The X-Files Season One DVD Six – Roland

Roland – DVD Six of The X-Files Season One

In a high security university science laboratory, a janitor had trouble getting his id and password to work in a security lock. Clearly annoyed, a scientist grabs the card from the janitor to show him how to do it right. Roland, the janitor, is clearly mentally handicapped.

The scientists in the lab are forced to stop an experiment with a new type of jet propulsion short of success. They angrily debate if they should have continued before all but one call it a night.

The remaining scientist goes into the wind tunnel to work. The door to the wind tunnel closes and locks. The huge turbine blades start to accelerate. The scientist screams as he sees Roland working through the observation window. Roland appears not to hear him.

The scientist holds on to the far side of the wind tunnel for his life. The force from the turbine has pulled his feet out horizontally behind him.

Inside the lab, Roland mops the floor. We see the scientist fly by the observation window sucked into the huge whining turbine.

Mulder and Scully have been assigned to find out who could have killed the scientist. Roland is dismissed since he does not have the ability to operate the equipment. Still, Mulder finds that Roland seems to have a gift with numbers.

Soon after, another scientist is killed. This time we see Roland as he attacks the scientist and then freezes the scientist’s head in liquid nitrogen. Roland sits at the computer and we hear him typing.

There are still doubts that it is Roland. Mulder and Scully find that someone logged in as another scientist that died in a car accident.

Is it really Roland that has been committing the murders? Has he somehow been possessed by this other scientist? Who has been continuing the work of the dead scientist. Even if Roland is gifted, he still would not be able to do the work himself.

Another great episode of the X-Files. I admit I usually do not care for TV shows or movies about the mentally disabled, but I find this episode of the X-Files very interesting. I wonder if the actors that played the disabled characters (Roland and his friend, Tracy) were really disabled or were just acting. They both did a great job.

This may not be the best episode on the season one DVD six of the X-Files, but worth watching. It is more than just science fiction but asks questions about life after death. It also asks the question are you really smarter than someone you think may not be as intelligent as yourself?

“People can do anything in a dream..” -Tracy