itself. The two called the shot where Scully sees the apparition in the bathroom "one of the most chilling things the series has offered this year", and noted that the part with Scully conferring with her counselor "is the highlight of the season". Paula Vitaris, writing for Cinefantastique, rated "Elegy" three stars out of four, writing that the X-File part of the episode "falls apart by the end" but that the installment is saved by "the emotional impact of Scully". Vitaris praised the acting of the cast, and especially lauded Anderson's performance, noting that she conveyed "the shock and confusion at witnessing the frightening sight of the ghostly girl with a cut throat". Not all reviews were as positive. Emily VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club awarded the episode a "B−" and called it "alternately deeply moving and really, really stupid". Her main criticism of the episode was that it portrayed mental illness in a manner that was "offensive at worst and just plain idiotic at best". Furthermore, she derided the "magical mentally handicapped person" trope as "cringe-worthy" and cliche. VanDerWerff, however, wrote that the episode was saved largely due to the "beautiful little scenes that let you see the weight of everything Scully's been carrying around her". Footnotes Bibliography External links 1997 American television episodes Television episodes about ghosts The X-Files (season 4) episodes