• "Sunshine Days"

    From Rixter@RICKSBBS to All on Sun Feb 1 21:36:07 2026
    Season 9
    Episode 18



    I just watched this episode tonight and really liked it.


    Plot

    In Van Nuys, California, two men in their early twenties named Blake and Mike (Tyson Turrou and David Faustino) sneak into a house that Blake claims was where the television sitcom The Brady Bunch was filmed. Inside, they find a perfect recreation of the house from the series; Mike, unsettled, gets worried and leaves, but Blake plods on. Blake is subsequently sent hurtling through the air and falling dead on Mike's car.

    John Doggett (Robert Patrick) and Monica Reyes (Annabeth Gish) are called in to investigate. They interview Mike, who claims that Blake died after visiting "the Brady Bunch House". The three speak to the owner, Oliver Martin (Michael Emerson), but upon entering discover that the house looks nothing like the one featured in the teaser. Doggett, feeling something is not right, checks Martin's trashcan and finds asphalt shingles; earlier, on top of Mike's car, Doggett had found a piece of a shingle. He deduces that Blake was thrown through Martin's roof. Later that night, Mike looks into Martin's house and sees the whole Brady family eating dinner. He storms into the house, only to find that the family has disappeared. Suddenly, he is confronted by Martin, who tells him to leave. When he refuses, Mike is thrown through the roof and is embedded in the yard.

    Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) looks through various X-Files and discovers one about a young boy named Anthony Fogelman, who possessed psychokinesis. She learns that Fogelman later changed his name to Oliver Martin. Scully meets with Dr. John Rietz (John Aylward), a parapsychologist who worked with the young Fogelman. Rietz claims that, despite being extremely lonely, Martin was not dangerous and that his power faded as he grew up. Reyes makes the connection that Fogelman changed his name to Oliver based on Cousin Oliver from The Brady Bunch. Scully notes that, in the show, Oliver was portrayed as a "jinx", and the three agents deduce that Fogelman must see himself as one, too.

    Doggett and Rietz decide to talk to Fogelman. Initially, he is apprehensive and nearly sends Doggett hurtling through the roof. It is revealed that his powers are temperamental and sometimes he cannot control them, as was the case with the deaths of Mike and Blake. Reyes and Scully show up and convince him that his powers could positively impact the world. The agents take him to Washington, D.C., and demonstrate his powers to Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) by making him float in midair. Suddenly, however, Fogelman collapses. Scully later reports that his body is destroying itself. Doggett realizes that Fogelman must stop using his powers; he notes that his power had faded earlier when Rietz was studying him as a boy. Doggett tells Rietz that his power faded because, with Rietz around, Fogelman did not feel lonely. Rietz visits Fogelman in the hospital, and the two rekindle their friendship, saving Fogelman's life. Scully laments the fact that there may not be any vindication for the X-Files, but that cases like Fogelman's might show that there is proof of "more important things."

    Air date May 12, 2002

    Rixter
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  • From Jim Singleton@RICKSBBS to Rixter on Mon Feb 2 13:18:26 2026
    I know, I know...."Sunshine Days" isn't considered one of the best
    X-Files and it has questionable placement, so I don't really knock the
    majority opinion. That said, I think it's an extremely underrated episode that's more fun and effective than it has any right to be. As someone that loved The Brady Bunch as a kid in the 90s, the episode's concept works for
    me. I like that they pulled out a random quasi-horror Brady Bunch homage (with a very accurate set recreation and all!) that still made perfect sense with the overall conceit of the show. The episode highlights that incontrovertible proof isn't as important as the connections with people and the world these characters made along the way. Schmaltzy, sure, but much of my appreciation comes from how ridiculous and optimistic the concept is. You sorta need to let yourself get wrapped up in the vibe of it for it to totally work. This is a minority opinion, but it's one of my favorite episodes.

    Jim Singleton
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  • From Rixter@RICKSBBS to Jim Singleton on Tue Feb 3 07:52:38 2026
    Re: "Sunshine Days"
    By: Jim Singleton to Rixter on Mon Feb 02 2026 01:18 pm

    I know, I know...."Sunshine Days" isn't considered one of the best
    X-Files and it has questionable placement, so I don't really knock the majority opinion. That said, I think it's an extremely underrated episode that's more fun and effective than it has any right to be. As someone that loved The Brady Bunch as a kid in the 90s, the episode's concept works for me. I like that they pulled out a random quasi-horror Brady Bunch homage (wi a very accurate set recreation and all!) that still made perfect sense with overall conceit of the show. The episode highlights that incontrovertible pr isn't as important as the connections with people and the world these characters made along the way. Schmaltzy, sure, but much of my appreciation comes from how ridiculous and optimistic the concept is. You sorta need to l yourself get wrapped up in the vibe of it for it to totally work. This is a minority opinion, but it's one of my favorite episodes.

    Jim Singleton
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    I have seen Michael Emerson (Oliver) in so many shows. I remember him from Person of Interest and lately on Fall Out and Evil along side the great Andrea Martin. I think we all wanted to have a family like the Brady Bunch at some point. My family was small and I always wondered what it would be like to have so many siblings!
    Rixter
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  • From Andrew Squires@RICKSBBS to Rixter on Tue Feb 3 12:50:32 2026
    Re: "Sunshine Days"
    By: Jim Singleton to Rixter on Mon Feb 02 2026 01:18 pm

    I have seen Michael Emerson (Oliver) in so many shows. I remember him from Person of Interest and lately on Fall Out and Evil along side the great Andrea Martin. I think we all wanted to have a family like the Brady Bunch at some point. My family was small and I always wondered what it would be like to have so many siblings!
    Rixter
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    I just hit it on my first watch. Was real weird because I also just finished watching two other shows with Michael Emerson (Person of Interest, which was excellent, and Evil, which was...odd). Plus since the paranormal scientist's name is John Reese it was extra weird because his partner's name in Person of Interest is also John Reese.

    Andy
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  • From Rixter@RICKSBBS/FUNTOPIA to Andrew Squires on Wed Feb 4 14:19:26 2026
    Re: "Sunshine Days"
    By: Andrew Squires to Rixter on Tue Feb 03 2026 12:50:32

    Re: "Sunshine Days"
    By: Jim Singleton to Rixter on Mon Feb 02 2026 01:18 pm

    I have seen Michael Emerson (Oliver) in so many shows. I remember him from > > Person of Interest and lately on Fall Out and Evil along side the great
    Andrea Martin. I think we all wanted to have a family like the Brady Bunch > > some point. My family was small and I always wondered what it would be lik > > to have so many siblings!
    Rixter
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    I just hit it on my first watch. Was real weird because I also just finished > watching two other shows with Michael Emerson (Person of Interest, which was > excellent, and Evil, which was...odd). Plus since the paranormal scientist's > name is John Reese it was extra weird because his partner's name in Person o > Interest is also John Reese.

    Andy
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    I had not picked up on the John Reese character name until you mentioned it!
    I wonder if he a say in that?
    Rixter,
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  • From Ty Holder@RICKSBBS to Rixter on Thu Feb 5 12:13:10 2026
    Season 9
    Episode 18

    I just watched this episode tonight and really liked it.

    Plot

    In Van Nuys, California, two men in their early twenties named Blake and Mike (Tyson Turrou and David Faustino) sneak into a house that Blake claims was where the television sitcom The Brady Bunch was filmed. Inside, they find a perfect recreation of the house from the series; Mike, unsettled, gets worried and leaves, but Blake plods on. Blake is subsequently sent hurtling through the air and falling dead on Mike's car.

    John Doggett (Robert Patrick) and Monica Reyes (Annabeth Gish) are called in to investigate. They interview Mike, who claims that Blake died after visiting "the Brady Bunch House". The three speak to the owner, Oliver Martin (Michael Emerson), but upon entering discover that the house looks nothing like the one featured in the teaser. Doggett, feeling something is not right, checks Martin's trashcan and finds asphalt shingles; earlier, on top of Mike's car, Doggett had found a piece of a shingle. He deduces that Blake was thrown through Martin's roof. Later that night, Mike looks into Martin's house and sees the whole Brady family eating dinner. He storms into the house, only to find that the family has disappeared. Suddenly, he is confronted by Martin, who tells him to leave. When he refuses, Mike is thrown through the roof and is embedded in the yard.

    Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) looks through various X-Files and discovers one about a young boy named Anthony Fogelman, who possessed psychokinesis. She learns that Fogelman later changed his name to Oliver Martin. Scully meets with Dr. John Rietz (John Aylward), a parapsychologist who worked with the young Fogelman. Rietz claims that, despite being extremely lonely, Martin was not dangerous and that his power faded as he grew up. Reyes makes the connection that Fogelman changed his name to Oliver based on Cousin Oliver from The Brady Bunch. Scully notes that, in the show, Oliver was portrayed as a "jinx", and the three agents deduce that Fogelman must see himself as one, too.

    Doggett and Rietz decide to talk to Fogelman. Initially, he is apprehensive and nearly sends Doggett hurtling through the roof. It is revealed that his powers are temperamental and sometimes he cannot control them, as was the case with the deaths of Mike and Blake. Reyes and Scully show up and convince him that his powers could positively impact the world. The agents take him to Washington, D.C., and demonstrate his powers to Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) by making him float in midair. Suddenly, however, Fogelman collapses. Scully later reports that his body is destroying itself. Doggett realizes that Fogelman must stop using his powers; he notes that his power had faded earlier when Rietz was studying him as a boy. Doggett tells Rietz that his power faded because, with Rietz around, Fogelman did not feel lonely. Rietz visits Fogelman in the hospital, and the two rekindle their friendship, saving Fogelman's life. Scully laments the fact that there may not be any vindication for the X-Files, but that cases like Fogelman's might show that there is proof of "more important things."

    Air date May 12, 2002

    Rixter
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    The Brady Bunch doesn't mean much to me .

    Nonetheless, I do like this episode, even though it's quite schmaltzy and overly sentimental. I do find it bizarre that as usual, no one bothered to film or photograph any of the paranormal phenomena, but I'm glad that the guy
    stops and decides to take care of his old mentor / father figure, it's a
    sweet ending .

    That evidence would have been real handy for the next episode (not proof of aliens but at least it's proof of the paranormal ).

    Ty Holder
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    http://ricksbbs.synchro.net:8080
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  • From Rixter@RICKSBBS to Ty Holder on Fri Feb 6 06:51:08 2026
    Re: "Sunshine Days"
    By: Ty Holder to Rixter on Thu Feb 05 2026 12:13 pm


    Season 9
    Episode 18

    I just watched this episode tonight and really liked it.

    Plot

    In Van Nuys, California, two men in their early twenties named Blake and M (Tyson Turrou and David Faustino) sneak into a house that Blake claims was where the television sitcom The Brady Bunch was filmed. Inside, they find perfect recreation of the house from the series; Mike, unsettled, gets worried and leaves, but Blake plods on. Blake is subsequently sent hurtlin through the air and falling dead on Mike's car.

    John Doggett (Robert Patrick) and Monica Reyes (Annabeth Gish) are called to investigate. They interview Mike, who claims that Blake died after visiting "the Brady Bunch House". The three speak to the owner, Oliver Mar (Michael Emerson), but upon entering discover that the house looks nothing like the one featured in the teaser. Doggett, feeling something is not rig checks Martin's trashcan and finds asphalt shingles; earlier, on top of Mike's car, Doggett had found a piece of a shingle. He deduces that Blake thrown through Martin's roof. Later that night, Mike looks into Martin's house and sees the whole Brady family eating dinner. He storms into the house, only to find that the family has disappeared. Suddenly, he is confronted by Martin, who tells him to leave. When he refuses, Mike is thr through the roof and is embedded in the yard.

    Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) looks through various X-Files and discovers one about a young boy named Anthony Fogelman, who possessed psychokinesis. She learns that Fogelman later changed his name to Oliver Martin. Scully meets with Dr. John Rietz (John Aylward), a parapsychologist who worked wi the young Fogelman. Rietz claims that, despite being extremely lonely, Mar was not dangerous and that his power faded as he grew up. Reyes makes the connection that Fogelman changed his name to Oliver based on Cousin Oliver from The Brady Bunch. Scully notes that, in the show, Oliver was portrayed a "jinx", and the three agents deduce that Fogelman must see himself as on too.

    Doggett and Rietz decide to talk to Fogelman. Initially, he is apprehensiv and nearly sends Doggett hurtling through the roof. It is revealed that hi powers are temperamental and sometimes he cannot control them, as was the case with the deaths of Mike and Blake. Reyes and Scully show up and convi him that his powers could positively impact the world. The agents take him Washington, D.C., and demonstrate his powers to Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) by making him float in midair. Suddenly, however, Fogelman collapses. Scully later reports that his body is destroying itself. Dogget realizes that Fogelman must stop using his powers; he notes that his power had faded earlier when Rietz was studying him as a boy. Doggett tells Riet that his power faded because, with Rietz around, Fogelman did not feel lonely. Rietz visits Fogelman in the hospital, and the two rekindle their friendship, saving Fogelman's life. Scully laments the fact that there may not be any vindication for the X-Files, but that cases like Fogelman's mig show that there is proof of "more important things."

    Air date May 12, 2002

    Rixter
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    http://ricksbbs.synchro.net:8080
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    The Brady Bunch doesn't mean much to me .

    Nonetheless, I do like this episode, even though it's quite schmaltzy and overly sentimental. I do find it bizarre that as usual, no one bothered to f or photograph any of the paranormal phenomena, but I'm glad that the guy stops and decides to take care of his old mentor / father figure, it's a sweet ending .

    That evidence would have been real handy for the next episode (not proof of aliens but at least it's proof of the paranormal ).

    Ty Holder
    telnet://ricksbbs.synchro.net:23
    http://ricksbbs.synchro.net:8080

    I was expecting after that episode they might jump the shark with a Gilligan's Island themed episode....

    Rixter
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  • From Robert Gmez@RICKSBBS to Rixter on Thu Feb 12 12:43:22 2026
    Season 9
    Episode 18

    I just watched this episode tonight and really liked it.

    Plot

    In Van Nuys, California, two men in their early twenties named Blake and Mike (Tyson Turrou and David Faustino) sneak into a house that Blake claims was where the television sitcom The Brady Bunch was filmed. Inside, they find a perfect recreation of the house from the series; Mike, unsettled, gets worried and leaves, but Blake plods on. Blake is subsequently sent hurtling through the air and falling dead on Mike's car.

    John Doggett (Robert Patrick) and Monica Reyes (Annabeth Gish) are called in to investigate. They interview Mike, who claims that Blake died after visiting "the Brady Bunch House". The three speak to the owner, Oliver Martin (Michael Emerson), but upon entering discover that the house looks nothing like the one featured in the teaser. Doggett, feeling something is not right, checks Martin's trashcan and finds asphalt shingles; earlier, on top of Mike's car, Doggett had found a piece of a shingle. He deduces that Blake was thrown through Martin's roof. Later that night, Mike looks into Martin's house and sees the whole Brady family eating dinner. He storms into the house, only to find that the family has disappeared. Suddenly, he is confronted by Martin, who tells him to leave. When he refuses, Mike is thrown through the roof and is embedded in the yard.

    Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) looks through various X-Files and discovers one about a young boy named Anthony Fogelman, who possessed psychokinesis. She learns that Fogelman later changed his name to Oliver Martin. Scully meets with Dr. John Rietz (John Aylward), a parapsychologist who worked with the young Fogelman. Rietz claims that, despite being extremely lonely, Martin was not dangerous and that his power faded as he grew up. Reyes makes the connection that Fogelman changed his name to Oliver based on Cousin Oliver from The Brady Bunch. Scully notes that, in the show, Oliver was portrayed as a "jinx", and the three agents deduce that Fogelman must see himself as one, too.

    Doggett and Rietz decide to talk to Fogelman. Initially, he is apprehensive and nearly sends Doggett hurtling through the roof. It is revealed that his powers are temperamental and sometimes he cannot control them, as was the case with the deaths of Mike and Blake. Reyes and Scully show up and convince him that his powers could positively impact the world. The agents take him to Washington, D.C., and demonstrate his powers to Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) by making him float in midair. Suddenly, however, Fogelman collapses. Scully later reports that his body is destroying itself. Doggett realizes that Fogelman must stop using his powers; he notes that his power had faded earlier when Rietz was studying him as a boy. Doggett tells Rietz that his power faded because, with Rietz around, Fogelman did not feel lonely. Rietz visits Fogelman in the hospital, and the two rekindle their friendship, saving Fogelman's life. Scully laments the fact that there may not be any vindication for the X-Files, but that cases like Fogelman's might show that there is proof of "more important things."

    Air date May 12, 2002

    Rixter
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    I've been hating season 9 and was expecting to hate this kind even more
    because I'd read everyone hates it, but I've really enjoyed it and found it moving! As you say it has the themes about proof and vindication vs relationships and what actually matters and then also I thought it said something about how when people are without fulfilling meaningful relationships or are treated badly, they can go inwards and become dangerous to themselves and/or others. It's kind of a cheesy message but I liked the way they
    delivered it, that as humans our connections with and care for others keep us and them safe and are ultimately the most important thing.

    Robert,
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