Rewatching "The X Files"

[Famous Mortimer]

Not sure if anyone's interested in chatting about it, but I'm at the "Scully comes back from her pregnancy" episode of The X-Files, and I discovered that I barely remember it at all, despite having watched a fair amount of it at the time.

Some things have popped out at me, I'm sure none of them are super-original but...eh.

Throughout the first season, it's quite funny how, when the supernatural stuff happens, Scully is out of the room or unconscious. I'm not sure there's a better way to keep her a skeptic as long as they do, but I wonder if the show tried to find odd ways to keep her out of the action.

The old timey network show 25-episodes-a-season schedule really doesn't do it any favours. I'm not saying there are any bad episodes, but there are a lot that I'm not sure I could tell you anything about, a week after I watched them.

It doesn't help in another way, and that's the way the status quo changes very slowly. The most recent episode is a handy case in point. Mulder finds out where the Cigarette Smoking Man lives, and pops over to threaten him. After levelling a gun at him, he just sorts of shouts at him for a bit then leaves - given the guy isn't expecting Mulder to show up, one might presume there's something there like proof of his identity or who he works for. Does Mulder find these things out, or even ask them? By the evidence the episode gives us, no.

CSM does that thing that I've never liked, the explanation that "if everyone knew what we know, then things would fall apart". I have never agreed with this. If people knew what was really happening, then they might not want to be controlled by a rotten system that oppresses them. I think they'd be largely fine with discovering that aliens exist. I wish it was phrased that way, rather than "people are dumb".

Mulder even makes reference to the thing that would blossom to its fullest extent in "Lost", the answering of a question with another question. It's perhaps a matter of taste, but these central mysteries that are portioned out to the main characters (and us) in microscopic chunks are irritating to me. Well, you could make the argument that they're no closer to understanding "what's going on" than they were at the beginning, which...well, I'm enjoying the shows, so it could be worse.

The couple of episodes with no Scully were surprisingly good, I thought. Mulder's erotic vampire thriller episode was great, even if it felt like a repurposed pilot episode for a different show. With no "Mulder, there's a rational explanation" drag, it could do something a bit different.

I'm not sure what the point of any of this post is. I was the person shouting for Damian Lewis to blow everyone up at the end of the first season of "Homeland", so I definitely like shows that move along a bit. Perhaps it's just the thing about TV, and I need to stop expecting something other than what it does (or did, in the 90s).

But if you rewatched it recently, or just think I'm an idiot, please let me know.

[GoblinAhFuckScary]

Been a good few years since I decided to watch all of the X Files over one summer. Honestly struggle to picture in much detail anything besides the godawful Space episode from season 1. The general pacing of the show was infuriating, and craving the lore episodes to progress the central plot made me dislike the monster of the week scooby-doo episodes. Ya know, the ones which were actually good?

Think I sort of liked it, but it put me off trying to watch big long-running American shows for good.

[Mister Six]

I'm not saying there are any bad episodes

You've not got to the chupacabra episode yet, then.

I really want to go back and do a rewatch now, although I've got so much else to watch that I have no idea when I'll get the chance. Hope they're streaming it in 4:3 wherever it's available, though.

[bgmnts]

Never wanted to watch it because the theme song scared/scares the absolute shit out of me.

Unsure if I really need to nowadays but may give it a little go.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I started to go through the first couple of series a couple of years ago but wasn't enjoying it as much as I'd hoped.

[notjosh]

I started to go through the first couple of series a couple of years ago but wasn't enjoying it as much as I'd hoped.

I did the same. Are we all agreed now that The X-Files was in fact a bit shit?

[AsparagusTrevor]

I started it a few months ago, my wife had never seen it apart from the odd episode and I originally finished watching around season 6 or 7. I'm enjoying it, although the episode hit rate is definitely quite patchy.

(Might be slight spoilers below)

We're quite far into season 8 at the moment which I knew was infamously hated but it seems that was probably just due to the relative lack of Mulder because the episode themselves are decent and Robert Patrick is a fine addition. Plus it freshens up the show a bit, giving a different dynamic, and now Scully gets to be conscious when the weird shit happens.

I hear season 9 is pants though, but we're sticking with it til the end.

[Ron Maels Moustache]

Been a good few years since I decided to watch all of the X Files over one summer. Honestly struggle to picture in much detail anything besides the godawful Space episode from season 1. The general pacing of the show was infuriating, and craving the lore episodes to progress the central plot made me dislike the monster of the week scooby-doo episodes. Ya know, the ones which were actually good?

Think I sort of liked it, but it put me off trying to watch big long-running American shows for good.

I think it helps if go into watching it with the knowledge that grand myth-arc metaplot is complete nonsense that they're making up as they go along, and isn't going anywhere worthwhile, and then hopefully you can just relax a bit and enjoy the good bits. Because the overarching narrative is a confusing and contradictory mess that isn't really worth the trouble of figuring out, basically.

I always struggle with Season 1 on re-watches because it's so familiar, I've rewatched certain episodes so often they feel a bit of a drag to revisit even though they aren't "bad" as such. There's probably about four or five total clunkers, some of which feel like spec scripts that were written before anyone knew what the tone of the series was actually going to be - I think it's "Lazarus" that has a weird backstory for Scully which doesn't fit with her character at all.

2 - 5 are when it's most consistent, 6 is starting to off the rails a bit (the switch to LA makes it feel like a completely different show) and 7 plunges right down the toilet. I pretty much lost interest at that point and I've only seen bits and pieces of it after that.

On both the revival seasons, I watched as far as the Darin Morgan episodes and thought, "Yep, I've seen the best one now. Might as well not bother with the rest."

[AsparagusTrevor]

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

I was feeling all nostalgic about it a few years ago, so I sought out some episodes. I was a bit surprised to realise that pretty much all of the episodes I remembered were from the first two seasons. They were still enjoyable, but I was struck by how cheap the score sounded.

[madhair60]

My favourite TV show. Nothing gets resolved adequately, the writers clearly don't know what's going on, there are ridiculous retcons upon retcons and it all fizzles out pathetically. Love it.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Some of the stuff that got to me with a fresh set of eyes is how nonsense and just physically impossible some of the stuff is, I'll happily suspend belief for the monsters, aliens, telekinesis and even computers going sentient or hackers being able to upload themselves to the Internet but then you've got stuff like VR games using projectors that seemingly conjour up real people or the aforementioned computer being able to control stuff through thin air so it's not even tenuously connected to it and at that point I'm just like 'nah mate this is clown-shoes'.

[Mister Six]

They should have done one where they turn off a dangerous AI, and then it comes back as a ghost.

[purlieu]

Some great stuff, some utter guff, as one would expect with a syndication sci-fi from the mid 90s. 3-5 were my favourites, the mythology stuff actually felt like it was going somewhere then, the funny episodes were on top form, and there were plenty of great moody stand-alone stories.

The move to LA absolutely crushed the atmosphere of the show, and it really should have ended with Two Fathers One Son. Not exactly a classic, but it does a better job of tying up the mythology than it deserves.

There are a couple of good ones in seven, but really it's past it's best there. I know there are those who like the post-Mulder series but I can't get into them at all. The one where Scully has some creature inserted into her spine because it's treated as a God is just about the low point for me, there's not even a hint of trying to explain what the fuck the creature is, it's just sort of accepted.

Improbable is the only episode in the last season that I like, although it's a corker with Burt Reynolds absolutely lighting up the screen.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Has anyone picked up the courage to watch The Lone Gunmen spin-off?

I quite liked what I saw of Millenium as well.

[Menu]

The X Files has the worst title sequence of any show I've seen. It looks like a child's done it. Why didn't they change that?

[Menu]

Also when does Vince Gilligan come aboard? Are there episodes he writes which point to his later work?

[chveik]

I quite liked what I saw of Millenium as well.

yeah it's grim af but there are some good ideas (especially in series 2 when they start playing with the form)

[Wadded Beef]

Millennium is great, and yet was also ahead of its time. Lance Henriksen is fantastic as the lead, managing to make someone who has the magic power to read the minds of criminals quite believable.

Too bad the main story got such a poor wrapup at the end, when it was kinda shoehorned into an X-Files episode.

Speaking of, The X-Files is still watchable with its highs and lows, but don't really bother going beyond Season 7 imo.

[oy vey]

The X Files has the worst title sequence of any show I've seen. It looks like a child's done it. Why didn't they change that?

I know Mark Snow is popular and the theme is iconic but I hated the music. It especially didn't help the shittier episodes. But there are gems. The only thing is I can't remember much of anything.

The first movie was decent and that one with the guy who could predict people's deaths but nothing else (he kept torturing himself doing the lottery). Wasn't there also a funny haunted house one? And a Bermuda triangle one with a boat. I could be mixing episodes together sorry.

[Ron Maels Moustache]

I know Mark Snow is popular and the theme is iconic but I hated the music. It especially didn't help the shittier episodes. But there are gems. The only thing is I can't remember much of anything.

The first movie was decent and that one with the guy who could predict people's deaths but nothing else (he kept torturing himself doing the lottery). Wasn't there also a funny haunted house one? And a Bermuda triangle one with a boat. I could be mixing episodes together sorry.

The first one is "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose" from Season 3 and the other two are "How The Ghosts Stole Christmas" and "Triangle," both from Season 6.

[madhair60]

Also when does Vince Gilligan come aboard? Are there episodes he writes which point to his later work?

"Drive" in season 6, starring Cranston himself. He was around before then but that's the most prominent connection I'd say.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I like the titles.

For ages I thought the time-lapse seeds were creepy hooded figures that spontaneously grew trunks rather than seeds though, so what do I know.

[oy vey]

The first one is "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose" from Season 3 and the other two are "How The Ghosts Stole Christmas" and "Triangle," both from Season 6.

Cheers. I remember enjoying those but it's been a long time. I did a bit of googling - it's on Disney+ but they don't do a free month. Yes I'm a cheap cunt. I'm thinking...

[BlodwynPig]

Millennium is great, and yet was also ahead of its time. Lance Henriksen is fantastic as the lead, managing to make someone who has the magic power to read the minds of criminals quite believable.

Too bad the main story got such a poor wrapup at the end, when it was kinda shoehorned into an X-Files episode.

https://filmfreeway.com/MillenniumaftertheMillennium

[JamesTC]

I tend to enjoy the monster of the week episodes but the arc stuff became tedious very quickly. The nadir is the opening episode of the latest season (an otherwise great season including my favourite episode).

Has anyone picked up the courage to watch The Lone Gunmen spin-off?

It is absolutely wonderful. If you like the episodes of The X Files featuring them, you'll really enjoy it. Real light hearted fun.

The 9-11 episode (the pilot) that aired 6 months before 9-11 is a weird one.

[mothman]

I'd have preferred it if they'd ended after season 7 - whether retaining the cliffhanger or not - and then left it a year or two then did films. Though given how neither film they did make set the world afire, perhaps it just wouldn't have worked. But then again, if they had really gone all in on the alien invasion finally happening, who knows? It'd be a whole different thing to the TV series, but then that didn't stop (most of) the Star Trek films being successful.

I wonder, at which point did they ever actually stop just teasing out snippets of the central alien conspiracy plot, and just started stringing it out using increasingly irrelevant and contrived plot points with an obvious aversion to ever finishing it off?

[purlieu]

The X Files has the worst title sequence of any show I've seen. It looks like a child's done it. Why didn't they change that?

You've not seen any of the later ones, then? The later version is fucking terrible.

[up_the_hampipe]

The spookiest thing about the show was Mulder's habit of watching porn but not for any apparent sexual gratification. Was he supposed to be an alien the whole time?

[Famous Mortimer]

The spookiest thing about the show was Mulder's habit of watching porn but not for any apparent sexual gratification. Was he supposed to be an alien the whole time?

I'm only noticing this because I was told to look out for it, but he has the bikini-model calendar in his office, and whenever he's watching telly late at night you can hear the grunts and moans in the background. When his apartment gets broken into in the most "recent" episode, I was hoping that, "Sean's Show" style, the robbers would leave a note saying "we stole your porn for your own good, you've got too much of it".