The X-Files

[Sentience]

Recently I was watching the DVD's of this 90's classic (after watching the two new seasons made in 2016) and I'm very impressed with what I have seen so far. I'm up to season 4 and the show seems to have no end of intelligent, scary horror stories to tell, that are all well-paced, well-packaged and terrifying.

There are many things to like about the show, and the stand alone episode - a horror story - is my favorite, despite the spooky alien arc story. I hear this gets even better after season 6, when Agent Doggett is introduced in Mulder's place. Each stand-alone episode is somewhat unique, certainly more unique than follow-ups such as CSI in the 2000s - the X-Files maintains its originality, and maintains its classic status especially in the way it presents the American business class (usually a character, family or villain in each episode).

Overall, I would thoroughly recommend the show to those who have not seen it (and there must be a few given the generation gap).

 

[SAndrews10]

Always enjoyed the x files. And the final 2 original seasons (panned by many) i say are some of the best of the series. Love me some Doggett and Reyes

 

[Starkers]

Having watched most of it back in the day (I think I checked out towards the end of the run though I did definitely see some of the Doggett/Reyes era, saw both films and the most recent seasons) I started a re-watch from the start this year. Currently up to season 4 (most recently watched Kaddish).

It's very interesting given I hadn't seen some of these episodes in 20+years. For me the show still stands up, down in large part to Duchovny and Anderson who are simply superb. Whilst I remember most of the episodes I don't recall them all, and don't always remember how they end, so in many ways it's like watching an all new show! It oddly doesn't feel that dated either.

Some episodes I recall liking back in the day now seem ropey, and vice versa for some I hadn't liked so much originally. Guessing this is down to my perceptions/tastes changing with age. What is interesting is that first time around I was far more a monster of the week fan than a fan of the arc, but I find this time around I'm enjoying the arc episodes a lot more, though I do still like most of the monster of the week eps.

In hindsight I think the show needed an arc of some kind, Kolchak the Night Stalker shows what happens when you just have a series of unconnected monster stories.

Maybe I'll get bored but at the moment since it's all on Disney+ it is my intention to watch the whole damn thing in between newer shows.

On a final note I think I'll always be a little in love with Dana Scully

 

[Sentience]

Having watched most of it back in the day (I think I checked out towards the end of the run though I did definitely see some of the Doggett/Reyes era, saw both films and the most recent seasons) I started a re-watch from the start this year. Currently up to season 4 (most recently watched Kaddish).

I just watched that episode last night myself, in my season 4 run. I plan to watch the show right through as well.

I think that back in the 90's when we were somewhat obsessed with aliens, the arc story was the better part of the series, but looking back, just maybe the stand alone episodes are the best part of the show, although the alien episodes still stand up/are still scary, well done, etc.

I think the show holds up very well in time, which is one of the reasons why it was brought back in 2016. Timeless.

 

[Kor]

I saw the 2016 season but still haven't gotten around to the one after that.
I always liked the concept of the alien mythology/mytharc, but it seemed like they couldn't quite figure out where they wanted to go with that.

Kor

 

[Reverend]

I was about 11 or 12 when the show first came out and EVERYONE was watching it. Indeed it may have been the first sci-fi(ish) show to hit that level of mainstream popularity. Indeed it's kind of had to express to anyone that wasn't around for it just how huge that show was, almost right out of the gate. It was everywhere.

As for my experience with it; I was very much a fan for the first four or five seasons, largely because it caught me at exactly the right time, having already been very much into the paranormal ever since I found a stack of my old man's 'Unexplained' magazines in the attic a few years prior (like seriously, I remember being the only kid in my class who had actually heard of the "Roswell Incident" before it was mentioned on the show.)

Then eventually the movie came out (which I'm reasonably sure I saw on the big screen) and while it was OK, it just felt like more of the same, but in widescreen and a bigger budget. The show just kept going though, and I kept watching but somewhere along the way I just lost interest. There was no particular "fuck this show!" moment; I just found myself watching other things, being less and less interested until I didn't even notice when the new seasons were coming out.

In hindsight a lot of it had to do with how much the meta-narrative had taken over, and yet at the same time made less and less sense. One felt very much like one was being led on with the promise of answers, only to be provided with more vague BS (a feeling that would return with a sinking dread a few seasons into 'Lost' about a decade later. )
The "will they/won't they" crap was never a point of interest to me, and after a while the increased focus on the personal drama just turned me off (I may have also been the wrong age to really engage with it.) I'd also grown out of the juvenile fascination with the paranormal in favour of things like critical thinking and actual science, so that may have played a factor too.
I did however happen to catch the "final" episode which I have to say didn't leave much of an impression beyond "meh".

I've caught the odd episode here or there since. I think I sat through the later movie (the one with Billy Connolly of all people) and was thoroughly disinterested. Like I can't remember a single thing about it other than Big Yin being in it. I may have watched an episode of the revival season, but it left no real impression on me.

I've thought about going back and re-watching, but honestly the time investment in retreading old ground when there's such easy access so much good stuff these days that I haven't given a first watch yet seems like a poor value proposition.

 

[JD]

A few years ago I watched the first five or six season, and the first movie, and I really enjoyed it. Of course the cast was the biggest highlight, and they had some really great Monster of The Week episode. I also really enjoyed the arc up the point where I stopped.
I never saw the second movie, but I did watch the revival seasons, and while I didn't enjoy them as the original seasons, I still liked it, and was a little disappointed we didn't get more.

 

[Sentience]

With regards to the revival seasons, apparently the producers (given the extraordinarily high ratings) wanted to do a third, full length, season but a fight between Duchovney and Anderson prevented it. Specifically David was on board but Anderson wasn't, so because of her the whole third revival season and beyond was cancelled. Who knows how many more seasons and episodes could have been made if her decision was in the affirmative?

 

[Starkers]

The revival series were ok. There were some absolute gems (Mulder and Scully meet the Were-Monster is a hoot) but I'm not sure they exactly knew what they were trying to do with the show overall and making a 6/10 episode season requires a different attitude, you can't just take a 20+ episode season concept and just trim it down.

 

[Reverend]

With regards to the revival seasons, apparently the producers (given the extraordinarily high ratings) wanted to do a third, full length, season but a fight between Duchovney and Anderson prevented it. Specifically David was on board but Anderson wasn't, so because of her the whole third revival season and beyond was cancelled. Who knows how many more seasons and episodes could have been made if her decision was in the affirmative?

Those two have never gotten along on a personal level, so I'm honestly surprised she agreed to come back at all (goodness knows her career was doing just fine without Scully.) That she stuck it out for two seasons is nothing shy of impressive. I honestly don't blame her for not wanting to relive all that drama again. After all, it's just a TV show.

 

[Starkers]

I've read countless things over the years and I'm still not sure exactly how toxic things got between them. I think they've both used the word hate but also suggested hate is too strong a word, and partly it seems a case of familiarity breeding contempt because they were effectively the only leads of the show. It wasn't an ensemble where you could go and work with person B for a few episodes because you're annoyed with person A, for better or worse they were in close proximity 99% of the time.

Certainly I never got the feeling it reached the levels of something like Bruce Willis/Cybil Shepard or Nathan Fillon/Stana Katic where they literally couldn't bear to be in the same room as each other, maybe they're just both too professional for that.

I also get the feeling that things have mellowed somewhat as well in recent years. They might never be best friends but they seem to have a tad more time for each other than they perhaps once did.

I am happy to be corrected on any of the above!

 

[Forbin]

On a final note I think I'll always be a little in love with Dana Scully

I still have my GATB* membership card. One of the oldest graphics files I have, dated 1996.

*Gillian Anderson Testosterone Brigade

 

[Starkers]

I still have my GATB* membership card. One of the oldest graphics files I have, dated 1996.

*Gillian Anderson Testosterone Brigade

Ha ha I was never a member, except in sprit, but I do remember that!

 

[Bgt]

oh my beloved X-files!

I still remember leaving the internet connection on all night long trying to download with a 14K modem a trailer for the next episode, since in Greece only the first couple of seasons where shown (on repeat, lol). All night long to download a 500KB mov video file , that's dedication!
I had asked friends from USA, Canada and UK to tape whole seasons for me, I basically watched most of the series without subtitles, which trained and prepared me well for the dozens of second hand tapes of DS9 and VOY that I watched after.

I liked most of the revival as well, although I still haven't watched the final episode.
The whole conspiracy topic was the one that really bored me after the first few seasons.
"Monster of the week" was the best.

Spoiler: latest seasons big spoiler

And I loved them as a couple. I never got why they didn't do it earlier, their chemistry was amazing. I hated they spent all these seasons with the "will they or not" formula. Not every love story turns out to be "Moonlighting"

 

[theenglish]

Scully was the template for strong, tough, intelligent female protagonists. A lot of progress that has come after can be traced back to her.

 

[Starkers]

Indeed, although she isn't always treated well so I can see why Anderson is still pissed off about some of it.

 

[Reverend]

I've read countless things over the years and I'm still not sure exactly how toxic things got between them. I think they've both used the word hate but also suggested hate is too strong a word, and partly it seems a case of familiarity breeding contempt because they were effectively the only leads of the show. It wasn't an ensemble where you could go and work with person B for a few episodes because you're annoyed with person A, for better or worse they were in close proximity 99% of the time.

Certainly I never got the feeling it reached the levels of something like Bruce Willis/Cybil Shepard or Nathan Fillon/Stana Katic where they literally couldn't bear to be in the same room as each other, maybe they're just both too professional for that.

I also get the feeling that things have mellowed somewhat as well in recent years. They might never be best friends but they seem to have a tad more time for each other than they perhaps once did.

I am happy to be corrected on any of the above!

My impression over the years has been that they're simply incompatible personalities. There doesn't seem to be any lack of respect, and they can both be professional about it . . . but when anyone is forced to spend a lot of time in close quarters with someone they simply do not like, and what's more when the feeling is mutual, there's only so much biting of tongues and counting to ten one can do before one or both reaches their limit.

I kind of compare it to the dynamic between Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, only a bit further along the curve and as a result, way more of a dysfunctional working relationship.

I think we've all been in similar situations with a co-worker, where you're able to deal with them on a purely professional level, but cannot stand them personally (and visa-versa.) In most professions this is easily manageable for mature adults with a grasp of self-control and self awareness, but acting as the leads in a network TV show isn't most professions. It's a lot of long hours in close quarters, night shoots, the omnipresent tedium between set-ups, and in this instance they're playing characters that are meant to at least occasionally be intimate. I can see that getting old really fast.

A lot of people seem to struggle with the concept of not liking someone, even hating them, but still being able to respect them professionally, and get on with the job. Life is complicated kids! It's not all black or white, friends or enemies, Care Bears or the Jerry Springer Show.

 

[JD]

With regards to the revival seasons, apparently the producers (given the extraordinarily high ratings) wanted to do a third, full length, season but a fight between Duchovney and Anderson prevented it. Specifically David was on board but Anderson wasn't, so because of her the whole third revival season and beyond was cancelled. Who knows how many more seasons and episodes could have been made if her decision was in the affirmative?

Those two have never gotten along on a personal level, so I'm honestly surprised she agreed to come back at all (goodness knows her career was doing just fine without Scully.) That she stuck it out for two seasons is nothing shy of impressive. I honestly don't blame her for not wanting to relive all that drama again. After all, it's just a TV show.

Wow, I had no idea things were that bad between them.

I've read countless things over the years and I'm still not sure exactly how toxic things got between them. I think they've both used the word hate but also suggested hate is too strong a word, and partly it seems a case of familiarity breeding contempt because they were effectively the only leads of the show. It wasn't an ensemble where you could go and work with person B for a few episodes because you're annoyed with person A, for better or worse they were in close proximity 99% of the time.

Certainly I never got the feeling it reached the levels of something like Bruce Willis/Cybil Shepard or Nathan Fillon/Stana Katic where they literally couldn't bear to be in the same room as each other, maybe they're just both too professional for that.

Wow, I'm a huge Castle fan, and I had no idea things were that bad between Nathan Fillion & Stana Katic. I guess that explains why he started going off and doing his own thing more often as the show went on.

 

[Reverend]

There's always a lot of pressure on "tv couples", over and above the usual baseline stress of leading a 20+ episode-a-season show every year. It's not surprising most of them end up hating each other, I mean it's practically a shotgun marriage in a lot of ways, only with the added bonus of press tours!

 

[Starkers]

My impression over the years has been that they're simply incompatible personalities. There doesn't seem to be any lack of respect, and they can both be professional about it . . . but when anyone is forced to spend a lot of time in close quarters with someone they simply do not like, and what's more when the feeling is mutual, there's only so much biting of tongues and counting to ten one can do before one or both reaches their limit.

I kind of compare it to the dynamic between Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, only a bit further along the curve and as a result, way more of a dysfunctional working relationship.

I think we've all been in similar situations with a co-worker, where you're able to deal with them on a purely professional level, but cannot stand them personally (and visa-versa.) In most professions this is easily manageable for mature adults with a grasp of self-control and self awareness, but acting as the leads in a network TV show isn't most professions. It's a lot of long hours in close quarters, night shoots, the omnipresent tedium between set-ups, and in this instance they're playing characters that are meant to at least occasionally be intimate. I can see that getting old really fast.

A lot of people seem to struggle with the concept of not liking someone, even hating them, but still being able to respect them professionally, and get on with the job. Life is complicated kids! It's not all black or white, friends or enemies, Care Bears or the Jerry Springer Show.

Absolutely, although I guess in some respects there could be a flipside to this though. The very fact of having to work so closely with someone you maybe don't like can, in its own skewed way, form a bond that might not have existed otherwise. It seems unimaginable that working on the X-Files was always a nightmare for both of them, there must have been good days as well as bad. Laughs as well as arguments. Time eases old wounds as they say, and maybe as both have got older they find it easier to remember the good moments rather than the bad.

Wow, I'm a huge Castle fan, and I had no idea things were that bad between Nathan Fillion & Stana Katic. I guess that explains why he started going off and doing his own thing more often as the show went on.

From what I recall it was apparently horrible. Really toxic. I think the sad thing is that in a logical world you'd just wrap the show up, but it was making money so the network kept forcing these two people who, by this point, clearly hated each other to work together. I think the shame of it is I always got the impression that this wasn't some long term thing and that for a long time they got on well together (though I also heard that part of the problem was they were genuinely attracted to one another but one or both of them was always in a relationship which put a strain on things, not sure how true that is.)

There's always a lot of pressure on "tv couples", over and above the usual baseline stress of leading a 20+ episode-a-season show every year. It's not surprising most of them end up hating each other, I mean it's practically a shotgun marriage in a lot of ways, only with the added bonus of press tours!

Kinda like an arranged marriage (although of course many arranged marriages work incredibly well.)

Part of it is projection on our part as viewers. Mulder and Scully clearly care for each other so of course we transpose that and imagine that Duchovny and Anderson clearly care for each other too. Of course sometimes this can turn out to be true. It's clear the Next Gen crew really do all love each other to bits, and while I'm sure some of them had their moments, the cast of Friends seemed to get along really well with each other.