Which season 1 episode first features Walter Skinner? The answer is “Tooms.” Walter Skinner, played by Mitch Pileggi, first appears as an FBI assistant director in this season 1 episode.
“Tooms” is the 21st episode of the first season and originally aired on April 22, 1994. Its story follows Mulder and Scully as they investigate Eugene Victor Tooms after his release from prison. Skinner supervises the agents and initially represents the institutional skepticism and pressure surrounding the X-Files.
A common mix-up is confusing Skinner’s first appearance with his later importance. He became a recurring figure throughout the series and eventually a main character, but “Tooms” is his debut. The episode also continues the story of Tooms, who had first appeared in the season 1 episode “Squeeze.”
The role helped establish Pileggi as an important part of the series’ supporting cast. Although Skinner has only a limited role in this first appearance, his later relationship with Mulder and Scully becomes one of the show’s longest-running character arcs.