▁The ▁story ▁for ▁the ▁episode ▁was ▁developed ▁by ▁David ▁Duch ov ny ▁and ▁Howard ▁Gordon , ▁the ▁tele play ▁was ▁written ▁by ▁Gordon , ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁directed ▁by ▁James ▁Char l eston . ▁The ▁episode ▁is ▁a ▁" Mon ster - of - the - Week " ▁story , ▁un connected ▁to ▁the ▁series ' ▁wider ▁myth ology . ▁" A vat ar " ▁earned ▁a ▁N iel sen ▁household ▁rating ▁of ▁ 9 . 3 , ▁being ▁watched ▁by ▁ 1 4 . 6 2 ▁million ▁view ers ▁in ▁its ▁initial ▁broadcast . ▁The ▁episode ▁received ▁mixed ▁reviews ▁from ▁television ▁critics . ▁ ▁The ▁show ▁cent ers ▁on ▁F BI ▁special ▁agents ▁Fox ▁Mul der ▁( David ▁Duch ov ny ) ▁and ▁D ana ▁S cul ly ▁( G ill ian ▁Anderson ) ▁who ▁work ▁on ▁cases ▁linked ▁to ▁the ▁par an ormal , ▁called ▁X - Files . ▁Mul der ▁is ▁a ▁bel ie ver ▁in ▁the ▁par an ormal , ▁while ▁the ▁ske pt ical ▁S cul ly ▁has ▁been ▁assigned ▁to ▁deb unk ▁his ▁work . ▁In ▁this ▁episode , ▁when ▁Ass istant ▁Director ▁Walter ▁Sk inner ▁( M itch ▁P ile ggi ) ▁is ▁accused ▁of ▁murder ing ▁a ▁prost itute , ▁Mul der ▁and ▁S cul ly ▁investigate ▁to ▁determine ▁the ▁truth ▁behind ▁what ▁happened . ▁ ▁" A vat ar " ▁was ▁developed ▁after ▁Duch ov ny ▁initially ▁suggested ▁having ▁a ▁Sk inner - cent ric ▁episode ▁as ▁a ▁way ▁to ▁give ▁himself ▁a ▁break