Although this had nothing to do with the story line of the season or series, I found this to be one of the best distractions (sidebars, segways, etc.) they made. I'm not really sure if numerology was the main topic, but on other hand just a minor. The plot is not "impenetrable" nor "impossible" to understand, it just took a little deeper understanding. Perhaps it was "improbable".<br /><br />One thing I will add, was the clue of the colors of the Checker's game and the players. Everyone picked up on the agents corresponding hair colors, but I pose one of a few questions. What color was Mr. Burt playing with?<br /><br />While I can play with the idea of him being God, Fate, or even Death. There is only one conclusion that keeps clicking all the right buttons for myself. There is a very old name for him, being 'Pitch' (funny also because of it's musical reference).<br /><br />For those jumping up and down screaming "Mr. Burt helped the agents catch the serial killer", I ask back, did he? Or was he just really trying to collect on a damned soul? Or was he defying God's plan of each victim's death, by interfering? Hell, was he just having fun at our expense?<br /><br />For those wanting a little more, I submit a few more overt clues: the cards used in the con game; the domino numbers shown and not shown; the ring on the killer; the Doggett map that led him; the count of the lead agent's (Fordyce, James) hand. I'll leave that to the numerologist's forte.<br /><br />For the rest I submit a few more things, you should polish up on your french and Italian. There were quite a few jokes in there, but there was some very old songs also, passed down from age to age through lore. It's about the age old struggle between 'good and evil'. It's hard to translate. One is about "I of my Mother, and You". Another is "S**t Happens).<br /><br />Please refer to 'Dante Divine Comedy' for more references.<br /><br />despite below reviews, this was one of the best of the "XFiles", it's to bad that the minds out there couldn't understand (wave to AZ)...