The West Wing
Pearl, 9.30pm
Looks like spin-doctor Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe) has finally met his match. On a political television talk show, the president's deputy communications director is trounced by Ainsley Hayes (Emily Proctor), an attractive and extremely intelligent Republican political analyst. While the White House team is amused by Sam's humiliating defeat, President Josiah Bartlet (Martin Sheen, second from right) is impressed by Ainsley's passion and sense of civic duty, despite her caustic criticism of the Democrats. He orders his trusted, but in this case dubious, ally Leo McGarry (John Spencer) to offer her a job, to the outrage of the other staffers.
The X Files
Pearl, 8.30pm
An FBI agent is murdered and another is missing after they uncover a religious sect in Pittsburgh. Bureau assistant director Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) and Special Agent John Doggett (Robert Patrick) are called to investigate the case. On arrival at the scene, where 20 cult members are found dead - all with a single wound to the forehead - Skinner tells Doggett that the group, known as Ibogan Temple, is suspected of drug trafficking. The murdered agent's body is discovered inside his locked government sedan, adding to the mystery. After a thorough search, it becomes apparent that cult leader Anthony Tipet (Keith Szarabajka) is still at large. You're wondering where Special Agent Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) is? She has been taken to a hospital emergency room.
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