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Redrum
"I killed a spider in my cell yesterday. First thing this morning, I woke up, it's back again."
Written by Steven Maeda (Story & teleplay) & Daniel Arkin (Story)
Directed by Peter Markle
Directed by Peter Markle
"Yesterday you told me it was Thursday. The day before that it was Friday. It's backwards. Everything's going backwards."
— Martin Wells
Prosecutor Martin Wells (Joe Morton) wakes up in prison with no idea why he is there and is shot dead by his father-in-law at the beginning of the episode. As the week progresses, he realizes he is being sent through the week backwards, encountering Scully and his old friend Doggett, but does not know why until he meets with his wife's killer (Danny Trejo), the brother of a man who died in prison after Wells mishandled his case.
Tropes:
- Back to Front: The episode made use of this, but the central character was aware of it. He woke up in prison, not understanding how he got there. He goes to sleep that night, and wakes up the next morning to discover that he is going to trial, for the crime he was incarcerated for "yesterday".
- Big Damn Heroes: Doggett swoops in just in time to save Wells' wife, gunning down her temporal former murderer and rewriting history, thanks to Wells tipping him off.
- Bittersweet Ending: More sweet than bitter. Wells successfully exits his reverse time situation and prevents the murder of his wife, but he has to admit to illegal conduct in the process and is thus sent to prison anyway, though is much more content about it, being punished for something he actually did.
- I Never Said It Was PoisonWells: Trina, you knew about the nanny cam, didn't you? You told the killer about it, you must have given him my key card, too.
Trina: Mr. Wells, I-I wasn't even there that night.
Doggett: The first thing you're supposed to say is "What Nanny cam?" - Merlin Sickness: Wells briefly experiences time backward, starting with the day of his death, every day he goes to sleep, he wakes up the day prior, with only memory of what's happened afterward and not what's happened before. He has no idea what's going on the day he dies, but by the day of his wife's murder he's figured out enough of what's happened to be able to prevent it.
- My Greatest Second Chance: The entire episode is this for Wells who has the chance to save his wife and confess to the actual crime he deserves prison time for, redeeming himself in the process.
- Revenge by Proxy: The killer murders Wells's wife because he holds Wells responsible for the death of his brother.
- Set Right What Once Went Wrong: Finding himself living backward, Wells is able to prevent his wife's murder.
"That exiting the prison of time doesn't free you from the prison of your own character... one from which there is no escape."
