Rush (The X-Files) - Broadcast and Reception

Broadcast and Reception

"Rush" first aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 5, 1999. This episode earned a Nielsen rating of 7.9, with a 11 share, meaning that roughly 7.9 percent of all television-equipped households, and 11 percent of households watching television, were tuned in to the episode. It was viewed by 12.71 million viewers. The episode aired in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Sky1 on April 16, 2000 and received 0.79 million viewers, making it the sixth most watched episode that week. The episode was later nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Dramatic Series as well as an International Monitor Award for Best Achievement in Visual Effects.

The episode received mostly mixed to negative reviews from critics. Paula Vitaris from Cinefantastique gave the episode a mixed review and awarded it two stars out of four. She noted that the episode suffered from a "bland story" filled with "bland teens", noting that the actors playing the three main teenagers were "as generic as can be". Vitaris ultimately concluded that "'Rush' is hardly the worst of The X-Files; it's merely forgettable." Kenneth Silber from Space.com was critical of the episode, arguing that the show was re-using plot lines and that the personalities of the teenagers were wholly uninteresting. He wrote, "This episode unfolds with a bland sense of familiarity. Once again, troubled adolescents are toying with paranormal forces that can only get them into further trouble. Sadly, these adolescents lack interesting personalities, and the force in question remains wholly mysterious." Rich Rosell from Digitally Obsessed awarded the episode 3.5 out of 5 stars and wrote that the episode was "Not brilliant, but moderately entertaining." Robert Shearman and Lars Pearson, in their book Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen, rated the episode two stars out of five. Despite praising the episode's set pieces, they ultimately concluded that "The X-Files just isn't cool anymore daddio."

Not all reviews were so negative. Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club awarded the episode a "B–". While enjoying the premise, he criticized the entry for featuring a guest cast that "mostly sucks". He did, however, positively comment on the scene wherein Max kills his teacher, noting that it "is a brutal, visceral sequence" that the episode could have used more of. Tom Kessenich, in his book Examinations, gave the episode a largely positive review, writing, "'Rush' was sufficiently creepy and had some wonderful character interaction between Mulder and Scully." Furthermore, he noted that the characterization "helped make it a very enjoyable entry into what is quickly becoming a very enjoyable season."