proof of any satanic rituals or sacrifices. In fact Mulder and Scully's relationship is very strained, especially after Scully catches Mulder and detective White in each others arms in Mulder's hotel room.
After the death of two more high school boys and a girl in their presence, Terri and Margi fall out and blame each other for the murders. As tension builds between Mulder and Scully, the town's population's anger spills out and they take to the streets. Only a local astrologer seems to have the answer, a once in every 84 years planetary alignment is about to turn the town in to a cosmic hot spot.
Notes:
Guest star Gabrielle Miller also appears in Season 2 episode "Our Town" as Chaco Chicken worker Paula, who lures the inspector, George Kearns, into the woods in the beginning so the town could cannibalize him.
The name of the episode, "Syzygy", is an astronomical term for an alignment of three bodies of the solar system along a straight or nearly straight line.
The original script called for Stanley Kubrick's ''A Clockwork Orange'' to be playing on every channel as Mulder and Scully played with the remote controls in their hotel rooms, but the footage proved to be so expensive that the producer settled for clips from the ''Keystone Cops''.
The name of the town, 'Comity', also means 'courtesy'. As we watch Mulder and Scully enter the town, on the other side of the intersection we see a road sign that says 'Leaving Comity' (how true, once they enter, no one is civil to each other). As they leave, the camera passes the road sign that states 'Entering Comity' (thankfully true again, since everything goes back to normal after they leave).
Grover Cleveland Alexander High School featured in this episode is a reference to a question David Duchovny missed on Celebrity Jeopardy. David said after that he thought he was still on the sports section. He confused the pitcher (Alexander) with the president (Grover Cleveland).
Quotes:
Scully: The map says to turn right at the intersection.
Mulder: The detective who contacted me told me to turn left.
Scully: At the intersection?
Mulder: At the stop light.
Scully: This isn't a stop light, it's a stop sign.
Mulder: Well, I'm sure she meant 'stop sign.'
Scully: Turn right.
(They turn right, then a moment later they drive back and go left)
Mulder: Ah, Scully, if I'm not mistaken, we're going to be taking a left up here. Uh, there's an intersection up here. You're going to want to -- (Scully shows no sign of slowing down) Scully! You're going to want to-- (Scully speeds through the stop sign) You just ran a stop sign back there, Scully.
Scully: Shut up, Mulder.
Mulder: .... Sure. Fine. Whatever.
Det. White: You know, I don't feel like going home. Do you mind if I slept here? (Kicks off her heels)
Mulder: Actually, I'm sure I could get you another room.
(Heads to phone and dials 0. Looks over his shoulder at Det. White as she begins to unbutton her blouse. Dials quicker)
Det. White: (Tackles Mulder onto the bed) Maybe we can solve the mystery of the horny beast.
Mulder: Maybe we should just watch some television. There's a movie on TV. Actually, it's the same movie on every channel.
Det. White: Weird. I like weird.
(Scully walks in)
Scully: Mul... (Sighs) There's been another death.
Mulder: Let me drive.
Scully: I'm driving.
Mulder: Scully, it's not what you think.
Scully: I didn't see anything anyway.
Mulder: Will you let me drive?!
Scully: Why do you always have to drive? Because you're the guy? Because you're the big macho man?
Mulder: No, I was just never sure your little feet could reach the pedals.
Mulder: (To Det. White) Will you go with her please? Thank you.
Mulder: (Muttering angrily to himself in separate car) "Big, macho man."
Mulder: This may not be the time to mention it, but someone is wearing my favorite perfume.
Scully: Can I have a word with you?
Scully: This has gone on far enough.
Mulder: What?
Scully: I am not going to be humiliated by you, in front of you, or by having to bring a teenage girl in, on her birthday of all days, to identify the bones of her dead dog, Mr. Tippy. I see no reason to pursue this case any further.
(Mulder only half-listens, instead he is sniffing the air around Scully)
Scully: Not only that, I find your conduct and comportment in this investigation not just alarming but highly objectionable. What are you doing?!
Mulder: Must be Detective White.
Scully: If that's the reason we're sticking around, that's your business.
(Scully storms off, Mulder follows, laughing)
Mulder: What?! What are you talking about?
(Both Mulder and Scully take out a latex glove. Scully gives a withering look to Mulder, who rolls his eyes and puts the glove back in his pocket.)
Mulder: Go ahead.
Scully: No, you go ahead.
Mulder: No, no, no. Be my guest. I know how much you like snapping on the latex.
(Scully snaps on her latex glove with special emphasis.)
Episode Number: 62
Season Num: 3
First Aired: Friday January 26, 1996
Prod Code: 3X13
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