59. REVELATIONS
WRITER: KIM NEWTON
DIR.: NUTTER
Scully plays guardian angel — and scrutinizes her own lapsed Catholicism — while protecting a boy, ''chosen by God,'' who is being pursued by a serial killer of supposed stigmatics. Historic moment: Despite her ever-present cross, Scully has never addressed her faith until now. Presents a nice paradox for her science-driven character. Creative casting: The usually monstrous Michael Berryman (The Hills Have Eyes) as Owen Jarvis, the boy's saintly and ''incorruptible'' protector. Critique: Strangely, this script's inventiveness derives from its choice of the most mainstream paranormality of all — Christianity. Bonus points for the always welcome Scully/Mulder role reversal (she believes in the face of his disbelief). B+

60. WAR OF THE COPROPHAGES
WRITER: DARIN MORGAN
DIR.: MANNERS
Roaches appear to be overrunning a Massachusetts town in this homage to '50s horror classics like The Blob, replete with cheesily ominous soundtrack and a crazed local populace. Creative casting: Bobbie Phillips (Murder One) as Bambi Berenbaum, the bodacious entomologist who elicits moon eyes from Mulder and eye rolling from Scully. (Personal aside: Phillips has since gotten booed at an X-Files convention for coming between Mulder and Scully.) Critique: Irreverent camp that's infested with laughs (and creepy-crawlies) but throws credibility out the window. A-

61. SYZYGY
WRITER: CARTER
DIR.: BOWMAN
Heathers has got nothing on teen hell-raisers Margi and Terri, who gleefully eliminate their high school foes one by one. Then again, the entire town of Comity seems to be exhibiting bizarre behavior — including a vodka-swilling Mulder and a butt-smoking Scully. The cause? An extremely rare planetary alignment resulting in a grand square, a geological vortex, a ''cosmic G-spot.'' Fine. Whatever. Creative casting: Wendy Benson and Lisa Robin Kelly as the not-so-clueless teens with the ''hate him, hate him, wouldn't want to date him'' mantra. Critique: Another uproarious send-up, this time of teen venom, B-movie paranoia, and our agents' painfully restrained rapport. Also includes one of Mulder's and Scully's funniest exchanges. 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.'' A

62. GROTESQUE
WRITER: GORDON
DIR.: MANNERS
FBI legend and longtime Mulder foe Bill Patterson inexplicably enlists Mulder's help in catching a murderous gargoyle prone to mutilating its victims' faces. Critique: Ponderous, oblique, and featuring one of Mulder's always annoying, easy-way-out soliloquy summations. Will turn you to stone. D

63. PIPER MARU
WRITERS: SPOTNITZ/CARTER
DIR.: BOWMAN
A French salvage ship arrives in San Diego with its crew dying of radiation burns, which tips Mulder off to possible alien contact. Indeed, this introduces us to a whole new extraterrestrial life force — one that enters and leaves humans as an oily film. Mulder travels to Hong Kong in search of — what else? — the truth and encounters the now renegade Krycek, still in possession of the MJ file. Historic moment: Skinner gets shot for his persistent investigation of Scully's sister's death. Critique: A tough and sentimental Scully and action-packed detective work by Mulder enhance an already crackling scenario. A

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